The Richardson Racing team maintained its impressive run of form in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB with a double podium finish from the latest rounds of the season at Oulton Park.
The team headed into round three of the campaign on the back of a race-winning performance at Brands Hatch, with drivers Will Martin, Josh Malin and Will Bratt all impressing in pre-event testing.
Tricky wet conditions in qualifying provided a challenge for the trio but all three qualified well in the top eight, with Martin lining up third on the grid for race one, and Malin and Bratt securing sixth and eighth.
In improved conditions for the opening race, Martin dropped back to fourth on the opening lap and was briefly overhauled by defending champion Harry King before the teenager reclaimed the place and set about trying to make his way back into the podium positions.
Getting ahead of Kiern Jewiss into third three laps from the end, Martin secured a solid third place finish to add to his silverware collection.
Behind, Malin made a small error at turn one that saw him drop two places from his starting position, with Bratt one of the cars that was able to sneak through; the pair circulating together before crossing the line in seventh and and eighth.
From third on the grid for race two, Martin would run in the podium places throughout, fighting hard to keep King and Dan Cammish at bay after an early caution period.
His end reward for a battling performance was another third place finish, making it four successive podium results as he moved up to fourth in the points standings.
The early caution period would unfortunately be as a result of an incident involving Bratt, who was collected on lap one by the spinning Lorcan Hanafin and forced into retirement. Malin was lucky to avoid the incident himself and made up two places into sixth spot where he remained to the finish – chasing hard to keep pace with Martin and the fight for third.
At the end of the weekend, Malin is now second in the Rookie Championship, whilst Richardson Racing hold second in the Entrant Championship.
The next round for the team will come at Knockhill in two weeks time.
Will Martin, #10 Richardson Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, said:
“It’s been a very successful weekend for us and we’ve been really consistent across the two races. It could have gone a little bit better, but to come away from Oulton Park with two podium finishes is a really good end result.
“Consistency is important in a championship like this and we are on a good run of form, so hopefully we can keep it up. I certainly feel we have the pace to be right up there challenging for wins again when we go to Knockhill in a few weeks time.”
Josh Malin, #90 Richardson Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, said:
“Race one wasn’t my strongest as I got a bad start and hung out to dry at turn one, and it was frustrating to get left in a train of cars and be unable to make up places. I was keen to make amends for that in race two and there was some carnage on lap one that I was able to avoid, but it all went well from there.
“I am very hard on myself so I’m pleased to come away from that race having shown I have the pace to keep with people like Will, Harry King and Dan Cammish. It’s a sign of the progress I’m making and I’m looking forwards now to fighting for some strong results at Knockhill.”
Will Bratt, #91 Comline Richardson Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, said:
“We have changed quite a few things on the car for this weekend to make it better suited to my driving style, and I feel that has been reflected in how we performed. We showed stronger pace in practice and then seventh in race one was a solid start to the races.
“It was a shame to not make it to the finish in the second race as we’d made a further change to the car that we didn’t get to benefit from, but hopefully we can keep progressing at Knockhill.”