Date: 2026-03-29

Weston Duo Dominate at Whitchurch Production Car Autotest

Richard and Alison Weston delivered a masterclass in precision driving at the Whitchurch Production Car Autotest on March 29th, securing first and second places respectively in a commanding family performance.

Richard Weston claimed overall victory with a blistering time of 507.8 seconds in his Mazda MX5, demonstrating exceptional car control throughout the event. His wife Alison followed closely behind, recording a time of 514.8 seconds in the same vehicle, just seven seconds adrift of the winning pace.

The husband-and-wife team left the competition trailing, with third-placed Richard Yapp completing the podium in his Mini Cooper S with a time of 534.6 seconds, nearly 27 seconds behind the leader.

The event saw competitors navigate a series of tight, technical courses against the clock, with the Westons’ Mazda MX5 proving the perfect tool for the job. Their consistent performances across all tests established an early advantage that proved insurmountable for the chasing pack.

Further down the order, John Fox secured fourth place in his Mazda MX5 with a time of 538.6 seconds, while Mini driver Tom Liddell rounded out the top five with 544.9 seconds.

The battle for sixth place was particularly close, with James Blackwell’s Mazda MX5 edging out Michael Blackwell in the same car by just 1.5 seconds. This family rivalry added another layer of intrigue to the proceedings, with James recording 546.3 seconds against Michael’s 547.8.

Completing the top ten were Simon Phillips (Mini Cooper S), Mark Liddell (Mini), and Nigel Lack (Mazda MX5), all delivering solid performances despite being unable to challenge the dominant Westons at the front.

Overall Position	Competitor Name	Car	Time
1	Richard Weston	Mazda MX5	507.8
2	Alison Weston	Mazda MX5	514.8
3	Richard Yapp	Mini Cooper S	534.6
4	John Fox	Mazda MX5	538.6
5	Tom Liddell	Mini	544.9
6	James Blackwell	Mazda MX5	546.3
7	Michael Blackwell	Mazda MX5	547.8
8	Simon Phillips	Mini Cooper S	553.2
9	Mark Liddell	Mini	564.6
10	Nigel Lack	Mazda MX5	568.2