Photographing Rallycross – A double postcard from Lydden Hill

Report by David and Andrew Harbey

10 November 2023

Lydden Hill in Kent was the birth-place of rallycross back in the late sixties – and the discipline went on to be a staple offering of Saturday afternoon motorsport TV including the annual British Rallycross Grand Prix from Brands Hatch. This writer, however, didn’t get to see rallycross live until 2014 and the World Rallycross event at Lydden. The short, fast paced action pleases fans in the same way as speedway does for those of a two-wheeled persuasion.

Here’s few shots from that event which featured among others Petter Solberg, Andrew Jordan, Nelson Piquet Junior and Liam Doran.

In those days, I seem to have adopted a high contrast, heavily saturated approach to post-processing my images with the Olympus E500; I do prefer a more natural look these days. The meeting also saw the demise of Pat Doran’s RS200.

Having been to Silverstone the previous weekend, Andrew Harbey and I decided we wanted a few less fences in our viewfinders. So, rather than go to the Walter Hayes meeting, we decided to take our chances with the M1, M25, Dartford Crossing and A2 for the Sunday of the final round of the British Rallycross Championship.

In doing so, we missed possibly one of the wettest days of rallycross action ever on Saturday. Herewith, our postcards of the dry, sunny and dusty day we enjoyed.

Having previously visited Lydden Hill earlier in 2023 for four-wheeled circuit action, there are plans to create a PistonClick spectator photographer Circuit Guide to Lydden Hill over the winter.