Sparks grabs maiden win as title fight heats up
The R&G British Talent Cup rolled into Brands Hatch for Round 4 of the season, with high stakes and unpredictable weather as Ethan Sparks (Kovara Projects / RS Racing) clinched his maiden BTC victory, dominating on Saturday. The #62 took the win by 4.907s in a reduced-distance Race 1, which was red-flagged due to adverse conditions. Sparks finished ahead of teammate Jack Dunabie (Kovara Projects / RS Racing), who finished as runner-up after an incredible four-way fight for second place. Meanwhile, Filip Surowiak (City Lifting Team) earned a crucial third position, snatching back the title lead.
From pole, Sparks stormed into the lead on the run to Turn 1, with Surowiak forced to get his elbows out from the start, maintaining third position. Surowiak sat behind Harrison Mackay (Kovara Projects / RS Racing) on the opening lap before a move on Lap 2. Meanwhile, Ryan Frost (Fibretec Honda by Mlav Racing) began his charge through the pack, edging towards the top five following a P11 start. The fight for second was spectacular, with Surowiak, Mackay and Dunabie all wanting a spot on the podium.
As the battle for the podium intensified, Frost carved through the pack to lead the second group, battling with Jack Burrows (Burows Engineering / RK Racing), Julian Correa (Mortimer Racing) and Clayton Edmunds (City Lifting Team) as spots of rain appeared. Burrows’ Race 1 hopes came to an end on Lap 6, after a crash while fighting in the top five. At the front, Sparks began to build a comfortable gap, soon growing it to one second and then later three seconds – adapting to the tricky conditions.
With rain in the air, every lap counted as Mackay reclaimed second position, demoting Surowiak into Dunabie’s grasp. Frost continued to edge closer, maximising clear track ahead, sitting a further second behind the podium duel – closing in every lap. It was a spectacular display for the Brands Hatch fans as a three-way battle became four on Lap 9. Surowiak, Dunabie and Mackay were the key contenders for second position, trading places on Lap 11 before a red flag was brought out – declaring Race 1 a result.
Sparks’ dominant win set the tone for the remainder of the weekend, crossing the line 4.907s clear in the red-flagged Race 1. Dunabie and Surowiak completed the podium, split by just 0.048s at the last completed lap. Mackay finished fourth, with Frost claiming fifth and one point behind the championship lead. Edmunds clinched sixth ahead of Correa and Peter Willis (WM Racing), while Mason Foster (Mortimer Racing) and Joshua Raymond Jnr (Fibretec Honda by Mlav Racing) rounded out the top 10 in an unforgettable race.
Sparks conquers Brands Hatch in style
Ethan Sparks doubled up at Brands Hatch, clinching his second victory of the season on Sunday. The #62 had to fight hard for the win, fending off teammate Harrison Mackay by just 0.251s. It was another strong ride from Mackay, who spent Race 2 inside the podium battle, grabbing further championship points. Elsewhere, Jack Dunabie took the final spot on the podium, crossing the line in third a further 0.965s behind Mackay. It was the perfect end to the weekend for the Kovara Projects / RS Racing squad, who made it a podium lockout!
It was a good launch from Mackay, but it would be Sparks who led the field on the run out of Turn 1. Ryan Frost got his elbows out on the opening lap, launching into third position following a sixth place start in Race 2. Meanwhile, Filip Surowiak worked hard to stay with the leading group, fighting on the edge of the top five. The #75 charged into the podium places on Lap 2, earning a solid position to enter the podium fight – soon becoming a six-rider fight.
Jensen Bishop (Wilson Racing) had a crash early on, ending his hopes of scoring points on Sunday following a crash at Turn 3. Elsewhere, Charlie Huntingford (Holmes Plant Mototechniks Racing) would suffer a similar fate a few laps later. The battle continued at the head of the field, with Dunabie snatching the fastest lap of the race, entering the top three in the process. However, Peter Willis would soon fight back, running in third position before a crash at Hawthorns ended his podium bid.
Everything would be decided in the closing stages of the race, with dark clouds in the sky once more. Sparks continued his reign at the front ahead of Mackay before the red flag was brought out. Race 2 was declared a result, with rain ending play at the end of Lap 10 – awarding Sparks the win!
Results were once more taken from the last completed lap, with Sparks earning a winning margin of 0.251s over Mackay, who edged out Dunabie for second. Championship leader Filip Surowiak finished in fourth, extending his lead to three points over Ryan Frost, who claimed fifth. Meanwhile, Mason Foster took sixth, securing a double top 10 finish and beating Clayton Edmunds, Julian Correa and Joshua Raymond Jnr. Meanwhile, Jack Burrows rounded out the top 10, ending another intense Brands Hatch showdown.
The R&G British Talent Cup now gears up for Thruxton, with the fast-flowing circuit hosting Round 5 of the season. There are plenty of points and prizes up for grabs, so don’t miss a moment as the second half of the season ignites from August 08-10!
