MSA magazine, winter 2015

Insight

WINTER 2015

AUSTI N A 3 ACADE5 MY Single you ca -make histo rics n’t hel Page 4p but love

0

THE

MAGAZINE FOR BRITISH MOTOR SPORT

RALLYING

SAVING OUR SPORT Charting the challenge of a vital safety crusade

RALLYCROSS SPECIAL

Tom’s change of scene How GT racer Onslow-Cole took the rough with the smooth on RX prize-drive debut PLUS Meet Britain’s five-star champion

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR COMPETITORS BUYERS’ GUIDE: HEAD AND NECK PROTECTION PLACE NOTES: ON THE ROAD AT CRAIGANTLET DISCOVER AUTOCROSS: BUDGET FUN IN A FIELD

001 Cover DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:00

this issue

Contents 05 Forum

Editor’s letter and Twitter chatter

ON THE

06 Action replay

COVER

Kris Meeke on Wales Rally GB Insight

WINTER 2015

AUSTIN A35 ACADEM Y

09 Briefing

Single-make historics you can’t help but love Page

All the latest news from the MSA

40

THE

MAGAZINE FOR BRITISH

MOTOR SPORT

18 Opinion

RALLYING

SAVING OUR SPORT of

Cheryl Lynch on the success of the Race ’n’ Respect campaign

Charting the challenge a vital safety crusade

RALLYCROSS SPECIAL

ange Tom’s ch of scene

22 Cover story

-Cole took How GT racer Onslow on the rough with the smooth RX prize-drive debut PLUS Meet Britain’s five-star champion

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE

We join RX Talent Search winner Tom Onslow-Cole on his rallycross debut at Istanbul Park, Turkey

FOR COMPETITORS

N AND NECK PROTECTIO ET BUYERS’ GUIDE: HEAD ROAD AT CRAIGANTL PLACE NOTES: ON THE BUDGET FUN IN A FIELD S: DISCOVER AUTOCROS

27/11/2015 11:00 001 Cover DS.indd 1

What a ride. It’s been so emotionally up and down with massive highs and lows. The learning curve is so steep in rallycross p22

30 Julian Godfrey

Meet the newly crowned five-time British Rallycross Champion

22

32 Simon Blunt

One of the MSA’s own takes the plunge in rallycross

34 Discover Autocross Budget motor sport can never be more ‘grass roots’ than this…

40 HRDC Academy

One-make historic racing? It works for ‘pocket rocket’ Austin A35s

42 Rally Safety

The challenge organisers must meet for British rallying’s future

48 Vital Stats

Tom Walker’s amazing Amilcar

30

34

CONTRIBUTORS

51 Toolkit

Bespoke racing suits

52 Buyer’s guide

The latest on now-mandatory head and neck protection

55 Place Notes

Belfast’s Craigantlet hillclimb

57 National Court 66 Simon says

The joys of a short off-season

Hal Ridge A rallycross expert, he offers a trio of stories, including his account of Tom OnslowCole’s RX Lites adventure

David Lillywhite The editorial director of Octane magazine reports back from the front line of Austin A35 one-make racing

John Fife The voice of Scottish rallying discusses the big challenges facing event organisers on spectator safety

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org

003 Contents DS GC.indd 1

3

27/11/2015 11:02

Forum

facebook.com/msauk twitter.com/msauk Instagram.com/msa_motorsport

EDITOR’S LETTER YOUR THOUGHTS!

We want to know your opinion on which motor sport issues MSA magazine should cover.

Email us at msa@motorsport magazine.co.uk @WORLD

Tom Onslow-Cole describes perfectly the difference between racing drivers and rally drivers in our cover story, which starts on page 22.

The former BTCC racer-turned GT ace recalls looking for tips from his competition in the RX Talent Search at Lydden this year by watching how they approached the start of their all-important final runs.

“When the first race driver went out, he drove out cautiously, kind of shook the car side to side very gently, had a little brake, had a little accelerate, as I would normally do. Then the next drivers did the same and I thought ‘everyone’s on the same kind of page’. Then the first rally driver got in the car, sat it on the rev limiter, dropped the clutch, clipping the limiter in every gear and then ‘Scandi’ flicked it into the first corner…”

Elsewhere in this issue, Richard Aucock discovers the same attitude prevails in autocross: when you’re faced with the challenge of picking your way around markers in a farmer’s newly harvested field, there’s no room for subtlety. Just get on with it.

Such sentiment is at the heart of a renewed enthusiasm for rallycross, both on scenes national and global. The crashbang-wallop format of short races that come thick and fast is a winner with competitors and spectators alike, which is precisely why seasoned hard-surface pros such as Onslow-Cole are turning to the rough stuff. Good on him for giving it a go.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MSA ON TWITTER Racing D’Etre @racingdetre Nov 23 It’s that time of year again... No not Christmas! @MSAUK competition licence renewal! #race #2016 Derek G @Dereksport Nov 18 Great meeting of the motorsport event safety review group today. Huge progress been made on multi-stage rallies @MSAUK Wales Rally GB @WalesRallyGB Nov 16 What a week! A massive thank you to everyone that made @WalesRallyGB such an amazing event. You were all legends! https://youtu.be/2NWMHaZrpFE

Chelmsford MC @ChelmsfordMC Nov 10 The @MSAUK have released a First on Scene video, the info is relevant for ALL events. Please take 5 mins & watch Jamie Edwards @jemsport Oct 27 Sent my @MSAUK licence upgrade application in yesterday by 1st class post. Just received email to say it’s been printed. Great service MSA! Rob Fields @treborfields Oct 26 @MSAUK competed in a @southsea_ mc autosolo and enjoyed the lovely sunshine alongside all my motorsport friends. Proper clubmen!

Damien Smith, Editor

EDITOR Damien Smith PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF MSA BY: THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION (MSA)

Motor Sport Magazine Ltd. 18-20 Rosemont Road, London NW3 6NE Tel: 020 7349 8497 www.motorsportmagazine.com

ART EDITOR Damon Cogman DESIGNER Zamir Walimohamed NEWS EDITOR Tim Swietochowski SUB EDITOR Gordon Cruickshank ADVERTISING Peter De Vries, Kit Brough & Marc

Butler – kit.brough@motorsportmagazine.co.uk peter.devries@motorsportmagazine.co.uk marc.butler@motorsportmagazine.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Sean Costa PUBLISHER Sophia Dempsey PRINTED BY: Precision Colour Printing

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED

BY THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MSA. EQUALLY, THE INCLUSION OF ADVERTISEMENTS IN THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CONCERNED

BY THE MSA.

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org

05 Forum GC DS.indd 5

5

27/11/2015 11:04

6 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

06-07 Action Replay GC DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:06

action replay

DATA BURST

WHERE: North Wales WHAT: Wales Rally GB WHEN: November 12-15, 2015

@WORLD

Kris Meeke flies to a fine second place in his Citroën DS3, the best finish for a British driver on the event since Richard Burns won in 2000. But with Citroën stepping aside from WRC for 2016, he and co-driver Paul Nagle were left looking for options.

Sebastien Ogier’s victory capped a season in which he has claimed a third WRC drivers’ title and helped Volkswagen to the manufacturers’ crown, but podium celebrations were sombre as he dedicated the win to the victims of the Paris atrocities.

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org

06-07 Action Replay GC DS.indd 2

7

27/11/2015 11:07

news

IN THIS

ISSUE First rally forum takes place Get set for Autosport show Bath Motor Club in profile

Briefing MOTOR SPORTS COUNCIL

LATEST RULE CHANGES

@WORLD

Heavy winds and rain hit hard, but the WRC round kept rolling to the finish

RALLYING

The latest general regulation changes approved by Motor Sports Council include new rules supporting the new 2016 Stage Rally Safety Requirements, and mandating the appointment of a Safety Delegate to all Multi-Venue Stage Rallies and other rally events where appropriate.

For the first time there are also new regulations for spaceframe vehicles in rallycross. These have been two years in the making and are accompanied by a comprehensive set of technical drawings.

MARSHALS SAVE THE DAY ON WALES RALLY GB Volunteers brave stormy weather to keep event going Thousands of British marshals showed their trademark dedication to make Wales Rally GB in November a success despite extreme weather conditions creating a huge challenge for competitors, organisers and fans.

Heavy winds and rain arrived at the start of the weekend, damaging the Deeside Service Park and eventually forcing organisers to close the Great Orme stage to spectators on safety grounds. The disruption could have been more severe, had it not been for the resolve shown by more than 2000 volunteers across the event.

Paying tribute to their hard work in a joint letter, MSA chief executive Rob Jones and Wales Rally GB managing director Ben Taylor said: “The heroes of this year’s event were not just found in the cars; they were found on the stages, at the controls and in the organisational teams.

“More than 2000 amazing people gave up their time to ensure that the atrocious conditions could not stop the rally or dampen the brilliant atmosphere generated by tens of thousands of fans. We cannot thank them enough for their extraordinary efforts.”

29,000

The number of visitors to Wales Rally GB’s Deeside Service Park

There are new crossdiscipline procedures and protocols for tyre testing and sampling. These have been expanded from karting to all types of motor sports where relevant.

Other areas of the sport affected by the latest rule changes are Judicial, Circuits and Venues, Officials, Competitor Licences, Competitors: Vehicles, Competitor Safety, Permitted Tyres, Cross Country, Circuit Racing and Karting.

For all these regulations in detail, visit msauk.org/TheSport/Regulations/ApprovedChanges.

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org

009 News DS.indd 1

9

27/11/2015 11:10

news

Left: the panel included Kris Meeke (centre).

Below: forum proved popular

RALLYING

NORTHERN IRELAND HOSTS FIRST RALLY FORUM WRC star Kris Meeke joins panel as spectator safety tops the agenda The first in a nationwide series of MSA rally forums took place recently in Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland, where more than 300 club officials, competitors and fans gathered to discuss rally safety and the future of the sport in the UK. The event was organised in conjunction with the Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs (ANICC). WRC driver Kris Meeke joined fellow competitor Steve Perez on the panel, alongside MSA rally safety

programme lead Jacqueline Campbell and MSA director Nicky Moffitt, who is also an appointed stage rally safety delegate.

Moffitt said: “The recurring theme was for everybody to follow marshals’ instructions and take ownership of their own personal safety at events, making sure that nobody strayed outside permitted areas and respected the prohibited ‘no-go’ areas.

“Kris also said that stopping a stage or

refusing to start a stage on spectator safety grounds was wholly acceptable, and he didn’t know of any competitor who would complain in that situation, as the loss of a life in an accident on stage would leave the unfortunate competitor with a lifetime of regret.”

Further forums will be arranged across the UK over the coming months – keep an eye on MSA publications for details in due course.

SPECIALISTS IN THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF GEARBOXES AND DIFFERENTIALS

R.T. QUAIFE ENG 1965-2015 FIFTY YEARS OF SUCCESS Tel: +44 (0) 1732 741144 info@quaife.co.uk

www.quaife.co.uk

10 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

010 News DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:16

news NEWS IN BRIEF RECRUITMENT

Organisers will work to common standards set out in 2016 document

DAY JOINS MSA British Cycling’s Jonathan Day has joined the MSA as director of development. Day’s new role will include responsibility for the growth of club motor sports, the recruitment and training of volunteers, talent development, coaching, anti-doping and much more. “The opportunity to join the MSA is one that could not be missed,” he said. “From the outset it was very clear that within the organisation there is real desire and commitment to really make a difference in the sport.”

