Former European and Irish Rallycross Champion Derek Tohill added another significant trophy to his cabinet by claiming victory in a third major series on Easter Monday, winning the second round of the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill (April 22).

Fastest in Free Practice, two-time FIA European Rallycross Champion Tohill battled his way through the qualifying stages of the event in the OlsbergsMSE-built, C-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta Supercar and set the quickest time in Q3.

Starting second on the grid for the final, Tohill made the best launch and challenged for the lead at the first corner, until being forced wide by former British Rallycross Champion Ollie O’Donovan. Pressuring the rear of O’Donovan’s car for the opening laps, PFCRX driver Tohill took an earlier joker lap and using impressive pace, leap-frogged O’Donovan for the lead when he also took his joker.

Holding track position until the end of the race, Tohill’s first British RX victory, coupled with a second-place finish from round one of the British RX series at Silverstone, means the triple Irish Rallycross Champion moves into the lead of the standings.

Racing Tohill’s double Euro RX title-winning rear-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta, PFCRX driver Peter McGarry set some of the quickest lap times in the Motorsport UK Supernational category but was plagued by niggling mechanical gremlins through the day and didn’t qualify for the final.

The third and fourth rounds of British RX takes place at Pembrey Circuit in South Wales, in June (22 – 23).

Derek Tohill | Driver | Ford Fiesta #101

“It’s always special to race at Lydden Hill, the home of rallycross, especially in a Supercar when the conditions are as good as they were today.

We’ve done a lot of work on Molly the Supercar recently, including some changes to the suspension and I feel that moved us on another step forward this weekend. Qualifying wasn’t easy, especially with a back row start in Q1 and having to take two jokers in Q2 after a jump start, but I kind of felt we had it in us to win here. The car was running well, it’s well suited to this circuit and I always love driving at Lydden Hill.

It was a hustle out there with Ollie in the final, I got him off the line then he sank himself down the inside into the first corner, which drifted me out wide. Then I had to keep the pressure on and try to pass him or force him into an early joker. I had one lap to do it after I took the joker and I put in a really good lap so it was just enough. 

It’s amazing to win here, it was a great job by everyone in the team all day. We have worked very hard for this, but it feels like we really earned it and it’s fantastic to take the lead of the championship.

As always, I really must pay credit to the hard work of the whole PFCRX team, C-Sport and all of our technical partners including OlsbergsMSE and Mountune Racing who put in a huge amount of effort both on race days and behind the scenes to make this possible.”

Lydden Hill British RX Final Result:

1 Derek Tohill (Ford Fiesta)
2 Ollie O’Donovan (Ford Fiesta)
3 Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta)
4 Jake Harris (Citroen DS3)
5 Pat Doran (Citroen C4)
6 Andy Grant (Ford Focus)

Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship Points:

1 Derek Tohill 57
2 Julian Godfrey 55
3 Pat Doran 46
4 Steve Hill 38
5 Mike Manning 37
6 Liam Manning 36