Father-son duo Ollie and Patrick O’Donovan claimed a victory apiece in the opening two rounds of the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy at Lydden Hill (March 30 – April 1) as the season began with an enthralling double-header at the home of rallycross.

2007 title-winner Ollie O’Donovan claimed his first victory in almost six years in round one of the championship on Saturday, passing race leader and son Patrick O’Donovan for the win, the reigning champion slowing in the closing stages of the race.

Murray Motorsport driver Michael Leonard (Ford Fiesta) challenged for the lead of the race in the final stages but lost ground when Patrick O’Donovan slowed, then was overtaken by six-time champion Julian Godfrey (Citroen DS3) in a race for the line and the last step on the podium, Godfrey recovering from having jumped the start from pole position and having to take two joker laps as penalty.

However, Leonard was later excluded for his onboard camera not working, promoting Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Evo) to fourth, Tristan Ovenden (Citroen DS3) to fifth and John McCluskey (Ford Fiesta) to sixth.

On Monday, Top Qualifier Patrick O’Donovan lost the lead of the first semi-final with a puncture, the race won by Leonard to secure pole for the final, while round one winner Ollie O’Donovan was slowed from the lead of his semi-final and didn’t make the final, Leonard’s team mate McCluskey netting the win to lock out the top two positions on the final grid.

In the final, Leonard didn’t get away from the line with a clutch issue, Hill having to take avoiding action, while Patrick O’Donovan stalled his Ford Fiesta. What followed was the comeback performance of a champion, O’Donovan passing multiple cars on the opening laps before hunting down race-leader McCluskey and using an alternative joker lap strategy to move into the lead an take an empathic win. McCluskey finished second while Hill rounded out the podium on his 74^th birthday.

Colin Anson finished fourth in his newly-acquired Mitsubishi Mirage while Godfrey, who had broken his Citroen’s rear suspension, was handed a 10-second penalty for hitting the joker lap track makers. He finished fifth, with Steve Harris also surviving a spin to be sixth.

Motorsport UK Supernational Rallycross Championship

Brothers Jason and Darren Bleasdale claimed the spoils in the Motorsport UK Supernational Rallycross Championship, former champion Jason netting victory in round one on Saturday ahead of Darren and Ford Fiesta runner Fred Ling, the front-wheel-drive racer then taking the fight to the Vauxhall VX220 contenders in the qualifying heats on Monday, but retired from Q3 with terminal technical issues. In the final, Jason Bleasdale led from the front, but spun in the joker lap section due to a steering issue and it was Darren who benefitted most to claim the win. Dave Van Beers (Renault Clio) took top front-wheel-drive honours and second overall, ahead of Darren Scott (Citroen C2).

Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship

Reigning Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Champion Tyler Mcalpin opened his account on a title-defence with victory in the first round of the season on Saturday following a strong performance, chased to the flag by Tighe Wratten and Harrison Folly, the debutant making ground in an action-packed final for the Junior racers. Wratten then seized the advantage in the final Junior race of the weekend on Monday, leading from the front early on, as pole sitter and round one winner Mcalpin dropped back. Benjamin Bartlett recovered from being excluded from the final on Saturday in style by finishing second on Sunday, while Teddie Macpherson secured a first podium of his young career in third.

BMW MINI Rallycross Championship / ALL4 MINI Rallycross Championship

Esports racer Wesley Wickens secured a maiden 5 Nations BRX victory at his home circuit on Saturday in the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship, extending a margin over Abbie McGuinness and Leigh-Anne Sedgwick to nail down a clean sweep result. It was a different story in the final on Sunday, Wickens rolling his car after first corner contact, putting him out. In the re-started race, Sedgwick claimed victory, while category newcomers Michael Amlin and March Finch completed the podium.

In the ALL4 Mini Division, reigning champion Max Langmaid claimed a pair of wins, despite gearbox issues on Saturday, while James Constantine twice finished second.

RX150 Rallycross Championship / Cross Car Rallycross Championship

Double Swift Sport Rallycross Champion Max Weatherley claimed the first-ever in the Cross Car category within 5 Nations BRX, leading from the front in Saturday’s final to finish ahead of Luke Holly and the highest-placed of the RX150 Rallycross Championship runners, Stephen Jones. While David Attiwell picked up third in the Cross Car class, former Swift racer Alex Spencer and newcomer James Kay completed the RX150 podium. Supercar racer Patrick O’Donovan joined the grid for Monday’s event, along with debutant Richard Rees. O’Donovan qualified on pole with his RX150, but was forced off track in turn one. Rees would ultimately claim the final win, by just 0.055 seconds ahead of O’Donovan, who jokered on the final lap. Butler and Weatherly completed the Cross Car rostrum as Jones and Spencer stood on the RX150 podium.

Swift Sport Rallycross Championship

Former Junior RX title-contender Will Ovenden claimed back-to-back victories in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship at his home circuit, heading home Chris O’Hara and debutant Matt Cake on Saturday, Cake’s father Chris ruled out of the action by an accident in qualifying. As Ovenden stormed to a commanding win in Monday’s final, O’Hara was again second and a returning Andrew Sage completed the podium.

Retro Rallycross Championship

Charlie French enjoyed a dream debut weekend driving a Ford Escort Mk2 in the Super Retro category. Having won his opening heat race of the weekend he pressured rallycross stalwarts John Cross (Lancia Stratos) and Barry Stewart (Porsche 911) to complete the podium in round one on Saturday, Cross claiming the win. French then qualified on pole position for Monday’s final and dominated, as four-time British Rallycross Champion Pat Doran (Ford Fiesta) passed Cross on his maiden competitive outing with the car to finish second, with Cross third.

In the Retro Rallycross category for up to 1600cc machines, Terry More claimed victory in round one with his Austin Mini, ahead of fellow Mini racer Ian Biagi and Ford Fiesta runner Rob Buckmaster, while in Moore’s absence on Monday, Biagi stormed to victory ahead of Simon Hart (Ford Escort) with Buckmaster completing the podium.

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