VOLUNTEERS

BRITISH MARSHAL WINS TOP FIA AWARD RALLYING

The RallyFuture initiative continues unabated A busy and productive first year for the MSA’s RallyFuture initiative culminated in November’s publication of the 2016 Stage Rally Safety Requirements, which set common standards for event organisers.

Superseding the previously published 2015 Multi-Venue Stage Rally Safety Requirements, the new 2016 document adds guidance for creating event safety plans, stage set-up diagrams and more. It also applies to Single Venue events and Rally Timed Trials.

The governing body also launched its new-for-2016 MSA Rally Media Accreditation scheme just a few days earlier. The framework for this system was agreed during a meeting of rally media at Motor Sports House, featuring a range of rally journalists, photographers, broadcasters and editors.

Also in November, MSA chief executive Rob Jones led an MSA contingent that visited Scottish Government offices in Edinburgh to update the Motorsport Event Safety Review (MESR) group on progress made in 2015.

“Describing to the review group all the different initiatives undertaken and milestones achieved really brought home the sheer amount of work that has been done in 2015,” said Jones.

“I cannot stress enough how important that work is to the future of UK stage rallying. I also cannot thank enough everybody who has supported us and got behind this safety drive for the good of the sport.”

Jones also delivered the keynote speech at the recent FIA Regional Congress for Northern Europe in Finland, focusing on how the MSA has responded – and continues to respond – to the MESR recommendations. In the audience were FIA president Jean Todt, FIA deputy president (sport) Graham Stoker and FIA Closed Road Commission president Ari Vatanen.

In turn, Jones then visited the Scottish Association of Car Clubs, the Association of Central Southern Motor Clubs, the Association of North East Midland Motor Clubs, the Association of Eastern Motor Clubs and the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs, again to discuss RallyFuture.

JOHN FIFE

NEW SAFETY RULES HIT THE PRESSES

Adrian Fawdington has been named the FIA Outstanding Official for 2015. Although Britons have won the FIA Best Marshal award in three of the past four years, this is the first time one has earned the world governing body’s ultimate accolade for all volunteer officials. Fawdington was honoured for his enthusiastic commitment in a range of roles and for marking his 50th year in the sport. He will receive his silverware at December’s FIA Gala in Paris.

RALLYING

EVENT ENTRIES RISE MSA permit statistics for January to September show that the number of entries for stage rallies up to 45 miles rose by 11 per cent compared to the same period last year. Single venue entries were also up five per cent, and despite an 18 per cent decline for stage rallies over 45 miles – perhaps accounted for by the British Rally Championship’s year off – across all three types of stage rallying there was a net rise in entries of 267 year-on-year.

REGULATIONS

NEW TYRE LIST 1C PUBLISHED The MSA has received enquiries concerning the new Tyre List 1C. For clarity, readers are reminded that the accompanying new regulation (L)2.2.7. restricts this tyre list to circuit racing, unless a specific regulation in one of the discipline sections of the MSA Yearbook states otherwise, for example Section (S) Speed Events.

msauk.org/rallyfuture

12 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

012 News DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:19

news NEWS IN BRIEF AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL

Former team-mates Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen open the NEC show last year

HILL’S ANNIVERSARY

RACING

COME AND MEET THE MSA AT THE NEC

Governing body returns for another Autosport show The MSA will head back to the NEC in Birmingham on January 14-17 for Autosport International.

The governing body will feature a Rescue Unit on its stand alongside another volunteer-themed display.

The stand will be manned by MSA

DISCOUNT FOR MSA MEMBERS

SOLBERG SET FOR SHOW Petter Solberg, FIA World Rallycross Champion and former FIA World Rally Champion, has confirmed his attendance at Autosport International. “I’m really looking forward to returning to Autosport International next year and the Live Action Arena as there is always such a fantastic atmosphere,” he said.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet fans of World Rallycross and see firsthand the enthusiasm they have for this action-packed series.”

staff to discuss all requirements.

Go Motorsport will also join with local motor clubs to run another autoSOLO, with free passenger rides, outside the exhibition halls. Last year 1298 people signed on, setting a healthy benchmark for 2016.

Once again the MSA has teamed up with Haymarket Exhibitions to offer a £5 discount, available for the show’s trade days. If booking online: • Visit www.autosportinternational.com/trade • Click ‘Register Now’ to visit the registration page, then click ‘Register’ • Select the MSA licence holders option • Enter promotional code: MSA1616 • Complete the registration form Please note the form will only allow licence holders to book one ticket at a time. If tickets are purchased on-site, MSA members will need to show their competition licence to take advantage of the discount.

Damon Hill will be at Autosport International to kick of celebrations for the 20th anniversary of his F1 title in 1996 when his WilliamsRenault FW18 took 12 wins from 16 races, making it statistically the most successful Williams F1 car of all time. Visitors to the NEC will be able to see the car up close.

WILLIAMS SWAPS F1 PADDOCK FOR NEC HALLS Autosport International has revealed that the 2016 Autosport Stage will feature the Williams Martini Racing motorhome as part of a major celebration of the famous British F1 team. Never before constructed outside a circuit, the motorhome will be in place for the duration of the show. Deputy team principal Claire Williams said: “The show will be a great opportunity for people to learn all about Williams and offer a great chance for people to soak up some F1 atmosphere away from the circuit.”

NEW 2015 OMP RANGE

www.ybracing.com FREE UK POSTAGE | NEXT DAY DELIVERY | AUTHORISED DEALER | MASSIVE STOCKS

10% DISCOUNT FOR MSA LICENSE HOLDERS

USE VOUCHER CODE : MSA1C 14 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

014 News DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:21

news CLUB FOCUS

TREVOR PORTER

BATH MOTOR CLUB South West club on an upward trajectory To many, Bath is notable for its Georgian architecture, literary legacy and worldfamous Christmas market. But for the MSA and motor sports enthusiasts it’s perhaps best known as home to one of the South West’s most loved clubs: Bath Motor Club.

The club’s story begins in 1963 with a pair of motoring enthusiasts called Mike Perkins and Les Hukins, who used to work next door to each other in Bath. One of their first endeavours was to organise the Festival Road Rally, which quickly grew to attract three-figure entries. More recently, the Association of South Western Motor Clubs has named it the best road rally for the past two years.

Current chairman Dave Whittock – recognisable as the former co-driver to Sweden’s Per Eklund and also as route co-ordinator for the Lombard RAC Rally in the mid-1980s – picks up the story. “When I joined the club in 1972 Les was chairman,” he says. “Les has since passed away but Mike is still going strong into his 80s and actually re-joined the club this year!”

While famous for the Festival the club was also very well known for the Chieftain Rally, a special stage event that it co-promoted with the British Army. “It was renowned as a car-breaker – a very tough

event,” says Whittock. “We managed to get into all the major championships including the BTRDA, and because it was such a unique event we always pulled a full entry.”

While predominately a rally-orientated club down the years, Bath MC now has a broader offering designed to cater for wider interests, from sprints to autotests.

“When I started with the club it was all about rallying, but that’s changed,” says Whittock. “A few years ago we had our 50th anniversary dinner and I had a long conversation with our guest speaker, Stuart

When I started the club was all about rallying, but that’s changed. Our new members have a broad spectrum of interests Founded 1963 Membership Over 1000 Website bathmotorclub.co.uk

Turner. I told him the club needed to recruit new members and he said, ‘Consider a committee that can think about the future.’

“So we set up a new satellite committee, the 2020 Committee, with a brief to come up with new ideas and events not just to recruit but also to keep hold of new people.

Now, for example, we have a presence at all sorts of shows, such as the Bristol Classic Car Show at Shepton Mallet. So our membership has grown from around 40 to over 100, and those new members represent a broad spectrum of interests; we have a lot of people interested in autoSOLO, and we’ve also got members keen on the historic movement – we build our social side around that element now.”

The club also has a strong marshalling contingent that it offers up to other clubs’ events – an approach that pays back in kind. “Last year I needed 100 people to marshal on one of our events and we ended up with 115 coming from far and wide!” says Whittock.

Bath Motor Club meets at the Rose & Crown pub, Hinton Charterhouse, near Bath on the second Monday of each month, from 8pm. The club currently supports the Great Western Air Ambulance and raised more than £1000 for the charity in 2015.

16 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

016 News Club Focus GC DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:24

opinion

RACING FOR RESPECT The Race ’n’ Respect campaign inspires positive thinking, says Cheryl Lynch, MSA race, speed & kart executive

A few years ago I went to my nephew’s local football match and was struck by the positive atmosphere.

Everybody was behaving themselves and showing good team spirit, not just on the pitch but on the sidelines. I found out that everybody at the club – not just players and coaches but parents too – had signed up to a code of conduct. That’s what gave me the initial idea for what became the MSA’s Race ’n’ Respect campaign.

Race ’n’ Respect was launched at Autosport International in January as a new code of conduct for karting. Allan McNish helped us with the launch, saying at the time, “Karting is where you learn not just how to race but how to go about your racing, how to conduct yourself and how to be a professional. That’s why I’m 100 per cent behind Race ’n’ Respect, which is all about starting out on the right foot and recognising that since everyone involved in the sport shares the same love and passion for it, they should also share the utmost respect and good will for each other.”

Initially Race ’n’ Respect was trialled in the 2015 MSA Bambino and British Cadet Kart Championships.

I’m absolutely delighted to report that it was a great success, with everybody involved in both championships getting right behind the initiative.

As such, we are rolling it out across all karting and junior racing from 2016!

Race ’n’ Respect champions fun, fair play, friendship and respect, which is underpinned by the following core values:

• Respect – for all participants: competitors, organisers, officials, volunteers and supporters. Please treat people how you expect to be treated • Fair play – respect the rules, the regulations and the spirit of the sport • Self-control – be in control of your emotions, actions and reactions at all times • Good manners – be polite to others. Be humble in success and gracious in defeat • Sincerity – be honest in your thoughts and actions and treat everyone with respect.

Everyone – competitors, officials, volunteers, teams, parents etc – gets stickers for their karts (or cars) and wristbands to wear with pride off the track. We are delighted that Race ’n’ Respect will also be supported by our friends at the National Karting Association (NKA) – they will also be rolling out the racing code across their members and accredited circuits in 2016.

It is important to note that Race ’n’ Respect

does not interfere with the established judicial process, as laid down in the MSA Yearbook. However, the availability of that judicial process may need to be considered if on-track behaviour is deemed disrespectful.

There is little point in having a set of rules if no action is taken when they are broken – break the code, bear the consequences!

We hope, of course, that any disrespectful behaviour will dissipate as Race ’n’ Respect gathers steam in the future. We believe that it is very important to set the right tone early on and create a positive and respectful atmosphere in paddocks everywhere.

Similar schemes have worked well in other sports and can in ours, too, but to succeed it will require everyone concerned to get on board. And wouldn’t you? After all, as Allan points out, aren’t we all involved in this great sport for ultimately the same reason?

We hope you agree, and we wish you a fun, fair and friendly 2016 season. See you at Autosport International.

Cheryl Lynch at the launch of Race ’n’ Respect. MSA chief executive Rob Jones (middle) and Allan McNish (on his left) supported the concept

18 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

018 Opinion DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:34

Tom Onslow-Cole

Out of his

comfort

zone Former BTCC ace Tom Onslow-Cole took a step into the unknown when he signed up for the RX Talent Search.

