The hugely popular Sandown Sprint motorsport event will not be returning in 2025 due to the current economic climate and a number of ‘local issues’.
It was announced last December that the event had been moved from its usual April calendar spot to September, thought to be due to Council concerns relating to its clash with the Easter period.
But now, it has been confirmed by promoters and organisers that the event has been pulled for this year, with focus now being put on the hopeful return of the Isle of Wight Speed Trials in 2026.
Since the inaugural event in 2022, Sandown Sprint has grown in popularity, providing a thrilling spectacle as drivers tackle a short, intense course along Culver Parade. It has become a must-visit in the Island’s events calendar.
The weekend-long event not only boosts tourism but also promotes the Isle of Wight as a destination for motorsport enthusiasts. This is supported by the Island Stages Rally, held on closed roads for the first time last November.
Organisers of Sandown Sprint say that the planned date of September 2025 has been ‘revised’, with new dates to be announced in due course.
A spokesman has said:
“There are a number of reasons for this decision.
“The general economic situation presently is certainly not helpful and we have a series of local issues that will be difficult to resolve in the short term.
“It’s disappointing, but we hope that the Sandown Sprint will be back once the situation improves.”
The Isle of Wight Car Club met on Wednesday night to make a final decision on whether to proceed with this year’s event. The decision was made to scrub the 2025 Sprint, even with an offer of £15,000 funding. The required amount of work off-track in just a short 4-month period was cited as a key reason.
A meeting has been arranged in early June with the promoter to explore possible options for 2026.
This decision does not affect the running of the Island Stages Rally, which as first reported by Island Echo, is now scheduled for 14th/15th February 2026.
Hugely popular but reading between the lines, seeing as both events are organised by the same group of people, there are not enough of them to form two teams within themselves to organise the sprint and the rally separately.
it encourages speeding in any case which is not good, I’m sure “enough is enough” would agree.
Organised racing is not an encouragement for speeding that’s really pushing it. The excuse to cancel seems too vague and seems very lame so more behind that answer but I suspect by your answer about speeding it’s a good chance that more grumpy geezers had a push and moaned about this popular Sprint which generated money for the island which is much needed and welcomed by most business owners and even people renting accommodation. It’s not just a local islander event but people come from mainland to participate.
It encourages people to think they are the
next Lewis Hamilton
Good job it is cancelled, businesses won’t suffer
they are packed at the weekend if sunny anyway.
People find the money to spend on Booze etc
You have taken the words right out of my mouth.
These events do encourage speeding
All the Numpty ST motorists attend and when
such events are over they think they can do the
same.
Yaverland Road is speeders paradise.
Plod should leave their speed catcher van along
Yaverland road 24/7 365 days a year to STOP
Numpty’s speeding, not to mention the speed
vehicles travel at up Beachfield Road in Sandown.
Good job it is NOT returning!
Yes agreed these sort of events are usually for people who don’t have much between the ears ! When you see boy racers or girls these days they are 99% of the chav breed.