2001, Round 1, Silverstone
| Weather | Dry, cold, icy in qualifying! |
| Qualification result | 19th of 54 |
| Race length | 15 minutes elapsed, 12 laps, 19.67 miles |
| Championship race | 10th |
| Lap | Time | Difference | Ave. speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lap Record (prior to event) | 1:15.15 | 77.98 mph | |
| Pole | 1:18.77 | +0:03.62 | 74.91 mph |
| My qualification | 1:22.21 | +0:07.06 | 71.77 mph |
| Fastest race lap | 1:14.51 | -0:00.64 | 79.19 mph |
| My fastest race lap | 1:15.88 | +0:00.73 | 77.76 mph |
|
Two months of working flat out every weekend, and every evening got the car to the stage where it could at least enter the first race. The car is not yet fully finished, but what race car ever is? I was a complete fool in qualifying. I could see there were LOTS of cars behind me, all looking for space to set a quick lap, and I could see that up ahead there was space. I decided I needed to be up in that space, but between me and that space was Glenn Stokes, who was out there also trying to set a good lap, and did not want to get swamped by all the cars behind him. The ice on the circuit made it hard to pass him as well, and when I finally did get by, the session was almost over. I finished up 19th, well outside my top 10 target, and I had no-one but myself to blame. When the lights went green, I got a good start, and passed Martin Rogers as he bogged down in 5th gear. As we started the club straight we were three abreast, with an XR2 potentially having the inside line for Brooklands, and Gordon Macmillan between us. Myself and Gordon out dragged the XR2, and charged into Brooklands alongside each other, but I would have the inside line for Luffield, and was through. The car was handling well, and had enough power when combined with a good corner to allow me to pass several more cars. I had a good dice with Patrick Grove, he got the better of me at Brooklands one lap, but left his braking very late, forcing me to take evasive action, and I retook the place later. In the end I finished 10th, which achieved (just) my target of a top ten for the first race in a 106. A good result, considering I started 19th. Up ahead, Craig Shepherd I think had the lead for a time before mechanical failures ended his chances, leaving pole sitter Tony Scarlett to mop up the points, followed by a brace of Suzuki Swifts. A new lap record for Pete Morgan in a Fiesta made me briefly wonder why I switched out of Fiestas, but then Pete has always been able to make faster Fiestas than anyone else, so I am sure I have made the right move. Just two weeks until the next round at Donnington, so I shall have a short rest after the months of hard work before trying to improve the car a little further for the next race. |
