Harry Hickton produced a sensational performance this past weekend (2-3 November) to make his dreams a reality and clinch the 2024 Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy title in a thrilling finale at Brands Hatch.
The Westbourne Motorsport driver entered the final event of the season sitting second in the standings, 31 points adrift of the top of the table, but a fine display saw him overturn the deficit to ultimately triumph by two points.
Going into the weekend with the mindset of having nothing to lose, the 18-year-old chose the perfect time to score his first pole position of the year as he blitzed the opposition in qualifying to secure top spot on the grid for race three and the crucial bonus points that come with it.
With second fastest lap times deciding the grid for the opening contest, Hickton wasted no time in making inroads into the championship lead as he jockeyed for position at the front of the field - ultimately crossing the line in fourth place.
Hickton then made sure that the battle for the coveted crown went down to the wire as he claimed his fifth win of the season in what was a dramatic penultimate contest on Sunday morning.
Lining up on the third row, the Hampshire racer firstly had to contend with the race being restarted after the red flag was waved and when it did, he quickly emerged as one to watch as he charged up the order to hit the front on lap six.
Once in the lead, Hickton - who is backed by Hysons Chartered Accountants, The Platform Lift Company, Vernham Labels, Addventure, Woodstock, Hippo Campers and Brandfixx – unfortunately found himself on the receiving end of contact by Gabe Fairbrother at Surtees.
As he tried to recover, Hickton made inadvertent contact with Ronnie Smith when rejoining the track which caused substantial damage to his car. However, with the red flag again being thrown for a separate incident and the result then rolling back a lap, Hickton was declared the winner.
That triumph ensured that Hickton entered the final race of the year with a 12-point lead and with his main title rival directly in front of him. Holding his nerve, Hickton was wheel-perfect to take chequered flag in third and clinch the Drivers’ Championship by the narrowest of margins.
“I’m over the moon - it hasn’t quite sunk in that I’m champion yet,” said Hickton. “This season has just been an absolute rollercoaster in terms of results and emotions so to be standing here with the title is beyond my wildest dreams.
“Despite scoring five wins and a further six podiums, I’ve had so much bad luck this season and it just felt like it wasn’t going to be my year. But, I knew that while there was a chance I had to throw everything I had at it and thankfully we managed to turn it around this weekend.
“As soon as we hit the track on Friday I had a good feeling with the car and the pace we had throughout the event was mega. Of course it wasn’t easy and there were a few moments where I thought it was slipping away but I just tried to stay as calm as possible.
“I’ve just got to say a massive thank you to Westbourne Motorsport for all of their support this year and to all of my amazing sponsors, family and friends. Without any of them I wouldn’t be standing here as the champion - this is as much their title as it is mine.
“I’m just absolutely lost for words and so happy! I can’t describe the feeling I’ve got; winning this championship means everything and hopefully it can be the springboard for even more success in the years to come.”
Image from Jakob Ebrey Photography.
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