Author: Chris Ashby-Brown

Will Hall is the new king of Shelsley Walsh

Will Hall stunned the hillclimbing world by setting a new outright hill record at Shelsley Walsh on the first of Sunday’s two run-offs with a time of 22.33s, the fastest climb ever recorded at the Worcestershire venue.

Later in the day, as ambient temperatures dropped, Hall did it again to complete a perfect weekend. Although the afternoon times were a little slower, his climb of 22.72s was still enough to give him a second run-off victory.

These were two incredibly popular victories for the Midlands driver. In the opening run-off he stunned everyone by bettering the outright hill record set by Sean Gould in August 2021 at 22.37s. On the newly resurfaced Shelsley hill, Hall dipped to a 22.33s to shave four hundredths of a second off this most famous and prestigious of hillclimb records.

In the opening run-off, Matthew Ryder led the chase of Hall at 22.54s as Wallace Menzies also broke the 23s mark with a 22.91s before Trevor Willis had one of his best days at Shelsley with a 23.33s to take fourth.

Later in the day, with the temperature dropping and the threat of rain in the air, Hall ran last and knew that a superb 22.98s climb by David Uren was his target. Sure enough, Hall did it all right and grabbed victory with a 22.72s. Ryder slipped to fourth behind Menzies to make the day’s result even more important for the season-long championship.

Others to feature included Paul Haimes and David Warburton and Jack Cottrill got his 2026 score off the ground with two eighth places in his Dallara. With a big crowd and tremendous competition across all the classes, this was another great day for hillclimbing at its most famous venue. It could also prove to be a very important day in the championship battle, as Hall stemmed Ryder’s run of recent successes.

On his new record, Hall said: “After qualifying on 22.8, I didn’t quite think it was going to be that. And then Matt did 22.54 in the run-off. I don’t like knowing what I’ve got to do, but I just got on and drove it.

“It wasn’t all perfect, but it wasn’t far off. There’s a little bit more I think, into Bottom Ess, but it’s being brave enough to just stay on the throttle later. I just want to keep the record to August. And then it could be another deal as more rubber goes down.

“It is very special as I’ve been coming here all my life: since I was in a push chair. So, I just wish my dad was here to see it.”

BTCC delivers blockbuster trio of races at Oulton Park

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship sped into its annual summer break in action-packed style this past weekend (June 6-7) as Dan Cammish, Ash Sutton and Charles Rainford charged to victory at Oulton Park.

Making its annual trip to the Cheshire circuit, the country’s biggest and best motorsport spectacle had everyone on the edge of their seats as the battle for supremacy intensified across three frenetic contests.

As per recent weekends, Saturday’s Qualifying Race delivered captivating entertainment with Cammish claiming his first triumph of the season and and in doing so, secured pole position for the first of Sunday’s three races.

Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport’s Árón Taylor-Smith had triumphed on the road but was handed a five-second time penalty for a restart procedure infraction, which dropped him to fifth and promoted Josh Cook, Sutton and Tom Ingram up behind Cammish.

NAPA Racing UK’s Cammish would go on to convert pole position into a maiden win of the season in Sunday’s opener, only after absorbing a torrent of early pressure from Cook and reigning champion Ingram.

Controlling the pace from the front of the field, the Ford Focus Titanium driver was wheel-perfect and as the race wore on, he steadily pulled clear to triumph. Behind, Cook and Ingram scrapped all the way to the chequered flag to round out the rostrum.

Race two saw one of the most dominant victories in the modern era of the BTCC as championship leader Sutton blitzed the opposition to tally his fifth win of the campaign.

Starting from seventh on the grid, the four-time title winner utilised having a good amount of TOCA Turbo Boost and the soft tyre to quickly move up to first and from there, he checked out to win by more than 19 seconds.

As Sutton stamped his authority out front, Ingram and Cammish produced valiant display’s on the less favourable hard tyre to finish on the podium in second and third respectively.

