Brands Hatch GP – 2nd/3rd May 2026 Race Report, Images and Results

Posted on: May 9th 2026 • Posted in: Race Results

Rounds 4 and 5 – Brands Hatch GP

The SRCC Sports 2000 were able to showcase their Championship to a wide audience on the Brands Hatch GP circuit as part of the support package for the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Races powered by AWS pver the May Bank Holiday Weekend.
As a marketing opportunity I don’t think Roger realised they would be placed opposite the Hospitality units for the star teams including Valentino Rossi who was opposite Gary and Team Gunn.
The location did mean a lot of new people saw the cars and hopefully some would be suitably impressed to consider joining the series. Certainly Jon Harmer and Chloe played their part in producing some promotional material for people to pick up and maybe chat about.
The entry for Brands Hatch differed from the earlier Silverstone triple header. It was great to welcome for the start of their 2026 season, Peter Brouwer, Andrew Butler, Clive Steeper and Paul Streat. Testing as always prior to the event highlighted some problems including some for the aforementioned.
Paul Streat took part in the Wednesday test which produced issues that required him to head home to work on the car Thursday to bring it back for Saturday morning qualifying. Clive Steeper had a rear suspension failure luckily without too much damage.
Chris Snowdon, who I believe is the saviour for all Pinto engine competitors stepped into action, repairing the car, he gave Clive a quick pep talk who went out to record a time a second faster than he had done in the previous session.
Michael Gibbins, experienced electrical problems with his car cutting out on track, as did David Williams although his issues were less drastic but equally frustrating. Then there was John Illey. The good news was that they appeared to have cured the engine problems. The bad news a shaft broke in the gearbox.
You do not have to be faint hearted to be a member of the University of South Wales Team. David Gorst very generously offered the use of his spare gearbox which was in Dudley. The team drove up collected it and returned to Brands at 3.00a.m. ‘You cannot bring that van into the paddock you will have to park it in the team area.’ Security advised them
Luckily there were three team members who walked the gearbox down into the paddock and started fitting it at 4.00 a.m.

Qualifying

Very much like Silverstone, despite electrical issues in the build up, Michael Gibbins was in a class of his own. Establishing a fast time early in the session he continuously built a gap finishing the session, shortened by a Red flag, one and a half seconds clear of Tim Tudor in top form who was second fastest. The next four cars being very tightly grouped in their pursuit.
Richard Johnson continuing his good form was third fastest from Ben Cater who was in the pits checking tyre pressures for a final run when the Red Flag halted the session had the fourth fastest time (which was the second fastest when he entered the pits). Mackenzie Walker was 5th fastest and James Barwell 6th completing the closely matched quartet. Paul Trayhurn in the Gunn TS11 was 7th leading the Derek Bell Class, with Nik Johnson 3 tenths behind in the Lola Fox 88/90 8th leading Class B. Completing the top 10 would be Peter Brouwer in his Lola Fox 88/90 and Tom Stoten in the Gunn TS14. For both Peter Brouwer and Mike Turner in 11th place it was a happy return to Brands Hatch. Mike being really pleased to enjoy the circuit in front of what would prove to be a very large crowd
Brands Hatch debutantes Matthew Harbot and Andrew Noble qualifying 13th and 18th respectively. David Williams who qualified 17th continued to battle with intermittent cutting out, but the team felt it could be fuel pressure that was the issue and felt it could be the pump rather than an electrical issue.
Heading the times in the Historic Classes was Paul Streat in his Lola T87/90 from Mike Fry the Tiga SC79, Chris Snowdon in the Carbir ,Clive Steeper Tiga SC80 would be next Simon Aldworth in the Lola T492. Simon being hampered by a recurring brake issue which had appeared at Silverstone. What Simon had thought to be an overheating issue at Silverstone appeared not to be the case and the team set about rebuilding the front caliper between qualifying and race as the car had developed a pull to the left at Brands Hatch. Completing the Historic entry was Richard Richard Cooke in his Lola T87/90
Following Post Qualifying reviews both Adrian Ridge and Paul Streat received penalties dropping them down the grid, placing Mike Fry and Chris Snowdon at the head of the Historic Grid.

