Team Redline Racing signed off the 2021 Porsche Sprint Challenge GB season with their best ever weekend in the championship, securing a clean sweep of class victories and a total of seven podium finishes across two races at Donington Park.
The Teesside based team were reunited for the weekend with James Dorlin, who had raced with them earlier this year in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. The Yorkshireman was running the #1 on his Porsche Cayman, having been the inaugural Sprint Challenge GB champion in 2020.
Despite it being his first time in the championship since last season, Dorlin was immediately back at the front of the field as he secured pole position in qualifying. It was a Team Redline Racing one-two as well, with Jack Bartholomew finishing just 0.082s adrift of his new team-mate.
Bartholomew’s result confirmed his position as the top qualifier on the grid this season, with three pole positions and two second place results from six sessions. Also enjoying qualifying joy was Alex Malykhin, who made it a brilliant double pole position for the team with the quickest Am class time.
From the front of the field, Dorlin proved to be untouchable in both wet and dry conditions in the races on Sunday. He produced two sensational lights to flag victories, posting the fastest lap of the race in both to complete a perfect weekend in the championship.
Malykhin was running a matching livery to Dorlin on his Cayman and replicated his results too with a fantastic display. Setting the tone with a 15 second victory in the opener, he went on to lead every lap in both races and produce the fastest laps as well to cap off his best ever weekend in the series.
Nigel Rice also enjoyed double podium joy on Sunday, moving up from fourth in qualifying to finish third of the Ams in both races, ending the season with a tally of nine podiums. Peter Chambers put in a strong display as well, closing his season with a couple of top six results.
Team Redline Racing finish the campaign with a hat-trick of top three points finishes. Bartholomew ends as the Pro class vice-champion, while Malykhin’s brilliant final weekend moves him up to second in the Am class, just ahead of his team-mate Rice.
Simon Leonard – Managing Director: “What a way to end the season! We’re over the moon with the results the guys achieved over the weekend. It was great to work with James [Dorlin] again and he showed just how much of an immense talent he is.
“To have not one, but two drivers produce perfect weekend’s is something we’re very proud of. Alex [Malykhin] drove brilliantly and deserved to finally get onto the top step of the podium. His run of six podium finishes to end the season has been a joy to watch.
“Nigel [Rice] has been fantastic this season and we’re delighted to see him cap it off with two more visits to the podium. Peter [Chambers] had a good weekend too and we’ve enjoyed working with him this season. All in all, 22 podium finishes and two vice-champions makes it a pretty good season.”
Team Redline Racing will bring their 2021 season to a close this weekend (23/24 October) with the Porsche Carrera Cup GB finale at Brands Hatch. They have championship glory firmly in their sights, with Dan Cammish holding a seven point lead with two races remaining.
Image from Porsche GB.
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