The Comline Richardson Racing team was able to celebrate victory in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB for the second weekend in succession after a strong showing on track at Oulton Park.
The Corby-based team had secured its first win of the campaign in the previous event at Brands Hatch thanks to Will Martin, whilst series rookie Jack Bartholomew had also taken to the podium for the first time.
Pre-event testing in Cheshire saw both drivers lapping inside the top ten on the times and when qualifying came around, Will was on fine form as he secured a place on the front row of the grid – missing out on pole by just 0.020s.
Jack meanwhile would line up in tenth spot, having lapped little over seven-tenths of a second off the pace.
Getting ahead of Kiern Jewiss at the start of race one, Will was out front when the race was halted to allow a number of cars to be recovered from the circuit after incidents at the start, with Jack having slipped back to twelfth.
When the action got back underway, Will was in a class of his own at the front of the field and he stormed to a dominant win by more than five seconds – setting the fastest lap in the process and breaking the lap record.
Nursing damage to his car after contact, Jack fought hard on track to bring his car to the finish in 13th.
Fifth on the grid for race two, Will found the going more difficult given the tight confines of the Oulton Park circuit and would end the race where he started, ending the weekend just three points off the championship lead.
Jack meanwhile was running in twelfth when contact at the hairpin on lap twelve dropped him back to 16th place, which is where he would finish.
That leaves Jack sitting seventh in the championship standings, with Comline Richardson Racing continuing to lead the Entrants’ Championship.
Will Martin, #10 Richardson Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, said:
“Overall it’s been a great weekend. We have had strong pace throughout and have shown that we are right there in the championship fight. Race one went really well and to win for a second weekend in a row was great. The aim in race two was to score as many points as we could as it’s so difficult to overtake round here, and that is what we did.
“Having had a tough start to the year at Donington Park, we’ve really come out fighting in the last two rounds and have closed right in in the points, and we have to maintain this form in the rounds to come.”
Jack Bartholomew, #89 Richardson Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, said:
“The Carrera Cup is renowned for being a big step up for a rookie driver, and a circuit like Oulton Park is one that is particularly challenging in the GT3 Cup Car, which I think was reflected in the results for all of the drivers who were racing there for the first time in the car this weekend.
“I fully expected it to be a challenge and whilst that proved to be the case, there are still plenty of positives to take away from the weekend as we look towards the remainder of the season.
“For one, I’ve struggled a bit to get the car off the line after five years of rolling starts but at Oulton Park, my starts were certainly a lot better. The focus now is take the lessons learned here – and in the first two rounds – to Knockhill next month, and look to challenge for some solid points finishes.”