Category: Barc

How to Watch: BARC showdown season rolls into Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club is entering into the final phases of the season – just three events remain and this week we see the last event of the year at Oulton Park for the BARC. The-one day meeting has everything you could wish for – with a stellar line-up of national racing series.

Leading the charge to Oulton Park is the Britcar Endurance Championship who have a meaty 90 minute endurance race to help shape-up the championship order – in what will be their penultimate round of 2025.

Likewise the same goes for the Junior Saloon Car Championship and Track Action who will also shape the standings before a finale at Brands Hatch with two short, sharp sprint races apiece.

Two series will however leave Oulton Park with champions crowned, with both the whopping 42- car strong CNC Heads Saloon & Sports Car Championship and closely-fought Classic 2CV Racing Club Championship order being decided by Saturday night.

When is the next BARC weekend?
This weekend: Saturday 11 October only

Where are the events being held?

Oulton Park
Address: Little Budworth, Tarporley CW6 9BW

What is racing this weekend?

Get ready for the fight in the park between the Britcar Endurance Championship, Classic 2CV Racing Club Championship, CNC Heads Saloon & Sports Car Championship, Junior Saloon Car Championship and Track Action.

How can I watch in person?

To go trackside at Oulton Park, tickets start from ÂŁ23 for an adult ticket for the Saturday ticket. Please remember this is just a one day meeting. Discounts for teens and senior citizens, as children aged 13 and under go free.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.oultonpark.co.uk/2025/october/autos-de-france

If I can’t get trackside or I am outside of the UK?

If you can’t make it to Cheshire this weekend… fear not… we have you covered!
To follow everything from Oulton Park, the BARC YouTube channel will be broadcasting all the racing action live and for free – no matter where you are around the world this weekend. Be sure to subscribe for the latest streams – www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

What time are things happening on track at Oulton Park?

Qualifying and Practice heads the order on Saturday with on track action from 08:45 with the first race at 11:25. The last race will start at approximately 17:20.

Do you have any more information?

We have a few other handy links that might be useful to help you enjoy your weekend.

Oulton Park – Key Links
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/254163
Information*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-oulton-park-international-october-11/
Programme: www.barc.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oulton-Park-Oct-Programme-FINAL.pdf
Live Coverage: https://www.youtube.com/live/Md9xtARVcIU?si=dcObvqOQrrcJNSfy
* Timetable – Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

Soak it up! I don’t think we have had such a mix of racing like this before…

CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship ready to close out season on home turf

Simon Allaway goes into the final race weekend of this years CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship with a six point lead over Carl Bennett, with a double-header and double points on offer.

Allaway has won all races other than two of the Anglesey races this season with his Lotus Esprit V8. He once again starts as the favourite for success at Oulton and has sewn up Class A already with the absence of Garry Wardle. Challenging Allaway in Class A are Ryan Nelson’s Ginetta G56 GTA, Jason Hennefer’s Ford Fiesta ST180 and Phil White’s BMW 325.

Bennett had dominated the last couple of rounds in Class D with his BMW M3. But having missed the last races, Chris Roberts is due back with his BMW M4 and mounts a serious challenge on Bennett’s title aspirations, and has still to play his joker. Class D is the best supported, with Zack Booth’s Renault Megane finally proving a glimpse of its pace at Anglesey and the return of Anthony Sullivan’s Mini JCW.

David Lawrence’s Seat Leon Cupra also proved a frontrunner on his CNC debut last time out at Oulton, while Marshal Groves’ Vauxhall Vectra could be a potential podium visitor too. David Jones’ Ford Focus, Andy Tate’s Renault Clio, Riccy Walker’s Mini and Paul Goodlad’s VW Scirocco will also be in contention, along with Jon Madoc-Jones’ BMW E46, Bob Claxton’s VW Golf GTi.

Class B has a number of drivers hoping to challenge Allaway for victory. The Modro brothers Connor and Alek in their Westfield’s have started to show results having solved their reliability issues. Alek is currently joint second in the class with Jamie Cryer’s Ginetta G20, but Bod Buckby’s Caterham leads the way by 16 points, but is the only one of the three to have played his joker.

