Silverstone, 1st race 0f 2006
After testing at Anglesey, spinning on 2nd corner of first lap I realised exactly how rusty I was. I decided to invest in another test at Silverstone the day before the race. The pleasure of turning up and just driving is staring to become evident but Bernard thought it best to give me a real challenge so old tyres, dry settings and a very wet track with an F1 car blasting past me and a multitude of very quick Formula Renaults was the order of the day. My Royale is always good in the wet but in these conditions the car was incredibly skittish and I could describe my performance similarly except with an H instead of a K.
The second session was dry and I felt much better after this although I was simply not able to process the information the car was giving me. I really only managed this the next day when talking to my brother – just before qualifying and this enabled me to go out and at least know what I was looking for.
Silverstone is not a difficult circuit to remember one’s way around. Basically it is three corners – 2 slow and one very quick. The Brooklands/Luffield complex is (for me) impossible to negotiate quickly. The understeer here is horrible and I am always slow coming out of it, damaging my times. Copse, the fast corner, is great fun. Late braking, sharpish turn in and flat on the throttle saw me understeering a little too much in qualifying (this was what I realised after talking to Richard – it is surprising how difficult it is to understand the painfully obvious unless you talk it through with someone experienced) but I felt quick here.
10th on the grid was a little disappointing but this was my first race after a confidence sapping season in 2005. Probably most depressing was that all the guys at the front were either new drivers to me, returnees who I wished weren’t back or young thrusters who had bought new cars and were now very quick. The old truth of motor racing, and life, still holds true – there is always some bugger better than you.
Race
The race was great fun if a little hectic. My racecraft needs polishing to say the least but for the first time in nearly two years I had a race long dice with David Gathercole, David Penlington and Roger Newman. Side by side around Copse with Roger, trying to out brake David G countless times (and generally failing) and nearly getting past David P. on the line were great moments.
The two most exciting events – just to give you a taste were as follows: Roger and I were coming upon a back marker at Copse and Roger thought he would be able get past on his inside but they were just heading for the same piece of track. Roger braked and took a tighter line, I had to lift off more than suddenly and my car went completely sideways. Fortunately I held the slide and was able to get back on the power more quickly than Roger so got past him and the back marker. The other moment was at the end of Hanger Straight; three of us were all trying to out brake each other but my coordination difficulties from my first season resurfaced and I forgot to change gear. This led to me trying to hold an enormous slide with one hand whilst stirring the gear lever with the other trying to find any gear at all. It all worked out OK and I at least felt I had given the crowd something to talk about – as in “what a prat”.
Anyway I finished 7th – helped by a couple of retirements but the car was in one piece, I had enjoyed myself and there has not been to much need for introspection . Still woke up at 4am the next day though……….
The second session was dry and I felt much better after this although I was simply not able to process the information the car was giving me. I really only managed this the next day when talking to my brother – just before qualifying and this enabled me to go out and at least know what I was looking for.
Silverstone is not a difficult circuit to remember one’s way around. Basically it is three corners – 2 slow and one very quick. The Brooklands/Luffield complex is (for me) impossible to negotiate quickly. The understeer here is horrible and I am always slow coming out of it, damaging my times. Copse, the fast corner, is great fun. Late braking, sharpish turn in and flat on the throttle saw me understeering a little too much in qualifying (this was what I realised after talking to Richard – it is surprising how difficult it is to understand the painfully obvious unless you talk it through with someone experienced) but I felt quick here.
10th on the grid was a little disappointing but this was my first race after a confidence sapping season in 2005. Probably most depressing was that all the guys at the front were either new drivers to me, returnees who I wished weren’t back or young thrusters who had bought new cars and were now very quick. The old truth of motor racing, and life, still holds true – there is always some bugger better than you.
Race
The race was great fun if a little hectic. My racecraft needs polishing to say the least but for the first time in nearly two years I had a race long dice with David Gathercole, David Penlington and Roger Newman. Side by side around Copse with Roger, trying to out brake David G countless times (and generally failing) and nearly getting past David P. on the line were great moments.
The two most exciting events – just to give you a taste were as follows: Roger and I were coming upon a back marker at Copse and Roger thought he would be able get past on his inside but they were just heading for the same piece of track. Roger braked and took a tighter line, I had to lift off more than suddenly and my car went completely sideways. Fortunately I held the slide and was able to get back on the power more quickly than Roger so got past him and the back marker. The other moment was at the end of Hanger Straight; three of us were all trying to out brake each other but my coordination difficulties from my first season resurfaced and I forgot to change gear. This led to me trying to hold an enormous slide with one hand whilst stirring the gear lever with the other trying to find any gear at all. It all worked out OK and I at least felt I had given the crowd something to talk about – as in “what a prat”.
Anyway I finished 7th – helped by a couple of retirements but the car was in one piece, I had enjoyed myself and there has not been to much need for introspection . Still woke up at 4am the next day though……….
posted by Anthony at 8:16 AM
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