Silverstone: 15 April 2006

Testing

Silverstone would be our first outing in 2006 and as such we booked in for testing on the day before. The car had been thoroughly checked out at the workshop over the winter and a refreshed gear box, new alternator and starter motor fitted. However, race cars like to be driven, so there is always a risk of problems emerging first time out in a new season.

Using old tyres from 2005, we tackled the National circuit slowly at first, and pitted to check for oil or coolant leaks and to check tyre pressures. Everything was fine so we gradually increased the pace until we were lapping consistently in times of just over 1.01, comfortably the quickest closed-wheel car testing.

Between sessions race engineers Charlie Barnard and Andy McLoughlin made a number of adjustments to the geometry of the car, and we finished the day confident that we were well set up for Saturday’s race, with more speed to come

Race Day

Race day has a completely different feel to testing – a sense of urgency mixed with nerves tends to focus the mind!

We opted to fit just two new tyres for the race – we had several tyres from 2005 which had done relatively few laps and were in very good condition. The new tyres would be fitted to the nearside of the car, which bears the brunt of the cornering forces on this clockwise circuit.

At scrutineering we were relieved we had taken the time at the workshop to resolve an electrical problem which caused the engine to run on after the electrical cut-out was triggered. It was the first thing the scrutineer checked! The car sailed through and we anxiously awaited the qualifying session.

The trick with this qualifying session was always going to be about finding clear space for a fast lap. Although the field was a modest 14 cars, some were significantly slower than the Tuscan and unexpectedly meeting a car travelling some 30mph slower whilst committed to a corner is not recommended!

As it was we were generally ok, but had a scare coming through Woodcote (flat out in 4th gear, onto the start-finish straight). Steve Hall, in a green turbo Tasmin was about to turn in as I emerged behind him, on a fast lap and not wanting to lose time. I thought he had seen me and was leaving a gap at the apex, so kept my foot flat on the floor and aimed for the gap……which then closed! With the car committed to the corner lifting off at that speed was not an option – I held the car as tight as possible to the ‘floppy’ markers on the Apex and crossed everything. Somehow we scraped through – although I am not sure a cigarette paper would have fitted between the two cars.

The track temperature was down on the previous day and as such we were not able to deliver the improved lap time we had hoped for. The on-board display was playing up and not displaying lap times, but I knew that I had banked a couple of reasonable laps.

Towards the end of the session a Class B car span around the back of the circuit, and as I lifted off in response to the yellow flags, I felt the engine hesitate and misfire. Progressing back to the pits the misfire became more apparent, and by the time I reached the team awning the car was blowing a large amount of steam from the exhausts.

There was no need for a complex diagnosis – one of the head gaskets had blown and this almost certainly indicated the end of our weekend. This was a huge blow to the team, as we had qualified on the front row of the grid – second, less than 3 tenths of a second behind Darren Dowling.

There were one or two tricks we could try, and with sponsors IMR present and TV cameras already fitted to the car, we felt we should give it a go. With copious amounts of block seal added to the coolant and the head bolts tightened, we made our way to the collection area and took our place at the front of the grid, partially concealed by a cloud of smoke. I would take things relatively easy and keep an eagle eye on the temperature gauge – any sign of overheating and I would be instructed to retire before permanent damage was caused to the engine.

The lights changed and I was first off the line – wheel spin in first and second gear, before finding traction and pulling away in the lead. I struggled to engage third gear and Darren reclaimed first place and I had to defend second vigorously.

On cold tyres Darren then over-did it into Maggots, locking up under braking and running onto the grass. I hesitated, concerned he would come back onto the track at the point I would exit the corner, and as I did so, Tim Hood in the new Sagaris darted up the inside.

Down to third place I tried to get into a rhythm and stick with Tim and Darren. In practice this proved impossible, with one eye on the temperature gauge and one on the track, I could not drive to the limit.

The temperature gauge did not budge, but on lap 4, when over 7 seconds clear of 4th placed man Glynn and pulling away, suddenly the car was all over the place coming into Brooklands. The car required 3 corrections to straighten up and my immediate thought was a puncture.

Desperately disappointed, I eased the car into the pits and shouted the news to the team. Normally we always take a spare wheel to the pits for just such an eventuality, but on this occasion, with the head gasket problem, we had not bothered. Charlie sprinted to the awning for a spare wheel, but as he did so a slow trickle of steam from the bonnet became a plume. The gasket was gone and the underside of the car was covered in a mixture of coolant and oil. It was this Vaseline-like mixture which had caused the errant handling, which I had mistaken for a puncture.

It was race over – our first DNF (‘did not finish’) due to mechanical failure since 2003.

We were then treated to a tremendous race between Darren and Tim repeatedly swapping the lead of the race, with Tim finally winning with a margin of just 3 tenths.

As a consolation we had set the third fastest time of the day, and we know the new team has potential to do well.

Race Results