Ryder Takes the Hillclimb Title by One Point at Prescott

The 2026 UK Nova Motorsport Hillclimb Championship reached its dramatic conclusion at Prescott’s 1,128-yard hillclimb course. With the title still hanging in the balance the competitors arrived on a cold Sunday morning, which soon warmed up.

Only a handful of points separated the championship contenders, meaning every run and every hundredth of a second would make the difference between lifting the title and wondering what might have been.

As the temperature climbed, so did the tension in the paddock. Mechanics meticulously fine-tuned engines and aero packages, striving for that final edge of performance before the cars lined up for the start. The roar of engines echoing across the Gloucestershire countryside heralded the approaching conclusion of the 2026 British Hillclimb championship.

The breakfast of a championship contender

Amidst the pressure, championship hopeful Matthew Ryder maintained a relaxed demeanour during an interview before the serious action commenced.  Throughout the weekend, Alex Summers, the 2015 British Hillclimb Champion, provided excellent commentary alongside Lloyd Hackett.

Ryder answered one of the most important questions of the weekend: what is the breakfast of a championship contender? The answer was surprisingly straightforward:

A cheese toastie.

Whether it contained the secret ingredient needed to secure Ryder a British hillclimb title remained to be seen, but he was certainly going to need every bit of energy available before the day was over.

Prescott begins to warm up

It may have been a chilly morning, but the cars soon began warming the atmosphere around the hill. Spectators gathered at every available viewing point, waiting for the much-anticipated action to begin.

With William Hall, Wallace Menzies and Matthew Ryder all preparing to take to the course, attention turned towards the timing screens. From the opening runs, it was clear that the leading contenders were not going to hold anything back.

Menzies quickly secured the lead with a remarkable 32.22 seconds, shaving four tenths off the record. This impressive performance also earned him an extra point, tying him with Ryder. Taking the lead by just one hundredth of a second on the day is an incredibly small margin, but in a sport measured in fractions, it was enough.

Despite further attempts throughout the day, Menzies’ 32.22-second run would remain the fastest time of the meeting.

Everything on the line

There was plenty more action as competitors in the different classes pushed harder in search of quicker times.

Attacking Prescott’s corners with real commitment, with wheels lifting from the surface as drivers used every inch of the course. The combination of speed, precision, and determination provided a fitting finale to a championship season that had come down to its final runs.

The Final Run-Off

The entire season rested on the final top-12 run-off with the contenders vying for the title.  However, a dramatic twist of fate saw Ryder’s chief rival Menzies crash out. 

Menzies’ Gould GR59M skidded off the back end of Orchard Corner, sending him crashing into the barriers and out of the championship. Wallace was fine after his off and in good spirits; these things happen when you are on the limit trying to find those elusive hundredths of a second.

Imagine the pressure Ryder felt waiting at the bottom of the hill while the cleanup unfolded. Despite crossing the line second on the day, Matthew Ryder clinched the championship by a single point over Menzies.

Will Hall secured third place, just a point behind. Ryder’s victory in the British Hillclimb 2026 Championship and his successful defence of his number one plate by such narrow margins showcase the incredibly competitive nature of the 2026 season.

While Wallace Menzies may have set the fastest run of the day, it was Ryder who ultimately claimed the prize in his Gould GR59 and his third British Hillclimb Championship. Perhaps the cheese toastie really was the breakfast of champions after all.

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Thanks to Jeff Silver Photography for the report and images. Also, thanks go out to David Harbey and John Barben LRPS for also contributing to this article. You can find out more about these photographers below.