Hal Ridge talks us through his victory – and incredible prize-drive in the World Rallycross Championship

22 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

022-028 TomOC oo DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 16:58

t Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 23

022-028 TomOC oo DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 11:49

Tom Onslow-Cole

It’s without question that Tom Onslow-Cole is an experienced and accomplished racing driver. He’s won races against some of the all-time stars of the British Touring Car Championship and is now a champion in GT racing. However, when he entered the RX Talent Search and put his name against 121 others, he was venturing into a whole new world.

The British driver had never, intentionally at least, spent time driving on gravel and loose surfaces in his circuit racing career, so his entry into the Talent Search was the perfect opportunity to dip a toe in the waters of a totally different discipline, and at the same time vie for an exciting prize.

Having been selected as one of the 12 finalists invited to take part in the Talent Search shoot-out at Lydden Hill, the home of rallycross, on the eve of the British round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in May, Onslow-Cole began to do his homework.

“I’ve had experience of crossing disciplines, going from touring cars to GT racing, and it’s really hard,” said OnslowCole. “Although motor sport is one big community, everyone is in their separate bubble and it’s the be-all and end-all.

Moving to a different bubble is quite hard.

The Talent Search was just the perfect opportunity to sample something I’ve always wanted to have a go at.

“I went there to try to win of course but, when you watch rallycross, it looks so different to any of the other racing I have ever done. So, to have even a few laps in the RX Lites car, work with the team on the day and find a lot of familiarities within the sport, made me realise that this could certainly be something I could do in the future.”

The shoot-out

The former Renault Clio Cup champion took the Talent Search seriously, and spent considerable time preparing. “I prepped for it as I would for any big race. I spoke to everyone I could – I’m very fortunate to know a few rallycross drivers, like Andrew Jordan through the BTCC or Tanner Foust through Rockstar, and tried to get a bit of a heads-up on what the car is like to drive and what the track was like. I searched YouTube and watched loads of videos. Aside from the track stuff, I did a lot to learn as much about rallycross as I could; the history of it, how it works and about [promoter] IMG and the championship, so I was going there fairly rounded.”

On the day the 12 finalists, comprising of race, rally and rallycross drivers, each got two three-lap runs in the RX Lites car, in front of a panel of judges [Olsbergs MSE team

principal Andreas Eriksson, World RX podium finisher Andrew Jordan and MSA Performance Director, Robert Reid] in addition to an interview with then-World Rallycross managing director Martin Anayi and Motorsport News deputy editor Matt James. “It was really funny on the day, because I went towards the back of the group to drive the car. When the first race driver went out, he drove out cautiously, kind of shook the car side to side very gently, had a little brake, had a little accelerate, as I would normally do. Then the next drivers did the

same and I thought ‘everyone’s on the same kind of page’. Then, the first rally driver got in the car, sat it on the rev limiter, dropped the clutch, clipping the limiter in every gear and then ‘Scandi’ flicked it into the first corner. I thought, ‘so that’s really what we’re up against’. I was glad I got to see that, because from that moment on, I realised it

24 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

022-028 TomOC oo DS.indd 3

27/11/2015 11:49

Onslow-Cole’s preparation paid off and he improved steadily over the weekend at Istanbul Park

was probably better to push and over drive than it is to try and build up to it. That’s what I did really. I think had I tried to build up to it, I might not be sitting here now.”

With no previous unsealed [loose] surface experience, Onslow-Cole also hadn’t driven a car with a set-up like the RX Lites machine before.

“For me, the suspension was very, very soft. I hadn’t driven with four-wheel drive either, but on the asphalt part it was better handling than any touring car I’ve ever driven – the grip is phenomenal. The asphalt part I wasn’t really worried about, I had that fairly sorted in my head what I needed to do – it was really trying to master the gravel. I found the car moved around quite a lot, but it was stable – it was easier to drive on than I thought. The six laps we did wasn’t really enough time to learn the gravel, so it was just a case of going as quickly as I could and hanging on a bit.”

Having made it through to the final four in the shoot-out, Onslow-Cole, Dan Rooke [British Rallycross driver], Chris Ingram [European rally driver] and Sennan Fielding [MSA Formula driver] had to undertake another interview with the judges, before Onslow-Cole was announced as the winner. Delighted, the former BTCC driver thought his preparation played a role in his selection. “I always try and put myself on the other side of the table and think, ‘what would I be looking for?’.

I think you want someone who is going to make something of the opportunity, someone who is going to represent the sport well and be a good ambassador for it. It was incredible to have the opportunity to sample the car, let alone win it. That was really the icing on the cake.”

The prize-drive

I hadn’t driven with fourwheel drive, but on the asphalt part it was better handling than any touring car I’ve ever driven. The grip is phenomenal

Onslow-Cole’s prize for winning the Talent Search was a drive at the penultimate round of the RX Lites Cup at Turkey’s Istanbul Park circuit in October. Before flying out Onslow-Cole began the preparation process again.

“I’ve got a simulator room at home, so I managed to get hold of the Istanbul Park circuit to do a few laps of the asphalt section of the rallycross track,” he said before the event. “That’s Turns One to Six, but I Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 25

022-028 TomOC oo DS.indd 4

27/11/2015 16:58

1960s in Focus A photographic special on a golden decade of motor racing

In celebration of motor racing’s golden decade, Motor Sport presents a photographic special that captures the era’s rich diversity and vivid character. Rare and unseen images drawn from the depths of London’s world-famous LAT Photographic archive bring the ’60s back to life, in a unique collection that captures the magic of motor racing.

If sport holds a mirror to its times, then motor racing more than any other reflected a landscape shifting to a new beat as the

’60s got into its swing. This was the era of Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart, John Surtees and Jack Brabham… of the Lotus 25 and 49… of the Ferrari P4 and Ford GT40… of the Mini Cooper and Lotus Cortina… of experiments in chasing the mysteries of downforce – and the cold, hard reality of commercial dollars.

In Formula 1, sports cars, saloons and rallying, a generation of iconic heroes in unforgettable cars wrote chapters that remain seared into the very fabric of the world’s greatest sport.

To order your copy of 1960s in Focus for just £9.99 visit:

www.motorsportmagazine.com/60sinfocus Or call +44 (0)20 7349 8484. US (Toll Free number): +1 866 808 5828

BACK ISSUES

SPECIAL EDITIONS

PHOTO STORE

Also at shop.motorsportmagazine.com 26 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

026 60s Bookazine Ad.indd 1

27/11/2015 15:36

Tom Onslow-Cole haven’t been able to do any prep for the gravel. I’ve walked one lap of the track so far, it’s quite technical but the gravel is quite smooth without any ruts in it. I’ve been speaking to [World RX front-runner] Andreas Bakkerud, who said that the gravel here last year was very consistent, so I hope that will help me. But, all loose is just not asphalt to me at the moment because I don’t have enough experience yet.

“The racing is quite similar to the BTCC because you do a few races in a day, any gap is a position and there’s a bit of rubbing. But, the races here are very short and sharp. I’m pleased with the draw [randomly allocated grid positions] for the first heat, I’m in the middle. To the left of me is Kevin Eriksson and next to him is Kevin Hansen, the two title protagonists. Really, my aim is to make a good start, although I haven’t made a start yet, get onto the back of them and follow them round to get a good time. I hope for a podium this weekend, I’d love to be able to win but these guys are very experienced, so a podium is probably a realistic target.”

Despite a ‘joker’ lap penalty for a jumped start Onslow-Cole still beat the regulars in heat four

I think I’ve done 24 laps, which is barely a stint normally, but I’m pooped.

It’s been intense. There’s so much to learn and you are just on it the whole time Turkey, Day One

Free practice and the opening two heat races took place on the Saturday. In the first heat, Onslow-Cole made a poor start but placed his car well in the first corner and moved up to third, before eventually finishing second on track, setting third fastest overall time. In heat two, he finished third on track with fifth fastest time putting him third overall overnight. We met up to get his thoughts on his first full day of rallycross action.

“What a day,” he said reflecting on his first experience of rallycross racing. “I think I’ve done 24 laps, which is barely a [GT] stint normally, but I’m pooped. It’s been intense.

There’s so much to learn and although the runs are just four laps long, you’re just on it the whole time. I’m trying to soak in as much information as I can. We had good practice and got quicker and quicker, I think I ended up 1.2 seconds away from Kevin [Eriksson, fellow OMSE driver]. In the last race, we were around 0.7 seconds away, but I keep making mistakes and my heat times haven’t been fantastic. In the first heat I didn’t bring the clutch up enough at the start, but actually it

did me a real favour because I managed to tuck into third nicely and follow the two Kevins. I learnt a lot there.

“I did the same in heat two. I managed to chase Thomas Bryntesson and that helped again. I found myself trying to slide too much and wasn’t tidy, I think that’s a sign that I’ve got more confident now. In heat one I made lots of mistakes, but in heat two there were less, so it’s going the right way. Overall, it’s been a good day’s learning and I think we’re in a good position for tomorrow.”

Along with having to contend with the loose-surface, Onslow-Cole also had his first experience of using the ‘joker lap’ on day one, but wasn’t fazed by the unique feature.

“I had a curveball thrown at me in heat one, because they tinkered with the circuit after practice. Of course they would, why would they not repair the track, but I didn’t think about that. In circuit racing, the track is the track. Maybe it’s a bit hotter or cooler, if it’s rained it’s wet and if it’s dry, it’s dry, but they’d moved a lot of the loose material

around so when I went into the first few turns of the loose in heat one, I made massive mistakes. The track is always evolving, so you’ve got to keep an eye on that. Strategically, the joker lap has played out really easily so far. We’ve taken it on the fourth lap because I’ve had a gap and I’ve been chasing the guys in front. Tomorrow I think it’s really going to make a difference to our race, so more pressure on my spotter than me.”

As the light faded, the British driver headed back to his hotel, well on the way to a strong qualifying position on his RX Lites debut. But, with heats three and four on Sunday morning before the semi-finals and final, there was plenty to do.

Finals day

The final day in Turkey started with morning warm-up, where Onslow-Cole was sixth fastest. However, with growing confidence in the new discipline, the Englishman pushed too hard in heat three and spun, only Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 27

022-028 TomOC oo DS.indd 5

27/11/2015 11:50

Tom Onslow-Cole

Onslow-Cole rounded off a successful rallycross debut with third in the final and the desire to return for more

recording the seventh fastest time. Worse was to follow at the start of heat four, Onslow-Cole jumping the start and incurring the penalty of having to take an extra joker lap. Despite that, he surprised regulars by taking race victory. After the four qualifying heats, Onslow-Cole placed fourth at the Intermediate Classification, earning a front row grid slot for semi-final two, from which the top three would progress to the final.

“Yesterday everything seemed to work well, I was steady and chipped away at it.

This morning, I knew I had to turn up with something a bit extra, but I pushed too hard.

The spin was a pretty low moment, and then I had a jump-start in heat four. I thought the weekend was done there really. But, we came back strong, I managed to do two jokers and still win the race. That was brilliant; we really found the balance in the car and in myself, between over- and under-driving.”

With second in the semi-final, OnslowCole qualified on the second row for the final. As the lights turned green, he made his best start of the weekend and pushed champion-elect Kevin Hansen hard on the opening lap. Taking his joker lap at the second opportunity, Onslow-Cole ran third throughout the race, claiming a podium finish on his rallycross debut.

“I was able to keep up with Kevin and stay pretty close to him, then just as soon as I thought ‘I’m hanging on here’ he just pulled a little bit.

When these guys are in their groove, wow, they’re fast!

I think we ended up about half a second off the quickest lap which is a lot better than the five seconds off I was in the first free practice. What a weekend. It’s amazing to finish on the podium, I’m really happy.”

