Praga celebrated an exciting final Round of the inaugural Praga Cup UK held at Donington Park on 22nd and 23rd October concluding a successful inaugural season of the one-make race series.
With a strong turn-out from fans and guests in the paddock and in the Goddard Hospitality Suites, all eyes were on the four teams still in with a chance of taking home the Praga Cup grand prize from the final two races; a Praga R1 race car.
In the end it was Praga factory car drivers Gordie Mutch and Jimmy Broadbent who continued their winning streak to close their Praga season with two further race wins and a championship-winning total of 285 points.
They were closely followed by privateer team Mittell Cars, with drivers Scott Mittell and Charles Hall finishing in second place having earnt 239 points and the Praga R1 prize, as the leading team eligible to receive the grand prize.
Idola Motorsports’ driver pairing of Ed Bridle and Chris Bridle finished in third with 213 points after climbing rapidly up the standings in the second half of the season.
Mark Harrison, CEO of Praga Cars UK said; “Launching a one-make race series is no easy thing and we’re delighted with the success of the first Praga Cup UK. We achieved what we set out to do; deliver close and dynamic racing for a grid of professional and amateur drivers at the UK’s most popular racetracks, via an accessible race car that delivers fast lap times. The series has been thrilling to witness and the positive response from both our customers and the fans is rewarding for everyone who has worked hard to make the Praga Cup a reality.”
Throughout the season, a total of 33 drivers raced in the Praga Cup showing significant growth for the brand, from the three R1s that raced on the Britcar grid in 2020 and the nine R1s which competed in the 2021 Praga class of Britcar Endurance.
The growth in number of R1 drivers is mirrored by the increase in popularity and visibility of the Praga brand as shown in the viewing figures of the BARC livestream on YouTube as well as the significantly boosted levels of Praga content across social media.
“We believe Praga has made its mark. After winning the Britcar Endurance Championship in 2020 and 2021, our one-make race series is generating increased interest from UK and international teams and we can’t wait to be back in 2023,” concludes Mark.
Provisional dates for the Praga Cup 2023 are; 25th and 26th March at Silverstone (Grand Prix), 22nd and 23rd April at Silverstone (International), 27th and 29th May at Oulton Park, 16th and 17th September at Snetterton and 14th and 15th October at Donington (Grand Prix).
The Praga Cup trophies will be awarded at the Britcar Awards Night and End of Year Dinner on 12th November in Hampshire.
To see the final standings and find out more about the Praga Cup UK, visit www.pragacup.com.
| Pos. | Car | Team | Drivers | Points |
| 1st | 87 | Fanatec Praga Team87* | Gordie Mutch and Jimmy Broadbent | 285 |
| 2nd | 77 | Mittell Cars | Scott Mittell and Charles Hall | 239 |
| 3rd | 84 | Idola Motorsport | Ed Bridle and Chris Bridle | 213 |
| *not eligible for grand prize | ||||
| Professional Drivers Championship | |||
| Pos. | Driver | Points | Prize |
| 1st | Gordie Mutch | 265 | Paid arrive and drive entry for a 24-hour endurance race |
| 2nd | Scott Mittell | 228 | Paid entry fee to race in the Praga Cup 2023 |
| 3rd | Ed Bridle | 206 | A Praga kart |
| Amateur Driver Drivers Championship | |||
| Pos. | Driver | Points | Prize |
| 1st | Jimmy Broadbent | 261 | Paid arrive and drive entry for a 24-hour endurance race |
| 2nd | Charles Hall | 219 | Paid entry fee to race in the Praga Cup 2023 |
| 3rd | Chris Bridle | 198 | A Praga kart |
ENDS
PR contact:
Lucy Burman
Communications Manager, Praga Cars UK
lucy.burman@pragacars.com
+447801350641
Praga Cup UK contact:
Charlotte Ford
Motorsports Planning and Operations, Praga Cars UK
charlotte.ford@pragacars.com
+447849351223
UK sales contact:
Vincent Randall
VR Motorsport
vincent.randall@vrmotorsport.com
+447733127655