Brands Hatch 11 June 2011

As detailed in our last report, we had the Tipo ready to roll. late on we decided that using 10 year old brake pads might not be the wisest, so a new set of Ferodo DS3000 were order from Demon Tweeks to fit the new AP 4 pots, and these were fitted quickly enough. We also picked up some used tyres in a slightly larger size, 200/580x15 Dunlops as opposed to the ex-Clio 190/570x15 Michelins we had been running. More tread with and slighly higher profile so the gearing should be raised a little - not that we expected to red line in 5th at Brands Hatch anyway. All week the Tipo had been sat on wet tyres ready to load up, but on Friday night the forecast for Saturday morning was dry, even if later looked less promising. So the dry tyres went on just before we loaded the Tipo on the trailer.

Brands Hatch is about 90 minutes from home, so despite the early sign-on time (07:50), we still drove down in the morning, and was signed on nice and early. A quick visit to the timekeepers to hire a transponder, and we were in the queue for scrutineering well ahead of schedule - and fitted the video camera in while in the queue. Scrutineering over, it was a case of tighten the wheel bolts, check the tyre pressures and look over the circuit. It was damp from overnight and we were second session out so the first guys could at least dry out a line for us.

Qualifying:

Photo courtesy of Jamie Peters-Ennis

There was just Gordon Mason and us in Class E, we were hoping that Brands being one of our favourite tracks and the fact Gordon had never been there would work in our favour. Certainly he seemed unsure about Paddock Bend, but it does look very scary from off the circuit! We lined up in the assembly area third, behind John Wilson's TVR Cerbera and Gordon queued up behind so he could follow us round.

As we joined the circuit, John was taking more care (probably because he needed to) in warming the TVR's tyres so we shot by on the run up to Druids, and tried to get in the rhythm quickly while watching out for damp patches on the circuit. By the start line we were ready to get on with it and started off at a decent pace - looking in our mirror on the run up to Druids, we just caught Gordon heading off track backwards. Welcome to Paddock Bend!

Our on board lap timer was suggesting lap times at first around 61-62 seconds, we knew we could do much better than that, even in the damp. Last time we were here in 2007, we got the Rover round in the high 58s and the Tipo should be quicker than that. We started to push harder, but even though there were only 26 cars out in qualifying, the lap is so short that we were almost always getting out of the way of faster cars. We are still having issues with gear selection and with the two things combined, reckoned we barely got in one decent lap - but the lap timer was now showing in the 57s.

We had no way of gauging how Gordon was doing, so only found out after the session that our lap timer was a little optimistic and our best lap was only 58.2, 4/10ths shy of Gordon, but ahead of Mike Wilkinson's BMW 325.

Race:
Some had forecast an expectation of rain for the afternoon, Yaser was so sure he swapped over to wets at 11am ready. Our best information was it would stay dry, at least until late afternoon - even though a wet race might have helped us get the better of Gordon. The day was running ahead of schedule and suddenly we found we would be out at 13:45 rather than the 14:30 we expected. The drivers' briefing was pulled forwards at short notice but was held in the offices in the centre of the circuit. To add to the fun, just as we arrived, it started to rain!

There was a little concern that we might be in a rush to get back and swap tyres over, but in the event, the rain was short-lived and the track remained dry. Only Yaser had a panic tyre change to do.

The rolling lap got strung out again, we seemed OK to the back straight, but someone in the midfield was a bit slow in responding and those of us at the back were left well behind, we lost at least 15 seconds to the leaders before the race even started. Ian Jordan was directly in front of us and for a while we thought we might get the drop on Gordon, but Ian braked part way into Clearways holding us up and Gordon took full advantage driving round the outside with his foot in to pass Ian down the straight and leave us chasing the Clio. The only good thing for us is Mike in the BMW was caught completely unawares and was already gone some way back from us by the time we reached Paddock Bend.

