Returning to the scene of his maiden class podium finish in the Carrera Cup GB last season, sadly this year’s trip to North Yorkshire proved to be a much tougher affair as Jenkins had to bounce back from qualifying confusion and an unfortunate early incident in race one.

The Staffordshire racer, who is competing as part of the Wera Alliance Academy, produced some promising lap times in free practice on Friday. That put him in an optimistic mood for qualifying the next day, however it ended up being a nightmare session.

Jenkins posted a lap time good enough for second place on the timesheets, but unfortunately due to a confusion on the track limits rulings, he had four lap times removed. Despite the majority of drivers on the grid all having laps removed, he was unsuccessful in his appeal to the stewards.

This left him 14th and last on the grid for the opening race on Sunday. It went from bad to worse in that one though, as while trying to make early progress in wet conditions, he was squeezed onto the grass heading into Tower corner.

Powerless to slow down the car on the slippy surface, he skidded into the tyre wall. The subsequent damage to the front of his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car forced him to retire in the pitlane, and left Team Parker Racing with a short window to make repairs ahead of race two.

The team successfully completed the task and Jenkins was able to take up his position at the rear of the grid again. This time around he was able to make progress though, pulling off some good overtaking moves around a notoriously difficult circuit to secure a hard-fought fifth place finish in the PRO class.

Jenkins remains second in the championship heading into the penultimate round of the season at Silverstone (26-27 September). He races thanks to the crucial support of his loyal personal partners Asset Alliance Group, The Reefer Trailer Centre, Hopkins Race Transporters, Barkers Finance, SAF Holland, The Green Group and WS Transportation.

Will Jenkins: “It really wasn’t the weekend we hoped for. We had good pace in the car and I’m confident that we would have been up there fighting for podium finishes, but unfortunately circumstances transpired against us and I had to just salvage some points from race two.

“The confusion surrounding the track limits in qualifying was incredibly frustrating and ended up costing us a lot of potential points this weekend. I was keen to fight forward in race one, but it ended up getting away from me on the first lap.

“I had to take the chance around the outside at Tower, but got squeezed out wide and ultimately was a passenger on the grass. Thank you to the team for a great job to get the damage repaired, the car was back to 100% for race two.

“Croft is narrow and very hard to overtake around in these cars, but I went full send and I’m very happy to have been able to make up a lot of places. That recovered some points which is crucial, and now it’s about resetting and preparing to take on Silverstone next.”

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/

Qualifying: Setting the Stage
The tone was set early during Saturday’s qualifying session. Armed with a setup tuned to absolute perfection by the crew, the car was planted, providing the ultimate confidence to lean on the limits through Croft’s technical twists. Pushing flat-out, a flying lap landed just 0.100s shy of pole position—locking down a front-row start in P2 and setting up a thrilling weekend ahead.

Race 1: Precision at Turn 4
When the lights went out for Race 1, the launch off the line was immediate and relentless. Applying heavy pressure through the opening corners, the decisive maneuver came with a brave move into Turn 4, snatching the race lead. Despite non-stop pressure from behind throughout the distance, a defensive clinic ensured the car crossed the finish line in P1 to claim a brilliant victory.

Race 2: Triumph and Heartbreak
Prioritizing rear tire warmth on the formation lap paid massive dividends for Race 2. A rocket launch off the line secured the lead before Turn 1, laying the foundation for what appeared to be a flawless lights-to-flag victory.

However, post-race controversy struck. Despite maintaining the exact same lines and approach used throughout Qualifying and Race 1, a controversial track-limits penalty stripped away the win. The ruling was the dominant talking point of the paddock all weekend, serving as a harsh reminder of the fine margins in modern motorsport.

Race 3: The Fightback
Relegated to a P4 starting position for Race 3 as a result of the penalty, the objective was clear: charge forward while walking a razor-thin line with track limits.

Wasting no time, relentless pressure was applied to the battle for third place. Replicating the textbook move from Race 1, a clean pass was executed into Turn 4 to secure P3. From there, it was a matter of managing the pace, keeping all four wheels strictly within the lines, and bringing the car safely home onto the podium.

