Richardson Racing can today confirm that it will return to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB for a third year in 2022, with a multi-car entry into the first season for the new 'Type 992' 911 GT3 Cup car.
The Corby-based outfit debuted in the fastest one-make series in the UK back in 2020 with a single car entry for rising star Will Martin, and then expanded to run three cars last year with the addition of Ginetta GT5 champion Josh Malin and experienced racer Will Bratt to the line-up.
As the Carrera Cup GB heads into a new era with the introduction of the latest incarnation of the hugely successful 911 GT3 Cup car, Martin will extend his relationship with the team into a fifth season, having first come onboard mid-way through the 2018 Ginetta Junior Championship campaign.
Having shown his talents in the Ginetta, taking nine wins en-route to a top three championship finish in 2019, Martin wasted little time in getting up to speed despite the huge step up to the Carrera Cup GB the following season.
Grabbing a maiden win at his home circuit of Thruxton, Martin picked up five further podium finishes to end the year fifth in the championship standings and scored two more wins last year in what was one of the most competitive seasons in Carrera Cup GB history to once again grab a top five championship finish.
Martin now heads into his third year in the series aiming to fight for top honours, with his focus very much on a championship challenge.
The second car will be driven by another rising star in the shape of Jack Bartholomew, who makes the move up from the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB for the new season.
Despite being just 23-years-old, Bartholomew brings a wealth of experience from his time in car racing, having graduated from karting into BRDC Formula 4 back in 2015. From there, he went on to finish second in the GT4 class of the British GT Championship the following season before switching to the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia and Middle East series’, finishing third in both in 2017.
Title success in the UAE followed in 2018 alongside a second place finish in the Super Trofeo Asia, with a return to European soil in 2019 resulting in a top three finish in the Super Trofeo Europe.
Having been forced to spend 2020 on the sidelines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bartholomew made a successful return to racing last year in the Sprint Challenge GB, taking two wins en-route to second in the standings and he will now look to carry the impressive form seen in his career to date into his debut Carrera Cup GB season.
The new livery for the Richardson Racing Carrera Cup GB programme will be revealed in due course, with the 2022 season getting underway at Donington Park in late April.
Will Martin, Richardson Racing said:
"I am extremely delighted to have extended my deal with Richardson Racing for another season, and am honoured to be racing with them for a third year in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB.
"We’ve enjoyed some really strong results over the past two seasons, and I’m looking forward to the challenges that are ahead in 2022 as we make the move to the new 992 Cup Car.
"Having ended the 2021 season on a high with a win in the final round, I hope we can carry that form into the new year and start off strongly when we get to Donington Park. I’m feeling confident about what we can achieve this season and can’t wait to get started."
Jack Bartholomew, Richardson Racing said:
"The opportunity to join the Carrera Cup GB this season and to race on the TOCA package full time is a massive one, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. I also can’t wait to start working with the team as they have shown they can fight for wins in recent seasons and from the moment we first spoke back in December, it was clear how professional they are.
"It’s a bit of a cliche to say you want to win as that is what every driver feels going into a new season, but I’d like to think we can be in the mix towards the front, and a realistic goal for me would be to try and secure a top three finish in both the rookie and overall championships.
"I have no doubt that it will be a tough year and that consistency will be key, but the fact that this is the first season for the 992 car will level the playing field a bit as it is different to the outgoing machine. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly drivers and teams get up to speed with the new car, but I can’t wait to get out there testing and am looking forward to the first round."