Bridgman is the 2008 Porsche Carrera Cup Donington winner with four victories from the last four races at Donington Park. He won rounds five and six of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. In round five Bridgman with Team Parker Racing as Tim Harvey (Oxford) headed the pursuit. In round six Bridgman scored his fourth victory in a row in tricky weather conditions.
The next round of 2008 Porsche Carrera Cup GB is at Thruxton, Hampshire, on May 17 / 18.
Porsche Press Release:
Bridgman takes Carrera Cup double at Donington
Tim Bridgman made it four victories from the last four races at Donington Park on Sunday (4 May) in rounds five and six of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB.
Round five
With a faultless performance for Team Parker Racing, Bridgman (Stansted, Essex) made it three wins from three races as Tim Harvey (Oxford) headed the pursuit. Nigel Rice (Beverley) claimed
Pro-Am1 spoils for Red Line Racing.
Starting from pole position, Bridgman led the pack into Redgate as Harvey edged ahead of Michael Caine (Newmarket). Up front, Bridgman set about building his advantage. “I got an okay start and managed to pull out a gap. Then I just pushed hard for the whole race,” he said. “The hat-trick of wins is great, but we’re just taking each race as it comes.” Harvey never stopped chasing, and was able to ease clear of Caine. By setting fastest lap, Harvey also ensured that he took over the championship lead from Caine.
“It was a case of job done,” said Harvey. “I’m very happy with that race.” Caine ran a strong third and brought the gap to Harvey back down to 1.5s at the flag. “I started taking a bit of time off Tim towards the end, but I’m sure he was backing off,” said Caine.
Fourth belonged to Sam Hancock (London) and at one stage he was shadowing Caine for third. But as the race developed, Hancock dropped away and slipped into the clutches of Callum McLeod (Northampton). Into the final lap they were nose-to-tail, but Hancock held on to secure
fourth. “We’ve still got some work to do; it’s just little bits everywhere,” said Hancock. MacLeod drove a strong race to work through to fifth as his experience of the 911GT3 Cup car grew lap by lap.
Phil Quaife (Tonbridge) took sixth, but had to battle ahead of Pro-Am1 leader Rice, who ran as high as sixth place overall after a rocket start. “It’s really good fun just driving the car,” said Rice after settling into seventh place and a commanding Pro-Am1 lead. Out of contention after running fifth on the opening lap went Charles Bateman (Boston) after picking up a rear puncture in the opening stages.
Behind Rice in Pro-Am1, Tony Gilham (Dartford)
had to push hard in the early laps to fend off Nick Whale (Stratford-on-Avon). However, as the race developed, the gap grew to a few seconds. “It took a couple of laps to get heat into the tyres in the early laps,” said Gilham.
Round six
Bridgman scored his fourth victory in a row in a thrilling sixth round later in the day. In tricky weather conditions, six cars put on a fabulous contest in front of a big crowd and live TV cameras and it was Quaife who battled through to take the flag first from Bridgman and Caine, while Rice completed a double victory in Pro-Am1. However, Quaife was later penalised for passing under a yellow flag and dropped to third in the amended results.
With rain threatening, tyre choice was an issue before the race but everyone went to the grid on slicks. There was an early Safety Car period after a first corner brush sent Whale into the gravel at Redgate. As the cars completed the opening lap, just before reaching the Safety Car, the top four were incredibly close after Bridgman ran wide at the chicane and delayed Caine as Quaife and Bateman dived up alongside. The Clerk of the Course later ruled that Quaife had passed under a yellow flag, and the resulting penalty would change the results.
As the cars toured behind the Safety Car, more rain fell and conditions were incredibly difficult over the opening laps of the re-start.
From the green flag, Bridgman led, but the track was very slippery and drivers were struggling for grip at every corner. It made for a fantastic spectacle as the top six cars ran nose-to-tail for lap after lap, rapidly increasing their pace as the track started to dry once more. It was Quaife who took the fight to Bridgman, but right behind were Caine and Hancock, while Bateman and Harvey completed the tightly packed top six.
The critical moment came under braking for the chicane on lap 12 when Quaife pulled off an audacious passing move on Bridgman. “I did a pretty crazy move on Bridgman into the chicane and I only just made the corner,” said Quaife. “I thought there was no way he would make the corner,” said Bridgman. However, Quaife found enough grip to get his car slowed down and through the corner, now ahead as Bridgman, Caine, Bateman, Harvey and Hancock chased.
The six cars still ran nose-to-tail and produced a superb spectacle, but up front Quaife held on with a fine performance to take the flag ahead of Bridgman and Caine. “Phil drove a great race and was prepared to take the risks; I was pushing all the time,” said Bridgman, who later discovered that he had taken over as race winner. Caine chased them home. “I’d got the championship to think about,” said Caine, who moved to second ahead of Quaife in the amended result.
Bateman drove a superb race to claim fourth from Hancock and Harvey, as less than three seconds covered six cars at the end of half an hour of flat out racing. Rice had a straightforward run to Pro-Am1 victory and seventh overall after MacLeod retired after making a change to wet tyres when the track was at it’s worst. Gilham headed the chase of Rice in Pro-Am1.
Bateman clinched the ‘Driver of the Weekend’ award for his outstanding pace, while Jota Sport was confirmed as ‘Team of the Weekend’.
The next round of the 2008 Porsche Carrera Cup GB is at Thruxton, Hampshire, on May 17 / 18.
