A Guide To The Vertu MINI CHALLENGE
Vertu Motors will once again take up the role of title sponsor for the MINI CHALLENGE in 2024 in an extension of the partnership agreement that was signed last year.
The 2023 campaign saw Dan Zelos and Tom Ovenden secure championship titles on-track after frenetic battles across two classes, with much of the same expected again when the new season gets underway – albeit with the addition of an extra class into the mix.
Ahead of the opening weekend of action at Snetterton, here’s a quick look at what to expect...
What is the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE?
The Vertu MINI CHALLENGE is a one-make series that has been running in the UK for more than 20 years, making it one of the most established championships on the British motorsport scene.
With drivers doing battle in identical cars, close, action-packed racing is guaranteed and is one of the main reasons why the championship has become universally popular with fans and is seen as a great stepping stone for potential touring car stars of the future.
So it’s a series for younger drivers?
Not at all. In fact, there are few championships around where you’ll find such a wide range of ages competing against each other on the same grid...
In 2023, the youngest MINI CHALLENGE drivers were just 16-years-old and had to juggle racing commitments with school life – with some drivers even forced to miss one of the official test days ahead of a race weekend because they were busy sitting their GCSEs!
At the other end of the scale, the oldest driver competing in the MINI CHALLENGE turned 66 mid-way through the campaign, and there have been older drivers than him in the past.
What are the cars like?
That all depends on the class, as the MINI CHALLENGE operates a total of three classes from 2024 onwards, catering for drivers of differing skillsets and also for vastly differing budgets.
It means the MINI CHALLENGE is hugely accessible and is a key reason why grid numbers are consistently high.
What’s the entry level then?
That would be the Cooper class, which is also known as the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy. Cars in the Cooper class are based on the R50 version of the MINI Hatch, which is the car that was introduced by BMW when it decided to relaunch the brand.
All cars use a 130bhp 1.6-litre normally aspirated engine, six-speed manual gearbox and Goodyear slick and wet tyres. Whilst there are various motorsport-specific parts, such as a roll cage for safety, there are also a number of parts that are shared with the base road model on which the cars are based, which helps to keep costs low.
In fact, you could pick up an R50-spec Cooper that has failed its MOT and would otherwise be destined for a breakers yard, and give it a new lease of life as a race car for under £20,000.
Where do drivers go from there?
Previously, the next step for a driver would have been into a JCW car competing in the top class of the MINI CHALLENGE. Whereas the Cooper cars are converted road cars, the JCW is a bespoke racing machine based on the F56 MINI – the current, third generation model.
These cars have a 2.0-litre turbo engine producing more than 250bhp and are packed with bespoke motorsport parts that mean they are effectively a ‘mini’ version of the touring cars that many drivers hope to go on and race in future years.
So what’s the third class then?
The step from the Cooper into a JCW is a big one to make, both in terms of the car but also in terms of the budget you need to buy/build one and then run it for a season. For that reason, a new JCW Sport class will be introduced this year featuring cars that look like JCW machines but with various changes under the skin designed to reduce costs.
That means things like a H-pattern gearbox rather than a sequential racing ‘box and a slightly less powerful engine, whilst there are also tighter limits on how many tyres can be used compared to a JCW car.
Because the two cars are quite similar, a JCW Sport car can be upgraded to JCW spec – and vice versa.
How do I watch?
That all depends on whether you want to watch the action in person, or are planning to follow things from home...
What about trackside then?
There are plenty of opportunities, with no fewer than 14 race meetings featuring the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE over the course of the season.
The JCW and JCW Sport classes race together on the same grid, and exclusively on the support package for the British Touring Car Championship. That means huge crowds at every event, with seven meetings at circuits like Donington Park and Brands Hatch, whilst there is also a chance for Scottish fans to enjoy the action at Knockhill.
The Cooper class has three dates alongside the BTCC at Thruxton, Donington Park and Silverstone with the remaining four events being part of British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) meetings – featuring an eclectic mix of machinery from racing trucks to super karts.
And if I can’t get to a race track?
The Vertu MINI CHALLENGE has a fantastic broadcast package available. In fact, you can watch more MINI CHALLENGE action live and free of charge than F1, MotoGP AND the World Rally Championship combined!
Every JCW/JCW Sport event includes at least one race live on ITV4 (and occasionally on the main ITV channel), whilst the same is true for the three Cooper meetings on the touring car package.
The remaining four events feature live streaming online via the BARC YouTube channel – so there are plenty of opportunities to see what is going on.
Will I recognise any names?
You might well do if you are a racing fan, with a number of teams also competing in other championships alongside their MINI programmes. BTCC outfits EXCELR8 and NAPA Racing UK are part of the grid, whilst the likes of Graves Motorsport run in Porsches and Westbourne Motorsport has long been active in historic racing.
In terms of the drivers, you might not recognise the names now but there is a good chance that you’ll see them going on to race in other championships further down the line.
Current BTCC racers Ronan Pearson and Sam Osborne are both graduates of the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE, as is leading female racer Jess Hawkins – now am ambassador for the Aston Martin F1 team who got to sample the AMR21 car during a test in Hungary last year.
It’s not just news names who will appear in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE however with the likes of Le Mans winner Mark Blundell and touring car champion Matt Neal having enjoyed guest drives in the series in the past.
Looking to find a MINI CHALLENGE racer for the road?