Big Weekend at Brands!
As far as big weekends go this was right up there - an opportunity to be the main support race for the DTM (German Touring Car Championship) on one of Brands Hatch's biggest weekends of the year!
With display stands from all of the main OEM manufacturers, race simulators on offer, packed stands and (some) sunshine the atmosphere for the weekend was lively and all of the drivers in the MINI Challenge UK were hoping to create a performance that would let the series and the drivers shine.
With display stands from all of the main OEM manufacturers, race simulators on offer, packed stands and (some) sunshine the atmosphere for the weekend was lively and all of the drivers in the MINI Challenge UK were hoping to create a performance that would let the series and the drivers shine.
So with only a 20 minute practice on old tyres available prior to qualifying, how would it go?
Pole! The car was on rails and I was able to deliver a lap I knew was good enough in only 10 minutes, returning early to the pits and straight back to parc ferme to wait nervously for the others to finish their session. Having had the number 1 spot taken from me with only seconds to go at Oulton I knew it was a bold strategy but it paid off - 3 tenths ahead of the nearest challenger at the end of qualifying!
With the car so well balanced in this session no changes were made before Race 1 on Sunday. Only a mild drop in temperature meant that conditions were very similar to the Saturday sessions. So as the lights went out and I pulled away with a strong start I was looking to make an instant break on the chasing Ant Whorton-Eales who started second. Yet the neutral balance in the car was gone and in its place was understeer, severely limiting how well I could get out of the bends and ultimately limiting cornering speed.
A frustrating race followed were I was not able to keep Whorton-Eales in second and the following Nathan Harrison also used the scuffle to get past as well, pushing me into 3rd with not enough race pace to challenge the places lost. Fortunately I did have enough pace to fend off the chasing pack, but ultimately I was a tenth off the leading duo and not able to make inroads. At the end of the 20 minutes it was a solid but not spectacular podium finish. Race 2 would have to deliver a better result.
Pole! The car was on rails and I was able to deliver a lap I knew was good enough in only 10 minutes, returning early to the pits and straight back to parc ferme to wait nervously for the others to finish their session. Having had the number 1 spot taken from me with only seconds to go at Oulton I knew it was a bold strategy but it paid off - 3 tenths ahead of the nearest challenger at the end of qualifying!
With the car so well balanced in this session no changes were made before Race 1 on Sunday. Only a mild drop in temperature meant that conditions were very similar to the Saturday sessions. So as the lights went out and I pulled away with a strong start I was looking to make an instant break on the chasing Ant Whorton-Eales who started second. Yet the neutral balance in the car was gone and in its place was understeer, severely limiting how well I could get out of the bends and ultimately limiting cornering speed.
A frustrating race followed were I was not able to keep Whorton-Eales in second and the following Nathan Harrison also used the scuffle to get past as well, pushing me into 3rd with not enough race pace to challenge the places lost. Fortunately I did have enough pace to fend off the chasing pack, but ultimately I was a tenth off the leading duo and not able to make inroads. At the end of the 20 minutes it was a solid but not spectacular podium finish. Race 2 would have to deliver a better result.
- Ant Whorton-Eales
- Nathan Harrison +0.482s
- David Robinson +1.760s
With minor tweaks to the setup to recover the qualifying pace I lined up 6th on the grid (reverse top 8) and was fully focussed on moving through the cars in front. I was confident in the changes made and knew I would be able to close any gap on the drivers ahead - the main challenge would be to keep the top two finishers from Race 1 behind.
Yet the start was poor and I dropped to 8th off the line, immediately losing the two positions I knew would be hardest to hold, and leaving me with a lot to do in the short 20 minute sprint. I picked off positions immediately, however, and started the climb toward the top 4. At half race distance I was already there but now with a gap to the leading trio, but closing the gap lap by lap.
4 laps to go and I had broken the lap record and was on the tail of Rob Smith in 3rd. The momentum was with me but as I closed the safety car was deployed.... And with it any chance of a podium.
Nonetheless a much strong result than Race 1 on pace and it really should have been a podium. 2nd on points for the weekend behind Whorton-Eales and the championship is back on track after the early season mechanicals. 5th at the moment but 2nd, 3rd and 4th are not far ahead at all!
Yet the start was poor and I dropped to 8th off the line, immediately losing the two positions I knew would be hardest to hold, and leaving me with a lot to do in the short 20 minute sprint. I picked off positions immediately, however, and started the climb toward the top 4. At half race distance I was already there but now with a gap to the leading trio, but closing the gap lap by lap.
4 laps to go and I had broken the lap record and was on the tail of Rob Smith in 3rd. The momentum was with me but as I closed the safety car was deployed.... And with it any chance of a podium.
Nonetheless a much strong result than Race 1 on pace and it really should have been a podium. 2nd on points for the weekend behind Whorton-Eales and the championship is back on track after the early season mechanicals. 5th at the moment but 2nd, 3rd and 4th are not far ahead at all!
- Ant Whorton-Eales
- Alex Morgan +0.423s
- Rob Smith +0.800s
- David Robinson +1.797s
Back. On. Form.
After the summer break, it was time for the racing to resume at Oulton Park on the 21st August. The heat wave continued unabated, with the 30 degree temperatures in stark contrast to the rain that saw Race 2 at the same circuit cancelled earlier in the year.
The Gleeson RG supported Excelr8 MINI had been freshly prepared for this race, addressing a number of frustrations from the last round at Silverstone. Engine performance issues addressed, and crash damage repaired, it looked set to be a return to form this weekend.
Straight out of the blocks the pace was good as I set the fastest time in Free Practice 1. Setting a benchmark that would not be bettered until the end of the day when some competitors started to run new tyres. No such luxuries for myself unfortunately, but we worked hard on the setup, trying to calm some of the bump on the Cheshire circuit with damping and spring rate changes.
But qualifying would tell us whether this had worked. An absolutely flying lap early on suggested it had but the session was then ended prematurely as the red flags came out in order to recover a stranded vehicle. Having taken the best out of the tyres once the session resumed I was still able to put in a lap time that would head the session until the dying seconds, pipped by 0.038s I was still pleased to be starting on the front row on a circuit that makes overtaking very difficult.
Lights out in Race 1 and despite a poor start I held second into the first bend. Able to hold with the leader, Rob Smith, the tight track relied on a mistake to open up an overtaking opportunity – but it never came and as the race progressed my tyres dropped off, dropping me into the clutches of the chasing Ant Whorton-Eales. However, the race wasn’t over yet and as the others’ tyres also dropped the top three closed to a tight bunch. Pressuring for the lead I had a good run into the Knickerbrook chicane but couldn’t make the line hold, now having to defend my position. It was tight, but the top three finished in that order. A second podium for me this season and a great set of points to put the championship back on track.
- Rob Smith
- David Robinson +0.444s
- Ant Whorton-Eales +0.895s
With a reverse top 8 pulled for the second race, I would be back on row 4 for the start. The get away could have been better but I maintained position around Old Hall before making a strong move around the outside of Cascades, squeezing through some tight spaces to come out of the Island hairpin in 4th position and right on the tail of the top three.
Overtaking was again difficult but as Jordan Collard dropped out with gearbox issues I was now into the top three and right on the tail of Nathan Harrison in second. Any move from the top 2 and the overtaking would open up…. Which, on the last corner of the last lap, is exactly what happened. Diving to the inside to get on to the rear of the leading Ant Whorton-Eales, second place was out on a wider line and not able to get the traction on exit.
Another podium, another second place, some great points for the championship this weekend!
- Ant Whorton-Eales
- David Robinson +0.347s
- Nathan Harrison +0.404s
Disappointment at Silverstone - But Some Happy Faces At Least!
The Silverstone GP circuit is an icon of British Motorsport, synonymous with the British GP it is home to the BRDC and British Motorsport. It’s also been the scene of many motorsport successes for me including wins in the premier Caterham championships and outright leading the Silverstone 24.
Coming off the back of a race win at Snetterton this was a race I was looking to score more podiums at in order to build my championship campaign. Added to that I would be carrying the faces of the donors to the 100 Faces campaign - thank you to each and every one of you!
Coming off the back of a race win at Snetterton this was a race I was looking to score more podiums at in order to build my championship campaign. Added to that I would be carrying the faces of the donors to the 100 Faces campaign - thank you to each and every one of you!
And with the advantage of a tyre sponsor for Friday testing (thank you DPR Motorsport), it was good to see me right near the top of the time sheets in Free Practice. Something that was certainly not the case at Snetterton running on heat cycled tyres way beyond their best. But the niggles are still there, ultimate pace was lacking and despite a decent qualifying session it was only possible to put the car 6th on the grid. Nevertheless at the sharp end and right in contention for the main event.
Yet those niggles were building. Coming out of the assembly area the car ground to a halt on the grid, low fuel flow cutting the engine. It sparked up just before the flag dropped for the parade lap and I was able to coast the car round the circuit, keeping the revs high as this seemed to mitigate the issue.
Would it hold for the entire race? No.
Running in 4th early on I was forced to the back of the pack as the issue struck again, and again, pushing me all the way out of the leader and into the chasing group. At this point the focus was purely on keeping up the pace and trying to finish – anything else would be a bonus.
The danger of dropping to the mid field is, however, that the drivers are less consistent and considerably more volatile. One in particular making contact with my team mate, Luke Reade, who was unceremoniously rammed into the rear right of my car, ending his race and wiping me out into the run off. Rejoining in 13th with a severely damaged trailing arm I was able to climb back to a respectable 11th – but now with a lot to do in race 2.
11th on the grid is well above halfway, but it is a busy place to be, especially with a fuel pump that failed once more on the parade lap. Again the focus was to get forward and grab those all important championship points. As the lights went out I got a great start, but arrived at the first corner boxed in and unable to gain more than 1 position. The leaders of the reverse top ten had failed to get their tyres up to temperature and spun out through Maggots and Becketts, leaving me now up to 8th and progressing further ahead as the battles developed. Up to 6th after a second safety car period a top four was looking possible, but a mistake through that same opening complex limited progress and left me in a disgruntled 8th position (7th after stewards penalties).
A weekend very different to that at Snetterton. Some mechanical issues that need ironing out but it will be back to form at the MINI Festival at Oulton Park in July for more close racing.
Ups And Downs and Merry Go Rounds
With a title like that it is probably already clear that rounds 2 and 3 of the MINI Challenge UK have featured some high points and some real lows!
Rockingham hosted Round 2 of the series and after getting used to the damp weather at Oulton, Friday practice looked to be a real turning point as I topped the time sheets in session 3 in soaking wet conditions. Opting to sit out the final session and preserve the tyres for Saturdays mixed weather conditions, I was confident in a podium for the weekend at the very least.
But with that high point out the way, qualifying proved to be a low as a faulty throttle position sensor put me down in 13th – albeit at a circuit I know well and a layout that offers plenty of overtaking opportunities. In Race 1 I was swiftly up to 10th before being wiped off the circuit and beginning the charge back from 20-somethingth position to a hard fought 12th. All to play for in race 2....
In which I was up to 3rd place, vying for 2nd when the tyre came off the rim due to some earlier contact:
Rockingham hosted Round 2 of the series and after getting used to the damp weather at Oulton, Friday practice looked to be a real turning point as I topped the time sheets in session 3 in soaking wet conditions. Opting to sit out the final session and preserve the tyres for Saturdays mixed weather conditions, I was confident in a podium for the weekend at the very least.
But with that high point out the way, qualifying proved to be a low as a faulty throttle position sensor put me down in 13th – albeit at a circuit I know well and a layout that offers plenty of overtaking opportunities. In Race 1 I was swiftly up to 10th before being wiped off the circuit and beginning the charge back from 20-somethingth position to a hard fought 12th. All to play for in race 2....
In which I was up to 3rd place, vying for 2nd when the tyre came off the rim due to some earlier contact:
Not exactly a successful round but signs of promise and much improved pace.
And so on to Snetterton, a track I last raced at 3 years ago when recording a double win in the Caterham R300 series. High hopes for this one!
Testing proved a challenge on very old tyres, with the times posted not being at all representative of real world pace – but sufficient to provide good data to build on come quali and the weekends races. Q1 put me in 7th on the grid from where the pace improved and I was able to climb to 6th, but it would be race 2 where things got interesting for me.
Starting on pole from a reverse top 6, the older tyres on the car suited the setup derived during testing. As the lights went out I was able to hold position into the first corner, building a small gap from the pack almost immediately and extending this to a massive 5 seconds after only 1 lap as chaos ensued behind. Job done after 1 lap? It’s never that simple and as the safety car was deployed it seemed that this season would be blighted by misfortune….
Yet the pace was now strong and as the race resumed I once again held the lead and a gap of about 1 second to the chasing Jac Maybin and Lewis Brown. Not able to break these two, I set consistent fast laps and maintained the delta, right up until the last lap with a small error at Murrays. The chasing cars were now right on my tail and I would have to defend all the way to the line.