Eyes on Silverstone
While the raw results don’t fully reflect the performance, the driver and team proved themselves as the fastest package on the grid. With unmatched race pace, stellar teamwork, and a double podium under the belt, the momentum now shifts toward Silverstone for the next round.

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/

The Staffordshire racer headed to his home circuit for the second time this season, following a standout performance in the opening round back in April This time the action came on the longer 2.49-mile Grand Prix circuit, a layout he secured a class victory on last year.

Jenkins, who is competing as part of the Wera Alliance Academy, went quickest overall in an official test day at the circuit last month. He continued to show positive pace during pre-event practice on Thursday, including topping the timesheets in the morning session.

Saturday’s qualifying sessions brought two good results, but a tinge of frustration for the young talent. Sitting fastest in the opening run prior to a red flag stoppage, he ended up missing out on pole in a last lap shootout, and went on to make it a pair of second place results that afternoon.

Lining up on the front row in his Team Parker Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, Jenkins initially slipped to third off the start. He settled into the position though and after seeing the driver ahead struggling for grip, he bided his time before pulling off a great move into turn one to retain second.

The 21-year-old went on to replicate that result in race two, live on ITV4. Running in second for the majority of the race, an optimistic move from another driver pushed him wide and down to third, however post-race the Clerk of the Course ruled in his favour and promoted him to second again.

The podium double has strengthened Jenkins’ hold on second place in the championship heading to Croft next (05-06 September). He races thanks to the crucial support of his loyal personal partners Asset Alliance Group, The Reefer Trailer Centre, Hopkins Race Transporters, Barkers Finance, SAF Holland, The Green Group and WS Transportation.

Will Jenkins: “It’s been another brilliant weekend for us. In a hugely-competitive championship like this, you can’t have too many complaints about picking up a pair of second place finishes. It’s given us a big haul of points and maintained our championship challenge into the final three rounds.

“I love Donington Park, it’s my favourite circuit on the calendar, and our pace was good from the official test onwards. I know we had the speed within me and the car to get at least one pole position, but the red flag and a couple of small mistakes on my part meant I missed out.

“The two races were hard work. Losing the spot in race one was frustrating, but I was confident my time would come, I took no risks and made the move stick. I felt I was defending well in race two until an ambitious move when I’d closed the door, so I was relieved to be given the place back afterwards.

“A lot of effort went in to this weekend and we are proud to come away with the podium finishes. Thank you to the team for all of their efforts. Neither me nor the team are content with finishing second though, so we’ll be working even harder to be back at the front for Croft next.”

HKRC Aug 8/9th

For the next twelve months, Wera Alliance Academy driver Felix Tandy, will be wearing a new number on his black and green kart. As winner of the Festival held at Kimbolton, he will replace his usual #127, with the honour of competing as #K, a number given annually only for those who come out on top of the circuits most prestigious weekend of racing.

Round 6

Qualifying        1st (overall and class)

Heat 1              Start     Finish

                        18th     1st      

Heat 2              Start     Finish

                        18th     1st

Heat 3              Start     Finish

                        18th     4th (1st class)

Festival Final  Start     Finish

                        18th     1st     

Tandy set the fastest time in Saturday qualifying, with a combined cadet class grid of Rotax Micromax, plus the Honda powered cadet drivers all competing on track at the same time. This meant even though Tandy’s JTR prepared kart was fastest overall, he and his fellow Rotax class competitors would start all the event’s races at the rear of the Honda pack.

Not put off, and seeing another challenge ahead, Felix got to work in the weekend’s heat races, storming through the field in both heat one and two to overtake seventeen drivers and cross the line first. Heat three saw him come up narrowly short, but did end taking maximum championship points from all races in class.

The Festival Final was a longer twelve minute duration, so whilst having to think carefully about managing his own points race with the Rotax drivers, hopes were high of having enough time to get through right to the front again. Tandy didn’t disappoint – taking the overall lead with two laps to go and eventually finishing over seven seconds clear of his nearest Micromax rival.

To top an excellent weekend, another maximum point haul also extends Felix’s lead in the championship race with four rounds left to come.

