Gallery 2026 07 July Brands Hatch GP
11th-12th July 2026 - Brands Hatch
Historic Formula 3 Championship Brands Hatch Rounds 3 & 4.
With the 3rd Heatwave of 2026 cooling slightly in the South East of the country, the HSCC Historic Formula 3 Championship qualifying started the Super Prix event on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. 24 cars took to the circuit on the coolest part of the day - a recorded 21 degrees C. Whilst competing for Championship points the result of the combined two races would form a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the first European Formula 3 International Challenge (otherwise known as the Nations Cup). The Challenge was won in 1966 by the British Team of Chris Irwin Brabham BT18, Piers Courage Lotus 41 and Peter Gethin Brabham BT18.
To top the timing table in qualifying, your surname had to begin with T! In fact, it would be a triple T with Richard Trott heading the timing sheets from Jason and Jeremy Timms. Richard shot to the top of the times early in the session but there were many who attempted to topple him from the prime position.
Initially it was Christoph Widmer in a Brabham BT18a who pursued the 1980 Formula Ford 2000 double Champion, his position taken by Enrico Spaggiari in the ex-John Miles Lotus 41X and Ross Drybrough Merlyn Mk14a; with Ross having a particularly busy weekend racing in Historic Formula Ford, and the Guards Trophy as well. It was lap 6 and 7 when the Timms brothers made their way into the top 3.
Jeremy Timms in his return season following an accident last year was the first to enter the top 3. A lap later Jason Timms the Donington double-header winner in May accelerated into the runner-up slot behind Richard Trott with Jeremy completing the top 3. Enrico Spaggiari made a final attempt on the last lap of qualifying to place a Lotus into the top 3 finishing 5/1000ths behind Jeremy, with the group from 3rd to 6th being covered by 7/10ths of a second.
Former tin top racer Ollie Musgrave in the ex-Rene Ligonnet Chevron B15 being in 5th place with Ross Drybrough in the Merlyn Mk14A 6th.
In total, from the 24-car entry, seven different period manufacturers were represented. Mark Carter in the Titan Mk3 was 7th. Nick Fennell in the Tecno was 9th with Ludovic Ingwiller being the first of two Pygmee cars entered was 12th.
David Green was a welcome newcomer to the grid in the ex-Charles Lucas Titan Mk3. David being another tin top racer having his first experience of open wheel cars. This event was more of a test session for him as he got used to the complexities of single seater racing. His comments after qualifying were that he probably had the wrong ratios in for the circuit, but despite offers of assistance he chose to stay with them as he familiarised himself with racing the car. Clive Dunster after an impressive performance in the ex-Andrew Thorpe Lotus 31 at Donington before retiring in Race 1, only had a few laps on the Brands GP circuit before coming into the pits. Clive Buffey in the ex-Jolly Club Chevron B15 was another having his first race having had to withdraw from Donington at short notice.
Race 1
As the red lights went out on the start Richard Trott placed himself into the lead as four cars all attempted to be in second place. The ensuing scrabble for position giving Richard an advantage of over three seconds at the end of the lap. Enrico Spaggiari coming through in second place with Jason Timms in third place. Jeremy Timms was 4th with Ross Drybrough 5th - with less than half a second covering the 4 cars. Francois De Rossi came through in 6th place on his own. Francois having gained 5 places from his 11th place start, 7th would be fellow European competitor Roland Fischer, followed by Christoph Widemer with Mark Carter completing the top 10.
Ollie Musgrave had taken an excursion on the first lap coming round in 13th place whilst Mark Linstone and Chris Dunster retired during the first lap. Mark’s car was caught in a gravel trap necessitating the race to be neutralised under a safety car. Gregory Bersihand in the second of the Pygmee cars also retired during the safety car period.
With the field condensed Richard Trott had to try and maintain his lead when the race restarted at the end of lap 5. Richard crossed the line 0.391 seconds clear of Enrico. For three laps Enrico shadowed Richard, whilst in third place Jason Timms was having an equally close tussle with Ross Drybrough. Their fight bringing them closer to Gold Leaf liveried Lotus 41X. Jason Timms and Francois De Rossi were looking secure in 5th and 6th place respectively but behind Francois positions had been changing.
Roland Fischer had been passed by Christoph Widmer as Ollie Musgrave moved himself up to 8th place. On lap 9 Richard Trott had a new car in his mirrors - the Brabham BT21 of Jason Timms. Enrico continued to fight, losing the last Podium place to Ross Drybrough on the last lap of the race.