Something I managed until the very last corner…. When Jac Maybin made a bold move to take the lead. It would be a drag to the line.
0.020s.
And that gap would be all I would need to claim my first MINI Challenge UK win!
A proper high point.
And so on to Snetterton, a track I last raced at 3 years ago when recording a double win in the Caterham R300 series. High hopes for this one!
Testing proved a challenge on very old tyres, with the times posted not being at all representative of real world pace – but sufficient to provide good data to build on come quali and the weekends races. Q1 put me in 7th on the grid from where the pace improved and I was able to climb to 6th, but it would be race 2 where things got interesting for me.
Starting on pole from a reverse top 6, the older tyres on the car suited the setup derived during testing. As the lights went out I was able to hold position into the first corner, building a small gap from the pack almost immediately and extending this to a massive 5 seconds after only 1 lap as chaos ensued behind. Job done after 1 lap? It’s never that simple and as the safety car was deployed it seemed that this season would be blighted by misfortune….
Yet the pace was now strong and as the race resumed I once again held the lead and a gap of about 1 second to the chasing Jac Maybin and Lewis Brown. Not able to break these two, I set consistent fast laps and maintained the delta, right up until the last lap with a small error at Murrays. The chasing cars were now right on my tail and I would have to defend all the way to the line.
Something I managed until the very last corner…. When Jac Maybin made a bold move to take the lead. It would be a drag to the line.
0.020s.
And that gap would be all I would need to claim my first MINI Challenge UK win!
A proper high point.
Hitting The Ground Running
After an exciting debut in the MINI Challenge at Donington last season (check out the video in the last update below!), it was time to kick off 2018 with round 1 of the campaign at Oulton Park. Time to make amends for the fuel pump failure at Donington and return to the front of the grid.
This year’s series sees a real step up in terms of championship contenders, with a raft of BRDC rising stars, former series winners and a number of drivers joining from the British Touring Car Championship and other top line series. It’s going to be a tight season and pitches the MINI JCW Challenge right at the top end of the tin top series on offer. Matt Neal (3 time BTCC Champion) would even be making a series debut this weekend (albeit slightly further down the order on his guest outing).
For the year ahead I will be running with Excelr8 Motorsport in the 116 car supported by Gleeson Recruitment Group, a top team with an ambition of the top step. The target for me is the top step as well, but with a small budget every single piece of experience will be needed to make this happen!
Fortunately the pace is there and despite limited testing top three times were posted throughout the weekend. Game on.
Qualifying
Qualifying got off to a good start, immediately placing into the top three on a dry but cold track. Unfortunately some small accidents caused the safety car to be bought out and put a hold on the session. 4 laps left to find the right space, get the right lap in and take a good start position to race 1.
As the session went green again the first two laps were spent finding that gap and bringing the tyres back up to temps. Even then pace was strong and I was running in 2nd / 3rd at this point.
On to the last lap in a good position and an almost clear track ahead, I was able to improve the pace further, 4 tenths up on the previous lap at the halfway point and pulling more time at every bend. Every bend apart from Druids, where a small mistake lost three tenths and put me down in 5th. Not the end of the world and out of the mid pack trouble, but certainly not representative of the dry pace I had shown. Onwards and upwards for the race.
This year’s series sees a real step up in terms of championship contenders, with a raft of BRDC rising stars, former series winners and a number of drivers joining from the British Touring Car Championship and other top line series. It’s going to be a tight season and pitches the MINI JCW Challenge right at the top end of the tin top series on offer. Matt Neal (3 time BTCC Champion) would even be making a series debut this weekend (albeit slightly further down the order on his guest outing).
For the year ahead I will be running with Excelr8 Motorsport in the 116 car supported by Gleeson Recruitment Group, a top team with an ambition of the top step. The target for me is the top step as well, but with a small budget every single piece of experience will be needed to make this happen!
Fortunately the pace is there and despite limited testing top three times were posted throughout the weekend. Game on.
Qualifying
Qualifying got off to a good start, immediately placing into the top three on a dry but cold track. Unfortunately some small accidents caused the safety car to be bought out and put a hold on the session. 4 laps left to find the right space, get the right lap in and take a good start position to race 1.
As the session went green again the first two laps were spent finding that gap and bringing the tyres back up to temps. Even then pace was strong and I was running in 2nd / 3rd at this point.
On to the last lap in a good position and an almost clear track ahead, I was able to improve the pace further, 4 tenths up on the previous lap at the halfway point and pulling more time at every bend. Every bend apart from Druids, where a small mistake lost three tenths and put me down in 5th. Not the end of the world and out of the mid pack trouble, but certainly not representative of the dry pace I had shown. Onwards and upwards for the race.
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Race 1
Unfortunately it turns out that this would be one of the very wettest days of the year. The clear skis of the Saturday Quali session giving way to dark clouds on the Easter Monday race day and torrential rain.
Unlike the Caterhams which run on a treaded road tyre in the wet, the MINIs would be running a full race spec wet. Much softer compounds give a huge improvement in wet grip and braking, and in comparison to a road tyre take some learning. Learning that would have to take place during the race itself as wet testing had been limited.
The start was under safety car due to treacherous conditions, but this gave the opportunity to hold position and adjust as soon as possible to the unfamiliar surroundings. An accidental safety car board caused some confusion but after running off the pace at the beginning I was able to close the gap to the pack ahead, taking tenths off the lap time each time, dropping 1 place to 6th but putting me in the 5th fastest lap at the close. 6 tenths from the car (and pack) in front, with a useful cushion to those behind.
The main thing here was points on the board, wet lessons learned, and good pace (with the knowledge I could go quicker again) for race 2. The reverse grid of the top 8 meaning I would be starting in 3rd, quicker than both of the drivers ahead and looking to make an early break as the lights would go out.
Race 2
BUT this being typical English weather, the lights never would go out.
Race 2 abandoned due to standing water and to be rerun later in the year.
A mixed weekend, but a solid first outing in the 116 car and a useful points haul. 5th in the series and 4th on drops. No complaints and on to Rockingham next month!
Unfortunately it turns out that this would be one of the very wettest days of the year. The clear skis of the Saturday Quali session giving way to dark clouds on the Easter Monday race day and torrential rain.
Unlike the Caterhams which run on a treaded road tyre in the wet, the MINIs would be running a full race spec wet. Much softer compounds give a huge improvement in wet grip and braking, and in comparison to a road tyre take some learning. Learning that would have to take place during the race itself as wet testing had been limited.
The start was under safety car due to treacherous conditions, but this gave the opportunity to hold position and adjust as soon as possible to the unfamiliar surroundings. An accidental safety car board caused some confusion but after running off the pace at the beginning I was able to close the gap to the pack ahead, taking tenths off the lap time each time, dropping 1 place to 6th but putting me in the 5th fastest lap at the close. 6 tenths from the car (and pack) in front, with a useful cushion to those behind.
The main thing here was points on the board, wet lessons learned, and good pace (with the knowledge I could go quicker again) for race 2. The reverse grid of the top 8 meaning I would be starting in 3rd, quicker than both of the drivers ahead and looking to make an early break as the lights would go out.
Race 2
BUT this being typical English weather, the lights never would go out.
Race 2 abandoned due to standing water and to be rerun later in the year.
A mixed weekend, but a solid first outing in the 116 car and a useful points haul. 5th in the series and 4th on drops. No complaints and on to Rockingham next month!
Race Dates Go Live
With the championship entry now secure, all of the race dates are now live on the calendar link above and highlighted below.
After a bit more info on the series? Check out the MINI Challenge website here.
Round 1 - Oulton Park - 31 March to 2 April
Round 2 - Rockingham Motor Speedway - 28 to 29 April
Round 3 - Snetterton 300 - 26 to 27 May
Round 4 - Silverstone GP - 9 to 10 June
Round 5 - Oulton Park MINI Festival - 21 July
Round 6 - Brands Hatch GP - 4 to 5 August
Round 7 - Brands Hatch Indy - 25 to 26 August
Round 8 - Donington Park - 22 to 23 September
After a bit more info on the series? Check out the MINI Challenge website here.
Round 1 - Oulton Park - 31 March to 2 April
Round 2 - Rockingham Motor Speedway - 28 to 29 April
Round 3 - Snetterton 300 - 26 to 27 May
Round 4 - Silverstone GP - 9 to 10 June
Round 5 - Oulton Park MINI Festival - 21 July
Round 6 - Brands Hatch GP - 4 to 5 August
Round 7 - Brands Hatch Indy - 25 to 26 August
Round 8 - Donington Park - 22 to 23 September
2018 Is Go!
BIG NEWS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.
After two seasons of guest drives, one offs and touring the world Caterham championships it is a delight to announce that in 2018 I will again be part of a full championship as, with the support of Gleeson Recruitment Group, I have secured an entry to the JCW MINI Challenge in the Excelr8 Team!
Having experienced the series for a guest drive in the MINI UK VIP car in 2017 this will be an opportunity to challenge for the championship in a committed campaign and I am looking forward to making every second count. Although the series debut featured some mechanical woes, the raw pace was good and in a grid of competitors that is already full this will be a hugely competitive year.
The preparation is already underway, with the first race taking place at the end of March. Check back soon for more details and all of the championship dates.
Find out more at Excelr8 Motorsport
After two seasons of guest drives, one offs and touring the world Caterham championships it is a delight to announce that in 2018 I will again be part of a full championship as, with the support of Gleeson Recruitment Group, I have secured an entry to the JCW MINI Challenge in the Excelr8 Team!
Having experienced the series for a guest drive in the MINI UK VIP car in 2017 this will be an opportunity to challenge for the championship in a committed campaign and I am looking forward to making every second count. Although the series debut featured some mechanical woes, the raw pace was good and in a grid of competitors that is already full this will be a hugely competitive year.
The preparation is already underway, with the first race taking place at the end of March. Check back soon for more details and all of the championship dates.
Find out more at Excelr8 Motorsport
MINI Challenge JCW - Donington Park Race Review
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In the world of FWD motor racing, the MINI Challenge JCW is right at the top of the pile. The one make series offers close racing and a ‘mini touring car’ experience as part of the package and is reknown as becoming a feeder series for ths BTCC. Indeed, some of the established BTCC drivers were to be seen at the wheel over the course of the final race of the season for the championship at Donington Park.
For me this would be the first experience in a FWD race car, and the Mini itself is no push over with 270bhp, full slicks and a sequential Quaife Box similar to that seen in the Caterham R300 race car. A lot to learn over the course of the weekend, but with time to prepare on Thursday and Friday I had no doubt I would be challenging at the sharp end.
I would be competing as a guest driver in the 2 races, in a car prepared by MINI UK and running alongside championship hopeful Rob Smith. The team delivered a race ready car (looking sharp in the Gleeson Recruitment Group and MSKart livery) and over the course of wet running on Thursday I topped the timesheet, before running in the top 3 on a dry Friday. There would be plenty to play for based on this showing come race day.
Qualifying saw a frenetic session and the established order from practice was interrupted by a prolonged safety car period. Having run in second early in the session the traffic after the safety car returned to the pitlane held me outside the top ten until the very final lap and my first clear run... With no banker lap this would be a difficult task...
The lap itself was good. Good bar an error at the Fogarty Esses pushing me back by 0.25s and down to 5th place, a strong performance for a guest driver in the series but being less than 2 tenths on second was difficult to take. This should have been a front row start.
But the priority was being near the front of the grid and this had been achieved. Now I had to race well to get back to position and look to take a podium place on my debut. Off the line I got a strong start and pulled past the 4th place car of Reece Barr and locked into position a couple of car lengths behind last years champion, David Grady. As I closed the gap the car was feeling good and confidence was high, I would be planning on challenging for the position by lap 3 and then look to close on Rob Smith in second.
Unfortunately the fuel pump failing was not in the plan. An on the spot retirement for Race 1.
For me this would be the first experience in a FWD race car, and the Mini itself is no push over with 270bhp, full slicks and a sequential Quaife Box similar to that seen in the Caterham R300 race car. A lot to learn over the course of the weekend, but with time to prepare on Thursday and Friday I had no doubt I would be challenging at the sharp end.
I would be competing as a guest driver in the 2 races, in a car prepared by MINI UK and running alongside championship hopeful Rob Smith. The team delivered a race ready car (looking sharp in the Gleeson Recruitment Group and MSKart livery) and over the course of wet running on Thursday I topped the timesheet, before running in the top 3 on a dry Friday. There would be plenty to play for based on this showing come race day.
Qualifying saw a frenetic session and the established order from practice was interrupted by a prolonged safety car period. Having run in second early in the session the traffic after the safety car returned to the pitlane held me outside the top ten until the very final lap and my first clear run... With no banker lap this would be a difficult task...
The lap itself was good. Good bar an error at the Fogarty Esses pushing me back by 0.25s and down to 5th place, a strong performance for a guest driver in the series but being less than 2 tenths on second was difficult to take. This should have been a front row start.
