Rallycross: LHMC awarded MSA contracts

Lydden Hill Motorsport Club has been awarded contracts to run both the MSA British Rallycross Championship and British Rallycross Grand Prix for the next three years.

The British Rallycross Drivers Association had been the championship’s contract holder since 2003, although the LHMC was sub-contracted to run the series throughout this season. That responsibility will now solely rest with the Club however who will promote the championship until 2012, although the BRDA will retain a degree of involvement.

MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton said that he believed Lydden’s involvement would continue to re-invigorate the sport.

“The MSA received a good response to its invitation to tender for the MSA British Rallycross Championship and also the MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix,” he said. “Following careful consideration we are pleased to confirm that we have signed a contract for both these MSA British titles with Lydden Hill. We are confident that they are the right partner to continue the development of this important and exciting discipline of motor sport."

Lydden’s managing director Amy Doran confirmed that the Club would continue to build on the changes made at the start of the year.

"I'm delighted that our tenders were successful,” she said. “We've introduced some changes to the British Rallycross Championship (BRC) this year and with a long term contract we are now in a position to build on those changes. I will develop the plan outlined in our tender, the BRC will become an elite British championship, appearing at quality venues and providing an exciting and enjoyable spectator experience for a large and varied audience."

While there are unlikely to be any major changes to either the current sporting or technical regulations, new elements are being considered.

"We are going to include a new one-make series within the British championship events, it will provide an accessible and affordable way in which people can become involved in Rallycross," Doran continued. "The RX150 formula has done a great job in attracting new competitors and will remain a part of BRC events. The new series will offer the same kind of opportunity with a conventional saloon car."

The prototype car for the one-make series is scheduled to be unveiled during the fifth round of the 2009 Kumho Tyres MSA BRC at Lydden on August 31.

The British Rallycross Grand Prix meanwhile is set to be revived having not appeared on the calendar since 2004. Formerly an end-of-year showdown at Brands Hatch, the event attracted huge crowds and TV audiences between 1982 and ’94.

“The obvious thing to do is to run it as an end-of-season event at Lydden because we control the circuit and would be able to reinvest the revenue from the event in Rallycross,” added Doran. “I have other options, including using the Grand Prix title on the European championship event or running it at another venue. Now we are in position to take decisions, we will develop the plans and make announcements about the event in due course."

Catch British Rallycross live from Lydden Hill, August 31st only on Motors TV.


Tom Hornsby