RACING EXPOSURE :: Club level motorsport e-magazine

Eddie Guest's 1982 Lola T640 Formula Ford which is raced in Monoposto's 1600 category

It was announced this week that Lola Cars had taken the decision to go into administration.      The Huntingdon based company, has a broad spectrum of work, consisting of competing in various levels of motorsport, but also has interests in aerospace, military, communications and energy, thanks to its expertise in composite construction.

Lola was started by Eric Broadley in 1958, concentrating initially on Formula Junior, Formula Three and Formula Two, but attracted the interest of the Ford Motor Company after Broadley fitted a Ford V8 to one of its chassis.    Thus Lola became involved in the Ford GT40 , and after the Ford liason finished, the Lola T70 and later derivatives became a potent force in sports car racing.

Lola designed sports cars raced successfully in Group 5 and 6, later Group C and also the American IMSA categories and have continued in recent years with various Le Mans prototypes including MG and Aston Martin.

Robbie Watts' 2003 Lola-Dome F106/03 F3 car is raced in Monoposto 2000 currently.

Lola cars have been involved in Formula 1, although mainly for financial reasons continued successs eluded them, although Lola’s sole F1 victory was achieved in 1967 with the ‘Hondola’   In 2010, Lola made a bid to become one of the new F1 entrants, but their bid was rejected.   Lotus Racing, now Caterham F1, Virgin-Manor, now Marussia and HRT were the three successful bidders.

Lola also tried to break back into the Dallara dominated F3 scene, but did not have the financial muscle to convince teams that they were a creditable threat to Dallara who since the early 1990′s have been the dominant chassis supplier in this series.

Ireland entrepreneur Martin Birranne (owner of Mondello Park Circuit) rescued the Lola Group in 1997/8 following the failure of the MasterCard Lola F1 project.    The current financial situation is being blamed upon the current global financial crisis causing a massive cash-flow problem, and HMRC not paying ongoing R&D Tax Credits.

Mike Roberts' fabulous MG Lola EX257 which is raced in the OSS series.

Lola recently collaborated with Caterham Cars on the SP/300.R track day car prior to the Tony Fernandes take-over.   It was hoped that Caterham would be in a position to save Lola, but Caterham now has its own composites concern in Hingham, and was planning to move its F1 operation to the former Arrow’s base at Leafield and whilst Huntingdon is close to the glut of talent that surrounds Silverstone.  Nothing has been confirmed either way.

Photos: Norwich Photo

British Touring Car ace to join tough Superstars competition at Donington Park

A renowned young British ace is ready to join the SUPERSTARS INTERNATIONAL SERIES at Donington Park this Sunday. 25-year-old BTCC racer Tom Onslow-Cole, who has scored 7 wins in 141 British Touring Car Races, will be making his debut appearance in the series reserved for top class touring cars with 500 hp.

The young Brit, has already earned a great reputation in touring car racing, will line up on-aboard one of the two Ferlito-prepared Jaguar XFR racecars . A British driver in a British car will give local fans two reasons to cheer on this wild card entry.

“It’s going to be really exciting to drive these cars with so much power. I have watched some of the races and they are spectacular. The cars make the right noises and they move at the right speeds,” said Onslow-Cole on Thursday.

Onslow-Cole has enjoyed a successful career so far in racing: driver in the British Touring Car Championship where he finished on the top podium spot 7 times and closed out the 2010 season in 4th place. He made his BTCC debut in 2007 with West Surrey Racing when he was only 19. Among his rivals was Fabrizio Giovanardi (who lined-up in SUPERSTARS two years ago) whom he joined as a team-mate in 2008.

In this debut SUPERSTARS race Onslow-Cole will run with a new Italian team mate, Como based Max Pigoli, in their Ferlito Motors Jaguar that took a race win at Monza.

WSR Team Principal Dick Bennetts was very happy to call Tom about the opportunity on the young driver’s birthday, “Tom is over the moon to get this chance to drive a 500hp touring car. He is a great young lad and I can’t think of a better present for his 25th birthday. We have been watching SUPERSTARS for some time now; it’s an interesting series so I am very happy that Tom has been given this opportunity. He is a very sensible driver so I am confident he will take to the big car well.”

Ex-formula one drivers line up for Superstars race at Donington Park

Former Formula One drivers Johnny Herbert, Christian Fittipaldi, Tonio Liuzzi and Mika Salo are taking to the Donington Park track later this month for the Superstars International series.

The Superstars International series, the fast-growing European super-modified touring cars, will be racing at Donington Park on May 19th and 20th. This round of the Superstars championship will see former British Grand Prix winner Herbert aiming to return to the Donington podium after his second place position in last year’s race at the world class circuit.

Christopher Tate, Donington Park managing director, comments: “We are delighted the series is returning to Donington Park again this year to top the bill at a festival of sports and touring car racing, with close battles expected in every race over the two day weekend.

“Johnny Herbert will be competing in just three rounds of the Superstars series this season, so we’re thrilled he’s selected Donington for one of those races. Johnny’s a real favourite with the East Midlands fans and we’re anticipating a big turn out for what promises to be a real highlight in Donington’s busiest ever year.”

McLaren F1 star and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button will make a special guest appearance at this weekend’s DTM event at Brands Hatch.

At 11.10am on Sunday (20 May), Jenson will briefly sign autographs for fans before taking part in a live question and answer session with ex-F1 star and current Mercedes DTM racer David Coulthard. This will take place in front of the Mercedes-Benz hospitality suite located in the public areas behind the Pit Straight grandstand.

Shortly afterwards, Button will take the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz DTM ‘race taxi’ with current DTM championship leader Gary Paffett alongside; the first time Button will have driven the circuit since his British F3 days in 1999.

“Brands Hatch is one of the circuits where I cut my teeth in junior single seaters and I have many fond memories of the place” said Button. “It’s one of the greatest tracks in the world and a place with an awful lot of motorsport history.

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience to head back to Brands Hatch to watch the DTM race on Sunday. I think the DTM weekend will be a great event – it’s a fantastic series with some excellent, close racing and some of the best drivers in the world. It’s going to be a great personal experience and a fantastic opportunity to get up-close and personal with all the British fans who have been supporting me over the years.”

Tour Britannia will have its first works entry when the classic race and rally tour runs for the eighth time on 6-8 June. In the concurrent targa category for post ’75 cars, Radical will field its fully road-legal SR3 SL for journalists Richard Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon.

Neither Richard nor Jethro have driven the SR3 SL before, but its race and track-proven pedigree – including scooping EVO’s Trackday Car of the Year – should make it ideal for the task. Both drivers have experience in a wide range of disciplines, both contesting the Nurburgring 24-hours amongst other events, and will be aiming for lap and stage records at every venue.

