MSVR launch their 2016 season…

This week Paddock42 dusted off the cameras and travelled to Brands Hatch to attend the MSVR Media day to find out all about their plans for this new season and to get the low down on its championships…all images by Brian Clarke.

2016 is the 10^th Anniversary of MSVR and from scratch the Kent based organisation has grown to manage 23 race and rally championships – 37 meetings across all the leading UK circuits plus it will manage events like CarFest North and Formula E which will be held on the streets of London on the 2nd and 3rd of July. So what can we see on track in 2016…

BRDC F4 Championship

A springboard for the F1 stars of the future, the championship sees more power this year thanks to the Tatuus-Cosworth engines that will be bolted into the all carbon, FIA F3 reg. compliant Tatuus chassis. The new engines will be an upgraded 2ltr 230 BHP Cosworth motor with 6 speed paddle shift gearboxes.

The championship gets ITV4 coverage again this season and will be co-headlining 7 rounds of the British GT Championship.

www.formula4.com

Atom Cup

British sportscar maker Atom’s only single make series, continues to establish itself as super close and action packed championship for these 2.9 second to 60 mph rockets. Power is supplied by Honda’s legendary V-Tec motor which pushes out 245bhp and the handling is sorted by Ohlins.

New for 2016, 4 long distance races with the Pirelli Endurance Racing Series grace the calendar in addition to 4 regular 20 minute sprint meetings. Hospitality and full support is available at every round.

www.atomcup.com

Champion of Brands

Brands almost feels like the native home of Britain’s beloved Formula Ford racing scene. The resurrected Champion of Brands series is now in its 7^th year and is open to Kent engined Formula Fords and with no aerodynamic aids the racing remains fast, furious and always entertaining. 2016 is a 5 meeting affair, 4 events on the Indy circuit and one tackling the GP track on the 23rd of July.

www.msvracing.co.uk/cars/champion-of-brands

Super Series

Super Series continues the philosophy of the Champion of Brands but it takes on Silverstone, Snetterton and Brands. Eligible Kent engine FF1600s are welcome and this series gives Champions of Brands contenders the chance to add further meetings to their racing year.

www.msvracing.co.uk/superseries

F3 Cup

The F3 Cup is the UK’s only championship for modern F3 cars and this season consists of 7 meetings that include a visit to the legendary Spa-Francorchamps.

Four classes make up the championship, Cup Class (cars built from 2005-2011), Trophy Class (cars from 1997-2004, Masters Class (1981-1996) and the new F3 Open Class, which allows competitors to compete in post 2005 F3 chassis cars but with ‘stock’ 2.0ltr engines.

www.f3cup.co.uk

GT Cup Championship

This GT racing championship has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and provides and opportunity for both novice and experienced GT drivers to race in both sprint and mini-endurance formats.

Four classes, GTO, GTC, GTB and GTA ensures that there is a vast array of quick machinery fighting it out on track with regular grids of in excess of 30 cars. Meetings consist of two 25-minute sprint races for solo competitors followed by a 50-minute pit stop race for teams of one or two drivers. Unlike many other GT Championships National B license holders can compete.

www.gtcup.co.uk

Lotus Elise Trophy

This championship celebrates it 10 year birthday this season and since its inception grids have been packed. Both Elise’s and Exiges line up together with power to weight equalized between the early Rover K-Tec engines and the Toyota powered cars. Meetings consist of two 20 minute sprint races and this year there is an opportunity to buy an arrive and drive package for £25k for the season. Eight circuits plus a trip over the water to the super fast Spa-Francorchamps.

www.elisetrophy.com

Lotus Cup

Lotus Cup offers a serious, Lotus sanctioned racing series and has two championships available to its competitors. The series will see drivers in Exige, 2-Eleven and Open classes’ battle it out on track. Open class cars include, Europa’s, 340R’s or any other Lotus that does not conform to the Exige or 2-Eleven specification. To make it close, all SuperSport classes are equalised based on power to weight. There is also a Production Championship that operates under the same Elise Trophy regs so many drivers compete in both categories over the course of a meeting. The Brands Hatch Lotus Festival will be the big event of the year but drivers will also get the chance to compete at Spa in June.

www.lotuscupuk.com

Lotus Cup Europe

Managed by the Lotus On Track Racing Drivers Club (LOTRDC) and now in its eighth season, this championship competes at some of Europe’s best-known circuits. Hockenheim, Paul Ricard, Spa, Zolder, Le Mans along with Brands GP and Silverstone GP will all get a visit from this truly European championship.

Lotus Cup Europe, is divided into four classes, V6 Exige/Evora, 2-Eleven, Open (for 4 cylinder Exiges), forced injection Elise’s and 340R’s plus a production classes for normally aspirated Elise’s and Exiges. Meetings consist of two 30 minute races and this year’s calendar includes racing at the Jim Clark Revival meeting at Hockenheim.

www.lotrdc.com

Lotus Cup UK Speed Championship

Relatively new to MSVR and again under the stewardship of LOTRDC, the Speed Championship is a UK sprint series which gives many stepping up from track days a chance to start in competitive motorsport. Road going cars are eligible and the series is divided into two classes, one for normally aspirated and one for supersport machinery. 2016 has a 9 round calendar that includes multiple venues; circuits, test tracks (Lotus Cars very own Hethel) and airfields.

www.lotrdc.com

Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship

Created last winter and a combination of the joint forces of The Bolton-Le-Moors Car Club and MSVR, the circuit rally championship was born…the series travels to 8 circuits right across the UK including Anglesey and Croft.

