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mail your news to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk Double Silverstone podium moves Hancock up to third overall
Race 1 Starting fifth, Sam moved up one place in the opening laps after the demise of championship rival Tim Bridgman. Running with the leaders, he was poised to mount a charge when he slid wide at Becketts after hitting a patch of fluid dropped from the cracked radiator that had hastened Bridgman’s retirement. It was an excursion that all but ended his hopes of fighting for victory but he was able to profit from the misfortune of team mate Phil Quaife when the power-steering pump on his Porsche failed. After catching him, the pair scrapped over third position in the closing stages before Hancock grabbed the final podium place. With Tandy making a guest appearance for Porsche Motorsport and ineligible for points, Sam would actually take second, securing the two additional points that went with it. Race 2 The second race was just as eventful and was run in fully wet conditions. Again he started fifth but was second by the end of the opening lap and took the lead into Brooklands on the second with a move up the inside of Michael Caine. By the lap 10 he had established a healthy six second lead over team mate Quaife but a mistake exiting the final corner saw his 911 pitched sideways and into a spin, demoting him to second. Hancock defended hard from a charging Harvey but he was baulked by a backmarker as he entered Becketts and Harvey pounced. Hancock ultimately finished third, less than a second behind the winner, but overhauled Bridgman to take third in the title race. Said Hancock: “When you’re leading a race by five seconds or so anything other than bagging the win is a disappointment so I’m a little bit frustrated with myself for making the mistake. I dropped a wheel onto the white line at Luffield and that pulls you onto the curbing. Once the car started to go I just couldn’t get it back. Having said that, third in the championship as well as two Jota cars on the rostrum is great for the team. We have to keep up this progress and make sure that when we’re next on the podium it’s one and two.”
Two poles and a win for Hancock in Scotland
Puncture costs Hancock podium at Oulton Park
Race 1 Having set two fastest times in qualifying, it looked as if Sam had pole position for both races, only for Michael Caine and Tim Bridgman to improve their times in the dying seconds of the session leaving Sam in third place for race 1 and second for race 2. Following gearbox problems on the formation lap, Hancock was lucky to make the start. A mistake on lap 4 allowed Tim Bridgman to pass for third, but as Hancock gave chase, an over-defensive Bridgeman made it impossible for Hancock to find a way through before the flag, despite clearly having the quicker car. Race 2 A front row grid position soon became third as Hancock sat on the line with wheelspin while Bridgeman again came through to harass leader, Michael Caine. Tim Harvey was on Sam’s tail for the next 5 laps but Hancock soon broke free with some strong lap times, matching the ultimate fastest lap of the race and allowing him to close in on the leading duo. Unfortunately, with only 4 laps remaining however, a rear puncture ended Sam’s race as he was beginning a new lap. Too much damage made the car un-driveable and he was forced to park. Sam Hancock: “The car was handling very well all weekend, but it was hotter than we expected on Sunday afternoon and we just got the set-up wrong which contributed to the puncture whilst lying third in race 2. On the upside I'm very pleased with the pace we have shown so I am confident that we will be in good shape for the next round at Knockhill where I scored my first pole position and win last year.”
Pole position and podium for Hancock at Snetterton
Race 1 Having taken pole position by just two hundredths of a second in Saturday’s qualifying session, Hancock made a good getaway from the grid on Sunday to lead into the first corner. During the opening laps he held off a stern challenge from a charging Tim Harvey, but was badly baulked while lapping a back-marker on lap 5 and was forced to lift off the throttle allowing the Red Line Racing driver to dive through. Sam then came under pressure from third place Charles Bateman, but defended strongly to see off his challenge to secure second at the chequered flag. Race 2 An eventful second race saw Hancock start fourth on a grid made up of each driver’s second best qualifying time. Having battled to hold off series debutant Jake Rosenzweig throughout the opening lap, Sam made a bid for third on the second tour with a move on Charles Bateman at Riches. Unfortunately, as Bateman closed the door, the two cars made contact, putting them both onto the grass and Bateman into the barrier. While Sam was able to continue, he dropped to eighth and spent the remainder of the race fighting back through the field to finish back where he started in fourth. At the end of the meeting, Hancock was deducted three championship points for the Bateman incident, but still managed a strong haul from the weekend. Sam Hancock: “I tried to pull out of the move when I saw Charles closing the door, but I just couldn’t avoid making contact. It was completely unintentional and I think the stewards have recognised that with a points penalty rather than a disqualification. “Overall it’s been a good weekend for me and the team. I’m delighted to have taken a first pole position for Jota Sport and, barring Tim Harvey who’s driven brilliantly this weekend, we have outscored all of our other major rivals in the championship. We seem to be getting on top of the car now so I’m really looking forward to Oulton Park in two weeks’ time where hopefully we’ll get back on to that top podium step.”