But the priority was being near the front of the grid and this had been achieved. Now I had to race well to get back to position and look to take a podium place on my debut. Off the line I got a strong start and pulled past the 4th place car of Reece Barr and locked into position a couple of car lengths behind last years champion, David Grady. As I closed the gap the car was feeling good and confidence was high, I would be planning on challenging for the position by lap 3 and then look to close on Rob Smith in second.
Unfortunately the fuel pump failing was not in the plan. An on the spot retirement for Race 1.
- Brett Smith
- Rob Smith
- David Grady
To double the disappointment of dropping out of podium contention, a DNF in Race 1 would mean a back row start for Race 2. 24th on the grid against a competitive set of drivers - not going to be easy.
Yet as the lights went out and the MINI hooked up I had already gained 3 places into the first corner. One more around the outside at Craners, another at Old Hairpin and another at Macleans. Progress was quick and after only 3 laps I was already up to 12th, having overtaken a number of drivers who had podiumed before and been championship contenders earlier in the season.
But at this point the front of the pack had begun to break away and I could see I would have to push to even catch the next few cars. The pace was good and by the halfway point I was into 9th place, but with a 100m gap to the cars ahead. Closing the gap tenth by tenth, the 20 minute race was simply not long enough and at the line I ended in 9th, 3 tenths off the small group ahead.
1. Brett Smith
2. Rob Smith
3. David Grady
9. David Robinson (Started 24th. 3rd Fastest)
So a mixed result after hugely promising weekend. But a great showcase of overtaking skills and a great race to watch by all accounts. But a DNF and a 9th should have been two podiums - which is never easy to take.
But I’m hoping this will be the first of more outings with MINI UK so watch this space for 2018 plans.
And in the meantime you can view the onboard race footage on Youtube. Well worth a watch!
Yet as the lights went out and the MINI hooked up I had already gained 3 places into the first corner. One more around the outside at Craners, another at Old Hairpin and another at Macleans. Progress was quick and after only 3 laps I was already up to 12th, having overtaken a number of drivers who had podiumed before and been championship contenders earlier in the season.
But at this point the front of the pack had begun to break away and I could see I would have to push to even catch the next few cars. The pace was good and by the halfway point I was into 9th place, but with a 100m gap to the cars ahead. Closing the gap tenth by tenth, the 20 minute race was simply not long enough and at the line I ended in 9th, 3 tenths off the small group ahead.
1. Brett Smith
2. Rob Smith
3. David Grady
9. David Robinson (Started 24th. 3rd Fastest)
So a mixed result after hugely promising weekend. But a great showcase of overtaking skills and a great race to watch by all accounts. But a DNF and a 9th should have been two podiums - which is never easy to take.
But I’m hoping this will be the first of more outings with MINI UK so watch this space for 2018 plans.
And in the meantime you can view the onboard race footage on Youtube. Well worth a watch!
MINI Challenge Debut in September!
Exciting news for the second half of 2017 as I will be joining the premier John Cooper Works grid for their final round at Donington Park in September!
After a couple of seasons of successful one off outings, the opportunity to join the MINI Challenge for the years finale also sets up the prospect of joining the grid full time in 2018 for a complete campaign. With support from Gleeson RG I am hoping this will prove a very fruitful experience, aided by the preparation and skills of my team for the weekend, Excelr8 Motorsport.. More news to come in the next few weeks.... Including how I will prepare for my first ever competitive outing in a Front Wheel Drive race car!
After a couple of seasons of successful one off outings, the opportunity to join the MINI Challenge for the years finale also sets up the prospect of joining the grid full time in 2018 for a complete campaign. With support from Gleeson RG I am hoping this will prove a very fruitful experience, aided by the preparation and skills of my team for the weekend, Excelr8 Motorsport.. More news to come in the next few weeks.... Including how I will prepare for my first ever competitive outing in a Front Wheel Drive race car!
European GT4 Debut - So Nearly the Podium!
With the European GT4 Series now moving on to its next round at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria (formerly the A1 Ring), the results of two weeks ago at Brands Hatch are still fresh in my mind.
Thanks to the support of Gleeson Recruitment Group and Quantamatic, myself and former Caterham and British GT competitor Mike Hart were able to join the EGT series at our home event in the competitive Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in order to challenge the established order and push for a podium result. With a background primarily in Caterhams and endurance racing, this would be my first opportunity to drive and race a GT4 car over a middle distance race against a fiercely competitive field and I was relishing the chance to do so.
Arriving at the circuit late on the Friday to take stock and get fitted to the car, it was also an opportunity to take in onboard footage from the Academy Motorsports previous outing on the GP circuit and ensure full readiness for the next day - something that only comes from preparation.
Thanks to the support of Gleeson Recruitment Group and Quantamatic, myself and former Caterham and British GT competitor Mike Hart were able to join the EGT series at our home event in the competitive Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in order to challenge the established order and push for a podium result. With a background primarily in Caterhams and endurance racing, this would be my first opportunity to drive and race a GT4 car over a middle distance race against a fiercely competitive field and I was relishing the chance to do so.
Arriving at the circuit late on the Friday to take stock and get fitted to the car, it was also an opportunity to take in onboard footage from the Academy Motorsports previous outing on the GP circuit and ensure full readiness for the next day - something that only comes from preparation.
Unfortunately Free Practice 1 had other ideas for us on the Saturday! After initial sighting laps for Mike, I hopped into the car to do the same, focussing primarily on becoming acquainted with the car and learning the behaviour of the Pirelli slick. After only a couple of laps, however, a front suspension component failure brought the session to a premature end.
The team pulled together to get the front corner alignment back to spec and ready for FP2 to allow us to continue and get the track time we both needed ahead of the evenings Qualifying session. With only minutes to spare the car was ready and we were back underway, now pushing hard to get the times down and onto the pace. At the end of the session I was only 4 tenths off our sister car and a couple of tenths faster than my more experienced team mate - very promising.
Come qualifying and unlike my last race at Brands, pole was not to be. Instead the session proved immensely frustrating for us as a red flag ruined Mike Hart’s fastest time and I was unable to learn the operating window of the Pirelli slick in order to extract the best times. Results of 20th and 13th would leave us with substantial work to do in both races – although we knew our race pace to be well within the top ten.
Race 1 then and 31 cars on the grid, a total value of around £6 million all squeezing around Paddock Hill Bend and into the tight hairpin of Druids. From the 13th place start I began then to make progress, picking of the cars ahead to progress through the field quickly in the first 25 minutes. A fast starting Will Moore in the sister Academy Motorsport car unfortunately became beached after a phenomenal rise from outside the top ten to 4th, bringing his race to a close and bringing out the safety car board at the same time. Pitting from 6th and quickly handing over to Mike it was looking like a top ten finish could be possible… But 1 lap later this was brought to a swift end as damp grass dragged the slick-shod Aston off track at Dingle Dell and into the gravel.
Game Over. Race 1 – DNF.
After a generally frustrating weekend to this point, full of potential but with nothing to show for it, the pressure was now on for Race 2, albeit from a grid spot of 20.
Yet as Mike got underway with a strong opening lap, the first overtakes were already taken care of and we made progress through the field to 16th place, with good race pace and well managed tyres as an added bonus. I jumped into the car at the halfway mark, with 30 minutes to go and all to play for.
The team pulled together to get the front corner alignment back to spec and ready for FP2 to allow us to continue and get the track time we both needed ahead of the evenings Qualifying session. With only minutes to spare the car was ready and we were back underway, now pushing hard to get the times down and onto the pace. At the end of the session I was only 4 tenths off our sister car and a couple of tenths faster than my more experienced team mate - very promising.
Come qualifying and unlike my last race at Brands, pole was not to be. Instead the session proved immensely frustrating for us as a red flag ruined Mike Hart’s fastest time and I was unable to learn the operating window of the Pirelli slick in order to extract the best times. Results of 20th and 13th would leave us with substantial work to do in both races – although we knew our race pace to be well within the top ten.
Race 1 then and 31 cars on the grid, a total value of around £6 million all squeezing around Paddock Hill Bend and into the tight hairpin of Druids. From the 13th place start I began then to make progress, picking of the cars ahead to progress through the field quickly in the first 25 minutes. A fast starting Will Moore in the sister Academy Motorsport car unfortunately became beached after a phenomenal rise from outside the top ten to 4th, bringing his race to a close and bringing out the safety car board at the same time. Pitting from 6th and quickly handing over to Mike it was looking like a top ten finish could be possible… But 1 lap later this was brought to a swift end as damp grass dragged the slick-shod Aston off track at Dingle Dell and into the gravel.
Game Over. Race 1 – DNF.
After a generally frustrating weekend to this point, full of potential but with nothing to show for it, the pressure was now on for Race 2, albeit from a grid spot of 20.
Yet as Mike got underway with a strong opening lap, the first overtakes were already taken care of and we made progress through the field to 16th place, with good race pace and well managed tyres as an added bonus. I jumped into the car at the halfway mark, with 30 minutes to go and all to play for.
Rejoining the circuit I was immediately on the tail of the next Mclaren, fighting for position and holding off the Porsche behind. I made swift progress through the first group and was quickly into 12th when the safety car board was shown - great timing as the gap to the next group was at 6 seconds. On the restart I moved up 4 places within 2 laps and was now in the top ten with the leaders just in sight… Before the safety car board was shown for a second time. The group bunched again and as the lights went green I now only had 10 minutes to move forward.
The move up to 5th was swift, but I still had company behind as the Ginetta in 6th had good life in its tyres, the lighter car being less aggressive for abrasive wear. 5 minutes to go.
Now on to the closing laps, 3rd and 4th made contact in front, dropping the sister Aston GT4 out of contention and moving me to 4th in its place. The car in 3rd was certain to receive a disciplinary for the contact so I was confident I was - in reality - in 3rd. But could I hold it? Yes. But would the red flags be bought out to end the race prematurely, forcing the race result to be on count back to when I was still in 5th? Again - yes.
Gutting.
However, the Mclaren ahead still received a disciplinary, promoting us to 4th place and a very solid result after a very challenging weekend. The buzz from moving up 12 places in under half an hour of racing in the Aston was special and although we just missed out on the podium, the vibe with the team and the sponsors made for a very happy Parc Ferme.
So thanks again then to all those who supported us over the weekend. Hopefully I will be back on track soon for the next sportscar outing.
The move up to 5th was swift, but I still had company behind as the Ginetta in 6th had good life in its tyres, the lighter car being less aggressive for abrasive wear. 5 minutes to go.
Now on to the closing laps, 3rd and 4th made contact in front, dropping the sister Aston GT4 out of contention and moving me to 4th in its place. The car in 3rd was certain to receive a disciplinary for the contact so I was confident I was - in reality - in 3rd. But could I hold it? Yes. But would the red flags be bought out to end the race prematurely, forcing the race result to be on count back to when I was still in 5th? Again - yes.
Gutting.
However, the Mclaren ahead still received a disciplinary, promoting us to 4th place and a very solid result after a very challenging weekend. The buzz from moving up 12 places in under half an hour of racing in the Aston was special and although we just missed out on the podium, the vibe with the team and the sponsors made for a very happy Parc Ferme.
So thanks again then to all those who supported us over the weekend. Hopefully I will be back on track soon for the next sportscar outing.
ANNOUNCEMENT: David Robinson Joins Academy Motorsport!
It's with great excitement that I can announce that I will be competing in the European GT4 Northern Cup at Brands Hatch this weekend with Academy Motorsport!
Thanks to the continued support of Gleeson Recruitment Group I have secured a seat in the Quantamatic Racing Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which had it's last competitive outing in the hands of my team mate Mike Hart, whom I raced against in the 2013 Caterham Supersport Series. It's a pleasure to be able to race with Mike (also a test and development engineer at Jaguar Land Rover) and the fact that we have raced against each other in the past means we will be pushing each other on the day too. As one of several British entries to this event we'll be looking not just for a good result but also to finish as the top British pairing.
Throughout the course of the weekend I'll be posting regular updates so check back for more soon!
Thanks to the continued support of Gleeson Recruitment Group I have secured a seat in the Quantamatic Racing Aston Martin V8 Vantage, which had it's last competitive outing in the hands of my team mate Mike Hart, whom I raced against in the 2013 Caterham Supersport Series. It's a pleasure to be able to race with Mike (also a test and development engineer at Jaguar Land Rover) and the fact that we have raced against each other in the past means we will be pushing each other on the day too. As one of several British entries to this event we'll be looking not just for a good result but also to finish as the top British pairing.
Throughout the course of the weekend I'll be posting regular updates so check back for more soon!
One for the Collection?
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To celebrate taking the 2015 Caterham R300 Championship I am delighted to be able to share with you the news that I am now available in miniature!