Targa Britannia is open to any post ’75 road legal car, including sports, GT and saloon cars capable of carrying a crew of two, and complying with MSA race regulations. The competitors will tackle 20 asphalt special stages as well as races at Croft and Cadwell Park, with the car being driven on the public road between the venues. It will be a real test of a car’s ability to perform in competition and be used on the road, all within the same event.

The Radical SR3 SL is a fully road-legal track car without compromise. The SR3 SL scores on all levels: performance, handling, styling and specification. It is powered by the advanced turbocharged Ford EcoBoost engine, delivering 240bhp, with direct fuel injection and a fly-by-wire throttle, coupled to a six-speed paddle-shift gear change. Confidence-inspiring handling comes from bespoke adjustable dampers, developed specifically for the car’s unique race-proven suspension arrangement.

It features a lightweight spaceframe chassis that’s been tested and approved to sportscar racing standards. Fully-floating 280mm disc brakes front and rear provide stopping power beyond the abilities of any other supercar. Despite a dry weight of only 725kg, the SL comes with trimmed bucket seats, a wraparound LCD dash, electrically-adjustable wing mirrors, cockpit heating and courtesy lighting.

More details about Tour Britannia and Targa Britannia can be found at the event website: www.tourbritannia.com and entry forms can be downloaded from the site.

Nürburgring, Germany, 17 May 2012 – 2011 GT Academy winner, Jann Mardenborough and reigning Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland Champion, Nick Tandy, stormed to respective poles in this afternoon’s qualifying sessions at the Nürburgring. In GT4, Team WFR did the double; Jody Fannin and Warren Hughes still managing to beat the ever-increasing GT4 field.

Qualifying One

Mardenborough recorded his pole time of 1:43.793 early into what would be a frantic session, with no less than five manufacturers qualifying in the top five places.

By the midpoint, Switzerland’s Danielle Perfetti (Motorbase Porsche) was close behind Mardenborough, and Andrew Howard in the Beechdean Aston Martin V12 Vantage was third. Winner last time out, Alasdair McCaig, looked set for a quick time and duly delivered with a 1:45.122, further proving the prowess of his Ecurie Ecosse BMW Z4.

Ginetta came to the Nürburgring with a number of changes for its two GT3 teams, Optimum Motorsport and Team WFR; making the most of these were talented Brits, LukeHines and Jody Firth. Hines suffered a broken gearstick during the first part of his fifteen minute session, but his team managed to fix it and send him out to post two quick laps that saw him finish sixth overall with a 1:45.293. Firth was rarely out of the top three and duly finished third, splitting Howard’s Aston Martin and Perfetti’s Porsche.

Quietly getting on with proceedings were David Jones (Preci-Spark Mercedes AMG SLS), Charles Bateman (United Autosports Audi R8 LMS), and Duncan Cameron, who finished as the top Ferrari in ninth. Jones and his twin brother, David pushed hard in their SLS, and Bateman struggled to break the top six, despite giving his all on the 4.6km GP circuit.

Rounding out the top ten was Freddie Hetherington in the JMH prepared Nissan GT-R, who struggled to get heat into his front tyres throughout the session.

After a difficult free practice session where his Ginetta G50 suffered technical difficulties and a puncture, Jody Fannin (Team WFR) was hoping for some good luck in qualifying. Luckily for the teenager, his opportunity for pole was not subjected to anymore issues, but it certainly wasn’t straightforward.

Italian team, Nova Race led the field initially through Marco Cassera, with Jota Sport’s Mark Ticehurst a tenth behind. Elsewhere, Zoe Wenham (CenturyMotorsport Ginetta G50) and APO Sport’s James May were exchanging times with sole Lotus Sport UK runner, Sailesh Bolisetti.

Welsh teenager, Jake Rattenbury qualified 22nd overall after switching to race with CWS 4×4 for the weekend in the GTC class. Rattenbury’s regular team, Stark Racing pulled out earlier in the week citing technical problems with its G55. Having got some clear track, Fannin returned with a sensational lap of 1:51.912, positioning directly him on the tail of the GT3 runners.

With minutes counting down on the clock it looked like Cassera and Ticehurst would join Fannin at the top of the GT4 class, however Wenham improved her time by almost three seconds to displace Cassera from second, a sensational achievement in her third GT race; this left Mowle in the Optimum prepared Ginetta third, Ticehurst fourth, and May fifth.

Rounding out the class was Bolisetti’s Lotus which was sporting a JPS style black and gold livery this weekend; L’Espace Bienvenu’s BMW suffered technical difficulties and it didn’t take part in either qualifying session.

Qualifying Two

With thebest of the day’s heat now beginning to disappear, drivers flooded the track as they sought a fast lap. Laying down the marker from the get-go was Jonny Adam in the Beechdean Aston Martin. Denmark’s fastest export, Allan Simonsen was hot on his heels, proving the Ferrari could provide a challenge this weekend. Motorbase’s Michael Caine and Team WFR’s Riki Christodoulou were behind Simonsen, and within 1.5 seconds of Adam’s time.

Trackspeed, noticeable by their absence from the top ten in the day’s first qualifying session were back with a vengeance; Richard Westbrook struck first blood, putting the Porsche second, before Caine struck back.

MTECH’s Matt Griffin had now had an opportunity to get a clear track and posted a time good enough for fifth. However, Griffin’s joy was to be short-lived as Joe Osborne (Trackspeed) jumped the MTECH car and the Ferrari of Simonsen too with a lap of 1:43.047.

Elsewhere George Murrells pushed his Optimum Ginetta G55 to 14^th, before being relegated to sixteenth by Marcel Leipert in the Rhino’s Leipert Lamborghini LP600+ and Godfrey Jones’ SLS.

On the up was Alex Buncombe, Mardenborough’s RJN team-mate was having little joy, but his fortunes would change with precious little time to spare. As the clock counted down, Buncombe rolled out two laps, both improvements on his previous best,moving his GT-R to tenth overall, where he would remain until the flag.

By this point, Tandy, in familiar surroundings, took pole with a lap of 1:41.691, making the most of his track time. Adam, Westbrook and Caine had nothing left to give and will start tomorrow’s race from second, third and fourth respectively.

Griffin narrowly kept ahead of the pacey Osborne, and Simonsen held onto seventh by six hundredths from the third Trackspeed car of Harvey. Early frontrunner Christodoulou was happy with ninth, in a much-improved Ginetta G55.

There was little drama in GT4 in the second qualifying session. With the temperature now significantly lower than twenty minutes prior, drivers were taking two laps to produce a hot lap. Making light work of this challenge was the experienced sports car hand, Warren Hughes (Team WFR).  Hughes chose his moment and made it count, having watched Alex Osborne in the APO Sport car top the times initially.

