Following a strong opening round at Brands Hatch, Mel Higgins continued her 2026 campaign with another successful weekend, this time at Pembrey Circuit. On her first ever visit to the Welsh circuit, dubbed ‘The Home of Welsh Motorsport’, Mel secured third in class in Race 1 and second in class in Race 2, holding onto 2nd in class in the overall championship, along with the fastest lap of the day and a new Class C lap record on the National layout.
Mel said: “Pembrey was completely new to me, so qualifying was all about figuring out the order of the corners, where the grip was (and wasn’t), the track surface, and how much speed the car could take in each corner. It was a lot to take in with no testing or practice, but it felt like a great start.”
With no practice or testing before qualifying, the morning session was spent learning the circuit and settling back into the car.
Race 1 built on the qualifying session, with Mel delivering a composed drive to third in class, securing the first podium of the weekend.
Race 2 continued that clear progression. Mel increased her pace throughout the race, delivering an exciting drive, and bringing home second in class, the fastest lap of Race 2, the fastest Class C lap of the entire day, and a new Class C lap record for Pembrey National.
Her performance also featured prominently in the Race 2 broadcast on Alpha Live’s YouTube channel, which has now been viewed more than 2,700 times, with her background, pace, and progress highlighted throughout the broadcast.
Mel continued: “I spoke to a few other competitors who all told me I needed to ‘be braver’, or something like that. In Race 2 I finally found that bravery and the whole race just came alive. To come away with two podiums once again, fastest lap of the day and the class lap record on my first visit is something I am really proud of. I may not have won the race, but I feel like I’ve achieved so much more”
Lee Kenealy, Doris Archer Motorsport added: “Pembrey was a new circuit for Mel, but she approached the weekend exactly as we expected. She learned quickly in qualifying and carried that progress into both races. Two podiums, fastest lap of the day and a new class lap record on a first visit is a strong result by any measure. It shows the work she’s putting in and the direction she’s heading and we are all very proud of her – well done Mel!”
Acknowledgements
Doris Archer Motorsport would like to thank its 2026 partners for their continued support:
- The Shallow Consultancy Company
- Stormvault
- Next Mile Driver Training
- Ninety2 Automotive
Doris Archer Motorsport are also proud stockists of both Powerflex Suspension Bushes and RamAir.
Their unwaivering support enables the team to compete, develop and represent their partners throughout the season.
Looking Ahead
With strong momentum from both Brands Hatch and Pembrey Circuit, Mel now prepares for the next round of her season in July. The focus remains on continued development, consistency and building on the progress made across the opening two events.