Paul Masters’ Westfield has been out much this season after his early season engine failure, but will be out to finish the season on a high. Mark Primett’s Banks Europa, Simon Hutt’s BMW Z4 Silhouette, Deri Davies’ Darrian T90, Jon Price’s Vauxhall Tigra Silhouette and Baz Johnson’s Pontiac complete the class line-up.

While John Edwards-Parton’s Ford Fiesta XR2 is the only guaranteed starter again in Class C, Gary Warburton’s Mini Miglia is on the reserve list.

Up until fairly recently Paul Rotheroe’s Citroen Xsara VTS had led the Championship after dominating Class E. But a disastrous Anglesey cost him dearly and dropped him to fourth. His nearest challenger this weekend is likely to be Rob Phillips’ Honda Civic, while Cavan Taylor’s Renault Clio, Nick Haynes’ Ford Fiesta ST150 will be doing battle, along with shared cars for Georgina/William Bartlett (Renault Clio) and Richard/Matt Hibbert (Honda Civic Type R).

Rob Wakelin is due back out in his re-shelled Honda Civic to try and clinch Class F. But Jono Lee’s Mini Cooper and Helen Allen’s Ford Fiesta Zetec S are due to return too. Errol Taylor’s Toyota Yaris is also back out, while Louie Dobson is due to debut in a Honda Civic, having swapped from his Fiesta.

As well as Warburton, there are two other reserves, Tom Creswell with a Class A VW Golf TCR and Chris Coomer in a Class D Golf GTi.

Qualifying is at 8.45 on Saturday morning for 20 minutes, with race one at 11.25 and the finale at 15.40 both of 20 laps duration.

All the action can be viewed on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md9xtARVcIU

Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain 2026-2027 Junior driver finalists announced

Porsche Motorsport GB has announced the four finalists that will battle for the role of RAFA Racing Club Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain 2026-2027 Junior.

Following interviews with 12 shortlisted hopefuls, four candidates – Daryl DeLeon, Callum Voisin, Samuel Harvey and Joep Breedveld – are set to face an extensive multi-faceted assessment day at Silverstone, with the winner announced at the Porsche Night of Motorsport on November 22nd 2025.

Established in 2008, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Junior Programme is designed to identify and nurture young racing talent, with the winner competing in the coveted championship for the next two years.

Alongside an ÂŁ85,000 contribution per year to their racing budget, the Junior Programme provides specialist support, with a mentoring package tailored to foster a successful future in professional motorsport.

Previous winners of the competition include Harry King, Dan Harper, Adam Smalley, Charlie Eastwood and the most recent victor, James Wallis.

More information on the competition and the finalists can be found here.

Baynam bows out with MGOC championship title

The 45th year of the Adrian Flux MG Owners Club championship finished in fantastic style at Silverstone at the end of last month, with a magnificent entry of 39 classic and modern MGs taking to the home of British motorsport.

Championship organiser Jim Baynam has had the task in recent years of balancing organising the series and racing his MGB in the championship. After a season long battle, the Englishman and his well traveled MG not only chalked up the Class A prize, Baynam claimed the overall crown for the first time in seven years and with it his sixth overall accolade – a record breaking milestone for the club championship.

As a stalwart of the series – Jim has raced his car every year since 1981 in the championship, and after over 500 races and 150 outright and class wins in the MGOC championship, Jim has decided that this would be his final year of full-time competition.

“After 45 years I have decided to ease off my racing commitments in 2026. I’m not hanging up my helmet just yet and will do a few selected rounds but my energy will be largely directed towards running the championship and bringing in a new generation of competitors and MG lovers”.

Jake McDermid tried to keep the McDermid name on the overall champion roster, but after an exhilarating season, he will be pleased to pick up Class Z. Previous overall champion Simon Kendrick became Class F champion, while Anthony Bate in his popular Maestro went home to Cornwall as 2025 Class B Champion.

The 45th anniversary season has been a breakthrough year for the championship, with competitive and fun racing in each and every class – with the 2025 highlight coming at Thruxton in the summer, when the Hampshire venue hosted the biggest grid of 42 cars at the Retro meeting in June.

