Race Video’s Online

Unfortunately I have yet to buy a camera to record the races. However it is currently on the wish list. Thank you to other racers there are some on vimeo. Thought you might want to watch.

Race 1

http://vimeo.com/21938949 – James Russell
http://vimeo.com/21893596 – Dan Lewis

Race 2

Hopefully more will follow

Results & Standings

Silverstone R1/2 - Summary

Race 1 – Qual 7th, Finished 10th + Fastest lap
Race 2 – Qual 6th, Finished 12th

Championship Standings – 9th

Next round = Snetterton 16/17 April

SUNDAY: Race 2

Having to wait until the afternoon to go racing again was very hard. Today I had my supporters! Mum, Dad, Annabelle and Richard (Thank you for coming). The car was ready to go. Full of as much fuel as I could get it, to make sure that I was over weight at the end of the race. There was again a long wait in the pit lane before the start. I just could not believe that I had managed to qualify in 6th. The only tactics I had for the race was to get a better start. As we were waiting in the pit lane there were a few drops of rain. I just sat there thinking ‘Please don’t do this, please stay dry’. Luckily it did. Having a better grid position and being on the better side of the grid and knowing I had achieved the fastest lap time yesterday I was feeling that this was going to be more fun. I was not wrong.

Unfortunately at the start I had another poor start. It was better than Race 1 but I still lost places and this really does need to improve. I found myself at the back of the leading pack. I did not panic and just thought the race is long. I knew that as long as I didn’t loose the tow I would be able to catch them back up again. The leaders were dicing in every corner. This helped me to make progress. I slowly picked people off! The tow and slipstream was again amazing. I was really making sure I had a clean exit and on the power as soon as possible. This gave me an advantage going down the straight. One of the scariest moments was being on the inside of Copse knowing I had 3 cars to my left all wanting to get round in one piece! I had managed to work my way up to 4th place! Amazing. However going round Luffields things got a bit tight and I spun. Again. Apparently there was a big cheer from the stands. I was just glad the car was still in one piece and of course I could entertain the spectators!! I was however completely guttered to travel round to the start/stop straight to see the last lap board. Gutted! Oh what could have been!

But overall the weekend was truly amazing. I never dreamt I would be so competitive. Especially driving with 5 year old tires on!! I can not wait for Snetterton. We are driving the new 300 circuit so no one has raced there before.

The countdown has begun.

Well done Tigger! Thanks for looking after me and performing so well!

Fastest lap race 1

Wow what a start to my caterham graduates career. I qualified in 7th place. I was very happy with this for a first race. Grid size was 18. The car was again running really well. Qual was very difficult to get a clean lap in and I managed 1:14.3 which was roughly the pace I was running yesterday during testing. Qual is very tactical you need a slip stream to get a good laptime. So I let a few people past but then they got slightly in the way. So didn't really feel I got a clean lap. But very happy with 7th place.

Before our classic race we went down to Luffield to watch the mega's and super's race. This started to make me very nervous. It was a long wait for our race at 4:20. I got myself ready quite early but really there was too much time. We were grided up in the pitlane and we must have waited there for 20 minutes. My grid slot was on the right of the grid. I had a terrible start and lost about 4 places. The first handful of laps were amazing. It was so close and tight. At one point I had to run wide to avoid someones wing and lights bits! The tow down the back straight was great however it meant that we had 4 cars going into the next corner. People say f1 is boring. It is! Come and watch Caterham racing. Purely amazing. I knew I had the best view in the house but it was really entertaining. About 3 laps to the end I unfortunately spun. But still managed to finish 10th. I was disappointed with myself that I spun but I'd just driven my first race of the season and my 4th race ever. Was very happy. However driving back into my pit garage my mother told me I got the fastest lap in the race. Omg! How amazing. Something I had never expected. Unfortunately no points for fl. If I had performed that lap in qualifing I would have got pole! So all that is really left to say is "roll on Sunday and race 2!"