With theLotus now in the hands of Phil Glew, times tumbled, despite the former BTCCdriver having never driven the circuit before. However, Glew’s best wasn’t good enough this time around and he settled for second in class.

Osborne will line-up third, some 1.7 seconds ahead of Optimum’s Welsh youngster, Ryan Rafcliffe and fellow Welshman, Dominic Evans (Century Motorsport).

Foglio in the Nova Race Ginetta and Mildenhall’s Mazda were separated by over a second, and will line up sixth and seventh in class respectively. Colin White, in his CWS 4X4 GTC Ginetta was an impressive twentieth overall.

Tomorrow’s race is the first of two 60-minute sprint races this weekend, and it begins at 16:30 CET. Live text commentary is available on Twitter, and both races this weekend will feature on Radio Le Mans.

Quotes:

Jann Mardenborough, Pole Position, GT3 – Race Three:

“It was a difficult lap to do, but I dragged it out of the car. We made a lot of changes over practice, trying new stuff and gradually got quicker and quicker. Going into qualifying we felt the car was better than at Monza and Oulton, the RJN guys worked really hard and we’re thrilled to have our first ‘proper’ pole position. I won’t lie I definitely raced on GT5 before coming here in the wet, and the dry in a GT-R to get my eye in. It definitely helps.”

Jody Fannin, Pole Position, GT4 – Race Three:

“We’re seriously happy considering the diff went and we had a puncture, but we’re really looking forward to the races. Its an amazing atmosphere this weekend, its unreal. I can’t believe how many people are here for a Thursday! It’ll be great to race here on Saturday.”

Warren Hughes, Pole Position, GT4 – Race Four:

“That was great! It was a bit of a tricky session because of a problem earlier in the day meant I didn’t get any running in free practice. I’ve also never raced on this configuration, so it was very scrappy trying to figure that out with the pressure of qualifying and the traffic. I feel there’s another half a second to be had there, and we’re in good shape for the race. We’re happy with whatever the weather provides, we were competitive in Oulton in the wet, and despite the good pace the Lotus has in the wet, Jody and I are a good pairing.”

Race Three Top Ten Provisional QualifyingTimes:

GT3

1. Jann Mardenborough/Alex Buncombe RJN Motorsports Nissan GT-R 1:43.793

2. Andrew Howard/Jonny Adam Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin V12 Vantage 1:44.340

3. Jody Firth/Riki Christodoulou Team WFR Ginetta G55 1:44.554

4. Danielle Perfetti/Michael Caine Motorbase Porsche 997 GT3 R 1:44.556

5. Alasdair McCaig/Oliver Bryant Ecurie Ecosse BMW Z4 1:45.122

6. Luke Hines/George Murrells Optimum Motorsport Ginetta G55 1:45.293

7. David Jones/Godfrey Jones Preci-Speak Mercedes AMG SLS 1:45.370

8. Charles Bateman/Matt Bell United Autosports Audi R8 LMS 1:45.487

9. Duncan Cameron/Matt Griffin MTECH Ferrari 458 1:45.513

10. Freddie Hetherington/Benji Hetherington JMH Automotive Nissan GT-R GT3 1:46.438

GT4

1. Jody Fannin/Warren Hughes Team WFR Ginetta G50 1:51.868

2. Zoe Wenham/Dom Evans Century Motorsport 1:53.807

3. Marco Cassera/Piero Foglio Nova Race Ginetta G50 1:54.306

4. Lee Mowle/Ryan Ratcliffe Optimum Motorsport Ginetta G50 1:54.521

5. Mark Ticehurst/Owen Mildenhall Jota Sport Mazda MX-5 GT4 1:54.637

GTC

1. Jake Rattenbury/Colin White CWS 4X4 Ginetta G55 1:52.578

Race Four Top Ten Provisional Qualifying Times:

GT3

1. Steve Parish/Nick Tandy Motorbase Porsche 997 GT3 R 1:41.691

2. Andrew Howard/Jonny Adam Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin V12 Vantage 1:41.839

3. David Ashburn/Richard Westbrook Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3 R 1:42.809

4. Danielle Perfetti/Michael Caine Motorbase Porsche 997 GT3 R 1:42.889

5. Duncan Cameron/Matt Griffin MTECH Ferrari 458 1:43.011

6. Steve Tandy/Joe Osborne Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3 R 1:43.047

7. Hector Lester/Allan Simonsen Rosso Verde Ferrari 458 1:43.278

8. Jon Minshaw/Tim Harvey Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3 R 1:43.347

9. Jody Firth/Riki Christodoulou Team WFR Ginetta G55 1:43.618

10. Jann Mardenborough/Alex Buncombe RJN Motorsports Nissan GT-R 1:44.053

GT4

1. Jody Fannin/Warren Hughes Team WFR Ginetta G50 1:51.913

2. Sailesh Bolisetti/Phil Glew Lotus Sport UK Lotus Evora GT4 1:51.985

3. James May/Alex Osborne APOSport  Ginetta G50 1:52.657

4. Lee Mowle/Ryan Ratcliffe Optimum Motorsport Ginetta G50 1:54.412

5. Zoe Wenham/Dom Evans Century Motorsport 1:54.714

GTC

1. Jake Rattenbury/Colin White CWS 4X4 Ginetta G55 1:51.663

Almost 30 years on from their first encounter on track together, racing’s ‘rat pack’ of Damon Hill, Martin Donnelly, Julian Bailey and Perry McCarthy returned to Brands Hatch today, scene of many of their battles, for a practice session ahead of this Saturday’s (19 May) DTM-supporting VW Scirocco R-Cup race. They will also race alongside friend Mark Blundell and honoury member David Brabham, who fought through the ranks of Formula Ford and Formula 3 at the same time.

After an hour of acclimatising themselves to the LPG-powered cars, the four, who apart from Donnelly have all since retired from racing, got together to discuss their return in aid of 1996 World Champion Damon’s HALOW charity.

We spoke to them all about the weekend ahead:

Damon: It’s wonderful to make my racing comeback here. I love Brands Hatch, I was Champion of Brands in 1983 on bikes, which is one of my proudest achievements! I’ve won here on bikes and in cars and had some great times at Brands Hatch, it’s had a fantastic history and Jonathan Palmer’s done an excellent job of keeping Brands Hatch up there as a premier venue for motorsport in this country.

Julian: The circuit hasn’t changed very much but it is a lot tidier. It hasn’t really changed from a driver’s point of view.

