Redline Racing have won both the Drivers and Teams Championship’s in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB for a record tenth time after emerging victorious from a nerve-wracking season finale at Brands Hatch this past weekend (30 September/1 October).
While Dan Cammish signed off the season with the team’s eleventh and twelfth race victories of the season, a hard-fought pair of top five finishes was enough to secure Charlie Eastwood the Drivers title, whilst their combined results secured the Teeside squad the Teams honours.
Following a strong qualifying session that produced a pair of second row starts, Eastwood fought hard in the opening race in tricky, greasy conditions to secure a fourth place finish, which crucially gave him a six point buffer at the top heading into the final race of the season. That one would start off dramatically for Eastwood though as contact from a rival dropped him back to sixth position, and with his chief rival in second he knew he needed to gain one more position to take the title as he gave his all in front of the live ITV4 television cameras.
Eastwood made his decisive move three laps from the end and took the chequered flag in fifth much to the delight of the team, his sponsors and family – with the title eventually going his way on countback of race wins after ending the year tied on points with his rival.
Cammish meanwhile headed into the season finale with only faint title hopes after some misfortune in recent meetings, but he showed his class with a dominant performance across the weekend, starting with his eighth and ninth pole positions of the campaign in qualifying. The 2015 and 2016 champion briefly lost the advantage in the opener but fought back for the win before taking a clear lights-to-flag victory in race two, with those successes meaning he ends the year with a remarkable 31 victories in 45 Carrera Cup GB starts with Redline.
Tom Oliphant brought his season to a close with a podium finish in the opening race following a sensational drive through from eighth on the grid to third at the flag, which he followed up with sixth in race two to complete an incredibly consistent campaign of fourteen top six finishes in fifteen races.
Euan McKay suffered an unfortunate early retirement in the opening encounter but bounced back with a ninth place result in race two after battling hard once again with his older brother Dan McKay, who ended his campaign with strong ninth and seventh place finishes.
John McCullagh enjoyed another impressive outing in the Pro-Am 1 category meanwhile, converting second in class on the grid to a podium result in the opening race, which means he has taken a top three finish in each of the meetings he has raced in since returning to the series at Snetterton. The weekend’s results mean Redline impressively end the campaign with five drivers in the top eight of the final championship standings, twelve victories from fifteen races between Cammish and Eastwood, and no less than 27 podium finishes through the season across the Pro and Pro-Am 1 classes.
Simon Leonard – Team Boss:
“We couldn’t be happier to end the season as the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Drivers and Teams champions for a tenth time. I’m incredibly proud of the whole team and I’m delighted that all their hard work has been rewarded with the two titles.
Charlie [Eastwood] has driven superbly throughout his two years in the championship and is a deserving champion. It was certainly a nerve-wracking final race, but he got the job done and we couldn’t be prouder to have seen him take the title.
Dan [Cammish] showed his class this weekend and ended the season in the best way possible. His record over the last three years in the championship has been exceptional and it has been a joy for the team to achieve that success with him.
It was fantastic to see Tom [Oliphant] and John [McCullagh] end their seasons on the podium, while Euan and Dan [McKay] have shown brilliant progression this year. It has truly been a fantastic season for us all and we look forward to coming back next season to defend our titles.”
Charlie Eastwood:
“The final race was crazy, I was up against it but we got it done and it’s a huge relief. This championship is hugely competitive, you have to be on the limit 24/7 and to come out on top is truly unbelievable. It’s been a perfect two years, Scholarship winner, Rookie title and now overall champion. A massive thank you to Porsche for this opportunity, my family and the team!”
Dan Cammish:
“It’s a great way to end the season on top and we finished it the way we started it. I’m obviously disappointed not to win the title, but congratulations to Charlie [Eastwood] and the team. Eight wins, nine poles and eight fastest laps this year, I’m very proud of what me and the team have achieved.”
Final Championship Standings:
1. Charlie Eastwood (228pts)
3. Dan Cammish (210pts)
4. Tom Oliphant (182pts)
7. Euan McKay (140pts)
8. Dan McKay (123pts)
The image is from Dan Bathie/Porsche.