Race 1

As race time approached the sky started to cloud over and a breeze picked up. As the winds strengthened some of the heat began to go out of the day, whilst on the spectator banks the fans gathered for the GTWorld qualifying sessions that would follow the 25 minute Sports 2000 race.
James Barwell would be one of the last to the assembly area as a late adjustment to the packing for a rear shock absorber became a race against time to get on track. All ended well.
As the lights went out for the start of the race it was Tim Tudor who took the lead into Paddock Hill bend from Michael Gibbins. With Michael’s previous dominance this created a great deal of excitement in the commentary tower. This would be short lived as at the end of the lap Michael was back in control at the front of the field with Tim Tudor second, Richard Johnson 3rd, James Barwell 4th and Ben Cater 5th who had wheelspin off the start.
Paul Streat had got to the head of the Historic race with Mike Fry second and Simon Aldworth in third place. At the end of lap 1 Clive Steeper retired when he ran wide at Westfield whilst dicing with Simon Aldworth and completed his race off circuit. In conversation later Clive admitted his retirement was self inflicted having carried too much speed into the corner whilst on the outside line.
Lap 2 and Ben Cater had dropped down to 10th place following a 360 degree spin at Sheene. Mackenzie Walker lost part of his rear wing as it was clipped by the hapless spinner. Mackenzie continuing moving up to 5th place, Paul Trayhurn 6th, Nik Johnson 7th, Tom Stoten 8th, Steve Ough 9th, and 10th Ben Cater.
At the start of lap 4 Tim Tudor locked up into druids hairpin. A rear oil union had been leaking sending him into the gravel trap and causing the race to be brought under the control of the safety car. This was good news for Adrian Ridge, as it enabled him to catch the rest of the grid following his back of the grid delayed start.
On the restart Michael Gibbins led away easily with the established order following who were Richard Johnson, James Barwell, the handicapped Mackenzie Walker with his damage rear wing, Paul Trayhurn and Nik Johnson.
Further down the order Peter Brouwer, was engaged in a race with Matthew Harbot, Roger Donnan, Steve Ough and Mike Turner. John Illey after his good early start found himself slipping down the order. Adrian Ridge had overtaken most of the Historic cars, but Paul Streat gave him a race until Adrian was able to pass on lap 12. Paul continuing to lead the Historic classes from Simon Aldworth, Mike Fry, and Chris Snowdon.
From his 13th place start Matthew Harbot was having a good race, having moved up to 9th place by lap 13 still in the close company of Peter Brouwer. Simon Aldworth’s race came to an end on the penultimate lap of the race. Simon who had enjoyed a good battle with Mike Fry despite the return of his braking issues which had him incessantly pumping the pedal to slow down. Sheene corner is where he lost the battle carrying too much speed he dropped a wheel off the the circuit damaging two corners ending his race weekend. This promoted the Lola of Mike Fry to second in the Historics with Chris Snowdon 3rd.
As the flag fell, it was a win for Michael Gibbins with Richard Johnson second, James Barwell 3rd, Mackenzie Walker 4th and Paul Trayhurn 5th winner of the Derek Bell Class, with Nik Johnson 6th winning class B. Next up was Ben Cater having recovered from his earlier spin, Tom Stoten was 8th with Matthew Harbot 9th and Peter Brouwer second in Class B completing the top 10.
David Williams in the Van Diemen finished 11th up from his 17th place starting position completing the Class B podium with the 4th fastest lap of the race over 3.6 seconds quicker than his qualifying time, making him a driver to watch for Race 2.
12th place to 14th would be occupied by the Derek Bell Trophy runners with Steve Ough 12th and second in class, Mike Turner 13th and Roger Donnan 14th ahead of Andrew Noble who came home in 15th place having been caught up in a dice with Clive Hayes and Andrew Butler in the early stages passing both John Illey and Josh Needham before the flag.