The call came just days before the event, giving the 18-year-old British driver virtually no preparation time before joining an established Eurocup-3 field midway through the season.

Already racing with Drivex in the 2026 Spanish F4 Championship, Nathan was given the opportunity to experience the next level of single-seater competition in the significantly faster and more powerful Eurocup-3 car.

The challenge was considerable. Nathan arrived at Monza having never driven a Eurocup-3 car, never raced at the circuit and with zero testing or practice beforehand. His opening laps of the weekend were therefore about learning both a completely new car and one of the fastest circuits on the calendar.

Nathan relished the opportunity and made significant progress with every session, steadily building his understanding of the car and finding more pace as the weekend developed.

Strong debut in Race 1

That progress translated into an encouraging opening race.

Against a competitive 30-driver field, Nathan came through to finish P15 overall and P10 Rookie on his Eurocup-3 race debut.

Considering he had arrived only days earlier with no experience of either the car or circuit, it was an extremely positive start and demonstrated how quickly he had adapted to the step up.

Rapid progress continues in Race 2

Race 2 provided an even clearer indication of Nathan’s growing confidence.

Starting further back in the field, he immediately began working his way forward and gained more positions than any other driver on the grid.

As the race developed, Nathan climbed into P12 overall and was pushing towards the championship points positions – a remarkable progression considering he had only driven the Eurocup-3 car for the first time that weekend.

Unfortunately, his charge was brought to a premature end through no fault of his own when a car spun ahead, collected another competitor and left Nathan with nowhere to go.

Although the result didn’t reflect the performance, the pace and progress shown throughout Race 2 provided an extremely positive conclusion to Nathan’s first Eurocup-3 weekend.

Nathan said:

“What an incredible opportunity. A few days before the weekend I didn’t even know I’d be racing, so to suddenly find myself at Monza in a Eurocup-3 car was amazing.

“There was a huge amount to learn, but I genuinely enjoyed every single minute. Every time I went out I felt more comfortable, understood the car better and could feel myself getting quicker.

“Race 1 was really positive and then in Race 2 everything started to come together. We made up a lot of positions and got into P12, so it was frustrating for it to end the way it did, but that’s racing.

“The biggest thing I’ll take away from the weekend is how much progress we made in such a short space of time. I’m incredibly grateful to Drivex for putting their trust in me and giving me this opportunity.

“I’ve definitely come away wanting more!”

For Nathan, the weekend was about far more than the final classification. It was an opportunity to test himself at the next level, learn a new car and circuit under intense time pressure, and demonstrate his ability to adapt against drivers with significantly more Eurocup-3 experience.

From arriving at Monza with zero laps in the car to fighting towards the championship points in Race 2, the weekend represented another exciting step forward in his development.

For the Wera Alliance Racing Academy, it was another proud moment as Nathan seized an unexpected opportunity, maximised every lap and showed that he is ready to keep pushing towards the next level of his motorsport career.

A COMMANDING WEEKEND IN FIFE

Wera Alliance Racing Academy celebrated another commanding weekend in the Power Maxed MINI CHALLENGE JCW Sport championship as Alfie Garford and Murray Richardson secured a qualifying one-two before completing three consecutive one-two finishes at Knockhill.

The fifth meeting of the season — incorporating rounds 12, 13 and 14 — provided almost every challenge Scotland could offer. While much of the country enjoyed summer sunshine, Knockhill delivered rapidly changing conditions, difficult tyre decisions and a fully wet second race.

Through it all, Garford and Richardson demonstrated impressive speed, maturity and teamwork. Their performances also offered another indication that both young drivers have the potential to compete for strong overall positions in the full JCW field as they continue their development towards 2027.

SERIOUS PACE IN QUALIFYING

Saturday’s qualifying session provided the first clear sign of the Academy’s pace. Garford put the #88 MINI on JCW Sport pole with a 57.668-second lap, while Richardson completed an all-Wera front row in the #8 car.

Both drivers backed up their fastest times with strong second-fastest laps, securing the same starting order for the weekend’s final race. More significant than the class one-two was the continuing reduction in the gap to the more powerful JCW cars.

