Liona Theobald and Beanie Reece were the stars of the all-female Wera Alliance Racing Academy’s trip to Croft, as both showed great pace to finish just outside of the top ten in race two, with Lexie Powell and Ellena Reece also enjoying a productive weekend.

On track action began on Friday, with the first three practice sessions. Between the three sessions, Theobald and Beanie mostly hung around the top 15, with the former leading the team’s charge in FP1 in 15th, while Beanie was the benchmark in the other two sessions. After a difficult round at Donington Park last time out, Powell was a promising 16th-fastest in FP3, whilst Ellena stayed close to the trio in all three sessions.

On Saturday morning, qualifying took place. Beanie was the fastest of the quartet, posting the 14th-best time just ahead of Theobald, while Powell and Ellena were 18th and 21st. While that set the grid for race one, their second-best laps made up the grid for race two, in which Beanie was once again 14th fastest, closely followed by Theobald and Powell, whilst Ellena was 21st.

Later that day, race one took place. At the start, the quartet maintained their positions as the race was immediately neutralised due to a crash for Adam Curtis on the opening lap. Their progress was halted on the restart, when Theobald and Beanie both retired due to a collision, leaving Powell and Ellena to lead the team’s charge. The duo fought valiantly in the rest of the 12-lap race, as they finished 17th and 18th on the road to open up the weekend.

Ahead of Sunday’s race two, both Reece sisters were given grid penalties, meaning they’d have to start from the back row, while Theobald and Powell lined up 14th and 15th on the grid. At the start, Theobald ran as high as 13th and hung around her starting position in the early stages, while Powell and Beanie took advantage of misfortunes from Josh Selvadorai and Finley Groom to move up to 15th and 16th just after the halfway mark.

With six minutes to go, Leo Richardson and Harry Smith collided at Turn 1, putting both out of the race and forcing the safety car to be deployed. Ultimately, the race was not resumed, thus sealing an 11th-place finish for Theobald, whilst Beanie completed a mighty comeback drive from last to finish 13th. Powell matched her season-best result of 14th, whilst Ellena bounced back from a spin to cross the line 18th.

Only one round remains on the Mini Challenge Trophy calendar, that being at Brands Hatch on 31 October – 1 November. In the overall standings, Theobald continues to lead the team’s charge as she sits 14th overall, whilst Powell is two places behind her in 16th, whereas Ellena and Beanie Reece are 18th and 19th respectively.

Race report by https://www.racers-behindthehelmet.com/

Nineteen-year-old Beanie Reece was the star of Wera Alliance Racing’s efforts at Donington Park by securing two top-15 finishes and often finding herself leading the four-car squad’s charge in the races. Liona Theobald matched Reece’s pace all weekend and was the team’s highest-qualifying driver in 16th, while Ellena Reece and Lexie Powell ended their weekends on a positive note by securing a top 15 in race three.

The weekend began on Thursday, with the first two practice sessions of the weekend, which were headlined by wet conditions. Across both sessions, Powell and Ellena Reece traded fastest laps within the team, as they set the 18th- and 19th- fastest times throughout the day, as Beanie and Theobald gathered valuable experience in the treacherous conditions.

On Saturday, racing action resumed with qualifying taking place in the morning on a dry track. In more favorable conditions, Theobald set the 16th-fastest time and was closely followed by Beanie Reece in 17th, while Ellena and Powell qualified 20th and 22nd respectively. Second-fastest laps from qualifying were used to determine the grid for race one, meaning Beanie and Theobald swapped places on the grid, as Ellena was 18th and Powell lined up 22nd on the grid.

Later that day, race one commenced. On the opening lap, Theobald overtook Beanie to take 16th, while Ellena dropped to 20th behind Blair Dryburgh and Louis Fleet. As the leading pair of the team held their positions in the early stages, Ellena was passed by Finley Groom and Powell on lap three as she slipped to 22nd. Two laps later, the Newton-born racer moved herself back up to 20th ahead of Groom and Powell, while Powell was passed by Adam Curtis on lap six.

The rest of the race proved to be a quiet one for most of the Wera Alliance Racing outfit, as Theobald and the Reece sisters maintained their positions as the checkered flag fell, while Powell decisively passed two cars in the closing stages to cross the line 21st.

