A Novice Trial Preview – Beginning the Season with the Competitors of Tomorrow
HERO-ERA will kick off their 2026 season on the 27th of Feb, with their first of twelve rallies over the coming year. Whilst there are trips to the far-flung corners of the world to come, the season opener will actually take place closer to home, in the heart of the UK’s motorsport valley in Northamptonshire.
The curtain raiser for the year ahead is A Novice Trial, which whilst not the most attention-grabbing event out there, is perhaps one of the most important in the calendar. A Novice Trial you see, is a weekend of training for newbie drivers and navigators, some of whom will be participating in regularity rallying for the very first time, and since its inception has offered a starting point for those wanting to get involved in the sport, creating champions of the future.
Designed to nurture those wanting to enjoy their classic car in a fun and fulfilling sport, many crews have used this as an entry point into the world of regularity rallying. There are also those with some experience, who have even taken a sidestep for the extra tuition, after beginning with more difficult rallies and the graduates from previous years have progressed to winning Challenge Championships, won annual awards and even competed in the gruelling Peking to Paris Motor Challenge.
A Novice Trial has also been a springboard to involving younger participants in a sport where the entry list is often a touch on the older side. Past entrants include Oli Waldock, Miles Fieldhouse and Natasha Lomas; indeed, Natasha is entered again this year, but this time as a driver.
This year there are 47 crews taking part, travelling from all over the world, with entries as far away as the US and China. Within the entry list there are several pairs that are entered into future Super Endurance events, such as the 2028 Peking to Paris and this year’s Gaucho Trail. Others will have an eye on less intensive events to begin with and there are also one or two more experienced names perhaps looking to brush up on skills or offering partnership to a driver or navigator having a go at the sport for the very first time. Regardless of their future ambitions, for this weekend they will exist under the same banner of sportsmanship and cooperation that is so much a part of this sport.
The format of the weekend is a mixture of seminars and classroom-based training, as well as plenty of time out on the road to put into practice the skills learned at the desk. These road going sessions culminate in a mini rally that takes place on the Sunday, adding in just a little bit of the pressure and exhilaration of competition that will hopefully leave the fledgling competitors excited for future adventures in rallying.
The theory sessions on Friday and Saturday have always been vital elements in helping the freshman understand the technical aspects of the sport, offering time and hands on help to crews who may be confused as to why they are navigating with flowers, and to whom a ‘trip’ is a holiday. Classroom sessions they might be, but those taking part during the weekend will be pleased to know that there are still plenty of interactive elements contained within the seminars, including a walking regularity and test, which is the first opportunity for navigators to find out that their drivers will not listen to them. This coupled with practicing the learning out on the road should leave the novices well equipped to tackle the mini rally on Sunday morning and put it all into motion against the clock for the very first time. The big question is who will be our Novice Champion of 2026? And the first winner of the season to boot!
As well as the novices taking part, the event is the first overseen by newly appointed Head of Competition James Phillips, stepping out of the shadow of outgoing Competition Director Guy Woodcock. So, what is James most excited about going into the weekend? “I’m most looking forward to meeting our new competitors and helping them start on their rallying journey with HERO-ERA. A Novice Trial has proven over the past season just what an important event it is, enabling so many newbies to realise their rallying dreams and use their cars in a way they’d perhaps not thought possible. We hope that everyone comes away from the weekend feeling more confident and ready to enjoy the adventures to come!”
If Spring is the season of new beginnings, then what better time to kick off the 2026 programme with an event to nurture new competitors, and with a brand-new man at the competition helm as well. A Novice Trial 2026 is going to be a fantastic way to start the competitive year.
The field is a strong one, with former winners in the shape of Bill Cleyndert and William Medcalf and champions of other rallies as well. Competition aside though, the real joy of this event is seeing the depth of machines that are out on the road being used. This moving motor show raises interest and smiles along its entire length, with a better collection of cars than most museums could muster – with the added appeal that they are being driven, in some cases hard. You know it’s a good entry when a Bentley is somewhat commonplace, with a list of marques that includes Aston Martin, Bristol, Lancia, AC, Talbot, Sunbeam and Rolls-Royce, and an unusual entry from Spain, with a Hispano Suiza H6 appearing courtesy of Alex Sánchez-Silva and Borja Sánchez-Silva.
The oldest cars in the field are a trio of 1924 Bentley’s, at a colossal 101 years old, with the youngest machine built in 1949, a mere pup at 76. This collection of cars entered from around the world, competing against one another along stunning roads is why the Scotsman has such an enduring legacy. This April the legacy will gain one more chapter, a chapter that JP hopes all of the competing crews enjoy, “it’s a great opportunity for the entrants to use their cars on an event dedicated to pre-war motoring, I hope they all really enjoy themselves and find a nice balance of tests and regs and distance travelled, all against the backdrop of some stunning scenery”.
So, the Scotsman is set to add to its illustrious history, and there could well be a new name etched into the trophy come the Sunday afternoon at Gleneagles. For that to be the case though, the driver and navigator will need to perform with consistency and balance speed against mechanical sympathy, as well as enjoying just a little bit of luck along the way.
