Tighe set to take on the British Hillclimb Championship

Dean Tighe, a three-time Motorsport Australia Supersprint Champion and the 2022 Hill Climb Champion, is set to showcase his talents against some of Europe’s top hill climb racers when he participates in the British Hillclimb Championship in 2026.

As a second-generation competitor in the hill climbing scene, Tighe revealed earlier this year his plans to compete at the Wiscombe Park Hillclimb during the 2026 season, with the opening round taking place on 25-26 April at Prescott.

He is already in the midst of preparations, having briefly visited England in January to sort out accommodation, car storage, and the trailer and tow vehicle, before heading back to Australia.

Dean’s race car, the Empire Wraith, set sail from Australia in mid-December and successfully arrived in the UK by early February.

He has returned to the UK once more for further preparations, slated to participate in the Practice Day at Shelsley Walsh on 10 April.

This season, Tighe will be following in the footsteps of his late father at certain events.

In 1997, his father, Ivan Tighe—a three-time Australian Hill Climb Champion himself—competed with an ex-Andy Priaulx Pilbeam MP57-2 Hart, which achieved a 4th place finish in the 1994 British Hillclimb Championship.

Ivan participated at venues including Shelsley Walsh—celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the British Hillclimb Championship—Lotus Park, and Prescott.

Dean made his UK hill climb debut last July at the Wiscombe Park event, sharing the Empire Wraith with William Loughridge. This marked his only outing in the 2025 British Hillclimb Championship so far.

While receiving the Motorsport Australia Supersprint Championship Award at this year’s National Awards Gala, Tighe expressed gratitude to his wife Cheryl for her significant role in his hill climbing achievements and his decision to compete in the UK in 2026.

“My wife plays a crucial role in what we do; she typically acts as my pit crew and manages the car. We handle the car ourselves, which usually works quite well,” Tighe mentioned.

“We hope to take the car to England and see how we fare there—aiming to be fast enough to irritate the other competitors.”

Additionally, Tighe will enjoy the support of close friend Willem Toet, a fellow Aussie and former aerodynamicist for Ferrari and Sauber F1, who was instrumental in designing the Wraith.

The 2026 British Hillclimb Championship will comprise 26 rounds across 10 different venues. At each event, competitors will participate in two ‘Top Twelve’ run-offs, with championship points awarded to the top 10 finishers.

The British Hillclimb Championship is hosted and managed by the British Automobile Racing Club on behalf of Motorsport UK.

For the latest updates and schedule concerning Dean’s progress, visit britishhillclimb.co.uk.