WSR’s Rainford then closed out the weekend by becoming the second repeat winner of the campaign as he cruised to victory ahead of the Team VERTU Hyundais of Collard and Ingram.

Despite having to contend with two safety car periods for separate incidents at Old Hall and Cascades, the BMW 330i M Sport driver was wheel-perfect to rise from third to first in the early laps on the soft tyre.

Leaving Oulton Park, Sutton holds a 48-point advantage over Ingram at the head of the Drivers’ Championship, with Cammish, Rainford and Collard filling the remaining spots inside the top-five going into mid-season break.

As they have done since the opening weekend, Sutton’s Alliance Racing/Ford and NAPA Racing UK top both the Manufacturers’/Constructors’ and Teams’ tables. In the Independents’, Mikey Doble and LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing continue to lead the way.

And after claiming all three wins at Oulton Park in his Audi A3 Saloon, Dexter Patterson now tops the standings in the Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship returns to action on July 25-26 around the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton. Tickets are available to purchase via https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/btcc.

Classic Touring Car Racing Club delights on TOCA support package

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club enjoyed a spectacular guest appearance on the support bill of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this past weekend (June 6-7), delighting tens of thousands of fans with some retro wheel-to-wheel moments.

Following on from the Pre-66 Touring Cars wowing the crowds alongside the UK’s premier motorsport series a few years ago, it was the turn of the Pre-83 Touring Cars this time and they didn’t disappoint with three captivating contests.

James Everard – who was sharing driving duties with Jonathan Corker in last year’s championship-winning Datsun 510 – kicked off proceedings by romping to victory in race one ahead of Jerry Bailey in his Rover SD1 and Tom Harvey in his Ford Escort Mk1.

Mark Osborne, who had finished fourth in the opening encounter, then came to the fore in the proceeding two races as he hustled his immaculate Triumph Dolomite Sprint to back-to-back victories.

Corker and MINI CHALLENGE competition Harry Hickton joined Osborne on the podium in race two before Neil Philpotts and Nic Grindrod added to their silverware collections by finishing second and third respectively in race three.

Team Parker Racing’s Joe Marshall continued his sensational run of the form in the Porsche Carwow Sprint Challenge Great Britain as he extended his current winning streak to a remarkable nine races.

Winning the final three contests of the 2025 campaign at Brands Hatch, Marshall swept his way to a hat-trick of wins at the Donington Park curtain-raiser back in April and duly followed it up with three more in Cheshire.

Those triumphs have now made Marshall the most successive driver in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain history. Joining him on the podium across the weekend was Joshua Rogers, Ethan Hammerton and Matthew Kyle-Henney.

Over in the Power Maxed MINI CHALLENGE, Sam Gornall bounced back from a challenging few events to win twice, igniting his championship challenge in the process.

Josh Porter was the driver to beat in qualifying as he snared pole position however Gornall came alive in both contests to win in emphatic fashion. There were also podiums for reigning champion Tom Ovenden, Joe Tanner and Charlie Hand.

Closing out the weekend were six races from the Scottish Legends Championship. Stephen Treherne and Matthew Pape were the big winners on Saturday before Pape and Angus Scrivener then shared the spoils on Sunday.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Oulton Park, CLICK HERE.

Spoils shared as Pickup Trucks star at American SpeedFest

Allen Cooper, Aaron Thompson and Dale Gent scored a victory apiece at Brands Hatch this past weekend (June 6-7) as the Pickup Truck Racing Championship wowed the crowds at American SpeedFest.

Making the second of three visits to the Kent circuit this season, the full-throttle series delivered three blockbuster races around the 1.207-mile Indy layout which culminated in Cooper, Thompson and Gent reigning supreme.

Qualifying on Saturday afternoon saw Thompson continue his fine run of recent form as he snared a second successive pole position by being the only driver to dip under the 52-second barrier in what were dry conditions.