On Sunday morning, race two took place, in which the results of race one were used to make up the grid, with the reversal of the top nine finishers. It was a clean start for Beanie, who moved up to 16th, as Theobald slid to 19th, directly ahead of Ellena and Powell. However, the race was then halted on the following lap due to a crash for Harry Smith, which required extensive repairs to the tyre barriers at the chicane.

As a result, all four Wera Alliance Racing drivers were promoted up a place in time for the restart with a handful of minutes on the clock. While Beanie maintained 15th in the closing stages, Theobald and Ellena both overtook Dryburgh to move themselves to 17th and 18th on the restart, as Powell followed them closely in 20th as the race drew to a close.

At the start of race three, Beanie overtook Theobald to once again move herself up to 16th, while Theobald was also passed by Fleet and thus dropped to 18th. All four cars then moved up a place following Luca Marinoni Osborne’s off-track excursion on lap two, as Powell moved past Ellena for 19th on lap four. In parallel, Theobald began her quest to regain lost positions, by passing Fleet on lap four and then finding her way past Dryburgh to move herself up to 16th in the second half of the race.

With a handful of minutes left on the clock, Powell and Ellena began to battle for 18th, after passing Fleet, with Powell staying on top after a decisive defence at Goddards with six minutes left on the clock. In the closing stages of the race, drivers in close proximity to the Wera Alliance squad began receiving track limit penalties, but with two laps to go, all four moved up three places following a collision between Josh Selvadorai, Richard Jepp and Henry Foote on the exit of the Melbourne hairpin.

As the checkered flag waved at the end of the following lap, Beanie rounded out a positive weekend in 12th, ahead of Theobald in 13th. Ellena and Powell followed suit in 14th and 15th, after taking advantage of Dryburgh’s five-second penalty for track limits.

Following a clean weekend, Theobald enters the final two rounds 13th in the overall standings on 308 points, as Powell sits on 252 in 16th, as Beanie and Ellena Reece are on 242 and 240, in 18th and 19th respectively. The Wera Alliance Racing quartet will be back in action next weekend at Croft, on September 4–6.

Race report from https://www.racers-behindthehelmet.com/

From breakthrough top-12 drives to heroic pit-lane turnarounds, drivers Liona Theobald, Beanie Reece, Ellie Reece, and Lexie Powell battled through adversity, slipstreams, and track temperatures to bring their machines home across three frantic races.

 Liona Theobald: Home-Track Heroics Reach Peak Performance

Returning to her home circuit of Thruxton, Liona Theobald delivered one of the standout driver performances of the entire weekend. After taking full advantage of Friday’s three free practice sessions to blow off the cobwebs following the mid-season break since Pembrey, Theobald went straight to work on Saturday morning.

Working seamlessly with her teammates to orchestrate the vital Thruxton slipstream, Theobald executed a superb qualifying session to set P17 and P18 grid positions—crucially slashing her gap to pole position down to under a single second.

• Race 1: Slicing through the mid-pack with composure, Theobald mounted impressive wheel-to-wheel battles across the high-speed sweeping bends to climb from P17 to P15.
• Race 2: A grueling second outing proved a steep learning curve, as shuffling positions in the drafting pack relegated her from P15 to P22.
• Race 3: The highlight of her campaign. Starting from P18, Theobald launched a relentless charge up the order, picking off rivals through the chicane and complex to cross the finish line in P12—matching her season-best finish and edging ever closer to her top-10 goal.

Beanie Reece: Courage in the Face of Cruel Luck

For Beanie Reece, Round 4 tested grit and mental resilience to the absolute limit. Fighting illness from the outset, Reece’s weekend was further complicated when mechanical gremlins struck her car on Friday, sidelining her for both FP2 and FP3.

To compound matters, power steering failure in qualifying left her fighting the car manually around the UK’s most physically demanding track. Thanks to monumental efforts from the crew at Team Avago, the car was ready for race day, but luck remained elusive:

• Race 1: Reece’s recovery was curtailed early after collecting stray track debris, causing her bonnet to come loose and forcing an unwanted pit stop.
• Race 2: Showing trademark determination despite feeling far from 100%, Reece dug deep to gain crucial track time and experience amidst a packed midfield.
• Race 3: Pushing through worsening physical fatigue, Reece made a clean getaway. After getting caught up in opening-lap skirmishes, she focused on clean driving to bring the car safely across the finish line to cap off a grueling weekend, with her sights now firmly set on Donington Park.

