Double podium delight for Duckhams Yuasa Racing and Max Coates at Thruxton
Duckhams Yuasa Racing continued its run of form in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at the weekend (June 6-8) as Max Coates took a pair of second place finishes at Thruxton in Hampshire.
Following Friday’s practice sessions, Max faced a single qualifying session on Saturday. Starting the session patiently in the pit lane, his first run produced the fastest time in Pro-Am and fifth overall. On a fresh set of tyres, he remained quickest in class, qualifying sixth overall.
The opening race took place on Sunday morning, where the previous day’s rain gave way to brilliant sunny skies. Max lost a class position at the start before quickly going back on the attack, though he was forced wide. Biding his time, he sat back for much of the contest but, despite mounting a strong challenge in the closing laps, he finished just 0.2 seconds behind the class leader.
Race two was neutralised early on with a Safety Car, with Max maintaining second in Pro-Am. On the restart, he immediately closed in on the class leader and looked for an opportunity to pass. By lap 15 of the scheduled 22, Max had set his fastest lap, renewing his pursuit of the win. On the final lap, he pulled alongside but was narrowly denied, crossing the line just 0.1 seconds adrift.
Off-track, Duckhams Yuasa Racing proudly launched The Race to Save Lives at Thruxton — a powerful new mental health initiative in support of the David Riddell Memorial. The campaign offered free haircuts from barbers specially trained to identify the signs of mental health challenges. More than a grooming service, the barbers created a safe space to listen, connect, and spark potentially life-saving conversations.
Max and the Porsche Carrera Cup GB now head into a two-month break before returning to action at Croft in August. Meanwhile, Jacob Tofts and the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB team will be back on track at Oulton Park in two weeks’ time.
Max Coates
Race 1: Grid – 1, Result – 2
Race 2: Grid – 2, Result – 2
Pro-Am Championship: 1 (51 points)
“It’s been a good weekend, especially considering we didn’t have a great test. We found a major issue with the car on Friday night and then delivered our best qualifying with sixth overall — a big step forward from where we’ve been. I made overtakes in the races, and in a championship where passing is tough, that’s an achievement.
“Second isn’t where we want to be — we’re aiming for Pro-Am wins — but we’ve proven we have the pace, we can race, and we can overtake. I’m sure we got plenty of coverage for Duckhams and Yuasa, and we always aim to put on a show. It’s been a strong weekend both on and off the track, especially with the launch of The Race to Save Lives campaign.”