Date: 2025-11-22

Hansen Edges Horrocks in Thrilling Autosolo Showdown

Mathias Hansen clinched overall victory in his Toyota MR2 Roadster by the narrowest of margins at the weekend’s Autosolo event, finishing with an identical time to Patrick Horrocks’ Fiat Cinquecento but taking the win on countback.

Both drivers completed the four-test challenge with a total time of 404.7 seconds, setting up one of the closest finishes in recent memory. Hansen, who led from the opening test, maintained his composure throughout the day despite mounting pressure from Horrocks, whose Cinquecento proved remarkably competitive against the mid-engined Toyota.

George Zippo rounded out the overall podium in his VW Golf R Estate with a time of 411.6 seconds, demonstrating the potential of larger vehicles when driven with precision.

The day began with Hansen setting an early benchmark of 104.6 seconds on the first test, while Horrocks actually posted the fastest time of 101.7 seconds. This pattern continued throughout the day with Horrocks consistently closing the gap, but Hansen’s early advantage proved decisive.

In the class battles, Ian Mepham secured the Production Saloons 1401-2000cc victory in his BMW with 420.6 seconds, holding off Tyler Baker’s Fiat Marea by nearly 16 seconds. George Buckley claimed the Production Sports Cars over 2000cc win in his Mazda MX-5 with 423.9 seconds, just half a second ahead of Steve Hammond in another MX-5.

The Junior class provided some of the day’s most impressive driving, with Patrick Osiak piloting his Citroen C2 to class victory and an impressive second overall. His time of 469.3 seconds put him well clear of class rivals Danny Lovett and Samuel Hands, though still some distance from the leading pair.

One of the day’s most notable performances came from John Massey, who guided his Mazda MX-5 to seventh overall and second in the Production Sports Cars up to 1900cc class. His consistent driving across all tests saw him finish on exactly the same time as Lloyd Covey’s Mini – 420.5 seconds – with the tie resolved in Massey’s favour.

The event saw a strong contingent of 42 competitors across seven classes, with Mazda MX-5s dominating the entry list. Despite this numerical advantage, it was Hansen’s Toyota that ultimately prevailed, showcasing the importance of precision and consistency in autosolo competition.

In the Specialist Sports Cars class, Tom Grant was the sole entrant in his Renault Clio, finishing with a respectable time of 446.1 seconds, while Issie Dawson took the Production Saloons up to 1000cc class win in her Ford Fiesta.

As competitors reflected on a day of close competition and challenging tests, Hansen’s victory by the slimmest of margins served as a reminder that in autosolo, every fraction of a second counts.