SILVERLAKE SILVERSTONE 24 HOURS

The 2026 Silverlake Silverstone 24 Hours once again proved why it has become one of the defining events in British grassroots endurance racing. Across an unforgettable weekend, the legendary Grand Prix circuit was transformed into a theatre of relentless competition, mechanical survival, and wheel-to-wheel drama — the kind of racing that has become synonymous with modern club-level endurance motorsport.

While the twice-round-the-clock battle remained the undisputed headline act, the support programme ensured the atmosphere was electric long before the 24-hour race roared into life. One of the standout performances came from rising star Joshua Watts, who stepped away from his Ginetta Juniors campaign to dominate both Fiesta Junior races. His first victory, secured after a breathtaking final-lap fight, delivered one of the most thrilling moments of the weekend and underlined the depth of young talent emerging through British motorsport.

The 2026 edition also represented a major milestone in the evolution of the event itself. What began years ago as a relatively humble endurance gathering built around the unlikely heroics of the tiny Citroën C1 has grown into one of the UK’s largest and most diverse club endurance races. The rise of C1 endurance racing has become something of a motorsport phenomenon in Britain — transforming a modest French city car into a cult icon of affordable long-distance competition. Built on reliability, low running costs, and remarkably close racing, the C1 formula has introduced countless drivers to endurance racing while creating some of the most competitive grids seen anywhere in UK club motorsport.

For 2026, organisers expanded the format into six distinct classes, creating one of the biggest and most competitive fields in the event’s history while preserving the grassroots spirit that made the race so popular in the first place.

Class 1, the UK-specification Citroën C1 category, once again formed the backbone of the grid and remained the beating heart of the event. Class 2 welcomed the ever-growing BRSCC CityCar Cup contingent, successfully bringing sprint-racing machinery into the demanding world of endurance competition. The BMW 116 Endurance class continued its rapid rise in popularity following strong performances at major long-distance races such as the Race of Remembrance, while the dependable Ford KA Endurance category further reinforced the appeal of simple, production-based racing.

The European-specification Citroën C1 class added a significant international dimension to proceedings, reflecting the growing influence of the format beyond the UK, while the Invitational class allowed a wide variety of production-based machinery to join the grid provided they matched the ethos and performance spirit of the event.

Throughout much of the weekend, Silverlake Racing appeared to have the pace to dominate proceedings. The experienced squad looked untouchable during qualifying and night practice, but endurance racing has always had a habit of rewriting the script when it matters most.

After a gruelling 24 hours and an astonishing 447 laps, overall victory eventually went to Team Yggdrasil in their BMW 116i, conquering one of the toughest endurance races on the British calendar through consistency, reliability, and flawless execution. In the fiercely contested Citroën C1 category, AutoUna by Emax emerged victorious after surviving a relentless battle within the largest class on the grid.

The strength of the 2026 entry list demonstrated just how far the Silverlake Silverstone 24 Hours has evolved. The paddock featured talent from across the upper levels of British and international motorsport, blending professional pedigree with passionate club racers in a way few events can replicate.

Reigning 2025 BTCC Champion Tom Ingram brought championship-winning pedigree to the OPC PR lineup, while multiple BTCC race winner Josh Cook reunited with fan favourite and presenter Jade Edwards alongside Ryan Bensley to form one of the strongest driver combinations on the grid. Touring car veteran James Kaye also joined the WRC Development with CB Autoservices squad, adding decades of top-level experience to the field.

The rallycross world was equally well represented. Multiple British Rallycross Champion Patrick O’Donovan joined forces with 2007 British Rallycross Champion Ollie O’Donovan as part of the Silverlake Racing operation alongside experienced C1 Racing Club competitors Aaron Chalk and Allen Prebble.

Silverlake Racing looked unstoppable early in the weekend. The team secured pole position in qualifying and repeated their dominance during the night practice session in the Citroën DS3. Their second entry — a Citroën C1 — also impressed, securing 16th in qualifying and reinforcing expectations that the team could challenge for overall honours.

But endurance racing is rarely predictable.

Despite showing outright pace throughout the event and setting the fastest lap of the race, Silverlake’s challenge unravelled across the 24 hours. The team eventually finished 11th in the C1 category and 44th overall in the DS3 — a stark reminder that endurance racing rewards resilience as much as raw speed. The Silverlake stable remained one of the largest presences in the paddock however, fielding multiple entries including the #58, #458, and #558 cars, alongside a standout all-female lineup featuring Briannie Davis, Brea Angliss, Lexie Belk, and Freya Belk.

International competition also played a defining role in the character of the 2026 race. Danish outfit C1 RACING.dk spearheaded a formidable Scandinavian challenge led by endurance specialist Mikkel Mac, whose GT and endurance racing pedigree immediately established the team as serious contenders.

The Belgian contingent arrived in equally strong numbers. AutoUna fielded a highly competitive two-car operation, while fan-favourite squad PK4Fun crossed the Channel with an ambitious three-car programme that added even more depth to an already stacked grid.

Their presence highlighted how far the Silverlake Silverstone 24 Hours — and Citroën C1 endurance racing itself — has come. What started as affordable, grassroots club racing has evolved into an international endurance spectacle, blending amateur passion with professional talent, all centred around some of the smallest and most unlikely racing cars on the planet.