News

EMA Motorsport signs off 2023 season on a high in Adelaide

An almost perfect weekend in South Australia saw EMA Motorsport close out a bumper 2023 season, with yet more silverware. A second place in the weekend’s second of three races was the lowest the 1 Porsche 911 GT3 R would finish across the sessions, as season regular Yasser Shahin was joined by works driver, Matt Campbell. The pair put on a true season-ending show for the crowds, claiming a double pole position, two race wins, and setting a new outright GT3 lap record around the streets of Adelaide.

Arriving at Victoria Park with an outside chance of the championship, Yasser and Matt were always on the pace in the green and yellow, The Bend Motorsport-backed, entry. The opening practice sessions were run in extremely wet conditions, limiting the set up opportunities, but giving both drivers a chance to get to experience the tight street layout. Friday would see a damp track for qualifying, but a brave tyre call put Yasser on slick tyres, and the gamble would pay off in the dying seconds of the session.

The wet track initially favoured the majority of the field, but Yasser steadily built heat into the tyres as a dry line started to form. With each lap seeing an improvement, the 2022 series champion climbed the order and, with just seconds to go, he managed to cross the line for one final run, with tyres and track now looking primed. Sure enough, Yasser delivered his best qualifying performance of the season, taking a dramatic pole position, setting up the season finale weekend in the best way. The second qualifying session would also see Matt leave it late to deliver his best lap, as he was firmly in the fight for the front row throughout. Again, as the clock ticked towards the end of the final shootout of the year, the 28-year-old ace leapfrogged the Porsche to the head of the field on his final lap, taking a second pole position for the weekend.

Later the same day, Yasser held the lead off the start of the opening race, maintaining a one second advantage during his stint, before pitting to hand over to Matt. With pitstop success penalties served, Matt dealt with traffic on his opening laps, and was the quickest car on track when he ran in clean air. From here, he then traded fastest sector times with his championship rival in the Audi, with both cars breaking the previous lap record. At the line, Matt brought the car home for a lights-to-flag race win, keeping the championship fight alive.

Saturday’s warm and dry conditions saw Matt start from pole, and he initially pulled out a gap, as the chasing pack squabbled behind him. Once the order settled, the battle for fastest sector times resumed from the previous day, with Matt holding station at the front of the field. As his stint progressed, so Matt’s pace improved, breaking the lap record set the previous day on two consecutive laps, with an improvement of 0.3-seconds. Pitting from the lead, the 1 Porsche served its mandatory success penalty during the stop, with Yasser leaving the pitlane firmly under the rear wing of his main title rival. Here he stayed for the duration of his stint, jinking and jostling, looking for a way past, but eventually crossing the line just 0.3-seconds off a second race victory.

Now out of contention for the overall championship, the final race of the weekend and of the season, started with Yasser on the outside of the front row, but looking to make moves immediately off the line. He made his intentions clear from the start, and was on the front foot, making a bold move stick on the opening lap to take the race lead. From here, he didn’t look back, and kept focused on the job in hand. He steadily pulled away from the field, setting the fastest lap of the stint, and handed over to Matt in the lead. With a shorter pitstop success penalty to serve than his closest rival, Matt exited the pitlane still holding the nett lead, as the rest of the pitstop cycle shook out. Matt worked his way through slower traffic, climbing up the order, before eventually assuming the outright lead. Once again, the timing screens lit up purple as the top-two cars chipped away at each other, and the lead margin ebbed and flowed, but decisive and clean moves through back markers would see Matt extend the lead beyond two seconds in the closing minutes. He eventually brought the 1 Porsche home to secure a second race win of the weekend, signing off the season with further silverware.

The end result secured the overall victory for the race weekend, with two pole positions, two victories, a second place, and a new lap record around the Adelaide street circuit. While Yasser was confirmed third in the championship standings.