Saturday morning’s qualifying took place in dry conditions, with Littlewood snatching pole for race one by just 0.074 seconds from season-long rival Hamish Forrest in his Radical Racing Rebels car.
“It was a bit more challenging as I had a twisted chassis after Silverstone and was picking a wheel up at the hairpins. I had Hamish following for part of the session, but I’d rather have him there than ahead and going quicker,” said Littlewood.
Forrest, however, ended his session in the gravel at Coppice. “I was on the best lap I’d ever done, but I got into the dirty air behind two cars, pushed too hard and went off,” he admitted.
Fangio Trophy contenders Andy Lowe and John Macleod shared the second row for 360 Competition and RSR respectively. “It was all OK, but I just need to string all the best sector times together in one lap,” said Lowe. Macleod was content: “My car was just great, so no changes.”
Flame Airikkala returned to Radical racing with Radical Factory and qualified fifth. “I’m not setting any targets, I just want to achieve more, so I’m fairly happy,” she said.
RSR’s Paul Denning followed in sixth. “I lost a few places near the end as my tyres went off, otherwise great,” he added.
Fresh from an F1 Academy test at Circuit de Navarra, Racing Rebels’ Rachel Robertson led row four. “I had to re-acclimatise and build my confidence for the race,” she said. Alongside her, Valour Racing’s Jack Yang explained, “My concentration was affected by spots of rain and the safety car, but the car was OK.”
RJ Motorsport’s Matt Yard was “less confident” after qualifying, citing his lack of wet-weather experience. Racing Women’s Jorden Dolischka rounded out row five.
RJ Motorsport teammates Ross Board and debutant Ian McDonald shared row six, though Board’s session ended in the Coppice gravel. “I just touched the grass and was off,” he said.
Racing Women’s Lena Galyo, made her car racing debut, lined up alongside Radical newcomer Byron Crawford (Valour Racing). Laura O’Connell and Michelle Sundnas, also of Racing Women completed the grid.
RACE ONE
Under overcast skies and with rain threatening, Littlewood just held off Forrest into Redgate as race one began. Behind them, Macleod and Lowe touched—Macleod ended up in the gravel, bringing out the Safety Car.
“I was clear, and we both braked, but Andy hit my right side and put me in the gravel,” Macleod said. Lowe offered a different view: “John got a better start, then he came across on me as I hit the brakes and we had contact.”
Denning climbed to third, followed by the recovering Lowe, with Airikkala and Robertson completing the early top six. Yang, who briefly left the track, explained, “When I saw the two cars go off, they were coming for me. I had a slight touch, but got through the gravel and rejoined,” recovering to 12th.
After one lap the race went green again, with Littlewood backing up the field before Lowe challenged Denning for third. As the lead pair stretched away, Denning and Lowe’s duel allowed Airikkala to close, leaving Robertson alone in sixth.
Moisture in the air didn’t deter Forrest, who closed on Littlewood until lap six at Melbourne Hairpin. “I had an OK start and was holding the gap. Then it started to rain and Marcus had a slide—he got away with it, but I didn’t and went off,” he said.
The Safety Car reappeared as Forrest was recovered. Lowe now chased Denning for second, while Robertson passed Airikkala for fourth at Melbourne, and Yang overtook Yard for seventh. Missing from the top five was Dolischka: “I got overtaken, but it forced me wide at the Esses. I touched the grass, spun, and broke the starter motor—my fault.”
Another Safety Car set up a one-lap sprint to the flag. Littlewood claimed win number 12 by 1.275 seconds over Denning.
“The Safety Car periods were OK—I knew what to do, backed them up, got the jump, built a gap, and it worked,” said the winner.
Denning, delighted with a career-best result, added: “I just enjoyed it. I made a mistake at the Old Hairpin and had to block Andy. Then I tried to challenge Marcus at the end and had a big slide at the Craner Curves.”
Lowe slipped back after the restart and a post-race penalty for his earlier clash dropped him to seventh, promoting Robertson to third. “I adapted well to the changing conditions and capitalised, closing on Andy on the last lap,” she said.
Airikkala finished fourth, almost caught by the recovering Yang. “I forgot to adjust the brake bias when it started raining,” she admitted.
Debutant Crawford secured sixth after Yard spun at Melbourne on the final lap. “It was thoroughly enjoyable but tricky—my first wet race—and then I spun at the penultimate corner,” Yard said, falling to eighth behind Lowe.
O’Connell and Galyo swapped positions late on. “The change in conditions was really hard, but I didn’t spin,” O’Connell said proudly. Galyo laughed: “I spun to last at Redgate on lap one, fought back, then spun exiting the last corner as I saw the chequered flag and lost the place.”
McDonald ended up 11th after a late spin at Schwantz Curve and a penalty, while Forrest recovered to 12th. Sundnas was the final finisher.