Hancock charges to seventh in Silverstone Supercup deluge
pic Richard Pascal 11/56 Motorsport Jota Sport’s second-ever appearance in the Grand Prix-supporting Mobil 1 Porsche Supercup saw 28-year old Sam Hancock charge from 23rd on the grid to take seventh in a torrential downpour at a sodden Silverstone. After a dry qualifying session in which 2.5 seconds covered the top 27 drivers, the heavens opened on Sunday morning to ensure a wet race would take place in dreadful conditions. In front of the 100,000 spectators gathered to cheer Lewis Hamilton on in the afternoon’s Formula One race, Hancock produced a fine drive, climbing 16 places in the 14 lap event, three of which were behind the Safety Car. 12 of those positions were taken on the first lap alone, as the London-based driver carved through the field by utilising the improved grip and visibility off the traditional racing line. After ending the first lap in 11th, Sam’s progress was halted when the Safety Car was scrambled to remove debris from the circuit following an accident in the midfield, but when the green flag flew he made several more passing manoeuvres to claim seventh at the chequered flag, right on the tail of the two cars ahead. Hancock: “I’ve been watching some videos lately of recent races here and also payed close attention to the Formula BMW and GP2 race this morning, so I had a pretty good idea where the grip was and what parts of the circuit were best for overtaking in these conditions. It wasn’t easy though and I don’t think I have ever done a race where visibility was so bad. It was like staring at a blank grey wall and I think we could have gone at least three seconds a lap quicker if I could have seen more and probably got up to fifth. “But this is a very pleasing result for the team who have done a superb job both here and at Magny-Cours. When you consider that this is Jota Sport’s first year running these cars, I think to have a top-ten finish among the best and most experienced Porsche racing teams in the business is an exceptional achievement. We’ve learned a lot from our two Supercup races and it’s been a very worthwhile exercise ahead of our planned graduation in 2009.”
Podium for Hancock at Croft
Race 1
Double victory for Hancock at Thruxton
Sam Hancock took a double-victory and was named ‘driver of the day’ in rounds 7 and 8 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton to move him back into the championship race and create history for his Jota Sport team. The wins were the Kent-based squads’ first in the UK’s most prestigious one-make series in only their fourth ever Carrera Cup meeting and left Hancock fourth in the championship standings and within striking distance of the leaders. Race 1 Starting second on the grid after his best qualifying of the year, Hancock made a strong start behind pole sitter Michael Caine. He was passed by Tim Bridgman on the opening tour to run third but was second by the end of the lap when Caine had an off at the chicane and span down the field. A move down the inside of Bridgman at Church on lap three saw him to take the lead, from where Hancock drove faultlessly for the remainder of the race, winning by 2.6 seconds. He breathed a huge sigh of relief at the chequered flag however, as his tyre punctured on the warm down lap. Race 2 From third, Hancock dived past Tim Harvey into turn 1 and then battled to defend second position from the Red Line Racing veteran during the opening stage of the race. Into the chicane on lap eight Harvey tapped Hancock’s Jota Sport machine from behind, breaking his own radiator, spilling water on the track and cruising into retirement. Sam quickly began to close the gap to leader Caine, and when the Team Parker Racing man went off on Harvey’s radiator fluid a couple of laps later and lost his front splitter, Hancock was right on his tail and dived past with a move through Goodwood. For the final ten laps Sam managed his lead to second place Bridgman to take a second satisfying win. Sam Hancock: “What a great weekend! I have to say a massive thank you to the team. Without their hard work over the past few months this result wouldn’t have been possible and to have given me a car good enough to win both races in just their fourth ever Carrera Cup event is a magnificent achievement. This championship is much harder than anyone truly realises and it’s of huge credit to every single one of the boys. This is for them
Positive results and points for Hancock at Donington
Jota Sport's Sam Hancock scored fourth and fifth places respectively in rounds five and six of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Donington Park. The 2004 Le Mans Endurance Series LMP2 champion and team-mate Phil Quaife had a constructive test in their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars the week preceding the race, but the duo were unable to replicate that in qualifying, their grid positions not being as high as they had expected. But a competitive race two saw the team leave the Derbyshire race track encouraged, despite Quaife being stripped of a race two victory by an imposed penalty for overtaking under a yellow flag. Race 1 Starting from fifth on the grid, Hancock made a good start to overtake and then pull away from Charles Bateman before attacking Michael Caine for third. As the race wore on, the traditional Donington tyre wear issues came into play, meaning that Hancock soon started to lose grip, throwing him into the clutches of Callum MacLeod whom he managed to just stay ahead of until the chequered flag. Race 2 Hancock made a difficult start in race two, suffering from a dragging clutch, but still managed to jostle with the leaders on a wet track. Whilst in fourth position, battling for third, he had a coming-together going through the chicane with Michael Caine, allowing a number of cars to pass. Hancock forced his way back into contention though with a strong come-back drive leaving him fifth, less than two seconds from eventual winner Tim Bridgman. Sam Hancock said: "The first race was difficult as I did my best to look after the tyres but they still started to blister towards the end. Then in race two I started quite well but I had a full-on battle with Caine who was typically aggressive. In the end we collided and unfortunately we dropped down the field and I had to hold off Tim Harvey to the end. I hope now we've turned a corner, as Phil also recorded a fastest lap, so if we could carry this on to Thruxton I'd be delighted."
