Donington Park
17th March 2002
Round 1

Donington Park Results

Enjoyment (out of 5)

Love the track.

First race of the season. A lot of catching up to do in the paddock and some new faces. The paddock was not allocated which meant people parked where they want. Which is what some people do anyway. Over the winter we had worked on the car. Well mainly my brother-in-law, Ian with help from my Dad. Since there had been no major changes to the regulations we decided to roll out last years car for the first few races safe in the knowledge that this year car was begin tested around the tracks of Europe by Schuey. Joking aside, the Vee regulation do change but often they are only minor but important changes on the grounds of safety. We, mainly Ian (with help from Rockies garage in Chesterfield), had checked the brakes, serviced the front suspension and beam, fitted new front discs, replaced some piston rings, cleaned the carb, built a brake and air box and cleaned up the car giving some bits a fresh lick of paint.

The car passed scrutineering and we had about 10 mins to get the car ready for practice. I have only been to Donington once before and that time I raced around the international circuit. I enjoyed the track apart from that comical loop bit at the end (I bet even Senna thought that) but I wasn't very quick. This year I was more determined to push harder. There were a few problems in practice. Firstly my visor steamed up so badly that for a while I was sure there was one of the worst pea soupers (London fog) at the old Hairpin. Every lap I would lift my visor to clear it but through the Craner curves it would shut completely and the old Hairpin became a foggy wasteland. Once I had managed to stop breathing around the corners and grab air only on the straight where I could lift my visor, I saw yellow flags at two corners. Then I wondered if I had missed any. So I went slow through the yellows to try and earn extra brownie points with the marshals in case I had missed a few. The fog had also hit the brain. I thought that a still yellow signaled the start and end of an incident. I realised later that it was only the start, its a green flag at the end. Later, when 14 Vee drivers were called to race control, I was half expecting myself to be included but I wasn't. I managed 1:30s and a solo 1:27. The last 5 minutes of the session was a write off for setting faster times because Neale Blunden had parked is car on the track at Coppice. Waved yellows through there everytime and the marshalls weren't moving it.

Last year I was good through the Old Hairpin and Craner curves but absolutely terrible everywhere else. This year I didn't think I was near the limit at Goddards, Coppice or surprisingly the Old Hairpin but happy with Redgate and Craner curves. A bit more practice I could have easily found another second. But then thats what everyone says.

Our race was delayed. I think it rained during the 750 race and because they start on slicks and there is no such thing as pitstops (Now that would be interesting) it had to be stopped and rerun later but before the Vee race. We went to the grid about an hour late. We did one green flag lap then coming around to the grid we were waved on. Another lap for free. My dad/Ross Brawn, the tactician of the team, is in control of the fuel and I was wondering if he had put enough in for this extra lap. Back to the grid for the start - Red - Green and off we went, with a lot of wheel spin. Paul Mitson in front made the same sort of start as me and I followed him to the outside where there was a bit of room. We made a few places in the traffic jam on the inside. Then a few cars in front went a wandering off the circuit and as they moved off the circuit there was Bill Burnett pointing the wrong way with 20 cars coming at him. I got around him and as we headed down to the Old Hairpin I was amazed at how slow we were going. I didn't try to overtake. Craner is not a good place unless you're Senna and then you waltz around everyone, hats off to the man. Through the hairpin we were really slow. I wasn't expecting this and so had to follow the guy in front when I could of got past him if I had been ready. Through McCleans I held position as we headed up to Coppice I saw Michael Fenwick's arm shoot up. Then the guy in front. Red flag and the race was being stopped. We made our way around to the grid and waited for the drivers from the first corner incident to regain their grid positions for another try.

Second start, the same amount of wheel spin even though I tried to give it a little less throttle. I headed down to the first corner with space around me so I pulled to the inside. I could see a couple of cars in my mirrors. Tom Roper managed to squeeze past. I didn't think he would stay on the track so I let him go and held a tight line. Steve Glasswell went around me while I followed Tom, who did make it round. Coming out of the Old Hairpin I picked off Steve, he seemed to be having a problem. At the start of the second lap Guy Bellingham came past me and then Roper spun at Redgates in front of us. I repassed Guy but going down to Craners he was closing fast, slightly distracted I didn't make a good turn and the car stepped onto the slippy stuff. I held the slide and Guy followed me through the Old Hairpin and McCleans but he had a go going up to Coppice. He went through and slighly got in my way so I was slow down the straight. Ian Fuller came past easily. Third lap and I followed Ian most of the lap and I was planning on overtaking him down the Dunlop straight. Going into Coppice I came in much quicker than Ian and had to brake mid corner which meant I was slow again down the straight and I think it was Iax Buxton that came past. The two Ians slowed each other at Goddards and Buxton squeezed through. I managed to close right up to Fuller and as we exited the corner I was extremely close, too close and again had to hesitate on the throttle to stop myself running into the back of him. That gave him the space he needed down the straight and also meant I lost my exit speed advantage and coupled with a stronger engine than mine he could pull away. As I was about to change from third to fourth the engine cut out. I parked up just after Redgates thinking the engine might be blown. I hopped out and couldn't see any nasty puddles of oil. It later transpired to be the wire to the fuel pump had come loose.

I was happy with the weekend. I could have finished in the top 20, maybe 16th (I was ahead of Richard Harris when I pulled off). The work over winter had improved the handling and the engine seemed better although there still seems to be a bit of power gap between me and the people around me.