Race 2

After rain both on Saturday evening and Saturday night into Sunday morning, there was some concern in the paddock that the forecast showers may come for the Sports 2000 second race. As the day heated up and the shorts appeared thoughts of rain started to evaporate.
Over the weekend both Josh and Ash Law were paddock visitors along with Colin Peach, sadly without any ice cream for anyone this time. Maybe something to look forward to as the summer progresses. Sunday brought the spectators in their thousands to see the event, with the South Bank looking familiarily full appropriate for this year with the circuit celebrating its centenary.
For those waking up in the paddock on the Sunday morning they had the rare sight of Spectators queuing from paddock Hill bend all the way up to Druids to take part in the pit lane walkabout at 9.00a.m.
The grid for race 2 was set from the finishing order of Race 1. Tim Tudor would be starting from the back of the grid and Simon Aldworth would be a withdrawal.
Prior to the start of the race as on Saturday the wind did start to get up with some clouds appearing but nothing of any concern. Paul Trayhurn had a late problem when his clutch release bearing seized, forcing a pit lane start for the man who should have started on the third row.
At the start Michael Gibbins led into Paddock Hill bend, with Richard Johnson and James Barwell slotting in behind. Ben Cater made a good start to be fourth, Mackenzie Walker 5th and Tom Stoten 6th. Nik Johnson was 7th, Nik later reporting the handling of the car was not as good as Saturday.
Paul Streat again headed the Historic classes from Chris Snowdon, and Mike Fry. Tim Tudor did not complete a lap in the University of Wales car. Whilst the order at the front of the race remained stable there was plenty of interest further down the order. The pace David had set in Race 1 the ex Grant Williams Van Diemen was coming to the fore in Race 2. David finally being able to demonstrate the cars full potential. From his starting position of 11th on the grid, David was up to 8th by lap 3 and chasing after the Lola of Nik Johnson.
Having started from the Pit Lane, Paul Trayhurn was carving through the pack to be up to 15th on the same lap. Josh Needham was another driver who had come through the field well, moving from 16th place to 11th tucked onto the back of Peter Brouwer’s Lola, who was renewing his dice with Matthew Harbot.
On lap 7 Mackenzie Walker made his move to gain a podium position overtaking James Barwell into Druids before quickly latching onto the rear of Richard Johnson. Michael Gibbins remaining a safe distance clear of the contest taking place behind him. David Williams had also advanced his Van Diemen into 7th place. A lap later Paul Trayhurn overtook Steve Ough for 11th place and lead of the Derek Bell class.
On lap 10 Richard Johnson ran a little wide at Paddock Hill and Mackenzie Walker moved into second position. With a clear track Mackenzie began his chase of the leader Michael Gibbins. Mackenzie setting the fastest lap of the race in his pursuit of Michael, finishing just over 2 seconds behind at the end.
On lap 11 Ben Cater retired to the Pits a victim of alternator failure. Ben’s demise elevating David Williams to 5th place overall his best placing of the season with a promise of what could be expected from the season to come. Paul Trayhurn had passed Peter Brouwer to take 10th position Andrew Noble having a good run had passed Clive Hayes and Roger Donnan and set off in pursuit of John Illey.
Roger Donnan having made changes to the Rear damping of his MCR found he had made the car more unstable, giving him a particularly focusing moment when he ran wide at Paddock Hill Bend with a subsequent trip through the gravel trap.
Adrian Ridge who had been part of a dice with Andrew Butler and Clive Hayes had a spin at Surtees, his bogey corner for the weekend, which dropped him down the order. Paul Trayhurn’s car issues continued when he developed problems with the rear wing. Dropping him back behind Steve Ough. Paul nursing the car home to 11th place at the finish. The Final retirement of the day was Andrew Noble, who after his fine drive during the afternoon Andrew retired with low fuel pressure on lap 16.
The Final result was another win for Michael Gibbins, 5 out of 5. Second was Mackenzie Walker who seems to go faster as the race progresses, Richard Johnson was third with James Barwell 4th . David Williams was a well deserved 5th place and the Class B winner, from 6th place Nik Johnson second in Class B, 7th was Peter Brouwer who completed the Class B podium. 8th place was Tom Stoten who had dropped in the results following a track limits penalty. Matthew Harbot finished in 9th place with Steve Ough completing the top 10 and winning the Derek Bell class from Paul Trayhurn.
Paul Streat was the overall winner of the Historic Classes and Class A winner. Second on the road was Chris Snowdon with Mike Fry 3rd. Mike winning Historic class C from Clive Steeper.
David Williams was named as Driver of the Day and a fitting farewell to Grant Williams who had assisted with the engineering of his former car before returning to Australia after the meeting. At the prize giving the assembled paddock bade a fond farewell to this popular member of the paddock.
The drivers teams and supporters were once again grateful for the hospitality provided by Chloe, the Pink ladies, trainee Barista Jon Harmer and all the helpers that made it a great weekend.
The Sports 2000 grid had produced two exciting races in front of a large crowd with only one short safety car interval over the event. Oulton Park will host the next round of the Championship with a 50 Minute endurance race in June.

Many thanks to Alan Jones for this report.

Full results are available via the Results Page. Here

Race Images

Many thanks to Kevin Gibson of KJG Photograpy for these Images from the event. To view the full set or purchase copies visit https://www.kjgphotography.co.uk