Martin: Obviously the exit at Graham Hill bend has changed and Paddock Hill bend is a terror as you cannot run four wheels off anymore. Brands Hatch is great for spectators with a natural amphitheatre. For the drivers it’s really busy there is no chance to have a rest.

Perry: I don’t think you should modify the circuit, what I think they should do is give me a faster car so I can overtake!

Martin: I’ve asked for a heavy front bumper so I can push Perry out the way just like old times!

What does it feel like being back on track together?

Damon: It’s fun, it’s good fun. Everyone said they weren’t going to try hard and drive fast but they’re all doing that, so they’re up to their old tricks again!

Perry: I’ve just come back from a three week intensive training session in Tenerife before that I was skiing in Norway with the Commando unit.

Julian: I have been spending a lot less time in my pub.

Martin: Damon’s attitude was to just drive the car round but when you put the helmet on you get competitive.

Perry: We are talking about the 1996 F1 world champion here – a 22 Grand Prix winner and he has come back after a 12 year lay off really with minimal testing and hasn’t driven front wheel drive. For Damon he is setting himself up for a fall against these young lads and he is doing it to be with us the rat pack and to raise the profile for the charity and I think that is incredibly commendable. There will be a bit of ribbing between us but we can’t really say much to Damon as he did the job and made it to F1.

Who would they be putting their money on for the race?

Perry: My money would go on either Martin (Donnelly) or David (Brabham) from our pack.

Martin: Mark Blundell should be the best draw as he did it last year and knows what to expect. He has a bit of confidence in the car and the upper hand.

Julian: I would say Mark too as he has the most experience. The cars are not difficult to drive but they are quirky with paddle shifts and the boost button.

Damon: I think Perry seems to be very motivated, strangely, I don’t know why!

Finally, would this be their last outing together?

Martin: I sincerely hope not this is not the final outing for the rat pack. It depends how much entertainment we put on.

Julian: It depends how many cars Volkswagen will have left.

Perry: Everything has kicked off just as we thought and the banter is flowing. It is down to the joy that Volkswagen have in motorsport to provide a platform for us to be us again, so we need to thank them for that.

Damon: Yes, I’m going to do this weekend and move on!

Tickets for the DTM-supporting VW Scirocco R-Cup are available on the gate for £10 on Friday and £15 on Saturday, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.brandshatch.co.uk

The Maidstone Sports Cars race team have unveiled a special livery for their Lotus Exige race car, which is competing in this year’s Lotus Cup UK Championship. The livery is a design from acclaimed artist Damien Hirst.

The Maidstone Sports Cars Exige has already raced in the opening round of the MSVR-organised Lotus Cup UK Championship at Silverstone. Driven by Adrian Hall, the team qualified on pole position, before leading the early stages of the race.

The unveiling coincides with a Damien Hirst exhibition which has just opened at the Tate Modern, and will see the first major survey of Damien Hirst’s work to be held in the UK, presenting seminal works spanning 25 years of the artist’s career.

Andrew Marsh, Team Principal of Headcorn-based Maidstone Sports Cars explains ”The whole team feels privileged and honoured to be allowed to have a design from this world renowned artist displayed on our car.”

The Maidstone Sports Cars Exige liveried with the Damien Hirst design can be seen at all rounds of the Lotus UK Cup in 2012 and at various motorsport events throughout the year, starting with the DTM-supporting round on May 18-20 at Brands Hatch.

Damon Hill will make his racing comeback this May (Saturday 19) at Brands Hatch in the DTM-supporting Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup race. The 1996 Formula One World Champion has not competed since retiring in 1999 and he will be reunited on the track with racing friends Mark Blundell, Perry McCarthy, Julian Bailey, Martin Donnelly and David Brabham in the ultra competitive one make race series.

With the exception of Brabham – who has been given honorary ‘Rat Pack’ status for this race – the other five drivers are all members of the 80s racing gang who rose through the ranks of Formula Ford, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and into Formula One giving themselves the name ‘Rat Pack’. Through all the years of competition and ever since the drivers have remained close friends, with the period covered in McCarthy’s bestselling book ‘Flat Out, Flat Broke’.

Blundell raced for McLaren before tasting success in the US Champ Car Series and still races GT sportscars, whilst Bailey enjoyed good fortunes in the British Touring Car Championship and in sportscars before concentrating on stepson Jack Clarke’s racing career. Donnelly’s tenure in F1 was cut short by a huge accident at Jerez, famously documented in the recent Senna motion picture, leading him into team management and development work for Lotus. Still competing regularly in club racing, he is also entered for the Lotus Cup UK Championship race at the same meeting.

All are gathering together to enjoy some healthy competition while raising money for Damon Hill’s charity – HALOW. The project is dedicated to creating opportunities and supporting young people with a learning disability so that they are able to live independently. The charity is named after five young people, one of them being Oliver Hill, Damon’s eldest son.

“Perry, Julian and I are coming out of retirement for this race”, said Damon, “so we are sure to be pretty rusty. But it promises to be a great weekend for all friends and family to get together and a great way to draw attention to the aims and objectives of the charity. I am looking forward to it.”

McCarthy, who instigated the reunion, is convinced that they will all enjoy the experience even if some of the old rivalries return. “We are all really good friends,” said Perry, “and we have regular reunions. This one will be a bit more serious but we are all looking forward to it. I haven’t actually sat in a racing car for eight years so I don’t expect great things but it will be a lot of fun and we will be ready for a party when the chequered flag is waved.”

“When they asked me to race with all the Rat Pack I couldn’t say no,” said Blundell, who topped the Legends race in 2010 and finished third overall. “We are all such good mates there will be a lot of banter but don’t let that fool anyone, we are all going to be really racing out there.”

Tickets for the DTM at Brands Hatch featuring the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, are available in advance from £29 with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.brandshatch.co.uk

Competitors in the 2012 edition of Tour Britannia (6-8 June) will tackle 20 special stages and two races during two and a half days of intense competition following final sign off of the route for the eighth running of the classic race and rally tour.

As always the stages are interesting and novel, with four of the venues completely new to motorsport. There are unique variations at some venue, including the Harewood Hillclimb course being tackled in the opposite direction to normal. Meanwhile, the team at the event HQ hotel of Rudding Park in Harrogate is surfacing a new road in the grounds to be used on the first stage of the event.

Tour Britannia will visit 10 venues, with another new to Tour Britannia special stage venue confirmed as Blyton Park Driving Centre near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. “The stages for 2012 are new and interesting and should provide a great challenge and a lot of fun for our competitors,” said event director Alec Poole.

Full-on asphalt stages like Blyton Park, and another recent addition at Tockwith, contrast nicely with the beautiful parkland roads at Raby Castle and Aske Hall and the iconic stages at Harrogate and Newark Showgrounds. There really is something for everyone in the 2012 route.

