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

Donnington Cancelled (6th and 7th August)

Unfortunately the next round at Donnington has been cancelled. Donnington oversold their race weekends at the beginning of the year and have cancelled a number of events planned.

The good news however is that the round has been moved.............to Anglesey on 24th/25th September (the very north west of Wales of all places).

Brands Hatch - Round 5 and 6

Testing at Brands Hatch didn’t really go to plan. The first of four sessions I was off the pace and couldn’t get to grips with the conditions. The track was greasy and the tyres I was using were brand new. The amount of tread on them made the car the move through the corners and didn’t allow me to put the power down early enough, which is essential at Clearways, the famous long right hander that leads you up to the start finish straight.

In the second session, I changed back to my old tyres, which made a significant improvement. However on lap 4 the gearbox got stuck in 3rd. Unable to move into neutral, I drove off the circuit and straight to the Caterham tent. The diagnosis was that the gearbox would need replacing. After 4 hours it was finished, enabling me to drive the last session, unfortunately missing more than half the day. Not much testing then and not much learnt about the Roadsport B settings around the circuit.

Qualifying

Surprisingly qualifying went well, I achieved 2nd – Jon Mortimer got Pole. Due to having the Dutch Caterham drivers racing with us at this event, the grid was split into 3 groups. Each driver would take place in 2 of the 3 races. I was doing race 1 and 3, which enabled me to watch race 2.

Race 1


I started on Pole in race 1 because Jon wasn’t racing until race 2. I got a great start, taking the inside line into Paddock Hill bend and then the tight line again into Druids. I led the first lap and defended the inside line again into Paddock Hill with Mike, Kurt and James pressurising me into lap 2. At Druids this time there were caution flags and slippery surface flags where I chose to brake early and take the tight line again, this proved to be the right choice. Apparently, Roy hit one of the Ducth drivers on lap one and his radiator burst, spraying slippery coolant into the entry of the corner. I avoided this but many around me didn’t, sending them crusading across the track, only narrowly missing the gravel traps. I managed to keep the lead and created a gap of 3 seconds, however this was short lived because I kept missing 3rd gear where Mike took full advantage of my problems and caught me with 10 laps remaining. At this time we were also catching the back markers and they played a part in the final results. Kurt caught Mike with James following and we had a 4 way battle for the race win. I managed to keep in front of them for the remaining laps, winning my 4th race of the season with a Pole to chequered flag victory.


Race 2

I didn’t take part in Race 2 but it was won by Kurt, Matthew Whate second and Adam White third. It was however being led by Jon Mortimer in the early stages but he had a harsh drive through penalty due to using more extra run off at the bottom of Paddock Hill bend. Jon eventually finished eighth.

Race 3

The Heavens opened, I started second and lead after another great start into Paddock, Jon Mortimer missed 3rd gear from a pole position start. I was followed closely by Aaron Head and Mike Hart, where I was quickly passed and found myself placed 3rd at the start of lap 2. Aaron gained a substantial lead, leaving me and Mike to battle it out for runner up. I followed Mike for a number of laps and passed him on the outside or Surtees, using the grip on the outside edge of the circuit. We quickly caught up with the back markers again where I passed but with some reservations, not knowing if we would be seen through the spray of their own cars.

We eventually finished our first wet race, Aaron won, I came second and Mike third. I was very happy with this result, gaining more essential points for the Championship, however Aarons pace in the wet has been noted.

Great Racing at Snetterton 300

The new Snetterton 300 circuit layout is very impressive. Having not driven there since the summer of last year, the new configuration, which has been created over the winter, had to be learnt very quickly.

I am fortunate that I can learn a circuit in only a couple of laps. Understanding which corner comes next is easy for most, but like a handful of other Caterham Drivers, I am fairly good at knowing where I can go faster – the problem is always doing it!

Unfortunately this didn’t help my progress on the Friday test day. I just could not get the car to drive as I wanted. On a number of key corners I was suffering with immense under steer, which would be essential to correct for the long drag down the Bentley straight.

At lunchtime, my lap times were still about 2 seconds slower than those who visited the day before, this was very disappointing. As the day progressed I drove the circuit harder, with more commitment, less fear, but still without much improvement. The odd thing however was that whilst my competitors were claiming faster laps the day before; visually I was able to keep with them during the test day. The only thing I could take strength from was that there was a very strong wind blowing across the circuit which stalled the cars performance and therefore the lap times, which maybe was not there the day before.

However, Free Practice on Sunday morning I set the fastest lap having raised the rear of the car on Dave from DPR motorsport’s recommendation. Unfortunately this was not qualifying but gave me hope.

Qualifying

The qualifying session went well, I managed to get 3rd place behind Mike on Pole and Kurt 2nd. Everything considered, I was happy with this because of how badly the testing had gone. 3rd place also put me on the inside line for the first two right hand corners, which was a significant psychological advantage.

Race 1

I got a great start, and kept to the right of the circuit where I passed Kurt into the 2nd Corner under braking. I then set my sights on Mike who was leading. I got a great tow down the back straight to pass, putting me up to 1st for the start of lap 2. This was short lived, where we then spent the next couple of laps fighting over the honours before Aaron Head joined us. The three of us fought closely over first place where Aaron and I collided on the infield. He lept over the rear of my car when we touched wheels, ripping the rear offside wheel arch and light cluster off (another one to wrap, sorry Martin of TVBC).

Fortunately for me I suffered no other damage where I gained momentum again to race Mike over the final laps. I was leading 2 laps from the end and I know that Mike was a serious threat due to being able to get the tow and pass me before the chequered flag in any of the 3 straights that remained. I managed to increase my lead and kept this into the last lap following a mistake from him. I could see that Mike was planning to get a tow down the back straight but he was now too far away to do so. He closed the gap on me into the last corner and got a tow down the start finish straight but it was not enough, I passed the chequered flag first but less than 1 second before Mike. James Needham finished 3rd.

