TEAM-MATE TANGLE COST VICTORY CHANCE AT BRANDS

Matty heads into the final race of the 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup GB season with an 11-point lead in the rookie standings, as the Northumbrian took two points from a race at Brands Hatch he was in with a chance to win on Saturday afternoon (November 14).

Driving superbly throughout a race ran in persistent rain and rapidly fading daylight, the 24-year-old was battling for the lead in the closing stages, when a collision with team-mate Scott McKenna sent both Redline Racing tumbling to the back of the field.

It was a low-key ending to a race where the Eighty-One Powerdrink backed driver had worked his way forward from fourth on the grid with an impressive drive.

Making a superb getaway Matty was up one position as the field exited the first corner, after taking to the wider outside line through Paddock Hill Bend.

Getting better traction on exit he powered passed his nearest challenger in the rookie championship Lorcan Hannafin, under breaking into the Druids hairpin.

As the JTR driver battled with Josh Webster, Matty was able to focus on chasing down team mate McKenna, who had been deposed of the lead on the opening tour by champion-elect Harry King.

After a close-call on lap 11 Matty made a clean move the next time round, as he again made a better run out of Paddock Hill to out-drag the number 82 car into the next breaking zone.

With McKenna’s focus immediately switching to defending his position from a menacing line of cars behind, Matty was able to set about closing on leader King.

Trading comparable lap times, the gap was under two seconds and closing with half the race to run and when a safety car was required to allow the recovery a spun Hannafin, the need to switch to a timed race set up an intense dash for the finish.

As racing resumed with four minutes left, Matty maintained his place filling King’s mirrors before attempting to seize the lead through Druids.

Trying to cut back on the leader the move for glory instead resulted in disaster, as Matty was hit from behind by McKenna and fell back to 15th.

He managed to rejoin to compete the race to outscore both of his nearest rookie championship rivals, but that will provide scant consolation in view of what might have been.