The first weekend in July saw Hagerty Radical Cup UK make their debut outside of the UK – visiting the current host of the FORMULA 1 FRENCH GRAND PRIX – Circuit Paul Ricard, for Round 4 of the championship.

 

Points leader Chris Lulham arrived as the favourite, aiming to extend his winning streak. Despite achieving a clean sweep of victories, he faced stiff competition throughout.

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Race 1

Yet again, Lulham began his fourth consecutive weekend on pole position – having set a fastest lap time of 2:08.911 – which would ultimately award him another Radical SR3 lap record for the 5.842 mile circuit. Valour Racing teammate Chris Preen started alongside Lulham – the pair both piloting Radical SR3 XXR machinery. Preen took the early lead at Turn One, followed by Lulham, and their teammate Luke Hilton.

 

Valour Racing’s Fangio Trophy driver enjoyed a clean fight with Lulham – the two engaging in respectful rivalry. Lulham and Hilton joined Preen in an early breakaway, but Lulham ran wide, allowing Hilton to grab second before Lulham quickly regained the position. The top five remained tightly grouped until Lulham overtook Preen on the Mistral Straight. By the end of the lap, Lulham led from his fellow Valour Racing drivers Kristian Brookes and Chris Preen, while Luke Hilton retired to the pit lane due to engine issues. On Lap 9, Brookes was also forced to retire - handing Lulham a 15-second lead.

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A 15-lap race in total, Lulham secured a comfortable win - more than 20 seconds up the road from Preen.

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Race 2

In the second race, Lulham retained pole position, this time alongside Luke Hilton. Preen, who started fifth, attempted to pass the leaders on the inside going into Turn 1 -  not quite reaching Lulham and Hilton – instead settling for third. As the race settled down after the first few corners, there was little Hilton could do, even with a brand-new engine, to catch Lulham out front – who was extending his lead by around one second each time past the pits. Chris took the chequered flag with a 16.1 second lead over his teammate – taking his tenth win of the season.

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Race 3

In the partially reversed grid for race three, Lulham started seventh, with Yang and Geshev on the front row. Chris Preen made the best start, moving into the lead from fourth into Turn 1. Geshev's wide run allowed Kristian Brookes into second, with Luke Hilton charging from the back to third.

 

By the end of Lap 1, Lulham was still sitting fifth – behind his teammates Preen, Brookes and Hilton – who were followed by Radical France’s Adrien Girard. Lulham then passed Girard and while Preen and Hilton engaged in side-by-side racing for second place, Lulham sat back and waited for his opportunity. Preen ran wide at De Beausset, enabling Lulham to advance to third.

 

By Lap 4, Lulham was right on the tail of Hilton, looking for a way round going into the esses and side-by-side into Signes corner with Lulham now heading into De Beausset ahead of Hilton with a 2.2-second gap to leader Kristian Brookes. Brookes was able to hold the Verstappen.com athlete off for three laps but damage to the #82 car and a missing mirror glass meant he couldn’t hold Lulham off any longer – who overtook him after taking the inside line into De Beausset – then holding the outside line around Bendor; a move that would secure his eleventh win of the season – and his third consecutive hat-trick of wins from four rounds.

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