Ellie Reece: Bouncing Back from the Tyre Wall

Ellie Reece’s Thruxton weekend began with a heart-stopping moment during Friday’s final practice at Goodwood, when a mishap sent her straight into the tyre wall. What followed was a masterclass in driver psychology as she reset her mindset and fought her way back into contention behind the wheel of her trusty machine, “Moriarty 🎱”.

• Race 1: Launching from P23, Reece immediately went on the front foot, carving her way up four places to finish P19.
• Race 2: Carving through mid-race tussles from P19 down to P22 before rallying back to P18, Reece demonstrated major progress in tyre preservation and race craft in Thruxton’s notorious high-speed slipstream trains.
• Race 3: Building on her newfound confidence, Reece staged another strong recovery from P22 to P19, displaying competitive race pace and sharp overtaking instincts throughout.

Lexie Powell: High-Speed Drama & High-Speed Pace

Lexie Powell turned heads during Saturday morning qualifying, mastering the art of the tow around the 2.35-mile Hampshire circuit to lock in a lap time less than a second off overall pole position.

• Race 1: Starting P16, Powell engaged in fierce wheel-to-wheel tussles. Despite dropping spots in the opening laps, her sharp race craft allowed her to reclaim lost ground and seal a hard-fought P16 finish.
• Race 2: Soaring track temperatures caused severe grip issues, resulting in a high-speed off at one of the circuit’s quickest sections. Undeterred, Powell kept her head down to cross the line in P24.
• Race 3: Adopting an “all-or-nothing” mentality for Sunday’s finale, Powell executed a lightning start to climb into 16th position while stoutly defending from behind. A late-race moment at the final chicane cost valuable positions, but Powell safely guided the car home to P20.

Making their series debuts at Silverstone, the quartet of Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers adapted superbly to the challenges of the Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy. Switching from motorcross, Beanie Reece achieved a best result of 12th overall while she banked valuable experience starting from pole position in race two.

Moving up from the Junior Saloon Car Championship, teenage racer Lexie Powell achieved a highest finish of 14th, while Liona Theobald scored a pair of top-15 results on her first starts in front-wheel-drive machinery. Completing the quartet was Ellena Reece who drove maturely on her way to a trio of 20th place results as she made consistent progress over the course of the event.

In a landmark move for the Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy, Wera Alliance Racing Academy entered the series with an all-female, four car lineup supported by Team Avago. Featuring a quartet of young rookie drivers with big motorsport ambitions, the squad aims to develop their skills in one of the most competitive one-make championships in Britain.

Established in 2021, the Wera Alliance Racing Academy have supported drivers in a range of different championship across the last five years. From the British Rally Championship to Radical Cup UK, the initiative has pushed drivers to reach their potential. Following their support for teenage racers Alfie Garford and Jenson Mason last season, the Wera Alliance Racing Academy are no strangers to the Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy as they look to continue their quest to support emerging talents.

Liona Theobald entered the season as the most experienced of the quartet having began her circuit racing career in the Ginetta Junior Championship. Theobald then moved up into the GT Cup Championship where she sampled GT4 level machinery, before regularly contending for top-5 finishes in the Ginetta GT Championship. However, a switch to front-wheel-drive machinery was a new challenge for Liona and she was looking to hit the ground running with her knowledge of circuits such as Silverstone.

Stepping up from the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Lexie Powell was looking to rely on her single-make experience in her rookie season. The move from driving a Citroen Saxo to a Mini Cooper was a natural step for Powell who displayed superb improvements throughout the 2025 season. Powell finished the campaign 13th in the overall standings, eighth among the rookie drivers, while securing a best result of ninth in the season finale at Brands Hatch.

Completing the lineup are sisters Ellena and Beanie Reece who bring a wealth of varied motorsport experience. Ellena has previously competed in historic machinery, requiring a unique skill set in comparison to the more technologically advance Mini. Sister Beanie is switching from two wheels to four with her background in motocross showcasing a different route altogether. Both sisters are eager to learn alongside the Wera Alliance Racing Academy and all four drivers are supported by experienced Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy squad Team Avago.

