MAX HALL ENDS MINI CHALLENGE TROPHY SEASON WITH PODIUM HAT-TRICK

Max Hall closed out his debut season in the Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy on a high with a strong weekend at Brands Hatch, where he clinched his second pole position of the year and a trio of podium finishes.

Bringing the curtain down on a campaign that has seen him cement his status as one of the most promising up-and-coming talents in the UK, the Westbourne Motorsport driver produced a superlative display in contrasting weather conditions around the Kent circuit.

Qualifying on Saturday morning took place in challenging wet conditions, with drivers originally spending two laps under yellow flags before being given free reign to chase after a competitive lap time.

Hall - who is backed by Halls Electrical, Brigade Electronics, Fischer Panda, Durite, PVL UK, Brandfixx and GT Installation - quickly headed to the top of the times and with three red flags truncating the session, he was ultimately never beaten.

Race one saw the teenager make a triumphant return to the podium as he battled eventual winner Alex Keens. Holding the lead at the start, Hall built up a slender advantage before Keens found a way past him at mid-distance.

Remaining hot on the heels of Keen, the former Junior Saloon Car Champion sat within striking distance before a late safety car, and ultimately the red flag, brought proceedings to a premature end.

Bright sunshine greeted the grid for the first of Sunday’s two races and it provided the backdrop to what was arguably one of Hall’s best drives. Starting second, the Motorsport UK Academy ace leapt into sizeable early lead on the opening tour before the safety car neutralised the action.

On the restart, Hall served up a sensational defensive masterclass to hold off Jack Byrne and take the chequered flag first. Unfortunately, his joy was to be short-lived as an investigation into his battle with Byrne deemed he had gained an unfair advantage, which relegated him to second.

Eager to bounce back in the final race of the season, Hall this time showcased his overtaking prowess as he carved his way up the order from fifth to complete a clean sweep of podium finishes.

Biding his time in what was a race of attrition, the rookie sprung into action in the closing laps as he first found a way past Nicky Taylor and then Sam Gornall, before then missing out on victory to Nathan Edwards by just a tenth of a second.

At the end of the 2023 campaign, Hall finished seventh overall in the Drivers’ Championship whilst also securing runners-up laurels in the Rookie Cup.

Max Hall: “It’s been a brilliant end to the season! To claim pole position and then three podiums is a fantastic rewards for everyone at Westbourne Motorsport; we had a few tough rounds in the middle-part of the year but we’ve bounced back in real style.

“Obviously I’m disappointed to have a lost the win in race two but I’m proud of the way I drove. Jack [Byrne] didn’t it make it easy but I was able to cover him off pretty much everywhere. To bounce back with a drive to second in that last race was really great.

“Looking back it’s been a rollercoaster season where a fe gremlins potentially prevented us from launching a proper championship charge. Still, to come away with wins, podiums and pole positions in my first full season is something to be over the moon with.

“We’ll take a week or two off and then it will be full-throttle with preparations for 2024. There’s plenty of options to assess which is exciting.”