Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tandy steps in for Osbourne at Mini Challenge finale

Le Mans 24 Hours winner Nick Tandy will replace Mini Challenge frontrunner Jamie Osborne in the championship finale at Brands Hatch this weekend.

Osborne, who currently lies second in the standings, has been ruled out for medical reasons and Porsche factory driver Tandy will deputise in the NAPA/Alliance team. He will race alongside friend and former Mini Se7en rival Lewis Selby, who is third in the table for the squad.

Tandy, who is the first driver in history to take outright victories in the 24-hour classics at Le Mans, Daytona, Spa and the Nurburgring, last raced on the British Touring Car support bill in 2011, when he took three wins from four starts in the Porsche Carrera Cup. He took those successes with the NAPA/Alliance team’s forerunner, Motorbase, and also tested the squad’s BTCC Ford Focus in 2013.

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“I’ve known [team boss] Pete Osborne from the Alliance/Motorbase days and he’s also involved in the NAPA/Wera Alliance Racing Academy that my son Felix is in,” said Tandy, who won the IndyKa 500 event at Brands Hatch in 2019 in a team that included Selby.

“I’ve been around the team, so when it became clear that Jamie needs to have a bit more time to look after his health, Pete asked if I could help. I said, ‘Yes of course’. They’ve been very good friends and good to me and Felix.

“I was going to be there anyway because my main role will be looking after the JTR Porsche drivers.”

Jamie Osborne, who lost the points lead after missing the recent Silverstone round, has taken five wins this season to the two of Excelr8’s championship leader Tom Ovenden, but Tandy is not making any predictions about his performance.

“I’ve had no running yet, it’ll just be the practice sessions on Friday,” added the 40-year-old IMSA frontrunner, who hasn’t raced on the Brands Grand Prix track since winning the 2014 British GT round there with David Ashburn. “If it’s wet on Friday and dry on Saturday qualifying, I won’t have driven it in the dry until qualifying.

“I’m just going to go out there and do my best and have a bit of fun. It’ll be good to race with Lewis again and, outside of the Nurburgring, Brands GP is my favourite circuit in the world.”

Pete Osborne said: “Needless to say, as a team and a family, we’re devastated that Jamie has been unable to compete in the final two rounds of the JCW Championship, especially given the success he was enjoying this year. As always, his health and well-being come first, and our priority is for Jamie to focus on his recovery.

“After speaking with Jamie, instead of parking the car for the final round, we have decided to bring in another driver. I think we will all agree that Nick is an outstanding driver and will do a fantastic job for us, but he is also a good friend. He will be a valuable asset to the team, his team-mates and the JCW Championship.”