To keep up to date with the MG Owners Club Race Championship – head to www.mgocchampionship.co.uk or contact Jim on raceteam@mgownersclub.co.uk regarding news on 2026

Silverstone spoils celebrated as BARC crowns more champions

Silverstone has played host to many crowning moments down the years and this past weekend (October 4/5) proved to be no different as a number of British Automobile Racing Club championships closed out their campaigns around the Home of British Motor Racing.

On what was a title-deciding two days in Northamptonshire, the Club staged the first of several thrilling crescendo race meetings over the coming weeks – with both Caterham Motorsport and the Classic Touring Car Racing Club taking centre stage at this one.

The moobob Caterham Academy Championship – which is run for those embarking on their first year of racing – delivered one final show-stopping contest as Kyle Townend claimed the race victory and Max Richardson, the overall title.

Over in the Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship, Brian Thornton and Scott Helme enjoyed a share of the spoils as they claimed a win apiece however neither of them could stop William Harris from securing an unassailable lead at the head of the standings.

Ben Wheatley has by and large been the toast of the competition in the EDGE Caterham Seven 270R Championship and his season-long efforts were rewarded as he finally wrapped up the title with a race to spare.

While Wheatley reigned supreme over the course of the season, the weekend’s trio of races around the 1.850-mile International layout belonged to Louis Darling and Nick Sampson, with Darling triumphing twice.

Taylor O’Flanagan had already wrapped up the Vertex Caterham Seven 310R Championship and his notable absence from the action opened the door for Charlie Lower and Ryan Wilby to come to the fore and triumph.

Rounding out the list of Caterham Motorsport winners was Matt Armstrong, who cemented his status as the driver to beat in the Dutch Barn Vodka Caterham Seven Championship UK.

Armstrong went into weekend with a small points buffer over his nearest rival Harry Senior and victory in the opening encounter guaranteed him as champion. Not to dwell on missing out on the crown, vice-champion Senior then went on to win the remaining two races.

In the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, tin top fever was on full display and it started with Jonathan Corker and Neil Philpotts taking a hard-fought win apiece in the amalgamated Pre-66 and Pre-83 Touring Car contests.

The Super Tourers, Pre-93 and Pre-03 protagonists joined forces for two breathless bouts however nobody could stop Jason Hughes and his trusty Vauxhall Vectra from reigning supreme ahead of Ian Bower – who clinched two titles.

Elsewhere, James Janicki was a tour de force in his Nissan Skyline GTR R32, sweeping his way to both wins in the Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons and Blue Oval Saloon Series encounters.

Completing the weekend’s action were a trio of races from the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport, where Jamie Ringer blasted his way to a commanding hat-trick of race wins.

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

You can also watch all of the action back on the official British Automobile Racing Club YouTube channel.

Titles decided on TOCA support package at Brands Hatch

Champions weren’t just crowned in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 4/5) as titles were also decided across the four support championships that make up the TOCA support bill.

On what was an action-packed finale around the famous Grand Prix circuit, the capacity crowd in attendance were treated to a feast of wheel-to-wheel thrills as the battle for supremacy across each of the one-make categories reached an exciting climax.

Hitech TGR’s Fionn McLaughlin capped off a scintillating season to be crowned champion at the first time of asking and in-doing so, bagged himself an invaluable 12 FIA Super Licence Points – which he will take with him into FIA Formula 3 next year.

The Red Bull Junior driver entered the final meeting of the season with a commanding 61.5-point lead, and a podium in a captivating curtain-raiser at the Kent venue was enough for him to clinch the highly-coveted crown.

In what has been a ground-breaking campaign, McLaughlin’s path to title glory has been nothing short of sublime, with the Irishman tallying a total of two pole positions, five race wins, an additional eight podiums and seven fastest laps on his way to championship superstardom.

Jimmy Piszcyk helped guide Rodin Motorsport to a second successive Teams’ Cup as he won twice around the 2.43-mile circuit whilst Chris Dittmann Racing’s Tommy Harfield also ended the year on the top step of the podium.

Over in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain, just two points separated the top two in the standings however it was Rosland Gold by Century Motorsport’s Andrew Rackstraw that emerged victorious to secure title honours.

