A win apiece for Paddon and Cutts Saturday at Sandown

Peter Paddon struck back in the 2025 First Focus Radical Cup Australia title fight, holding off a determined Cooper Cutts to claim a crucial win in Race 1 at Sandown, while Cutts returned serve with an answering win in Race 2, extending his championship lead. The weekend is shaping up to be a crucial point in the season, as Paddon looks to defend his title and Cutts pushes to take the crown.

Paddon started Race 1 from pole and made the most of the inside line into Turn 1, while Cutts locked up under brakes trying to hold position, as the drama unfolded just behind them. The Safety Car was called for Terry Knowles and Peter Clare, who made contact as they came through the corner. Both the #68 Ausnets XXR of Knowles and Clare’s #47 Shared Runway XXR suffered suspension damage, ruling them out of the 25-minute sprint. Brad Russell came whisker-close to nose-tapping Clare as he came to rest facing backwards on the track, while Mason Harvey and Chris Reindler also took evasive action to avoid the fray.

At the restart, Paddon got away cleanly with Cutts and Harvey in tow. Despite pressure from Cutts – who would set the fastest lap of the race (1m12.6026s) – Paddon held on to the race lead. Harvey stayed in the fight throughout and showed strong pace on debut, but ultimately settled for third.

Behind the podium trio, Reindler and Avern crossed the line just 0.3 seconds apart in a tight scrap for fourth and fifth. The midfield battle also saw Jim Hernandez, Russell, and Dave Allan cross the line in sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively. Hernandez was the highest-placed AM driver, while Russell and Knowles are currently leading in the Radical Masters standings. 

Stephen Champion, who will celebrate his 60th birthday this weekend, finished ninth, ahead of Sue Hughes in 10th, who has been chasing town gremlins in her Hughes M'sport /The PPF Studio RSX all weekend.

Race 2 would go the way of Cutts, with the series points leader claiming the race win.

Harvey stormed into the early lead in just his second First Focus Radical Cup Australia start, getting the jump off the line as the field ran into Turn 1. Paddon initially won the run into the corner but lost three positions, dropping back to fourth. Behind them, the #527 with Cirillo at the helm spun to the rear.

As the field settled, Harvey made the most of the early laps, using the kerbs aggressively and holding a gap over Cutts, who again clocked the fastest lap of the race (1m12.0321s). Paddon worked his way around Avern back into third, but was over seven seconds adrift from the leaders before the second Safety Car of the day, triggered by Avern spinning into the gravel at Turn 9, bunched the field and set the stage for a sprint to the finish.

On the restart, Cutts held the lead while Harvey and Paddon battled it out into Turn 1, both running wide as Moore looked to capitalise. Cutts used the moment to stretch a 1.5-second buffer ahead of Harvey and Paddon in second and third, and Moore and Knowles rounding out the top five, with Knowles the first of the AM class drivers.

The win gives Cutts 88 points so far for the round, extending his championship lead over Paddon by 44 points. Harvey, who led the opening half of the race, impressed again with second, while Paddon salvaged third to keep his title hopes alive.

Earlier in the day, Paddon secured his first pole position of the year, despite the best efforts of Cutts, who piled on the pressure in the later stages of the session as the track began to dry to take P2.

Harvey was the early pacesetter before Paddon, Cutts, and Moore traded fastest laps as the session reached its midpoint. A red flag caused by Terry Knowles spinning into the gravel briefly interrupted proceedings.

With under 10 minutes to go, the drying track came alive. Paddon lit up the timing screens with a 1m19.2553s, edging out series leader Cutts by just 0.1104s. Harvey, impressive on debut, slotted into third with a 1m19.6989s, while Cirillo/Allan jumped from further down the grid into P4, and Reindler/Moore rounded out the top five.

There was plenty of strategy at play late in the session as both Cutts and Harvey pitted for tyre pressure adjustments in a bid to capitalise on the improving conditions. Paddon, however, remained untouchable, also clinching the second fastest lap, giving him pole for Race 2 as well.

The penultimate round of the 2025 First Focus Radical Cup Australia season continues tomorrow with the final two sprint races of the weekend. Both Race 3 (10.35am) and Race 4 (3.25pm) will be streamed live on 7plus, and will Race 4 also be broadcast live on 7mate. All times are local.