Peter Grimes started competing in Autotests in his teens and spent the years since learning and developing his skills, becoming a regular contender in the British Autotest Championship. In 2025 Peter was named the British Autotest Champion for the 6^th time, 25 years after his previous title!

Peters’ interest in Autotesting started back when he was 15 years old, watching both his brother and sister compete. His brother Chris worked for Dermot Carnegie, multiple Autotest and Rally Champion, which further inspired Peter to get involved in Autotests.

Both Peter and Chris went on to share an 1100cc Mini Saloon, competing at local Club events. They then moved on to compete in the Irish Hewison Championship and the Northern Ireland Championships, which Peter has continued to compete in for over 20 years. During these years Chris and a close family friend, Mark Haften, decided to build a spaceframe Mini Special. This car has proven to be a very competitive Autotest car and is still being developed today.

Peter has competed in the British Autotest Championship a total of seven times, winning the title on all but one occasion. When asked to choose a favourite round from 2025, Peter said “I enjoyed every event, it’s very hard to pick just one. But some of my favourites were the event at Foxley and the one at Brooklands. Foxley was great due to the exceptionally challenging conditions, and Brooklands given that it is such an iconic venue with an incredible atmosphere.”

One of the challenges Peter faced was keeping on top of car maintenance and upgrades through the 11 rounds, but with his great network of family and friends they were all happy to support. Another challenge he faced was travel logistics and making it to each of the rounds and then returning home ready for work on the Monday.

Peter believes that his experience and a little bit of luck was crucial for him to win the Championship, as well as knowing the limitations of the car and being able to bring it home without any mechanical failure. Peter isn’t quite done yet and intends to compete again in the 2026 championship.

Peter would advise that anyone interested in Autotesting should contact their local Club and go along to one of their events and see what it’s about. He believes the skills required for Autotesting can be applied to every motorsport discipline, even everyday driving. Autotesting is competitive, but everyone is friendly and willing to help each other and above all else, it’s great fun!

If you are interest in taking your first steps into Autotesting, visit the StreetCar Website and submit a Get Started Form to be put in touch with your local Club.

See you out there!