To all Sprint & Hill Climb Event and Championship Organisers
Within the last six months, the Motorsport UK Board have approved some changes to PPE requirements for Sprint and Hill Climb competitors. One of these was for implementation from 1st January however we have become aware that few Competitors were aware of the change and had been arriving at Events without the correct equipment.
Below are notes of the changes for your awareness and you will also see these duplicated in the next Club Bulletin. We would recommend that you please make your members aware of these changes if you have not already done so to assist them in their preparations.
Sprint & Hill Climb - Balaclavas
Following several fires across a range of motorsport disciplines, which resulted in burns, the Sprint & Hill Climb Sub‑Committee reviewed all personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements during 2025. As a result of this review, a proposal was made to introduce a mandatory requirement for flame‑resistant balaclavas for competitors in Modified, Sports Libre, and Racing Cars.
This proposal was approved by the Board in June 2025, following consultation, and came into effect on 1 January 2026. However, it appears that many competitors remain unaware of this change, and organisers are therefore encouraged to help promote awareness of the requirement.
Exemptions remain in place for Standard Cars, Road Cars, and open bodywork Period Defined Vehicles.
For full details, please refer to Chapter 14, Appendix 2, Article 4.3.
Sprint & Hill Climb - PPE
From 1 January 2027, Ch.14, App.2, Art. 4.3 will require competitors in Modified, Sports Libre, and Racing Cars to wear flame‑resistant shoes in compliance with Chapter 9, Article 12.4.
Competitors in Standard Cars, Road Cars, and Period Defined Vehicles must wear suitable footwear that fully covers the foot and enables adequate control of the vehicle. The use of plastic footwear (such as trainers) should be avoided.
You are encouraged to ensure that competitors are made aware of these requirements ahead of 2027 so that they can be suitably prepared.
If you have any queries please get in touch with Motorsport UK.
| Leading scores in the MHCC after Round 4 at Prescott | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 BMTR with Hoosier Tires Midland Hill Climb Championship | |||
| 38 points | Rodney Eyles | Porsche 911 Turbo | Class A (iii) |
| 36 points | Robert Wilson | Lotus Elise JPS | Class A (i) |
| 36 points | Richard Snow | Porsche Cayman GT4 RS | Class A (ii) |
| 36 points | Richard Price | Caterham 7 | Class B |
| 36 points | Matthew Price | Radical SR3 | Class F |
| 36 points | Johnathen Varley | GWR Predator | Class K (i) |
| 33 points | Rob Lloyd | MK Cup 200 | Class D |
| 30 points | Will Hall | Gould GR59 J | Class L |
| 28 points | Wallace Menzies | Gould GR59M | Class L |
| 26 points | Andy Tippett | Brabham BT 30X | Class M |
Update Posted - Updated - 29/04/2026
Bill Pardoe - Championship Coordinator
Updates after Round 4 Prescott
The weather at Prescott last weekend was wonderful, sunny and warm - a major change from Loton Park the previous weekend and a very full entry along with the British Championship set some great times on both days.
Setting two new class records in Class A (iii) Rodney Eyles added extra points and leads the Championship with 38 points in his Porsche 911 Turbo, adding to his class wins at Loton Park.
Only two points behind with 4 class wins to date are 5 drivers including last years champion Richard Price in his Caterham and Johnathen Varley in the GWR Predator.
Most of the leaders are at Shelsley Walsh this weekend - fingers crossed for good weather.
See you there
Bill
29/04/2026
BMTR, HOOSIER AND THE MIDLAND HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP
A winning alliance continues
The three-way partnership between the Midland Hillclimb Championship, BMTR and Hoosier tyres will step up another gear in 2026 to mark 15 years of the association.
Motorsport tyre supplier BMTR has been supporting hillclimbing for five decades and continues as the title sponsor of the incredibly popular Midland Hillclimb Championship, as well as the sponsor of the BHC Cup within the British Hillclimb Championship.
BMTR is the hillclimb, circuit and historic distributor for Hoosier tyres in the UK and is able to supply tyres for much of the hillclimb paddock. This is primarily through the Hoosier brand, but BMTR can also supply tyres from other manufacturers to suit a very wide range of competition car. BMTR supplies both bias ply and radial hillclimb ultra soft tyres, as well as circuit orientated compounds and a number of FIA Appendix K historic tyres.
Hoosier, which is a part of the Continental organisation in Germany, currently manufactures 1.2 million competition tyres every year at its US factory in Plymouth, Indiana. Hoosier is the largest competition tyre manufacturer on a global basis. The company is firmly committed to motorsport, including hillclimbing in the UK, and is in motorsport for the long term.
In terms of the top class of British hillclimbing, Hoosier offered up its first iteration of tyres at the start of the 2025 season and is now in a development phase to bring even better tyres to the class towards the end of the 2026 season and into 2027. The 2026 season will be a test and development year for Hoosier, as much of the real development happens at competitive hillclimb events and therefore takes time.
However, BMTR and Hoosier are supplying far more than just the top level of the sport and aim to have a competitive tyre at a competitive price for as many hillclimb competitors as possible.
The Midland Hillclimb Championship was formed in 1980 under a three-way partnership between the three major midland venues with the Bugatti Owners Club at Prescott, the Midland Automobile Club at Shelsley Walsh and the Hagley and District Light Car Club at Loton Park. Each of the three venues hosts three rounds of the championship each season to form a nine-round championship.
The MHC is hugely popular and drew 164 registered contenders for the 2025 season. Of those, more than 120 scored points across all the classes, and interest is already running high for 2026 ahead of the start of the season Loton Park in April.
The Midland Hillclimb championship has run every year since 1980 with the exception of the covid year of 2020 and will soon be preparing for its 50th anniversary season. BMTR has supported the championship since the very early days.
BMTR, which dates back to 1919 as the Birmingham Motor Tyre Repository, was formed by JJ Smith senior. He was succeeded by his son Jack, who raced Jaguars in the 1950s and 1960s. The company then passed into the hands of the founder’s grandsons Peter and Paul Smith. As well as successfully guiding the business forward, Paul was also an accomplished racer as he progressed through the single seater ranks all the way to the European Formula 2 Championship. He then competed at Le Mans and raced an Ensign in Historic Formula 1 races.
The business remains family owned and run. Motorsport is, of course, a major part of the BMTR’s business activity, but it is very busy in car and motorcycle wholesale tyres and currently employs 110 people. BMTR has been active in motorsport since the late 1950s and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to its motorsport activities.
For more information, please get in touch with our team:
Tel: 0121 331 1122
E-mail:
Web: www.bmtr.co.uk/motorsport/
Address: 103-115 Walsall Road, Birmingham, B42 1TU
Wednesday April 8, 2026