Anglesey 24th/25th September

After Caterham confirmed that Donnington was cancelled, the replacement was Anglesey. I was disappointed by this news because I had raced at Donnington in Karts.

Before the announcement, I didn’t even know where Anglesey was, in fact having looked at my journey, it would have been nearly as quick to go back to Zandvoort in Holland, rather than drive the 290miles (5 hours) to the very North Western tip of Wales.

I set off on Thursday after work having been in London and arrived at the track about 10:30pm. The pitch darkness was complimented by the sound of the waves nearby. Chris Bingham kindly let me sleep in his Winnebago where in the morning we awoke to the most picturesque views of one of the most technical circuits in the UK. The weather was also as predicted, dry but windy.

Having only seen the circuit map during the week and been unsuccessful in seeing any in car video of previous Caterham races, Chris showed me one of his laps of the circuit following some recent testing. The test day started at 9:50am and I followed Chris onto the circuit for the first time, this was essential for learning where the braking points were. Chris let me pass him on lap 4 where I then set about to improve my own lap times. By the end of the day I was enjoying the circuit where I had produced lap times 0.6seconds faster than the current lap record. This probably was due to the direction of the wind, but I took great comfort in knowing that I had learnt the circuit quickly.

Qualifying

We woke to wet conditions on Saturday morning. This was not forecast, and my heart sank when I saw it. I knew that I would have to feel my way around the circuit in the wet and this put the previous days testing almost into insignificance. The track started to dry out as we went out and I made a late decision to reduce the front anti roll bar to Red (medium strength) and put nearly new tyres on the car. This I felt would be ideal for the conditions, especially if it was going to dry out during the 20 minute session. I pushed hard early in the session and saw that the track was starting to dry out in the slower corners. I was quick to see this because I had made a mistake earlier in the year at Zandvoort where I lost out. Qualifying went without drama, where I passed a number of my Championship competitors during the session, knowing that I may be somewhere near the front of the grid.

A quick look at the time sheets confirmed that I qualified on Pole with a time of 1:49.959 which was 0.91 of a second faster than my nearest competitor, which in the conditions I felt was a great achievement. The forecast for the rest of the day was dry, therefore there was every chance that race one in the afternoon would produce similar times to the test day beforehand.

Race 1

Stunning blue skies and winds strong enough to sail across the Atlantic were evident as we started our formation lap. Pole position was on the inside of the track, which unfortunately was the dirty side of the circuit. This was also not helped by the fact that other cars were racing on the same day, which threw large balls of rubber onto the unused side of the circuit having run slicks.

The lights went out and we were off, Mike Hart got a great start into the first corner where I bogged down due to excess wheel spin. I moved across to the left hand side of the circuit to block Jon Mortimer from gaining from my poor start where I followed Mike into the tight right hand hairpin in second place. I followed Mike closely for the remaining part of lap 1, and passed him on the inside of the first corner of lap 2.

Mike passed again by gaining a tow down the back straight on lap 3 where I gained the advantage again by passing him under braking on the last corner of lap 3. This allowed me to start lap 4 in first place where I broke free of the chasing pack. I quickly settled into the race and knew I had to focus on consistency now that the chasing pack would be falling over each other to catch me. The next 5 laps were all under the previous lap record where I set my fastest lap, and the new lap record on lap 10, with a time of 1:43.554 which was nearly a second faster than the previous one set in 2009.

Not only was this a great result on the day, it also meant that I could win the Championship in race 2 if I finished in the top 10.

Race 2

Having won race 1, I started on Pole again for race 2. I got another poor start and was out dragged by Kurt Brady into the first and second corners. As I approached the hairpin, Aaron Head tried another one of his infamous lunges from afar causing me to turn away from the corner to avoid him, which in turn let him and Mike Hart through. Jon Mortimer then passed me on the back straight having got a tow

At the end of lap 1 I was in 4^th having been demoted to 5^th before Mike Hart out braked himself into Rocket, the tight left-hander. I made it back up to 3^rd by the end of the lap and followed Jon and Aaron Head into the next lap in 3^rd place. On lap 3 I passed Jon Mortimer on the inside of the first corner before reeling Aaron Head to a tow after the tight right hand hairpin. This put me close enough to get a tow down the long back straight to pass Aaron under braking into Rocket. I then broke free of the chasing pack and managed put in a number of very consistent laps, concentrating on the gap behind. Jon Mortimer broke free and chased me for the win but I managed to press on and get the fastest lap of race 2 with a time of 1:44.031. I won the race with a gap of 5.63 seconds from Jon Mortimer, followed by Kurt Brady.

My combined results meant that I was crowned the 2011 Caterham Roadsport Champion with one further round remaining and maximum points at this event. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to do it; 2 pole positions, 2 fastest laps, 2 race wins, 1 lap record and the Championship!

Oulton Park - 3rd September

Oulton Park

Testing on Friday was interesting. I was 3 seconds off the pace. I was very disappointed with this having tested at the circuit earlier in the year. As one of my favourite circuits in the country this was a real shock to me but I hadn’t been in the car since Holland, 2 months beforehand.