Scalextric have released their new for 2016 David Robinson Caterham R300 slot car which - as with the real thing - is extremely lightweight, fast and bespoke down to the smallest detail. So now the Caterham Championship can be recreated in your own living room, with close racing, slipstream (maybe?) and a whole lot of obstacles that I have yet to face out on track (tables and chairs?).
It's very much a privilege for me to be able to announce this and a huge thanks to Scalextric and all involved in making it a reality. For more information do check out the Scalextric official website!
Scalextric have released their new for 2016 David Robinson Caterham R300 slot car which - as with the real thing - is extremely lightweight, fast and bespoke down to the smallest detail. So now the Caterham Championship can be recreated in your own living room, with close racing, slipstream (maybe?) and a whole lot of obstacles that I have yet to face out on track (tables and chairs?).
It's very much a privilege for me to be able to announce this and a huge thanks to Scalextric and all involved in making it a reality. For more information do check out the Scalextric official website!
Asian Adventure - Prince Lubricants Caterham Championship Malaysia
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With no commitment to a full championship campaign in 2016, it has been a really good chance to take in a few series that I would not otherwise have able to see or compete in. The Creventic 24 Hours of Silverstone was a good example of this, as has been claiming a win in the European Prokart Endurance Championship just last month at the Isle Of Man with MSKart.
And May saw this realm of opportunity open once more as I was invited to compete at the Sepang F1 Circuit in Malaysia… Not something that happens every day.
Caterham Motorsport Malaysia run a two tier championship using Caterham Supersport and 420R cars to form a competitive grid with a real mix of drivers, from those with a great deal of experience in GT and single seaters through to some for whom it would be their first race in a manual Caterham. As with many of the Caterham championships around the globe, the atmosphere is great, the racing close and the cars fast and reliable.
Arriving on Wednesday there was little opportunity to explore the area, but heading straight to the hotel is not a bad idea after a transatlantic flight and would be good preparation for Thursday testing.
Arriving at the circuit the first thing to note is just how impressive a venue it is. The undulation and size of the grandstands is not something you appreciate from filmed footage and its far grander than most circuits back home. Heading out onto the circuit the feeling continued, this being the first car event on the newly renovated track the seamless black tarmac glistened from start to finish. And to add to this I was immediately on the pace in a familiar feeling car on a less than familiar lay out.
The day continued with more testing and acclimatisation, although with all cars being identical there was significantly less to adjust and a much more relaxed weekend for myself well away from any vehicle geometry worries. I continued to hold good pace, with my closest rival Gilbert Ang less than a second behind.
Moving on to qualifying and new tyres bought a fresh challenge of adjusting to Yokohama tyres that behaved very differently to the Avon ZZRs I am more used to. A broader performance window with less drop off reduced the pressure for qualifying and I could be sure of having an opportunity for a good lap without worry of whether an early lap may be cut short by back markers.
Pole position beckoned and although a drying track retained some damp areas it was a convincing lap time of 2.24.1 to take the top spot. Later analysis with the TOC Automotive College team (fantastic to have such an enthusiastic group on board) did reveal however that more was possible, with the throttle butterfly not opening fully. With this fixed things were looking good for the race.
Unfortunately new tyres do have a second element to learn and standing starts on the ultra grippy Yokohama compound proved that Gilbert’s local knowledge would come into play off the line as he stormed into first position at the first bend. I fought back instantly, knowing that a strong slipstream could see this become a race long battle and took back the lead only 2 corners later. Concentrating on building a gap in the sweltering midday sun I put in consistent laps to win by over 10 seconds at the close. A comfortable but rewarding win, and more was to come as I was certain that the lap times would drop in race 2 on Sunday in cooler evening temperatures.
1. David Robinson
2. Gilbert Ang +16.593s
3. Tan Pye Sen +1.02.879s
As the race on Sunday drew nearer the temperatures began to drop from sweltering humidity to something more similar to a British summers day. Much better conditions for racing as the engine would be more free to breathe and the tyre under reduced heat loading – and importantly a chance to go for the Caterham lap record at Sepang.
With Caterham owner Tony Fernandes watching from the pit wall this was a great chance to demonstrate not only how strong the UK Championship is but also just how close and competitive Caterham racing can be. Gilbert Ang had clearly revised his approach for this second race and a blistering start saw him arrive just ahead of me into the first corner from a parallel starting position. This time the racing would prove to be much more Caterham like and despite pulling back into the lead early on the first lap I was not able to shake the second place car from my slipstream. Hundredths separated us on each lap and I was forced to defend relentlessly throughout, the long Sepang straights similar to Silverstone in that an advantage in outright laptimes doesn’t mean very much at all.
However I was able to defend well, only briefly losing the lead for the length of the main straight and as the chasing pack made a small error with 3 laps to go I seized the opportunity to open up and make the all important gap. A lap record of 2m 22.290s on the first uncompromised lap sealed the win and with two more record equalling laps straight after I took the lead by 3 seconds. A brilliant race.
1. David Robinson
2. Gilbert Ang +3.360s
3. Tan Pye Sen +35.838s
It really was an absolute privilege to join Gilbert, Pye and all of the Caterham drivers and team out in Sepang and also to see how motorsport is developing here. The Rotax Max Challenge Asia was racing at the Sepang kart circuit and there is clearly some talent coming through, some of whom we will be seeing in the UK in 2016 and 2017 as drivers look to experience racing on the other side of the world.
A special thank you also to Ben Potter, Pete Burns and Zen Low who showed me around the impressive Aylezo Motorsport Compound in Kuala Lumpur. It’s a venture that takes in all aspects of motorsport, from simulators through to driver fitness development programmes and even a complete kart track -– not something that we yet have in the UK.
And finally thank you to Campbell Tupling (and his family) of Caterham Motorsport Malaysia for his hospitality and for welcoming me to one of the friendliest setups I have been to!
What’s next? Lets see.
Thanks to Imran Zakaria Bagha for the photography.
And May saw this realm of opportunity open once more as I was invited to compete at the Sepang F1 Circuit in Malaysia… Not something that happens every day.
Caterham Motorsport Malaysia run a two tier championship using Caterham Supersport and 420R cars to form a competitive grid with a real mix of drivers, from those with a great deal of experience in GT and single seaters through to some for whom it would be their first race in a manual Caterham. As with many of the Caterham championships around the globe, the atmosphere is great, the racing close and the cars fast and reliable.
Arriving on Wednesday there was little opportunity to explore the area, but heading straight to the hotel is not a bad idea after a transatlantic flight and would be good preparation for Thursday testing.
Arriving at the circuit the first thing to note is just how impressive a venue it is. The undulation and size of the grandstands is not something you appreciate from filmed footage and its far grander than most circuits back home. Heading out onto the circuit the feeling continued, this being the first car event on the newly renovated track the seamless black tarmac glistened from start to finish. And to add to this I was immediately on the pace in a familiar feeling car on a less than familiar lay out.
The day continued with more testing and acclimatisation, although with all cars being identical there was significantly less to adjust and a much more relaxed weekend for myself well away from any vehicle geometry worries. I continued to hold good pace, with my closest rival Gilbert Ang less than a second behind.
Moving on to qualifying and new tyres bought a fresh challenge of adjusting to Yokohama tyres that behaved very differently to the Avon ZZRs I am more used to. A broader performance window with less drop off reduced the pressure for qualifying and I could be sure of having an opportunity for a good lap without worry of whether an early lap may be cut short by back markers.
Pole position beckoned and although a drying track retained some damp areas it was a convincing lap time of 2.24.1 to take the top spot. Later analysis with the TOC Automotive College team (fantastic to have such an enthusiastic group on board) did reveal however that more was possible, with the throttle butterfly not opening fully. With this fixed things were looking good for the race.
Unfortunately new tyres do have a second element to learn and standing starts on the ultra grippy Yokohama compound proved that Gilbert’s local knowledge would come into play off the line as he stormed into first position at the first bend. I fought back instantly, knowing that a strong slipstream could see this become a race long battle and took back the lead only 2 corners later. Concentrating on building a gap in the sweltering midday sun I put in consistent laps to win by over 10 seconds at the close. A comfortable but rewarding win, and more was to come as I was certain that the lap times would drop in race 2 on Sunday in cooler evening temperatures.
1. David Robinson
2. Gilbert Ang +16.593s
3. Tan Pye Sen +1.02.879s
As the race on Sunday drew nearer the temperatures began to drop from sweltering humidity to something more similar to a British summers day. Much better conditions for racing as the engine would be more free to breathe and the tyre under reduced heat loading – and importantly a chance to go for the Caterham lap record at Sepang.
With Caterham owner Tony Fernandes watching from the pit wall this was a great chance to demonstrate not only how strong the UK Championship is but also just how close and competitive Caterham racing can be. Gilbert Ang had clearly revised his approach for this second race and a blistering start saw him arrive just ahead of me into the first corner from a parallel starting position. This time the racing would prove to be much more Caterham like and despite pulling back into the lead early on the first lap I was not able to shake the second place car from my slipstream. Hundredths separated us on each lap and I was forced to defend relentlessly throughout, the long Sepang straights similar to Silverstone in that an advantage in outright laptimes doesn’t mean very much at all.
However I was able to defend well, only briefly losing the lead for the length of the main straight and as the chasing pack made a small error with 3 laps to go I seized the opportunity to open up and make the all important gap. A lap record of 2m 22.290s on the first uncompromised lap sealed the win and with two more record equalling laps straight after I took the lead by 3 seconds. A brilliant race.
1. David Robinson
2. Gilbert Ang +3.360s
3. Tan Pye Sen +35.838s
It really was an absolute privilege to join Gilbert, Pye and all of the Caterham drivers and team out in Sepang and also to see how motorsport is developing here. The Rotax Max Challenge Asia was racing at the Sepang kart circuit and there is clearly some talent coming through, some of whom we will be seeing in the UK in 2016 and 2017 as drivers look to experience racing on the other side of the world.
A special thank you also to Ben Potter, Pete Burns and Zen Low who showed me around the impressive Aylezo Motorsport Compound in Kuala Lumpur. It’s a venture that takes in all aspects of motorsport, from simulators through to driver fitness development programmes and even a complete kart track -– not something that we yet have in the UK.
And finally thank you to Campbell Tupling (and his family) of Caterham Motorsport Malaysia for his hospitality and for welcoming me to one of the friendliest setups I have been to!
What’s next? Lets see.
Thanks to Imran Zakaria Bagha for the photography.
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Eat? Sleep? Race. Repeat.
Endurance racing is essentially an emotional rollercoaster. When a 24 hour race goes faultlessly you wonder how it could ever be that difficult, but more often than not a 24 hour race is full of controversy, close racing, close shaves, consistent lap times, mechanical dramas and - if you’re lucky - a little bit of time to grab a bite to eat and some much needed rest.
After the Barcelona 24 in 2015 went completely to plan, it was with confidence that I headed to Silverstone on the first weekend of April to take on the first round of the Touring Car Endurance Series by Creventic. I would again be racing with Saxon Motorsport with whom I have previously taken class wins at the Nurburgring and the Circuit de Catalunya and would be racing their excellent BMW 135D GTR. With 440bhp and over 700Nm of torque from a 2995cc diesel it would be a forerunner at the very least, and the driver line up of myself, Nick Barrow, Clint Bardwell and Neil Primrose promised much.
Thursday practice was my first time in the car at the famous Northamptonshire venue and immediately it felt good. I was able to put in a lap time of 2.18.3 to go fastest overall and each of my teammates set a time that would have put them top too. A fantastic weekend opener for the team...
...sort of. Unfortunately it can pay to be slightly slower on test days for events where a Balance Of Performance ruling is applied. In short these are regulations designed to ensure that there will be no run away winner and also to limit the amount that teams can spend in their quest to go ever faster. The organisation therefore deemed that the Saxon Motorsport car would be too quick and too economical based on the impression from qualifying and that although we would be allowed to compete in the SP TCR class, we would face additional restriction in the form of fuel and lap time limitation. I believe the phrase to be ‘lead balloon’...
Come qualifying then and it was decided to forego the push for pole and after one clear flying lap the session was utilised to run in new tyres and practice pit stops. As in open practice all of the drivers were very consistent and we looked set for a good race ahead from 4th on the grid.
With such a big event it is always good to see a big crowd join us on the grid for the pre race open pit lane. A marching band added to the vibe and it was fantastic to be able to show the attendees from Gleeson Recruitment Group what racing is all about (thanks Tony, Jimmy, Jason and Tom).
Next up - the main event. As the safety car pulled in before the rolling start I kept in close contention with the lead cars and despite some initial turbo lag held position through Stowe. I knew we comfortably had the pace to stay in 4th and conserve fuel and this was completely in line with our race strategy of 2min 19s laptimes. After an hour and a half the faster Seat Leon Supercopa’s ahead began to pit and we now held the lead quite comfortably and for a good 20 laps.
