MSVR Launch their 2015 Championships

It was an early start Wednesday morning this week for Paddock42 as we headed to Brands Hatch to attend MSVR’s Official Media Day. It was ‘little fresh’ out there at the Kent track, but it did not matter as the sun was out and it was clear blue skies…2015 is the 10th anniversary of MSVR, the race organising division of circuit owner MSV and this year sees the club running 22 championships over the season.

BRDC F4 is in its 3^rd year and 2015 welcomes a new headline sponsor and a partnership with Pirelli tyres who will be supplying the championship this year. Pirelli takes over from Yokohama and will be a using design that is well proven in various European championships. This can only assist new drivers coming into the series, as all the teams will have to start from scratch and adjust to the new rubber – this championship is now widely recognised as a launch pad for drivers wishing to move into GP3 & GP2 and ultimately F1. BRDC F4 will again get plenty of TV coverage on ITV 4, Motors and Fox for this year and viewers are certain to get a real insight into this highly competitive and close fought championship. Championship winning prizes include £30k cash, a GP3 test and 50k euros towards the step up to GP3.

“This championship is a launch pad for drivers wanting to step up to GP3 & GP2.”

The F3 Cup is now the only championship to compete in for F3 cars and the major changes for this year is the inclusion of National B Licenses and the eligibilty of 2008 – 2011 cars. This has sparked the interest from some of the European F3 Teams who are also considering coming over to compete in the championship this year alongside existing UK teams. The grid sees a mixture of both young and experienced drivers; it’s a championship that teams and drivers can compete in on a ‘sensible’ budget. Spa also features on the calendar this year, which is always a firm favourite.

The Mini Challenge continues to go from strength to strength and this season sees the introduction of the Gen 3 car, which is essentially a purpose built touring car with more power and wider tyres. Already 19 cars have been sold and 18 entered into the championship. The new model will race on their own grid with the JCW’s and Coopers competing together on a mixed grid for the two classes. Currently 41 drivers have registered for the championship this year including Charlie Butler-Henderson and ex-BTCC/ WTCC racer Harry Vaulkhard. The series also runs ‘The best of British Challenge’ which involves drivers not only showing their speed on track but includes fitness tests and PR/ media skills. The winner of this challenge gets £15k towards the following season.

“The Mini Challenge could be described as a cost effective alternative to Touring Cars…”

The Lotus Cup UK & Elise Trophy are championships that have seen grids of 50+ cars with the Trophy being an ideal paddock to find yourself in if you are progressing from track days. These series highlight just how close racing can be with both championships going down to the last round over the last 3 years. There are various classes which are suitable for production cars including 211’s and Exige V6’s and right now you can walk into a Lotus showroom, buy an Elise S Cup R car and line up on the grid with it – a real turn-key racer. A Belgium trip is also on the cards this year with teams and drivers racing at Spa supporting a British GT round during the season. The organisers have also some pretty special prizes on offer with the Championship winner of the Elise Trophy getting the chance to test a Historic F1 car, Production Cup champion gets a test in a V6 Exige and the Supersport champion will find themselves getting strapped into a Lotus Evora GT4.

“The Elise Trophy winner gets the chance to test a Historic F1 car..”

Radical Sports Cars is a company that is a real success story, having sold nearly 2000 cars from their inception 17 years ago and today they employ over 100 people. The Peterborough based company has progressed from the development of a single model race car to the recent passing of European Type Approval by its latest model RXC. Four championships will be running again this year with the SR1 Cup, Sprint Championship, Enduro Championship and European Masters and the season finale will be held at Yas Marina Circuit in the UAE. You can get a season in the SR1 Cup for £37,500 plus VAT…

The GT Cup continues to bring a big mixture of machinery to its endurance grid with Ferrari’s, Porsche, Lamborghini and Aston Martin all lining up to do battle for the title in 2015. The championship has continued to grow over the last 3 years and this season is no exception with 30 cars confirmed which is its full capacity. Driving standards are high as more pro-drivers move into the championship seeing it as a cost effective option compared to other high-level endurance championships but the paddock continues to remain open, friendly and relaxed.

It’s a new start for the VAG Trophy this year with new organisers, the series breaks away from the VW GTI Championship that partnered it in 2014 will run as a new separate entity. In this championship, teams and drivers can compete in any VW Group model car and wont find themselves spending a fortune in terms of budget. Many drivers are new to the championship this year and this is a series that can easily lead on to the British GT supporting VW Cup and also boasts TV coverage over the season. The championship prize includes a competitive test in a new Mrk 7 Golf for the class A and class B winners with the winner of this test receiving an entire seasons entry into 2016 VW Cup.

Monoposto Championship grids are a busy place, the organisers have received over 70 registrations for 2015 so far equating to an average of 27 entries per race. This year welcomes Formula Renault cars which are now eligible for the championship and as always the standards of preparation are high. Spa also features on the 2015 calendar as a non-championship round and this season sees the club introducing a ‘Best Educational Team’ award for University Teams competing in the championship.

“70 registrations for this season equates to an average of 27 entries per race…”

‘Champion of Brands’ returns again this year, its is not a championship but after each round the fastest driver to the flag can scoop the acclaimed Formula Ford title. Having been re-launched in 2010, the event started at Brands in 1967 and winners of the race can carry the prestigious ‘Number 1’ to the following meeting. This year sees the development of a ‘Super Series’ which tackles, Snetterton, Oulton Park and Kirkistown along with the Jo Siffert Trophy where the winner takes home a Jo Siffert Swiss timepiece.

Following its launch in 2013 The Atom Cup has always produced tight, close racing with leaders unable to get away due to aerodynamics and the ability of cars behind to draft effectively. Cars run the incredibly reliable Honda 2.0 i-VTEC engine, which is sealed so advantage can only be achieved through set up and driver skill. 2015 will see triple header race weekends that includes the running of a reverse grid which will make for some entertaining racing.

“Atom Cup is all about set up.”

The MSV Trackday Trophy & Team Trophy are championships that were created as a novice series to enable drivers wanting to progress from track days to lining up on the grid for real. To date over 400 drivers have come through the club to start their racing careers and this year the club includes 2 free track days for every competitor signing up for the series. The Team Trophy involves 60 minute races and teams can feature up to two drivers to help share the cost, various classes make up the grid and the new ‘S’ class category for cars with 250 bhp per ton is included for 2015.

With grids across the UK filling up, 2015 looks like it will be another cracking season.

All images by Paddock42 Contributor Simon Phillips.