RACE REPORT

MATTY MISSES OUT IN PORSCHE CARRERA CUP GB THRILLER

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Matty missed out on a maiden Porsche Carrera Cup podium by the slightest of margins in Sunday’s second race at Donington Park, as a thrilling race long battle was settled in favour of championship veteran Josh Webster.

Just 69-hundredths of a second separated the pair at the chequered flag in a suitably dramatic finish to what had been a superb 23-lap contest.

Starting from sixth on the grid Matty made a superb getaway from the lights and was up a position by the first corner.

As the field piled through the Craner Curves, it was a frantic start with drivers chopping and changing positions as they looked to find clear space and avoid a spinning Lorcan Hannifan heading into the Old Hairpin.

Consolidating his fifth place, Matty steadily closed in on the battle ahead between Webster and pro-am runner Esme Hawkey and showed a killer instinct as that fight came to a head on lap five.

As Webster put in a move on the inside of turn one, Matty took to the outside line to give himself a cutback onto the apex of the turn and into the gap created as Hawkey was left out of position.

Making the move cleanly, Matty’s gap to the car in front remained around the six-tenths of a second mark as the duo set off in pursuit of Scott McKenna in second.

The battle for second began in earnest on lap 17 but with very little separating the trio in terms of lap time, the fight looked set to be settled through a mistake if there was to be any change to the order.

When McKenna ran wide out of the final corner with two laps to go a grandstand finish was set up and when the three drivers ended up lapping a back-marker through the final corner, it could have gone anyone’s way.

Second placed McKenna took avoiding action on the inside of the chicane and Webster checked up, but in the end the order remained unchanged, with Matty left with just too little lap left to drag past Webster before the chequered flag.

It was however another solid haul of five championship points that puts Matty fourth in the overall championship and second in the rookie category as the action heads to the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch this coming weekend (August 8th and 9th)