Meanwhile, the organisers are dealing with a flurry of entries as the closing date approaches, including 2011 winner John Clark and rallying crew Tony Robinson and Jon Cropper in one of nine Porsches already on the entry list for the competition event.

In the concurrent regularity rally, a fabulous array of classic cars will compete, ranging from a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud to a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso and, marking the 50th anniversary of the model, an MGB. Also represented in the regularity entry are classic marques liker Porsche, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Austin Healey, Lancia and Bentley.

More details about Tour Britannia and Targa Britannia can be found at the event website: www.tourbritannia.com and entry forms can be downloaded from the site.

CELEBRITIES SET TO TEAR UP THE TARMAC AT THE 2012 SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

A host of celebrities were on hand at Silverstone race track yesterday (Wednesday 9 May) to launch the 2012 Silverstone Classic ‘Celebrity Challenge’. The race, which will take place on Saturday 21 July at the world’s biggest classic car racing festival, will see an all-star line-up competing in 130mph Morgan lightweight race cars around the famous Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

Celebrity drivers including Hollywood star Sir Patrick Stewart, Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott and Strictly Come Dancing’s Brendan Cole joined fellow racers Kelvin Fletcher (Emmerdale), Coronation Street’s Tony Hirst and ex-England footballer Steve Bull at yesterday’s launch. Other famous faces set to line up on the grid for the event, which is raising funds for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and the RPJ Crohn’s Foundation, include Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury, award-winning chef Heston Blumenthal, lifestyle guru Jo Wood, ‘Comedy Dave’ Vitty from Radio 1, Sky Sports presenter Vicky Gomersall and legendary rocker Brian Johnson from AC/DC.

Speaking at the launch Sir Patrick Stewart commented: “I’ve raced once before, in a pro-celebrity event on the Long Beach Grand Prix circuit in California – but that was ten years ago. I’ve been in retirement since then! When the chance to drive a great British sportscar here at Silverstone came up… well, what could be better? It was just irresistible. I’m looking forward to it immensely.”

Sir Patrick faces tough opposition from the likes of Brendan Cole who’s hoping to improve on last year’s third place finish. “Yeah, I had a little podium finish last time round… which was very nice,” said Cole, “but let’s just say second place is not an option this year! It’s going to be a big weekend – the Silverstone Classic is a massive event – and I’m really excited about it.”

The boys will have a race on their hands, though, because Chemmy Alcott is determined to give it her all. “When I took on the boys on the ski slopes they didn’t really like it so I want to see if the same applies on the race track,” she added. “I’ve been clocked at 92mph on a downhill run, but I’m planning to go a lot quicker in the car. It’s a fabulous opportunity to have some fun and raise money for charity at the same time. I’m so excited about being a racing driver for the day – it’s just going to be an amazing experience.”

SPECIAL RACES TO HONOUR TWO MOTOR SPORT GREATS AT JULY’S SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

Special races dedicated to the memory of two of motor sport’s most respected figures, Peter Gethin and Alan Mann, will be among the highlights of the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, this summer’s Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-22 July).

The Peter Gethin Memorial Trophy for howling, growling Formula 2 and Formula 5000 single-seater machinery (1960s-70s) plus the Alan Mann Trophy for evocative Under 2 Litre Touring Cars (1960s-70s) are sure to provoke plenty of emotion among public – already pre-sales are 31 per cent up on 2011’s event which attracted some 80,000 visitors, itself a record.

Gethin was renowned for his exploits in Formula 5000, winning back-to-back British titles in 1969 and 1970 plus the Tasman Series in 1974. He even used an F5000 car to upstage the Formula 1 teams in the then-annual Race of Champions event at Brands Hatch in 1973. Gethin is also famous for winning what remains the closest race in Formula 1 history – the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 1971. Meanwhile Mann set new standards in race car preparation that earned his Alan Mann Racing team official backing from automotive giant Ford and made it the outfit to beat in European and British saloon car racing in the mid-late Sixties. In addition, Mann’s squad was responsible for one of sportscar racing’s most stunning creations later that same decade, the Ford F3L.

Present at yesterday’s (Weds 9 May) Silverstone Classic media preview event were both men’s sons, Nick Gethin and Henry Mann – the latter will contest the U2TC race at the wheel of a Ford Lotus Cortina in the iconic red and gold colours made so famous by his father’s team.

Nick Gethin said his father, who passed away in December 2011, would have been moved by the tribute. He commented: “It’s just a lovely occasion and actually an absolute privilege to see and meet other drivers racing cars from that era and who want to carry on that spirit. The race will be a very emotional occasion for many people. My father would have been proud as punch and touched greatly that so many of his contemporaries thought so highly of him.”

Having lost his father in March, Henry Mann added: “Dad would have been chuffed. In the last ten years of his life it was always a great pleasure for him to meet up with old friends and see the old cars go round. He’d been out of racing for about 30 years but then, to suddenly find this revival in classic and historic cars and bump into some old friends and faces around the paddock – particularly at the Classic – was a big thing for him.

“The race for me will be quite a big deal. Normally I’d have called my father and asked for his advice on a few things but not having that now is a bit difficult. It will be emotional but hopefully he will be looking down approvingly. I’m not expecting any gentlemanly behaviour from my rivals and neither my father nor I would expect that. We’re racers at the end of the day.”

A closely-fought Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season heads north west to Cheshire’s Oulton Park circuit early next month (9-10 June), with no driver able to make a break from the field after the first three rounds.

Against the odds Jason Plato leads the standings in the brand new MG6 GT, but despite a disastrous start to the season, Gordon Shedden has closed the gap to just four points, with team-mate and reigning champion Matt Neal a further ten in arrears. Last year the Honda drivers clashed at Oulton Park, in one of the season’s standout moments!

Redstone Racing’s Mat Jackson and eBay Motors’ Rob Collard have also won races so far in 2012 and both are within 30 points of the championship leader, with 20 on offer for a win in each of the three races.

Meanwhile Andrew Jordan and Dave Newsham have claimed pole positions and challenged for victories but whilst both lay a few points further back, are aware that Oulton Park is a crucial round for their championship ambitions.

Also in the hunt for wins is Preston’s Frank Wrathall. The Toyota driver took a third place last time out at Thruxton, delivering on his promising form from last year and he can’t wait to get going at his home circuit. “I’m really looking forward to racing at Oulton Park on the back of Thruxton, which kick-started the season for us,” he said. “We’ll be aiming to build on the podium and get decent results, which is important at our local round. There is extra pressure on me as I’ll have so many supporters and friends making the effort to come along, but this makes me more determined to do well.”

