The Porsche Carrera Cup GB can be a pretty daunting place for a fledgling team. It’s a championship renowned for being decided by fine margins, with its single-make nature ensuring that anyone caught underperforming is quickly found out.
The presence of established star squads such as Team Parker Racing (a stalwart of the series for over 20 years), JTR and Century Motorsport – all of which are proven winners – means there is sure to be plenty of stiff opposition.
Yet Eden Race Drive has defied its short history to take on the successful giants – and has made quite an impression so far this season. Its lead driver, Will Martin, is heading the standings after the first four events of 2024, while it is also sitting pretty at the top of the teams’ table.
While it may be a new name, there are some very familiar faces as part of the Eden Race Drive set-up. The team is headed by Dino Zamparelli, who knows a thing or two about Porsches. He was Carrera Cup runner-up in three consecutive years from 2016, each time with a different squad, and witnessed first-hand how various teams operate, and is surrounded by a group of engineers and mechanics boasting plenty of Porsche experience themselves.
Nevertheless, Zamparelli did not expect so much silverware quite so quickly into the journey of a team that had only a few Porsche Club GB races under its belt prior to this season.
“At the start of the year, we were just focusing on getting on the grid,” he admits. “Once we knew we could get on the grid, we knew we would have a good chance of doing well. But we felt really underprepared because we didn’t test much and it was all a bit last-minute.
“We knew the engineers and mechanics were experienced, but didn’t know how long it would take to put it all together. The fact we won at round one with Will was a real boost.”
Martin’s triumph in the opening Donington Park contest was a signal of intent, especially considering he had only confirmed his deal with the team shortly beforehand. He was third in the 2022 standings, before spending last season in the equivalent North American Carrera Cup, and has been impressed by his new surroundings.
“The way the team’s run, Dino Zamparelli has done an amazing job – it all runs like clockwork,” says Martin, who highlights the squad’s meticulous preparation and ability to find a good baseline set-up as being key factors in its strong opening half of the season.
“It doesn’t feel like you’re in a brand-new team; it feels like they’ve got 10 years’ experience. They’re just super-consistent.”
"I don’t get any sense of ‘I need to be in the car’. It’s enjoyable still – it’s a different type of enjoyment but it’s fun and you get a sense of satisfaction"
Dino Zamparelli
Croft last weekend was the first round where Martin had not won either of the races. But six podium visits from a possible eight still leaves him in a very healthy position.
For all the success – Harry Foster has been a podium finisher this year, while Oliver White is a leading Pro-Am contender and Will Aspin has also visited the class rostrum – Zamparelli is taking nothing for granted. “We’re all bracing for some not-so-good days, but that’s part of the championship,” he says.
The team’s origins lie in a business that was focused on “corporate days and coaching” but has “evolved from there”. And former GP3 podium finisher Zamparelli is certainly relishing his new role outside of the car.
“It’s been interesting, and a lot of work behind the scenes, and the results have been a bonus,” he adds. “I would love to be out there winning [himself] but I’ve passed that on – I don’t get any sense of ‘I need to be in the car’. It’s enjoyable still – it’s a different type of enjoyment but it’s fun and you get a sense of satisfaction. It feels really rewarding.”
What Zamparelli is keen to emphasise is that he sees this as a long-term project and does not want the team’s initial success to be a flash in the pan. That is evidenced by his desire to run a sizeable multi-car operation in its first Carrera Cup season, rather than just one or two, to highlight how he sees this as a serious “commercial” squad.
“It’s about setting up now for future years,” he continues. “Year one, if we go and win the championship, great. We didn’t expect to be here, let’s do the best job we can and see what transpires. It’s taking it step by step and seeing where we get to.”
Regardless of the direction Eden Race Drive heads in the future – and Zamparelli is keen to keep his options open – Martin’s 21-point lead at half-distance of the Carrera Cup campaign is a pretty eye-catching start as it now battles to keep those more established operations at bay.