Strong points haul for Hancock at Rockingham
London-based Hancock set the fastest time in practice on Friday at the Northamptonshire circuit but couldn’t repeat that performance in Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s two races, as he struggled to find the optimum set up on his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
Race 1 Starting fourth, Sam didn’t make the best start of his career, losing two places off the line, but was soon on the tail of Charles Bateman, fighting hard with the Team Parker Racing driver for much of the race. After a furious battle between the two, Hancock made his move at Brooke to take fifth, but ran out of laps to catch the leading quartet. Race 2 Hancock made a much better start to race 2 and was third at the end of the first lap having disposed of Dean Smith and championship leader Michael Caine in the opening exchanges. After pushing hard to join the leading battle between Tim Harvey and Tim Bridgman, he began to suffer with a lack of front end grip and fell back into the clutches of Caine. A stoic defence made for some superb action over the remainder of the race but, with just a few laps remaining, Caine forced his way through at the final chicane, leaving Hancock to settle for fourth. Hancock said: “It’s been a difficult weekend, but sometimes you have those in motorsport. When you do, it’s crucial to take as many points as you possibly can, so to have left Rockingham with 28 is a definite plus. We were very quick in both wet and dry conditions on Friday, so to have ended up only fighting for fourth in qualifying and the races is a little confusing. It shows we’ve got plenty of work ahead of us and we’ll get stuck into that immediately during Tuesday’s test at Thruxton so we’re ready for the next round.”
Race 1 misfortune taints solid weekend for Hancock A
sizeable slice of bad luck took the shine off an otherwise solid weekend
for Sam Hancock at the opening round of the 2008 Porsche Carrera Cup GB
season. In his first race with Jota Sport, a debut victory seemed there for the taking after Hancock made a stunning start in race 1 from fifth on the grid to lead into the first corner - only for him to be taken out by spinning pole sitter Tim Bridgman. Race 2 saw him post his first points of the year with a strong drive to 4th place. Race 1 Having qualified 5th, Sam made the late decision to go with wet tyres on a damp circuit and immediately reaped the benefit with a flying start that saw him lead on the approach to turn 1. Sadly, his race would end in the Paddock Hill Bend gravel trap when, as he turned in for the corner, poleman Tim Bridgman, who had dropped back to third, lost control of his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car under braking and collected Hancock, taking them both out of the race. Race 2 Race 2 was less incident-packed, but saw Hancock fighting with chronic understeer throughout. Having held his fifth position off the line, Sam tried valiantly to close on the cars ahead, but couldn’t narrow the gap as his tyres degraded rapidly. He did however inherit fourth place at the finish after a big accident for third-place Bridgman eliminated the Team Parker Racing driver from the race. Hancock said: “Given that we’re a brand new team, I’ve been really impressed this weekend– mechanically the cars have been faultless and, while we’ve still got to find some pace, every other aspect of the team has been exceptional, which is of huge credit to all the guys who have worked so hard. Of course I was bitterly disappointed to be taken out of race 1, because I could’ve repaid the boys with a win. Our late gamble to switch to wets was absolutely the right move and it’s a shame we didn’t get to capitalise on it. You can be sure though that we’ll come out fighting at Rockingham and try to make up the lost ground!”
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Sam
Hancock moved up to third overall in the point’s standings of the
Porsche Carrera Cup GB at the weekend after taking second and third
place finishes in rounds 17 and 18 of the championship. He also recorded
the fastest lap in the rain-soaked second race and looked set for an
impressive victory from fifth on the grid until a mistake culled his six
second lead. 
Sam
Hancock took his third Porsche Carrera Cup GB victory of the season in
race 2 at Knockhill and enjoyed an excellent weekend overall with two
pole positions and a second place finish in race 1.
Sam
Hancock scored a fourth place in round 13 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB
at Oulton Park, scoring crucial championship points in the UK’s premier
one-make series. A mismatched combination of set-up and scorching
heat whilst running third in Sunday's round 14, saw the Londoner
sidelined with a blown tyre only four laps before the end.
Sam
Hancock claimed his first pole position of the year and Jota Sport’s
first ever in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, as the UK’s premier one-make
series visited Snetterton for rounds 11 and 12 of the 2008 season. The
Londoner secured strong second and fourth place finishes, taking away
crucial championship points from the high-speed Norfolk circuit.
Sam
Hancock took a podium finish from race 1 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB
round at Croft, but missed out on the chance of a race 2 repeat after a
tyre gamble back fired.
Jota
Sport’s Sam Hancock secured fifth and fourth place finishes from a
difficult weekend at Rockingham in rounds 3 and 4 of the Porsche Carrera
Cup GB.