DONINGTON GP RACE REPORT

FIRST TIME OUT

Qualifying

2026 began at Donington Park for the OT Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires and before we even got into Qualifying there was frantic action in the garages. Spencer Hirons didn't make it out for Qualifying due to issues with his car; the SIII has been giving him plenty of work over the winter, and seemingly the cobwebs had not come off quite yet. 

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Qualifying was the first time most of the field to get their eye in after a long winter, and for some it was the first time they had driven their new race car. Michael Evans had spent his winter building a brand new car from the ground up; so this first weekend was very much a test of his new machine, to see what work needs to happen to make it quick. No such work was needed at Cursley Motorsport however for Nathan James; a rookie to the Series and to car racing generally, Nathan stormed to pole position by the narrow margin of just 0.014 from Sean Jones. Hazem Zaki and Ben Wilkinson lined up on the second row, with Neale Hurren and Harvey Cursley behind hoping to join in the top battle. 

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Race One

The lights went out and it was a terrible getaway for Sean Jones from second position; it wasn't great for Nathan James either as Ben Wilkinson swoops into the lead ahead of Hurren and Zaki. James managed to rescue third place into the Old Hairpin, while Matthew Watson, Harvey Cursley and Stephen Slawson duked it out three-wide down Craner Curves for fifth. A poor exit from Zaki gave Cursley a run up to McLeans and he took full advantage, moving into fourth place. Jason Jesse made a good start and made his way past Slawson in the DCS Motorsport car and began to challenge Watson for sixth. A Safety Car is called at the end of the lap for Roger Owens' stricken car, but lasts only one lap. A chance for the field to breathe and settle into positions. 

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Wilkinson made a great restart from the lead, but Hurren went with him and began to pile pressure on the leader, and seemingly it worked! Ben Wilkinson braked too late into the chicane, lost the rear and slammed into the tyre wall! This left Neale Hurren in the lead, but Nathan James chose his time to pounce, and managed to wrestle the race lead back. Hazem Zaki fancied his chances too; closing on the back of the second placed man. Three wide between the top three then brought Matthew Watson into the battle. A brave move for Watson through Craners got him up into third place, soon to become second after a mistake from Hurren. An exciting race all round then, but it was Nathan James who claimed his first race win in his first race! Matthew Watson achieved his first podium in the Series with Hazem Zaki rounding out the podium in third. 

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Race Two

A better start from Nathan James saw him side-by-side with Matthew Watson into turn one, a small touch between Paul Lawrie and Harvey Cursley saw Jason Jesse taking avoiding action into the gravel, but all parties lived to fight another day. Zaki and Watson battled over second into McLeans while Neale Hurren piled the pressure on for third. Mark Eales made a great start too, taking advantage of the Zaki v Hurren battle to take fourth. Harvey Cursley and Stephen Slawson went door to door through the final corner, seeing Slawson move up to sixth, only for Cursley to re-take the place through Craners. 

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Paul Callaway recovered from a trip through the gravel in Race One and was now climbing the field; battling against Paul Lawrie and Kevin Middleton for eigthth. Ben Wilkinson had made good ground too, working his way from last to the top ten in the first six minutes of the race. The battle at the front had cooled down a little, so Harvey Cursley and Neale Hurren decided to give the spectators a show with a battle for sixth place. Nathan had settled in comfortably at the front and built a lead; Hazem Zaki couldn't keep pace with Matthew Watson and was resigned to third, while Slawson made his way up to fourth place.​​​