The South African driver entered the weekend holding a small advantage in the points over Will Martin and knowing that he just needed to shadow his chief title rival at best to ensure he walked away with the main prize.

Eden Motorsport’s Martin certainly pushed Rackstraw all the way by tallying a brace of podiums although two top-fives proved to be enough for the latter to follow in the footsteps of his team-mate George Gamble and end the year as champion.

Things were just as close in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain too with Tom Bradshaw holding off a late charge from Joe Marshall to become champion.

Marshall proved to be irresistible around the flowing Grand Prix layout, winning all three races, however that sadly wasn’t to be enough as Bradshaw tallied just enough points to bring home the coveted crown.

Rounding out the list of champions was EXCELR8 Motorsport’s Tom Ovenden, who clinched the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE JCW title.

Arriving at Brands Hatch with one hand on the title, Ovenden – who is a previous winner of the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy – held his nerve on a weekend that saw Le Mans 24-Hour winner Nick Tandy win twice to claim the biggest prize on offer.

To view the full classification of results of Brands Hatch, CLICK HERE.

Tom Ingram clinches second BTCC title at Brands Hatch

Tom Ingram returned to the summit of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship mountain at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 4/5) as the Team VERTU driver was crowned champion for the second time in his career.

On what proved to be a momentous final day of the season around the Grand Prix circuit, the Hyundai i30 N driver held his nerve in front of a capacity crowd to cement his place as one of the true greats of the UK’s premier motorsport series.

Arriving at the Kent venue holding a commanding 33-point lead over four-time champion Ash Sutton, all eyes were on Ingram as he bid to join an exclusive club of double title winners that includes Alain Menu, John Cleland and James Thompson.

The final day of the season began with NAPA Racing UK’s Dan Cammish claiming a fairly routine victory after pole sitter Daryl DeLeon failed to take the start following sudden a loss of power on the formation lap.

Resisting an early challenge from his team-mate Dan Rowbottom, Cammish quickly found his rhythm out front and cruised to victory ahead of the Hyundai duo of Tom Chilton and Adam Morgan.

Crucially, Ingram moved forward and managed to extend his lead further – which in-turn presented him with the opportunity to wrap things up in the penultimate contest of the year.

Starting on the soft tyre for race two, Ingram did just that as he wasted no time in scything his way to the front before then cruising to a seventh win of the season and more importantly, a second title.

Josh Cook then brought the curtain down on the season by becoming the 13th different winner in his Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla as he came out on top of a tense reverse grid finale.

Whilst being unable to stop Ingram from triumphing, multiple title-winner Sutton ultimately settled for runners-up laurels whilst Cammish, Hill and Rowbottom completed the top five in the standings.

Elsewhere, NAPA Racing UK and Ford claimed the Teams’ Championship for the fourth season in-a-row although they weren’t able to overhaul EXCELR8/Hyundai in the Manufacturer-Constructors Championship, who clinched the title for the very first time.

Daniel Lloyd and Restart Racing were the toast of the Independents’ as they were crowned Drivers’ and Teams’ champions respectively. DeLeon meanwhile managed to overhaul his West Surrey Racing team-mate Charles Rainford to lift the prestigious Jack Sears Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all BTCC sessions at Brands Hatch, as well as the final championship standings, CLICK HERE.

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will return in 2026, with the start of the brand-new season poised to start around Donington Park’s National layout on April 18/19.

How to Watch: BARC showdown at Brands Hatch and Silverstone

The British Automobile Racing Club are entering into the final phases of the season. With October here – that can only mean one thing…finale time!

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship will be decided at Brands Hatch while ten other BARC series will also crown a champion. Throughout the TOCA support package in Kent and the Caterham International event at Silverstone. Strap yourself in and get ready for the first title fight weekend of the year.

When is the next BARC weekend?
This weekend: 4-5 October

Where are the events being held?

Brands Hatch
Address: Brands Hatch Circuit, London Road, West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 6FS

Silverstone Circuit
Address: Silverstone Circuit, Towcester NN12 8TN

What is racing this weekend?

