One of the biggest UK Radical grids in five years made the trip across the Channel for the Radical Festival last month and Silverstone will be no different, with another bumper grid of over 30 cars already confirmed for battle around the 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit.
Four different winners in six rounds proves the class of the 2017 field. The opening-season Donington Park spoils went to Bradley Smith and reigning Radical Challenge Champion Steve Burgess, while Jack Lang, Oliver Barker and Burgess took a class win apiece at Spa.
Thanks to his consistently high points-scoring finishes and an outstanding run, bagging first, second and third in class at Spa, Lang leads the provisional title table heading into the third stage rounds. Pole sitter, race two victor and triple podium finisher at Silverstone last year, the Gorse Motors charge must be counted among the favourites for this year’s showdown.
Despite a frustrating first race at Spa, in which Burgess salvaged seventh place after getting caught up in a blocked pitlane, the RAW Motorsport driver sits second, just nine points adrift. With two wins and a brace of third-place podiums already to his credit, Burgess will be aiming to continue his winning form around the challenging Northamptonshire circuit.
Lying third after stepping up from the SR1 Cup this season, Barker is already impressing in his debut Radical Challenge season, not least with three pole positions and three fastest laps adding to his outright win, second and fourth place finishes in Belgium. Completing the current top six, Dominik Jackson, Shahin Nouri and Mark Richards are all certain to feature at the front of the field, while race one winner at Silverstone 2016, Jack Manchester should also be counted among the potential favourites.
The battle for the Team Challenge spoils is also hotting up, as father and son duo Brian and Tom Harvey – race three Team winners at Silverstone last year – lead the title table after the first six rounds. Paul Allen and Jason Redding, the pairing that secured class pole in second qualifying at Silverstone 2016, currently sit second.
Also not to be discounted this weekend will be Pete Tyler and Tom Gladdis. Currently eighth in the Team standings after a challenging time at Spa, the experienced duo boast a strong track record at Silverstone having taken two class wins there last year.
Supporting the popular ‘MG Live’ weekend at Silverstone, the Radical Challenge action kicks off with qualifying at 11:20 on Saturday 17th June, followed by the first of two 20-minute races at 15:55. Racing resumes on Sunday with race two at 10:25, while the third and final 40-minute feature race is scheduled for 15:55.