With heavy rain battering the venue in the proceeding hours, the drivers faced a very different challenge when the lights went out for race one and it was championship leader Cooper that came to the fore to tally his second win of the season.

Starting from seventh, Cooper enjoyed an inspired first few laps to pick his way up the order while others scrambled for grip and once out front, he streaked clear to triumph ahead of Gent and Thompson.

Race two – held in dry conditions on Sunday morning – then saw Thompson make his mark as he tallied his fourth victory in eight races; with the multiple race winner dominating the encounter in impressive fashion.

The race took two attempts to run as the red flag was waved following an incident between Dan Fisher and Eric Boulton. On the restart, Thompson was relentless as he stretched his legs out front while Cooper and Chris Brockhurst completed the podium.

Gent then closed out the weekend as he became the third repeat winner of the campaign in a truncated finale. In a race marred by an early red flag and then multiple track limits infringements, Gent ruled the roost to win ahead of Mark Willis and Tom Hutchins.

The 2026 Pickup Truck Racing Championship campaign continues in less than two weeks’ time as the series rejoins the British Truck Racing Championship bill at Pembrey on June 20-21.

Tickets for the annual jaunt to South Wales for Convoy Cymru are available to purchase via https://pembreycircuit.co.uk/racing/british-truck-racing-championship.

Party in the Park and Hanging Out on the Hill

The British Automobile Racing Club is looking forward to a real festival atmosphere this weekend (6–7 June), with the latest round of the TOCA package taking place at Oulton Park and the British Hillclimb Championship heading to the iconic Shelsley Walsh.

When is the next BARC weekend?
The next events will take place this weekend, 6–7 June.

Where are the events being held?
Oulton Park
Address: Oulton Park Circuit, Little Budworth, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9BW

Shelsley Walsh
Address: Shelsley Walsh, Worcester, WR6 6RP

What’s racing?
At Shelsley Walsh, everything from road cars to top single-seaters will be competing in the British Hillclimb Championship. Meanwhile, at Oulton Park, the British Touring Car Championship will be supported by the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB, MINI Challenge JCW, Group 1 Touring Cars and Scottish Legends.

How can I watch?

At the venue
Tickets for Shelsley Walsh are available on the gate for both Saturday and Sunday: £17 for Saturday, £22 for Sunday and £35 for the weekend. The timed Top 12 Run-Offs will take place on Sunday. Tickets can also be purchased here:
www.shelsleywalsh.com/events-1/best-of-british-2026

At Oulton Park, tickets are £49 online for a weekend adult pass, while prices will be slightly higher on the gate. Senior citizens and teenagers receive discounted entry, while under-13s go free. Ticket information can be found here:
www.oultonpark.co.uk/2026/june/kwik-fit-british-touring-car-championship

At home
ITV4 and ITVX will be the home of all the TOCA action on Sunday, while the BTCC Race to Pole can be watched on the BTCC YouTube channel on Saturday.

Unfortunately, the hillclimbing action will not be streamed live this weekend.

What time is everything happening on track?
At Oulton Park, proceedings get underway with qualifying on Saturday morning from 09:00, before the BTCC Race to Pole begins at 15:05. On Sunday, it’s a slightly later start, with the first race scheduled for 12:25 and action continuing into the early evening.

At Shelsley Walsh, runs are expected to start at 08:30, with action on both days continuing through to the early evening.

Do you have any more information?
We have a few other handy links that might help you make the most of your weekend.

Oulton Park
Live Timing and Commentary: www.tsl-timing.com/event/262303
Information and Timetable*: www.barc.net/event/toca-race-meeting-oulton-park-island-june-6-7/
Sunday Watch Link: www.itv.com/btcc

Shelsley Walsh
Information: www.shelsleywalsh.com/events-1/best-of-british-2026
* Subject to adjustments prior to and during the race meeting.

Circuit racing and hillclimbing are a great combination – the best of British. Now we just need to sort out the weather!

Donington Park beckons for CNC Heads Sports Saloons

It’s another capacity grid as the CNC Heads Sports Saloons head for Donington Park this weekend.

