On the big stage

2024 MSV Miata Trophy

Rounds 3 & 4 – Brands Hatch GP

For the second round of the 2024 season we headed to Brands Hatch. This is always a pleasure in itself, but especially this weekend as we were using the full Grand Prix circuit, supporting the GT World Challenge Europe and it was my birthday! To cap that lot off, the sun even came out.

I have never tested on the GP circuit, so I jumped at the opportunity to do a track day on the Tuesday beforehand. It was good to check that all was well with this engine I am borrowing and also to fine turn any set up on the actual circuit. The main thing was to get used to driving the GP track though.

Saturday came and it was a large entry – 29 cars in all and 11 from our friends in Hills Motorsport alone! I felt okay in qualifying, but was a bit off the pace, just squeezing into SuperPole in 5th place by 0.08 seconds. I was able to maximise SuperPole though and drove a clean lap, while others made mistakes and I ended up second fastest.

Both of the races were really fun. In the first, I had a good start to maintain second place, but was taken round the back of the circuit on lap one by Declan Lee. At the start of lap three I had a great run along the start finish straight, but got boxed in, allowing Michael Knibbs to come alongside and stay there from Paddock Hill Bend all the way round to Graham Hill Bend… down to fourth. After that the three of us were running together and it was boiling up nicely, until a large accident caused a red flag and the race was not restarted.

For race two, I jumped into third place from the off and then took second at Hawthorns on lap two (I was pleased with that move). Following this, I drove a good couple of laps chasing Aiden Hills, until Knibbs dived past me at Paddock Hill Bend which sent me wide and I dropped to fourth. I could keep up, but wasn’t able to make a move stick. I lost a bag of time lapping a back marker as I had to take to the grass and did catch up again by the last lap, but it was too late.

Overall I think we lacked some outright pace this meeting and qualifying flattered me. Two fourth places were probably right, so there are areas to work on. We have a break now until Donington Park at the end of June. So, some time to add a bit of pace I hope.

Entry Lists

Results

Full Results

Qualifying

SuperPole

Race 1

Race 2

Coverage

Race 1

Race 2

Gallery