On-track action began on Friday with the quartet of drivers banking valuable track time in both wet and dry conditions. Qualifying on Saturday morning took place with a fully dry track and therefore working together and utilising the slipstream was crucial to a fast lap time. As the session reached the halfway point, all four Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers sat inside the top-20 and were continuing to improve as they gained experience in the car.

At the end of the fifteen-minute session, Beanie Reece was the highest qualifier on her car racing debut as she set the 15th fastest time in her Team Avago machine, seventh among the Rookie class drivers. Reece was less than a second behind the pole-sitting time of Matt Luff to underline her excellent pace on debut.

Lexie Powell was less than a tenth of a second behind Reece as she qualified in 17th position on her senior racing debut. Switching to front-wheel-drive machinery, Liona Theobald began her season with a 19th place qualifying effort, while Ellena Reece set the 21st fastest time. All four Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers were covered by three-quarters of a second, further highlighting the close and competitive nature of the Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy.

The opening race of the season was held on Saturday afternoon and with the grid positions based upon the second fastest times set in qualifying, this resulted in some changes to the starting order. Beanie Reece lined up from 16th on the grid with Lexie Powell and Liona Theobald directly behind in 17th and 18th positions respectively. Ellena Reece’s debut race began from 20th position as all four drivers looked to gain valuable experience.

As the lights went out, the Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers all made clean starts with Beanie Reece holding her position while Powell and Theobald lost one position. Ellena Reece fell to 22nd place, however she was quickly on the move and gained back one spot on lap two. Theobald also gained a position on the second tour, while Powell fell to 22nd spot. Powell and Ellena Reece were then engaged in a close battle with Lexie coming out on top as she pushed back towards the top-20 after a challenging start.

On the fringes of the top-15, Beanie Reece was doing a superb job in her first car race as the young driver was remaining in contention with the leading group. After passing Jonathan Wild on lap four, Powell was continuing to gain ground and after an incident involving Josh Selvadorai and Henry Foote, she was up to 18th position. This contact also promoted Beanie Reece to 14th while Theobald was now inside the top-15 with Ellena Reece into 20th spot.

On lap six, Beanie Reece was now up to 13th after passing Leo Richardson and with the Graves Motorsport driver slowing with an issue, this led to opportunities for the remaining trio to move forward. Theobald was into 14th at the end of the following lap while Beanie Reece’s charge was progressing further as she moved up to 12th spot while remaining in realistic contention for a top-10 result on debut.

On lap nine, Theobald overtook Daniel Patterson while Richard Jepp passed both Liona and Patterson in a great-way battle for position. As Richardson continued to fall back, Ellena Reece moved into 19th position while both herself and Theobald began running personal best times. Following a pass on Wild, Ellena Reece was up to 18th position before coming under attack from a recovering Selvadorai on the final lap.

Reece was just unable to hold on with Wild also following Selvadorai through as she finished her first Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy race in 20th position. Powell displayed excellent speed in the closing stages as she crossed the line in 17th spot, while Theobald’s first start in front-wheel-drive machinery yielded a 14th place finish. Beanie Reece finished as the highest placed Wera Alliance Racing Academy driver as she took the chequered flag in 12th position, fifth among the Rookie drivers, and just seven seconds behind race winner Joshua Wilby.

Race two at Silverstone took place on Sunday morning and with the top-12 finishing positions reversed to set the grid, Beanie Reece lined up on pole position. Theobald started from the seventh row of the grid in 14th with Powell in 17th spot and Ellena Reece lining up from 20th position.

It was an extremely valuable experience for Beanie Reece starting from the front of the field, however she was shuffled back to 16th at the end of the opening lap. She completed lap one just ahead of Powell and Theobald who completed the first lap in 17th and 19th positions respectively. Ellena Reece also faced a challenging start as she fell to 23rd position, while becoming slightly adrift of the midfield runners.

On lap two, Beanie Reece fought back as she re-entered the top-15 following a pass on Daniel Patterson. Misfortune then struck for the polesitter as she was forced to retire from the race on lap three, ending a promising run for the Wera Alliance Racing Academy driver. Powell was now leading the remaining trio in 17th position with Theobald one position behind in 18th, while Ellena Reece climbed to 22nd spot.