After the Barcelona 24 in 2015 went completely to plan, it was with confidence that I headed to Silverstone on the first weekend of April to take on the first round of the Touring Car Endurance Series by Creventic. I would again be racing with Saxon Motorsport with whom I have previously taken class wins at the Nurburgring and the Circuit de Catalunya and would be racing their excellent BMW 135D GTR. With 440bhp and over 700Nm of torque from a 2995cc diesel it would be a forerunner at the very least, and the driver line up of myself, Nick Barrow, Clint Bardwell and Neil Primrose promised much.
Thursday practice was my first time in the car at the famous Northamptonshire venue and immediately it felt good. I was able to put in a lap time of 2.18.3 to go fastest overall and each of my teammates set a time that would have put them top too. A fantastic weekend opener for the team...
...sort of. Unfortunately it can pay to be slightly slower on test days for events where a Balance Of Performance ruling is applied. In short these are regulations designed to ensure that there will be no run away winner and also to limit the amount that teams can spend in their quest to go ever faster. The organisation therefore deemed that the Saxon Motorsport car would be too quick and too economical based on the impression from qualifying and that although we would be allowed to compete in the SP TCR class, we would face additional restriction in the form of fuel and lap time limitation. I believe the phrase to be ‘lead balloon’...
Come qualifying then and it was decided to forego the push for pole and after one clear flying lap the session was utilised to run in new tyres and practice pit stops. As in open practice all of the drivers were very consistent and we looked set for a good race ahead from 4th on the grid.
With such a big event it is always good to see a big crowd join us on the grid for the pre race open pit lane. A marching band added to the vibe and it was fantastic to be able to show the attendees from Gleeson Recruitment Group what racing is all about (thanks Tony, Jimmy, Jason and Tom).
Next up - the main event. As the safety car pulled in before the rolling start I kept in close contention with the lead cars and despite some initial turbo lag held position through Stowe. I knew we comfortably had the pace to stay in 4th and conserve fuel and this was completely in line with our race strategy of 2min 19s laptimes. After an hour and a half the faster Seat Leon Supercopa’s ahead began to pit and we now held the lead quite comfortably and for a good 20 laps.
As we made the first driver change it was apparent there would be some contention over the speed of the diesel fuel pumps against the petrol, as we lost considerable time and dropped to 5th on the road. Nevertheless Clint put in an excellent stint and we climbed back up the order, leading again before our second stop.
This pattern of fast consistent laps partnered with longer stints continued into the evening as we held a top four position and second in class throughout the dry running. Up until the rain came and our pace disappeared it was running very well, but the single turbo and some driveability issues made progress rather difficult in the extremely poor visibility. And as the struggle continued so came our first mechanical gremlin - time for a new gearbox at 1am (fantastic work by the pit crew to get this changed quickly however).
Now back in 30th place it would be a race of recovery. And as the sun rose so too did our race pace as first Clint, then Nick and then Neil pulled the car back into the top 15. Getting into the car at 7am the drying circuit suited the BMW well and I was able to post purple sector after purple sector, lapping as the fastest car on the road and taking us back into the top ten. We now had one more cycle of drivers before I would take the final stint and it was great to see us climb back into 8th, 2nd in class and only 15 seconds off 6th place. A top five was now on the cards and it was only 10 minutes until my last stint.
And then the turbo blew. Game over and gutting for the entire crew.
Neil limped the car back to the pits but it was apparent we would be taking no further part. The rollercoaster had ended at a real low point and at the time it was not easy to watch the remaining teams complete their run to the chequered flag.
Nevertheless it was a good experience and a fantastic opportunity to be able to join the Saxon Motorsport team once more. Thank you to all of the drivers and of course the entire crew for their fantastic efforts up to and throughout the weekend.
Finally of course, congratulations to the SP TCR and overall winners RollCentre who drove impeccably to take their BMW E46 M3 GTR to top spot. Hopefully we will be challenging them again in 2017!
www.saxon-motorsport.co.uk
www.gleeson-rg.com
The Season Starts at Silverstone
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With the 2016 season kicking off very soon I’m delighted to announce that I will be competing at the International Endurance Series 24 Hours of Silverstone, the third round of the series that has already visited Dubai and Mugello this year.
I’ll be joining the event with Saxon Motorsport, the same team with whom I have previously competed at the Nordschleife and at last years 24 Hours of Barcelona, where we recorded a class win and a top 5 touring car class result. This year the Silverstone event is a Touring Car Race and we will be aiming for another top result, something made more possible with the developments Saxon have been able to make to the BMW 135D GTR in the off season. I’ll be preparing for the event over the next month and am looking forward to getting back in the driving seat after the winter break. This is a great opportunity to again compete at an international level and I hope it will also act as a springboard for more opportunities in 2016. More information to follow over the course of the run up and I'm very pleased that Gleeson Recruitment Group will again be supporting me during the season. www.gleeson-rg.com www.saxon-motorsport.co.uk |
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Caterham R300 Superlight Champion 2015!
After the highs of Barcelona, the penultimate round of the Superlight series delivered more success just one week later as I claimed the top flight Caterham championship title! It is an absolute privilege to be able to write that and huge thanks to those who have made it happen.
Oulton Park was the setting for the 6th of the series and after claiming 9 wins from the first 10 races it was an opportunity to end the championship early and take the number one spot ahead of key championship rival, Aaron Head.
Testing went well, but was limited in terms of circuit time due to limited test days. Nevertheless my pace was strong in the wet and in the dry and I went into qualifying confident in being able to start on the front row for the 11th race in a row. Unfortunately changeable conditions and a session cut short by fog curtailed a fastest lap and I qualified 4th, only 2 tenths back from Sean Byrne who claimed pole.
On the grid for race 1, I had a clear run to the first corner – 2nd place starter, Jon Mortimer, having broken a driveshaft warming up – and got great traction straight away, driving into the lead by the first corner. A pack of 3 quickly formed, with myself, Aaron Head and championship returnee Danny Winstanley changing positions multiple times every lap. The race was anyone’s and I pushed hard to get to the front going on to the final lap, hoping that on a narrow circuit I would be able to defend despite the tow. I held the lead all the way to the final straight into the final bend, but it wasn’t to be as Head gained great momentum to go around the outside and pull in to defend the apex. Despite a good run on the exit I wasn’t able to take the lead and finished 2nd for only the second time this year – not yet enough to take that elusive title.
1. Aaron Head
2. David Robinson +0.066s
3. Danny Winstanley +0.252s
Race 2 then and any result ahead of my key rival would suffice. Starting on grid two I had a poor start and dropped back to third, not ideal but actually a chance to make the most of a good slipstream and tyres that would peak on lap 2 or 3. I held back from the lead 2 to a gap of 20m, leaving space for a strong tow going on to the second lap, the technique working well as I closed on second place and took the position going over the line. Part one and fastest lap was now secured.
I now focussed on holding position, the close racing and small amounts of contact meaning that for the first half of the race it was not worth risking the outcome – the battle for the lead could start in the last ten minutes. However this was not to be.
Going into Old Hall - the first corner - in third place, I made room for Sean Byrne who made a move on the inside with significant momentum. Unfortunately the top two were carrying less speed at this point, and in the inevitable contact I dropped to 4th and Aaron to 6th. This had certainly not bee in the plan but it meant that I was now in a good place for the championship but a long way back from Danny Winstanley who had been gifted a big lead. As the clock ticked down I was closing quickly on the leader and on Sean in third, but it was Jon Mortimer on a fresh set of tyres that was quickest at this point, closing the gap to 1st rapidly.
1 lap to go and third place was one good slipstream away. But for the first time this year I made a mistake that cost me the opportunity, a wheel off at Cascades pulling the car wide and losing the momentum - dropping me back to the closing pairing of Lee Wiggins and Aaron Head. Now I needed the last lap to hold position and to hold on to the championship. I defended the final lap, getting a good exit from the penultimate Druids bend to hold the place and a good exit on the run to the line to take 4th and...
The 2015 Caterham Superlight Championship!
Thank you DPR Motorsport, Grad Eye, Gleeson RG and the family and friends who have supported me, what a year and what a result!!
12 races, 12 podiums, 9 wins.
1. Danny Winstanley
2. Jon Mortimer +0.048s
3. David Robinson +6.775s
(Sean Byrne demoted for avoidable contact)
Oulton Park was the setting for the 6th of the series and after claiming 9 wins from the first 10 races it was an opportunity to end the championship early and take the number one spot ahead of key championship rival, Aaron Head.
Testing went well, but was limited in terms of circuit time due to limited test days. Nevertheless my pace was strong in the wet and in the dry and I went into qualifying confident in being able to start on the front row for the 11th race in a row. Unfortunately changeable conditions and a session cut short by fog curtailed a fastest lap and I qualified 4th, only 2 tenths back from Sean Byrne who claimed pole.
On the grid for race 1, I had a clear run to the first corner – 2nd place starter, Jon Mortimer, having broken a driveshaft warming up – and got great traction straight away, driving into the lead by the first corner. A pack of 3 quickly formed, with myself, Aaron Head and championship returnee Danny Winstanley changing positions multiple times every lap. The race was anyone’s and I pushed hard to get to the front going on to the final lap, hoping that on a narrow circuit I would be able to defend despite the tow. I held the lead all the way to the final straight into the final bend, but it wasn’t to be as Head gained great momentum to go around the outside and pull in to defend the apex. Despite a good run on the exit I wasn’t able to take the lead and finished 2nd for only the second time this year – not yet enough to take that elusive title.
1. Aaron Head
2. David Robinson +0.066s
3. Danny Winstanley +0.252s
Race 2 then and any result ahead of my key rival would suffice. Starting on grid two I had a poor start and dropped back to third, not ideal but actually a chance to make the most of a good slipstream and tyres that would peak on lap 2 or 3. I held back from the lead 2 to a gap of 20m, leaving space for a strong tow going on to the second lap, the technique working well as I closed on second place and took the position going over the line. Part one and fastest lap was now secured.
I now focussed on holding position, the close racing and small amounts of contact meaning that for the first half of the race it was not worth risking the outcome – the battle for the lead could start in the last ten minutes. However this was not to be.
Going into Old Hall - the first corner - in third place, I made room for Sean Byrne who made a move on the inside with significant momentum. Unfortunately the top two were carrying less speed at this point, and in the inevitable contact I dropped to 4th and Aaron to 6th. This had certainly not bee in the plan but it meant that I was now in a good place for the championship but a long way back from Danny Winstanley who had been gifted a big lead. As the clock ticked down I was closing quickly on the leader and on Sean in third, but it was Jon Mortimer on a fresh set of tyres that was quickest at this point, closing the gap to 1st rapidly.
1 lap to go and third place was one good slipstream away. But for the first time this year I made a mistake that cost me the opportunity, a wheel off at Cascades pulling the car wide and losing the momentum - dropping me back to the closing pairing of Lee Wiggins and Aaron Head. Now I needed the last lap to hold position and to hold on to the championship. I defended the final lap, getting a good exit from the penultimate Druids bend to hold the place and a good exit on the run to the line to take 4th and...
The 2015 Caterham Superlight Championship!
Thank you DPR Motorsport, Grad Eye, Gleeson RG and the family and friends who have supported me, what a year and what a result!!
12 races, 12 podiums, 9 wins.
1. Danny Winstanley
2. Jon Mortimer +0.048s
3. David Robinson +6.775s
(Sean Byrne demoted for avoidable contact)
Ganadores del Trofeu Fermi Vélez
The Hankook 24 Hours of Barcelona, or to give it its more glamorous name, el Trofeu Fermi Velez, is one of the pinnacles of the International Endurance Series and it was a privilege to be able to compete with Saxon Motorsport early in September.
I’ve previously competed in a round of the VLN at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with the team, securing a class win, and went to the Circuit du Catalunya with similar aspirations, knowing that this would be no mean feat. With 76 cars on the grid and a strong class field we faced a stern challenge and would have to be at our best to secure a good finish. The driver line up of myself, Jamie Morrow, Tom Barrow and Nick Barrow would be a great asset here, with consistency, dependability and pace strong across the board.
Arriving on the Tuesday, I had plenty of time to prepare for the event ahead. My first lap was completed on foot, a circuit run being a key part of the preparation at every circuit I have raced at this year, which highlighted just how many gradients are present on the famous F1 circuit. By Wednesday evening the team were well set up and looking forward to the upcoming test days, where I would have the opportunity to get accustomed to the BMW 135D GTR, the night driving and the packed circuit.
The packed circuit and darkness would actually prove to be quite straight forward, having faced far worse conditions in 24 hour kart races in the past seasons, and the car was extremely progressive to drive, a combination that meant I and the team were well on the pace in the run up to qualifying, fastest in class and mid pack overall, both in the wet and dry conditions.
During qualifying, however, luck was not to go our way. The changeable conditions heavily favouring those who switched to new slick tyres early on and who managed to get heat in their tyres before the final minutes. We ended the session in 54th, but knowing that we could go forward over the course of the race.
