Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Reveals 2025 Race Dates
The schedule for the 2025 Vertu MINI CHALLENGE season has been confirmed, featuring a total of 14 race weekends for the three classes.
As well as confirming the race dates, the championship can also confirm that – following discussions with current and potential new entrants – entry fees will be held at the same level as in 2024.
Thanks to the ongoing agreement to act as a support championship for the British Touring Car Championship, the JCW and JCW Sport categories will continue to run exclusively on the TOCA package for what will be a sixth successive season.
The calendar will provide teams and drivers alike with the opportunity to compete on the most high-profile package in British Motorsport with the schedule for 2025 being largely in line with the one seen in 2024, with one notable exception.
Having previously run two events at Brands Hatch – with one meeting on the Indy layout and one on the full Grand Prix circuit – the JCW and JCW Sport calendar will now feature seven unique venues, with the Brands Hatch Indy date early in the season being replaced by a trip to Silverstone later in the year.
The season will kick off at Donington Park on the shorter National layout in April with a triple header meeting before the trip to Snetterton in May, with the final meeting before the summer break taking place at Oulton Park in late June.
Racing resumes in August at Croft in North Yorkshire before the annual trip to Knockhill in Scotland, with Silverstone and the annual Brands Hatch GP finale rounding out the seven date schedule.
The entry level Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy for Cooper cars will also contest seven events, three of which will again provide drivers with the chance to showcase their skills in front of the large BTCC crowds.
As with the other classes, the calendar shows one change from 2024, with the series electing against a return to Pembrey next season in exchange for a second date at Brands Hatch.
The season will again kick off at Snetterton in April before the first Brands Hatch meeting in May, which will also be the first of the three TOCA support events.
A further BTCC appearance at Thruxton comes before a visit to Croft for what is planned to be a celebration of all things MINI – with the Championship working to make the Sunday a MINI Festival similar to the one that took place earlier this year.
After the summer break, Donington Park GP hosts the third and final BTCC support meeting before the Coopers join the BRSCC for a trip to Silverstone on the National layout in late September.
The season will then draw to a close back at Brands Hatch in November when the Coopers join forces with the British Truck Racing Championship for the annual Fireworks Spectacular event.
Championship Manager Rhea Beauchamp said:
“We are delighted to confirm our calendars for the 2025 season, which come on the back of a lot of discussions and surveys with our teams and drivers in recent weeks, and also to reveal that there will be no increase on entry fees for our competitors.
“As a Championship, we are very lucky that our position as a support for the BTCC means ten of our race dates were firmed up early, with the real challenge being how to incorporate the additional four rounds for the Trophy Championship.
“It has taken a lot of time, but we are pleased to have secured dates that provide plenty of variety for our drivers, and which are spread evenly across the season for the benefit of our teams; minimising the number of race meetings in close proximity to each other, whilst also avoiding any lengthy breaks.
“In particular, we look forward to seeing the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy join the BTCC package at Brands Hatch for the first time as the Cooper cars invariably produce exciting racing around the Indy circuit and are also looking forward to working with the team at Croft to build on the success of the inaugural MINI Festival that we held earlier this year.”
JCW/JCW SPORT:
26/27 April – Donington Park
24/25 May – Snetterton
21/22 June – Oulton Park
2/3 August – Croft
16/17 August – Knockhill
20/21 September – Silverstone
4/5 October – Brands Hatch GP
TROPHY:
12/13 April – Snetterton
10/11 May – Brands Hatch Indy*
7/8 June – Thruxton*
28/29 June – Croft MINI Festival
30/31 August – Donington Park GP*
27/28 September – Silverstone
1/2 November – Brands Hatch Indy
* – BTCC support