There are few better ways to bring a motorsport season to a close than a weekend of British Rallycross at Lydden Hill. With its combination of gravel, tarmac, spectacular jumps and close-quarters racing, the Kent circuit has long been regarded as the spiritual home of British rallycross. The final two rounds of the 2026 5 Nations British Rallycross Championship, held over the weekend of 7–8 November, certainly did not disappoint.
For me, Lydden Hill is one of those venues that never fails to deliver. Whether watching from the banking or trying to capture the action through a camera lens, there is always something happening. Cars arrive sideways, gravel flies in every direction and the famous tabletop jump provides some spectacular photographic opportunities.
With championship positions still to be decided, drivers had everything to play for, while spectators were treated to a packed programme of racing across a variety of classes. Saturday evening’s floodlit finals, followed by the traditional fireworks display, added an extra dimension to what was already shaping up to be an excellent weekend.
Supercar – Tohill takes another title
The headline Supercar category provided some of the weekend’s most exciting racing, with Derek Tohill arriving at Lydden Hill in a strong position to secure his third British Rallycross Championship title.
Driving his Peugeot 208 WRX, Tohill needed only a third-place finish in Saturday’s final to secure the championship. However, he had other ideas, taking victory in the floodlit final and confirming his place among the championship’s most successful competitors.
There was plenty of competition, particularly from fellow Irishman Eoin Murray, who was making only his second Supercar appearance in his Honda Civic Coupé. Murray impressed throughout the weekend, eventually finishing second in Saturday’s final, with Sam Clennell taking third in his Proton Iriz RX.
Sunday provided another opportunity for Tohill to demonstrate just how competitive he had been throughout the season. Having dominated qualifying, he went on to secure another victory, completing an extraordinary unbeaten championship campaign with seven wins from seven starts.
From a spectator’s perspective, watching a driver perform so consistently at this level is impressive, and Tohill’s achievement was undoubtedly one of the standout stories of the weekend.
Open 2WD – An exciting addition
One of the more interesting additions to the weekend was the Open 2WD category, which made its debut as a non-championship showcase ahead of its introduction as a full championship class in 2027.
The variety of machinery was particularly appealing, with BMW M3s, a Vauxhall VX220 and a Volkswagen Polo providing something a little different from the usual rallycross spectacle.
Jason Bleasdale proved to be the driver to beat in his Vauxhall VX220, taking victory ahead of Belgium’s Steve Volders in his BMW M3 E30 and Peter McGarry in his Volkswagen Polo.
Liam Doran was another driver attracting plenty of attention in his BMW M3 E30. Having demonstrated impressive pace during qualifying, he looked capable of challenging for the podium, but a spin at Talladega ultimately left him fourth.
I particularly enjoyed seeing the different cars competing together. Rallycross has always benefited from variety, and the introduction of Open 2WD should provide another welcome dimension to the championship next season.
Super Retro – Drama right to the finish
If there was one category that demonstrated just how unpredictable rallycross can be, it was Super Retro.
Pat Doran arrived at Lydden Hill as championship leader in his Ford Escort Mk2 and immediately showed his intentions by dominating all three Saturday qualifying sessions.
However, qualifying pace counts for very little once the final gets underway.
An incident over the jump resulted in Doran colliding with a tyre stack, bringing out the red flag. Although he was able to take part in the restart, the damage and shortened race left him with little opportunity to recover.
Lee Wood took full advantage, securing victory in his Ford Escort Mk2, with Stuart Emery second in his Volvo 242 and Dan Swayland third in his Ford Escort Mk1.
For anyone watching from the circuit banking, it was a reminder that even the strongest championship contenders are never guaranteed an easy afternoon. It was certainly one of the more dramatic moments of Saturday’s racing.
Retro – Classic rallycross at its best
The Retro category is always a pleasure to watch, particularly for those of us who appreciate the older machinery and the history behind these cars.
Tony Lynch continued his impressive run of form in his Toyota MR2, taking his fourth consecutive victory ahead of Jon Wood in his Ford Escort Mk3 and Rick May in his Toyota Starlet KP60.
Although Wood had already secured the championship, there was certainly no shortage of competition, with Lynch once again demonstrating that he was more than capable of challenging for the race victories.
For me, classes such as Retro and Super Retro are an important part of rallycross. They provide a link to the sport’s history while delivering exactly the sort of close, entertaining racing that makes the discipline so enjoyable.
Swift Sport – Cake celebrates his return
The Swift Sport category also provided plenty of entertainment, with Matt Cake making a successful return to the championship.
Cake demonstrated excellent pace throughout Saturday’s qualifying sessions, setting the fastest times in Q1 and Q3 before converting his performance into victory in the final.
Ben Williams finished second, with newly crowned champion Philip Seath completing the podium in third.
Seath was also enjoying a busy weekend, making his Supercar debut in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI. It was an interesting addition to the programme and a reminder of the versatility required of drivers competing across different rallycross classes.
CrossCar and Junior – The future looks bright
The CrossCar and Junior categories provided another excellent demonstration of the depth of talent coming through British rallycross.
Will Ovenden enjoyed a particularly successful Saturday, taking victory in the combined CrossCar and RX150 event ahead of David Kane and Benjamin Bartlett.
In CrossCar Junior, George Edenborough produced a dominant performance, winning every qualifying session before going on to secure victory in the final. Newly crowned champion Ethan Hooker finished second, with William Hands taking third.
These categories are always worth watching. The enthusiasm and determination of the younger competitors are infectious, and it is encouraging to see so much emerging talent making its way through the sport.
The atmosphere – Why Lydden Hill remains special
Of course, rallycross is about considerably more than just the results.
One of the things I enjoy most about photographing and watching the sport is the atmosphere. The sound of the engines, the smell of racing fuel, the gravel being thrown into the air and the sheer commitment shown by the drivers all contribute to making rallycross such a fantastic spectator sport.
Lydden Hill offers photographers plenty of opportunities, too. From the sweeping gravel sections to the tight tarmac corners and the famous jump, there is rarely a shortage of action to capture. The challenge is often deciding where to position yourself because, inevitably, something exciting happens somewhere else!
Saturday evening’s floodlit finals were a particular highlight. There is something quite different about watching rallycross under the lights, with the cars appearing through the darkness and the sound echoing around the circuit. The fireworks display afterwards provided a fitting end to the evening.
As season finales go, Lydden Hill certainly delivered.
The two rounds provided a fitting conclusion to the 2026 British Rallycross Championship, with Derek Tohill’s remarkable unbeaten Supercar campaign providing the headline story. Elsewhere, there was plenty of close racing, unexpected drama and some excellent performances across the supporting categories.
I came away reminded of exactly why rallycross remains such an entertaining form of motorsport. It is unpredictable, occasionally chaotic, spectacular to watch and, from a photographic perspective, an absolute dream.
The introduction of Open 2WD for 2027 also gives us something new to look forward to, while the established classes continue to provide the variety and competition that make the championship so appealing.
For Racerviews, it was a thoroughly enjoyable way to round off the 2026 British Rallycross season. Lydden Hill once again demonstrated why it holds such a special place in the sport’s history, and I am already looking forward to returning next season.
Until next year, let’s keep it sideways!
The RacerViews info
By Matt Hancock
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