silv001

Silverstone Race 1st April

And so to battle once more....... A new season is here and I have a new driving partner in the shape of Mike Jordan. Mike is a very accomplished and professional peddler but he has not had very much seat time in what is to him a new car. By all accounts though he has enjoyed his time in it…. We’ve only actually had one test day, which was at Donington with a wrecked splitter (painful!) We were both under the lap record though so it was a productive day.
Coming to Silverstone for the first race though is different – “the b$Ł&%!! stops when the flag drops ……” or of course when the lights change... The team was split with the FIA effort taking the bulk of the resource to Monza. This is always potentially hazardous if you encounter any problems so I was hoping that these were going to be minimum.

First practice was wet on the Friday and didn’t tell us much but it dried up in the afternoon and we both concurred that the handling was far from ideal despite being second and third fastest overall. We would have to make sure adjustments before qualifying on the morrow.

This we did but could not actually tell much as it was wet for the first qualifying as well! Bad timing on moving from wets to slicks as the track dried left us in a lowly eighth position but the forecast was thankfully dry for the afternoon. Unfortunately though it was the GTO’s turn to have their own ten minutes at the start so we would have to qualify amidst the traffic. Mike posted a low 1.20 which put us on the front row with the Viper and we both sighed with relief …. I didn’t fancy starting eighth.

Race day was dry and sunny (unbelievably!) and we finally rolled out onto the track just after 4 o’clock. As the lights changed I slotted behind one of the TVR’s and the Viper. Second to third – not a good start Warnock! I then had an entertaining view as the TVR struggled to get past the Chrysler machine. I nearly snuck through on a couple of occasions but decided discretion was the better part of valour.
The TVR eventually did get through and I moved up to the Viper to do the same. He wasn’t having any of it though and his superior speed out of the corners was proving problematic for me. I followed closely for a few more laps (conscious that the TVR was stretching its legs ahead) and saw two places of weakness. I decided on one and went for it successfully completing the move into Priory.

I then started to reel the “Blackpool Beast” in – I managed to shrink the gap to 1.5 seconds before I was called to pit. Although it was just into the window it was still the best time to pit rather than involving ourselves in a fight for the lead at that stage of the race. In theory we should have been quicker in the pits....
As it happened our pit stop was awful despite all of our practising and then poor old Mike stalled. I was frustrated to say the least, as much of the hard work from the stint had been lost. Fortunately for us the TVR had an even worse stop and Mike took the lead.

He then commanded the race from this position as the others fought for second. I think he really enjoyed himself!

I was delighted as it was my car’s first win. We led in Suzuka and Spa before retiring and came second at the rain shortened race at Silverstone last year. Hopefully the luck from the “old dog” (what they unfairly call the old black car) has rubbed off on mine. I sure hope so. Next stop Snetterton where I would hope to improve on last years disaster…..