I was the first driver in the car, strong consistency and good pace in the high temperatures allowing me to climb into the top 30 at the end of the 1h30min session. Handing over to Jamie Morrow we continued to climb, reliability now also playing a part as the car continued to perform and Jamie outpaced the competition to climb towards the top 20.
Over the course of the next few hours each of the drivers put in a great stint, ably supported by the crew who turned around quick pitstop after quick pitstop throughout the night. As the sun rose we were now running solidly in the top 20, and comfortably 1st in class. The car had been faultless with only one extended stop due to a faulty electrical connection. Taking the drivers stint for the final hour, it was great to be able to take the car to the finish. The quick pace continued and the gap to second in class grew further.
At the end of the 24 hours, it was 17th overall, 1st in class and elation. A great result, a great event, a great team.
Find out more about Saxon Motorsport here!
I’ve previously competed in a round of the VLN at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with the team, securing a class win, and went to the Circuit du Catalunya with similar aspirations, knowing that this would be no mean feat. With 76 cars on the grid and a strong class field we faced a stern challenge and would have to be at our best to secure a good finish. The driver line up of myself, Jamie Morrow, Tom Barrow and Nick Barrow would be a great asset here, with consistency, dependability and pace strong across the board.
Arriving on the Tuesday, I had plenty of time to prepare for the event ahead. My first lap was completed on foot, a circuit run being a key part of the preparation at every circuit I have raced at this year, which highlighted just how many gradients are present on the famous F1 circuit. By Wednesday evening the team were well set up and looking forward to the upcoming test days, where I would have the opportunity to get accustomed to the BMW 135D GTR, the night driving and the packed circuit.
The packed circuit and darkness would actually prove to be quite straight forward, having faced far worse conditions in 24 hour kart races in the past seasons, and the car was extremely progressive to drive, a combination that meant I and the team were well on the pace in the run up to qualifying, fastest in class and mid pack overall, both in the wet and dry conditions.
During qualifying, however, luck was not to go our way. The changeable conditions heavily favouring those who switched to new slick tyres early on and who managed to get heat in their tyres before the final minutes. We ended the session in 54th, but knowing that we could go forward over the course of the race.
I was the first driver in the car, strong consistency and good pace in the high temperatures allowing me to climb into the top 30 at the end of the 1h30min session. Handing over to Jamie Morrow we continued to climb, reliability now also playing a part as the car continued to perform and Jamie outpaced the competition to climb towards the top 20.
Over the course of the next few hours each of the drivers put in a great stint, ably supported by the crew who turned around quick pitstop after quick pitstop throughout the night. As the sun rose we were now running solidly in the top 20, and comfortably 1st in class. The car had been faultless with only one extended stop due to a faulty electrical connection. Taking the drivers stint for the final hour, it was great to be able to take the car to the finish. The quick pace continued and the gap to second in class grew further.
At the end of the 24 hours, it was 17th overall, 1st in class and elation. A great result, a great event, a great team.
Find out more about Saxon Motorsport here!
Brands Hatch GP - A Race Review
Brands Hatch GP is one of the UKs most iconic race tracks and after a year’s hiatus it was a welcome return to the venue for the Caterham R300 Series, this time in support of the British GT Championship.
Unfortunately the circuit also has very limited testing so it was a few days earlier in the week when I was getting acclimatised to the circuit, a process which is surprisingly difficult with a number of blind corners and off camber gradients on the extended loop. After a long morning on an extremely busy track, however, the car felt good and consistency was extremely strong, both very promising signs on the run up to the race weekend.
The Friday before the race saw a test day on the Brands Indy circuit and a final chance to ensure car and driver were on the ball before race day. A number of people used the day to test extensively, but for me this was solely about a final shakedown. So despite only a brief outing on circuit there was plenty of time to iron out some final niggles and set some extremely quick laps, comfortably quickest (although most significantly on the Surtees loop which isn’t part of the GP circuit!) and in a great place leading into qualifying the following day.
Qualifying in the R300 series is always close and competitive. Being in the pack may set you up for a good slipstream but should one car slow at any time it could be the end of a flying lap and possibly the end of a promising start position. At the previous round I had managed to get a good tow from another car and set a strong lap time after only a few laps, pulling in early to conserve the tyres. At Brands Hatch however this proved rather more difficult, finally securing a strong lap more than halfway through the session, by which time the tyres had already peaked. Nonetheless it was a time under the lap record and sufficient for pole position in Race 1.
The slight downside to pole at Brands is an uphill start, whereas the entire grid behind starts downhill – meaning a good start is fundamental to a good race. Race 1 did not see a good start, the car pitching under throttle to spoil a clean getaway and drop me back into the pack. Fortunately by the time we arrived at the Druids hairpin there was a gap on the inside, which I took, knowing – as always – that breaking the pack could be the most important thing in this race. As I pushed hard I took a new lap record on lap two and instantly cleared the pack behind, continuing to push for another 3 laps without looking back. At this point the lead was over 5 seconds, an unbelievable margin in this class, but I knew I had to keep pushing, a 10 second lead was my aim at which point I would know it was time to relax and play it safe to the finish. Extreme consistency meant that this was possible with 5 minutes of the 20 minute race remaining and that I could throttle off on the way to the chequered flag, a winning margin of over 13 seconds in the end. My main championship rival, Aaron Head, had unfortunately crashed out in the race but it was an opportunity for DPR Motorsports first ever 1-2-3 in Caterham’s premier class.
1. David Robinson
2. Sean Byrne +13.407s
3. Jon Mortimer +13.520s
With Aaron Head starting from the back row of race 2 the opening laps would be the most important in trying to gap the field and ensure a second victory. But with Aaron on fresh tyres this would not be an easy task.
The lights went out and the car hooked up well to propel me into an early lead by lap 2. I looked into the mirror to see where the pack was and could see that Aaron was already up 12 places and into the top 6, an earlier accident having removed 5 cars from the midfield. The gap was now 3.2 seconds with over 15 minutes to go, this would be a tough run to the flag.
I knew I would have to push and managed to put in 6 consecutive laps within a tenth, surely this would be enough? The gap was now 3.5 seconds with a number of laps to go and we had broken clear of the chasing pack. However with only limited time remaining I was comfortable with the lead, relaxing to take the win by 2.4 seconds at the flag, the front two over 10 seconds clear of third place.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +2.301s
3. Lee Wiggins +13.120s
Brands Hatch proved to be a great weekend. And next? The 24 Hours of Catalunya. In the Saxon Motorsport prepared BMW 135D GTR that I piloted in a round of the VLN back in 2013. This is a great opportunity for me and I cannot wait to report back on how it goes. Follow the series on the official website.
Unfortunately the circuit also has very limited testing so it was a few days earlier in the week when I was getting acclimatised to the circuit, a process which is surprisingly difficult with a number of blind corners and off camber gradients on the extended loop. After a long morning on an extremely busy track, however, the car felt good and consistency was extremely strong, both very promising signs on the run up to the race weekend.
The Friday before the race saw a test day on the Brands Indy circuit and a final chance to ensure car and driver were on the ball before race day. A number of people used the day to test extensively, but for me this was solely about a final shakedown. So despite only a brief outing on circuit there was plenty of time to iron out some final niggles and set some extremely quick laps, comfortably quickest (although most significantly on the Surtees loop which isn’t part of the GP circuit!) and in a great place leading into qualifying the following day.
Qualifying in the R300 series is always close and competitive. Being in the pack may set you up for a good slipstream but should one car slow at any time it could be the end of a flying lap and possibly the end of a promising start position. At the previous round I had managed to get a good tow from another car and set a strong lap time after only a few laps, pulling in early to conserve the tyres. At Brands Hatch however this proved rather more difficult, finally securing a strong lap more than halfway through the session, by which time the tyres had already peaked. Nonetheless it was a time under the lap record and sufficient for pole position in Race 1.
The slight downside to pole at Brands is an uphill start, whereas the entire grid behind starts downhill – meaning a good start is fundamental to a good race. Race 1 did not see a good start, the car pitching under throttle to spoil a clean getaway and drop me back into the pack. Fortunately by the time we arrived at the Druids hairpin there was a gap on the inside, which I took, knowing – as always – that breaking the pack could be the most important thing in this race. As I pushed hard I took a new lap record on lap two and instantly cleared the pack behind, continuing to push for another 3 laps without looking back. At this point the lead was over 5 seconds, an unbelievable margin in this class, but I knew I had to keep pushing, a 10 second lead was my aim at which point I would know it was time to relax and play it safe to the finish. Extreme consistency meant that this was possible with 5 minutes of the 20 minute race remaining and that I could throttle off on the way to the chequered flag, a winning margin of over 13 seconds in the end. My main championship rival, Aaron Head, had unfortunately crashed out in the race but it was an opportunity for DPR Motorsports first ever 1-2-3 in Caterham’s premier class.
1. David Robinson
2. Sean Byrne +13.407s
3. Jon Mortimer +13.520s
With Aaron Head starting from the back row of race 2 the opening laps would be the most important in trying to gap the field and ensure a second victory. But with Aaron on fresh tyres this would not be an easy task.
The lights went out and the car hooked up well to propel me into an early lead by lap 2. I looked into the mirror to see where the pack was and could see that Aaron was already up 12 places and into the top 6, an earlier accident having removed 5 cars from the midfield. The gap was now 3.2 seconds with over 15 minutes to go, this would be a tough run to the flag.
I knew I would have to push and managed to put in 6 consecutive laps within a tenth, surely this would be enough? The gap was now 3.5 seconds with a number of laps to go and we had broken clear of the chasing pack. However with only limited time remaining I was comfortable with the lead, relaxing to take the win by 2.4 seconds at the flag, the front two over 10 seconds clear of third place.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +2.301s
3. Lee Wiggins +13.120s
Brands Hatch proved to be a great weekend. And next? The 24 Hours of Catalunya. In the Saxon Motorsport prepared BMW 135D GTR that I piloted in a round of the VLN back in 2013. This is a great opportunity for me and I cannot wait to report back on how it goes. Follow the series on the official website.
Double In The Dunes
The historic Zandvoort circuit in Holland was the host for the 7th and 8th rounds of the Caterham R300-S championships, but would it be a weekend of continued good form?
Thursday testing started well, taking the time to adjust to a circuit I have driven previously but in a much slower car and showing good pace at the same time. Tyres were proving to be critical on the highly abrasive and cambered tarmac and so the lap times of the competition were all over the place, drivers often posting very quick lap times before tumbling down the leader board in successive sessions. Yet overall the confidence levels were high and I generally remained in the top two for the whole day, regardless of setup and tyre choices.
Moving on to the sessioned Friday practice the conditions were much the same as on the Thursday and after trying some minor tweaks early on I felt comfortable both in myself and in the car. It's not often you have the opportunity to call off testing at midday but to avoid unnecessary added mileage it was the sensible choice!
And so Saturday morning qualifying came around very quickly indeed. The aim for the session, as at all rounds this season, was simply to place in the top 5 in order to be in a good position at the start of the race, outright pole would be a bonus but not a necessity. Fortunately the pack spread out nicely and I was able to use multiple slipstreams to generate a best time of 1min 49.8s, well up on the lap record and comfortably enough for that bonus pole position.
Race 1. Could I break away at the front? Every time I think this may be possible in Caterham racing I am proven wrong and it was no different here at Zandvoort as my 1 second advantage after 1 lap was eroded almost instantaneously. Thereafter the race was fierce, with Aaron Head and Sean Byrne joining a tenacious three way battle for the lead. The positions changed multiple times every lap, with each one of us leading at varying times. Toward the middle of the race Aaron Head did gain a small advantage but after managing to claw back the time I took the lead again with only two laps to go. Could I hold position over the line? As we came out of the final corner I held a defensive position, it was now a case of how well the others had exited that same corner. Striding toward the chequered flag Aaron was coming past on the right and Sean on the left.... If the finish had been 10m further on I would have been 3rd!
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.017s
3. Sean Byrne +0.060s
Pole again then for Sunday's finale. It would of course be more of the same with a group of Caterhams spearheading the remaining pack... Or so you would have thought! This time the racing was so intense that no real quick times were set throughout the 30min duration, a pack of 5 cars joining the 3 from race 1 to make it anybody's race. Generally the same three headed the order but Jon Mortimer and Lee Wiggins were intent on spoiling the party and getting involved at any, and every, opportunity. Positions chopped and changed throughout and not one driver could establish themselves as the regular leader, such was the effect of the tow on the main start finish. Going on to the last lap I did, however, have the lead. I held this for more than 3/4 of this lap, hoping for the same run to the line as in race 1, but Aaron made a great move round the outside of the Audi S Bocht to claim the lead for the penultimate corner. At this point I knew just how important my run from the final bend would be, too close and I would get no tow, too far back and the line would simply come too soon. I took a late entry to the final corner, concentrating on my exit speed and began the drag to the line.
