Debut Delight for Sam Gornall!

The 2025 Clio Cup Great Britain season got underway at Silverstone on Sunday 6 April.

Westbourne Motorsport’s Sam Gornall enjoyed a championship debut to remember, recording a hard-fought double victory on the circuit’s extended Grand Prix configuration.

Qualifying

Ben Jenkins and Nicky Taylor traded fastest laps at the beginning of the morning’s qualifying session. As each driver improved, it was Taylor paving the way at the top of the timing sheet.

However, back-to-back hot laps from Sam Gornall saw the #96 driver best the previous benchmark and secure pole position for the first round of the 2025 season, courtesy of a stellar lap time of 2m26.567s.

Taylor would have to settle for second, with Jenkins outqualifying Ainsley Bird on the second row of the grid. Gornall’s Westbourne Motorsport teammate, and fellow Clio Cup GB debutant Stuart Kinner, would start the opening round in fifth.

Each competitors second fastest lap in the qualifying session determines the grid for the meeting’s second race, with Gornall just edging Taylor to pole position once more.

Race One

A strong start by Gornall ensured the debutant remained at the front of the field through the opening stages of the race. Jenkins immediately applied the pressure to Taylor in front, with both remaining in close proximity to leader Gornall. Just behind, Kinner was hot on the heels of the Bird and looking to mount a challenge.

2024 Clio Cup GB Champion Taylor utilised his experience of the car to reel in Gornall in the preceding laps. An exhilarating battle for the lead ensued, with the constant battling between the front two allowing an ever-faster Jenkins to close the gap and join the fight for lead.

Jenkins momentarily seized the lead, before a mistake allowed the duo of Gornall and Taylor back through. When the checkered flag fell, just 0.308s separated the pair – with Sam Gornall just managing to get the better of his rival Taylor to secure the first win of the 2025 season.

Bird was another to profit from the Jenkins mistake, with the Graves Motorsport driver securing his first Clio Cup GB podium finish in just his second meeting with the championship.

Jenkins did record the fastest lap of the race with a time of 2m27.527s.

Race Two

Taylor and Gornall immediately picked up where they left off at the start of race two, resuming their battle for the race lead. Gornall maintained his position in front, but Taylor continued to assert pressure. Jenkins was in hot pursuit, with Bird again keeping Kinner behind.

Once more, the battle for the lead would last the entire race in a highly competitive affair. After the first lap, every time Gornall and Taylor crossed the timing line less than 0.342s separated the pair. Jenkins, as he did in the first race, remained in striking distance.

Ultimately, Gornall would not succumb to the pressure to take the win and secure a well-earned debut double victory. Taylor’s efforts would be rewarded with the second spot on the podium, earning a strong helping of points as he looks to defend his title. Jenkins completed the top three, earning his first trophy of the season.

The fastest lap of Round 2, a 2m28.841s, was set by Nicky Taylor on his third lap.

Clio Cup GB will return for Rounds 3 & 4 of the 2025 season on Sunday 18 May, on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.

Photo: Gary Hawkins Photography