SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND OF RACING FOR ABARTH IN THE UK

Thousands of motorsport fans were treated to a spectacular weekend of racing as the Abarth 500 European series came to the UK.

British driver Adam Jones took full home advantage to post two wins out of two over the action-packed weekend (18/19 July) at Brands Hatch circuit in Kent. He was one of 11 drivers competing in the fourth round of the Abarth 500 Selenia-European Trophy – one of the main attractions at the race meeting.

The Abarth 500 Assetto Corse’s speed, driveability and balanced power/weight ratio made it ideal for the Kent track and the cars were completing the lap distance at an average of 130 km/h (80 mph), creating an exciting spectacle for the crowds.

“It was good to see the Abarth 500 race cars here in the UK and what better place to showcase them than Brands Hatch?” says Ivan Gibson, head of Abarth in the UK. “Both days’ races were full of drama, great driving and wonderful excitement – which is what the magic of Abarth is all about.”

The fight for overall victory will resume at the next meeting of the Abarth 500 Selenia-European Trophy, which is scheduled for 5-6 September in Germany.

Meanwhile, two more Abarth cars were competing in Britain over the weekend – this time Grande Punto versions, which were entered into the BARC Hillclimb Championship at Gurston Down, near Salisbury.

The event was part of Abarth UK’s media motorsport programme, and allowed four of Britain’s top motoring journalists behind the wheel for an experience of the sport. It was a close thing with less than two seconds separating the drivers – Owen Mildenhall and James Disdale (Auto Express), freelance writer Jesse Crosse and Performance Car’s Chris Knapman.