Powell and Theobald continued to improve their lap times as the race approached the halfway stage with both drivers working hard to catch the group of drivers ahead. Although she was unable to benefit from the slipstream of those ahead, Ellena Reece was continuing to bank valuable experience of the Silverstone National circuit.

As Patterson and Finley Groom began battling ahead, Powell was doing a nice job to bridge the deficit to the battling duo. On lap 10, an incident at the head of the field involving Ashley Gregory, Louis Fleet and Giovanni Santora saw both drivers retire from the race with the Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers all benefiting. As a result, Powell was up to 15th position with Theobald in 16th spot, while Ellena Reece was now inside the top-20.

This incident necessitated the safety car being deployed and with the two cars requiring extensive recovery, the race was red flagged and with one minute remaining on the clock, a result was declared. Therefore, Powell was classified in 15th spot while finishing as the ninth highest rookie to improve on her result of 17th from race one. Theobald enjoyed another clean race as she banked solid points for a 16th place finish while Ellena Reece collected her second 20th place result in as many races. Following a post-race disqualification for Gregory, all three drivers gained one position with Powell up to 14th, Theobald in 16th and Ellena Reece in 19th position.

The final race of the weekend was held on Sunday afternoon and the grid positions were based upon the results from qualifying. After her incident in race two, Gregory was handed a ten-place grid penalty and as a result, this promoted Beanie Reece to 14th on the grid with Powell one row behind in 16th position. Theobald lined up from 19th spot with Ellena Reece looking to gain places from 21st position.

As the lights went out, it was a clean start throughout the field with Beanie Reece and Theobald holding their starting position, while Powell and Ellena Reece gained one position each. The top-15 drivers quickly began to break away from the field with Beanie Reece again doing a superb job against more experienced rivals.

After a challenging start of his own, Leo Richardson was moving forward and he passed Powell on lap two and Theobald on lap three. By the end of the third lap, Beanie Reece remained in 14th position while Theobald and Powell were running in 17th and 18th positions respectively. On lap four, Beanie Reece fell behind Finley Groom with a good battle emerging for positions just inside the top-15. However, this group of drivers were delayed and therefore began losing touch with the leading group who were utilising the powerful slipstream to break away.

Beanie Reece reclaimed 14th spot from Groom on lap seven, while Theobald and Powell started fighting for 17th position. Just a tenth of a second separated the two Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers who were honing their racecraft in a close battle on the Silverstone National circuit. Ellena Reece was enjoying a quiet race, however she came under pressure from Blair Dryburgh in the closing stages.

On the penultimate lap of the race, Richardson passed Beanie Reece, however the newcomer fought back on the final tour and crossed the line in 15th position, less than two hundredths of a second behind her rival. Theobald successfully held off Powell to finish in 17th, with Jonathan Wild separating the drivers with a final lap pass on Powell. Ellena Reece completed her debut weekend in the series with another 20th place result, underlining her consistency as she adapts to modern front-wheel-drive machinery.

It was a hugely encouraging weekend for the four Wera Alliance Racing Academy drivers who banked valuable experience at Silverstone. Beanie Reece starred on her car racing debut as she secured the best result out of the quartet with a 12th place result in race one. Both Powell and Theobald collected top-15 finishes, while Ellena Reece executed three clean races while battling with her fellow rookie drivers.

The next round of the Mairon Motorsport Mini Challenge Trophy takes place at Snetterton on the weekend of 23rd/24th May.

Race report from https://www.racers-behindthehelmet.com/

Making up the four car team are Ellena Reece, Beanie Reece, Lexie Powell and Liona Theobald.

Sisters Ellena and Beanie Reece will be making their debuts in the MINI CHALLENGE this season with older sister Ellena coming from a pre war car racing background and Beanie making the cross over from a successful career on two wheels in Motocross.

Ellena had this to say about joining the academy and her hopes for the season

“Joining the Wera Alliance Racing Academy is a fantastic opportunity and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the MINI Cooper this season. My background in historic motorsport has shaped my passion for racing, and I’m looking forward to building experience, improving consistency, and learning as much as possible alongside such a supportive and driven team. I’m hugely grateful for the opportunity and so excited for the year ahead!” 

