Icebreaker Cup 2026

Icebreaker Cup 2026 Opens Trent Valley Kart Club’s Season at PFI International.

The 2026 Trent Valley Kart Club season got underway at PFI International with the Icebreaker Cup 2026, held over 31 January and 1 February. The event marked the club’s opening round of the year and its first standalone meeting, continuing a long-standing tradition of launching the season with the popular Icebreaker Cup.

From the moment teams arrived at PFI International, the scale of the Icebreaker Cup 2026 was clear. The paddock was filled to capacity with teams and drivers from across the country, all eager to make a strong start to their 2026 campaigns. Spectator stands were well populated with parents, while team officials positioned themselves around the circuit to monitor lap times, gather data, and relay feedback to their teams in pursuit of any competitive advantage.

Weather conditions played a significant role throughout the weekend. Persistent overcast skies and rainfall from the night before left the circuit wet, with surface spray visible in several areas. With little chance of the track drying, all teams opted for wet-weather setups. The conditions contributed to busy paddock activity, as teams worked tirelessly to keep karts clean and repair any damage sustained during close on-track battles.

The Icebreaker Cup featured multiple classes. Saturday morning began with practice sessions, followed by qualifying in the afternoon.

Pole position winners across the classes were:

Icebreaker Cup 2026 Race victories were claimed by:

Icebreaker Cup 2026 X30 Senior

One standout performance came in the X30 Senior category from Lewis Bird (#7). Bird delivered a consistently strong weekend, finishing no lower than sixth in any session. He qualified second, just 0.45 seconds behind Freddie Lloyd (#1), and saved his best performance for the final.

As the circuit began to dry, Bird set a fastest lap of 58.27 seconds—an improvement from earlier lap times of 1:01.23—before taking the chequered flag in first place with a winning lap time of 59.18 seconds. His pace and composure marked him out as a driver with significant potential and one to watch in the future.

Photography Post Script

From a photographers perspective, the event also provided an opportunity to experiment with panning photography techniques. Capturing side-by-side racing in the challenging wet conditions proved demanding, but several successful shots highlighted the close and competitive nature of the racing throughout the weekend.