9th April 2017

On Sunday the 9th of April I arrived at Knockhill on a very bright morning, one that could be regarded as ‘warm’ for Knockhill. After official testing on Saturday It was now time for my first ever car race. It was to be a day of “Firsts”: My first Qualifying session in cars, First standing start and First race in cars. However, I couldn’t wait for the day to get underway. After not racing since my last kart race in the British Super One Championship in August 2015 this weekend was one that I had been counting down to for what felt like an eternity! I also knew it was going to be a very steep learning curve ahead but I couldn’t wait to get started.

Going into Sunday I knew that I was at a slight disadvantage due to the very limited running I had beforehand. We also had a few mechanical issues on Saturdays testing which meant I was going into race day unsure of where we really were pace wise. However, the team at Graham Brunton Racing managed to diagnose the problem on Saturday night ready for qualifying on Sunday morning.

Qualifying was my first proper session in the car where I could rely on the car and push more. As it was my first Qualifying session I wanted to make sure I had a good solid session with my times getting faster each lap. In the end, I was P8 which the team and I were pleased with.

Going into my first race I knew the start was going to be crucial to get out of trouble at the first corner and progress up through the grid. Due to mechanical issues on Saturday I hadn’t managed to practise a standing start beforehand so my first standing start was going to be in my first race. However, I had a great start which set me up well for the first corner. However, I then dropped back a few places to P10. As the race went on I fought my way back through to finish in P6. The team and I were very happy with how Race 1 went as I felt I gained a lot of experience and put in a solid performance.

Going into Race 2 I knew what to expect and I was looking forward to climbing further up the grid. I had another good initial start but caught some wheel spin and dropped back slightly going into the first corner which compromised me a few places. As the race progressed I had good solid pace and found myself making my way up through the field nearer to the front. It was looking like a very strong finish until another driver spun, collecting me, as I was overtaking them. Unfortunately, the damage sustained from the collision meant I was side lined for the rest of the race. Even though it was a very frustrating end to what was a great first day racing cars I was very happy with the results earlier in the day and the experience I had gained in qualifying and both races.

I am now really looking forward to the next round of the championship at Knockhill in a month’s time and also progressing forward as the year progresses.