Out on track this weekend at Brands Hatch: Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, Wera Tools F4 British Championship, Porsche Sprint Challenge Great Britain, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and VERTU MINI Challenge JCW

At Silverstone we have: moobob Caterham Academy Championship, EDGE Caterham 270R Championship, Vertex Caterham 310R Championship, Bilstein Caterham Roadsport Championship and Dutch Barn Vodka Caterham Seven Championship UK from the Caterhams and MINI Challenge Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport will decide their points table by Sunday evening.

It is also the penultimate round for the Everard Pre-66 Touring Cars, Shell Oils Group 1 Pre-83 Touring Cars, Trackhub.UK Pre-93 Touring Cars, Burty Pre-03 Touring Cars, Burton Blue Oval Saloon Series and PRG Trailers Classic and Historic Thunder Touring Cars as well as Super Tourers!

Phew!

How can I watch in person?

To go ringside at Brands Hatch, tickets start from ÂŁ22 for an adult ticket for Saturday and ÂŁ35 for a Sunday pass. Weekend tickets are from ÂŁ48 in advance with discounts for teens and senior citizens, as children aged 13 and under go free.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.brandshatch.co.uk/2025/october/kwik-fit-british-touring-car-championship

Wanting to soak up the on-track action at Silverstone?
Tickets are available on the day or on the Silverstone website from ÂŁ17 for single day ticket or ÂŁ30 for a weekend ticket. Children under 16 go free.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/barc-caterham-international

If I can’t get trackside or I am outside of the UK?

The TOCA Brands Hatch race weekend package will be broadcast live and for free on ITV4 and ITVX on Saturday and Sunday in the UK.

Qualifying will be available to all on ITVX on Saturday while race day will move to ITV4 in the UK. The uninterrupted coverage will feature all the on track drama with commentary, analysis and features throughout Sunday with coverage starting at 11:00.

International audiences will be able to watch the action on the BTCC YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/@OfficialBTCC – with races live on the RACER network in the US and Canada

To follow everything from Silverstone, the BARC YouTube channel has you covered – no matter where you are around the world this weekend. Be sure to subscribe for the latest streams – www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

What time are things happening on track at Brands Hatch?

Free Practice and Qualifying head the order on Saturday with on track action from 09:00 with the first race at 13:15. On Sunday we begin at 10:00 with the first race – with racing through to early evening.

What time are things happening on track at Silverstone?

Qualifying gets us underway on Saturday with cars taking to the track at 09:00, with lights out for the first race at 14:15. On Sunday, it’s wall to wall racing from 09:00 until early evening.

Do you have any more information?

We have a few other handy links that might be useful to help you enjoy your weekend. Wherever you are!

Brands Hatch
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/254003
Information*: https://www.barc.net/event/toca-race-meeting-brands-hatch-gp-october-4-5/
Live Coverage: https://www.itv.com/btcc

Silverstone
Live Timing and Commentary: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/254021
Information*: https://www.barc.net/event/barc-race-meeting-silverstone-international-october-4-5/
Live Coverage: https://www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub

* Timetable – Subject to adjustments prior and during the race meeting

It’s going to get busy! TOCA package on the TV, BARC LIVE from Silverstone on the tablet or mobile and soak it all in. Are you ready?

The race to the titles: Who can win this weekend

There is not just one, but over ten British Automobile Racing Club titles that can be decided at both Brands Hatch and Silverstone this weekend.

Over in Kent, the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship tops the billing with the showdown between Tom Ingram and Ash Sutton set to keep spectators on the edge of their seat. Brands Hatch GP race goers will also see the final stages of the Wera Tools F4 British Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Porsche Sprint Challenge GB and Vertu MINI Challenge JCW be played out.

Meanwhile in in Northampton, the MINI Challenge Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport series comes to a head as does the fleet of Caterham classes all ready to jostle for those vital championship points. Supporting them will be a plethora of Classic Touring car classes – who will enter into their penultimate round. We will catch up with them in November, in the meantime here’s who to look out for.