Joint Championship leaders Chris Roberts and Roddie Paterson head the line-up, Roberts having taken outright victory in round 2 at Oulton, after his BMW M4 took second to Andrew Southcott’s MG Midget Lenham in the first race. Paterson won his class in both races, taking third and second overall in his Caterham C400, despite losing the clutch in race one.

Rob Wakelin’s Honda Civic currently lies third, after two class F wins, while in joint fourth are Southcott, Garry Wardle’s Audi A3 TCR and Howard Hunt’s MG ZS. It was dramatic opening weekend though for Southcott though, a winner from the pitlane in race one, but an early retirement in race two stuck in fifth gear.

Once again Class A is well supported and although Southcott and Wardle jointly hold the Class lead, they are up against defending Champion Simon Allaway’s Lotus Esprit V8. Allaway was third from the back in race two at Oulton, after missing the opener after practice issues. Paul Rankin journeyed down from Scotland for his CNC debut at Oulton, but his Westfield Aero Race will be hoping for a finish after retiring at Oulton and failing to start race two.

The father and son pairing of Paul and Richard Wright are back, Paul in his Subaru Impreza, but Richard having swapped his Ginetta for BMW M4 after their Oulton CNC debuts. There are two Ginetta G56 GTA’s entered by Billy Blockley Racing, one for Andy Thomas, the ex Formula Fordster who made his racing comeback at Oulton and a second for David Blockley. Gary Warburton has entered his Spaceframe Mini, having hopefully sorted his gearbox issues from Oulton, while Ryan Nelson’s Ginetta G56 GTA completes the Class line-up.

Paterson has a number of challengers in a very competitive Class B. The green machines of Deri Davies (Darrian T90) and Bod Buckby’s Caterham 7 currently head his chasers, but Mark Primett’s MG Midget and Jamie Cryer’s Ginetta G20 should be close too. Their class is completed by three Silhouette cars, Andrew Armiger and Jon Price’s Vauxhall Tigra’s and James Owen’s Mercedes SLK.

Roberts comfortably leads Class D but it could be close for the other podium places. Paul Goodlad’s VW Scirocco is currently second, after taking his first podium at Oulton. Zack Booth’s Renault Megane R26 is one to watch, having shown overall podium pace last season and he is joined by debutant Richy Biscow in a similar car.

Oliver Thomas and Matthew Jones make their seasonal debuts in their Subaru Impreza and Ford Focus RS Turbo and 2024 Champion Steven Parker has his new BMW M235i, that he debuted at Oulton. Marshall Groves will be hoping to get further than the green flag in his Vauxhall Vectra, while Nicholas Stott’s Mini Cooper S and Andrew Gash’s Peugeot 207 Gti complete the line-up.

The evergreen Howard Hunt heads Class E but will be up against former multiple Champion Paul Dobson, who is due to debut his newly built Mazda RX7. Matt and Richard Hibbert are currently joint second in the class and once again share the family Honda Civic Type R, but they have the Renault Clio’s of Cavan Taylor and Brian Gilsenan challenging too, along with seasonal debutant’s Julian Wood (BMW Compact) and Stuart Connolly (Honda Civic).

In Class F Louie Dobson will be hoping to chase Wakelin in his Civic, while Jonathan Lee’s Mini Cooper is out too, while in Class G there are two Spire GTR’s for former Champion Jon Woolfitt and Stuart Burnett.

Qualifying is on Saturday morning at 11.25 for 20 minutes, with race one at 15.50, followed by race two on Sunday morning at 10.50.

Britcar and Caterham enjoy blockbuster away day at Spa-Francorchamps

The Britcar Endurance Championship and Caterham Motorsport took centre stage in mainland Europe this past weekend (May 29-31) as they delivered blockbuster entertainment around Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Regarded for being one of the ultimates tests for drivers and cars alike, the popular venue – which is home of the Formula 1 Belgium Grand Prix – provided the perfect setting for a number of championships to write the latest chapter in their 2026 campaigns.

