The 2025 Milltek Civic Cup championship season kicks into gear this weekend (22-23 March) at Donington Park. The 1.96-mile National circuit will play host to a packed grid of 230-plus bhp Honda Civic EP3 and FN2 pocket rockets.

With two-time and reigning champion Max Edmundson moving on to the next step of his career, the way is clear for a new driver to emerge as the one to beat in 2025.

Among the favourites will be six drivers operating from the awning of Area Motorsport, the team that has run the champion driver for the past five consecutive years. Lewis Kent, Harvey Caton and Liam McGill finished fourth, fifth and sixth in last year’s standings, scoring 12 podiums between them, and are sure to be among the pacesetters in their EP3s.

Alistair Camp, champion in 2021, leads the FN2 charge having finished third in last year’s points with four wins to his name. Young gun Wesley Swain will also be in an FN2 having joined the squad over the winter fresh from his maiden podium at the final race weekend of 2024. The squad is completed by Jake Hewlett, a driver with championship-winning pedigree aboard similar EP3 machinery in the Type R Trophy.

 

The team most regularly able to challenge the Area cars last year was Ben Sharpe Racing, which enters 2025 with an all-new lineup in three EP3s. Jake Renshaw and Aidan Mitchell both join the squad from the junior racing ranks – Junior Saloons and karting, respectively – while veteran racer Garry Townsend switches to the team for his second full year in the championship.

All three are eligible for the Paul Winfield Trophy, for rookies and those without a previous top-10 championship finish. Townsend will also be among the favourites for the Goodyear Diamond Award, for drivers aged 40 and over.

The grid is once again packed with drivers with impressive CVs. Among those joining the championship this year is reigning Type R Trophy champion Matt Wilkins, who will drive an EP3 run by Motion Motorsport.

Graham Ross, a two-time MG Trophy champion, is another who fits into that category. Scotsman Ross has opted for the newer FN2 model, which he will run himself, for his first campaign in a Civic.

He will have at least two familiar foes on the grid: Adam Jackson is a multiple MG Trophy race winner and will pilot an FN2 tended by Adrian Wray’s AMW Motorsport outfit; Josh Bromley, who narrowly missed out on the 2022 MG Trophy title, embarks on his second season in Civic Cup, driving an EP3 with support from Hutcheon Racing. Ross and Jackson are both eligible for the Goodyear Diamond Award, where they will be strong contenders.

Expanding to three cars this year is Dave Marshall’s DMR with KA Car Sales team. Marshall himself again leads the line and will be looking to return to the winner’s circle this year. Mark Hughes will aim to defend his Goodyear Diamond Award title, while young gun Harry England teams up with the FN2-specialist squad for his sophomore season.

Brothers Daniel and Jamie Petters also return for a second crack at the Milltek Civic Cup. Looking to build on promising debut seasons in the ultra-competitive championship, their EP3s will be run by family outfit Team Petters Racing.

 

Expanding to two cars in 2025 is Russell Birch’s Vinna Sport team. Joining Russell’s daughter Charlotte in a sister EP3 is Junior Saloons graduate Francisco Howitt.

Also with a JSCC background are Charlie Constable (Orex Competition), who arrives via a year in the Track Action series, and family-run Adam Parker, who has experience of Civics from the Type R Trophy.

Another newcomer to the grid is Ben Bateman. A short oval graduate, Bateman’s circuit racing experience comes from Classic Stock Hatch. His EP3 will be run by family team MWB Motorsport – not be confused with Morgan Bailey’s MJB Motorsport outfit!

Former championship frontrunner Morgan will again run the car of young gun Jack Ruddell whose undoubted pace largely went unrewarded in terms of results last year.

Completing the grid are two stalwarts from the Civic Cup’s privateer ranks. Simon Welch will be looking to regain the Goodyear Diamond Award title that he last won in 2023, while Will Butt has pooled resources with Anthony Gannon for his second year in the championship.

 

Predicting a winner looks as tricky as ever but we’ll have a better idea when the action gets under way for real with qualifying on Saturday morning (1055hrs). The drivers will then have to wait until the following day for their first race of 2025, which is scheduled for 1220hrs on Sunday. Round 2 of the championship takes place the same afternoon at 1705hrs.

For those unable to make it to Donington, all the action will be streamed live on both the TCR UK YouTube channel and the British Automobile Racing Club’s UK’s YouTube channel.

Racing action will be livestreamed on the official TCR UK YouTube channel.

You can purchase tickets for the final event of the 2025 season, at Silverstone on the International circuit, from their website: https://www.donington-park.co.uk/2025/march/tcr-uk-touring-car-weekend

To find out more about the Milltek Civic Cup visit https://civic-cup.co.uk/ for more info and how to get involved.

To find out more about the events on the 2025 Milltek Civic Cup Calendar, visit https://civic-cup.co.uk/2025-season-calendar/ for more info.

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