The Power Maxed MINI Challenge resumes at Oulton Park as part of the Cheshire-based circuit’s MINI Festival (12 July), and Hamish Brandon will be seeking three strong, consistent finishes to climb the championship standings.
Following a successful event at Brands Hatch in May, the MINI Festival returns to Oulton Park this weekend and, with a capacity 32-car MINI Challenge entry, the series promises to deliver yet another dose of excitement for the thousands of spectators and ardent MINI enthusiasts.
Built into the natural contours of the Cheshire countryside, the 2.69mile Oulton Park circuit is favoured by both fans and drivers due to a stunning backdrop and technically challenging corners.
Since graduating from the Cooper class to the headlining John Cooper Works (JCW) division with the multiple championship-winning Excelr8 Motorsport team in 2014, Brandon has been mightily impressive and currently sits fifth in the overall Drivers’ standings.
Battling valiantly with more experienced competitors at each event, Brandon has yet to finish outside of the top eight this season and will be looking to further that success at Oulton Park.
However, this weekend will be a unique test for the Hawick-based racer and his fellow MINI Challenge drivers, with a qualifying session and three races all crammed into one action-packed day of racing (12 July).
“I think the JCW MINI will be mega around Oulton Park,” said Brandon. “I’ve raced there twice prior to this weekend and I love the circuit. I’d say it’s one of my favourites in terms of scenery and layout. It has a mixture of fast and slow corners, which will be tricky in the JCW, but I’m going to give it my very best and we should be on the pace from the off.
“Last year was a really good weekend as I finished with two second place finishes and recorded a new lap record in the Cooper class, but with qualifying and three races in one day, one little mistake early on could potentially destroy your entire weekend.”
Brandon continued: “This year we’ve been on the pace, but I’ve been making a few little mistakes. The only thing I care about this time around is driving consistently without any mistakes. Realistically, I’d be happy with three strong, consistent finishes as this is a weekend that could make or break my championship.”
For more information on Panda Racing and Hamish Brandon, please visit the official www.hamishbrandon.com website, ‘like’ the Facebook page or follow @PandaRacingTeam on Twitter.