2025 Win Percy Trophy highlights | 82MM

Win Percy Trophy highlights

There was saloon car racing aplenty at the 82^nd Members’ Meeting. The strain found in the Win Percy Trophy was Group 1 cars of less than 2.8 litres from the 1970s and ’80s. That meant plenty of variety to be found at the front of the grid. It was the Mazda RX-7 shared by Emanuele Pirro and Alex Taylor that set the pace early on, before Pirro was forced to retire with a mechanical issue.

By the time the driver changes were complete, it was André Lotterer in a Volkswagen Golf GTI who established a lead. A healthy one, too, until Jake Hill arrived on the scene pedalling his Ford Escort RS200 just about as hard he could. He profited from a back-marker, which enabled him to make a move around the outside of Lotterer. It stuck, and he took the lead.

Lotterer didn’t make it an easy win for Hill, however, and remained in close quarters looking for any opportunity to pass. In the end, though, Hill was able to maintain the lead until the chequered flag fell.

Official Practice for the Win Percy Trophy

The big names were out for a highly competitive inaugural session of the Win Percy Trophy. The four Houses were all represented by their respective captains, each driving a Mini 1275 GT. But it wasn’t a Mini that made the headlines in Official Practice, but the battle between Jim Morris and André Lotterer’s Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Ford Escort RS2000 of Jake Hill and Kerry Michael.

It was the Golf that laid down the first marker, only for Win Percy’s own Mazda RX-7, in the hands of Taylor and Pirro, to take over pole in the early stages of the 30-minute session. The Golf responded, and then engaged in a duel for prime position with the RS2000, which was fractionally the fastest car at the halfway stage.

As drivers switched for the second stint, as required to qualify for the race, the action became more chaotic and several cars found themselves off into the grass. With six minutes left, the Golf retook the top spot with a lap 0.014 seconds faster than the leading Ford, and that was how it remained.

The RX-7 stayed on the pace to qualify third, narrowly ahead of the Escort of Devine and Huff and the first Mini, driven by Jordan and Swift, in fifth. The lone BMW, a six-cylinder 323i guided by Fielding and Brundle came in sixth, Goodliff and Soper’s Ford Fiesta in seventh and the highest qualifying House Captain, Tom Kristensen, in eighth in his first time in a Mini 1275 GT, with Ryck Turner.

The third Escort, of Christoforou and Paphitis, and Snowdon and Needell’s Alfa Romeo GTV6 completed the top ten.

2025 Win Percy grid (top 10)

 Photography by Joe Harding.  

Group 1 touring cars have been a regular highlight at the Members’ Meeting, but this year marks the first time they have been split into separate events, with the larger engined machines remaining in the Gordon Spice Trophy, and the smaller cars transferring over to the Win Percy Trophy.

It’s named after the three-time British Touring Champion, who was virtually unbeatable at the wheel of small-capacity machinery in the early-1980s. 

Which cars race in the Win Percy Trophy?

Many fan-favourites from the Gordon Spice Trophy will return for the 30-car Win Percy Trophy. The always entertaining Mini 1275 GTs will be out in force, and they’ll be joined by Ford Escort RS2000s, Fiestas, Triumph Dolomite Sprints and Volkswagen Golf GTIs.

Among the rarer beasts set to feature are a BMW 323i, a screaming rotary-engined Mazda RX-7, an Alfa Romeo GTV6, an Opel Commodore, a Toyota Celica and a Vauxhall Firenza Magnum. It’s a varied field, and one that’s bound to put on an incredible show.

Which drivers race in the Win Percy Trophy?

If that list of cars wasn’t enough to get you excited, the names behind the wheel are pretty impressive, too. For an extra twist of intrigue, all four of the Members’ Meeting House Captains will be going head-to-head in Mini 1275 GTs. Dario Franchitti, Tom Kristensen, Gordon Shedden and Andy Priaulx will be joined by touring car legends Rob Huff, Andrew Jordan, Steve Soper and Josh Cook.

Where there’s Minis, there’s Nick Swift, and you’ll see him coming as he leaves the Chicane on his door handles lap after lap. Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer, two-time winner Hans-Joachim Stuck and one-time winner David Brabham are among the other headline names in the inaugural Win Percy Trophy.

When is the Win Percy Trophy?

Official Practice will see these excitable tin tops in action for the first time at 13:20 on Saturday. The flag will drop for the 45-minute, two-driver race at 14:15 on Sunday. Don’t miss this one, it’s going to be a cracker.

With this year’s tickets sold out, we’re delighted to announce that tickets for the 83^rd Members’ Meeting will be available for a limited time immediately after this year’s event -  at the best price they will be available – only for Members and Fellows of the GRRC. Admission and Grandstand tickets will go on sale on Monday 14^th April for Members, and Wednesday 16^th April for Fellows.

 If you are not yet part of the Fellowship, join by the 16^th April 2025 to benefit from early access to tickets at the lowest possible price.

Photography by Pete Summers, Joe Harding and Dominic James.