PSCGB: Lydia Walmsley makes encouraging step into RS Pro class at Donington Park
- LIAM REDFORD
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
After a superb hard-charging drive in race one at Donington, Lydia Walmsley achieved a best result of sixth as she stepped up to the RS Pro class within Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain, leaving the event as the highest placed Porsche Talent Pool driver in the RS Pro championship standings.
Lydia Walmsley achieved a best result of sixth as she stepped up to the RS Pro class within Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain. Despite limited testing opportunities in the car, Walmsley competed well and left the event as the highest placed Porsche Talent Pool driver in the RS Pro championship standings. The highlight of Walmsley’s event with a superb hard-charging drive in race one where she came through from 13th on the overall grid to finish in seventh position, sixth within the RS Pro class.
After being crowned CS Pro class vice-champion in 2025, Walmsley moved up to the RS Pro class of Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain in 2026. With additional power and enhanced aerodynamics, the step up in competition was set to provide an extra challenge for Walmsley. Her first season in rear-wheel-drive competition proved successful with Lydia securing three victories in the CS Pro class last season, while claiming podium finishes in all but one race.
Switching to Clean Racing for the upcoming season, Walmsley had a number of more experienced teammates to lean on for support and this proved valuable in her adaptation to the new car. At Porsche media day in March, Walmsley completed 61 laps of the Donington Park National circuit with a best time of a 1:08.131. This running was extremely useful for Walmsley as she ended the day in eighth position within the RS Pro class, just over one second away from the quickest time set by Joe Marshall.
The drivers returned to Donington Park to begin the official season on Thursday with two free practice sessions held in dry conditions. Due to two red flags, the first session was cut short and just seven laps were completed by Walmsley, the most of any drivers. Session two brought more representative running and Lydia completed 25 laps in her Clean Racing machine. At the end of the day, her quickest time of a 1:09.114 placed Walmsley in 16th position overall, ninth within the RS Pro class.
Qualifying was held on Saturday morning with Walmsley looking to move herself up the order in the RS Pro class. With each passing lap, the Clean Racing driver was gaining confidence and at the halfway mark, Lydia was sitting in 14th position overall, ninth in the Pro class, with a fastest lap of a 1:08.453. Improving by four tenths on her second set of tyres, Lydia’s quickest time of a 1:08.009 marked a significant improvement from free practice with Walmsley qualifying 13th overall, eighth in the RS Pro class.
The opening race of the season took place on Saturday afternoon with Walmsley starting from 13th position overall, eighth in the RS Pro class. Walmsley made a good start as she held her position on the opening lap with the Clean Racing driver getting a nice launch in her first start in the more powerful RS class machine. Despite losing out to recovering RS Am class driver Reece Somerfield on lap three, Walmsley settled into a good rhythm.
As the drivers ahead began battling for position, Lydia used her racecraft to good effect. After closing to within a quarter of a second of Dan Lewis, Walmsley overtook the Race Car Consultants driver on lap six, while Oliver Cottam slowed with an issue. As a result, Walmsley was now up to 12th position overall, seventh in the RS Pro class as she continued to move forward.
Starting lap nine side-by-side with Will Rochford, Walmsley cleared the Breakell Racing driver into Redgate which allowed her to focus forward on her RS Pro class drivers ahead. Walmsley was now directly behind her two fellow Porsche Talent Pool drivers Max Watt and James Seale with the trio now beginning a battle for position. Lydia’s pace was excellent as she continued to apply pressure to those ahead as she edged towards a top-10 position.
On lap 12, Seale passed Watt and Walmsley took full advantage as she also overtook Watt for tenth overall, sixth in the RS Pro class. The following lap saw an issue for Ethan Hammerton and this promoted Walmsley to ninth overall, while Lydia now held a top-5 position within class.
On the final lap of the first twenty-minute race, Dean Burden went off-track and therefore Walmsley gained another position to begin the season with an eighth-place overall result, fifth in the RS Pro class. This was a superb drive for Walmsley who used her racecraft to move through the field and secure a good haul of points on her RS Pro class debut.
Following an overnight decision to reassign RS Am class driver Matthew Kyle-Henney into the RS Pro category, this meant that Walmsley’s race one result of fifth in class was updated and therefore Lydia was classified in sixth position.
The second race of the weekend took place on Sunday morning with Lydia start from 13th overall, tenth in the Pro class, with the grid based upon the second fastest times set in qualifying. It was another clean start and Walmsley retained tenth position in the RS Pro class after lap one, while falling to 14th position overall. The positions just outside the top-10 were extremely closely contested in the early stages and Walmsley had Reece Somerfield just ahead who was targeting another hard-charging drive in the RS Am class.
The drivers ran nose-to-tail until lap five when Somerfield passed James Seale and therefore the Xentek Motorsport machine was now ahead. Just ahead of Seale, class rival Max Watt was handed a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits and therefore Walmsley would benefit if she could remain close to her fellow Porsche Talent Pool driver.
On lap seven, the safety car was deployed after the RS Am class machine of Matthew Briers went off the circuit and required recovery. The race resumed on lap 12 and after one lap of green flag running, Somerfield and Seale began to battle for position once more. Walmsley was just unable to capitalise, however she settled back in and retained her position.
As the drivers began lap 16, Walmsley almost ran side-by-side with Somerfield and Seale as the racing within the midfield remained intense. Walmsley held her position to the chequered flag with the Clean Racing driver finishing in 14th position overall, tenth in the RS Pro class. Due to track limits penalties ahead, Lydia was set to gain two spots, however she was then handed a five second penalty of her own with Walmsley officially classified in 15th position overall, tenth in class.
Race three at Donington Park took place on Sunday afternoon and with the grid positions based upon the results from race two, Walmsley started from 15th overall, tenth in the RS Pro class. Walmsley made a good start and was challenging James Seale throughout the opening lap. As the drivers completed lap one, Walmsley and Seale ran side-by-side with Seale pulling clear through Redgate corner.
The race was soon neutralised after Matthew Briers spun into the gravel trap at Redgate and with his car beached, the safety car was deployed. Just ahead, Walmsley’s class rival Chris Bingham had received a five-second time penalty for a false start and therefore remaining close to the Raceworks Motorsport driver was a top priority.
When the race resumed on lap eight, Walmsley continued to apply pressure to Seale with the Clean Racing driver looking faster at this stage of the race. As the drivers exited the final chicane, Walmsley got a good run through the centre of the corner and looked to the inside of Seale. Contact was made between the drivers and they both hit the tyre barrier and were subsequently out of the race.
It was an unfortunate end to a promising weekend for Lydia as she stepped up to the highly competitive RS Pro class. Her hard-charging drive in race one showcased her potential despite limited time in the car.
Walmsley will be looking to continue her progress when Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain resumes at Oulton Park on the weekend of June 6th/7th.
