Algieri wins dramatic race amid Mini mayhem at Thruxton

The high-speed Thruxton circuit and Minis are a combination that is almost guaranteed to produce frenetic action. And that was certainly the case in the final Mini Challenge Trophy race last weekend when the lead trio frantically squabbled and there was a chaotic 12-car battle for fourth behind.

It would be easier to count the laps when multiple cars did not cut the Club chicane than those where they did all make the corner, as lap after lap the Coopers climbed Woodham Hill side by side. Gabe Fairbrother, Olivier Algieri and Rhys Hurd soon pulled clear of the pack and had their own private tussle for the lead, constantly switching places. Excelr8’s Fairbrother led onto the final tour but then suddenly slowed with engine maladies, leaving the Westbourne Motorsport duo to battle it out. Algieri went round the outside of Hurd into the Complex but Hurd fought back at Church. Then Algieri powered around the outside of Club, the Minis leaning on each other with Algieri bouncing over the kerbs to take the flag.

“The first part of the race was pretty chilled,” smiled Algieri. “You have to get a lot of trust in your partners and team-mates. At the end, it was every man for themselves! There was no margin for error.”

Hurd therefore had to settle for second – still a remarkable result as he was without ABS – and Fairbrother was third, while new points leader Alex Keens (Graves Motorsport) emerged at the head of the fourth-place train.

It was a strong weekend for Fairbrother as he battled ahead of Keens to win the opener, which was held in ever worsening rain but the drivers did well to keep control on their slicks.

There was more close racing in the reversed-grid second bout with Wera Alliance Academy driver Jenson Mason putting aside the disappointment of accruing 14 penalty points on his licence – thereby triggering a ban – by heading home a menagerie of Minis that comprised Ashley Gregory, erstwhile points leader Joshua Wilby, Keens, Fairbrother, Algieri and Leo Purches.

“It means everything – I just can’t believe it,” said a delighted Mason. “I was just trying to stay in the lead and being in the right place on the last lap.”

Being in the right place at that final Club chicane was the story of a weekend that has ended with Keens, Fairbrother and Wilby having a slight gap over the rest in the points.

Virtuosi victorious in British F4

Virtuosi victories were the theme of the Thruxton British Formula 4 weekend as the squad enjoyed its best event since joining the series in 2022. Regular driver Martin Molnar won the scrappy first race and grabbed the points lead, while guesting Italian F4 frontrunner Salim Hanna was triumphant in the finale.

Molnar made a brilliant start and catapulted into a massive lead in the opener, jumping polesitter Henry Joslyn (Fortec). But the safety car was soon called after contact between August Raber and Hanna at the chicane triggered a pile-up. There was not much action in the 10-minute restart either as the majority was behind the safety car following a Church tangle, all of which left Molnar victorious from Hitech’s Leo Robinson.

Molnar could not profit from another good launch in race three as he was squeezed towards the pitwall. Again, Joslyn was slow away and this meant Hanna netted a lead he did not lose. Molnar then had a fantastic scrap with Joslyn, the pair changing places four times within a lap, but it was Molnar who sealed second. Former points leader Fionn McLaughlin ran second early on but a wide moment at Village dropped him to eighth.

Robinson won the reversed-grid middle race – held once Saturday’s deluge had subsided to allow the track to dry a little – having performed identical moves at the Complex on Chase Fernandez and Thomas Bearman.

Patience pays off for Martin in Carrera Cup

Martin was back on the podium for the first time since the season-opening race

Photo by: JEP

Overtaking is not always plentiful in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton but Will Martin proved that patience can pay off with an excellent move to win the opener.

Eden Motorsport driver Martin had spent much of the contest shadowing leader Andrew Rackstraw’s every move. When the Century pilot got slightly wide exiting the Complex with two laps to go, he bravely pounced with a pass around the outside of Noble.

“I don’t think I’ve waited so long for one overtake!” smiled Martin, who scored his first podium since winning the season-opener. “It was one of the hardest moves I’ve had to do. It was a really good race, we kept it quite consistent and kept the pressure on. We ended up making him crack under the pressure.”

Martin was again on the podium after the partially reversed-grid race two, having to settle for third after unsuccessfully finding a route past Century’s Angus Whiteside. Up front, Sid Smith scored a maiden triumph having led throughout from pole. He was unchallenged at the launch as fellow front-row starter, Team Parker stablemate Seb Hopkins, hit the barriers hard approaching Allard having battled James Wallis off the line. Rackstraw was only fifth but has extended his points lead to 13 over Wallis leaving Hampshire.

Smith was another new Carrera Cup winner

Photo by: JEP