Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire, the fastest track on the Renault UK Clio Cup calendar, will host the third event of the 2018 season next weekend, 19th/20th May, where championship front-runner Brett Lidsey is aiming to continue his impressive current momentum.

Relishing the prospect of being back at the 2.35-mile track near Andover, 26-year-old MRM driver Lidsey – from Northfleet in Kent – can’t wait to once again experience the immense challenge of Thruxton where the bulk of the lap is spent largely flat-out and at the absolute limit of adhesion.

Unlike any other venue on the Clio Cup schedule, in fact unlike any other track in the UK full stop, the super-fast circuit – which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – provides a unique test and especially through the daunting sequence of corners Goodwood, Village and the notorious Church.

Added to that, with practice at the Hampshire track severely limited the competitors will go straight into qualifying next weekend so need to be absolutely ‘on it’ from the second the grid-determining session for rounds five and six begins.

“Thruxton’s a mega track, there really is nowhere else like it, and I can’t wait to get straight into qualifying and see if we can continue the momentum from Donington Park”, said Lidsey, “We’re looking for a consistent weekend, so a couple of top 10 finishes in a grid as competitive as this year’s Clio Cup would be great. Ideally, though, I want to push for the top six in both races.”

Last time out at Donington a fortnight ago, the Liftout, GHR Scaffolding Ltd, GPL Projects Ltd, Certus Security, Dornack, Taylor Made Decals and MS Motorsport-backed racer delivered in both qualifying and the races with a career-best weekend in his first full season in the national Clio Cup category.

Posting an excellent top six time in a wet-but-drying qualifying session, following an inspired switch to slick tyres fairly early on, Lidsey went on to take an outstanding fifth place finish in the opening encounter and added another top 10 result in race two.

Importantly, Lidsey did take part in the official test at Thruxton last month and he also participated in the Clio Cup rounds there last year as one of a handful of outings he made during a part-campaign in 2017, chalking-up a top 10 finish. Previously, he has also competed at the Hampshire track in the Michelin Clio Cup Race Series at the wheel of an earlier generation Renault Clio.

“Donington was a fantastic weekend, qualifying went better than we could have expected thanks to the perfect tyre call and the races were really strong as well”, Lidsey reflected, “We need to try and build on that and keep moving forward, and that’s the plan for Thruxton. It’s a massive challenge for any driver, and there’s usually nothing in it in qualifying in Clios, but we’re definitely up for it.”

Next weekend’s action will be the last for Lidsey until the championship’s annual visit to Croft in North Yorkshire at the end of June – he will forego rounds seven and eight at Oulton Park on 9th/10th June as the event clashes with his wedding to fiancée Graz.

Images courtesy of Images courtesy of PSP Images