Oly Mortimer took a pair of wins at Brands Hatch in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge opening rounds at Brands Hatch on Saturday April 9th, the Scot leading all the way in his first Porsche races. Graeme Mundy was the closest challenger in each race, and less than half a second behind the leader in the shortened second race.

Qualifying

Mortimer claimed pole for his first GT3 Cup Challenge race, holding off  Mundy and Yucel Ozbek to set the quickest time in the 15-minute session. Simon Blanckley was fourth quickest despite his limited rear-wheel drive race experience, just heading Peter Smallwood’s 997.

“It was a bit unexpected, I’ve only had 45-minutes in the car in the dry before we came here,” said Mortimer. “My first qualifying in a GT car and I’m on pole so I can’t complain about that. The race will be interesting as it will be my first racing start in one of these cars.”

In Class Two Paul Winter and Tim Speed shared the quickest 996 in qualifying, Winter eighth on the grid for race one, with Speed in the same slot for race two. Race two’s times were set by driver’s second quickest lap time – giving the same order at the top of the field.

Race One

Despite his worries Mortimer got away well, his start matched by Mundy who sat outside the pole car into Paddock Hill Bend only to see Ozbek take advantage and steal second on the way up to Druids. As Mortimer sought to open a gap, best starter was Winter, into fourth at the end of lap one from eighth on the grid.

A series of fastest laps was enough to give the leader a handy lead, with Mundy working hard to get past Ozbek, who was making his Brands Hatch debut. Going into lap 10 Mundy got inside Ozbek at Paddock Hill Bend and was past, but Mortimer was away clear and controlling the gap at the front to take the win in his first GT3 Cup Challenge race.

“I had too much wheelspin on the green flag lap,” said Mortimer,” so I toned it down a bit for the start. I had the inside line into the first corner and it was a case of looking after the car but doing some quick laps. I knew I had a good gap, so I was careful with the tyres, and I am so happy to take the win.

“It’s good to be back, it’s been a couple of years,” said Mundy. “I’ve not driven a GT3 for two and half seasons, and I was trying to get the leader at the start, then looked right and there was a car there! I lost time getting past him, and by then Oly was in a position to control the race.”

“I had a good start, but Graeme Mundy went past me,” said Ozbek, “he has more experience round here than me and he made a clean pass. I enjoyed the race – we’ll see what happens in race two.”

With the top three settled, attention moved to the battle for fourth, Peter Smallwood and Steven Liquorish having worked their way past Winter. Liquorish closed on Smallwood, the two together on lap 26, when Smallwood spun at Druids letting Liquorice clinch fourth, ahead of the recovering Smallwood, Winter and Bertie Carruthers.

 “I made a great start then tried to keep them behind me, I like being aggressive at the start and making places” said Winter. “Once the 997s had got back at me you could see they were quicker.”

Race Two

Mortimer got away well in race two, the start delayed as officials worked on a huge slick of spilt fluid on the pit straight, Mundy giving chase but seeing a gap open before the Safety Car came out on lap four, Ozbek had dived down the inside of Smallwood at Druids, and his ambitious manoeuvre had ended up in the gravel.

With his lead wiped out Mortimer led the field round behind the Safety Car, but controlled the restart on lap nine to head the field away, this time with Mundy in close attendance. The gap wandered as they hit traffic, Mundy setting a brace of quickest laps, only for Mortimer to respond. On the final lap Mundy pushed hard, setting the outright quickest lap, but the flying young Scot had enough in hand to take his second win of the day, the race shortened due to delays in an earlier event.

“I had to work for that one,” said Mortimer, “there was so much gravel, dust and coolant all over the track. I like to get away at the front, so when we had the Safety Car I had to make sure I got away well again. I just wanted to keep the car on the track, and at times I was over-cautious when I saw flags and he closed right up on me.  When you see the slippery surface flag and you are the first one to reach it – you just don’t know what the conditions are like. From then on it was a race, but we’ve had a perfect weekend, other than getting the fastest lap in this race!”

“That was good fun,” said Mundy “there was just so much stuff on the track, but I had a good race with Oly. I’ve really enjoyed the weekend, we were trying as hard as we could and almost got to him.”

Smallwood ran in a strong third early on, and as the race progressed had Blanckley closong in to challenge for the position. The pair were close through Paddock Hill Bend on lap 16, but as Blanckley looked for way past at Druids the pair touched, spinning Smallwood round and damaging Blanckley’s car, both cars retiring.

That elevated Liqourish to third, taking the position ahead of Bertie Carruthers and Tim Speed.

“It was very slippery,” said Liqourish “then I had a bit of a suspension problem and dropped off the back of Pete Smallwood and Simon Blanckley. They were having a great battle and I wondered if they might take each other off – then it happened! From then on it was a case of bringing the car home – but we have had a great weekend.”

“I got a good start,” said Speed, “but it was hard to stay with the newer cars. I raced with Bertie for a bit, then he got me, and I ran out of time to get back past him. I just needed more time to get on terms with him.”

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Race One: 1 Oly Mortimer (997) 31 laps; 2 Graeme Mundy (997) +4.720s; 3 Yucel Ozbek (997); 4 Steven Liqourish (997); 5 Peter Smallwood (997); 6 Paul Winter (996); 7 Bertie Carruthers (997). Class Winners: Mortimer; Winter. Fastest Lap: Mortimer 48.484s (88.99mph).

Race Two: 1 Mortimer 22 laps; 2 Mundy +0.456s; 3 Liquorish; 4 Carruthers; 5 Tim Speed (996). Class Winners: Mortimer; Speed. Fastest Lap: Mundy 48.896s (88.24mph).

Next Races: Croft, North Yorkshire, April 23rd and 24th.