Brands Hatch

BTCC
The big one – the rivalry of the modern BTCC era. Ingram v Sutton. Ash Sutton is gunning for a record breaking fifth title in his Ford Focus, while Hyundai i30 hotshot Tom Ingram is looking to double up his title tally.

Ingram holds the advantage by 33 points. That sounds like a lot, but for 20 points for a win and one DNF – that could swing momentum very quickly. With three races – anything can happen!

In the Independents – its game on! Daniel Lloyd, Mikey Doble, and Chris Smiley will go head-to-head-to-head at Brands Hatch with just 13 points separating them all.

British F4
Could we be witnessing a future F1 driver carve his name into the history books alongside the likes of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri? Red Bull backed driver Fionn McLaughlin has one hand on the trophy after a scintillating debut season so far which has already seen him wrap up the Rookie Cup.

Now the eyes of the Irishman are on the outright crown. In his way are Jimmy Piszcyk and Martin Molnár. Both will need a monumental weekend behind the wheel to overhaul the 61.5 point deficit – but anything is possible! Will McLaughlin hold under the pressure?

Porsche Carrera Cup GB
In the glorious sounding Porsche Carrera Cup GB ranks, it’s close at ever turn. In the Pro series, Andrew Rackstraw holds the reins but will be looking over his shoulder at Will Martin who is just ten points behind. In the Pro-Am division, Oliver White will lock-horns with former BTCC peddlers Max Coates and Ollie Jackson – with all having a mathematical chance, while Jonathan Beeson and Sebastian Hopkins are all but sure of the Amateur and Rookie titles.

Porsche Sprint Challenge GB
In the Sprint Championship – it’s a close run affair with Tom Bradshaw, Jacob Tofts and Joe Marshall all in the hunt for the Professional Category crown, while Oliver Meadows is in the driving seat in the Amateur category with Matthew Kyle-Henney and Reece Somerfield due to breathe down his neck at Brands.

Vertu MINI Challenge JCW
The popular single-make MINI championship is a favourite on the TOCA package and these rapid tin-tops will entertain and fight for supremacy until the very end. Former rallycross man Tom Ovenden has switched superbly to circuit racing and has a strong 70 point grip over NAPA Racing duo Jamie Osbourne and Lewis Selby, and 82 points over Max Edmundson. With over 150 points on offer however – all four have a chance of taking the top prize on Sunday afternoon.

Silverstone

Caterham Seven Championship UK
After a brilliant season in the top-flight Caterham class – Matt Armstrong comes to the Silverstone Showdown with a 37 point buffer over Harry Senior and Harry Cook, who has a mathematical chance of netting the title too – but he will have to rely upon those in front to falter to pull in the disadvantage.

Vertex Caterham Seven 310R Championship

It will be close in the 310R division between Taylor O’Flanagan and Lars Hoffmann – the pair have been the class acts of the season. However, with dropped scores Phillip Bianchi and Charlie Lower are also ones to watch at Silverstone this weekend.

Edge Caterham Seven 270R Championship

It appears to be a two-horse race for glory as the season long sparring match between Ben Wheatley and Louis Darling comes to a crescendo. The scales of success are just tilting in the favour of Wheatley as the middle rung on the Caterham ladder will be the last title to be decided on Sunday evening.

Blistein Caterham Roadsport Championship

The race for first place is wide open in the Roadsport series, with seven drivers still within a possible hunt for the number one spot. William Harris comes to Silverstone with the target on his back but between him and his brother Charles in seventh, the top seven are bookended by 52 points, with Brian Thornton, Scott Helme, Craig Evans, Alastair Morton and Daniel Crawley will all be ready for the tussle. This could well be the championship to watch this weekend!

Moobob Caterham Academy Championship

Max Richardson has the wind in his sails coming to Silverstone, with the Englishman having won the last round at Snetterton. Winning his first car racing title would be the icing on the cake in his first season of circuit racing – but out to stop him will be the constant friendly thorn in his side Matt Fox – who is also a race winner in 2025 and could go well this weekend. Look out too for Richard Davies and Kyle Townend who will be out for a late season surprise as they look to mix up the championship fight.