Morning of first race and qual

Wow. This time has finally come. It is the morning of the first race of the 2011 caterham championship at Silverstone. Had an amazing day yesterday during testing. The car was running very well. The weather held out who ch was a big bonus. Didn't want April showers this weekend! I spent the afternoon on probably mid pack pace. But who knows. Just happy to be keeping up with a few that raced last year. So, my targets for this weekend where to have fun. This has already been achieved! To get faster. I made good progress yesterday and hopefully that will continue today. The last target was to bring the car home in one. We will have to wait until tomorrow for that one.

Yesterday was amazing. We had garage 9c which was buemi's during the 2010 grand prix. I bought a new set of tires but they are going to be my wet set. Fingers crossed I don't have to use them! Testing ran as sessions. I was in group 1 with most of the caterhams. To start off with it was scary. The mega's and super's are so much faster they were overtaking in all sorts of places ! Once I had a bit more confidence it was fine. Copse is a great corner. Not quite flat but because of the wide run off you can really attack the corner. Maggots and becketts are interesting too. There is apparently two lines but just need to think about the striangt coming up. The tow you can get in these caterhams down the back straight is utterly amazing. It's almost like some has installed the f1 Kers button! Brooklands and Luffield. Some room for improvement here! Important part to get the exit out for the stop/start straight.

Really can't wait for what today is going to bring. First sign on, drivers briefing, scuritneering etc. All I'll say is...... I think it's going to be fun!

Not long to go

The countdown is getting very close to ‘go, go, go’. Tigger’s brake cylinder appears to have decided to leak. So the car is in the capable hands of McMillan Motorsport. Looking forward to getting the car back for Friday’s test sessions. Not long to go.

2 more sleeps until testing. (Or should I say attempted sleeps until testing!)

Booked, Booked, Booked!

Silverstone Test Day – 1st April
Snetterton Test Day (pm) – 14th April
Donnie Test Day (Evening) – 1st June

Rockingham Track Day

Saturday 12th March
Weather – Dry
Rockingham – McMillan Caterham Track Day

The weather was great at Rockingham. Just what the doc ordered! We arrived and got the car off the trailer and invaded garage #18. Had a drivers briefing lead by Steve Lewis chief instructor at Rockingham. Overtaking only on the left and on the straights. Not sure all drivers were listening to that bit! The morning lessons I really lacked confidence and felt a bit bullied by the faster Caterhams. I really didn’t realise the speed difference between the Supers, Mega and Classics. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to get my hands on one! (www.rich man needs a wife.com needs to start working I think!) There were a few red flags throughout the day with the odd nose and wing coming off. The break for lunch did me a lot of good. The first session after lunch was a novice only 20 minutes. This was great, as I didn’t have to worry about the faster machines. The afternoon sessions worked a lot better for me, I had more confidence and found it rather exhilarating. The satisfaction of getting Tarzan sorted was great. Also gambling with Deene’s breaking point from 110mph was getting the adrenaline flowing. Fab.

I also got a new windscreen fitted. It was great to drive after that. I could see where I was going! Got a few things to do on the car now, especially as the club doesn’t want any duck tape on wings. Bummer! So it looks like this weekend I am learning how to glass fibre a rear wing! Any tips on the back of a postcard please! I also have the challenge of changing Tiggers A-frame bushes replaced again. Fingers crossed I can beat my last time (4 hours!!!). Also need to put this years decals on the car. Sort out the fire extinguisher. Check Oil. Sort out a rear view mirror. I’m sure the list was longer!

Thank you very much to my groupies! Dad, Mum, Jez, John, Graham, Alan, James and Laura for coming down and supporting. I hope those who went out in the car enjoyed their hot laps. I also hope that Dad, Mum and Jez enjoyed their trip to the Rockingham Scenery!

P.S I forgot to mention that I lost my front number plate out on circuit. Not sure where it ended up but it was kindly returned. Tiger seal is on order!

Rockingham Testday – WOW!

Report to follow. AB

Rockingham Countdown

I am now counting down the minutes until the Rockingham Testday on Saturday. I have just researched the predicted weather. It says white cloud 8 degrees. Happy with that! Fingers crossed.

Need to start doing some homework on the circuit!