FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED? DAN WRIGHT LOOKS AHEAD TO MORE THRILLS AND SPILLS IN 2016
The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has always been a fans’ favourite and 2016 will be no different.
With two rounds at Brands Hatch – the only UK circuit to welcome the series twice – spectators can expect plenty of bumper-to-bumper action.
The Wrotham-based Motorbase Performance squad will be looking to continue their fine 2015 form and have signed former champion Andrew Jordan, who is sure to boost their attack.
The championship will visit Brands for its season-opening three rounds on April 2-3, before returning for the season finale on October 1-2 around the Grand Prix circuit. Tickets cost £ 32 on the gate for main raceday, £15 for qualifying. Thousands of spectators enjoyed Lydden Hill’s FIA World Rallycross Championship round in 2015.
Held at the birthplace of the sport, dozens of Supercars entered last season’s event and will return for round four of the series. To be held on May 28-29, the fire-spitting 600bhp cars – capable of 0- 60mph in under two seconds – will compete in four heats before the most successful drivers progress to the semi-finals and final.
FIA world champion Petter Solberg reigned supreme at Lydden last year and support action will come from the Touring Car and RX Lites classes. Adult tickets for Saturday cost £ 30 on the gate and £ 35 for Sunday. series. Featuring classes for prototype cars from the late 60s and 70s, the CanAm cars will be able to stretch their thundering engines and excessive h o r s e p owe r on the 2.4mile GP loop. Tickets cost £18 for Saturday and £ 25 for the main event day on Sunday.
The MSA British Rallycross Championship will feature twice at Lydden Hill.
Round two will be held on March 2728, before the championship returns for its traditional Bank Holiday event
on August 29. Heathfield-based Julian Godfrey claimed the Supercar title last year but will face stiff competition from European competitors during the March round when the Belgian championship crosses the channel for its only UK round. Support action will come from a variety of classes, including the MSA SuperNational championship and Swift Sport Rallycross series. Visit www.rallycrossbrx. com for details.
The prestigious Lamborghini marque will be back on the grid when the British GT Championship returns to Brands Hatch in April.
Co-headlining with the Duo BRDC F4 Championship, the sportscar series will welcome the striking Lamborghini Huracan to the paddock in what will be the championship’s opening event of the season on April 16-17. Continuing the supercar theme, the Blancpain GT Series will return to West Kingsdown over the May 7-8 weekend. Tickets are £ 23 on the gate for main British GT raceday, £15 for qualifying.
Drifting will star at Lydden Hill this year with two visits from the British Drift Championship and a standalone King of Europe Drift Championship round.
A new noise abatement notice has meant drift track days have been omitted for the foreseeable future but the championship rounds still appear. Car and bike track days will continue throughout the season, while the British Drift Championship visits on April 8-9 and August 20-21. The King of Europe series rolls into Lydden on August 6-7.
The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship will make three visits to Brands.
Australia’s Josh Brookes claimed his first title in 2015 but Kent’s Shane Byrne will be targeting his fifth crown. He has switched to Ducati for 2016.
Support action will come from the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Pirelli National Superstock 1000 and 600 Championship and British Motostar.
The championship’s three visits will be played out on the Indy and Grand Prix loops over the year, with the first meeting on May 20-22. Tickets cost £ 32 on the gate for main raceday, £15 for qualifying.
Race circuits usually shut down for the winter, but on January 31, stage rallying will return to Brands with the MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Winter Stages.
The event forms the fifth round of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship and will welcome an 80-car entry, using the circuit’s Indy configuration and sections of the paddock.