REUNITED MX-5 SUPERCUP IS REVVED UP FOR 2020 SILVERSTONE OPENER
The Mazda MX-5 SuperCup is a championship that never fails to provide incredible action, drama and excitement amongst British club motorsport, and the 2020 season looks set to produce more of the same as it reunifies with the MX-5 Super Series to provide one place for all Mk3 Mazda MX-5s to compete together.
To accommodate the merger, a new two-tier class structure has been implemented into the SuperCup to cater to the wide range of talent levels the series features. The Pro class will be where the fastest drivers in the championship will battle it out at the head of the field for overall race victory, while the Club class allows those who simply want to compete without the pressure of keeping up with the front runners a chance to enjoy racing amongst themselves. Nonetheless, don’t be surprised to see drivers from both classes mixing it with each other on track, as they both look to score points towards their respective championship standings.
So, who can we expect to see in 2020? Well for a start, the names Luke Herbert, Jack Harding and Aidan Hills are unlikely to appear on an entry list any time soon, as Herbert has switched to driver coaching, Hills moves his focus to running his own Hills Motorsport outfit and Harding looks to move up in his racing career. All of this means that it’s very likely a brand new name will be on the roll of honour come the end of the season as champion – but not guaranteed. Starting the season with a point to prove, 2016 champ James Blake-Baldwin may have his best chance at a SuperCup title since he beat Tom Roche to the honour four years ago. If he’s on the pace from the first qualifying session, he will certainly be a title favourite.
There’s certainly going to be a select few that will be his nearest rivals should he stick it out for the whole season. Last year, Patrick Fletcher was top SuperCup rookie and came agonisingly close to his first podium on more than one occasion. Now he has a real chance to earn one on this opening weekend, provided those around him don’t get there first. James Cossins was very impressive in the two race meetings he participated in during 2019 and proved to be straight on the pace in each. With guidance from Hills Motorsport, a first win isn’t out of the question and he’s sure to get quicker as the season unfolds. Also, enter the reigning Mk1 champion John Langridge who moves up to the SuperCup with BLiNK Motorsport and judging on early testing pace, the chance to become the first driver to win Mk1 and SuperCup titles back to back could be very, very real.
Joe Marshall looks to build on a very strong campaign from last year and go for outright race wins, while Jack Sycamore showed flashes of brilliance throughout 2019 and joins AK Motorsport in a bid to move further up the grid. Matt Pickford impressed many with his progress in the Super Series and has to be a favourite for Masters honours, Adam Bessell once again swaps the Mk1 for the Mk3 to see what he can achieve and Martin Tolley decides to try out his SuperCup car for the opening weekend as he does double duty alongside the MX-5 Championship.
Not only are there new names in the lineup such as Omar Jackson, Mk1 racer Michael Knibbs, Seamus Heaney and Jonathan Beeson amongst familiars like Simon Fleet, George Grant, Clive Powles, Liz Walton, David Henderson, Declan Lee and Kristian White, but also a brand new team. The champion British GT duo of Martin Plowman and Kelvin Fletcher bring their Paddock Promotions Motorsport outfit to the paddock to run Will Killick, Richard Taffinder and Kelvin’s younger brother Brayden Fletcher, as well as former champ Blake-Baldwin. How they will fare in their first SuperCup weekend remains to be seen, but we’re thrilled to have them and we wish them the very best of luck!
Scott Woodwiss