An RX future?

The RX Talent Search was created by the MSA and the World RX promoter IMG with the aim of introducing a new driver into rallycross, who would strive to create a career in the sport. Following his prize drive, touring car, GT and now rallycross driver Onslow-Cole admitted that he’s caught the mixed surface bug, and intends to return.

“What a ride. It’s been so emotionally up and down with massive highs and lows – the learning curve is so steep here,” he said.

“Rallycross as a whole is brilliant. It’s intense, great to watch, and the whole atmosphere is very exciting. I’m sure it’s going to be a big player in the motor sport

arena. I’d like to do some more in RX Lites and maybe step up and do something in a Supercar next year. That would be incredible. The Supercars are unbelievable pieces of machinery, I’d love to get a go in one, but for now I’m real happy with the Lites car. I’ve learnt a lot this weekend but there is still more to learn, so I think it would be sensible to try and get another outing in one of these.”

“I want to thank everyone involved, the MSA for putting on the Talent Search together with IMG and Olsbergs MSE. This has been an incredible opportunity and I really hope that I can repay all of their faith in picking me by coming back and doing more. I don’t want this to be a one-off good experience, I want to come back and hopefully become a part of it.”

28 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

022-028 TomOC oo DS.indd 6

27/11/2015 11:50

Julian Godfrey

Five stars for effort

Top rallycross engineer Julian Godfrey is a dab-hand behind the wheel, too – as five consecutive MSA British championships attest. Hal Ridge spoke to him

HAL RIDGE

Julian Godfrey secured a fifth Supercar title at Croft (main photo). Left: he cut his rallycross teeth in stock hatches

MATT BRISTOW

The first round of the 2015 MSA British Rallycross Championship took place at Croft. Having finished fifth, engineer-turned-driver Julian Godfrey stepped out of his Ford Fiesta Supercar. It had been a difficult day for the four-time champion, who had salvaged the result through first having to win the B final to qualify for the main event. Cool, calm and collected, Godfrey appeared totally unfazed that his championship had got off to a rocky start.

Andy Scott was the victor, and won again at round two when Godfrey’s rear suspension broke on the last lap of the final. Was this the year – arguably the most competitive in terms of quality and numbers for some time – that Godfrey’s run of crowns would end?

Move on almost exactly seven months, and the championship returned to Yorkshire for the final round. Godfrey finished fourth in the final, and again cool and calm, emerged from his Fiesta after the race, with no fuss. One wouldn’t know that this time he had sealed his fifth straight MSA British Championship title.

During the year, Godfrey won three times, but what makes him such a success is his ability to see the bigger picture, score points when the win isn’t on and work hard to collect the championship’s bonus points for fastest practice and heat times.

“It means a lot to win again, and I’m very pleased to set another record. At least it will be another six years before someone can beat it now,” Godfrey smiles, as we meet an hour after the championship finale. Part of the brilliant engineer’s success is not only down to his own consistency, but that of his Ford Fiesta, which only twice ran into real problems in 2015.

“Croft hasn’t been very good to me this

year. In the second heat again today we lost drive. Even on the days that are not too good, I try to come out of it OK in the end. I failed to finish two heats at Croft earlier in the year, started in the B final but won that and got into the A and finished fifth, which wasn’t a bad result really. I always try and make it for the podium, but not at all costs.

“I do think about the racing more than other people think I do. I remember the first year doing Supercar, they [the competition] all moaned about me getting the bonus points all the time. I said ‘you’ve got the chance as well’, it’s just that I try for them and make an effort to put in a good time in practice. A lot of the other drivers don’t seem to think about that. I’m not sure why.”

Never agitated, Godfrey says he is the same in the car as out of it. “I’m a very placid person. I don’t get that mad, it’s very rare I’d shout at anybody. I don’t have to get wound up to get into the car and ‘psych’ myself up for a race at all. I’m calm in the car and just

30 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

030-031 JulianGodfrey oo DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:55

MATT BRISTOW

smooth. I think that does help, and why I break less.” Working for much of his career in rallycross, Godfrey has won multiple British and European rallycross titles as an engine builder and supplier, and believes that knowledge gleaned as an engineer helps his driving.

“I’m very mechanically minded, so I understand about engines and I’m very sympathetic on the car. It’s not often I break it. For instance, when the previous owner had this car, he probably had to spend £2000 an event on the gearbox. I’ve spent £1500 in five years.”

Although the competition has been at its strongest for a while in 2015, with four different winners in eight rounds, Godfrey thinks his first title, in his very first season in Supercar, was the best. “It’s been hard this year, I’ve had to concentrate a bit more to be at the top all the time. But I still think the first one was the best, because that was a bit more of a surprise. There were a lot of quick cars that year and I was surprised to win it one round before the end. I think a lot of people were.”

Never beaten to the headline category title since graduating from SuperNational in 2011, Godfrey has also achieved success at the lower levels of the sport. He won the SuperNational crown in 2010, and has two titles in the Stock Hatch category to his credit too.

Since starting his driving career at the turn of the century, Godfrey has amassed eight titles in 13 years of racing. “There were 50 cars in Stock Hatch when I first started, and I won a round in the first year, then finished

Championship from 1972-76.) “That’s very special. I’ve been to the last five MSA awards, but when I went for the fourth time it was a pretty special achievement.”

The Englishman intends to defend his crown again in 2016, and hopes his rivals will also return. “I’m on a roll so I’m going to keep going and try to get six in a row. I’d like them all, and more, to come back next year and have a good battle again. I’m going to rebuild this car, take it to a bare shell and

It means a lot to win again, and I’m very pleased to set another record. At least it will be another six years before someone can beat it now second in the championship the next season. That helped me learn a lot,” he says.

Godfrey’s Supercar success, and run of MSA crowns, means he is only the second person to win five consecutive MSA British titles, in any discipline. (The other is Jack Pearce, who won the MSA British Sporting Trials

repaint it. It’s done two years without doing that, it’s due for a bit of love.”

And with that, Godfrey returned to his laptop to analyse the data from the day’s competition at Croft. The following day, in the MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix, he won his third Grand Prix crown in five years.

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org

030-031 JulianGodfrey oo DS.indd 2

31

27/11/2015 11:55

Simon Blunt

Short, sharp lesson for Blunt One of the MSA’s own has dipped a toe in rallycross. Hal Ridge discovers how he got on In his day job, Simon Blunt is MSA General Secretary, while at the weekend he is often found racing his Jaguar XJS in club events. On August bank holiday weekend, Blunt swapped disciplines when he was invited to take part in a round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship Swift Sport category.

Having never raced on loose surfaces, Blunt travelled to Lydden Hill without expectations, but thought the unsealed sections of the circuit would be his biggest challenge. “I hadn’t really got any expectations. I was just looking to go out and have a huge amount of fun, doing something that was completely different from the very limited sort of club level motor sport that I get involved in,” says Blunt.

“I had an understanding of what rallycross is, I’d been to Lydden Hill, I’d seen the track, I knew that it was completely different to circuit racing, I was expecting therefore my biggest challenge to be going off onto loose stuff. I got that completely wrong. Actually, what I hadn’t taken into account for at all, was the car; a shortwheelbase, light, front-wheel drive Suzuki Swift was very different compared to what I race, which is a much longer wheelbase and much heavier. So I was relatively uncompetitive because of my own fault of not really thinking through that difference.

“It was the end of the third heat before I realised I needed to do something totally different. If you look at my lap times, by the final I was just starting to be reasonable compared to other people, but the day was over. The Swift was through [Swift series promoter] Peter Gwynne Motorsport. What I really should have done was take part in one of their test days with Peter to get a feel for it first.”

At the event, held in wet conditions, Blunt consistently improved his heat times and was 18th, 16th and 15th in his three qualifying races, before finishing fourth in the C final. The weather didn’t dampen his spirits however, and he’s keen for more.

“The Swift championship is really competitive and there’s a great atmosphere where they’re all together in the paddock.

I think the arrive-and-drive scenario is a good way to get into motor sport. When you think about what you get, there’s a lot of value to attach to that. I really want to go back next year. I think with a practice day under my belt, I probably would perform slightly better than at Lydden where, let’s be honest, I came last on the day. But I had an ear-to-ear grin from 7am at signing on, to the point I left the circuit at nearly 7pm. Every time since, when someone has asked me how I got on, my face bursts into this broad grin. It was tremendously good fun.”

JEREMY HALSE

ARRIVE AND DRIVE IS WAY TO THRIVE

The MSA British Rallycross Championship has a number of categories that a novice can enter with a National B licence. Existing competitors with Race, Rally or Speed licences can compete in rallycross, and any aspiring competitor can buy a Speed National B Licence online to enable them to compete. A BARS or ARDS test is not necessary.

Two single-make categories offer arriveand-drive packages, the Swift Sport series in which Simon Blunt competed, and the RX150 buggy category. An event’s hire in the Swift Sport category starts from £995, inclusive of tyres, fuel, support and hospitality, while in the RX150s (single-seater offroad buggies powered by 1000cc Fireblade engines, that lap around one second off a Supercar) an event’s hire starts from £2500. The Hot Hatch and BMW Mini categories also provide strictly regulated formulas for 1600cc hatchbacks, while the SuperNational categories technical regulations are far more open, with the main restriction being that cars must be two-wheel drive with the engine situated in the cars’ original location. In 2015, an event entry fee for a British Championship event was £250. The BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship runs a seven-round championship for SuperModified (SuperNational) and Production based cars (Hot Hatch/BMW Mini etc).

32 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

032 SimonBlunt SwiftSport oo DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 11:57

Insight: Autocross

34 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

034-038 Autocross GC DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 12:28

Suited, booted and belted up, sitting in a Peugeot 206 GTi waiting for a red light to turn green, I feel just like Kris Meeke. The next three minutes will be a car-drifting, mud-scrabbling, armtwirling thrill akin to Wales Rally GB in miniature and I’ll pull back into the service park a hero. Welcome to Autocross: the best and most affordable rally experience so many have never heard of.

To Torbay Motor Club, my hosts for the day, this is enormously frustrating. Autocross, they told me on email, is a fantastic clubman discipline open to MSA licence holders, but

one too few actually know about – so much so that former national championships have withered, leaving it to enthusiastic local clubs such as Torbay to, ahem, rally the series’ cause. And me to find out more.

Despite this, when I pull into a farmer’s field early one Saturday morning, I do start to wonder. Why, this is a massive, empty, just-harvested field across which people are walking their dogs – where is the motor sport bit? There’s grass roots, and there’s the ploughed-up roots I was trampling over: I can see a few posts and flags, but that is about it.

Only the familiar sight of a motor sport

of achievable dreams

ALL IMAGES JACK FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY

Talk about grass roots… Autocross takes the term literally. And as Richard Aucock discovers, it offers good, clean fun for the lowest of budgets

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 35

034-038 Autocross GC DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 12:29

Insight: Autocross paddock, complete with trailers, tyres and burger vans, suggests this isn’t any old field.

Over coffee, Torbay’s Rupert Barker explains all. “We run a variety of events through the year, and Autocross is one of the events that our members really like. It’s tremendous value – some will have recorded nearly 50 timed runs throughout the handful of events we’re holding this year – and because there are so many classes, The original almost anyone can be competitive. non-contact sport: Peugeot “It’s ideal for learning about motor 206’s owner is sport, car control and competition. You unworried by get plenty of competitive runs against the our man’s trial clock – and this weekend, we’re holding two events on consecutive days; it’s an enormous amount of track time for the money.” Which is? A piffling £100 entry fee.

