Bad Luck at Brands!
As enjoyable and challenging a circuit as Brands Hatch is, it has never been the kindest of circuits to us. But the chance to race on the Grand Prix circuit as part of the prestigious A1GP meeting in front of a big crowd was an opportunity not to be missed. The weekend would see the Club Championship and Open Series combine in one race, thus guaranteeing both thrills and spills!
Qualifying
We weren't expecting to set the world alight in the session as a new set of brakes ensured that the qualifying period would be spent more bedding the brakes in than setting fast lap times (Racing Driver excuse number 37!). So we finished the stint with fifth in Class on the grid and knowing that a better and faster effort needed to be put in later during the race!
Race 1
With arguably my best start of the season, the race got off to a great start with us stuck in the thick of the action. During the early laps, the front of Class 2 were all scrapping together. However, we were soon to catch a 928 from the Open Series who was to change the course of our race. While the leading three cars from our Class were able to get by relatively easily, our passage was not as straightforward. Despite not being in our race as such, the driver of the 928 was adamant he was going to drive as defensively as possible and block our course at every available opportunity. It took two laps and a very robust move to eventually pass, by which point the lead runners in our class were long gone. Our race had been seriously compromised and we were left to pick up a slightly distant fourth in Class and reflect on what might have been.
Race 2
With an even better start than in race one, we were catapulted right into the thick of the action. The opening few laps saw the front of class 2 in amongst the class 1 boys. The race was soon livened up by one of the Open cars dropping an oil trail around the entire circuit, causing chaos with all the cars sliding around unpredictably. Then with only four laps completed, disaster struck! A combination of the oil and some rather robust defending of their position saw us and one of the other Class 2 944s ending up colliding with the barrier at the exit of Surtees. Our race was over!
Reflection
We don't seem to have lady luck on our side this season and it's certainly proving to be a test of character. We will be back in action at Silverstone at the end of May.
Qualifying
We weren't expecting to set the world alight in the session as a new set of brakes ensured that the qualifying period would be spent more bedding the brakes in than setting fast lap times (Racing Driver excuse number 37!). So we finished the stint with fifth in Class on the grid and knowing that a better and faster effort needed to be put in later during the race!
Race 1
With arguably my best start of the season, the race got off to a great start with us stuck in the thick of the action. During the early laps, the front of Class 2 were all scrapping together. However, we were soon to catch a 928 from the Open Series who was to change the course of our race. While the leading three cars from our Class were able to get by relatively easily, our passage was not as straightforward. Despite not being in our race as such, the driver of the 928 was adamant he was going to drive as defensively as possible and block our course at every available opportunity. It took two laps and a very robust move to eventually pass, by which point the lead runners in our class were long gone. Our race had been seriously compromised and we were left to pick up a slightly distant fourth in Class and reflect on what might have been.
Race 2
With an even better start than in race one, we were catapulted right into the thick of the action. The opening few laps saw the front of class 2 in amongst the class 1 boys. The race was soon livened up by one of the Open cars dropping an oil trail around the entire circuit, causing chaos with all the cars sliding around unpredictably. Then with only four laps completed, disaster struck! A combination of the oil and some rather robust defending of their position saw us and one of the other Class 2 944s ending up colliding with the barrier at the exit of Surtees. Our race was over!
Reflection
We don't seem to have lady luck on our side this season and it's certainly proving to be a test of character. We will be back in action at Silverstone at the end of May.
