Daniel Lloyd signed off his 2016 racing season in superb form during last weekend’s Porsche Carrera Cup season finale – securing a front-row start and 2nd placed podium on the Brands Hatch GP circuit (October 1/2).
On only his second competitive outing in the #32 Porsche 911 (type 991) Lloyd stated his intent early on in the weekend by posting the second fastest time during Saturday’s wet qualifying session.
A near-perfect lap of 1:37.88 on the 2.43 mile former F1 track saw the Yorkshireman miss out on the pole position spot by just 0.109 of a second - securing his place on the front row for round 15.
Lloyd’s flying lap on his ninth tour of the circuit was unfortunately cut-short by a red flag – placing the In2 Racing-run 911 in P5 for the final race of the season.
Starting Sunday’s first live televised race from P2, Lloyd’s race-craft paid dividends as he kept the pressure on race leader Eastwood for the entire 17 laps to bring the #32 Porsche across the line in 2nd – claiming his first Porsche Carrera Cup podium of the season on only his second weekend of racing.
The season climax was a more frenetic affair with Lloyd battling hard against the charging Pro field to hold on to his 5th place spot and despite being pushed off-track during the mid-field melee, Lloyd held his station to the bring the In2 Racing charger home in 5th.
“It was a really good weekend for us to end the season on;” commented Lloyd. “We went to Brands Hatch still on the back foot really in terms of seat time and with how little time that I’d had to work with the team, so go on and stick it on the front row in qualifying and then back that up with a 2nd and our first podium was mega.
“It was a huge step forward from Silverstone and great to be able to really show the pace of the car both in the wet in qualifying and then replicating that by sticking with the race leader all the way through to grab a podium in race one.”
“I’ve loved my time with the In2 Racing guys;” added Lloyd. “Considering we’ve only had two weekends to get to know each other I really feel as if I’ve gelled well with the team and I’m really grateful to them for giving me such a strong car to race.”
“To have come from nowhere and then in just three races snatch a front row start and podium against guys that have been there all year is a huge achievement for all of us – I’m over the moon!”
The weekend’s results mark another high point in Lloyd’s troubled 2016 racing season. In spite of the set-backs that have seen him miss out on the full-season campaign, the Huddersfield-based driver has shown his class on track at every opportunity this year securing front-row starts and Jack Sears Trophy honours in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship along with a podium in the Porsche Carrera Cup and the 24-year-old’s preparations for the 2017 seaons are already well underway.