Members will probably spend more at the pub restaurant everyone’s visiting this evening than on the event itself…

Rupert introduces me to Simon Ford who owns ‘my’ 206. It’s a measure of the spirit both in Autocross and Torbay that he’s happy to let me use it. “I bought it cheaply, mainly as a spare car for when that breaks.” He nods toward the superbike-engined beast sitting on his mechanics’ truck. “I’ve not yet broken the Peugeot, despite my best efforts. You’ll be fine.” No warnings to take it steady, no list of rules of can’t-dos: what a great sport this is.

And a blissfully simple one to understand, too. Complete a course one at a time against the clock. You have a series of practice sessions, then several heats and at least two proper timed runs; seat time, Go Motorsport regional development officer Kevin Moore tells me, can easily exceed many other forms of motor sport if you’re keen: “it’s probably the best-value form of motor sport out there”.

Don’t confuse Autocross with an Autotest.

There are no hyper-technical courses, no need to reverse cars between cones, or yank on the handbrake for Russ Swift-style slides, or scratch your head over a piece of paper littered with arrows as you try to work out what’s what. Autocross is blissfully simple in tractor I watched distributing hay bales that respect; think circuit racing in a stubble around the course a little earlier. “You can field, where you’re on a series of qualifying use standard rubber if you want,” he says. laps aiming to post the quickest time you can. “But you’ll be very slow.” Oh, and the tyres The variety of cars is wonderful. I clock generally last all season, he adds: generally, Mk2 Escorts, Peugeot 106s, Mazda MX-5s, the only running costs involved are if you snarling Mitsubishi Evos and Subaru prang it or if it breaks. The Peugeot doesn’t do Imprezas, madcap buggies and some the latter and I don’t intend to do the former… wonderfully bespoke original Minis. The Just like the cars, competitors vary multi-class regulations allow road-spec cars, enormously. While chatting to Rupert over rally-spec cars, Autocross saloons and the bacon rolls and coffee, I’m introduced to a delightful Specials; all the rule book broad demographic – the age range between demands is a plumbed-in fire extinguisher them was four or five decades – and am and mud flaps behind each wheel, although cheered when I later spy most of them it’s recommended you also fit roll cages and donning overalls and jumping into their cars harnesses, as Simon has. for practice. Kevin Moore’s son and his mate Simon also points to the tyres – proper – the guys in the usually-sideways Mazda knobbly mud-spec rubber. He’s got a variety MX-5 – are among the youngest there and, as of increasingly knobblier rubber as well, he later tells me, among the savviest too. including a set not dissimilar to those on the “The car owes them nothing,” he explains.

Autocross is blissfully simple: think circuit racing in a stubble field on a series of qualifying laps…

“They bought it cheaply, sold the six-speed gearbox and differential for pretty much what the car cost them, and now run it in Autocross for the price of a tank of fuel and their entry fee.” And, I later discover, have an absolute hoot doing so, while also learning about car control, vehicle set-up and what it’s like to compete in a season-long championship. Grown-up motor sport without the grown-up costs, the perfect grass-roots discipline.

As for personal kit, you need an MSAapproved helmet and overalls: refer to your Blue Book for the latest specifications here (they’re changing in 2016). You don’t need approved gloves, but you do need to wear them; otherwise, that’s it for kit – again, Autocross keeps things simple and real-world.

You also need a non-race MSA National B licence, while jacket-wearing Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 37

034-038 Autocross GC DS.indd 3

27/11/2015 12:29

Insight: Autocross

representatives from the MSA duly attend all events to make sure everything’s being done correctly. Simple and real-world, but also professionally run to the rule book with everything as it should be.

After the drivers’ and marshals’ briefing (done together because marshals are as important as drivers), it is straight into practice before the first heats. I hang back: there is clearly a course out there, but I can’t see it: all I can see is the farmer’s field. There is a knack to this that I’ve not yet discovered.

Instead I stand and watch the first cars go out. Do they meekly take it steady while they find their feet and learn which way to go? Do they hell. Scrabbling away from the line and drifting into the first right-hander in a shower of mud seems to be the natural way and, as I watch enthralled, I start to understand why so many marshals are so keen to take part. It is absolutely fantastic, like watching a small-scale WRC Power Stage. Mud flying, cars dancing, drivers ever-improvising as the course changes, I’m getting almost as much of a buzz looking on as the thought of driving it. I’m conscious random passers-by are too: at this stage, Autocross is a sport for its entrants and their families, rather than paying spectators, but that doesn’t stop savvy onlookers parking up next to the course and sitting on their car roofs to watch.

Nerves now nicely jangling, it’s time to get stuck in. Simon has already set the belts for me, and is perfectly happy for me just to get in and head out for first practice. He looks up

The course, by now, is a bit better defined.

Still, I’m meek, drive it like a circuit racer used to red and white kerb and well-telegraphed grip levels, feeling almost guilty when I do get it a bit sideways. This lasts for two laps. I sense the marshals are disappointed. People on their car roofs jump down. So for the final initial loops, I get a bit more stuck in. The steering wheel’s a blur, the Peugeot’s all over the shop. It feels absolutely Quickest ’crossers magnificent and I roll back to the are bike-engined buggies; marshals paddock feeling on top of the world. enjoy the fun too I can’t help the grin. Such a buzz, such a thrill. Simon checks in: he doesn’t care about the car, is simply eager to know if I’m enjoying it. My face says it all.

So it continues. As the heats get underway, and as I become more confident with the car and where I’m actually going, I get stuck in, start dancing the little Pug, working up a sweat as the steering wheel becomes a blur of corrections. This is rallying: all that’s missing is the co-driver, not needed here as the course becomes so familiar. It’s indecent fun and enormously satisfying: for the price of a 15-year old 206 and the cost of a few conversions, it’s a genuine no-brainer form of motor sport.

So where is Autocross going? The national championship did cease a few years ago, but people such as Barker and Moore are determined to bring it back. “We want to go from the buggy and, instead of asking me to national again,” says Moore. “We only need take it steady or warning that he’ll be keeping one round in each region – that’s 12 events; an eye on his prized possession, gives me the we’re well supported south of the M4, but thumbs up and nods the universal ‘get stuck less so as you go north. All of us want to help in and get it sideways’ sign. The overbearing change that – even helping other clubs run sense of responsibility eases a little. events if it helps make them viable.”

So to the start line. I’ve never driven a WRC The offer is there. Are you a member of a rally, but now feel like I have after spending a day Autocrossing. Marshals edge me up to the local motor club who’s always fancied motor sport but never found a grass roots sport line with beckoning hand signals, just like on the in-car YouTube videos. They point to a red convincing enough? Or, have a full-bore rallyprepped car you can’t afford to use as much light that I fix my sight on. When it turns as you’d like? With Autocross, you may just green, there’s an explosion of revs and I go have your answer. nowhere (I soon learn muddy fields are less As the day winds on, I step back from my grippy than asphalt) before I ease back and borrowed car, partly because I’m having too spiral to the first post. much fun but partly because there’s a queue forming for it: Simon’s buggy has broken, as has another entrant’s shared car – and the Peugeot has been offered to the father and daughter duo. That seems to be the way with Autocross – Britain’s friendliest and most affordable rally-like competition.

Here’s hoping it regains the national stage that it deserves.

Unmodified road cars are as eligible as cut-down specials

38 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

034-038 Autocross GC DS.indd 4

27/11/2015 12:29

HRDC Academy

Big

fun in little packages Is there anything more hilariously entertaining in motor racing than a grid-full of identical specification Austin A35s charging into the first corner in a swarm of pastel colours, A-series engine on the rev limiter, Dunlop CR65s sliding wildly, the inside rear smoking as it lifts off the Tarmac? Welcome to the world of the HRDC Academy, coming soon to a circuit near you…

This is arguably now the cheapest form of historic racing, a control-formula class designed to keep costs to a minimum, and enjoyment to the max. The idea is simple: Austin A30 and A35 saloons, running a sealed engine and gearbox combination, using an open differential, basic suspension and brake modifications and approved rollcage in friendly but highly-competitive races around the UK.

From the germ of an idea three years ago, the Academy class has now existed for two full seasons within the HRDC’s Touring Greats series, had its first all-A30/35 race at Mallory Park in September this year, and now – so the rumour mill goes – is set to feature at the 2016 Goodwood Revival.

It’s reckoned by HRDC founder Julius Thurgood that there are at least 36 cars already built or in-build, maybe more by the time you read this. The trick is to find a good two-door shell, ideally an A35 because an A30 will need an A35 transmission tunnel splicing in. Four-doors, vans and pick-ups aren’t allowed. Kits of parts come via Moto-Build Racing and include the front suspension upgrade kit (£1200), disc brake and hydraulic rear drum conversion (£1050), engine installation kit with all ancillaries, including the sensible addition of electronic

JEFF BLOXHAM

The HRDC’s new Academy class for Austin A30 and A35 saloons has taken off this year, and there could be a Goodwood surprise in store for 2016, says David Lillywhite ignition and a single new SU HIF44 carburettor (£1730), transmission with rebuilt gearbox, high-spec clutch, propshaft and competition halfshafts (£1790); rear suspension and back axle kit (£699), four Minilite style wheels (£240) and race fuel tank (£420).

The 85bhp security-sealed engine comes from Classic and Modern Engine Services (£3400) and the rollcage from Caged Laser Engineering (£900). Glassfibre panels and bumpers (available from Moto-Build Racing) are sensibly allowed to keep costs down, because metal replacements are rare and expensive, and repairs time-consuming.

Some cars have been built from sound original shells, a couple even retaining original paint, others have been based around already-restored road cars, and several have been restored specifically for

40 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

040-041 HRDC GC DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 12:34

most proving highly reliable.

Car number one, ‘my’ car, remained trouble-free throughout 2014, and it wasn’t until three-quarters of the way through the 2015 season that it had its first DNF, due to alternator failure, flattening the battery to the point that it could no longer power fuel pump and ignition coil. That was at Oulton Park, a sad end to a race on such an exciting circuit – and the last hurrah for the original set of Dunlops, which had by that point lasted nearly two seasons, including several early test sessions and three races shared with experienced (fast!) racers Chris Rea, Chris Snowdon and of course, Keegan.

It was also in the Goodwood Revivalenforced break in the HRDC calendar after Oulton Park that it was decided to pull out the engine for the first time for an inspection.

Author Lillywhite (left) says tiny Austins make terrific racing, whether one-make or mixing with HRDC Touring Greats

the Academy. Donor cars start at about £1000.

I was lucky enough to be designated ‘works development driver’ from the very start, working alongside 1970s Formula 1 driver Rupert Keegan to give two very different points of view. Where Rupert described the initial set-up as “a bit pointy”, I simply panicked at how quickly the rear end would attempt to overtake the front on slippery surfaces – but suspension tweaks soon sorted that, and turned ‘my’ Academy A35 (actually owned by the HRDC) into a wonderfully forgiving little car that suited my relative inexperience.

By the time of the first race, sharing with Rupert at Donington Park in early 2014, the A35 was wonderfully sorted, and we’ve barely changed anything since that point. Back then, Rupert’s lap time of 1min 39.620sec seemed out of reach, and the best I managed was 1min 42.666sec – but a year later, in similar conditions, I managed a best of 1min 38.438sec, which just shows how quickly it’s possible to improve in a car like this.