MINI Challenge Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport

Last, but by no means least – the Clubman MINI Challenge brigade. After an action-packed season, everything comes down to this weekend. Expect flat-out racing, close battles, and plenty of drama as the grid fights for glory at one of the most iconic circuits in the world.
Oli Willmott is in the driving seat in the S56 class with the likes of Freddy Hewitt and Steve Webb nipping at his heels. In the S53 category Andy Langley is in control, as is Dan Truman in the Cooper class.

You follow all the action from Silverstone live on our YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/@britishautomobileracingclub and all the racing drama from Brands Hatch on ITV4 this weekend. You don’t want to miss it!

Achieving a childhood dream

Getting to the grid of any motor race takes time, dedication, finance and commitment. It’s a bold first step and for many it’s a fulfilment of a dream to race side-by-side on tracks such as Brands Hatch, Thruxton and Silverstone – the culmination of that dream is to perhaps stand on the podium, lift the trophy and spray something nice and fizzy. In the Caterham Academy – the entry level category in the Caterham cars ladder of progression – a whole new cohort took to the track for the first time at Brands Hatch in April.

Nearly six months on – three drivers have managed to wrestle their way to the top and seal a victory in their first ever season racing cars. The British Automobile Racing Club got talking to George Hawkins, Matt Fox and championship leader, Max Richardson on how they have found their first year in cars!

George Hawkins claimed his first race win at BARC HQ – Thruxton earlier this year. The Englishman started with track days and has nudged up plenty of miles over the past 10 years, and in recent times looked more into the competitive racing, with getting his fix in rental karts. The lure of a level playing field, close competition and supportive network pulled him towards the Caterham Academy.

“Caterham really does put the arm around you. We meet drivers from previous years, tour the factory and get everything explained – every step of the way. You meet your fellow drivers, do your ARDS test together which really puts everyone at ease as everyone is in the same boat making the same steps forward… and making the same mistakes too. We did Track Days and a Sprint event which got us ready and reduced the nerves before taking on Brands Hatch for the first time.”

Hawkins broke his victory duck at the fastest venue on the calendar – and the weekend took him by complete surprise!

“I actually didn’t get on with Thruxton before – but now I am a bit of a fan boy! I really enjoyed the strategy of racing there and getting the most out of the tow, when to break – that was quite interesting. It was amazing to get pole and convert that into a win – I really wasn’t expecting it. I hoped for a podium and thought that a podium was on, but to win was just an amazing feeling!”

The second man to take a victory this season was Matt Fox, who did the double at Anglesey. Motorsport is quite new to Matt, in fact before 2022, he hadn’t done any track days or motorsport races before. However, an invitation came through work to join a PalmerSport day and shortly after…the bug bit! Four track days followed in 2023 before ten or so last year. Matt was one of the first to sign-up to the 2025 Academy class.

“The buzz is incredible. On a track day, the thrill you get is maybe a 3/10 but for racing in these – it’s the top end of the scale – it’s night and day and so much fun. The paddock atmosphere is unbelievable as well, we have a WhatsApp group chat and the friendliness is what Catherham sells to you. Yes it’s competitive but it’s really good fun first and foremost! For those that want to, you can take the same car and work your way up to Rodsport, 270R, 310R classes which is incredible to think about. The cars are unbelievable. I put a second seat in and took some friends out at Thruxton and they couldn’t believe the power and grip the car had, especially on the Toyo road tyres. The cars and programme teaches you so much – I think I am lapping six seconds faster compared to a year ago.

“It’s very exciting to be fighting at the front with Max [Richardson] – he’s a class act and I was very happy to edge him twice at Anglesey. It was a great weekend and I would love another before the year is out.”

The man they have all been chasing in 2025 – Max Richardson. Max was car crazy from a very young age and at just 18 months, the word Lamborghini rolled off the tongue – so he was destined to be around cars! At the age of five, he started in go karts, and raced until the age of 13 when school, work, university and life took over. But on one Friday in November 2024, Richardson made a spontaneous decision to book the last place on the grid for the 2025 season.

“I seem to do everything spontaneously – but I don’t regret joining Caterham – I have had a blast! We had a test day at Castle Combe before the start of the season and 28 out of the 30 drivers showed up and it was hilarious. We were all watching each other going, he might be good, she might be quick – he might not be, oh wait scrap that he is set a blinder lap time and everyone was figuring each other out – it was great fun.

