Q & A with Max Coates: A Season in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB

Max on the podium during the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup season

2025 has marked Primex Plastics sponsored racing driver max Coates' first full season in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. Graduating from the Porsche Sprint Challenge in 2024 in which Max finished 2nd, this year's motorsport campaign saw Max race the Porsche Carrera GT3 Cup car, the fastest single-marque GT racing series in the UK. The 510bhp car is a difficult car to tame, but Max has done so with the continued support of Primex Plastics in their 11th year of support for the Yorkshire based driver.

We caught up with Max to find out his thoughts on the season.

Primex Plastics: Max, congratulations on your season so far in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB! How would you summarize your experience this year?

Max Coates: Thank you! This season has been an incredible challenge and ultimately very rewarding at times. Competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB has pushed me to my limits and allowed me to develop my skills further than ever before. The competition is fierce, and every race is a new challenge, but I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. The challenge has only made the results even better.

Primex Plastics: What were some of the highlights for you throughout the season?

Max Coates: There were quite a few highlights! Two standout moments have to be the overall win at Snetterton. Our pace there and subsequently at Croft and Silverstone were real positives for me. Winning that race was a huge high, the championship is so prestigious, winning in it was a massive moment for me.

Second would have to be whole Croft race weekend. We were sat in pole position mid qualifying and ended up 3rd on the grid. It was an amazing feeling to place so high at my home track. That set up an awesome Sunday race day which was made even better by the support from Pimex Plastics, making the experience even more special. The first race yielded a Pro-Am win and the second almost an overall podium, if not for some penalties, which I felt was achieved on merit rather than benefitting from a reverse grid. This was a really great moment for me.

Primex Plastics: How did you prepare for the challenges of racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB?

Max Coates: Preparation is key in motorsport. We had three days in the car pre-season which really helped to get to grips with the car and for my team and engineers to fine-tune the car setup for each race. We selected tracks I knew well so the time could be spent focussing on the new car.

I also tapped into friends experience and the rich history and experience in Duckhams Yuasa Racing, speaking with former drivers helped me to understand the car greatly before I even got in it.

Primex Plastics: What was the most challenging aspect of this season for you?

Max Coates: The Knockhill event was the most challengeing of the season. On the back of such a high at Croft it was tough to accept that the pace just wasn't quite where it needed to be at Knockhill. We learnt a lot though and I think this has helped us in the most recent rounds at Donington and Silverstone.

Primex Plastics: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the next season?

Max Coates: My primary goal is to build on the progress I made this year. I'm aiming to come back to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and target overall wins and podiums. I’m also looking to strengthen my relationship with my partners of which Pimex Plastics is so important especially given the longevity of our partnership.

Primex Plastics: How has the support from Pimex Plastics impacted your racing career?

Max Coates: The support from Pimex Plastics has been invaluable. Their belief in my abilities and commitment to my journey has motivated me to push harder and strive for success. It was particularly evident at Croft when everyone was there to support me and so nice that Mike Cramer, Primex's President made the trip over too. It’s a partnership that I truly cherish, and I hope to continue making them proud on the track.

Primex Plastics: Finally, how are you feeling about the final round of the season at Brands Hatch?

Max Coates: We've just the one event to go and I'm so excited to drive this car at Brands Hatch on the GP Circuit. It's my favourite track so it'll be an amazing experience. We're still in with a shot at the title so I'm going out there giving it everything and hope to round out the year in style.

To conclude, this season has been a significant step in Max's racing career, and with the continued support of Pimex Plastics, there are exciting times ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as Max prepares for the final round in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch on the 4th and 5th October.

Season results:

Donington Park National R1:

Race 1: Grid - 17, Result - 11th (4th in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid - 11, Result - 6th (2nd in Pro-Am)

Snetterton 300 Round 2:

Race 1: Grid - 11th, Result - 6th (3rd in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid - 1st, Result - 1st (1st in Pro-Am)

Thruxton Round 3:

Race 1: Grid – 6th, Result – 8th (2nd in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid – 8th, Result – 7th (2nd in Pro-Am)

Croft Round 4:

Race 1: Grid - 3rd, Result - 4th (1st in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid - 2nd, Result - 11th (4th in Pro-Am)

Knockhill Round 5:

Race 1: Grid - 12th, Result - 11th (4th in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid - 11th, Result - 15th (6th in Pro-Am)

Donington Park GP Round 6:

Race 1: Grid - 10th, Result - 13th (5th in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid - 13th, Result - 6th (2nd in Pro-Am)

Silverstone National Round 7:

Race 1: Grid - 6th, Result - 8th (3rd in Pro-Am)

Race 2: Grid - 7th, Result - 10th (4th in Pro-Am)