The Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy joined the brand-new Lydden Legend Festival for a summer double-header at Lydden Hill Race Circuit, where crowds were treated to fantastic action on-track and incredible access and nostalgia in the paddock (July 20-21).

While legendary names of the sport took part in demonstration races in the Lydden Legend categories for rallycross and rally machinery, the 5 Nations BRX Supercar drivers contested a double-header event, and it was championship leader Patrick O’Donovan who maintained his dominant run though the 2024 campaign.

Racing a Proton Iriz RX, swapping machinery with his father Ollie O’Donovan, Patrick won each of his heats, semi-final and the final in round five on Saturday with conviction, as the championship reached its halfway stage. Behind the flying 20-year-old, Murray Motorsport driver John McCluskey (Ford Fiesta) delivered a strong performance to finish second, gaining ground in the opening corner to climb the order, then defending his position to the finish, as Ollie O’Donovan (Ford Fiesta) completed the podium.

The final had a similar outcome on Sunday, but it was initially semi-final two winner Michael Leonard (Ford Fiesta) who made the best launch into the first corner, before O’Donovan made a move on the inside before Lydden’s big jump. Leonard pressured O’Donovan in the opening stages and finished a competitive second, while Tristan Ovenden (Citroen DS3) recovered from dramas moments before the race to secure a home podium.

McCluskey retired from Sunday’s final in the latter stages after rolling his car following contact with Ollie O’Donovan at the North Bend Hairpin, a move for which O’Donovan was handed a four-place penalty. Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Evo), who had twice suffered broken rear suspension on Saturday, finished fourth, ahead of a puncture-stricken Julian Godfrey (Citroen DS3), the latter having claimed fourth in round five, while Colin Anson (Mitsubishi Mirage) twice finished in the top six.

Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship

Benjamin Bartlett enjoyed a dream fight-back performance in the fifth round of the Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross Championship to claim a convincing victory. Bartlett’s weekend began with a DNF in the opening heat race following contact, but consistently running at the front in the remaining heat sessions meant a second-place start for the final, alongside pole sitter and championship leader Tyler Mcalpin. But, as the lights went green it was Bartlett who took the advantage, and despite race-long pressure from Mcalpin, Bartlett held on to claim the win. Teddie Macpherson ran third early on but retired with problems. Harrison Folley ultimatley completed the podium, just ahead of Pheobe Cake.

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