Harry Hickton made his mark in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE JCW at Brands Hatch this past weekend (5-6 October), enjoying a stellar debut that included a brace of top ten finishes.
Securing a late deal to drive the EXCELR8 Motorsport machine that guided Dan Zelos to a third title this year, Hickton impressed many as he fought towards the sharp end of the field around the iconic Grand Prix circuit.
Having established himself as a leading light in the Trophy category this year, the multiple race winner arrived at the Kent venue eager to underline his credentials in what is widely regarded one of the most competitive single-make categories in the country.
Getting to grips with the more powerful JCW car for the first time during Friday’s two practice sessions, the 18-year-old delivered a commendable performance when it came to qualifying on Saturday morning.
In what was a captivating session towards the top of the times, Hickton arguably should have been in the mix to be on the first few rows of the grid however a huge spin while pushing hard meant that ninth was the best he could manage.
Hickton - who was backed by Paul Castle Associates, Platform Lift Company, AKFS, and Hysons Chartered Accountants - showed his class in race one as he hustled his way up to sixth at the chequered flag.
Unfortunately an excursion into the gravel trap brought a premature end to his exploits in race two before he bounced back to finish ninth in a frenetic finale that saw the teenager have to battle the elements as well as those around him on-track.
Harry Hickton: “It’s been a real rollercoaster week but I’m super proud of what I’ve been able to achieve. The opportunity to race was presented quite late in the day but I knew it was too good to turn down so we made it work and it’s been worthwhile.
“The JCW Class is the logical next step to take in my career so to be able to dip my toe in the water of it - in a car that has won the title three times no less - was perfect and I loved every single second of it.
“Of course it would have been great to finish higher up the order but to be in mix and be competitive was fantastic. The JCW car requires a slightly different style of driving however I had lots of fun out there and was pleased to bring home some points.
“We’ll obviously have some conversations off the back of this but the immediate focus for me now is to see if we can come back to Brands Hatch next month and try to walk away with the Trophy title.”
Hickton will conclude his 2024 season back at Brands Hatch - albeit this time on the Indy track - on the 2-3 November as he closes out his Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy campaign with Westbourne Motorsport.
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