Summary
SMP track is categorised by high tyre degradation, good passing opportunities and where cornering performance is the key to putting together a fast lap. Watch out for turn 1 at the end of the main straight as it is a high loaded sweeping left hander, which rewards commitment.
A lot of firsts for Hamish; first time racing a 992, first time racing with Melbourne Performance Centre, first time blowing a tyre out and first time in the premier single make racing category, Porsche Carrera Cup.
Apart from a right rear tyre splitting on the exit cub of turn 6 in race 2 (the Enduro), an incident free round 1 for Hamish, which was a positive, managing to complete all races incident free and returning a clean car! He struggled all weekend to get a good feel for the car, but did make steady improvement as the weekend progressed, which is a positive heading into round 2 (Melbourne Grand Prix 13-16 March).
After pinching a front tyre at turn 8 in practice 1, Hamish spent most of practice 1 and 2 on the Friday, getting a feel for the car and trying to put a single clean lap together, not necessarily focused on outright pace in preparation for qualifying. He fought gamely to get the right feel for the 992. As many drivers reported, the track surface was very different to when he last raced Sprint Challenge there back in 2023
In qualifying on Saturday morning, Hamish having a less than ideal run through practice, meant he didn’t have an ideal preparation for his first qualifying session in the category. He didn’t manage to put a complete lap together when the tyre was at its peak, meaning he would have settle on the best time he could do without the benefit of a green tyre, placing him in P16 for race 1 and P17 for race 2.
Race 1, Saturday afternoon. Having never done a race start in a 992, Hamish bogged the start and lost a number of places on the opening lap. He managed to avoid the chaos at turn 2, experienced a safety car restart and got some much needed laps under his belt, finishing in 13th place. Still not feeling at one with the car and still a lot to unpack and improve on for race 2, including learning starting in a 992 which is not as straightforward as it seems.
Race 2, Sunday morning. Hamish got a great first phase of the start and settled in with reasonably good race pace, until his right rear tyre blew out on the exit of turn 6. A lot of theories as to why, but nothing conclusive. He managed to limp it back to the pits to flip a new tyre on and continue the race laps behind. Towards the end he managed to show reasonable lap pace, which wouldn’t be reflected in the results, finishing in 25th place. Still not 100% with the feel of the 992, but making some inroads.
Race 3, Sunday afternoon. Hamish managed to reset ready for the final race of the weekend in the heat of the day on Sunday (track temperature 51 degrees). He got a great start in the first and second phases, but had nowhere to go at the start, which bodes well for future races. After making some good moves early on, he managed to get in the groove and maintain pace, finishing 13th, feeling more in tune with the 992 towards the end of the race.
"Focusing on the positives, overall it was great to get back on the racetrack, working with a new team, new car in a new category, returning with a clean car. I struggled to get a feel for the 992 all weekend and the track surface made it difficult to get confidence to post decent laps. It was great to work with my engineer Cepi (Paul Ceprnich), Troy (Troy Russell) and the team from MPC and getting the guidance from fellow drivers which all chipped in to get me settled in. It was great to have Steve McLaughlin around for the weekend with all his experience in GT racing."
"Whilst the results and times weren’t there over the weekend, I have a lot to learn and unpack for the next round at Melbourne Grand Prix. I did feel more comfortable in the car for the last race (race 3), which I hope will serve me well going into round 2. Still plenty to unpack and learn from round 1, I’m sure Cepi (Paul Ceprnich) will have a debrief or two lined up…."
"I would like to thank all my partners for their support; Nuvento, Diesel Spec Mechanical, MRA Roofing, Stop & Seal, JAMEC Racing, Innovation Race Cars, RSM Australia, Personalised Plates Queensland, Confluent and Pace Innovations." said Hamish.