Approaching the start line, we had Alan Taylor, Yaser, David Pierce, Gordon and Ian Jordan in front, there was a long gap forwards from Alan and as big a gap again from the car in front of Alan, and the next car in front. By the time we reached Druids, we were on Ian's tail and the cars in front bunched up. By the end of the first lap, Gordon had broken clear of Ian and we were trying to stay in touch. And then it all went wrong as we missed 4th gear going into Paddock - and Ian cleared off as we struggled to find any gear that might work. Another missed gear coming out of Clearways and it looked like our race was already over - Ian and Gordon were way ahead, only Mike was behind, also some way behind us. As we came round Clearways towards the straight at the end of lap 3,the yellow flags were out for Nick Jones who had pulled off coming into Druids. Ian and Gordon were at the far end of the straight at this point, at least we would be able to close up under the yellows and the safety car.

We arrive at Druids to find Ian had passed Gordon as we closed up on them, Yaser was just in front but again there was a big gap forwards. We might have been under yellows and with a safety car (allegedly) somewhere on circuit, but those of us at the rear of the pack were having to race almost flat out to keep up. We came round again and going to to Druids we caught the cars in front as we almost came to a halt, just as a recovery vehicle came up the inside of the track. Not sure if it was bad management, but as we got moving again, we all got strung out - like if the safety car drove off at race pace. We certainly weren't being kept properly bunched up.

We managed to catch Gordon and Ian going round Clearways, and again everyone blasted off into the distance before catching up at Paddock again. The run up to Druids was more like safety car pace, and we almost came to a halt again - Nick's Clio had now been moved out of the way around the corner although yellow flags were still being waved vigourously. A missed gear coming out of Graham Hill bend did no favours, but already the grid had stretched out, we could see cars going round Clearways as we tried to keep up with Gordon. The race was back on, only we didn't know! As we finally caught sight of the start line and the green flag, we were already two seconds behind Gordon, and only Gordon, Ian and Yaser were in sight, Yaser had been dropped as badly as us. Gordon was close to Ian, and we did start to gain during the first half of the lap as we put in our best lap of the day, but by the end of the lap the gap was back to a couple of seconds. The next four laps had us falling back about a second a lap from the three cars in front no matter how much we were trying.

Suddenly as were came into Paddock, with no flags to warn us, an ambulance joined from the right, only then did anyone wave a flag (white) on the outside of Paddock Bend, AFTER we almost ran into it. We cut across the ambulance on the line, and as we went up to Druids we could see what the fuss was about - but there had still been no yellow flags anywhere. Dave Cockell's Escort Cosworth was at the side of the track and on fire - big time. Thick smoke was pouring across the track and as we went into it on the approach to Druids, we realised we couldn't see a thing and hoped no-one had stopped there. Only as we reached the bottom of Graham Hill did we finally see a yellow, and the safety car was out again, We came along the back straight just in time to see the safety car pull out in front of Yaser. This time the safety car pace was much more appropriate and we followed Yaser, Ian and Gordon behind the safety car.

Coming along the start/finish straight, we were surprised to see leader Richard Hawken come past all of us and settle in behind the safety car. We went past Dave's stricken car again, now the smoke had subsided a little but with fire crew and ambulance in attendance, we could see the front of the car was ablaze with flames very visible.

Photo courtesy of Martin Clark

We followed the safety car round slowly, and just as it was about to pass the pit lane entrance, it pulled across the track and into the pits - the red flags had come out and we all followed it in. At the end of the pit lane we were given the kill engines signal. A marshal told me Dave was OK, and shortly after we were told the race had been called and were directed back to the paddock.

So a very short race, only 11 laps and maybe half of those at race speed. Unlike Silverstone where we could see we didn't drive well, this time at least during the middle session, we were trying but Gordon's Peugeot is probably 300kgs lighter than the Tipo so we just can't keep up. We're not sure about the rest of the season, we won't be at Pembrey for sure and currently don't expect to be out again - but never say never.

Watch the full race video (approx 128Mb).

Check out the current points standing.

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