0.056s. As close as ever in Caterham racing and win number 7 of 2015!
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.056s
3. Sean Byrne +0.146s
Thursday testing started well, taking the time to adjust to a circuit I have driven previously but in a much slower car and showing good pace at the same time. Tyres were proving to be critical on the highly abrasive and cambered tarmac and so the lap times of the competition were all over the place, drivers often posting very quick lap times before tumbling down the leader board in successive sessions. Yet overall the confidence levels were high and I generally remained in the top two for the whole day, regardless of setup and tyre choices.
Moving on to the sessioned Friday practice the conditions were much the same as on the Thursday and after trying some minor tweaks early on I felt comfortable both in myself and in the car. It's not often you have the opportunity to call off testing at midday but to avoid unnecessary added mileage it was the sensible choice!
And so Saturday morning qualifying came around very quickly indeed. The aim for the session, as at all rounds this season, was simply to place in the top 5 in order to be in a good position at the start of the race, outright pole would be a bonus but not a necessity. Fortunately the pack spread out nicely and I was able to use multiple slipstreams to generate a best time of 1min 49.8s, well up on the lap record and comfortably enough for that bonus pole position.
Race 1. Could I break away at the front? Every time I think this may be possible in Caterham racing I am proven wrong and it was no different here at Zandvoort as my 1 second advantage after 1 lap was eroded almost instantaneously. Thereafter the race was fierce, with Aaron Head and Sean Byrne joining a tenacious three way battle for the lead. The positions changed multiple times every lap, with each one of us leading at varying times. Toward the middle of the race Aaron Head did gain a small advantage but after managing to claw back the time I took the lead again with only two laps to go. Could I hold position over the line? As we came out of the final corner I held a defensive position, it was now a case of how well the others had exited that same corner. Striding toward the chequered flag Aaron was coming past on the right and Sean on the left.... If the finish had been 10m further on I would have been 3rd!
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.017s
3. Sean Byrne +0.060s
Pole again then for Sunday's finale. It would of course be more of the same with a group of Caterhams spearheading the remaining pack... Or so you would have thought! This time the racing was so intense that no real quick times were set throughout the 30min duration, a pack of 5 cars joining the 3 from race 1 to make it anybody's race. Generally the same three headed the order but Jon Mortimer and Lee Wiggins were intent on spoiling the party and getting involved at any, and every, opportunity. Positions chopped and changed throughout and not one driver could establish themselves as the regular leader, such was the effect of the tow on the main start finish. Going on to the last lap I did, however, have the lead. I held this for more than 3/4 of this lap, hoping for the same run to the line as in race 1, but Aaron made a great move round the outside of the Audi S Bocht to claim the lead for the penultimate corner. At this point I knew just how important my run from the final bend would be, too close and I would get no tow, too far back and the line would simply come too soon. I took a late entry to the final corner, concentrating on my exit speed and began the drag to the line.
0.056s. As close as ever in Caterham racing and win number 7 of 2015!
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.056s
3. Sean Byrne +0.146s
Mad May
It's not often that I get to be on track as much as I would like, but May 2015 must stand out as one of those months where I could not have fitted in any more racing if I had tried! Fortunately the results were as good as the track time and it sets me up well for Zandvoort in only a weeks time (20th/21st June).
Donington Park was the first location of the 4 week racing bonanza and played host to rounds 3 and 4 of the Caterham R300-S Championship. Coming into this round I was second in the series and looking to close the gap to the leading car of Aaron Head, in what is looking like being a year long dual. Testing was strong on Thursday and Friday and I carried this momentum into qualifying only 0.008s behind Sean Byrne, who bagged his first R300-S pole.
On the grid for race 1 the lights went out and I got a great start to hold first place into Redgate, the 90 degree right setting me up well to carry that lead all the way down the famous Craner Curves and on for a complete lap. But as is always the case in Caterhams the mirrors were full and this was to be a race of slipstream, close racing and tight gaps. As the pack began to spread slightly I broke away with Aaron Head to begin a race for the lead that would last the entire race. I had good pace in the key areas and the car was hugely stable under braking. After swapping places numerous times I held a strong enough advantage on the final lap to hold position through the Fogarty Esses with only the two hairpins of the Melbourne loop remaining. Some debris into the final corner meant I couldn't cover my line as much as I wanted however, and Aaron Head made a dramatic move up the inside. Only millimetres apart we came round onto the final straight, but as I was squeezed to the outside of the circuit contact was made... Pushing my car off the track and into a bewildered second place. But after some time in the clerk's office the stewards of the event overturned the race result for the avoidable contact and I took my third win of the year.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.404s
3. Lee Wiggins +10.799s
Race 2 started in a similar fashion to race 1 but this time the racing was more intense from the off, Lee Wiggins making a great start and taking second place and then the lead on the opening lap. Initially I held third place, comfortable in letting the two ahead race aggressively, a tactic that often works well in Caterhams where the slipstream is rarely broken so early on in such a competitive pack. At the halfway point Lee faded slightly and the race 1 duo had gapped the pack to continue where we left off. The racing was ultra close, at one point running line astern for a full mile of the undulating loop, but it was also clean racing throughout. We each held the lead at multiple times but a poor run out of the Esses on the penultimate lap put me on the back foot and although I closed the gap again to the finish I wasn't able to squeeze past the defensive leader and the race ended with Aaron Head the eventual winner, 0.232s ahead.
1. Aaron Head
2. David Robinson +0.232s
3. Lee Wiggins +0.979s
So where to next? The Isle Of Man of course! I would be racing in the European Prokart Endurance Championship with the factory MS Kart team to take on the challenge of a 24 hour race at the picturesque Jurby circuit. Having not been in a kart for a few months it was great to get back behind the wheel and feeling comfortable meant I was also confident for the exhausting race that would come.
The team line up of Dan Crossley, Stephen Lyall, Paul Wilkins and myself was a strong one and we each dipped below the lap record in testing. But in endurance racing outright pace is only half the battle, reliability, consistency and the weather all play a part and it turned out we would encounter each of these ingredients in the 24 hour competition. As the Isle Of Man flag dropped to start the race the sun was shining and the kart was working perfectly, Dan and I pulling out a 2 lap advantage in only 6 hours, before Stephen and Paul added another 1 to that as the sun went down and the heavens opened...
It turned out that when it rains quite as hard as this it is not only the karts that need to be reliable but also the circuits timing system, whose back up systems went into meltdown in the run up to midnight. A 2 hour delay to proceedings ensued and as the race resumed I was in the seat for the graveyard shift, our lead still comfortable but now threatened by a hard charging Titan Motorsport. But what hadn't been expected was some hard contact with a back marker as they lost control of their kart, spinning out and taking me with them, finishing pointing the wrong way out in the run off. As I recovered the kart back to the tarmac it was evident we now had a bent axle and although the repair was swift the next few laps saw the adrenaline levels return to normal, revealing a very painful back that slowed my pace considerably. At 6am I had to finish the stint early (disappointing but the back was unbearable at the time), leaving my teammates to bring the car home in a credible second place, just behind our teammate in the 443 MS Lucas kart. So a good result but we hope to go 1 better in August when I will be racing with the 43 MS SOCO Select again in the British 24 Hours!
2 down, 1 to go. Now it was time for Silverstone with the British GT series. The premier Caterham category missed out on supporting this championship last year but is now back on the billing and it really is an experience to be at a meeting alongside the Aston Martin, Mercedes, Ginetta, Lotus, BMW and Ferrari teams as they prepare for the UKs premier sportscar races. The Caterhams, as always, provided two intense battles in each of their races and arguably the most exciting finish of the weekend.
I lined up for race 1 on pole after a great qualifying run, but at Silverstone you know that if you start first you certainly won't be in first for long, the slipstream plays that much of a part, regardless of how far ahead you think you are. So as the race developed the four car pack of myself, Sean Byrne, Aaron Head and Jon Mortimer rotated regularly, building toward the crescendo that would be the final lap. I took to the front with two laps to go and pushed hard just as the three behind tangled, just at the right time to give me an all important 1.5 second cushion that I could hold to the line, taking a fantastic win to put me in even closer contention for the championship lead.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +1.485s
3. Sean Byrne +1.958s
The final race of May was now ready to go, race 2 at Silverstone marking the end of a frantic racing month full of surprises and new experiences. But could I round it off with a win? All screened live on Motors TV the pressure really was on to deliver.
As 23 Caterham R300s screamed away from the line I had another good start but again the pack swallowed me up, ending lap one back in third with 28 minutes of racing still to go. I focussed on making sure I was in contention from there, knowing that going into the last lap in third would be ok, so long as the two cars in front were close together. And this was exactly what happened, coming out of the Maggots - Becketts complex right behind Sean Byrne and Aaron Head...
Yet Sean had a slight slide coming on to Hangar straight, losing both of us the key momentum that was needed to storm past in the slipstream. We arrived at Stowe nearly three abreast but not enough to deny Head the lead. The opportunity for a second win of the weekend was now fading fast and I had to overtake as soon as possible. The first move came round the outside of Sean Byrne at Vale, there was now only half a lap remaining and a back marker gave Aaron Head the tow he needed down Wellington for the final time to deny an overtaking chance. I took a wide line into Luffield, the only chance would now be on the run to the final line.
0.122s at the line. What a great run out of the final bend that was!
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.122s
3. Sean Byrne +0.174s
So whats up next? Zandvoort in Holland welcomes the Caterham EuroFest on the 20th/21st June. In the meantime check out Channel 4 On Demand to see just how close that run to the line was!
Donington Park was the first location of the 4 week racing bonanza and played host to rounds 3 and 4 of the Caterham R300-S Championship. Coming into this round I was second in the series and looking to close the gap to the leading car of Aaron Head, in what is looking like being a year long dual. Testing was strong on Thursday and Friday and I carried this momentum into qualifying only 0.008s behind Sean Byrne, who bagged his first R300-S pole.
On the grid for race 1 the lights went out and I got a great start to hold first place into Redgate, the 90 degree right setting me up well to carry that lead all the way down the famous Craner Curves and on for a complete lap. But as is always the case in Caterhams the mirrors were full and this was to be a race of slipstream, close racing and tight gaps. As the pack began to spread slightly I broke away with Aaron Head to begin a race for the lead that would last the entire race. I had good pace in the key areas and the car was hugely stable under braking. After swapping places numerous times I held a strong enough advantage on the final lap to hold position through the Fogarty Esses with only the two hairpins of the Melbourne loop remaining. Some debris into the final corner meant I couldn't cover my line as much as I wanted however, and Aaron Head made a dramatic move up the inside. Only millimetres apart we came round onto the final straight, but as I was squeezed to the outside of the circuit contact was made... Pushing my car off the track and into a bewildered second place. But after some time in the clerk's office the stewards of the event overturned the race result for the avoidable contact and I took my third win of the year.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.404s
3. Lee Wiggins +10.799s
Race 2 started in a similar fashion to race 1 but this time the racing was more intense from the off, Lee Wiggins making a great start and taking second place and then the lead on the opening lap. Initially I held third place, comfortable in letting the two ahead race aggressively, a tactic that often works well in Caterhams where the slipstream is rarely broken so early on in such a competitive pack. At the halfway point Lee faded slightly and the race 1 duo had gapped the pack to continue where we left off. The racing was ultra close, at one point running line astern for a full mile of the undulating loop, but it was also clean racing throughout. We each held the lead at multiple times but a poor run out of the Esses on the penultimate lap put me on the back foot and although I closed the gap again to the finish I wasn't able to squeeze past the defensive leader and the race ended with Aaron Head the eventual winner, 0.232s ahead.
1. Aaron Head
2. David Robinson +0.232s
3. Lee Wiggins +0.979s
So where to next? The Isle Of Man of course! I would be racing in the European Prokart Endurance Championship with the factory MS Kart team to take on the challenge of a 24 hour race at the picturesque Jurby circuit. Having not been in a kart for a few months it was great to get back behind the wheel and feeling comfortable meant I was also confident for the exhausting race that would come.
The team line up of Dan Crossley, Stephen Lyall, Paul Wilkins and myself was a strong one and we each dipped below the lap record in testing. But in endurance racing outright pace is only half the battle, reliability, consistency and the weather all play a part and it turned out we would encounter each of these ingredients in the 24 hour competition. As the Isle Of Man flag dropped to start the race the sun was shining and the kart was working perfectly, Dan and I pulling out a 2 lap advantage in only 6 hours, before Stephen and Paul added another 1 to that as the sun went down and the heavens opened...
