Flying start for Maximum Motorsport Teams at Silverstone
The opening round of the Maximum Networks Volkswagen Racing Cup incorporating the Goodyear Touring Car Trophy and TCR UK at Silverstone on Sunday 25th April saw Maximum Motorsport drivers get their seasons off to a perfect start.
Debuting one of the team’s pair of newly acquired Hyundai i30N TCRs, Max Hart recorded a hard-earned victory in the Touring Car Trophy, whilst Jack Depper took the honours in the Volkswagen Racing Cup. Later in the day, both drivers followed up their first-round victories with second places in their respective categories in round two.
Be it the opening round of the rejuvenated Championship and the first time out with the new Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing supported cars, eyes were upon Maximum Motorsport to deliver. Therefore, when 19-year old Hart from Balinglass in County Wicklow
qualified on Pole Position and then led the first race from lights-to-flag ahead of 2020 Touring Car Trophy TCR UK Champion Lewis Kent – also in a Hyundai – the Maximum Motorsport team were rightly pleased with the outcome.
With the top six grid positions reversed for race two, Kent had the advantage and took the lead at the end of the opening lap. Hart followed him through but try as he might, the Irishman was unable to get past. Consequently, both jointly top the drivers’ standings, with the scene now set for an exciting season ahead.
With his main rival Olly Turner suffering a broken driveshaft at the start of the race one, 21-year old Depper from Birmingham was unchallenged for the lead. But that certainly wasn’t the case for race two and the pair battled throughout, swapping positions and trading paintwork on a number of occasions.
At the end of the race Depper’s VW Scirocco crossed the line ahead. However, his enthusiastic moves earned him as time penalty, an outcome that saw him classified second by just 0.3 seconds.
Posting one of his best VW Cup performances yet, fellow Maximum Motorsport driver Jeff Alden claimed two third places. Therefore, with a double podium result in both races, the team currently holds first and second in the championship standings.
“To record victory in both the Goodyear Touring Car Trophy and Maximum Networks Volkswagen Racing Cup in the very first race was the best outcome we could have hoped for”, said team principal Stewart Lines.
“In both categories, the second race saw both drivers locked in battles for the lead, confirming that the pace is there to take more wins. Overall I’m really pleased with the performance of our cars and its great to see our drivers head to the next two rounds at Castle Combe on 31st May at the top of the drivers’ points tables.”
