Team Redline Racing made a splash at Brands Hatch in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this past weekend (May 14/15), as Adam Smalley maintained his strong start to the 2022 season by clinching a podium finish in race two.
On what proved to be an action-packed second event of the year, the Porsche GB Junior driver mastered the wet conditions in race two to finish third and leave the Kent venue two points off the top of the championship table.
Matty Graham remains within striking distance of the standings summit too, just a further two points back, after a strong showing, whilst Nathan Harrison maintained his advantage at the top of the Pro-Am rankings.
The weekend began with the team basking in the scorching sun as they battled for pole position in what proved to be an ultra-competitive qualifying session - with the top four ultimately being covered by a mere 0.078s.
Smalley led the line for the team as he clinched second whilst Graham was hot on his heels in fourth. Oli White continued his impressive form to net tenth with Micah Stanley 13th, while Nathan and Nigel Rice were fifth and sixth in their respective classes.
Sunday would see the bright sunshine replaced with persistent rain as a capacity crowd flocked trackside to watch two pulsating encounters unfold; the first of which saw the red flag halt proceedings due to the heavens opening in the latter stages of the contest.
Faced with a five-minute dash to the flag, Graham - who had charged into third - held his position all the way to finish only to be hit with a ten-second time penalty for a false start, dropping him back down the order.
Micah would emerge as the top finisher for the Stockton on Teesside squad as he clinched seventh ahead of Smalley, who battled back from an earlier spin. White produced a consistent performance to cross the line in 13th whilst Nathan came close to a third successive podium in the Pro-Am class.
Unfortunately, Nigel was to be a retirement from the race after he was caught out by the ever-changing conditions whilst challenging for a podium finish in the Am category.
Race two saw conditions further deteriorate however Smalley underlined his credentials as produced a superlative performance. Charging from eighth to second, the one-time race winner came narrowly close to taking the lead in the closing laps before settling for third.
Graham bolstered his points tally with an impressive drive to fifth whilst White and Stanley just missed out on the top ten, finishing 11th and 13th respectively. Harrison strengthened his stranglehold in Pro-Am with fifth in class and Nigel just missed out on a podium in the Am ranks.
Simon Leonard – Managing Director: “It was a challenging weekend so to come away with a podium is a fantastic result. Adam was on the pace on Saturday and I think had the conditions not changed on race day then it may have been another story. Still, it is a great start to this season.
“I feel for Matty because he drove really well and deserved that podium in race one. To be just four points shy of the top of the standings is something that I’m sure will motivate him. It was also great to see Micah and Oli continue to progress, both of them coming away with strong results.
“Nathan and Nigel were in the thick of the action, drove really well and were in the class podium battles. It’s been a strong start to the season but we can’t rest on our laurels and the aim will be to come out swinging at Oulton Park next.”
Team Redline Racing are next in action on the weekend of May 28/29 when they simultaneously compete in the British GT Championship and Porsche Sprint Challenge GB at Donington Park. The Porsche Carrera Cup GB reconvenes on June 11/12 at Oulton Park.
Image from Porsche GB.