Therefore, at the midway point in the Nations Cup, GB C was the leading team.
Race 2
The race 2 grid was formed from the fastest laps in race 1. This gave Jason Timms pole position from Ross Drybrough, Richard Trott sharing the second row with Jeremy Timms, Enrico Spaggiari 5th fastest, Nick Fennell 6th, Francois De Rossi 7th, Ollie Musgrave 8th , Christoph Widmer 9th and Roland Fisher 10th.
After the retirements of Race 1, all 24 entries formed up on the grid for the start of Race 2. Richard Trott from the second row made a good start but the front Row had the line into Paddock Hill blocked out and Richard had to lift and concede back into his starting position of third place. Across the line at the end of lap 1 it was Jason Timms leading from Ross Drybrough with Richard Trott in third place, Jeremy Timms in 4th place.
The top 4 having broken away from the pursuing pack led by Enrico Spaggiari from Francois De Rossi who had gained 2 places on that first lap. Next up would be Ollie Musgrave, then Christoph Widmer from Nick Fennell who had dropped three places from his starting and Roland Fischer completing the top 10.
Mark Carter having stalled on the grid was one of the last away to commence a drive back through the field. He passed Mark Linstone as the two were almost in their own contest to see who would get furthest through the field. Mark Linstone having got to 16th with Mark Carter one place ahead in 15th place.
Lap 2 and from the exit of Clearways ,Jeremy Timms passed his cousin Jason to lead into Paddock Hill bend. That place being very short lived as he spun onto the grass on the infield of Paddock Hill, waiting for the field to pass before rejoining. Other place changes saw Ollie Musgrave move up to 6th , and Nick Fennell up to 8th.
Lap 3 and a new leader, repeating the meeting theme of having a T in your surname; this time it was Richard Trott’s turn to lead from Jason Timms, Ross Drybrough and Enrico Spaggiari. The four having broken clear of Ollie Musgrave who had Nick Fennell closing in on him as he had passed Francois De Rossi. Francois was now falling back into the reach of long-term friend and regular sparring partner Christoph Widmer. Jeremy Timms after his spin was back into the pack running in 20th place. For Chris Dunster regrettably it would be another short race, sadly retiring on lap 2.
Lap 4 and as he had done in Race 1, Richard Trott was now extending his lead, assisted by the battle between Ross Drybrough and Jason Timms with Enrico Spaggiari keeping a close eye on the race up front. On lap 5 Jason Timms retook 2nd place from Ross Drybrough which was shaping up to be an engrossing battle.
Mark Carter’s progress through the field continued, by lap 5 he was up to 13th place, closing on Andrew Tart and Mark Pangborn. On lap 6 Christoph Widmer and Francois De Rossi were engaged in their own tight battle which came to end when they both left the track at Stirlings. Mark Carter had passed Tart and Pangborn, and with the demise of Francois and Christoph promoted him further to finish 9th overall. Unfortunately, the recovery of the two lost cars at Stirlings required the Race to finish under the control of the Safety car.
For Richard Trott it was two well earned victories. Jason Timms had a real fight on his hands for second place, from Ross Drybrough. Enrico Spaggiari missed out on a podium this time, but it is likely there will be more podium finishes for the Italian enthusiast in the coming races. Ollie Musgrave in 5th place improves with every race in the car, establishing the 3rd fastest lap time of the race. He was bettered by Nick Fennell following him. 7th overall was Roland Fisher, with Ludovic Ingwiller in 8th place, which is possibly his highest finish in the Pygmee at Brands Hatch. It was great to see two Pygmee cars in the second race, with Gregory Bersihand finishing 20th. 9th place went to Mark Carter in the Titan Mk3, and 10th place was taken by Mark Pangborn.
In terms of the Nations Cup, the honours went to Great Britain ‘C’ (Trott, Pangborn, Green), with the remainder of the teams finishing as follows:
2nd – Italy (Spagiarri, Tart, Musgrave)
3rd – Great Britain ‘B’ (Jason Timms, Nichols, John Milicevic (Jnr))
4th – Great Britain ‘A’ (Drybrough, Dunster, Carter)
5th – Sweden (Bosson, Fennell, Etherington)
6th – France (Derossi, Ingwiller, Bersihand)
7th – Germany (Fischer, Linstone, Buffey)
8th – Switzerland (Widmer, Jeremy Timms, Clerc)
Report by Alan Jones