Oulton Park is one of the BTCC’s best-attended rounds, with the challenging Cheshire circuit a favourite among drivers as it’s daunting bends and wild undulations make it notoriously difficult to post a fast lap time, favouring the best drivers. Just ten miles from the M6, spectators will be able to take advantage of big television screens at Cascades and Deer Leap, plus grandstand seating and attractions for all the family.

In addition to three intense BTCC races, there will be support action from the Ginetta GT Supercup and Ginetta Junior championships, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and the Renault Clio Cup, which features F1 champion Lewis Hamilton’s brother Nic, star of a recent BBC documentary programme.

Tickets for the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park on 9-10 June are available in advance from £13, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.oultonpark.co.uk

The Delphi British Truck Racing Championship will be appearing at Snetterton for the first time this August Bank Holiday (Sunday 26 and Monday 27), on the full 300 circuit. The championship, which attracts huge crowds to its two Brands Hatch events annually, has experienced strong growth in recent years.

Truck racing is one of the most spectacular forms of motorsport, featuring 1,000bhp machines that can out-drag a Porsche 911. The action is as fierce as anything seen in touring car racing, and the sight of the field heading along the Senna and Bentley straights will be something to behold!

The new Snetterton 300 circuit has been designed to promote exciting racing and with its panoramic spectator banks, fans will be able to watch almost all of the action, with the arena-like infield sure to be a popular viewing point. A practice and qualifying session on the Sunday, after the conclusion of the Citroen 2CV 24 Hour race, is followed by three races on the Monday

The championship is run to two divisions, with the top class dominated by rivals David Jenkins and Matt Summerfield. Jenkins is the reigning champion and has become a firm favourite with fans for his sideways driving style, whilst Summerfield is the early championship leader after a successful weekend in round two at Brands Hatch. Meanwhile the lower powered Division 2 trucks provide a closely fought contest with one point between leader Oly Janes and David Smith. Both championships are likely to remain tight by the time the series heads to Norfolk later in the summer.

MotorSport Vision Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: “I’m delighted to welcome the Delphi British Truck Racing Championship to Snetterton. The series has proven to be hugely popular at Brands Hatch thanks to the close and competitive nature of the racing and, of course, the spectacular machinery in action! The championship joins the British Superkart Grand Prix as another major new event to race at Snetterton since its transformation last year.”

Tickets for the Delphi British Truck Racing Championship at Snetterton on 26 and 27 August are available from £10 with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.snetterton.co.uk

Lloyd makes Porsche Carrera Cup GB history

Daniel Lloyd made a piece of Porsche Carrera Cup GB history at Thruxton (29 April) when he became the first Carrera Cup GB Scholarship driver to score a race victory in his Scholarship season.

Just six races into his Scholarship year, Lloyd swept to a sensational victory in truly challenging conditions. It was a performance that caught the attention of many experts, including ITV4 commentator Toby Moody, who described the race live. “The second Carrera Cup race at Thruxton was one of the best races I’ve commentated on for a while because it was in damp conditions with the guys on slick tyres,” said Moody. “For a Scholarship winner to win during his third race weekend was a little piece of history I was privileged enough to witness.”

For Huddersfield-based Lloyd (20), it was a landmark result. Former Scholarship drivers Michael Meadows and Euan Hankey both won races in the season following their Scholarship year, and Meadows currently leads the 2012 title race, but no Scholar has won as early in their Carrera Cup career as Lloyd.

“We’ve had massive ups and downs over the first three race weekends,” said Lloyd. “Everything is positive with my pace and how I’ve done, but we’ve yet to have that solid weekend. Again at Thruxton we didn’t think it was going to happen, because it just hasn’t been going our way.

“Going into the second race at Thruxton we went on slicks and the conditions were tough,” continued Lloyd. “But I got a fantastic start and went from eighth to second on the first lap. On lap five I lost my splitter just as it began to dry a bit and Michael Meadows began to catch me. Then it started raining again quite heavily, which evened things out a bit. It was just a hard race. All credit to Rory Butcher, he did a fantastic job leading without having anyone to chase. To bring the win home was just fantastic. It’s been an amazing start to the Carrera Cup. Everyone at Team Parker Racing has been unbelievable and everything is going really well.”

During the six-week break until the Oulton Park race weekend (9/10 June), Dan will take part in the Leeds Half Marathon on 13 May for his nominated charity, the Forget-Me-Not Children’s Hospice in Huddersfield. “It’s my first half-marathon,” said Lloyd. “I’ve run 10km before, so this will be the furthest I’ve ever run. It’s for a great local charity and it makes you realise how lucky you are.”

Lloyd wins Carrera Cup thriller at Thruxton

Daniel Lloyd scored a stunning debut Porsche Carrera Cup GB victory at Thruxton today (Sunday 29 April) in a thrilling round six of the championship. In a race of ever changing fortunes, run with slick tyres on a very slippery track, Lloyd battled ahead of long-time leader Rory Butcher as Glynn Geddie charged through to grab second place.

In a race where the entire field started on slicks on a damp track, and then had to cope with more rain mid-race, there was superb action all down the field as drivers battled successfully to stay on track. In Pro-Am1, Ahmad Al Harthy (Redline/Oman Air) completed a perfect weekend with another victory, while Tania Mann (SIBSport) gain scored maximum Pro-Am2 points after her first taste of racing in such conditions.

Butcher (Celtic Speed) is renowned for his pace in tricky conditions and he burst into the lead at the first corner as Lloyd (JD Pierce with Team Parker) turned in a monster opening lap to go from eighth on the grid to second place. Michael Meadows (Redline Racing) slotted into third, while Geddie (Redline Racing) charged through from 11th on the grid to hold sixth place behind Jonas Gelzinis (Juta Racing).

Despite losing the splitter from the front of his car on lap five, Lloyd maintained a dogged chase of Butcher and his prayers for more rain were answered mid-race. That mitigated the loss of the splitter somewhat and allowed him to stay close to Butcher as Meadows held a watching brief in third and Geddie hunted them all down.

Conditions mid-race were incredibly tough as the rain returned, but the driving standards were superb as Butcher fended off Lloyd. But Geddie was the big threat now, having demoted Meadows, and by lap 18 the leading trio were almost nose-to-tail. Out of Church a lap later, Butcher and Lloyd were side-by-side and they raced level up to the Chicane with Geddie close behind. Lloyd tried for the outside, but Butcher’s car snapped into a spin and Lloyd had to straight-line the chicane to avoid contact.

Now it was Lloyd leading under pressure from Geddie and the Carrera Cup Scholarship driver held on for a debut win by just half a second. “Rory did a great job leading,” said Lloyd. “When he spun I had nowhere to go: it’s just fantastic to get my first win.” “We needed that result,” said Geddie after his best drive of the season to date.

