Mini racer Nathan Heathcote narrowly missed out on a stunning double win at Brands Hatch more than a year after he last drove the car.

The 27-year-old from Pluckley stormed to victory in the first Sanwa Trophy event on Sunday, leading from lights to flag at the circuit's 12th Mini Festival.

He was on course to repeat the result in race two but damaged steering meant Joe Ferguson was able to pass the 2017 British Rallycross champion on the penultimate lap.

Heathcote held on to claim second, finishing ahead of British Touring Car Championship race winner Adam Morgan in a quality 34-car field made up exclusively of Pre-66 Minis.

The meeting marked the former Ginetta racer's first outing since Historics on the Hill at Lydden Hill last June.

"It's always fun getting out in the Minis, especially after not doing it for a year, and it was really good to put it on pole and take a lights-to-flag win in the first race," Heathcote said.

"The second one was a hell of a race, but I just got pipped at the end.

"He [Ferguson] drove really well, I can't take that away from him, but my steering column must have been bent.

"The tracking was all out and I got caught up with loads of backmarkers at the wrong time, so that's how he managed to pull me in so quickly."

Heathcote was barely challenged in the first event but dropped to fourth on the opening lap of race two.

The ASM Classics-run racer returned to top-spot on the third lap when he dived up the inside of Ferguson at Druids, but contact between the pair at the hairpin damaged Heathcote's steering.

He held the lead until the penultimate tour when his Essex-based rival found a way through at Graham Hill Bend after the pair had run side-by-side through Paddock Hill Bend and Druids.

Heathcote says he does not plan to use his Bill Sollis-built car again this year "unless another all-Mini race pops up".

Tenterden-based Swiftune Engineering, which built Heathcote's 1,293cc engine, organised the two Sanwa Trophy races - eight years after the contest was last held.

Star drivers included Freddie Hunt, son of 1976 Formula 1 world champion James, and former British GT champion Mike Jordan, along with competitors from Germany and France.

Company boss Nick Swift, who lent Jordan his pre-66 Mini for the weekend, says the event could return to the Mini Festival next year "if the interest is still there".

"Instead of doing it as an endurance race with a pit stop like we've done before, we changed it to two 20-minute sprints to keep it simple for the spectators," Swift said.

"We promote clean, competitive, fast racing and it's gone really well. I think there's a resurgence in people's interest in historic racing again, which is mega.

"We could potentially increase it as the European drivers we've got here are hungry for a round in Europe."

Brands Hatch will host Festival Italia on Sunday, with racing from Ferraris and Alfa Romeos. Adult tickets cost £25 in advance or £29 on the gate, with children under 13 going free.