Some of the quickest cars and drivers in the UK are about to be let loose for the second half of the British Hillclimb Championship, presented by Nova Motorsport.

The Channel Islands double-header hosts four decisive rounds that can make or break a championship campaign. It’s at this stage that the title picture starts to become clearer, with the contenders looking to lift the trophy and carry the coveted number one on their car the following year after a successful tour of the most southerly part of the British Isles.

Jersey is first up, with the fiercely steep amphitheatre of Bouley Bay on Tuesday, followed by the fast and flowing Val des Terres hill in Guernsey on Saturday.

Single-seaters with up to 700bhp will be unleashed on the closed public roads, where Formula One performance meets garden paths for a thrilling spectacle. So who will be king of the hills? With a maximum of 44 points up for grabs, we take a look at who will be eyeing a big score from the island visits – a crucial part of the title fight.

Defending champion Matt Ryder claimed his first Bouley Bay victory last year. The Gould GR59J driver, who has won seven rounds this season, will be keen to add to that tally and also take his first win in Guernsey. The number one seed is driving at his best this season and is being pushed hard by his two main rivals. He heads into the Channel Islands double-header tied on points with Will Hall.

Will Hall is one of the best drivers never to have lifted the British Hillclimb Championship title. The Gould driver is almost untouchable on his day, with seven wins already this season to match Ryder. Hall will be looking to extract the maximum from this double-header. Not normally regarded as a Channel Islands specialist, he will need to give it everything to stay ahead of Ryder and Wallace Menzies, both of whom relish the trip south.

Having won on both hills, Menzies is perhaps the most adaptable of the leading trio, but after the mechanical problems at Harewood, the Flying Scotsman will be hoping to put those frustrations firmly behind him.

Trevor Willis is the ‘Wizard of Bouley Bay’ – there is something about Bouley Bay and Trevor Willis that simply clicks. The OMS 28 may be an older car and unable to match the newer Gould machinery on the faster mainland hills, but at Bouley Bay Willis remains a major force and still holds the hill record 10 years on. His 10 wins, 21 podiums and points-scoring rate of over 90 per cent make him the man to beat. Will he lower the record? That will be a challenge. Can he win a round? Absolutely.

Dave Uren is yet to win a Channel Islands run-off, but in the right conditions could well be fighting for victory if everything falls into place for the Gould driver. Darren Gumbley and Paul Jones, sharing their 1600cc Force, will also be ones to watch as they target valuable points from their overseas visit.

Jersey hopes will rest with Michael Salmon in his two-litre OMS CF04. The local driver has consistently been the fastest competitor on the island over recent seasons and is ready to step up against the mainland opposition. Salmon scored his first championship points 12 months ago and will be eager to add to that tally in his giant-killing machine.

Michael’s brother, Alex, will be at the wheel of his beastly 6.2-litre Gould as he prepares to battle both his brother and the championship regulars. He’ll be chasing his first British Hillclimb Championship point on his debut in top-flight machinery.

Glyn Moignard will be looking to add to his points tally after a breakthrough 2025 season in his 1600cc OMS. Ben Le Lay is another name to watch this year. Still getting to grips with his one-litre OMS, he would love to qualify for a run-off.

Guernsey drivers Andy Bougourd, Steve Brehaut and Nick Saunders are the leading local hopes. All three will use Bouley Bay as a warm-up for their home event at Val des Terres, where they will be aiming for big points hauls while taking points away from the mainland contenders. In the right circumstances, they could challenge for a top-five finish – or even higher. Wouldn’t that be a treat for the home crowd?

The Jersey round at Bouley Bay will be held on a Tuesday for the first time, taking place on Tuesday 14 July, before the Guernsey round at Val des Terres on Saturday 18 July.