Butcher had given his all in supremely tough conditions and completed the podium as Meadows ran home fourth. “That was about championship preservation,” said Meadows, who had wisely opted to make sure of another strong finish rather than take big chances. Ben Barker (Parr Motorsport) and Gelzinis completed the top six.

Al Harthy again won Pro-Am1 from seventh overall, having raced well clear of a long tussle between Oly Mortimer (GT Marques) and Victor Jimenez (Redline/Oman Air). “That’s been the toughest weekend I’ve had in the Carrera Cup,” said Al Harthy. “The conditions were incredible, and we’ve had two really strong results.”

Round six results:
Pro category: 1 Daniel Lloyd; 2 Glynn Geddie; 3 Rory Butcher
Pro-Am1 category: 1 Ahmad Al Harthy; 2 Oly Mortimer; 3 Victor Jimenez
Pro-Am2 category: 1 Tania Mann

Meadows dominates Carrera Cup GB round five at Thruxton

Michael Meadows dominated round five of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton today (Sunday 29 April) to score his fourth win from five races as dreadful weather conditions made it one of the toughest races in the 10-year Carrera Cup history.

Meadows drove a superb race as heavy rain and wind made for a truly challenging race and the fact that every car finishing unscathed was testament to the skill of the drivers. Ahmad Al Harthy claimed another Pro-Am1 win, while Tania Mann bagged maximum points in Pro-Am2 after her first experience of racing in the rain.

With the track awash, the race started behind the safety car to allow drivers to explore the conditions. After three laps, the pace car peeled off and the race started in earnest. Richard Plant (Team Parker Racing) jumped Meadows (Redline Racing) and was actually ahead before they reached the start line. But Meadows bided his time and edged ahead as they raced through the Complex for the eighth time.

Once ahead, Meadows quickly built his lead and was able to ease back over the closing stages as the rain continued. “I didn’t get a great start, but once I got ahead it was a lot easier,” said Meadows. “But the conditions were terrible,” he said after extending his overall championship lead.

Plant soon came under attack from Ben Barker (Parr Motorsport) and a trip across the kerbs removed the front splitter from Plant’s car. That left Plant powerless to defend and Barker took second before the chasing Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) closed in and took third from Plant. “There was zero visibility when running behind another car,” said Barker after a strong drive. “Once I got past Richard it was a lot easier.”

Butcher revelled in the rain to claim a deserved overall podium from sixth on the grid. “That was worse than Knockhill,” he said of the conditions after a first class performance. Plant battled home fourth, which was scant reward for his early race pace. Like Plant, Daniel Lloyd (JD Pierce with Team Parker) had to contend with no front splitter which seriously affects the car’s handling in the fast corners, but he claimed fifth at the flag.

Al Harthy (Redline/Oman Air) always set the pace in Pro-Am1 and took sixth overall as well as a resounding category victory. He spent many laps tracking Chris Dymond (Parr Motorsport) and finally worked ahead on the final lap. “I think I was faster than him, but I just couldn’t see anything,” said Al Harthy.

Further back, Oly Mortimer (GT Marques) battled hard to take second in Pro-Am1 after a lengthy challenge from Victor Jimenez (Redline/Oman Air). “It wasn’t the amount of grip that was the problem, it was the standing water,” said Mortimer. Jimenez lost his splitter later in the race, but the chasing Derek Pierce (JD Pierce with Team Parker) suffered the same problem and was not able to challenge the Spanish driver for the final Pro-Am1 podium place.

“That was my first race in the rain: I couldn’t see a thing,” said Mann (SIBSport) after she coped remarkably well in the conditions to stay in touch with the Pro-Am1 cars and claim another Pro-Am2 maximum score.

Round five results:
Pro category: 1 Michael Meadows; 2 Ben Barker; 3 Rory Butcher
Pro-Am1 category: 1 Ahmad Al Harthy; 2 Oly Mortimer; 3 Victor Jimenez
Pro-Am2 category: 1 Tania Mann

Barker wins Michelin award in Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton

Ben Barker is the third Porsche Carrera Cup GB racer of the season to benefit from Michelin’s on-going support of the championship by winning a set of tyres this weekend at Thruxton (28/29 April).

At the start of his first full season in the Carrera Cup GB, Barker is already showing front-running pace despite an accident in the second race at Donington Park last time. With his Parr Motorsport car rebuilt, Barker qualified third and then fourth for the two races at Thruxton. Sunday’s round five will be his first race at the high-speed Hampshire track.

Having been the control tyre supplier for the Carrera Cup GB for ten seasons since the championship was created in 2003, Michelin is once more supporting the teams and drivers with the award of a complete set of slick racing tyres at each event. Before the start of testing, a name is drawn from a hat to receive the tyres, with a value of more than £1200.

Meadows takes double Carrera Cup GB pole at Thruxton

Michael Meadows completed a perfect run of six pole positions on the trot for the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton today (Saturday 28 April) by setting the standard for rounds five and six of the 2012 championship. In changing weather conditions, Meadows and the Redline Racing team judged it perfectly to end the qualifying session on top.

Meadows changed to slick tyres at just the right moment as the track became less wet in the closing stages of qualifying. He was the only driver to post two laps under the 1m20s mark and duly claimed another two pole positions. In pro-Am1, Ahmad Al Harthy made it a great day for Redline Racing with two poles, while Pro-Am2 runner Tania Mann (SIBSport) qualified in among the Pro-Am1 pack on her first experience of driving a 911GT3 Cup in the wet.

Initially, everyone went out on wet tyres and it was Rory Butcher (Celtic Speed) who set the pace. But as the half-hour session progressed the track dried a little and Meadows was one of the first to opt for slicks. It proved to be a smart move and he maintained his unbroken 2012 run of poles. “We set the car believing it would dry and I got five laps on the slicks,” said Meadows. “We always planned to do two three-lap runs on wets and then change to slicks.”

Meanwhile, Richard Plant (Team Parker Racing) stayed on wets for the session and was second for round five and sixth for round six. “It was a bit of a lottery: it was a knife edge,” said Plant. Butcher bagged his best ever Carrera Cup grid position with second for round six and will start sixth for round five. “That was quite a stressful session,” said Butcher. “The next lap on the slicks would have been good, but the chequered flag was out.”

In a good session for Parr Motorsport, Ben Barker was third and then fourth, with Chris Dymond taking an excellent fourth for the opening race. “I went to slicks early and got a good lap in, but I wondered if it was the right way to go,” said Dymond. Jonas Gelzinis (Juta Racing), Daniel Lloyd (JD Pierce with Team Parker) and Sam Tordoff (Team Parker Racing) all claimed top six positions across the two grids in a session of ever-changing fortunes.