Beanie is looking forward to testing her skills on four wheels but realises it is going to be a massive learning curve,

”I’m incredibly excited and truly grateful for the opportunity to compete in the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as part of a four-car women’s team. It means so much to be involved in something new and inspiring through the Wera Alliance Academy. I know it will be a steep learning curve, but I’m ready to embrace the challenge and can’t wait to get started.

This season also marks an exciting new chapter for me as I make the transition from two wheels to four wheels. My goal is to gain as much experience as possible in the car, continually develop my race craft, and improve with every round. I’m determined to learn from every session, build consistency and confidence, and make strong progress throughout the season.”

Lexie Powell is no stranger to motorsport with her father enjoying a successful career in Truck Racing. Last season Lexie was racing in the JSCC and is looking forward to progressing her career in the MINI Challenge. She had this to say about the season ahead and joining the academy:

“Joining the Wera Alliance Racing Academy is a really big deal for me, I am still so new to racing and to have Wera support and believe in me means so much. I hope this is the start of a long and successful journey.” 

“I am excited about the move into MINI CHALLENGE, the cars look and sound amazing and I really think they will suit my driving style. I have a lot to learn but I cannot wait to get started and see what I can achieve this year “ 

Liona Theobald first started racing in 2021 in the Ginetta Juniors Winter Series and then the full season in 2022. Having raced in other Ginetta classes as well as Caterham’s she moved up to the GT4 achieving a number of podiums in that category.

She is looking forward to testing herself in a different racing category and had this to say about joining the Wera Alliance Racing Academy,

“I am absolutely thrilled to join the Wera Alliance Racing Academy for the 2026 season in MINI CHALLENGE Trophy alongside Team Avago. I am very grateful to everyone who is involved in making this possible and I am so excited to start this new journey together! I can’t wait for the racing to begin, to develop as a driver, learn new techniques, enjoy every minute in the car and of course push for those results together. See you on track!”

Alliance Racing Team Principal and Wera Alliance Racing Academy founder Pete Osborne had this to say:

“I’m really excited with this team, I believe this is the first all female team in the MINI Challenge so I’m proud to be a part of that. As with all of the members of the academy we pride our selves on promise, talent and characters. These four young ladies have all of that in abundance. They’ve already enjoyed some testing together they had a great first test and were straight on the pace and all get on so well. Its important to us that we’re surrounded by like minded people and we all have the same goal of representing these great brands while enjoying the experience and that’s exactly what we have in this team. I’m also pleased to team up with Dave at Team Avago for what is a really important first year in the academy for all the girls.”

Ian Walford, Managing Director, Wera Tools UK, said

“Pete Osborne and I are extremely excited about our WeraTools/Alliance Racing Academy plans for this season including what we believe is the first time for an all-female team of drivers competing in a mainly male dominated championship. We welcome Beanie Reece, Ellena Reece, Lexie Powell and Liona Theobald into the Academy for the first time and look forward to their rookie year in the very competitive MINI CHALLENGE Trophy. It is an objective of the Academy to select drivers from a young and starting position in a competitor development programme to help them on the way in their racing careers and this very much includes females. Along with the experience of Team Avago, we will provide support and motivation for them to progress and we look forward to celebrating eventual podiums and championships with them.“

Dave Sutton from Team Avago, who are running the team in the MINI CHALLENGE this season didn’t need asking twice when the call came.

“When I first got the call asking if I would like to run the Girls Wera Alliance Racing Academy Cooper Team there was no hesitation in saying yes! 

We are proud and excited to welcome the girls into our Team. Their dedication, courage, and enthusiasm for racing bring fresh energy and perspective to our environment, and we are committed to supporting their development every step of the way.

We look forward to seeing them grow in confidence, push boundaries, and inspire others, as we continue building an inclusive team where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

We truly believe that everyone should be able to follow their passion so to help give these girls this opportunity, we feel truly blessed and can’t wait to see them succeed.”

Friday – Finding the Pace

Friday testing began in damp conditions, but the Wera squad wasted no time getting up to speed. The drivers worked together to fine-tune their setups, and by the end of the day, all three were showing strong pace. Richardson impressed with quick lap times, while Garford and Mason consistently featured toward the top of the timesheets — a promising start to the team’s final weekend of 2025.

