Mini masters put on another entertaining show at Thruxton
by Stephen Lickorish · AutosportMini 7 Racing Club continues its 60th birthday season with appearance on the British Touring Car support bill, while more modern Cooper machines also provide plenty of thrills
There are few more exciting contests to watch around Thruxton than Mini races. And British Touring Car Championship spectators were treated to a feast of Mini madness last weekend as the Mini 7 Racing Club returned to the support bill after a year away and the more modern Coopers of the Mini Challenge Trophy also entertained.
The M7RC is celebrating its 60th birthday this year and, ahead of a proper party at the Brands Hatch Mini Festival next month, the club’s categories put on a show in front of a huge crowd at the Hampshire speedbowl.
With the slipstream effect so strong, nobody really wanted to be leading onto the final lap and, sure enough, the last trip through the Club chicane proved decisive on many occasions. This included for the Mini Se7en contenders, who put on a pair of thrilling races with Dan Munro narrowly missing out on victory each time.
Ross Billison led the opener initially while there was some frantic battling behind. The next trio of Munro, Damien Harrington and Glen Woodbridge arrived at Club three-abreast on lap five of 13 and, despite a bit of bumping, they were all able to survive.
“I got stuck in the middle and by the time I thought I could back out it was too late,” said Munro. “Glen and Damien are very experienced - you can battle like that and still be laughing [afterwards].”
Harrington emerged with the place and - after briefly losing out to Woodbridge once more - set about after Billison, making the decisive move with four laps to go.
Billison then fell to third with engine issues and this left Munro to attack Harrington into the chicane for the last time. Despite Munro’s very best efforts, Harrington was just able to hang on with Billison retaining third.
“I’m starting from pole for race two - but I won’t be leading by the end of lap one!” laughed Munro, describing some of the frantic battling as almost being “pot luck” around Thruxton.
However, he surpassed his own predictions and it was not until lap two that Billison powered ahead before Munro entered a terrific scrap with Harrington. But their tussle was brought to an early conclusion when Harrington retired with a loss of power and this enabled Munro to spend the last two laps battling with Billison.
Munro was ahead at the chequered flag but was deemed to have made the move under yellows at Club and the positions were reversed post-race, while Spencer Wanstall completed the podium.
There was more exciting racing among the Mini Miglias but both of their bouts featured red flags after sizeable accidents.
Ian Curley and Aaron Smith had their own private battle at the front of the first race as they were able to break the tow to the rest. Curley led for much of the way but Smith was lurking ready to pounce when red flags flew after a frightening roll for reigning champion Rupert Deeth at Noble. “I was in prime position in second on the last lap,” rued Smith of the red flags.
Curley’s time in the lead meant he struggled to set a fast lap with a tow and therefore languished 12th on the grid for the sequel. Any hopes of another great battle with Smith were then extinguished early on. “I missed a gear and that ruined my race,” admitted Curley. “There’s a lot of workshop rivalry as mine and Aaron’s cars come from the same workshop!”
He was therefore disappointed to see Smith triumph after jumping Joe Ferguson at Club shortly after the race was paused following a sizeable Allard accident for Julian Proctor. But the best battling was behind the lead duo for third as the next four cars entered the chicane abreast for the final time.
Somehow they all emerged out the other side with Jeff Smith completing the podium from Matthew Ayres, Colin Peacock and Phil Bullen-Brown. Proof once again of how brilliant these cars are to watch around Thruxton’s fast layout.
Little to split the leading Mini Challenge Trophy contenders
Not wishing to be outdone by the classic Minis, the more modern Coopers of the Mini Challenge Trophy also provided plenty of Thruxton entertainment, although shenanigans at the final Club chicane caused two on-the-road winners to be penalised.
Series returnee Rhys Hurd (Westbourne Motorsport) looked to have enjoyed a triumphant comeback in the opener but cut the chicane in his attempts to pass Alex Keens (Graves Motorsport) and, despite slowing across the line, their positions were subsequently reversed.
However, Hurd was the beneficiary of the post-race results change in the finale when Team Avago driver Josh Wilby robustly passed Keens on the run up Woodham Hill. Wilby was subsequently demoted back to fifth behind Keens with Hurd inheriting the spoils from team-mate Luca Marinoni Osborne and Graves Motorsport title contender Matt Luff.
In between those bouts, the second race was decided on the last lap at Club but the result stood this time. MRM driver Josh Selvadorai scored his second win of the year with a chicane move on Luff as another series returnee Jenson Mason completed the podium.
After all the battling, Luff left Thruxton just one point behind Keens, who seemingly has a real fight on his hands with his stablemate to retain his title from last year.
Van Langendonck defies British F4 chaos to maintain advantage
There were only 23 laps of green-flag racing around the relatively short Thruxton circuit as things regularly got too close among the competitive 30-car British Formula 4 field.
Points leader Dries Van Langendonck was among those caught up in the incidents and it had looked to be a weekend to forget for Rodin’s McLaren junior after being taken out by Ethan Jeff-Hall at the complex in race one and then being clattered into by Jarrett Clark at Club in race two.
But third in the finale, and his fellow title contenders also being in strife, meant Van Langendonck’s margin at the top of the standings was only trimmed from 47 points to 41. “It was definitely not my weekend, but it’s nice to finally finish a race,” said the Belgian, who admitted he was “lucky” not to lose more ground.
With the regular frontrunners suffering, there were instead three first-time 2026 winners at Thruxton. Most surprising was Xcel Motorsport’s Jaber Alsabah who set the pace in qualifying and won race three despite only taking one top-six finish before the weekend. “It’s such a good feeling - it’s a bit surreal!” admitted Kuwaiti Alsabah, who had to defend from a charging Lewis Wherrell in the middle phase of the race, before the JHR driver faltered on the final safety car restart.
Hitech’s Theo Palmer finally scored his first win in an opener that was twice red-flagged, while team-mate Adam Al Azhari led throughout the truncated reversed-grid contest to add to his three victories from last season.
Voisin victorious again in Carrera Cup
Even the much-maligned track-limits rules could not prevent Callum Voisin from extending his Porsche Carrera Cup GB points lead at Thruxton last weekend.
The Century Motorsport driver dominated a dull first race from pole having initially come under pressure from Team Parker title rival Will Jenkins. Voisin admitted to driving at only 90% after being warned for track-limits abuses, while five drivers who received in-race penalties later had these removed after the way in which the infringements were measured differed to what the racers were told at their briefing.
However, “very marginal” qualifying track-limits offences for Voisin meant he started ninth instead of on pole for race two and had his work cut out. But the 2023 GB3 champion was on a charge and eventually finished fourth, while Jenkins was only 10th after a track-limits penalty of his own.
Graves Motorsport driver Max Coates led throughout while Jack Sherwood grabbed second from Team Parker stablemate Stephen Jelley when he ran slightly wide at Noble mid-race.
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