Race Report - Rounds 11 & 12

The debut season of Miata Trophy has delivered great entertainment to UK circuits in 2023, through fantastically competitive, firm-but-fair racing between two classes of Mazda MX-5. Heading into the final meeting of the year, it still remained unclear which driver would become the inaugural Miata Trophy Champion – causing much excitement and intrigue ahead of the October finale.

A dry, cloudy Brands Hatch circuit welcomed competitors on Saturday morning for qualifying. Heading into the finale, Hills Motorsport’s Declan Lee had amassed a small buffer at the top of the championship standings and the #12 driver was evidently keen to start the final race meeting in the best way possible, immediately setting a number of competitive laps. Miller Motorsport’s John Langridge and Alex Miller both looked strong in the opening exchanges, but it was a two-horse race that was to become the story of qualifying. Hills Motorsport’s Declan Lee and Aidan Hills exchanged fastest laps on a number of occasions, with Lee eventually setting a blistering 1:03:710secs to top the session and lead his fellow Mk3 competitors into SuperPole. Even better for Hills Motorsport, three of the remaining four NC Class drivers heading into SuperPole were from the team – Aidan Hills, Michael Knibbs and Will Morris. Joining the four Hills Motorsport drivers was John Langridge (Miller Motorsport), whose time of 1:04:304 was just 0.014secs behind Aidan Hills in second! The inaugural Miata Trophy NA Class Champion, Liam Cochrane (Turner Property Services Racing), topped his classes qualifying session, with Misty Racing’s Gary Paddock in second.

With a potential championship on the line, you’d forgive Declan Lee for feeling the pressure in a one-lap pole position shootout. However, the Hills Motorsport driver remained cool and replicated the strong pace he showed in qualifying previously to expertly secure the front of the grid for the #12 car. Lee’s teammate Michael Knibbs would gain the most, rising from fourth in qualifying to join the front row for the day’s first race. Miller Motorsport’s John Langridge again finished the session in third, with Aidan Hills dropping to fourth and Will Morris in fifth. NA Class produced the same results in SuperPole as it did in qualifying, with Liam Cochrane heading Gary Paddock.

In race one, a slow getaway from the grid for polesitter Lee allowed teammate Michael Knibbs to steal the race lead through the first lap, while Aidan Hills stormed into second from fourth on the grid. Jiffy Wink’s Simon Fleet enjoyed a strong start, while there was plenty of jostling for positional gains throughout the pack. Liam Cochrane enjoyed a phenomenal opening lap to not just lead NA Class but also overtake a number of NC Class cars too. Motivated by a poor opening lap, Hills Motorsport’s Declan Lee immediately got to work hunting down the race’s leading duo of Knibbs and Hills. It wasn’t long before the #12 driver was hot on the heels of the two and he immediately set his sights on a move. Elsewhere, William Morris was in a epic battle of his own with John Langridge, as the pair battled hard for fourth place. With the race reaching the midway stage, Declan Lee seized his moment to make an excellent overtake on Aidan Hills and take second place. The battle between the three at the front was incredibly tight, with less than a second separating them over the line on multiple laps. Eventually, Declan Lee managed to grasp the race lead from teammate Knibbs on lap 11 and the move proved decisive. From that moment, the Hills Motorsport #12 car led every lap to the checkered flag and seal not just the race win for Declan Lee, but the overall championship too! A huge congratulations to Declan and his team for an excellent season and great achievement. Lee would be joined on the podium fittingly by his two teammates that he enjoyed a thrilling race with. Michael Knibbs claimed second and Aidan Hills third, with John Langridge ultimately getting the better of Will Morris to finish fourth. Liam Cochrane continued his strong sequence of results by topping the NA Class podium, navigating through the field exceptionally well. Misty Racing’s Gary Paddock earned a plethora of championship points and a trophy by finishing second in class.

Having sealed both the NC Class and overall championship titles in race one, Declan Lee withdrew from the day’s second race. As a result, the remainder of the grid would be shifted up a position. Michael Knibbs inherited pole position, with Aidan Hills lining up alongside on the front row. Out of the two Hills Motorsport teammates, it was Aidan Hills who enjoyed the better start as he launched into the lead. Once more Simon Fleet enjoyed a strong start, as did a number of other drivers. On The Spot Racing’s Gary Smith gained ground on the cars in front and had a good battle with Boreham Motorsport’s Jack Hargraves, while fellow Boreham Motorsport driver Ray Worley leapfrogged Alex Miller. Liam Cochrane again managed the opening exchanges well in NA Class and once more diced with NC Class competitors. Aidan Hills was the first-ever race winner in Miata Trophy and the #8 driver was displaying a fantastic performance out front in the final race of the season, growing the gap to the cars behind. By the time the checkered flag had dropped, Aidan Hills had amassed an impressive 7.392 second lead over the chasing pack to secure the final NC Class top step of 2023 for the Hills Motorsport #8 driver. Aidan’s teammate Michael Knibbs had enjoyed an enthralling battle with Miller Motorsport’s John Langridge all race long, eventually finishing with Knibbs edging Langridge for second place by just over two seconds. Congratulations to all three of our final NC Class podium finishers, who were all well-deserving of the trophies. Hills Motorsport’s Will Morris and Miller Motorsport’s Alex Miller rounded out the top five both overall and in class. Fittingly, the final win of the 2023 NA Class season went the way of class Champion Liam Cochrane, who sealed a perfect day of racing with a second win. Misty Racing’s Gary Paddock also enjoyed a successful day, earning his second trophy of the day.

We already can’t wait for our second season of Miata Trophy in 2024!

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