Race 2

Having finished race one 1st, I started race 2 on Pole Position. I got another excellent start. I knew that keeping the chasing pack behind me for the first couple of corners was essential. The pack behind jostled for position allowing me to break free of them and breaking any chance of a tow down the back straight from the following pack. I watched the gap behind increase as I put together a number of consistent laps where the lead at one point increased to near 9 seconds. On lap 8 I started to slow knowing that the gap could be managed between me and second place. This fell to 4 seconds as I took the chequered flag.

I was very pleased to have a double win at Snetterton, something that I know is very difficult to do in Roadsport B.

I didn’t post any fantastic lap times over the weekend, however I made very good use of the opportunities that I created during the weekend.

The next race is at Brands Hatch on 11th and 12th of June where I now lead the Championship.

Silverstone Race 1 + 2 (27th March 2011)

After a very long winter of preparation and much anticipation, the season kicked off in glorious sunshine at Silverstone. We were racing at the new Grand Prix Circuit so not only were there races to win, but the fastest lap of the weekend during the races would also earn the new track lap record for Roadsport B.

Testing on Friday went without a hitch, I posted some of the fastest times of the day but there were many drivers also doing well. On Sunday the qualifying session and two races were all crammed into the same day. The temperature had dropped from Friday and I forgot to check the tyre pressures before setting out for qualifying.

I set out at the back of the pack for qualifying in the hope that I could catch some of the slower cars whilst getting a tow down some of the very lengthy straights that will cause so many problems for the person on Pole. I posted good times in the clear laps in the early part of qualifying and hit traffic towards the end of the session. This slowed my progress at the end of the session while tripping over a number of other drivers who were also looking for the perfect tow.

Having returned to the Garage, I learned that I GOT POLE with a lap time of 2:35.429 which was the perfect start to the season! I cant imagine that any driver that has been round the circuit couldn't have felt blessed with having driven at the circuit and I still think now of all the other famous drivers who have shared in the thrill of driving at this fantastic circuit. Not many however have started from position 1(Pole!) and watched the lights go out from the best seat on the circuit - something that I will never forget!

My time was only 300ths of a second faster than last years Group 2 Champion Kurt Brady so the race was going to be very tight indeed.

Race 1 was very close, due to the drafting opportunities I felt that starting on Pole was actually going to be a disadvantage. This was confirmed when the lights went out. I got a very good start however by the first lap, I had fallen to 4th, having been drafted and making a mistake near the end of the lap. I lost count of the amount of times that the lead changed hands with 8 drivers in the lead pack. Me, Kurt Brady and Mike Hart were battling for the lead in the final laps of the race where I managed to keep in front for the chequered flag. My first win of the season was race 1 with Kurt Brady second, only 0.2seconds behind.

Race 2 I started on Pole again having won race 1! I got a better start, creating a gap that allowed me to lead for the first 2 laps but not breaking the tow from the following drivers. Once again there was a monumental battle for the lead where 8 hungrier and more aggressive drivers battled, with wheel arches and bodywork falling off at every corner I experienced my first lost wing of my Caterham racing career. This of course wont be the last time but it did knock me out of position and stifled my progress in chasing for the lead. Lap 6 I was leading again, only to fall back to 4th as the chequered flag was raised.

Whilst I was disappointed not to finish higher in race 2, however due to the drafting I just wasn’t leading at the right time. The combined results put me in second, two points behind Kurt Brady in the Championship. I also got the fastest lap in race 2 with a time of 2:36.358, which was faster than in Race 1, therefore creating the Lap record for this configuration at the GP Circuit in the Caterham Roadsport B class.

I am absolutely delighted with this, something that very few people can boast at the most prestigious circuit in the country. Next Race Snetterton on 24th and 25th April!

2011 Decals

New season and new colours for the car - Testing at Silverstone starts this Friday

Season 2 - Roadsport B begins this month!

After a very slow start to this year, we have finally heard from Caterham regarding the racing Regs and Calender. This means this seasons competitors can commit to booking test sessions and race entries.

My preparations started almost 6 months ago now with DPR Motorsport in Guildfiord being instructed to upgrade my car to the 2011 Roadsport B Specifications. Whilst I have driven the car on the road, I didn't really get a chance to test the car on the circuit in anger before the end of February.

It started at Snetterton where myself and Dave Rowe of DPR Motorsport attended a Book at Track day which upon arrival was cancelled. The following day we both set off to Silverstone where it rained after only two sessions and stayed wet for the rest of the day. The conditions were so bad that my VBox data logger got wet and broke down, resulting in a very expensive repair bill - not the best start to my season!

Last Saturday I tested at Oulton Park which........was also wet! I also had to hire a Racelogic VBox for the weekend, however Julian (MD) was very understanding of my problems and arranged for the unit to be couriered out to me overnight before I travelled early the following morning. On the Sunday, I attended the Caterham pre-season track day at Donnington, which resulted in the only dry season testing I've done since upgrading my car. Having spent so much time with David Rowe recently on and off the circuit I have learned a lot about the setup of the car and how to make adjustments with the variable conditions.

That said I do not feel that I have tested the car enough to find its full potential, however time will tell I guess.

The current numbers for the season are as high as 28 competitors and this looks like it could be a very challenging year, with some very fast and determined drivers.

My first test day, under test day conditions will be on Friday 25th March at Silverstone. I guess I will have to wait until then to see how competitive my car will be this year, fingers crossed!!