RACING driver Sarah Moore will make her debut in the top Mini Challenge class at Brands Hatch this weekend.

The former Ginetta Junior Champion, from Tockwith, will be competing for AReeve Motorsport in the highly competitive class for the John Cooper Works (JCW) versions of the Mini, which regularly boasts grids of more than 30 cars.

She will look to channel her experience of the Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch to good effect, having driven there in the Henderson Insurance Brokers LMP3 Cup.

She also already has experience of racing with AReeve Motorsport as she joined the team in the lower Mini Challenge Cooper Pro class at the Mini Festival around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit at the start of July.

With a 20-minute qualifying session today and two 20-minute races tomorrow, starting at 12.35pm and 16.25pm, Moore won't have much opportunity to get used to the car.

However, she had the opportunity to drive a JCW-spec machine at a test in July with the AReeve team at Snetterton. After only a few hours in the car, she was hitting pace which would have seen her qualify in the top 10 for the Mini Challenge round in May – highlighting the potential for good results at Brands this weekend.

Moore said: “I’m really looking forward to racing in the JCW class this weekend.

"I’ve raced with the team before and they were a great crew and I think we work well together. Hopefully that will translate into good results this weekend but it is a very competitive championship and I’m under no illusions of just how tough it will be to get good results.

“However, I think the Snetterton test has helped me get to grips with the car – which has a lot more power and downforce than the Minis I’ve raced this season – and hopefully combined with my knowledge of the GP circuit I can be on the pace quite quickly.”

Moore’s appearance in the championship, which is supporting the British GT Championship this weekend, will help determine potential programmes for 2018 which could feature a drive in the Mini Challenge.