LISTEN: ‘We could see a 25’ at the National Hill Climb

But although new tyres, hot weather and top competition have ignited the Guernsey great’s hopes of surpassing Scott Moran’s marker of 26.99sec., he does not expect that to be enough for first place.

‘It would just be amazing,’ he said in response to the idea of lowering his personal best significantly from 27.26.

‘I can’t say how thrilled I would be. The unfortunate thing is that I do actually think the top two or three guys could even do a 25 – that’s the only problem.’

Speaking on the Guernsey Press Sport Podcast, he testified to how the British hill-climbing scene has been rumbling on since the Covid break.

Listen to a full interview with Nick Saunders on this week's Guernsey Press Sport Podcast:

The national elite showed their class at Wednesday’s Bouley Bay Hill Climb in Jersey, with Wallace Menzies winning both championship run-offs and setting a speedy FTD of 36.85sec. in the second. Wife Nicola became the first woman in 51 years to make a run-off at Bouley.

Saunders placed eighth in the first run-off with 39.09, improving to seventh and 38.57 in the second.

Now it is Guernsey’s turn to host two rounds.

‘The top guys seem to have progressed so much – there’s so much more electronics on their cars now, tyre development has come on, and I suppose driving more often, they’ve come on as well,’ Saunders added.

‘It’s going to be a challenge, but one that I’m really looking forward to.’

Ian Le Page, the president of hosts the Guernsey Motorcycle and Car Club, is also looking forward to seeing how things have moved on since the island’s last hosting in 2019.

‘It will be great to have them back in Guernsey and see how they have progressed or gone forward over the last three years,’ he said.

‘It is going to be an exciting day for sure.’