Chris Bingham was on the pace with this being his nearest circuit so I just needed to watch what he was up to and get some of the lines from him. Fortunately this was possible where I left the pits shortly after him and got a clear indication where I was going wrong. Almost immediately I was back on the pace and posted some if the fasted lap times of the day.

Qualifying

Chris Bingham and me went out onto the circuit with the main aim of giving each other tows around the circuit. This would help to get a good lap time, however this didn’t really work for either of us early on in the session. We both struggled to get clear laps and kept catching the slower cars in front of us. Chris had managed to put in a fast lap in the session and I was running 6^th with one lap to go. I had managed to break free of the cars in front of me and got great times in the first half of the lap. Closing in on the cars in front of me Matthew Whate moved over at a critical part of the circuit to allow me through on the racing line. The last two corners we taken without any other cars in the way where I hoped and prayed that it was enough to be close to my championship rivals at the front……it was, last lap I jumped from 6^th to Pole but better late than never! If it wasn’t for Matthew having the foresight and manners to move over at the critical stage of the lap it couldn’t have been done. Thanks Matt!

Race 1

A great start again enabled me to get to the first corner in the lead. I was then passed by Mike Hart and Kurt Brady in the following laps, with some very close and excellent car control from all competitors. Mike continued to swap positions with me for first place, where Jon Mortimer and Aaron Head fell behind from the lead pack. Mike passed me again into the fast Shell Oil hairpin, only for me to take the lead back later in the lap. Kurt then came into the frame and passes both Mike and me on the same lap. It was now me, Kurt and Mike for the lead until Kurt spun out on the penultimate lap before recovering down the field. Jon Mortimer had now caught up and was challenging Mike and me for the lead. Mike and Jon were tripping over each other on the final lap, which enabled me to block them both into the final corner. I finished 1^st in this race, but it was the hardest fought race and one of the most rewarding wins of the year. Jon finished 2^nd and Mike a very close 3^rd.

Race 2

As we waited in the assembly area for the formation lap the rain started. I was one of the last to arrive and I knew that all of us had opted for a dry set up. I got a great start and got comfortably into the lead for the first corner. I managed to pull out a small lead on the chasing pack but this was difficult to keep as the lead car. If you are following someone in the wet you can mirror their movements but with a clear track ahead, you have nothing that helps you see the levels of grip in front of you. Mike Hart quickly made ground on me by the end of the lap 1 and passed at the straight with a tow before the end of lap 2.

I kept pace with Mike as we both pulled away from the rest of the chasing pack but his pace in the wet was very good. He attacked the circuit with poise and I was unable to gain back the ground I was losing on each lap. Rather than push to the limit, I settled for a comfortable 2^nd place where Aaron Head finished 3^rd.

My results from Oulton in the tricky conditions were very hard earned. 1^st and 2^nd from this weekend was a great result for my Championship challenge.

Next Round Anglesey

Zandvoort July 9th and 10th

The whole Caterham series went to Zandvoort to race at the famous sand dune Circuit in Holland. Last used as a Formula 1 circuit in 1986, this track has always been on my wish list.

Having found a car game on my computer that allowed me to practise on the circuit beforehand, I entered the first test day with some knowledge of the very technical Circuit. My first laps confirmed that this really was a special place to go racing and would reward the brave and smoother drivers in the paddock.

Unfortunately many drivers were driving beyond their limits where a handful of competitors left before the racing started due to crashes and mechanical failures on the test days. This was a very expensive trip for them with no racing.

Qualifying

This went really well, I pushed very hard and qualified on Pole Position. This I knew would be a great advantage at the circuit but it would be almost impossible to lead from start to finish due to the long fast straights and overtaking opportunities. I would just have to drive hard and consistently to stay in contention.

Race 1

Great start again, got to the first corner still in the lead but I was in second by the end of the lap. Aaron Head was worthy of being in first position but I knew how I would take the position back. Kurt Brady also joined us in the race for first but lap after lap we managed to keep him behind us. Aaron is the great last braker but I had better drive out of the corners which enabled me to pass him on the inside of one of the fastest corner in the circuit. Two Laps before the end I got the lead and blocked him to take the chequered flag. Aaron Head finished 2^nd with Kurt Brady 3^rd.

Race 2

Pole again from the results of race 2. A very similar story to race one, however I wasn’t going to let Aaron pass me again before the end of the first Lap. Kurt followed again with John Toshak following closely in 4^th. Aaron took the lead and we passed regularly over the coming laps. On the last lap I let Aaron go around me at the last chicane, knowing that it is best to be following into the last corner. I planned to get a draft from his car and over take him from second before the line knowing that this had been possible on the previous laps through getting a tow. This was going perfectly to plan, until I missed 5^th gear and selected 3^rd instead as I was passing Aaron. This then let Kurt close the gap behind but I managed to keep 2^nd place across the line keeping Kurt in 3^rd.

Overall I was very happy with my results. My first European race and I got a 1^st and 2^nd, however I felt that my mistake gifted Aaron the win.

Next race Oulton Park – England