Duckhams Yuasa Racing by Graves Motorsport made a strong start to its 2025 campaign, securing a pair of podium finishes as both the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Porsche Sprint Challenge GB roared into life at Donington Park over the weekend (April 26-27).

This season, the team is represented by talented drivers Max Coates (PCCGB) and Jacob Tofts (PSCGB), both of whom showed strong form from the outset. During Thursday’s practice sessions, Jacob impressed by posting the second-fastest time across the Sprint Challenge field, raising hopes for a successful weekend.

On Saturday morning, he maintained his momentum in qualifying, narrowly missing out on pole position by just 0.043 seconds, though his second-fastest lap secured him pole for race two. The opening contest was disrupted by a red flag, but once restarted, Jacob fought hard for third place, momentarily dropping back before reclaiming the final podium spot. He pushed for second but ultimately had to settle for third.

Starting from pole for race two, victory seemed within reach, but unfortunately, an electrical fault led to a slow getaway and eventual retirement. The issue reoccurred ahead of race three, and although the Safety Car helped him rejoin the field, Jacob launched a remarkable comeback, gaining ten positions and setting the fastest lap to finish 12th overall and seventh in the RS Pro class—salvaging valuable championship points.

Max also endured a challenging start in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. His qualifying efforts were nullified due to a technical infringement, relegating him to the back of the grid with a 10-second delay. Undeterred, he mounted an impressive recovery, charging through the field to finish 11th overall and fourth in the Pro-Am class—setting the fastest lap in the process.

In race two, he gained four positions on the opening lap and continued his charge, eventually securing second place in Pro-Am. A composed drive saw him maintain the gap and claim a podium finish to cap off a weekend of resilience and progress.

Duckhams Yuasa Racing—supported by Duckhams Oil, Yuasa, Jurid, Moog, Luften Filters, and Herth+Buss—returns to action in the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB at Brands Hatch Indy on 9–11 May, while the Porsche Carrera Cup GB resumes at Snetterton over 23–25 May.

#27 Jacob Tofts – Porsche Sprint Challenge GB

Race 1: Grid – 2, Result – 3rd

Race 2: Grid – 1, Result – DNF

Race 3: Grid – 13, Result – 12th (7th in RS Pro)

RS Pro Championship: 6th (9 points)

“From a performance perspective, it was a strong weekend. Compared to last year, we’ve taken a big step forward—second on the grid for race one and pole for race two shows that. We had a genuine chance to win race two, but the electrical issue cost us and the pace we showed in race three proves we could have won both Sunday races. There’s plenty of time left this season to recover, and with the team and package we’ve got, we’re confident we can make it count.”

#71 Max Coates – Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Race 1: Grid – 17, Result – 11 (4th in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid – 11, Result – 6 (2nd in Pro-Am)

Pro-Am Championship: 3rd (14 points)

“We had decent qualifying pace—11th overall and ahead of last year’s champion George Gamble—so it was frustrating to be disqualified due to a technical infringement. Starting at the back with a time penalty was tough, but we had good speed and I was able to set the fastest lap in Pro-Am. Race two was great fun; I made up places early and managed the gap after moving into second. There’s a lot to take from the weekend, and after a strong test at Snetterton, I’m optimistic heading into the next round.”

Team Standings

PSCGB RS Clubsport Entrant Championship: 3 (70 points)
PCCGB Entrant Championship: 6 (19 points)