After two fiercely contested rounds at Donington Park and Oulton Park, the Britcar Endurance Championship joined forces with the Dutch Supercar Challenge to contest a pair of 61-minute encounters in the Ardennes.

With more than seven kilometres of tarmac and also the typically unpredictable Belgium weather to contend with, the weekend’s opening contest proved to be a captivating watch from start to finish.

FormEvo Racing’s Simon Clark ultimately came to the fore as the driver to beat as he guided his McLaren 570S GT4 to victory ahead of Woodrow Motorsport’s Nathan Wells and the Team BRIT duo of Bobby Trundley and Aaron Morgan.

The aforementioned Trundley and Morgan would strike back in the final race of the weekend on Sunday as they hustled their McLaren 570S GT4 to top spot in qualifying, before then converting it into a flawless lights-to-flag victory.

Elsewhere, Caterham Motorsport made its annual jaunt overseas to do what it does best, deliver a feast of close finishes and breathtaking wheel-to-wheel moments.

The Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship saw Oliver Smith reign supreme as he claimed a dominant double, while the likes of John Bond, Matthew Fox, Ben Oliver and Mitch Fasanya each tallied a podium apiece behind him.

Paul Oggelsby and Brian Thornton meanwhile renewed their battle in the FanDrive Caterham Seven 270R Championship, having been the toast of the competition in the early rounds back on British shores.

Oggeslby was the first to strike out of the two of them as he triumphed in race one, however the former Academy title winner could do nothing to stop Thornton in the remaining two races as he went back-to-back.

After starring on the British Touring Car Championship support bill at Brands Hatch, the Vertex Caterham Seven 310R Championship served up a plethora of thrills and spills, especially down the Kemmell Straight.

William Harris and Lyonel Tollemache emerged as the big winners, as did multiple Caterham champion Taylor O’Flanagan and last year’s runner-up Harry Senior who were the leading lights when it came to the Motul Caterham Seven Championship UK.

George Proudford-Nalder wins BRDC International Trophy as British F4 stars at Silverstone

George Proudford-Nalder wrote his name into the history books at Silverstone this past weekend (May 30-31) as he claimed a sensational victory in the Wera Tools F4 British Championship, certified by FIA to lift the coveted BRDC International Trophy.

Taking centre stage at the Home of British Motor Racing for the fourth event of the season, the UK’s premier single-seater series delivered three spectacular contests that culminated in Lewis Wherrell, Joseph Smith and Proudford-Nalder leaving with a share of the spoils.

Virtuosi Racing’s Proudfold-Nalder made the perfect start to the weekend as he topped the times in a fast and furious qualifying session, with his two fastest times being good enough for pole position in races one and three.

Unfortunately the Australian would make a sluggish start as the lights went out for race one, which allowed JHR Developments’ Wherrell to surge into a lead that he ultimately never lost.

After reigning supreme at Snetterton just a few days prior, Wherrell picked up where he left off in the weekend’s opening contest as he produced a dominant display to tally his third win in seven days.

Behind him, Mercedes F1 Junior Ethan Jeff-Hall and McLaren supported teenager Dries Van Langendonck had finished second and third, however post-race penalties relegated them down the order and promoted Adam Al Azhari and Jarrett Clark onto the podium.

Having endured his fair share of bad luck in recent rounds, Virtuosi Racing’s Smith made a welcome return to the winners circle as he tallied his second victory of the season in the reverse grid bout.

Starting from fourth on the grid, Smith scythed his way to the front by the end of the first lap and then didn’t look back as he charged to the chequered flag ahead of Ethan Carney and Chiara Bättig – both of whom clinched their first podium finishes of the year.

Proudfold-Nalder then came to the fore in a captivating final race of the weekend as he became the eighth different winner of the season; although he was made to work for it after being pushed all the way by Wherrell.