The secret to a good lap in the A35 is to be smooth, with minimal braking, carrying as much speed as possible through the corners, managing the throttle and making the smallest necessary steering adjustments to keep the inside rear wheel planted; with the

open differential it will lift and spin at every clumsy manoeuvre. The memory of following other A35s out of the hairpin at Mallory Park, smoke pouring off their inside rear tyres, still makes me laugh out loud.

Gradually throughout 2014 more Academy A35s joined the HRDC, racing not just in the pre-60s saloons Touring Greats series but also in the pre-66 All Stars, sharing the track with cars as diverse as AC Cobra and Morris Minor. It wasn’t long before they were circulating at speeds that belied their diminutive size and power, often beating cars one and two classes above them, and

It went back to Modern and Performance Engine Services, who found that there was minimal wear – it would have survived many more races without the need for a rebuild. The gearbox input shaft seal was leaking, however, and had to be replaced.

One race later a loud rumble round Gerards, Mallory Park’s long right-hander, announced the impending failure of the nearside rear wheel bearing. Not a bad tally for two seasons of racing.

So look out for these little cars during 2016. They’re huge fun to watch – but even more fun to compete in…

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 41

040-041 HRDC GC DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 12:34

Rally safety

g n i r e u r c u e t S e fu th h s i t i r B g f o lyin l ra

g yin ers l l a r the rganis ry f o o p o e to oters, s the st h t o t t r om isen ing pr ife cha r s a g F ty h hallen . John e f a l c tor s he UK, ry leve a t c Spe da in t s at eve ion n age official transit and port in s of a

42 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

042-046 RallySafety oo DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 12:43

LINDSAY PHOTOSPORT

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 43

042-046 RallySafety oo DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 12:43

Rally safety

Sporting culture

In September we were all horrified to see a spectator strolling down the track during the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, apparently without a care in the world. But then why should he? He was surrounded by some of the best drivers in the business.

Yes, they were driving 760hp groundhugging projectiles, but they were on sticky tyres, smooth asphalt and have the best brakes in the business. What could possibly go wrong?

And yet this practice is not as bizarre as it seems. Until last year, this behaviour was commonplace in the sport of rallying. Cars with a third of the power driven by some of the other best drivers in the world shouldn’t pose too much of a threat. At least their tyres have got tread on them! Safe as houses.

In the good old days spectator advice (if offered) was pretty primeval. Spectators were advised that when walking into and out of stages they should take care at all times, listen out for rally cars approaching and be prepared to jump off the track – possibly into ditches, nettles, sink holes. Who knows what was hidden in the undergrowth?

This was all considered part of the fun with fans swapping near-miss stories in the pubs when they went home. It was deemed to be acceptable behaviour at one time with cars whistling past at 60 or 70mph (and more) just inches from anoraks and flapping scarves.

And remember the good old days of Group 1 and Group N ‘showroom cars’ with quiet exhausts. By heck, you needed your wits about you then.

Things reached a head in the 1980s with crowds blocking the road and parting like the Red Sea as cars approached at stupid miles an hour. It made the Pamplona bull run look like the Magic Roundabout. Drivers finally took strike action on the 1986 Rally of Portugal when Group B cars were approaching F1 levels of speed and sophistication.

Although spectator control did improve following these incidents, it still fell short of what outsiders would call safe. Fans were still allowed to walk into and out of stages while they were ‘live’.

Recent events

In 2013 a female spectator died when a rally car left the road on a rally in Inverness. Then in 2014 three more people lost their lives

when a rally car crashed in the Scottish borders. It was erroneously reported at the time, and is still often mis-reported by certain sections of the media, that they were spectators. That is not strictly true. Two of the fatalities were ‘signed-on’ as a journalist and photographer and they had two family friends travelling with them who were not signed on.

However, on that same event, an earlier accident had injured another spectator, but this was treated as a road traffic accident as it was a component failure in the car that caused it to crash.

With four deaths and two seriously injured in two years, the Scottish Government felt

commented: “You do what? You want me to walk along this narrow track with cars coming towards me at 100 mph – and I have to jump out of the way?” Put that way, it was no wonder that the sport’s ‘old hands’ were forced to revise their long-held views and opinions.

Fortunately, rally organisers responded positively. Practices that had been accepted for so long and were ingrained in rally culture were suddenly exposed, with most current rally organisers realising that to an outsider such risks were not acceptable.

Additional pressures

LINDSAY PHOTOSPORT

Accident and injury are accepted risks in all forms of motor sport.

Those who participate are aware of those risks and choose to accept them, but those who spectate should not be so exposed.

Following two tragic accidents on Scottish rallies in the past two years, the Scottish Government stepped in. They wanted assurances that the sport was as safe as it could be – if it is to have a future.

Practices that had been accepted for so long and were ingrained in rally culture were suddenly exposed and were no longer acceptable compelled to act and established a Motorsport Event Safety Review (MESR).

A Civil Servant was appointed to work with the Motor Sports Association to review procedures and advise necessary changes.

It was time for rallying to come into line with other sports and no longer allow spectators ‘on the field of play’.

Difficult times

Following the creation of the MESR some individuals were rather surprised by what they encountered on their first visit to a forest stage rally. They simply could not comprehend how spectators were allowed to walk into and out of ‘live’ stages. Remedial action was therefore inevitable.

In fact, one first-time observer

At the same time, the Forestry Commission (FC) was conducting an intensive review of its own ‘safety at work’ procedures. Its own records show that each year, up to four of its own employees or contractors are killed while working in forests. That had to stop too.

Along with that came a new approach to how the public used their forests. If anyone wanted to organise an event on the FC estate, whether on two or four wheels or on foot, careful attention would have to be paid to public safety.

Fortunately for rallying, the FC staff have been extremely encouraging and supportive so far this year. Most car clubs already have a good working relationship with their own local forestry managers, but for the first time, they were getting support from a much senior level. FC staff were being encouraged to work more closely with rally organisers to help advise on procedures and assist with the provision of dedicated areas for car parking and spectating, even to the extent of clear-felling suitable vantage points and making footpaths.

The safety plan

With the help of the MESR and the MSA, Nicky Moffitt was appointed the sport’s first Safety Delegate (SD). The Northern Irishman has a long career of competing, organising and stewarding on multi-venue rallies from closed public road events to forest stage rallies both on the mainland and in Northern Ireland.

What initially looked like a huge task was not quite as bad as it seemed. Every successful rally organising team already had a competent structure in place. What was needed was a means of improving that structure and standardising as many procedures as possible.

For the first three events of the 2015 Scottish Rally Championship season this generated an almost intolerable workload for the amateur organising teams. As the individual team members went about their business, the SD had to be kept fully informed throughout the process.

In the past rally stages were set up the day before the event. Under the new rules Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 45

042-046 RallySafety oo DS.indd 3

27/11/2015 12:43

Rally safety

Course cars run ahead of each stage and only when the safety delegate is satisfied can the rally proceed

word of complaint. Everyone realised it had to be done and the SD was not working to any preconceived plan. Before this there was no national safety plan. This was a case of planning on the hoof, with everyone working together trying new ideas, refining some and dispensing with others.

Also underway is a process to identify and train new Safety Officers with enough personnel available to undertake their duties from the start of next season.

Media restrictions

In a separate development, members of the press and media will also have to work under new rules. This follows on from the conduct of some so-called ‘media representatives’ who have been signed-on at rallies in the past. The MSA recently introduced a much more strict qualifying criteria for such professionals.

It’s not that there is a problem with professional press and media personnel carrying out their duties, but there have been occasions in the past where individuals who did not merit such accreditation have abused this privilege. The result might well have an impact on future rally reporting, photography and film-making. So the sport hasn’t done itself any favours here either.

Safety requirements

The result of this effort was the publication of the 2015 Multi-Venue Stage Rally Safety Requirements in April to which all rally clubs have been working in the second half of the season. Still the process continues, and based on work done over the past six months a 2016 version was published in November, also covering single-venue events and rally times trials. All British car clubs organising multi-venue rallies will have to comply from the start of the 2016 season. Similarly, organisers of single-venue rallies will have a new plan with which to comply.

In addition, a new Marshals Register is being created. In future all rally marshals will have to register, free of charge, and undertake a simple on-line training module.

The creation of such a register will permit relevant information to be circulated more easily and there is also an intention to introduce an incentive and reward scheme.

Clerks of the Course are already licenced but another new requirement for next year is training for Safety Car crews. In future there will be a clearly established sequence for Course Cars running ahead of each event.

Standard markings will be used to identify each car and its purpose. Once they have passed through each Special Stage and the SD has given his/her consent, then the rally may be allowed to proceed.

Wider impact

Given the level of government interest in this whole process, the FIA asked to be kept informed of what the MSA was up to in the UK and Robert Reid, MSA Performance Director and former World Rally Champion co-driver, was asked to liaise with them.

This process received added impetus following another tragic accident in Spain in September in which six rally spectators lost their lives. With the MESR and the MSA having achieved so much this year in the UK, it is to be hoped that the FIA takes its lead from them rather than forcing a re-think here.

The future

LINDSAY PHOTOSPORT

they would have to be set up two days before so that the SD could be driven round the whole route the day before each event. That meant clubs spending an extra day, or in some cases, two days in the run up to their event fulfilling the necessary requirements while giving them time to make changes should they be required ahead of the rally. In other words some individuals were taking two and three week days off work to prepare for a weekend rally.

That task may not sound too onerous, but consider the scale of each operation. A one-day National ‘B’ rally will have, on average, five or six Special Stages totalling some 45 miles. Those routes have to be recced and recorded – a very slow process.

All forest access points and junctions have to be identified, as well as all marshalling positions and proposed spectator areas.

Once agreed with the SD, these areas have to be taped off and sign-posted appropriately.

For instance, on the Border Counties Rally, the organisers used 16km of tape to mark out spectator areas. That’s not as simple or straightforward as it sounds. The tape has to be unwound and passed between trees and round undergrowth by volunteers walking over uneven ground, tripping over roots and getting scarred for life in gorse bushes while being eaten alive by midges.

And if the required work does not meet with the SD’s approval then the organisers must effect changes before the rally starts the following morning. On the Snowman Rally some of the set-up teams were still working in the forests in the early hours – in February, in the far north of Scotland, in the dark and bitter cold!

Oddly enough there has been barely a

At the end of this season, the MESR’s civil servant, Jacqueline Campbell, will report back to the Scottish Government on progress made. At this moment that report looks entirely supportive and favourable, but a watching brief will be kept on the sport next year to ensure that all recommendations are being applied and operated successfully.

Of more concern for the future wellbeing of the sport is the shortage of volunteers willing to undertake arduous tasks and contribute long hours of work. What was once an enjoyable pastime is becoming much more laborious due to increased safety requirements and the extra physical work required to prepare and lay out a one-day, multi-venue rally.

The number of car clubs is decreasing and memberships are reducing. It’s also becoming much more of a struggle to attract officials and marshals.

That is, if the sport has a future. Looking around the teams of organisers there is more grey hair and wrinkles than shiny cheeks and youthful enthusiasm. That could pose the biggest threat.

46 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

042-046 RallySafety oo DS.indd 4

27/11/2015 12:44

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES

Suspension and brakes are largely standard in line with the original Amilcar, with drum brakes all round.

PAUL LAWRENCE

GEARBOX

The car uses a two-speed bevel gearbox with chain drive transmission to the back axle.

“It is such a light car with a relatively low revving, very torquey engine,” says Walker.

“It is absolutely fine with two speeds. You don’t need more than two gears and they’d get in the way if you had more gears. It is amazing.”