In Pro-Am1, Al Harthy (Redline/Oman Air) clinched both poles having traded 35 degree temperatures in his home country for six degrees at Thruxton. “We went to slicks at the end but I really wasn’t sure if it was the right way to go. The team got me back out in amazingly quick time,” said Al Harthy. Second in Pro-Am1 in both sessions was Oly Mortimer (GT Marques) after a strong performance, while Victor Jimenez (Redline/Oman Air) was third for both races after his first time in the wet.

Round five grid:
Pro category: 1 Michael Meadows (1m19.087s); 2 Richard Plant (1m19.817s); 3 Ben Barker (1m19.898s). Pro-Am1 category: 1 Ahmad Al Harthy (1m20.819s); 2 Oly Mortimer (1m22.747s); 3 Victor Jimenez (1m22.867s).
Pro-Am2 category: 1 Tania Mann (1m25.568s).

Round six grid:
Pro category: 1 Michael Meadows (1m19.550s); 2 Rory Butcher (1m21.257s); 3 Jonas Gelzinis (1m21.517s).
Pro-Am1 category: 1 Ahmad Al Harthy (1m22.208s); 2 Oly Mortimer (1m22.994s); 3 Victor Jimenez (1m24.738s).
Pro-Am2 category: 1 Tania Mann (1m26.255s).

Snetterton doesn't have many trees, but one of the ones it does have is a scary tree.

Many people regard Snetterton as the poor relation to the other UK circuits, usually saying it always rains and its a long way away (it’s only 20 minutes away for me!)

Motorsport Artist and Snetterton expert Andrew Kitson has provided some facts about Snetterton, which many readers may not realise.

Snetterton is a former war time airfield, chosen because of being a large area of flat ground with little cover.    All airfields have similar weather patterns and a prevailing wind is desirable!    Other airfield circuits such as Silverstone, Thruxton, Castle Combe or Croft can be windy too.  However, it is Snett that gets the bad press – entirely undeserved.

As Andrew says: “I’ve been at Brands when it was snowed off, to Silverstone when Peterson spun off in the snow, to Mallory when I couldn’t feel my toes for a week afterwards and the wettest I’ve ever been was Donington. All UK circuits have bad weather! All have baking hot days too as does Snett…with little shade and few trees.”

He continues: “The ‘reputation’ is not helped by the fact that some of the early 60′s, the big events including F1 races were held in the early part of the season”.   The weather anywhere in the UK in March is likely to be poor.   However, the archive photos will always show the likes of Jim Clark and Graham Hill, at Snetterton in the wet.   Yet, the summers were often glorious.

Statistically East Anglia is one of the driest regions of the UK.

Snetterton often gets overlooked too for its importance. No, it never hosted a Grand Prix as Donington, Silverstone or Brands have. But the circuit has been so important for the industry and a place where great young drivers learn their trade. In the past week, the radical new Nissan Delta Wing has tested and the movie ‘Rush’ has been filmed with many historic F1 cars.

There is always something interesting going on…

Just some of the many firsts:

1952 The great Archie Scott Brown recorded his first ever race win in his MGTD.

1955 Harry Schell records the first ever win for a Vanwall F1 car.

1957 Jim Russell opens the world’s first racing drivers school.

1962 The first win for the Coventry-Climax V8 in Jim Clark’s F1 Lotus 24

1963 The first appearance on a race track of a Lotus Indycar, the type 29

1964 The only victory for the BRP-BRM F1 car driven by Innes Ireland

1964 Jackie Stewart makes his single seater debut in F3, winning easily.

1965 The first test of Jim Clark’s Indy 500 winning Lotus 38

1966 The first on track filming, tuition and testing for the film ‘Grand Prix’

1967 The first ever F2 Championship race, won by Rindt.

1967 The first test on a race track of the Lotus 49 and Ford DFV engine.

1967 The first time a Formula Ford car is seen in a race.

1968 James Hunt makes his single seater debut in FF.

1969 Emerson Fittipaldi records his first victory in Europe, in FF.

1971 Jody Scheckter records his first victory in Europe, in FF.

1972 The first ever Formula Ford Festival is held in November.

1973 The first ever Formula Renault race in the UK, not seen again until 1989.

1973 The first ever ‘all’ night races in the UK..starting and finishing in the dark.

1980 Britain’s first ever 24 hour race, The Willhire 24 hr.

1981 Ayrton Senna’s first test in the UK, in Van Diemen FF.

1985 The world’s first all lady single seater race.

1985 The first test of a Jaguar Group C car.

1989 The UK’s longest ever race on a closed circuit, The Willhire 25 hr.

2001 The first test of a modern era Bentley Le Mans car.

2010 The biggest ever collection of Lotus F1 cars in one place, 35.

2012 The first test in Europe of the Nissan Delta Wing

2012 Filming at Snetterton for Ron Howard’s ‘Rush’ film

Many, many other famous cars first turned a wheel testing at Snetterton. Great importance ( and not always raining..! )

Thanks to Andrew for this information.

If you are looking to start your own career in motor racing, then here are a few tips that will help you on your way, and ensure you enjoy yourself while doing so. When you are just starting out, remember that it is not so much about the winning, as the enjoyment of being able to drive in a race. The experience and the atmosphere is very exciting, so concentrate on this feeling and you will be able to enjoy yourself whatever the outcome of each race. If you have this attitude, instead of putting mountains of pressure on yourself to win, you will have a much more positive attitude. This will reflect well on your enjoyment, as well as that of others around you.

When you are just starting out, talk to experienced racers who can give you tips and advice about the lifestyle you will be leading and the amount of skills required. To become a racing driver, a lot of practice is required, whether it is simply improving your driving skills in a car insured from somewhere like http://www.rac.co.uk/breakdown-cover/ or learning specific racing techniques. Take the time to learn about the technical aspects of racing and everything that goes along with this activity. The more effort you put in at this stage, the greater your rewards will be when you get the chance to compete in a big race.

However, before you do this it is also important to study the rules of racing well. Get to know what types of cars are acceptable and how drivers are expected to behave before, during and after a race. If you have any questions, then ask them well in advance of the race and you will be able to accommodate any changes that you may need to make. Once you are fully prepared, get out there with a positive attitude and enjoy the experience of racing.

Article submitted by RAC

Pic: Norwich Photo

The 2012 F3 Cup Championship started at Oulton Park three weeks ago at a very wet Oulton Park and the weather looks to be very similar for rounds 3 and 4 at Donington Park.

F3 Cup has a practise session on Saturday, and qualifying and two races on the Sunday.