Starting from pole position, the Virtuosi Racing teenager produced the drive of his life as he fended off a torrent of pressure from championship leader Wherrell to triumph in the UK’s premier single-seater series’ blue riband event of the season.

As the first winner of the BRDC International Trophy in more than two decades, Proudford-Nalder’s name will now forever sit alongside Formula 1 legends such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, James Hunt, Niki Lauda and many more on the famous trophy.

Behind the top two, Hitech’s Theo Palmer claimed the final spot on the podium in third while Jeff-Hall held off a charging Van Lagendonck to clinch fourth.

Wherrell now holds a nine-point lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship ahead of Van Langendonck.

To view the full classification of results from Silverstone, CLICK HERE.

The Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by FIA will continue its 2026 season on July 11-12 when Zandvoort in the Netherlands stages Rounds 13, 14 & 15.

Spa Francorchamps awaits for Britcar

The 2026 Britcar Endurance Championship season heads overseas this weekend as the paddock tackles one of the greatest circuits in world motorsport. Circuit de Spa‑Francorchamps. After two fiercely contested opening rounds at Donington Park and Oulton Park, the championship now arrives in the Ardennes for a unique challenge that could prove pivotal in the title race.

Spa has long been regarded as the ultimate test for drivers and machinery alike. At over seven kilometres in length, with iconic corners such as Eau Rouge, Raidillon, Pouhon and Blanchimont, the Belgian venue rewards bravery, precision and consistency in equal measure. Add in the notoriously unpredictable weather conditions and traffic management across a multi-class grid, and competitors face one of the toughest weekends on the calendar.

This year’s Spa event also differs from the traditional Britcar format. Instead of the usual single 90-minute race, competitors will contest a pair of 61-minute encounters alongside the Dutch Supercar Challenge, creating added emphasis on sprint-race execution, qualifying performance and strategy.

So far this season, the championship has already delivered plenty of drama. The opening round at Donington Park saw Dean Burden emerge victorious in the Toro Verde Porsche Cayman after a race interrupted by multiple Safety Car periods that shuffled strategies throughout the field. Attrition played a major role, and simply surviving the opener proved a challenge in itself.

Round two at Oulton Park produced another milestone moment as Mark and Peter Cunningham finally secured their maiden overall Britcar victory aboard the SG Racing Porsche 991.2 Cup. Their breakthrough success came despite a drive-through penalty, underlining both the competitiveness of the field and the importance of consistency across the opening rounds.

Heading into Spa, the Cunninghams lead the championship standings on 60 points, narrowly ahead of Nick Hull and Richard Avery in the Porsche 992.1 Cup. Ian and Elliot Wilson remain firmly in contention after a strong start in Trophy class machinery, while Geoff Steel Racing’s Julian McBride and FormEvo Racing’s Simon Clark continue to fly the flag in the GT category.

The 2026 season has also ushered in an evolved class structure, with Britcar introducing Challenge, GT and Trophy categories designed to broaden eligibility while maintaining close competition through Balance of Performance regulations. The arrival of exotic machinery from Ferrari, Ligier, KTM and Porsche has helped broaden the appeal and excitement!

Spa, however, has a habit of reshaping championships. Reliability becomes crucial across the high-speed lap, weather can change corner-by-corner, and the circuit’s relentless nature often punishes even the smallest mistakes. With two races across the weekend and valuable points on offer, teams know momentum can swing dramatically before the championship returns to British soil.

For some, Spa represents an opportunity to extend an early advantage. For others, it could be the perfect stage to reignite a title challenge. Either way, the Britcar field heads to Belgium knowing that conquering Spa-Francorchamps remains one of endurance racing’s greatest achievements.

British F4 heads to Silverstone to battle for BRDC International Trophy

The Wera Tools F4 British Championship, certified by FIA is gearing up for a special visit to the Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, this weekend (May 29-31) for its blue riband event of the season – the BRDC International Trophy.