Around Knockhill’s short, fast and unforgiving 1.27-mile layout, both Academy drivers showed confidence and commitment, using the circuit knowledge gained during midweek testing to good effect. The performance gave the team plenty of encouragement about their ability to race competitively within the main JCW pack next season.

RACE ONE  |  MURRAY’S SCOTTISH WEATHER GAMBLE

Conditions created a major strategic decision ahead of Saturday’s opening race. Rain had fallen earlier, but the circuit was drying and most of the field committed to slick tyres.

Richardson and the team took a bold gamble by fitting wet tyres, hoping another shower would arrive during the race. Initially, the decision looked inspired. While the slick-shod cars struggled to generate temperature, Murray attacked the opening laps with confidence and briefly raised the exciting possibility of challenging much further into the overall JCW order.

An overall victory for a JCW Sport car would have been an extraordinary and unheard-of result. Unfortunately, the expected rain stayed away. As the surface continued to dry, the wet tyres overheated and Murray’s early advantage disappeared. In a final twist typical of Knockhill, the rain returned almost as the chequered flag was shown — only a few minutes too late to reward the gamble.

Garford remained on slicks and managed the changing conditions to secure the first JCW Sport victory of the weekend, with Richardson bringing the #8 car home second. Although the strategy did not ultimately pay off, it demonstrated the ambition running through the Academy: a calculated attempt to achieve something exceptional.

RACE TWO  |  STAYING AFLOAT

Sunday’s opening contest was held on a fully wet circuit, presenting a completely different challenge. Standing water, limited visibility and constantly changing grip levels made simply keeping the cars on the track an achievement.

Garford delivered a controlled performance in the #88 car, judging the available grip and avoiding the incidents that caught out several competitors. He secured his second class win of the weekend and extended his championship advantage.

Richardson also produced a composed drive in extremely difficult conditions. With the car moving beneath him and visibility reduced by spray, Murray concentrated on bringing the MINI home while continuing to build valuable wet-weather experience. He crossed the line second in JCW Sport, completing another Wera Alliance Academy one-two on a race in which there had been little margin for error.

RACE THREE  |  MIDWEEK PREPARATION PAYS OFF

The circuit was dry for the final race, allowing both drivers to demonstrate the outright pace developed during their pre-event test. Garford and Richardson immediately settled into a confident rhythm and comfortably controlled the JCW Sport contest.

Their consistency through Knockhill’s high-speed direction changes, the compression at Duffus Dip and the demanding run through the chicane showed how effectively they had converted their testing data into race performance.

Garford’s best lap of 57.835 seconds secured the JCW Sport fastest lap alongside his third victory of the weekend. Richardson recorded a 58.919 and completed the Academy’s third consecutive one-two finish.

Both drivers were able to lap at a pace increasingly comparable with cars from the full JCW category. On a circuit where even a small time difference is magnified by the short lap, their performance was another important measure of the progress made during the season.

Garford therefore completed a perfect hat-trick of class victories at his first visit to Knockhill, while Richardson added three second-place finishes to a weekend that showcased his growing speed, confidence and willingness to make ambitious strategic calls.

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION

The Knockhill results take Garford’s season total to 13 JCW Sport victories from the opening 14 races. He leaves Scotland leading the championship with 757 points.

Richardson remains second on 567 points after strengthening his position with three further podium finishes. The two Wera Alliance Academy drivers also hold first and second in the JCW Sport Rookie Cup, where Garford leads Richardson by 124 points.

DRIVER COMMENTS

ALFIE GARFORD  |  CAR #88

“It’s been a mega first weekend at Knockhill. Qualifying on pole and taking three wins is a fantastic result, but the biggest positive for me was the pace we showed across every type of condition.”

“The wet race was especially challenging because there was so little grip, so it was about staying calm and making sure we brought the result home. In the final race, we could really use everything we learned during the test and the car felt strong.”

“Murray kept pushing all weekend and that helps both of us continue improving. The gap to the JCW cars is something we’re watching closely, and weekends like this give us a lot of confidence about where we could be next year.”

