News: Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain 2006

5th June

After the first eight races in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Motorbase Performance is firmly in contention for all three titles within the high-profile race series that runs as a major support race to the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The team is fielding its strongest ever Carrera Cup line up this season, following the championship's move to the new 997-model 911GT3 Cup car. With Tim Harvey, Michael Caine and Phil Quaife on board, the team is among the pacesetters in the championship.

With victory at Mondello Park in April and five second places from the opening eight races, Harvey is just two points behind championship leader Damien Faulkner as the series starts a six-week mid-season break.

Caine, meanwhile, has suffered some tough luck, often at the hands of others, but has shown front-running pace and joined Harvey on the podium at Thruxton in early June. To clinch third, Caine passed the VIP car of Porsche works driver Sascha Maassen with a bold move at the fifth-gear Church corner on the last lap.

Quaife is focussed on winning the new pro-am category for less experienced racers and is having a superb season with pro-am victory in four of the eight races to date. That form has given Phil a 22-point lead in the pro-am standings and his pace has also put him well up the overall order, with a best result to date of fourth place at Oulton Park in May.

In addition to the two driver tables, Motorbase is also going all-out to win the coveted team championship, which is open to two nominated cars from each of the teams racing in Carrera Cup GB. Based on the scores of Harvey and Caine, Motorbase currently lies third in the table, but is only four points away from second and 15 points away from the lead, with 12 races still to run.

"It's been a great start to the season and everyone in the squad is working very hard," says team boss David Bartrum. "To win all three titles would be a dream come true, but it's not impossible."

The action resumes at Croft in North Yorkshire on 15/16 July.

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