Kiwi driver Brock Gilchrist returned to the Mandalika International Circuit in Indonesia last weekend for Round 5 of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, where he contested three hard-fought races for Team Porsche New Zealand in the competitive Pro class.
It was a weekend of ups and downs for Gilchrist, who showed strong pace in qualifying and collected solid points in the opening two races, before a tyre failure in the finale cruelly denied him a stronger result.
Gilchrist set the tone early with a consistent showing in both qualifying sessions. He clocked laps of 1:32.111 and 1:32.156, placing him fifth on the grid for the opening race of the weekend.
His combined qualifying time of 3:04.267 was just over a second shy of pole-sitter Marcus Amand, with Enzo Trulli joining the Frenchman on the front row.
Race 1:
Saturday’s opening race (Round 10) ran over 17 laps in dry conditions. Gilchrist slipped a spot off the start to sit sixth behind Josh Rowledge, before regaining the place on lap 7 with a clean overtake.
However, he later lost out to Hugo Ellis in the closing stages and ultimately crossed the line in sixth, fending off Dylan O’Keeffe in the final laps.
Out front, Amand converted pole into victory ahead of Trulli and championship leader Dylan Pereira, while Gilchrist secured more valuable points to strengthen his hold on fourth in the standings.
Race 2:
Lining up fifth for Sunday morning’s race (Round 11), Gilchrist made a clean getaway and slotted in behind the leading pack. The Kiwi ran strongly in the top five throughout the 17-lap contest, staying within striking distance as Amand and Pereira battled for the lead.
A dramatic twist came in the final laps when Pereira suffered car issues and dropped back, before being handed a five-second penalty for track limits. That decision elevated Gilchrist to fourth place, behind winner Amand, Trulli, and Ellis.
After two races, Gilchrist remained fourth in the championship standings with 129 points, just behind Ellis in third.
Race 3:
The weekend’s final race, a 45-minute endurance showdown, promised plenty with Gilchrist starting from fourth alongside Pereira on the second row.
A frantic opening lap saw both Amand and Trulli run wide at Turn 1, allowing Pereira to seize the lead and Gilchrist to climb into third.
Holding firm in the podium places for much of the race, Gilchrist was later demoted to fourth by Oscar Targett and then handed a five-second penalty for repeated track limits infringements.
His fortunes took a decisive turn with just minutes to go when a delaminated tyre forced him to pit. The Kiwi eventually finished 19th, a frustrating end after running strongly in the top three.
At the front, Pereira dominated to win by 22 seconds, with Targett and Ellis joining him on the podium.
Looking Ahead:
Despite the late misfortune, Gilchrist’s pace at Mandalika was encouraging, with another top-four finish and consistent front-running speed. He now turns his attention to the closing rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia season, aiming to cement a strong championship result.
After the Indonesian triple header, Gilchrist remains fourth in the standings on 143 points. Ahead of him, Ellis and Trulli are tied on 181 points in third and second, respectively, while championship leader Pereira has built an imposing margin with 289 points.
Header Image: Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