Saturday – Qualifying Drama

Saturday brought drying conditions and a bold call from all three drivers to switch to slicks for qualifying. With the surface still tricky, it was a test of balance and bravery. With just five minutes left on the clock, disaster struck — Murray Richardson lost control at Graham Hill Bend and rolled after digging into the damp runoff. Thankfully, he escaped unharmed, though the car required major repairs. Despite the disruption, the Wera drivers delivered an excellent session:

• Alfie Garford – P3

• Jenson Mason – P9

• Murray Richardson – P19

Race 1 – The Comeback

The Wera mechanics produced a herculean effort, repairing Richardson’s MINI in just two hours. Under bright skies and a buzzing crowd, Race 1 lived up to the hype. Garford charged as high as fourth before being caught in a mid-pack melee that briefly launched his car airborne — dropping both him and Mason down the order. Both fought back brilliantly, crossing the line sixth and seventh respectively, while Richardson impressed with gritty racecraft to finish where he started, completing an amazing recovery drive in a freshly rebuilt car.

Sunday – Race 2: Championship Showdown

Sunday morning dawned bright, with a sell-out crowd packing every vantage point around Brands Hatch for the penultimate race of the season. The energy was electric, and all eyes were on Garford, the only driver still with a mathematical chance of snatching the title from championship leader Alex Keens. When the lights went out, both drivers made strong starts, running firmly inside the top four. Garford knew he needed everything to go his way — and for Keens to hit trouble — but the title favourite drove flawlessly. As the laps unfolded, Keens edged into the lead and began to build a commanding gap, while Garford continued to push hard in pursuit. By the chequered flag, Keens crossed the line to seal the 2025 Mini Challenge Trophy title, with Garford finishing just behind in a composed and competitive drive. The young rookie was among the first to offer congratulations to his rival, a gesture that earned admiration across the paddock and perfectly reflected his maturity and sportsmanship.

Jenson Mason brought his car home in a brilliant P3 he also took the Rookie win and also fastest lap, and Murray Richardson finished P21.

Race 3 – The Grand Finale

The final race of the season brought the biggest crowd of the year — with monster trucks, live music, and fireworks setting the stage. Garford lined up P3, Mason P8, and Richardson P14. With just three points separating Garford and Rhys Hurd in the fight for Vice Champion, the pressure was on. At lights out, Garford held third while Mason and Richardson both gained positions, with spectacular lunges.  The early laps saw Garford and Hurd locked in an intense duel for second, with Hurd eventually slipping past and moving into the lead. Garford fought back hard, pulling off spectacular overtakes and showing pure determination. With five minutes remaining, an incident caused a red flag, but Garford was able to continue. On the restart, both Garford and Mason launched brilliantly, moving into second and fourth respectively. On the final lap, under yellow flags, Garford looked set to secure Vice Champion, but a rival dived inside, pushing him to fourth at the flag, while Mason stormed to a superb second place. Richardson’s drive through the field to finish 11^th, the youngster showing a never give up attitude, with lap times faster than the leaders, capped off an incredible performance in his debut season.

Team Commentary

Team Principal Pete Osborne said, “This year has been fantastic. These boys have shown maturity and improvement beyond what I expected. Alfie’s rookie title and third overall in his first year is an outstanding achievement. Murray should hold his head high — to take a race win halfway through his debut season and now be matching the front-runners is outstanding. Jenson has been superb all year — his pace and results in the final rounds show just how strong he’s become. All three lads have done me, the team, and our partners incredibly proud.”

Driver Reflections

Alfie Garford added, “This year’s been great. It’s our first year in the MINI Challenge, so we had a lot to learn, but from the start I knew we could be competitive. My goal was a podium finish in the championship, and that’s exactly what we achieved — plus the Rookie title, which feels amazing. Of course, there’s a bit of disappointment not to win the overall title, but I’m going away really proud of how I’ve driven and how much I’ve learned this season.”

Jenson Mason said, “It’s been a strong finish to the season for us. The pace has really come alive in the last few rounds and to end the year with more silverware feels fantastic. The car felt great all weekend — huge credit to the team for all their hard work.”

Murray Richardson commented, “What a year! My first full season of car racing has been an amazing learning experience. Getting that first win earlier in the year and now running on the pace of the leaders gives me massive confidence heading into next season.”

Summary

It was the perfect conclusion to a landmark year for the Wera Alliance Mini Race Team — three drivers, one united squad, and a season full of speed, progress, and pride.