2024 Hagerty Radical Cup UK R1 : Donington Park

In challenging weather conditions, the Hagerty Radical UK Cup kicked off with an impressive display of racing at Donington Park. Chris Lulham of Valour Racing dominated the weekend, securing victories in both races. Meanwhile, the SR1 class witnessed competitive battles, with Sam Shaw of DW Racing and Marcus Littlewood achieving victories.

PRO SR3

QUALIFYING

The top five drivers were tightly packed in qualifying, with only 0.550 seconds separating them. Chris Lulham led the pack, followed closely by Radical factory development driver and engineer James Pinkerton, Kristian Brookes, Oscar Joyce, and Jason Rishover. Lulham expressed confidence, noting there was more potential, while Joyce and Rishover faced challenges with equipment issues.

Valour’s Chris Preen and RSR’s Paul Denning were close behind in sixth and seventh, aiming for improvements. John Macleod of RSR and Luke Hilton of Valour were disappointed with their positions, citing grip issues. Debutant Jonty Wydell and DW Racing’s Peter Tyler were satisfied with their setups, looking forward to the races.

RACE 1

At the start, Lulham led the field but faced strong competition from Rishover. Brookes trailed in third, with Joyce and Hilton in pursuit. Lulham battled Rishover, briefly taking the lead but losing it soon after due to fuel issues for Rishover. Brookes applied pressure, eventually passing Rishover for second.

As the race progressed, Lulham secured a commanding lead, winning by 15.5 seconds. Brookes overtook Rishover for second place, while Joyce and Hilton engaged in a close battle. Denning and Preen made impressive moves through the field. Macleod claimed third in the Fangio Class.

Race 2

Adverse weather delayed Sunday’s first race, but Lulham maintained his form by leading from pole position. Brookes and Hilton challenged, but incidents involving Wydell and Denning triggered a safety car period. Lulham faced challenges after contact with Brookes, but he managed to secure another victory.

Brookes lost ground due to contact with Hilton, who secured second place. Macleod maintained fourth, earning maximum points in the Fangio Trophy. Pinkerton benefited from incidents to finish fifth. Rishover and Preen faced penalties, affecting their final positions.

PRO SR1

Qualifying

In the SR1 Cup, competition was tight at the front of the grid. Former karting rivals Sam Shaw (DW Racing) and privateer Marcus Littlewood, were separated by a mere 0.032 seconds. Littlewood, although relatively satisfied, acknowledged receiving a black flag for exceeding track limits.

Returning guest and previous SR1 Champion James Taylor narrowly beat Ashley Gaunt to secure third place. Reflecting on the changes in car dynamics since 2016, Taylor commented on unexpectedly high grip levels. Gaunt admitted to an early error but noted improvement as the race progressed.

Jack Leese of RSR followed, with Bradley Gaunt close behind. Gaunt expressed his intent to push harder following setup adjustments. Lexie Belk and University of Derby’s Matt Hammond rounded out the grid. Hammond, alternating between Radical and Mini Challenge races, highlighted his first experience with open car downforce.

Race 1

Shaw defended the lead against Taylor until lap eight when Taylor took control, with Littlewood and Leese Battling for third. Taylor acknowledged the challenge Shaw posed, with Taylor ultimately securing the victory. However, due to being an invitational driver Taylor was ineligible to secure points or trophies, which meant Shaw inherited the win. Littlewood fought to claim second place, with Leese taking third. Belk, who started from the pitlane, impressively finished fourth ahead of Bradley Gaunt. Hammond and Ashley Gaunt completed the race after a mid-race pit stop.

Race 2

Shaw and Taylor resumed their duel for the lead early on, with Littlewood close behind. After a safety car period, Taylor overtook Shaw on lap 11 and pulled ahead. Shaw briefly reclaimed second but was penalized for track limits, evaluating Littlewood to second place. Once again Taylor was unable to claim the win, meaning the final podium would be Littlewood, Shaw, and Belk, with Belk standing on the podium for the first time this weekend and her first time in a Radical. Hammond capitalised on Ashley Gaunt’s spin on the final lap to finish in fourth, with brothers Ashley and Bradley Gaunt in fifth and sixth.