As the new-look Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy opened the 2025 season at Lydden Hill, reigning champion Patrick O’Donovan prevailed to net a brace of victories in front of a big crowd and to a new broadcast audience online [April 19 & 21].

Racing a Proton Iriz RX for Team RX Racing, O’Donovan set the first fastest qualifying heat time of the weekend in Q1 on Saturday, but it would be 2021 champion Derek Tohill, who revealed a Peugeot 208 WRX Supercar on the eve of the event for his 5 Nations BRX return, who went quickest in Q2.

It would be another former champion, 2007 title-winner Ollie O’Donovan (Ford Focus) who would start on pole position for the final however, when so and team mate Patrick O’Donovan was handed a semi-final penalty, dropping him down the final starting order.

Another former champion, six-time title-winner and JGE Team Goody Rallycross driver Julian Godfrey (Citroen DS3) joined O’Donovan Snr and Tohill on the front row of the round one final, but it was Patrick O’Donovan who made the best start from the second row of the grid, moving around the outside of turn one to climb to second, then overtake leader Tohill at the hairpin on the opening tour to seize a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.

Tohill finished the six-lap encounter in second, fendoing off huge pressure from Oliver Bennett (BMW Mini) in the latter stages of the race, Bennett winding up third with Ollie O’Donovan, Godfrey and Tristan Ovenden (Citroen DS3) rounding out the top six.

The traditional Easter Monday podium mirrored that of Saturday afternoon’s, O’Donovan coming out on top of a turn one battle with Tohill and leading the race throughout, while Bennett’s hopes of finishing higher than third were dashed by getting held up in traffic following a lap one joker strategy. The MMS RX Team IRL battled back from a difficult opening round to get both cars into the final with John McCluskey (Ford Fiesta) finishing fourth, ahead of Ovenden and Ollie O’Donovan.

Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship

The Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship provided some of the action of the weekend at Lydden Hill, as the stars of the future in the category for 14-17 year olds delivered some of the closest racing on track.

Cayden Harris drove to a maiden victory in round one on Saturday, shadowed throughout by Teddie MacPherson, who attempted a move on the final tour but could make no way through as the pair ran bumper-to-bumper. And, it was a repeat of the same result on Monday as the pair ended the Monday final separated by less than three tenths of a second, MacPherson having got alongside Harris on more than one occasion unable to find a way through. Returning driver Harrison Folley finished third on the opening day, while debutant Tommy Brown netted a maiden rostrum appearance on Monday afternoon.

Motorsport UK Cross Car Championship / RX150 Rallycross Championship

Former Swift Sport Rallycross Champion and reigning Cross Car title-winner Max Weatherley (Lifelive TN11) delivered a brilliant overtake for the lead on the final lap of the Saturday afternoon final in the new-for-2025 Motorsport UK Cross Car Championship, to claim victory.

In round three for the series following the opening round at Blyton Park recently, Weatherley won ahead of the Richard Rees (Mygale XC04) and visiting Belgian driver Kyandro Van De Vivere (Lifelive TN11).

On Monday in round three, reigning Swift Sport Champion Will Ovenden (Mygale XC04) tried an around-the-outside move in the first corner of the final, and hounded eventual winner Weatherley for the opening laps, but it would ultimately be fellow former Junior racer Benjamin Bartlett (Mygale XC04) who finished second having used an earlier joker lap stratergy, ahead of Ovenden.

Stephen Jones claimed the RX150 Rallycross Championship spoils in both rounds.

Super Retro Rallycross Championship

Opel Kadett racer Alan Crockett claimed double-victory in the Super Retro Rallycross Championship on his maiden competitive weekend in the series, twice heading home reigning champion Charlie French (Ford Escort) in a pair of nip-and-tuck battles.

French’s Tuesday Night Rallycross Team squad used the day in between the rounds to further extract potential from its title-winning Escort, French twice setting the fastest time in qualifying but couldn’t capitalise in the final. As part of a bumper entry for the Super Retro contingent of both returning and new competitors, Lydden Hill locals Vincent Bristow (BMW E36) and Stuart Emery (Volvo 242) completed the podium in the respective rounds.

Retro Rallycross Championship

Terry Moore (Austin Mini) delivered a stunning fight-back performance in the opening round of the Retro Rallycross Championship category for up to 1600cc machines. Having jumped the start of the final, and with the absence of a joker lap to take as penalty for the Retro classes, Moore was placed to the back of the grid and thereafter drove a great race to secure victory ahead of reigning champion Dan Swayland (Ford Escort) and fellow Mini racer Ian Biagi (BMC Mini Clubman).

Swayland then struck back on Monday afternoon in round two with a dominant performance, while behind Retro newcomer Joe Luke-Eastwood (MG Metro) overtook Paul Buckmaster (Vauxhall Nova) for second mid-race, Buckmaster also losing the final podium spot to his brother Rob Buckmaster (Ford Fiesta).

Swift Sport Rallycross Championship

Matt Cake dominated the opening two rounds of the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship at his home circuit, only beaten once in any of the sessions through the weekend, when debutant Ted Shepherd set the best time in Q3 of round one.

It was also Shepherd who led the round one final, having gone side-by-side with Cake through the first corner and over the jump. However, a mistake and a hit barrier later in the race cost Shepherd time, finishing the race just inches behind Cake, before being handed a five-second penalty and dropping to third. Also making his rallycross debut, Samuel Petersen finished second.

In round two on Monday, it was again Cake and Petersen who finished first and second, while Supercar regular Steve Harris finished third on his return weekend to the category.

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