Canterbury based Tristan Ovenden is leading the British Rallycross Championship after an impressive trip abroad.

The British Rallycross Championship in association with Odyssey Batteries headed just over the English Channel to Duivelsberg Circuit in Maasmechelen, Belgium.

Ovenden was looking to re-ignite his season after a mixed start to his first season racing in Super1600. It was also the first outing for his new Suzuki Swift 1600, in fact it was the first opportunity he had to properly pout it through its paces!

Ovenden was realistic before the start of the event knowing that the car was basically standard. “I’m just looking to have some fun out there” joked Ovenden before the event.

The event was unusually run over a day and a half with free practice and qualifying 1 being ran on Saturday afternoon with the remainder of the qualifiers and the finals taking place on the Sunday.

The promise of an exciting weekend’s racing was not to disappoint. The weather was to play its part with temperature’s firmly in the late 20’s and very dusty conditions.

The Super1600 class was run as an amalgamated with the Belgian championship and the field was very strong including regular European Championship drivers so Ovenden would have his work cut out for him.

As the event progressed so did the Kent driver’s confidence in his new car. After the three qualifying rounds Ovenden lined up on the last row of the first semi-final.

He brought the car home in third place enough to secure him a start in the final. He drove the car home as the second placed British Driver.

This places Ovenden as the current championship leader with a three point margin over his nearest rival.

Round 6 of the British championship now returns for its second visit to the spiritual home of Rallycross, and Tristan Ovenden’s home circuit of Lydden Hill in Kent held over the 29th August on the Bank Holiday.