CHASSIS

The special is built on a 1929 Amilcar CGSS chassis. The weight distribution is absolutely perfect with the driver on-board and the car is a bit like a Frazer Nash at the back.

48 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

048-049 VitalStats oo DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 12:48

vital stats

ENGINE

The engine is a 1915/16 Hispano aero V8, which is 11,750cc and weighs only 150kg. During the First World War the Hispano was the engine of choice for allied aircraft manufacturers after 1916. It is all aluminium with screwed in steel liners. It was a very high-tech engine for the period and produced about 200bhp.

Walker’s engine was made under licence by the Wright Company in New York. The prime rev range is 1800 to 2000 and Walker says that it doesn’t want to rev over that. That is similar to the speed they were run at in the period aeroplanes.

Tom Walker

Amilcar The inside details of an aero-engined VSCC special Tom Walker’s stunning, and highly effective, aero-engined Amilcar is a VSCC special built by well known specials builder Robin Baker.

“He started it about 15 years ago, starting with a 1929 Amilcar CGSS chassis, front axle and brakes. The original car is right towards the end of the vintage era and this is a long version of that car,” says Walker. “I’ve owned it for a year. Robin never raced it and, in fact, he told me I shouldn’t race it because it was designed for sprinting. But I have found that it is an exceedingly good racing car.”

In period, the chassis would have had a 1500cc engine fitted, but Baker installed the superb and remarkably light Hispano V8. At a whisker under 12-litres, the 1915 design was ahead of its time in many ways.

“There are one or two other cars with the Hispano V8 engine, but they tend to be Edwardian cars, because it is an Edwardian engine but in a vintage chassis. I’ve probably got one of the earlier engines with between 150 and 180bhp. The power is sufficient! It would be very difficult to replace the engine. There aren’t many left in the world and you certainly don’t want to damage it.”

Walker has just enjoyed a great season with the VSCC, winning several prominent races for Vintage Racing Cars. “The win at Oulton Park in July was the best racing day of my life,” he says.

“It was awesome to be out in this with four of five cars of similar performance.”

DATA BURST

Year: 1929 (chassis) Engine: 11,750cc Gearbox: Two-speed Hispano V8 Top speed: 120mph Weight: 550kg

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 49

048-049 VitalStats oo DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 12:49

CH GIF R IS T O TM FFE AS R

Free Motor Sport whisky tumbler CHRISTMAS GIFT SUBSCRIPTION OFFER A magazine subscription makes a fantastic Christmas gift.

Purchase a Motor Sport subscription for a friend, relative or loved one today. If they are motor sport fans, this is something they will be absolutely thrilled to receive. Alternatively, simply treat yourself to this fantastic offer. Subscribe today for 12 or 24 issues and you will also receive an exclusive Motor Sport whisky tumbler.

AVAILABLE IN...

BUNDLE – save 50%

THE TOTAL MOTOR SPORT EXPERIENCE Get monthly delivery of your print magazine and instant access to the interactive digital magazine, as well as uninterrupted access to the Motor Sport online archive for 90 years of Motor Sport content.

PRINT – save 27%

Save on the high-street price and receive issues direct to your door before they are in the shops.

DIGITAL – save 27%

DIGITAL ONLY Get instant access to the digital magazine, which contains fantastic interactive articles and videos.

DIGITAL PLUS includes Digital Only, plus access to the Motor Sport online archive.

NOW AVAILABLE ON DESKTOP, SMARTPHONE & TABLETS

2 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE Visit www.motorsportmagazine. com/MS04

MS ad270x200 left_r3.indd 1

Call 020 7349 8484 and quote code MS04

17/11/2015 09:30

IN THIS

ISSUE

Buyer’s guide: HANS fittings p52 Place Notes: Craigantlet hillclimb p55 Judicial decisions p57

Toolkit News, products and advice for competitors

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Quality bespoke kartwear designed in the UK The late Martin Hines – founder of Zip Kart and known affectionately as ‘Mr Karting’ – was a pioneer in the early days of the sport.

His passion and dedication has pushed karting into the limelight, becoming the springboard for talented racing drivers. Martin won kart titles at national, European and world championship levels.

In 2009 Martin and the Hines family bought the well-known Grand Prix Racewear business and set up camp at Silverstone, providing expert advice and service from experienced racing drivers for racing drivers, taking care of all their racewear needs.

Sadly Martin passed away in 2011. In his memory, his son and BTCC race winner Luke Hines has over the past two years developed the MH range of bespoke kartwear. Martin was a man who demanded quality at an affordable price, and this ethos has played a huge part in the development of the MH kart overalls, creating a high-quality yet affordable product. Looking the part need not cost the earth.

All the MH kart overalls are homologated to CIK Level 2 for international competition. The standard construction is cordura nylon material with a belt on the front and no shoulder epaulettes. Rear stretch panels are standard but can be omitted by request and you can choose between traditional cotton inner lining or a lightweight and breathable sports mesh. These are bespoke overalls, so don’t hesitate to contact GPR about any special requirements.

For more information, visit www.gprdirect.com

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org

051 Toolkit GC DS.indd 1

51

27/11/2015 14:57

BUYER’S

GUIDE

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Head start in protection Helmet restraint systems can prevent injury, but make sure you get the right fitting advice What’s new for 2016 With the new rules for mandatory frontal head restraint (FHR) devices coming into use in January 2016, Grand Prix Racewear has set out to try and make the transition to the new season a simple one.

There are a lot of drivers with helmets that are still valid; some of those are FHR compatible and some are not. If you have a helmet and you’re not sure whether it’s compatible, GPR can advise you.

GPR stocks a full range of currently homologated helmets, should you require a replacement, and also has a large range of seats and harnesses to compliment its line of headgear.

Seats and harnesses are both ‘lifed’

products in terms of their homologation validity periods for certain disciplines,, so you should always double-check the ‘not valid after…’ dates on these items during your pre-season preparations.

Getting the right HANS device for you Sizes

GPR stocks Schroth and Stand 21 HANS devices in medium and large sizes, although small-size equipment is available to order. Finding the correct size is more about comfort than functionality, so you should choose the size that feels the best once in position.

Angles

Different types of car require FHR devices of different angles – equipment of 10, 20, 30 and 40 degrees is available. As a general rule, anyone using a regular aftermarket race seat – such as the Sparco PRO2000 or Corbeau Revenge – would typically need a 20-degree device. However, drivers of a larger stature may be better suited to a 30-degree model.

Most single-seaters and sports cars such as the Radical SR3 would also typically require a 30-degree FHR. Some rally seats are very upright and would normally call for a 10-degree model, while 40 degrees is usually necessary for reclined F1-style cars.

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution to get the best-fitting FHR device for you.

52 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

052-053 Buyer's guide GC DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 13:05

buyer’s guide

What is an FHR?

BRITISH GT

A Frontal Head Restraint (FHR) is a system designed to reduce injury by limiting forward head movement in the event of an accident

FHR protection is now mandatory, but getting the correct fit is crucial for both driver comfort and safety

Do I need to use an FHR? From 1 January 2016 the use of an FIA-homologated FHR is mandatory in MSA National Events * for the following competitors: n All drivers and co-drivers in Stage Rally events, with the exception of Historic Category 1 vehicles (pre-1968). n All drivers in Circuit Race events, with the exception of Period Defined vehicles (pre-1977). n All drivers in Sprint and Hill Climb events, with the exception of Roadgoing category vehicles & Period Defined vehicles (pre-1977).

For details on Period Defined vehicles, please see the definitions in the MSA Yearbook Section B (Nomenclature and Definitions).

The FIA Technical lists can be found on the FIA website at the following address: www.fia.com/homologations

Fitting service

GPR recommends that new owners visit the store at Silverstone for FHR fitting.

Alternatively, you can stop by stand 6220 at the Autosport International show from January 14-17, where it will have race seats set up with harnesses to simulate the fit.

Along with the company’s advice and fitting service you can be confident you’ll have the right kit when the time comes to jump in the car and race.

FHR post fitting

If you’ve got a helmet that’s already compatible and requires FHR post anchors fitting to it, GPR can also supply and fit the posts while you wait, for an additional cost.

Contact information

Grand Prix Racewear, No1 Silverstone Park, Silverstone, Northants, NN12 8TN Telephone: 01327 855 585 Email: info@gprdirect.com Website: www.gprdirect.com

Is my helmet compatible with an FHR? FHRs can only be used with helmets on Technical Lists No.33, No.41 and No.49.

Additionally, for MSA National events only, they can be of SNELL SA2015 or SAH2010 standard: n FIA Technical List No.33 – Approved helmets according to FIA 8860-2010 & FIA 8860-2004 n FIA Technical List No.41 – Approved helmets compatible with FHR according to FIA 8858-2010 & Approved helmets compatible with HANS according to FIA 8858-2002. n FIA Technical List No.49 - Approved helmets according to FIA 8859-2015.

For further MSA guidance, please visit msauk.org/assets/ fhrguidance.pdf

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 53

052-053 Buyer's guide GC DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 14:59

034-038 Autocross GC DS.indd 5

27/11/2015 12:04

place notes

ZIPP PHOTOGRAPHY

The car would star again at the hill’s 100th anniversary celebrations.

Craigantlet established its place on the motor racing calendar in the 1930s, as a precursor to the Ulster TT, with such as Earl Howe and Eddie Hall arriving to compete and win before appearances at nearby Dundrod.

Familiar names such as British Roger Moran champion Sydney Allard made trips to tackles Belmont the hill too, with three consecutive wins Road with the gained between 1949 and ’51. Ken Belfast docks in the background Wharton followed with a run of four top times through the 1950s.

As the British championship continued to grow it became apparent visiting drivers would overshadow the locals, but it wasn’t always the case. Bangor’s John Pringle was fastest from 1961-62, and Brian Nelson used a Crosslé built not far from the hill to win three in a row from 1970.

To increase the value for travelling crews the UAC Speed Weekend was introduced in the 2000s, with sprints at the nearby Kirkistown race circuit and a day at the hill all part of the format.

Clerk of the course Robert Cairns has been at the forefront for 10 years and has been involved from the turn of the millennium.

Although fond of past successes, he looks positively to the future. “We can’t just look back,” he says “The main change for this year was a move from our August date to the bank holiday weekend at the start of May. “We hope the new date continues to make it attractive to British competitors. August is a very busy time in the calendar.”

The current 1335m course has only five corners, starting with twisty bends Howe, Hall and Hadley – all named in recognition of early winners. After a chicane at the crossroads, it becomes a hill of two halves.

Next is the all-important run to Allard’s where speed increases before Wharton Straight. With just the fast Pringle remaining it is all about nailing the racing line before the course opens onto a wide stretch to the finish where front-runners head towards Craigantlet village in excess of 140mph – mindful of a footpath kerb on the exit.

All completed by record holder Trevor Willis in just 39.56 seconds.

While on many hills competitors converge demands, the one-day-a-year venue on on the lead-up to the start, a central paddock Belmont Road remains to host British and at Craigantlet between the crossroads and Northern Ireland championships.

Pringle gives the road a ‘venue’ feel.

Its history dates back to 1913, when Irish engineer Harry Ferguson recorded a winning A holding area in the lower section makes full use of the road closing order. time of 103 seconds in a 25hp Vauxhall. Best An electric car class was introduced for known for his tractors, Ferguson’s name the 2015 edition where Michael Hudson set would feature again at Craigantlet when his the benchmark in a Renault Zoe. The future P99 four-wheel-drive Formula 1 car would is well catered for at Craigantlet. win in 1964 in the hands of Peter Westbury.

