It will undoubtedly be a jam-packed opening lap, with over 40 examples of the famous sports prototype racing cars taking the green flag. The top-tier Radical Challenge (for SR3, SR10 and RXC models) will be sharing the grid with the Radical SR1 Cup for the first time this year, giving the fastest SR1 drivers something to chase around the 3.6-mile Formula 1 circuit.
All of the action will be live streamed via the Radical Sportscars Facebook page and YouTube channel, giving Radical’s global community of racers the chance to watch the action unfold in the homeland of global motorsport.
Radical Challenge
In the Radical Challenge, Matt Bell and Jerome De Sadeleer are the favourites for outright victory.
Bell’s comeback story has been one of the highlights of this season. After a six-year absence from the series, his late call up by RAW Motorsport for the opening round at Snetterton resulted in victory, backed up by a double victory at Brands Hatch GP just a few weeks later. Now back to peak fitness and fresh from a treble victory at the previous round, again at Snetterton, he remains the one to beat.
Jerome de Sadeleer of 360 Racing has been nipping at Bell’s heels all season, and with his double victory at the opening round, remains the only person to have beat Bell all year. A previous multi-race winner, de Sadeleer has had an element of misfortune on several occasions this year and is waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Making his off-road debut, De Sadeleer most recently podiumed in the T4 class at the Rally Raid BAJA SPAIN last month as he prepares for an assault on the famous Dakar Rally, and he will be keen to back up this performance on the track.
The Radical Works Team-run Jason Rishover is currently sitting third in the Championship, 41 points behind De Sadeleer. He is still striving for that elusive first win, and with proven pace from his Radical SR3, will be eager to take the top podium step this weekend.
John Macleod has masses of Radical experience and has had his fair share of podiums over the years. Macleod has shown strong consistency and will be right alongside Rishover all weekend. His RAW Motorsport teammate Chris Short has been in podium places a few times, but is the first to admit his excitement. He is still a relative novice to the Radical SR3, having recently graduated from the Radical SR1 Cup.
Peter Tyler is enjoying his season in the new Radical SR3XX, and 360 Racing’s Mark Richards will also be up the front and challenging for victories. Series regular Guillaume Gruchet joins the field under the Newbridge Motorsport flag.
Father and Son duo Rod and Elliot Goodman are both back for RAW after missing the last rounds, and they will be up against teammate Spencer Bourne. Jason Green is out with Scott Sport, while Valour Racing are fielding newly appointed Radical Sportscars UK sales partner Chris Preen, Andrew Greenland, Jacek Zielonka, and Red Bull Sports presenter Mike Chen.
Wesley Fongenie makes a rare appearance for 360 Racing, and Peter Brookes and James Sweetnam are back again with the Radical Works Team.
Fresh from victory in British GT last weekend is Ian Loggie, debuting his new Radical SR3 XX, as is Track Focused’s Dean Warriner, who steps up from the Radical SR1 Cup.
Completing the weekend’s line-up is Mectech’s Anthony Ayres in the Sprint only and Steven Lake and Andrew Goord in the Sprint and Enduro classes.
Radical Challenge races on Saturday at 12.20 and 15.55, and is back for the 45-minute Enduro on Sunday at 13.55.
Radical SR1 Cup
The Radical SR1 Cup is set to be an intense battle between rivals Will Hunt and James Lay. After total dominance in the early legs of the season, Scorpio’s Hunt goes into the Silverstone weekend with a 17-point championship lead over Lay, who is fresh from a double victory at the previous round at Snetterton.
Hunt had looked unbeatable initially, but the Scorpio driver is now the man under pressure, with RAW Motorsports’ Lay only having only made his car racing debut this year.
A definite one to watch this weekend is Anglo-Filipino karting ace Daryl De Leon Taylor. Having turned 16 less than a fortnight ago, he was out testing his new Radical SR1 the very next day and has already shown the remarkable pace that has seen him through a successful karting career. Will he prove an unlikely challenger to Hunt and Lay?
With championship third-sitter Dean Warriner having graduated to the top-tier Radical Challenge, Track Focused teammate Frazer McFadden should move up to third in the championship. He has two third places under his belt so far, so will be looking to improve.
Top rookie and fifth overall Ben Stone (Track Focused) is still seeking his first podium. Having missed the Snetterton rounds, Nick Zapolski is back for RAW Motorsports, undoubtedly looking to improve on his third place at Brands Hatch GP.
Mackenzie Walker of Road to Race had his best result last time out with a third place, after being sent for an agricultural tour in the previous race.
The ever-smiling Mark Williams (Track Focused) is favourite to win the Fangio Class and will be hot on the young-gun’s heels for a podium finish, with Ian Cowley (TFL Racing) and Andy Lowe looking to get in the mix as well.
Sven Thompson, boss of LMP team Nielsen Racing, is back with the Radical Works Team and will be looking to move up the leader board, as will teammate James Hadley and Track Focused’s Alex Spooner.
Simon Parker and Paul Atherton also debut for the Radical Works Team, while television presenter and YouTuber Drew Stearne joins them in the Radical SR1 as he films a two-part series for popular YouTube channel Carfection Films.
Joining the Radical Challenge on the grid for the first time this year, the Radical SR1 Cup races on Saturday at 12.20 and 15.55, and is back for the 45-minute Enduro on Sunday at 13.55.
Both races can be watched via live stream on the Radical Sportscars Facebook page and YouTube channel.
