Perez Lifts Carrera Cup ProAm Title
Amigos Team Parker Racing driver Seb Perez rounded off a magnificent debut year in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB by securing the ProAm title at the season finale’ at Brands Hatch last weekend (29th/30th September).
The Chesterfield based race ace chalked up the result on Sunday whilst celebrating his 19th birthday at the Kent race circuit, he took third ProAm in the opener on Sunday morning. His twelfth podium of the season was enough to clinch the title with a race in hand.
Perez overcame a difficult start to the year to take six category victories from the 16 rounds of the series but would need to ensure he retained that form if he was to take the title as the season drew to a close.
Seb’s weekend began with a great qualifying session on Saturday where he would land second ProAm behind his nearest championship rival. However, technical checks revealed an anomaly with the lead Porsche 911 GT3, handing Perez the P1 slot for Sunday’s opening race.
The Carrera Cup drivers were greeted by a bright but chilly morning for the first race of the day on Sunday and Perez knew that he would need to keep as cool if he was to firm up his title chances in race one.
Seventeen laps lay ahead, and a measured approach would be required from Perez, who would drop two places on the opening tour to complete lap one in third ProAm place.
Perez as confident as ever knew that it would be all that was required and with rival Dan Vaughan out of the race in the first handful of laps, he would just need to bring the Amigos Porsche home in a rostrum position.
A mid-race Safety Car didn’t alarm him, taking the chequered flag in third ProAm, sealing the title.
Race two saw Seb placed tenth on the grid, the race was a non entity as the job had been done and he was champion but still in his usual style gave the race all he had got to get a finish.
The season has had its highs and lows for Perez, firstly getting used to a new car was a complete learning curve after his last few years in Ginetta Juniors and last year in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship.
“What an amazing feeling,” said an elated Perez.
“It’s been a really tough season and there were times when I thought it really wasn’t going to be our year, but I worked really hard in turning it around. The results, podiums and wins just kept coming and as long as I kept consistent, I knew I had a decent chance.”
Perez cites the team around him as the vital part in his championship efforts.
“I really do acknowledge how much of an achievement it is to do well in the Carrera Cup. It’s such a tough championship and can be very unpredictable, so to come here in my debut year and be first ProAm and second Rookie to George, well it doesn’t get much better than that. I’m so happy for the team and the guys at Team Parker racing who have been superb all year long and have been a really important part of my progress. A huge thanks must go to my sponsors Amigos who have been behind me all the way. What a year”.
Team-mate George Gamble would also enjoy a successful end to the year by securing sixth place in the in the Pro championship, having already wrapped up the Rookie category at Silverstone earlier this month.
Thanks to the efforts of Perez and Gamble, Amigos Team Parker Racing sealed second place in the Entrants Championship.
Editorial by Paul Horton Motorsport Media and Photography
Images by Paul Horton and Carrera Cup GB/Dan Bathie