Just a few days removed from an action-packed outing at Snetterton, the UK’s premier single-seater series moves to the world-famous Grand Prix circuit for what promise to be three spectacular races.

There will be added impetus for all drivers too with Sunday’s finale seeing the race winner etch their name into the history books as the first recipient of the prestigious BRDC International Trophy in more than two decades.

Instituted by the British Racing Drivers’ Club in 1949, the International Trophy was once one of the landmark events on the UK motorsport calendar, with future and current Formula 1 drivers competing for the prize from the early 1950s to the late 1970s.

Alberto Ascari was the first to lift the coveted trophy before racing legends such as Jim Clark, James Hunt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Jackie Stewart emerged as some of the recipients to follow in the Italians footsteps.

As the years passed, both Formula 2 and Formula 3000 drivers were eligible to compete for the accolade before it came to a stop in the early 2000s. That changes however this weekend as the International Trophy is revived by Silverstone and British F4.
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While points remain just as important as ever when it comes to the battle for supremacy in the Drivers’ Championship, one driver is destined to walk away this weekend with their name written alongside the greats – the question of who it will be remains to be seen.

Rodin Motorsport’s Dries Van Langendonck is the driver to beat currently but with the opening nine races having produced seven different winners, and a total of 15 different podium finishers, any one of the record 32-car grid could reign supreme this weekend.

Qualifying for the CADOLA Watches Pole Position Award takes place on Saturday morning at 09:00, before race one gets underway later that afternoon at 14:30. Two more races – the reverse grid contest at 10:15 and the BRDC International Trophy at 15:50 - will then play out on Sunday.  

Those in attendance are welcome to take part in a special 30-minute Grid Walk – where they can step foot on the hallowed circuit and rub shoulders with the drivers and their cars – prior to the final race of the weekend.

For fans watching from home, every racing lap from Silverstone will be broadcast LIVE on the British F4 YouTube channel across Saturday and Sunday.

Ryder closes the gap to Hall in the standings

There was no stopping Matt Ryder at Gurston Down last weekend. The Gould GR59 driver coped with the searing heat better than anyone on Saturday and Sunday to claim both run-off wins in Wiltshire to move closer to the summit of the table.

Ryder relished the challenge at one of the fastest hills in the country, and a 25.49-second run on the opening run-off saw the Englishman set the benchmark on the opening day. His 2026 sparring partner, Will Hall, was his closest challenger with a 25.71 in his Gould GR59.

Wallace Menzies couldn’t quite duck under the 26-second mark with a 26.06, but he kept a watching eye on his title rivals ahead of him.
Elsewhere, it proved to be an electric weekend for Paul Haimes. After a disappointing meeting at Prescott on the opening weekend, Haimes wound up his Gould and produced a brilliant drive to fourth in his 1300cc turbocharged machine with a 26.50. Alex Coles is never far away from the front and was pleased to secure fifth ahead of Dave Uren, who was building back his confidence in his GR55.

Trevor Willis pushed his OMS to seventh ahead of hill record-holder Alex Summers, who was pleased to pick up points in his self-built AFS P4T, while Harry Pick and Andy Greenen grabbed the final points on offer. For Greenen, it was to be his first BHC point of the season.
Into the second day, proceedings were paused after a sizeable off for Dean Tighe forced the meeting to be halted. The likeable Australian got out of the car, but went to hospital as a precaution.

With time on the hill reduced, the final run-off of the weekend became even more crucial.

It was Ryder again who topped the timesheets, this time going even quicker in the hot and humid conditions with a 25.27 to seal another 10 points. The ever-present Will Hall was just behind with a 25.34 to take nine points. Not taking dropped scores into consideration at this early stage of the season, Matt’s run has seen him reduce the deficit to just four points behind his fellow Gould driver.

Wallace Menzies banked another podium at Gurston Down. The Gould driver knows he has the pace but couldn’t live with the two in front last weekend. A consolation third keeps the title fight alive and, as the championship heads to Shelsley Walsh and Doune, the Flying Scotsman can never be discounted.