It turned out that when it rains quite as hard as this it is not only the karts that need to be reliable but also the circuits timing system, whose back up systems went into meltdown in the run up to midnight. A 2 hour delay to proceedings ensued and as the race resumed I was in the seat for the graveyard shift, our lead still comfortable but now threatened by a hard charging Titan Motorsport. But what hadn't been expected was some hard contact with a back marker as they lost control of their kart, spinning out and taking me with them, finishing pointing the wrong way out in the run off. As I recovered the kart back to the tarmac it was evident we now had a bent axle and although the repair was swift the next few laps saw the adrenaline levels return to normal, revealing a very painful back that slowed my pace considerably. At 6am I had to finish the stint early (disappointing but the back was unbearable at the time), leaving my teammates to bring the car home in a credible second place, just behind our teammate in the 443 MS Lucas kart. So a good result but we hope to go 1 better in August when I will be racing with the 43 MS SOCO Select again in the British 24 Hours!
2 down, 1 to go. Now it was time for Silverstone with the British GT series. The premier Caterham category missed out on supporting this championship last year but is now back on the billing and it really is an experience to be at a meeting alongside the Aston Martin, Mercedes, Ginetta, Lotus, BMW and Ferrari teams as they prepare for the UKs premier sportscar races. The Caterhams, as always, provided two intense battles in each of their races and arguably the most exciting finish of the weekend.
I lined up for race 1 on pole after a great qualifying run, but at Silverstone you know that if you start first you certainly won't be in first for long, the slipstream plays that much of a part, regardless of how far ahead you think you are. So as the race developed the four car pack of myself, Sean Byrne, Aaron Head and Jon Mortimer rotated regularly, building toward the crescendo that would be the final lap. I took to the front with two laps to go and pushed hard just as the three behind tangled, just at the right time to give me an all important 1.5 second cushion that I could hold to the line, taking a fantastic win to put me in even closer contention for the championship lead.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +1.485s
3. Sean Byrne +1.958s
The final race of May was now ready to go, race 2 at Silverstone marking the end of a frantic racing month full of surprises and new experiences. But could I round it off with a win? All screened live on Motors TV the pressure really was on to deliver.
As 23 Caterham R300s screamed away from the line I had another good start but again the pack swallowed me up, ending lap one back in third with 28 minutes of racing still to go. I focussed on making sure I was in contention from there, knowing that going into the last lap in third would be ok, so long as the two cars in front were close together. And this was exactly what happened, coming out of the Maggots - Becketts complex right behind Sean Byrne and Aaron Head...
Yet Sean had a slight slide coming on to Hangar straight, losing both of us the key momentum that was needed to storm past in the slipstream. We arrived at Stowe nearly three abreast but not enough to deny Head the lead. The opportunity for a second win of the weekend was now fading fast and I had to overtake as soon as possible. The first move came round the outside of Sean Byrne at Vale, there was now only half a lap remaining and a back marker gave Aaron Head the tow he needed down Wellington for the final time to deny an overtaking chance. I took a wide line into Luffield, the only chance would now be on the run to the final line.
0.122s at the line. What a great run out of the final bend that was!
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.122s
3. Sean Byrne +0.174s
So whats up next? Zandvoort in Holland welcomes the Caterham EuroFest on the 20th/21st June. In the meantime check out Channel 4 On Demand to see just how close that run to the line was!
Stunning Snetterton
With the sunshine of Taiwan fading to the traditional grey skies of home it was good to turn up at Snetterton for the first round of the UK Caterham Superlight R300-S Championships with the sun shining brightly again.
This year’s series sees over 20 cars registered in the premier Superlight class and over 170 Caterhams competing across the board in the Official Caterham UK Championship. The car is as popular as ever on home soil and with new competitions starting in Taiwan, Malaysia, Turkey and Columbia in 2015 it looks to be another year of tight competition.
Back to Snetterton for the moment though and having tested on old tyres on Thursday it was good to put fresh rubber on for Friday and to be right on track, 2.3 seconds up on last years lap record pace!
Saturday qualifying is always pivotal at Snetterton - a circuit reknown for the slipstream effect on the long back straights - and with only one flying lap under my belt I posted a great time, 1 second up on the nearest rival. Looking after your tyres is as important in R300 as in F1 and I decided to end the session there, confident that the lap time would stand. Despite the nerves of watching the remaining 15 minutes of qualifying from the side lines this proved to be the case and I held pole position, 0.5s up of championship rival Aaron Head.
Starting race 1 from the front I held a strong start and the lead for the opening lap, immediately breaking away from the pack with Aaron Head closely behind. We posted 10 laps in a row within 3 tenths to pull over 25 seconds from the chasing pack who were fighting hard for the final podium spot. Heading on to the final lap it was all about the final straight, whoever would be in second place would get the tow and be able to take the position to the finish. Unfortunately I led on to the back straight and dropped to second with only 3 corners to go… As Aaron defended into the last corner I took a wide entry, taking the momentum to the line and taking an ecstatic win by 0.034s. The fastest lap was an added bonus.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.034s
3. Matt Dyer +24.994s
Race 2 would certainly be more of the same, with a substantial pace advantage over the chasing groups. The start of the race was reserved in terms of laptime, taking the time to work out where on track I had the advantage. With 10 minutes to go it was then no holds barred and I pushed hard to put in three very quick laps to break ahead by a second, 5 minutes to go and the consistency remained, holding the comfortable 0.9s margin to the line.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.956s
3. Sean Byrne +15.928s
A great weekend to kick start the National championship campaign. Watch it on Motors TV this coming week!
MotorsTV UK - Snetterton
25/04/2015 21:00
25/04/2015 04:37
26/04/2015 09:33
26/04/2015 01:44
27/04/2015 14:44
28/04/2015 10:04
This year’s series sees over 20 cars registered in the premier Superlight class and over 170 Caterhams competing across the board in the Official Caterham UK Championship. The car is as popular as ever on home soil and with new competitions starting in Taiwan, Malaysia, Turkey and Columbia in 2015 it looks to be another year of tight competition.
Back to Snetterton for the moment though and having tested on old tyres on Thursday it was good to put fresh rubber on for Friday and to be right on track, 2.3 seconds up on last years lap record pace!
Saturday qualifying is always pivotal at Snetterton - a circuit reknown for the slipstream effect on the long back straights - and with only one flying lap under my belt I posted a great time, 1 second up on the nearest rival. Looking after your tyres is as important in R300 as in F1 and I decided to end the session there, confident that the lap time would stand. Despite the nerves of watching the remaining 15 minutes of qualifying from the side lines this proved to be the case and I held pole position, 0.5s up of championship rival Aaron Head.
Starting race 1 from the front I held a strong start and the lead for the opening lap, immediately breaking away from the pack with Aaron Head closely behind. We posted 10 laps in a row within 3 tenths to pull over 25 seconds from the chasing pack who were fighting hard for the final podium spot. Heading on to the final lap it was all about the final straight, whoever would be in second place would get the tow and be able to take the position to the finish. Unfortunately I led on to the back straight and dropped to second with only 3 corners to go… As Aaron defended into the last corner I took a wide entry, taking the momentum to the line and taking an ecstatic win by 0.034s. The fastest lap was an added bonus.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.034s
3. Matt Dyer +24.994s
Race 2 would certainly be more of the same, with a substantial pace advantage over the chasing groups. The start of the race was reserved in terms of laptime, taking the time to work out where on track I had the advantage. With 10 minutes to go it was then no holds barred and I pushed hard to put in three very quick laps to break ahead by a second, 5 minutes to go and the consistency remained, holding the comfortable 0.9s margin to the line.
1. David Robinson
2. Aaron Head +0.956s
3. Sean Byrne +15.928s
A great weekend to kick start the National championship campaign. Watch it on Motors TV this coming week!
MotorsTV UK - Snetterton
25/04/2015 21:00
25/04/2015 04:37
26/04/2015 09:33
26/04/2015 01:44
27/04/2015 14:44
28/04/2015 10:04
Caterham Abroad
With over 5000 spectators attending the race the atmosphere was buzzing at Taiwan's only circuit in Pen Bay, Donggang Township. Huge excitement for the first ever one make series in the country, stands selling motorsport products, glamour and more... This was far beyond almost any race in the UK!
The other drivers came from diverse backgrounds, all current GT racers, some gentlemen racers, others more professional, one a famous Taiwanese actor, all fast. But myself and Danny Winstanley (3rd in last years UK series) proved formidably quick and we set the pace throughout practice and into the races. The cars were all brand new and looked fantastic as they lined up for the first main event.
Although I started second in a car with slightly hindered straight line pace (now resolved) I knew I had the pace on Danny in the tight infield of the circuit. After three laps I made a bold move on the inside of a long right hander to take the lead, hoping to be able to hold it to the end. Yet the straight line pace proved an issue as only half a lap later I lost the lead down the main straight, and although I was able to hang on less than a second back I couldn't put myself in a close enough position to retake first place.
The second race began with a strong start from the third placed driver, Lamborghini Super Trofeo driver Wei-chung Chang, who stormed into second place. This was short lived however as I retook the position on the outside of the first corner and almost immediately took the lead, holding this for two laps before the lack of speed of the car showed and I dropped back one place along the start finish. At this point I pushed hard to stay in contention and despite never being more than a second back I had to settle for the result.
Two second place finishes then and although a little frustrating the experience made this almost secondary (to a point!). We took photos with the fans and series sponsors in attendance for the next half an hour, before the podium presentations began, whereupon giving a podium speech to 1000 people directly in front of us was certainly a new achievement for me personally!
I'd like to thank Caterham and Caterham Taiwan for the great opportunity to be part of this event and for Option Magazine in organising such a spectacle. The series looks set to be a sure success and it's not hard to see why!
Watch the event highlights here
The other drivers came from diverse backgrounds, all current GT racers, some gentlemen racers, others more professional, one a famous Taiwanese actor, all fast. But myself and Danny Winstanley (3rd in last years UK series) proved formidably quick and we set the pace throughout practice and into the races. The cars were all brand new and looked fantastic as they lined up for the first main event.
Although I started second in a car with slightly hindered straight line pace (now resolved) I knew I had the pace on Danny in the tight infield of the circuit. After three laps I made a bold move on the inside of a long right hander to take the lead, hoping to be able to hold it to the end. Yet the straight line pace proved an issue as only half a lap later I lost the lead down the main straight, and although I was able to hang on less than a second back I couldn't put myself in a close enough position to retake first place.
The second race began with a strong start from the third placed driver, Lamborghini Super Trofeo driver Wei-chung Chang, who stormed into second place. This was short lived however as I retook the position on the outside of the first corner and almost immediately took the lead, holding this for two laps before the lack of speed of the car showed and I dropped back one place along the start finish. At this point I pushed hard to stay in contention and despite never being more than a second back I had to settle for the result.
Two second place finishes then and although a little frustrating the experience made this almost secondary (to a point!). We took photos with the fans and series sponsors in attendance for the next half an hour, before the podium presentations began, whereupon giving a podium speech to 1000 people directly in front of us was certainly a new achievement for me personally!
I'd like to thank Caterham and Caterham Taiwan for the great opportunity to be part of this event and for Option Magazine in organising such a spectacle. The series looks set to be a sure success and it's not hard to see why!
Watch the event highlights here
The Caterham Option Tuning Car Grand Prix - Taking it to Taiwan
Racing on the other side of the world is a dream of any driver in any race series.
And starting 2015 with a bang, it's time to head to the Pen Bay International Circuit in Taiwan for that very opportunity.
Thanks to Caterham and to my sponsors for the season, Grad Eye and Gleeson Recruitment Group, I've been able to join the grid for the inaugural race of the Caterham R300 Taiwan series, alongside former Le Mans winner Seji Ara and other notable stars.
The weekend of the 21st and 22nd March promises a lot of close racing and a chance to pick up another international trophy to add to the Klassensieg at the Nordschleife back in 2013. Make sure you keep up to date on the Caterham Motorsport Facebook Page as I will be posting regular updates while I am out there.
On top of this, March sees further excitement as I head to Brands Hatch for the Avon Tyres British GT Media Day on the 25th. Here I will be talking to the media about my ambitions in the year ahead as well as offering passenger rides and representing the Caterham R300-S championship.
And after this?
The season starts for real on the 18th and 19th April at Snetterton.
Time to make it count.
And starting 2015 with a bang, it's time to head to the Pen Bay International Circuit in Taiwan for that very opportunity.
Thanks to Caterham and to my sponsors for the season, Grad Eye and Gleeson Recruitment Group, I've been able to join the grid for the inaugural race of the Caterham R300 Taiwan series, alongside former Le Mans winner Seji Ara and other notable stars.
The weekend of the 21st and 22nd March promises a lot of close racing and a chance to pick up another international trophy to add to the Klassensieg at the Nordschleife back in 2013. Make sure you keep up to date on the Caterham Motorsport Facebook Page as I will be posting regular updates while I am out there.
On top of this, March sees further excitement as I head to Brands Hatch for the Avon Tyres British GT Media Day on the 25th. Here I will be talking to the media about my ambitions in the year ahead as well as offering passenger rides and representing the Caterham R300-S championship.
And after this?
The season starts for real on the 18th and 19th April at Snetterton.
Time to make it count.
Access the archives here
