So another race for the Alfasud then. This was going to be hard work, the Silverstone National circuit is effectively a triangle with 3 long straights linked by a tight corner, a tight double corner and a fast corner. In other words, power circuit. And the Sud doesn't have very much of that, so I was expecting a lonely drive at the back.

After the debacle at Donington 2 weeks ago, I was taking no chances. It helps that Silverstone is local to be, only 50 minutes across country, so I was early to sign-on, thanks to James, equally early to scrutineering, and thanks to much more efficiency on the part of Silverstone, more importantly I was early out of scrutineering. And to continue the theme I was early to the assembly area - normally I like to go out near the back on the basis that I am more likely to get a clear run once the faster cars have got past - the less there are behind me, the better. But Silverstone is such a wide track that on the whole its easy to keep out of the way without losing too much.

On the opening lap I followed Drummond in the Maserati Barchetta, he likes to warm the car up first and his steady pace out onto the circuit was such that I actually went past him at Becketts - wasn't long before he blew past like a rocket. Although there were 20 starters for practice, we seemed pretty well strung out. I had got a good jump out of the pits and it was a couple of laps before anyone caught up. A couple of laps later, I could see Emma drawing ever nearer behind, nothing I could do as she breezed past me on the straight comfortably before the Luffield/Brooklands complex. I was building up speed now having got the first 3 laps behind me and had resolved that more time could perhaps be made up at Copse which was the fast corner on the circuit. I was a few car lengths behind Emma going into Copse, had about 400 more rpm than the previous lap when she spun in front of me, causing me to lift off while I worked out where her car was going to be.

My next entertainment for practice was when I saw Julian's X1/9 up ahead. A forced change to his gearbox meant he had a higher diff and thus more speed capability than before. Slowly I was reeling in him, took me 2 or 3 laps to get onto his tail at Becketts. Once again power told and he must have taken 3 or 4 car lengths from me down the straight, but he was struggling with lines at the complex and I was having a good day there. I managed to brake late and swing round the inside of him leaving Brooklands - I wasn't sure how long I would stay in front, but he got faster in the remaining laps by watching my lines! Glad to be of service. Practice times came as a complete, and very welcome, surprise. far from being last as I had expected, I was quicker than Julian (but only by 2 tenths), quicker than Alan Bates in the Strada Abarth, which has been going well lately, and quicker than Daniel in my old Sud Sprint (much developed since those days and boasting its new 1700 engine for this race). With 6 entrants in Class B I had expected to be fighting for the last qualifying point with Julian, but he I was in 4th, 2 points to the good and already ahead of schedule.

The race came in the early afternoon. The brakes were still pulling a little right, but I had got used to that and could drve round it - they were pulling up quickly and that was more important. I was on the outside of the track for the rolling start, and soon realised that this was not a good thing as entering Copse with a melee of cars around me I saw that Julian had managed to sneak in front of me round the inside of the bend where there was more space. Daniel had solved some power issues since morning practice, Darren having got into the 1:15s during practice for the Powermods Alfa race, so unsurprisingly he had also muscled past going into Copse. Already my game plan was to try and stay with Julian and figure a way past somewhere. Along the back straight on the first lap, Russ Yates suddenly pulled to the left, waving his arm - can't think I've seen Russ not finish a race for a couple of years, so a major surprise there, but two more points gained at his misfortune. The first lap remained a bit crowded but by the second lap things were already settling down. Surprising I was still with Daniel and we were now in a 6 car chain, Emma followed by Stephen Ousely in the ex-Graham Warner 33, then Alan in the Strada, Juliam, Daniel and me. More interestingly, no-one seemed to be able to pass anyone else in the chain, and predictably things got pretty bunched up at Becketts and the complex. In both those places I felt I was going faster than those in front of me, certainly Daniel was holding me up badly at Becketts, being on the brakes before the slight kink at Maggotts, forcing me to dive inside straightlining the kink and aiming at Becketts. Alas he was just far enough in front to keep the corner, short of driving through him I was having to yield as he cut across.

On lap 4 we lost Emma from the chain, she suddenly slowed going into Copse and the following lap I saw her parked up just before the complex - a wheel bolt had sheared and the left front wheel was at a funny angle. The chain continued round for the rest of the race. I tried to take Copse faster and faster, braking later and later as I entered the bend. I was visibly catching Daniel, who was climbing all over Julian's boot - finally I managed to stay close enough that I got far enough down the inside at Becketts to claim the corner and pass Daniel. I was sure I could get past Julian given the chance, I was quicker through the complex and could take him again as I had done in practice, Daniel had not been able to do this. But my hopes were dashed 3/4 of the way down the straight as Daniel came past again - pure power advantage, nothing I could do at all. I guess I could have weaved all down the straight and blocked him, but I'm far too much of a gentleman (but maybe next time!). I tried harder and harder - too hard almost. I had runs over the kerb exiting Becketts, right across the rumble strips. A couple of laps later I tried to stay with Daniel down the straight and stay over to the left hoping to be close enough to force him wide under braking - it didn't work, didn't quite get there despite the desperate late braking and I ended up across the kerb halfway round Luffield. Finally on the penultimate lap, a cahnge of tactic saw me trying to go round the outside at Brooklands only to go across the keb, onto the grass and although I continued with foot flat to the floor and got back on track, I must have lost at least a second with that move. The following lap, the chain crossed the finish line in the same sequence as we had been all race, the results showing that I failed to regain that gap on the final lap. Only 3 cars had lapped us, a fine win for Drummond with Graham Scott's Stratos being surprising absent from the front. Tony Soper finished a fine second with Giovanni trying to find a way past and taking Class B spils in the process - Andy Thompson's Minari had expired half way through the race but had set fastest lap in Class. Class C produced no finsihers as Keith's Pantera had failed to finish for the second race running, Class D was won by Marc Connell after John Griffith's Alfa 156 was unable to start the race, and of course Neil won Class E as usual.

Two races left, a double header at Snetterton in three weeks time, and already most of the important titles have been won. Neil has an unassailable lead and wins Class E and the overall title for the second year running, congratulations go to Neil. The rest of us will be pleased to know that Neil is threatening to change class next year so maybe someone else might have a chance - then maybe not! Class A has been won again by Graham Scott in the Stratos, Class B has been won by Russ Yates despite his first DNF of the year, and Class D by John Griffiths who failed to start this race. So only Class C left to fight for - interestingly Keith could stay away and win, or turn up and lose!

There are still minor places to play for in most of the classes, some positions look safer than others. Mathematically I could still finish 2nd in Class B but that would take 2 wins at Snetterton - realistically its a 3 way battle for 3rd place with Giovanni and Andy Thompson, with Andy being favourite if the Minari doesn't let him down.

Read the official race report.

Visit the Le Mans Motorsport site for details of the Le Mans Auto-Italia championship and standings so far.

Check out the current points standing