Martin Galpin | Racing Driver | number66.net

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Brands Hatch is absolutely awesome. On Saturday we achieved our first championship podium only to retire the next day with a stuck throttle. The weekend, which began with general testing on Friday, has seen us move from feast to famine but I’m not at all worried. After all our problems this year, I think that maybe, just maybe, we have them all fixed.

Friday ” Testing

Before the final ten minutes of the day I probably would have said it was a waste. We missed the first session with a pedal problem (possibly an omen ” the throttle was sticking), then were horribly off the pace in the second. The engine sounded rough – we had a misfire, it was hesitating, I had new brake discs and unscrubbed rear tyres. Then, make things that little bit worse, we were also pouring out oil.

Over lunch we changed carburettor. After adjusting almost everything for an answer to our power problem, this was the next logical step. It’s dƒ©but was worse than what it replaced. The float was not right and was suffering from fuel surge, causing a loss in revs. Back in the pits, with further oil loss we continued to search. Despite this, one thing was evident and that was that the carburettor was better with pick-up from slow corners.

After yet more adjustments, we made it out for the final few minutes of the day. Realising we were running out of time I pushed, and to my relief, there was more life in the engine. We finished the day just under a second off last years pole time, which around Brands Hatch is an awfully long time. At the time it was not obvious, but as conditions were so hot which meant tyres were overheating, ours were amongst the quickest of the day.

Unfortunately, the oil kept on coming and we replaced yet another rocker gasket. Our day was done, and we were not in high spirits.

Saturday ” Qualification

Qualifying was somewhat the same story. I went out early to set times on a clear track but by lap five I went off on my own oil and retired to the pits. Unsure about where my times would put me and considering I did far fewer laps than the others I was pretty pleased with fourth on the grid. Similarly, I was 8/100th of a second off the front row, and 3/10th off pole. Just like at Cadwell Park, I felt that if I had finished the session, I would have had my first pole position.

Race one

Saturday was the hottest day of the year and on that everyone will agree. It was blistering in shorts but under a three-layer fire proof-suit and inside the cockpit of an air-cooled racing car, it was even worse.

I got away from the line well but starting on the outside, I could only get level with Hughes going into Druids for the first time. This allowed Buxton up into fourth and I came back at him into Clearway’s. We touched wheels, leaving my tracking just slightly off centre but losing neither of us any time. As is typical of Brands, it was a six car train for the opening laps.

Next time around, Sam Oliveria spun at Clearway’s and suddenly it was anybody’s race. I got past Hughes at Druids and it was now Buxton, Hands, Donn, myself and Hughes for the win. We were all visibly struggling with overheating tyres and we had probably all worked them too hard in the early part of the race. I was particularly struggling out of Clearway’s as a lack of traction meant the inside wheel was spinning until well past the pit lane entrance.

By lap ten Hughes had dropped back leaving just Buxton, Hands, Donn and myself. We were separated by less than a second – Buxton and Hands exchanging the lead whilst Donn and I were in contention but struggling too much to threaten at this stage.

I could close the gap between Paddock Hill Bend and Surtees, but my exit from Clearway’s was compromising any chance of getting alongside Donn.

Two laps later and Hands retired with gravel blocking his carburettor and now there was just three. Time was running out and I was taking risks trying to get up to the lead. The penultimate lap ended what chance I had as a back marker shut the door into Graham Hill Bend, losing me seconds. Consequently, the final lap I admit was at 99%. The tyres were shot, my steering off centre and I had a deficit of more than three seconds to pull back. I crossed the line in 3rd, still well within sight of Buxton and Donn but content with the result.

Sunday ” race two

After Saturday’s race, there was still oil from the engine everywhere. It had lasted the distance, but not by much. A quick look over from Alan Woodward (the A in GAC) and he found the cause. The oil breathe pipe was blocked, meaning an increase in oil pressure in the engine. That is why different gaskets would go ” it was whichever was weakest at the time.

So as I lined up, again 4th on the grid, I was pretty confident that it would be a trouble free race. I made another decent start, this time I was even further alongside Hughes into Paddock but I still could not get the inside line up to Druids. I hung it out alongside him around the hairpin but in the dry you will always have to yield at the exit.

We held position for the first laps as the train began to form again. This time it was Oliveria from Donn followed by Hughes and myself, Hands from Buxton with Farmer at the rear. Buxton was on the move and made a lunge on me into Druids after passing Hands earlier in the lap. I gave him room and didn’t fight the position because at this stage I thought it more important to keep on terms with the leaders.

Next time around I got slightly wide on entry to Paddock, ran onto the marbles and was very sideways down the hill. I ran over the gravel at the exit, but lost very little time. The train had begun to spread out but within another two laps it was back together, nose to tail, although this time in a different order.

On lap four Buxton and Hands went side by side into Paddock Hill Bend and I hung back to get a run on them both up to Druids. As I eased back the throttle pedal with my right foot, and began to squeeze the brake with my left, the throttle did not come back. It was still wide open as I jumped on brake pedal with more pressure than I ever have done before, I flipped the ignition switch with my right hand and threw the car sideways with my left. A rough ride though the gravel trap ended about six feet from the wall. Race over and an exciting moment at what is one of the fastest corners in British motorsport.

I was soon joined by Farmer, whom narrowly missed my car with a similar excursion through the gravel trap and then later by Robinson who had the most enormous of crashes at the top of the Hill. He went in sideways, very, very hard and at completely unabated speed after literally skipping over the gravel trap. Thankfully, he was okay but it brought out the red flag and the race was declared.

Sam Oliveira held on for the win, Donn taking second and Hands third. The once seven car train had, through attrition and just like Saturday, finished as three after Farmer and myself departed at Paddock Hill Bend and Buxton had another coming together, this time with John Hughes at Druids.

It was disappointing because I think I was defiantly on the right strategy. I was comfortable in fourth, even fifth, as I was not working the tyres and we were nose to tail up to the lead anyway. I knew that somebody would fall-off and those who were going harder than me at the front would be vulnerable when I picked up the pace towards the end. I didn’t get the chance, and that’s that. It could have been worse ” considering the exit I had the car could be wrecked, or the engine could have blown (I didn’t de-clutch, I switched the ignition off) or even worse, I could have been hurt.

I have lost count how many times I have heard of a stuck throttle this year in Formula Vee. At Castle Combe it cost Neale Hurren a broken leg, and since then I have rehearsed what I would do if it happened to me. I’m glad I did that now, and I suggest that everybody else does the same. Try moving from the wheel to the ignition a couple of times so that if it does happen, it is automatic and you do not have to think. It really could save your life.

Overall

The weekend was a funny one. On Saturday three of the the top four were GAC cars ” on Sunday not a single GAC finished. I can’t be disappointed overall, because which ever way you look at it, we really were right on the pace, more so than we ever have been. With a new carburettor, and no oil leaks I honestly believe I have an engine at least as good my rivals ” finally!

For me, the weekend further emphasises qualifying as crucial to winning outright. Had I finished qualifying, and had I been on pole I think I would have been hard to beat.

In two weeks time we return to the picturesque Cadwell Park, Linconshire, for rounds 9 & 10 of the championship

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