Pictures of the year
After 12 months of racing, rallying and everything in between it’s that time of year again where we take a look back at the best pictures.
Our dedicated team of contributors have gone above and beyond as ever to capture the best moments from 2019 and out of thousands of pictures, we’ve selected the very best images, as well as our own personal moments.
Photos by Rachel Bourne, Roy Dempster, Jakob Ebrey, Conor Edwards, Gary Hawkins, Paul Lawrence, Chicane Media, mkpics.net Steve Jones, Ollie Read, Richard Styles and
Mick Walker. ■
MATT JAMES EDITOR
The British Touring Car Championship regulations are, more-or-less, designed to make sure that the competition goes to a final-day shootout.
So, it was predictable that the pressure was on during finals day at Brands Hatch on the Grand Prix layout, and there were three drivers in with a realistic shot at the crown.
But it wasn’t that Colin Turkington grabbed the major trophy on that day which is the overriding memory. Instead, it is the sight of Dan Cammish’s Team Dynamics Honda Civic Type R spinning wildly into the tyre wall at Hawthorns with just over a lap remaining of the 30-race campaign.
That final lap, the one in which BMW’S Turkington cemented his record-equalling fourth title, was the only racing lap of the season that Cammish was not to complete, and it was the most vital of all.
The way the Civic man showed his dignity afterwards was superb. He held his head high and complimented his rival’s charge to the spoils.
The kick in the teeth for Cammish was that Andrew Jordan’s fourth place in his BMW 330i M Sport was enough for him to tie for second spot on points but claim the position on a countback of wins.
Cammish, who was in his first BTCC showdown, has admitted that the pain was very real.
Given the rollercoaster ride of the BTCC, the pressure will be even greater next term, and he is desperate to show that his performances in
2019 were just the start of his tin-top journey.
STEPHEN LICKORISH DEPUTY EDITOR
Reporting on the British Touring Car Championship’s support series is very rarely dull.
Once again, it was the Renault UK Clio Cup that provided the most entertaining title battle this season as Max Coates and Jack Young fought relentlessly to secure the final crown to be awarded before the series heads to the British GT package next year.
But none of the five regular support categories provided my highlight of the year. Instead it was one of the guest series that really starred.
Thruxton very often produces great slipstreaming racing, especially in singleseaters. But it is also the perfect venue for classic Mini competition too – as the first of the BTCC’S two visits to the Hampshire circuit proved.
Back in May, the Mini Miglias and Mini Se7ens joined the BTCC support bill for a guest appearance. And they stole the show.
Lap after lap, there were ferocious fights heading into the final Club chicane in both series. Sometimes the Minis were running four or five abreast up Woodham Hill and into the final corner.
It was quite simply brilliant – and great that, in the 60th birthday year of the Mini, two club championships had the chance to shine on the big stage.
STEFAN MACKLEY REPORTER
When the offer to go to the
77th Goodwood Members’ Meeting presented itself I didn’t hesitate. It’s something I’ve wanted to experience for a number of years having seen it on TV and spoken to colleagues, and this year I finally got the chance.
Anyone who watched the Betty Richmond Trophy, which was held to celebrate 60 years of the Mini, is unlikely to see a better race all year. Changes for the lead happened almost every lap, often twice, and it took until the final corner for Nick Swift to beat Nick Padmore.
In fact, nearly all the races throughout the weekend had close battles for the lead. Even the SF Edge Trophy for Edwardian cars, which before it started I had dismissed in my head as not much of a race.
But standing at the end of the Lavant Straight it was fascinating to see these machines, many more than 100 years old and of completely unique design, come hurtling past me.
It also happened to produce the closest finish to a race all weekend, with Julian Majzub in his Sunbeam Indianapolis winning by just 0.018 seconds! A truly unique experience.
DAVID EVANS RALLIES EDITOR
The rain came, but nobody cared. Certainly not me. Nothing and nobody could spoil a Friday night we’d been waiting three years for.
Standing waiting at the end of stage one of the first Mull Rally since 2016 was a special moment – not least because the sanctuary of the Bellachroy Inn and a pint of Jarl were never out of my line of sight.
Was that the moment of the year? Quite possibly. Or was it the following evening? Watching the cars depart Salen under the brightest of autumn night skies, shooting stars and smokey log fires adding to the October west coast ambience. Highly likely.
But actually not. It’s got to be Ott.
Tanak’s first title was an unbelievable achievement for Estonia, a great moment for Markko Martin and something very, very special for the man himself. I’ve always been an Ott Tanak fan.
Yes, he crashed a bit to start with and, yes, he can be a truculent and miserable sod from time to time… but he can’t half drive.
Catching him directly after the finish in Spain was as amazing as it was emotional. The weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders and he talked. And talked. And made my moment of the year.
PAUL LAWRENCE HISTORICS EDITOR
I was a young marshal when Tom Pryce was killed at Kyalami in March 1977. His violent death when a young marshal, barely two years older than me at the time, crossed the track carrying a fire extinguisher was a shocking way for a glittering career to end.
It was an incident that stayed in my memory as I’d been fortunate enough to watch the gifted Welshman race from the early days of his career.
Later, researching the book on Royale Racing Cars prompted me to re-visit
Tom’s rise to fame with
Alan Cornock, a key figure in the story.
Fast-forward 42 years to a sunny afternoon at Anglesey and I was one of several hundred people gathered on the grid at the sensational North Wales track (see right). It was a truly special moment as we stood in silence to honour the memory of this unassuming hero.
It was the crowning point of a very special race weekend. Sunshine, scenery, a warm welcome, excellent historic racing and a wonderful atmosphere made this a real highlight of the season.
HAL RIDGE RX CORRESPONDENT
Located deep in the Varmland region’s forests, outside the village of Holjes that is usually home to fewer than 200 people, the Swedish round of the World Rallycross Championship is always a highlight of the season.
More than 40,000 fans descend on the remote location to visit one of the oldest venues on the calendar.
The undulating, challenging circuit is a highlight in itself but this year the result made it even better.
While rallycross has attracted some huge motorsport names in recent years, it has also continued to produce its own talent, and none more so than those that finished on the podium in Sweden this year.
A fairytale victory was claimed by Swede Sebastian Eriksson in a wildcard outing with the Olsbergs MSE team at the circuit where he so nearly won in a one-off entry in 2014, until slowed by suspension failure.
This time, despite engine problems, he took victory and is a talent that richly deserves a regular seat. Second went the way of Kevin Hansen, the youngest son of 14-time European champ Kenneth, and a driver who has competed since he was just 14 years old.
In a real rallycross drivers’ podium, third went to former Super1600 champion and World RX race winner Latvian Reinis Nitiss in a wildcard outing with the GRX squad.