07/05/2026
Race Report: Brands Hatch GP
Roadsports Championship – Round 2
The Stats:
• Qualifying: P3 in Class (25th/49 Overall)
• Best Lap: 1:45.806
• Race Result: DNF (Running P2)
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High Highs and Low Lows
They say racing is a game of extremes, and Round 2 at Brands Hatch proved it. After the heavy lifting required to get the car back on track following the damage at Croft, we arrived at the iconic GP circuit ready to fight. Having my partner and three children there to support me made the weekend even more special, especially with the incredible atmosphere of being on the support bill for the GT World Challenge Europe.
Learning the GP Loop
Sunday morning was a whirlwind. After an 08:00 arrival from Essex and a quick pass through scrutineering and the 09:00 briefing, I was straight into the car for qualifying at 10:10.
Having never driven the Brands Hatch GP layout or even indy (apart from my ards test) before, the first half of the 25-minute session was a steep learning curve. Navigating a 49-car grid made finding clear air nearly impossible. However, as the tires came up to temperature, my confidence grew—particularly through the high-speed commitment sections like Hawthorns and Westfield.
While we suffered a slight deficit on the straights, the car was an absolute weapon through the technical sectors. On the final lap, I hooked it up to clock a 1:45.8, securing P3 in class and out-qualifying eight cars from the classes above us.
The Race: A Bitter End
Starting that high up the overall grid was a double-edged sword. I knew the faster-class cars behind me would use their straight-line speed to dive past on the Brabham Straight, likely holding me up through the corners where our car excels.
That prediction held true
Race Result: DNF – Running P2
So race time arrives and we head down to assembly and grid up. I was lucky enough to be on the inside of the grid, meaning on the first lap I was able to climb to P2 following an overtake on the Ginetta into druids. From here I had to drive defensively, knowing I would likely be a sitting duck down the long straight before Hawthorns; I kept my car to the right and managed to keep P2.
My fears from out-qualifying the cars from Class A and B came back to haunt us. I was getting overtaken down the straights but then held up in the corners. This meant we got pushed back into the pack, and I was overtaken up the hill at Pilgrims Rise into Druids. Down to P3.
From here our race settled down a bit. I had to start nursing a clutch pedal that didn't want to return all the time, and we think this is due to the thrust bearing failing (it sounded horrific after the race).
A couple of laps later, and just before the pitstop window, the Class A cars started to come around to lap us. Annoyingly, none of these guys ever want to wait until the straight to pass us, and with their difference in power and closing speeds, they often just throw it up the inside into bends. Annoyingly again, this meant I was pushed back into the grips of the P4 running car, and I defended aggressively into Pilgrims Drop, showing the P4 running BMW the left and long way around into Hawthorns.
Coming up to the end of this lap, it was my intention to pit. Coming into the last corner I saw the BMW behind me dive up the inside. I stayed left as I knew I was coming into the pits and had no intention of fighting this position. Unfortunately myself and the passing BMW made slight contact clipping my offside front. That’s racing. Did it damage anything? Possibly; it never felt the same after.
So into the pits for our 60-second stop, and the rotary engine has now decided to have hot idle and/or start issues, cutting out at our stop and requiring a bump to get us going again. Great work from the team, and we were back out in clear air.
This now meant I could run my own race at my own pace without being compromised and achieve lap times through where our car is strong. The contact at the front right did make the car feel different; however, we were lapping very well. We came out of the pits in P3.
A few laps later, the BMW pitted and returned to the track ahead of me. I knew this lap was likely my opportunity as their tyres would have lost some temp in the pit stop, and towards the end of the lap I made a move up the inside into Dingo Dell. P2!
From here I managed to pull a small gap, when down the long straight into the braking zone for Hawthorns—a massive bang. At the time I didn’t know what it was. However, the car started to become very hard to drive, with me nearly putting it in the wall a couple of times. After driving one more lap, I thought I must have a puncture as the rear end was consistently trying to come around on me. Diving into the pits there was no puncture, but our rear wing had fallen off!
This pit stop completely put us out of contention, and I took the decision to retire the car.
A very unfortunate end to a fantastic weekend in what is a highly competitive grid. Looking forward to Silverstone at the end of May now, where I hope our luck turns and we can turn our pace into a result.
A massive thanks to my sponsors and the team as always.
Middlesex Hose and Fittings ltd
B K WASTE Management