The championship is open to all rally cars from historic Porsche’s and Ford’s to full WRC spec. Stages combine racetracks, access roads, paddocks and off road and make for a challenging competitor driving experience. The season runs from November to May.

www.msarallychamp.co.uk

MSVR All-Comers

Clues in the title – any sports racing or saloon car can line up, good for gaining experience and those all important signatures. The races have proved very popular and always provide an eclectic mix of race cars with a broad range of experience out there on the grid from novices to experts. 2016 is the first year that the series becomes a championship with 7 meetings at circuits across the UK.

Fancy competing? Get in touch with MSV via allcomers@msvracing.co.uk

MSVT Trackday Trophy

Currently a trackday addict? It might be the time to step up and start competing and this championship is the ideal place to start. The series is divided into four classes split by power to weight ratio and teams of two drivers are encouraged although one driver must be a novice to ensure even competition out on track. The MSVT team can assist drivers with getting their ARDS license and making the transition from trackday warrior to race driver.

www.trackdaytrophy.co.uk

MSVT Trackday Championship

The 2016 Trackday Championship will be contested at 7 meetings held across the country consisting of 45 minute races and 30 minute qualifying sessions and each race will have a mandatory 2 minute pit stop to allow for driver changes.

Four classes make up the grid all divided up on a power to weight ratio basis and the championship is open to all production hatchbacks, saloons and sports cars. With these regulations, all competitors have the ability to compete for the silverware. There is also an opportunity/ prize at the end of the season that includes a drive in the MINI Challenge.

www.trackdaychampionship.co.uk

MINI Challenge

The MINI Challenge is now so popular that grids are now split and includes not just Cooper’s & Cooper S JCW’s but the technically advanced F56 MINI, a purpose built pure racer which runs a twin turbo motor and a BTCC inspired aerodynamic body kit. The grids for the F56 are now so large that the older R53 Cooper S cars will now be competing in a new for 2016 Open Class. Season prizes include, a BTCC test for the JCW class championship and a subsidised JCW drive for the Cooper Class winner. 2016 consists of 8 meetings and includes two MINI festivals at Brands and Oulton Park.

www.minichallenge.co.uk

JMT Monoposto Championship

The Monoposto Racing Club is well known throughout the British paddocks and remains the largest national single seater category within the UK. Pretty much all single seaters up to F3 are eligible across six different classes and big grids are the norm with many meetings having to split grids due to the large number of race entries. This season sees new sponsor JM Technical Group and also the popular Autumn Championship, The Tiedeman Trophy will return at the end of the season.

www.monoposto.co.uk

Radical Challenge

The Radical Challenge is a brand new championship for 2016 and is designed for Radical SR3, SR3 RSX, SR3 RS SR1 drivers and combines both sprint and endurance racing.

The season is a 7 meeting affair with three titles available, the SR1 Challenge, The Solo Challenge and The Team Challenge – open to Pro/Am entries. Full factory support is provided at every round.

www.radicalsportscars.com

Radical European Masters

This is Radicals premier international championship with 7 meetings across Europe that include, Estoril, Spa, Paul Ricard, Jerez, Silverstone, Donington and Monza. This championship is an ideal place to learn the ropes if your looking to progress into pro-championships such as the European Le Mans Series. Teams can compete in Radicals sports car offering; the RXC, RXC Spyder and SR3 RSX and meetings will consist of three races including 1hr races along with two 45 minute practice/ qualifying sessions. Full factory support is provided at every round along with hospitality.

www.radicalsportscars.com

Radical SR1 Cup

The SR1 Cup is a arrive and drive championship that is for drivers who have never held a race license before or for those who are racing with a novice cross. The championship has been a starting point for many new drivers including Sir Chris Hoy who started in this series in its inaugural season and has now graduated to international sportscar racing. With 1340cc, 185bhp and only 480kg of weight, drivers can start their racing careers in this championship from £37,500 plus vat which includes getting a race license and two instructor assisted trackdays. Radical have confirmed that Sky F1 presenter Rachel Brookes will make her debut in the series this 2016 season.

www.radicalsportscars.com

Maximumgroup.net VAG Trophy

Any car from the VW Group of companies can compete in this championship, the VAG Trophy attracts big grids and the racing is always close and action packed.

Classes are split with Class A for cars with up to 300bhp and Class B for cars producing around 230bhp. To keep the competition close, the championship uses a BTCC type ballast system, which is used with the top finishers of each race. Race winners have to add 20kg and the weight decreases by 5kg every place back to 6^th place. The season the championship competes at 8 circuits including a trip to Belgium at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps in July.

www.vagtrophyracing.co.uk

Production BMW Championship

E30 racing at its best. Still today after many years of running this successful championship, the grids remain full and the racing close. Open to 318’s, 320’s built between 1983 and 1990. 2016 is an 8 meeting championship that includes the UK’s fastest circuit, Hampshire’s very own Thruxton. This year Toyos new R888R tyres will be used.

www.pbmwc.co.uk

TOYO Tires Racing Saloons

This is a great low cost yet competitive multi-marque saloon car championship and because of the range of racers out there on the grid, 6 classes manage cars from up to 1600cc to over 3000cc.

Drivers from the Toyo Production BMW Championship will also be able to complete in class F and for 2016 that also includes the 1 series diesel PBMW next generation car.

www.pbmwc.co.uk

Aston Martin Owners Club Racing

MSVR continue to co-ordinate the AMOC racing championship in 2016 with 6 race meetings across the UK. Other championships that come under the AMOC banner include; AMOC Intermarque Championship, Equipe GTS (historic racing), Pre’66 Innes Ireland Cup and Jack Fairman Cup.

www.amocracing.org