Perez storms into Porsche ProAm lead at Knockhill
Chesterfield’s Amigos Team Parker racing driver Seb Perez stormed to victory last weekend in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship at Knockhill Race Circuit in Dunfermline Scotland (25/26 August) for rounds 11 and 12.
The 18 year old racer took to a double Porsche ProAm podium success, winning both races over the weekend putting him in top spot in the Championship.
He overcame a race one impact and inclement weather throughout the weekend, to secure his second “double win” of the season, replicating his Monza victories earlier in the year. His sensational form sees him pull two points clear of his nearest rival with five wins to his name as the season heads towards the final two races of the series.
His weekends racing has been described as “one of his best drives of his racing career to date”
Four weeks ago he travelled to Snetterton circuit in Norfolk leaving with two podium slots and most certainly meant to carry on where he had left off.
Perez struggled for the start of the weekend’s Scottish round having only managed third quickest of the ProAm contenders in a dry qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, lining up on the grid in ninth spot.
Both Carrera Cup GB races would take place on Sunday and as the weather drew in overnight, the following day double-header would serve up an altogether different track for the 911 GT3 driver.
He was greeted on Sunday morning by persistently heavy rain and foggy conditions and a different approach was needed for round 11 of the season. Wet tyres and setups were the order of the day and Perez knew he would need to battle through heavy spray to make any improvement on his start position.
As the lights went out on race one Perez made a great start but contact early on in the race saw him drop back into fourth place ProAm driver as a battle commenced on the Scottish circuits narrow undulating and twisty track that gave the drivers very little chance to overtake.
By lap 15 the safety car made an appearance to Perez’s delight bunching the whole field together giving him the opportunity needed to fight his way through the pack with precision.
With the five minute board showing from the pit wall Perez made his way into third place despite off-centre steering problems caused by the earlier impact. It wasn’t long before another fantastic move saw him second.
With just two minutes remaining on the clock the Amigos Team Parker driver lunged down the inside across the start- finish straight to take the ProAm lead, a place he held onto until the flag.
Weather conditions worsened some four hours later for race two that saw a safety car start due to the weather and Perez starting as the lead ProAm driver. The conditions didn’t get any better but he saw a trouble free affair taking the chequered flag 32 laps later and taking his second win of the weekend.
After a fantastic race weekend in very wet windy and treacherous conditions an elated Perez said,
“To win both of these races here at Knockhill by such a considerable margin in weather like this is just fantastic”
“It’s been useful to come here with a bit of prior knowledge of the track thanks to my Ginetta days but essentially I’m really pleased with the way I drove today and I’d say it was one of the best weekends of my racing career so far. The car felt great and the set-up was just right thanks to the team who worked hard this weekend. Setting fastest lap time in both races is a testament to that. It’s a real confidence boost to take the lead of the ProAm category too, it’s taken long enough really but to finally be in that position with four races left is a great sign for my championship hopes.”
Perez leaves Knockhill leading the ProAm category, and second in the Rookie standings. Amigos Team Parker Racing are second in the Entrant Championship going into the penultimate meeting at Silverstone in September (15-16 September).
Editorial and Images by Paul Horton Motorsport Media and Photography
