As in 2023 the Radical Championship is an integral part of the British Touring Car Championship support programme, joining them at Snetterton in May and Oulton Park in June, as well as the visit to Donington.
The Championship again has three races per weekend. The PRO SR3 Class, also has its Fangio Trophy for drivers over 45, while the PRO SR1’s have a Rookie category for novice drivers.
PRO SR3
RSR’s John Macleod is back in the SR3 Class for his 14th year of Radical racing, while DW Racing’s Peter Tyler returns for his ninth season since graduating from the SR1’s.
There is plenty more experience with 360 Competition’s Jason Rishover and Valour Racing’s Chris Preen, both having tasted victories.
Luke Hilton has joined Valour too, a graduate from Ford Fiesta Juniors, he will be making his Radical UK debut, but after coming second in his Class at last seasons World Finals, he has been one of the men to beat in the recent Radical Gulf Cup.
Valour team mate Chris Lulham has impressed in testing too. He last raced in F4 back in 2019, but has been part of Max Verstappen’s World Class sim-racing team since then.
Valour also have Lee Jackson, with Rob Greenwood and Kristian Brookes. Both Greenwood and Brookes having come through the SR1 Cup.
DW Racing have Oscar Joyce stepping up into SR3 after finishing fifth in last years SR1 Cup.
Former SR1 racer Paul Denning joins Macleod at RSR, making his return after missing last season.
There is an interesting pairing at North Motorsport too. Former double Clubmans Sportscar Champion Stephen Shanly makes his racing return. It’s 19 years since he last raced in the Carrera Cup and made a one-off British F3 appearance in 1999 too.
By contrast his team is Adrian Hallmark, an automotive industry CEO who will be having his first race.
John Hewitt raced in the Radical Championship a number of years ago. He had planned a return initially in 2022, but is due out this weekend in with Tim Gray Motorsport.
Novice racer Jonty Wydell of Supercar Driver completes his transition "from supercar driver to race car driver" with many SCD members coming to Donington to show their support.
PRO SR1
It's a small but select start to the season for the SR1’s, where karting aces Marcus Littlewood and Sam Shaw will be keen to show their pace. Littlewood has the ex Alex Spooner car, which the family plan to run themselves, while Shaw runs with DW Racing.
Jack Leese returns for a second year for RSR, as do Ashley and Bradley Gaunt at North Motorsport.
Having run Tom Wood last season, the University of Derby car has ex Mini Challenge racer Matt Hammond on board this term.
Lexie Belk is another debutant, having previously been out in the Ginetta GT Championship, before finishing last season in GB4.
2016 SR1 champion James Taylor is back to round off the SR1 line-up, this time as Deputy Editor of EVO Magazine driving a new generation SR1 XXR.
@RADICAL.UK
Qualifying is on Saturday morning 10.55 until 11.25, with race one at 16.30 in the afternoon. Races two and three are on Sunday at 10.00 and 15.15, with the third final race shown live on ITV4 and weekend highlights on ITVX.