Paul Haimes was magic again, taking his third fourth-place finish in a row as the Englishman entered a purple patch of his own. Alex Coles firmly pulled up a seat at the BHC top table with fifth in the run-off, helping him to move up to fifth in the standings.

Trevor Willis bravely battled to sixth ahead of Alex Summers once again in seventh. Harry Pick produced a brilliant run to eighth, while Dave Uren didn’t quite feel at home this weekend in ninth. Bagging crucial points now, ahead of the hills he enjoys later in the year, is always important when fighting for a number. Jason Tunnicliffe snatched the final point from a chasing Andy Greenen and Andy Bougourd.

The championship now heads “home” to Shelsley Walsh — the oldest event on the calendar and the spiritual home of hillclimbing in the UK. Get ready for take-off on 6/7 June!

BTCC title race heats up at Snetterton

The battle for supremacy in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship hotted up at Snetterton this past weekend (May 23-24) as Charles Rainford, Ash Sutton and Gordon Shedden scorched their way to victory in front of a bumper crowd.

Hot on the heels of blockbuster events at Donington Park and Brands Hatch, the country’s premier motorsport series headed to its most easterly venue on the calendar for three sun-drenched rounds – all of which resulted in the championship order being shook up once more.

Contending with searing temperatures as well as each other, drivers dialled in their machines around the 2.97-mile layout during Saturday’s solitary practice session before then setting the grid for that afternoon’s Qualifying Race.

In qualifying itself, Tom Chilton secured pole position for the Qualifying Race however his time at the front was short-lived as he was muscled down the order by eventual winner Rainford, before then being hit with a time penalty for an out-of-position start.

Once out front, Rainford reigned supreme in relatively easy fashion while Josh Cook followed him home in second. Ash Sutton had been third but suffered a front left puncture on lap three, which in-turn bumped reigning champion Tom Ingram up the order to complete the top three.

Like he did on Saturday, Rainford proved to be the driver to beat in Sunday’s opener as he claimed a second career victory in commanding fashion, leading all 12 laps and never being challenged.

While the BMW 330i M Sport driver streaked clear of the pack, Ingram and Daryl De Leon both got the better of Cook to claim the remaining two spots on the podium. Further back, Sutton surged from last to tenth, which in-turn set him up for a scintillating race two.

Bolting the soft tyre on his NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus Titanium, the four-time champion produced a vintage display to re-establish his position at the top of the standings as he scythed his way to a fourth win of the season.

Ingram had been leading the way however a faster Sutton on the soft tyre and then an alternator failure put pay to his chances. Joining the championship pace-setter on the podium were the two Hyundai’s of Ricky Collard and Tom Chilton.

The weekend concluded with three-time champion Shedden rolling back the years as he produced a mighty display to hold off a charging Sutton and Ingram to clinch his first win of the season.

Starting from pole position, the Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport driver placed his Toyota Corolla in all the right places throughout the 12-lap contest to prevail; however it was arguably overshadowed when it was confirmed that Nicolas Hamilton was the Jack Sears Trophy winner for the weekend.

It proved to be one of the most emotional podiums in memory with a huge crowd roaring the Team Vertu driver onto the rostrum, as Shedden, Sutton and Ingram joined the fans in front of the podium to cheer on the inspirational racer.

Leaving Snetterton, Sutton holds a 57-point lead over Ingram at the top of the Drivers’ Championship while Alliance Racing / Ford top the standings in both the Manufacturers-Constructors’ and Teams’ Championship’s.

Elsewhere, Shedden, Mikey Doble and LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing are the benchmark in the Independent Drivers’ and Teams’ categories as it stands, whilst Restart Racing’s James Dorlin is the pace-setter in the coveted Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Snetterton, CLICK HERE.

Rounds 10, 11 & 12 of the 2026 take place in less than two weeks’ time as the BTCC makes its annual trip to Oulton Park on June 6-7.