It had been spitting with rain and I committed to the high downforce nosecone. Bad decision. The front gripped like anything but the back stepped out on the fast corners so I got detuned pretty quick. We stayed on slicks. 1'21.123 was a second faster than last year but only 22nd out of 26 cars.

The Race

I went back to the low downforce nosecone and changed the shock absorber setting to get rid of the stepping out at the back. Worked fine and the car felt more stable.

Lovely fun, even from the back. It seemed like good driving all round. I got past Peter Burnham at Seer Corner on lap 2 or 3 but it seems as though there was a yellow flag. I apologised to Peter afterwards but the marshalls apparently did not notice. The a few laps later I got past Simon Kelly under braking into the Russell chicane. That was fun. By that time Des Andrews had got away, and the Peter Burnham started coming up behind me. The chequered flag intervened before Iost the place.

Not bad overall considering how off tune I feel about the place.

Statistics: Qualifying
 

Circuit	Snetterton	Fastest test lap	no testing
Conditions	Dry 18°	Previous personal best	1'22.401 in Ian Megson's Mallock 18BW 30 Sept 01 and 1'22.332 in my car 11 Nov 01
Fastest qualifying lap	1'21.123 (86.62 mph)	Qualified in position	22 out of 26

Statistics: Race
 

Finishing position	19	Number of cars at start	26
Average speed	85.43 mph	Number of cars finished	24
Conditions	Dry 22°	Fastest race lap	1'19.829
Number of laps behind	same lap		Good dices with Des Andrews, Ian Crombie, Peter Burnham and Simon Kelly

Paddock Chat

Simon Hill (and a very beautiful girl firend) had a horse box adapted with ramps to take his No.51 Hot Hatch. Now I wonder... we have a horsebox, with lovely sleeping accomodation and a shower. Would Susie notice if it wasn't there sometimes?
 

Championship table      Official race report