Silverstone 2022 Preview

After more than 200 days since the final rounds of the 2021 championship were contested at Oulton Park, the HITEK Electronic Materials Alfa Romeo Championship returns to Silverstone for the opening rounds of the 2022 season on the popular 1.64 mile National circuit.

The drivers and teams have been making full use of this extended break to get their cars prepared for the new campaign which sees a number of regular drivers being joined by some familiar faces from previous campaigns and some newcomers to the championship.

Four time champion Tom Hill will be looking to regain his title in the unique and very competitive Revs Italia prepared 3.2 litre GT from the current champion, Barry McMahon, who is unavailable for these opening rounds. A number of drivers across all the classes will be hoping to provide stiff competition and challenge for overall honours themselves in a variety of cars as the season progresses.

In Barry’s absence the Modified class will be contested by Andy Page in his Giulietta 116 Turbo, Stacey Dennis in the Bianco motorsports supported Giulietta 940 1750 turbo and Scott Austin in the ex Vincent Dubois 156 that he debuted so impressively in the Oulton Park rounds last October.

This race meeting is the inaugural round of the new V6 class and a number of drivers who competed last year in the Power Trophy class will be making up the initial entries to provide a competitive field. The Revs Italia trio of cars driven by former champions Tom Hill and Graham Seager and experienced Alfa racer Andy Inman are joined by Dave Messenger in the Darnells Engineering 156 GTA and Gabriele Iaccarino in the 3.2 GT that debuted in 2021 and showed consistent improvement as the season progressed.

A strong line up in the Twin Spark Cup class is sure to provide competitive racing once again as 9 cars line up at the start of qualifying for the weekend’s action. Defending Twin Spark champion Richard Ford in his Bianco Motorsports supported 156 will once again be joined by his brother James in his familiar and similarly supported 156 that has been the subject of some mechanical refurbishment to get it in shape for this weekend’s outing. Regular Bianco Motorsports campaigners Jon Billingsley in his 147 and former champion Andrew Bourke in his 156 are going to be strong competitors in the class and Andy Winterton, in the ex Dave Messenger 156 will be looking to continue his improvement in the class that he showed towards the end of 2021. We welcome 2 returning drivers to the championship, Peter Sloan in the ex Roger Evans 145 for his first outing since 2013 and Toby Broome, returning to the Alfa championship in a Bianco Motorsports 156 for the first time in 28 years! We also welcome 2 new drivers to the paddock, Andreas Georgiou, in a Bianco Motorsports 156 and Robin Hall, also in a 156 and hope they have an enjoyable and satisfying weekend’s racing at Silverstone.

Timetable

Garage Allocation

10B – Andrew Bourke and Jon Billingsley
10C – Stacey Dennis and Robin Hall
11A – Richard Ford and Andreas Georgiou
11B – Toby Broome and James Ford
11C – Andy Winterton
11D – Scott Austin
12A – Dave Messenger
12B – Gabs Iaccarino and Andy Page
12C – Tom Hill and Peter Sloan
12D – Graham Seager and Andy Inman

Thanks go to the 750 Motor Club and to all our sponsors this year: HITEK Electronic Materials, Yokohama tyres, Black n Rounds, Axis Shift and the Alfa Romeo Owners Club. Their support of the Championship this season is much appreciated and valued.

Keith Ford