Motorbase Performance will field an expanded two-car squad for the 2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season, after penning a new deal for Lewis Plato to partner Dan Vaughan for the Kent-based outfit’s Pro Class championship campaign.
One of the most successful teams in the Carrera Cup GB’s illustrious history, David Bartrum’s 2010 Championship winning team returned to the German marque series last season, after a six-year sabbatical.
Running rookie Vaughan in a single-car entry, the Wrotham-based team collected an impressive three race wins and five podiums in the Pro-Am class, with the New-Forest based racer ending the year as runner-up.
Following on from his highly-credible debut season, which also saw him voted as the ‘Porsche Driver of the Year’, Vaughan returns to the Motorbase fold once more, making the step-up to the Pro-Class this season, alongside his new team-mate.
Two-times race winner, Plato, makes the move to the Motorbase stable for his 4th full season in the series. Challenging for the Pro Class title in 2018, the 26-year-old made history at the Brands Hatch final, winning the historic 300th Porsche Carrera Cup GB race at his home circuit.
Having previously raced together in karting, and as team-mates in the Radical Challenge, both Plato and Vaughan are relishing the chance to work together once more, with Team Principal David Bartrum, excited by the prospect and potential of the young, ambitious line-up.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work over the winter to pull this line-up together. To retain Dan for another season and adding Lewis as his team-mate is a great result for Motorbase, and I think they will make a formidable pairing.
“Lewis and Dan have been team-mates before so know each other really well. I know they will work well together and hard for the team. With both drivers in the Pro category this season, our eye is firmly on the title fight. Dan is coming off the back of a great debut season and Lewis comes to us with a strong pedigree, with three strong seasons behind him.
“The Porsche Carrera Cup is never an easy championship to race in, let alone win, but I think we have a great line-up this year, with a strong team behind them. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Lewis Plato added; “I’m very excited about this season. When we finished last year, we really weren’t too sure about where we’d be racing this season. I’ve known David [Bartrum] and the team for years so it’s nice to be associated with them and racing as a Motorbase driver.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully having a successful year and showing everyone just how good the team really is. Realistically, this year the aim is to win. Of course, there are always variables that get in the way of that, but I’m really looking forward to getting started and targeting the top step.”
Dan Vaughan said; “I’m really excited for this season. Last year was a great learning curve for me, getting to know the car and building the relationship with the team. I think this year with a new team mate in Lewis [Plato] and a much stronger team, we’re going to be in a great positon to challenge for overall wins and hopefully get a result for Motorbase.
“After coming 2nd in Pro-Am last year and getting driver of the year I’m in a great position to move on, and to get some better results further up the grid. I feel that now is the right time for me to move up into the Pro class and I can’t wait to get going.”
The eight-meeting 2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season gets underway on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, on April 6/7 as part of the TOCA support package, with extensive free-to-air ITV coverage.
