Photo: Josh HillBob McMurray writes.....
And so it begins…………
Not sure I was the first to invent that little statement but it seems somehow fitting that the 2012 TRS season is now properly underway.
Wednesday at the track was reserved for those drivers who had not previously tested a TRS car but today, Thursday, the three test sessions were open to all the drivers present.
Those not here include Mitch Evans, who will only drive at the Hampton Downs event and Frenchman Nathanael Berthon who will arrive at the track on Friday due to other commitments.
He will be allowed to run by special dispensation on Saturday morning so will face a very stiff learning curve if he is to score meaningful points for the series championship.
The day started overcast and the track damp but by the time the second session got underway it was almost dry and slick racing tyres (instead of the wet weather tyres) were on everyone’s car.
Session 2 was interrupted by a couple of red flags with drivers exploring the limits of the car around this fast and technical track.
Obviously those two drivers, who I will not name just yet but will do in the days to come if similar excursions take place, explored just a little too much of the track and found the gravel. No real damage and no real harm done apart from the obligatory gravel rash to the FT40 chassis.
Car 16 driven by Hannes van Asseldonk was visibly fast with local boy Damon Leitch close behind but this is an exploratory test day so times are comparatively immaterial but we already have the top six cars within one second.
I wrote recently that the TRS paddock is not only awash with prospective F1 drivers but highly respected engineers from all over the world.
My wife Shaune, who is also at the event this weekend asked me if I had seen my old mate Peter Collins in the paddock. I had already met up with another old friend, Dave Stubbs, who is an ex Williams F1 Grand Prix Racing team manager and ex A1GP Team Netherlands team manager but had not seen Peter Collins.
That was soon rectified at a mid paddock ‘Old Farts’ reunion.
To let you know something of Peter’s vast history in motorsport he has worked for Dan Gurney in the USA, Team Lotus as team manager under Colin Chapman, a team that he subsequently went on to part own, Williams team manager, Benetton F1 team manager and more recently a driver manager encouraging new talent.
He is also, very importantly, a great advocate of the TRS for both international and domestic drivers.
I will try and hunt out more ‘paddock personalities’ as the season progresses.
So, session three began in dry weather and at a frantic place.
Almost as if points were being awarded today in fact.
These boys, and girl, seem in a real rush to establish their credentials
Now that one second gap remarkably extended to the top twelve drivers.
New Zealand’s Jono Lester being the twelfth man.
Top of the time sheets was Austrian Lucas Auer but his sheet was slightly blotted by immediately going off track and bringing out the final red flag of the day.
Not too much damage done with just one front wheel askew.
So, after just one day of communal testing the pace is rapidly hotting up and the promised and hoped for close competition for the 2012 Toyota Racing Series looks to be a very real prospect.
Let us all hope that the weather will also hot up.
More later…….
Bob McMurray
TRS Ambassador