MURRAY RICHARDSON  |  CAR #8

“The wet-tyre decision in race one was a gamble, but for the opening laps it genuinely felt like it might work. If the rain had arrived a little earlier, it could have produced an unbelievable result. Instead, it arrived as the race finished, which was frustrating, but that is sometimes how racing goes.”

“Race two was about surviving some extremely slippery conditions and bringing the car home. It was good experience and another strong result for the team.”

“The final race was the most enjoyable because we could put our testing knowledge into practice and show our true pace. Three second places is a positive weekend, and I feel like I’m continuing to move forward every time I get in the car.”

TEAM PRINCIPAL COMMENTS

PETE OSBORNE  |  TEAM PRINCIPAL

“This was another extremely encouraging weekend for both drivers. Alfie delivered three very controlled victories and showed why he is leading the championship, while Murray demonstrated speed, bravery and a willingness to take an opportunity when it presented itself.”

“The wet-tyre gamble in race one was ambitious, but for a time it looked like it could create something very special. Had the rain arrived a few minutes earlier, we could have been talking about a JCW Sport car challenging for an overall win.”

“What impressed me most was the pace both boys showed relative to the JCW field. They are still developing, but they are learning quickly and pushing each other forward. Their performances at Knockhill showed that both have the potential to fight for serious overall positions as they take the next step in their careers.”

“It was a complete team effort in very difficult conditions, and everyone involved can be proud of three one-two finishes in Scotland.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The Wera Alliance Academy now has a seven-week break before the penultimate meeting of the season at Silverstone National on 26–27 September.

Garford will arrive looking to consolidate his commanding championship advantage, while Richardson will aim to convert his growing speed into further victories as he works to secure second in the standings.

With just Silverstone and the Brands Hatch Grand Prix finale remaining, the focus will be on completing a highly successful JCW Sport campaign while continuing to prepare both young drivers for the next stage of their development.

WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

While Marshall’s staggering six-race winning streak—a run that stretched to nine consecutive victories when counting last season’s performances—finally came to an end, his heroic damage limitation on Scottish soil keeps him firmly at the summit of the standings with just three rounds remaining.

Qualifying: Fine Margins on the Front Row

The tone for the weekend was set early in qualifying, where speed was abundant but the margins were razor-thin. Marshall pushed his machine to the absolute limit around the tight, undulating circuit, only to miss out on pole position by a agonizing 0.065 seconds.

The lap was claimed by his teammate Joshua Rodgers, lining up a front-row lockout that guaranteed a tense inter-team battle heading into the opening races.

Race 1: Pressure Cooker at Duffus Dip

Launching off the line for Race 1, Marshall got a lightning getaway but Rodgers covered it forcing Marshall to bide his time.

As the laps ticked down, Marshall chipped away at the gap, setting matching times and keeping the pressure on the leader. Though he crossed the line just shy of the top step to take P2, it was a commanding 1-2 sweep for the team.

Race 2: Survival and Attack in the Scottish Rain

By the time the grid reassembled for Race 2, the Scottish weather had turned completely, leaving the circuit soaking wet.

• The Start: Excessive wheelspin off the line saw Marshall immediately under attack, forcing him onto the defensive into Turn 1 and handing the leader a vital gap of several car lengths.
• The Safety Car: A mid-race neutralisation bunched the field back together, handing Marshall a lifeline.
• The Restart: Marshall timed his jump perfectly, launching an immediate attack into Turn 1, but ultimately couldn’t pry open a gap on the wet tarmac, bringing home another strong P2 result.

Race 3: All-Out Attack for a Podiums Hat-Trick

Knowing the opening laps offered the best chance for victory Marshall gave it all he could when the lights went out but he couldn’t find the way through.

That initial charge came at a heavy cost. The early aggression degraded Marshall’s tires, forcing him to switch to management mode in the closing stages. Despite running on faded rubber, he nursed his machine home to secure his third 2nd-place finish of the weekend.

The Championship Picture

While all good streaks must eventually come to an end, Marshall’s trip to Fife was a masterclass in championship management. Taking home a massive haul of points on a weekend where conditions varied from bone-dry to torrential rain proves why he wears the leader’s badge.

With three rounds remaining on the calendar, Marshall leaves Scotland with a solid points cushion, full control of the title.

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.