“Everyone is so friendly and chatty and willing to help each other out. I lost my jack earlier in the year and had people lend me theirs, I helped someone with tools – we all muck in to share things. Caterham has been really good in walking us through things – no question is a stupid question – there is nothing they can’t answer. Apart from how to find a good lap time! If I had any advice. Do it – you won’t regret it!”

You heard the man! To find out more about the Caterham Academy and how to join the grid in 2026 or 2027 – head to caterhamcars.com/en/models/the-range/academy-race-package

Pickup Trucks return to BARC to join with British Truck Racing Championship

The British Automobile Racing Club is delighted to announce that the Pickup Truck Championship will return to the BARC in 2026 and be managed and promoted by the TruckSport organisation that runs the British Truck Racing Championship.

Set up in 1997 by SHP, the company of Sonny and Barbara Howard, the Pickups have been racing with BARC for almost 30 years. In that time, the championship has become hugely popular with both fans and drivers and has been a mainstay of the truck racing package for many years. This new arrangement will see the series not only return to the BTRC programme after a one-year hiatus, but also join the TruckSport stable.

TruckSport has been responsible for the management and promotion of the British Truck Racing Championship since 2020. In that time, they have helped to grow the sport, raise standards, increase the audience and attract commercial partners to be part of one of the most exciting packages in British motorsport.

The Pickups will enjoy a 7-round championship in 2026, supporting all six of the UK rounds of the BTRC, delivering some of the biggest spectator audiences in UK motorsport, as well as being live streamed around the world. They will also make their regular annual appearance at the American Speedfest event at Brands Hatch in June.

Ben Taylor, BARC Chief Executive: “I would like to pay tribute to Sonny and Barbara, as well as all the team at SHP, who have given so much to this amazing championship over the years. Very few people realise just how much work it takes to run a championship and the success of Pickups has been entirely down to their commitment and dedication. I believe that this new structure enables us to preserve their legacy and continue their excellent work.”

Stuart Oliver, Director TruckSport: “We are very excited to bring Pickups into our operation and continue Sonny and Barbara’s great work. Over the past five years we have taken the BTRC to new levels, improved the spectacle and brought new partners to the sport. We believe that there is a natural synergy between the big trucks and the Pickups and I sure the audiences both live and online are going to love the complete package.”

Sonny Howard, Director SHP: “Barbara and I believe that handing over the Pickup Truck Racing Championship to TruckSport will give Pickup Racing an exciting long-term future. We would like to thank the BARC and the TruckSport management team for their hard work securing its legacy and carrying on what was conceived and has been built on over the years, ensuring its growth, longevity and success.”

Further details, including a full 2026 calendar, will be released in due course.

BARC Marshal Training dates confirmed for early 2026

The British Automobile Racing Club can confirm that it will run a total of eight marshal training days prior to the start of the 2026 motorsport season.

Thruxton, Croft, Pembrey and Harewood will host the aforementioned training days across the months of January, February and March next year.

Every event organised and run by the BARC needs marshals and all marshals, whatever they are doing, are contributing to the success and smooth running of the meeting.

With training provided to cover a wide range of topics such as fire safety to pit lane operation and teamwork; marshal training covers a wide variety of key attributes in preparing those that are heading trackside for the forthcoming season.

2025 BARC MARSHAL TRAINING DATES

Saturday 17th January: Thruxton – Novice/Registered Marshals (less than 5 days attended)

Sunday 18th January: Thruxton – Speed Training (All grades)

Sunday 15th February: Pembrey (All grades)

Saturday 21st February: Croft – Novice/Registered and Grade 1 Marshals

Sunday 22nd February: Croft – Grade 2 & Grade 3 Marshals and Off-Track (All grades)

Saturday 28th February: Thruxton – Registered (more than 5 days) and Grade 1 Marshals

Sunday 1st March: Thruxton – Grade 2 & Grade 3 Marshals and Off-Track (All grades)

Sunday 8th March: Harewood – Speed Training (All grades)