Craigantlet

Belmont Road has an ample history – almost as long as the Titanic story in the Belfast dockyard that provides the backdrop, writes William Neill

The public road course, situated on the edge of Northern Ireland’s capital city, has undergone many changes over its 102-year existence to remain a favourite on the speed calendar, Motorsport News’ best UK hillclimb venue its most recent accolade. Everything from the original start, length and road alignment – which forced the introduction of a chicane – has changed. But, despite nearby traffic

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 55

055 Place Notes oo DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 12:57

LIMITED-EDITION CALENDAR

2016 CALENDAR ON SALE NOW!

ONLY

£29.95 +P&P

POWER RETURNS TO GRAND PRIX RACING Marking 50 years since Formula 1 doubled its engine size to three litres in 1966, the Motor Sport 2016 calendar celebrates a new dawn for Grand Prix racing: the late ’60s. Featuring 12 stylish, carefully selected black and white images, the calendar reflects a golden age of

Formula 1 when tyres grew, wings sprouted and extra power helped steer motor racing towards the modern age. The calendar’s large size means each black and white photo, plucked from LAT Photographic’s extensive archive, is ideal for framing at the end of each month.

ORDER YOUR 2016 MOTOR SPORT CALENDAR NOW 3 EASY WAYS TO ORDER

Online www.motorsport magazine.com/MSCAL

Complete and post the form to:

Call +44 (0) 20 7349 8484

Motor Sport Calendar, 18-20 Rosemont Road, London, NW3 6NE, UK

and quote CAL16

Please send me ................. copies of the Motor Sport Calendar 2016 at £29.95 plus postage and packing: UK add £8.50 per calendar, rest of the world add £15 per calendar.

Name ....................................................................................................................................

Address ............................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................... Postcode .........................................

I enclose a cheque/postal order for £............ payable to Motor Sport Please debit my credit card the sum of £........................

Visa Debit

Visa Credit

Mastercard

American Express

Maestro

Card number Expiry date

SEC

Maestro only – Issue no.

Country ........................................... Tel. no ......................................................................

(last 3 digits on reverse)

E-mail address .................................................................................................................

Signature ..................................................................................................................................

056 MS CalendarAd DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 13:00

national court

MOTOR SPORTS COUNCIL NATIONAL COURT SITTING TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Chris Mount Ian Watson CASE No J2015/07 This disciplinary matter comes to this Court as a result of an incident which occurred in the paddock at Donington Park on the 19th April 2015 at the conclusion of a Ginetta Junior race.

The competitor was required to present himself before the Clerk of the Course for having physically assaulted another competitor, this being contrary to MSA General Regulation C.1.1.9. The Clerk of the Course excluded him from the results of the meeting/event and referred the matter to the Stewards who, in his absence, suspended his licence for thirty days and sent the matter to the MSA. The MSA’s Disciplinary Officer, having considered the matter has referred it to this court to consider whether a further penalty is appropriate.

The competitor appears before the court today accompanied by his father. He explains that he was so incensed by the actions of another driver during the race when his car was struck from behind and turned around in the face of the oncoming cars that he remonstrated with him in Parc Ferme. In the course of this confrontation he is seen on the recording of the incident which the court has seen to push the other driver on three separate occasions.

To his credit the other driver took no steps to retaliate.

The competitor has expressed regret for what occurred, although no apology was forthcoming on the day, and both he and his father state that they were not aware of any requirement to attend before the Stewards prior to leaving the circuit.

This is contrary to other evidence available to this Court.

It is the view of this Court that the imposition of a further penalty is appropriate. The Court is advised that even though the thirty-day suspension lapsed some months ago the competitor elected not to compete again until this matter came before this court.

In the circumstances the court orders that the competitor’s licence

be further suspended for the remainder of this calendar year and that he pay a contribution toward court costs in the sum of £250.

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Chris Mount Ian Watson CASE No J2015/14 These two appeals are brought in respect of two decisions made at Silverstone on 7th June 2015 in the Cadet Class of Formula Kart Stars.

The first is in respect of a penalty imposed by the Stewards of the event who found the appellant guilty of an offence under MSA General Regulation C1.1.5 when he was excluded from the race, the second against a decision of the Stewards that the appellant was in breach of MSA General Regulation C1.1.6 when he was excluded from the meeting.

It should be noted that this event was effectively running under CIK regulations such that first instance decisions were made not by the Clerk of the Course but by the Stewards of the Meeting such that any appellant would have an automatic right of appeal to this court. That is to say that an appellant need not meet the criteria set down at Regulation C7.1.3.

In respect of the first offence the appellant maintains that the track being used was temporary and that the edges of the track were not clearly defined such that from the position of a driver in a kart they would be extremely difficult to see. This, it is said, would explain why the appellant left the track with all four wheels off on several occasions.

The evidence before the court, however, shows that Friday was used for testing during which drivers could become accustomed to the track layout and to its limits.

Enforcement of track limit regulations was relaxed on the Friday but drivers were warned at the briefing the following day that henceforth they would be rigorously applied.

It is understood that the appellant took part in both Friday testing and the

Saturday races when no complaint was raised as to his ability to keep within the track limits. In view of this the court sees no justification for the suggestion that they were difficult to see on the Sunday when, even after being penalised for breaching C1.1.5 in an earlier race, the appellant continued to leave the track in his subsequent race. It was for these subsequent transgressions that the appellant was shown a black flag.

The MSA’s printed document completed by the Stewards and entitled Stewards’ Decision Notification shows that the second penalty was applied for breach of “C1.1.6- Contravention of flag signal-black flag (ignored more than once)”. This wording would seem to suggest, however unintended such might be, that it may be acceptable to ignore the flag just once but in this instance it was considered by the Stewards that the appellant had in fact ignored the flag twice and that was why he was penalised.

Upon enquiry it now appears that the flag was displayed during the penultimate lap such that although the appellant could have entered the pit lane at the conclusion of the final lap rather than take the chequered flag on the track as he did, he most certainly did not pass or ignore the flag twice.

As to whether he should have come in within one lap of receiving the signal there is evidence to indicate that the flag was displayed in a strong wind contemporaneously with both a number board and a last lap board such that it may well not have been clearly visible to a driver. In this instance the appellant states that he was not aware of the flag and that he did not choose to ignore it.

The decision of this Court is therefore that: 1. The appeal against penalty for breach of C1.1.5 is dismissed, 2. The appellant will pay the sum of £1,000 as a contribution toward court costs, 3. The appeal against penalty for ignoring a flag signal is allowed, and 4. The appeal fee in respect of 3. above is to be refunded to the appellant.

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN

SITTING WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Steve Stringwell (Chairman) Mike Harris Kevin Witton CASE No J2015/21 Jim Clark Reivers Forest Rally, 31st May 2015 The MSA refers this matter to the MSC National Court as an Investigatory Hearing under General Regulation C9.

The National Court was asked to investigate whether there may have been a breach of General Regulations (including but not limited to R24.3.3(b), R24.4.4, R24.4.12 and R26.9.3), an incorrect or improper declaration of results of a competition, a breach of condition of permit, a defect, default, omission, irregularity (including but not limited to a failure to comply with the incident reporting requirements of the applicable event safety plan), or inconsistency in respect of the Jim Clark Reivers Forest Rally held on 31st May 2015, permit no 89144.

The National Court has received a substantial number of submissions from the organising club and officials (including written submissions) namely Colin Smith the Clerk of the Course, John Richardson MSA Steward, Nicky Moffitt MSA Safety Delegate, Alan Page MSA Training Executive, Clayton Lackenby Deputy Clerk of the Course, Keith Cowan a sector marshal at post 17, Lyndsay Burnip Communications Officer, Graham Provest Deputy Clerk of the Course, Dave Robson a control marshal, Jock Armstrong driver and Paula Swinscoe co-driver.

In addition the Court heard oral submissions from John Richardson, Clayton Lackenby, Derek Holgate Safety Officer, Nicky Moffitt, Keith Cowan, Jock Armstrong driver and Paula Swinscoe co-driver.

The National Court considered that there has been a clear breach of R24.4.4, in that two non-competing cars had driven onto Special Stage 5.

The National Court was concerned as this posed a serious risk of danger to competitors, spectators, officials and the occupants of the two noncompeting cars.

The mere presence on the stage of the two non-competing cars would also suggest to the National Court that there was a possible breach of General Regulation R26.9.3.

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 57

057-59 National court DS.indd 1

27/11/2015 13:10

national court

MOTOR SPORTS COUNCIL NATIONAL COURT – CONTINUED Evidence was produced to the National Court and testimony was heard as to the radio communication on the event that were at times described as “spasmodic” and “less than satisfactory”. The National Court acknowledged that this was possibly due to the weather and military activities nearby on Otterburn.

The National Court was further concerned that the MSA appointed senior officials on the event (John Richardson the MSA Steward and Nicky Moffitt the MSA Safety Delegate) were not informed on the day of the event of the two non-competing cars on Special Stage 5.

The National Court also considered the penalty applied by the officials to Car 2 affecting the results, which may have been applied in an unfair manner.

After hearing evidence from Mr Jock Armstrong and Ms Paula Swinscoe and hearing from other senior club officials the National Court agrees that the penalty for car 2 was improperly applied without referral to a relevant or appropriate regulation. The National Court notes that the penalty had been imposed for a breach of R8.3.2 and R8.3.3 (being excessive speed and driving in a manner likely to bring motorsport into disrepute respectively). However, the National Court notes that the penalty imposed had been based on uncorroborated evidence, from a person who was not appointed as a driving standards observer, as required by relevant regulations. The National Court further notes that the Clerk of the Course failed to notify the MSA Steward of this penalty in breach of G5.3.10.

Having considered all the facts and evidence provided for this

Investigatory Hearing, the National Court orders that:

Guy Spollon (Chairman) David Scott Peter Riches CASE No J2015/22

that the restrictor was larger than permitted which allowed the engine to produce more power. The father of the competitor when confronted with the ineligible exhaust restrictor accepted that he had fitted the component to his child’s kart engine.

A non-compliance form was duly completed and the competitor’s father was asked to attend at the Clerk of the Course’s office. This he failed to do and, accordingly, his child was excluded from the event for breach of Regulation B2.2.1 of the 2015 MSA Kart Race Yearbook.

The matter now comes before the National Court on the basis that there may have been breaches of General Regulations C1.1.2(a) and/or C1.1.4 and/ or C1.1.8.

Regulation C1.1.2(a) prohibits any action having as its object the entry or participation in an event of an ineligible vehicle.

Regulation C1.1.4 prohibits any proceedings and/or acts prejudicial to the interests of the MSC and/or motor sport generally.

Regulation C1.1.8 prohibits misbehaviour or unfair practice.

The National Court had the advantage of hearing evidence from Mr Paul Klaassen (MSA Technical Commissioner) who explained that:

On 27th and 28th June 2015 the Dragon Kart Club organised round five of the IAME MSA British Cadet Kart Championship at Glan Y Gors kart circuit.

After the first final an accusation was made that a kart driven by a competitor had an exhaust restrictor which had been tampered with. Examination of the exhaust restrictor on the kart revealed

(a) Prior to the commencement of competitive racing the competitor’s representatives will bring the competitor’s engines into Scrutineering for checks as to their legality with approved gauges before sealing. (b) Exhaust restrictors are fitted to kart engines to reduce the power of the engine.

1. the Border Ecosse Car Club Ltd and Clerk of the Course Mr Colin Smith, licence no 47086, do not organise a multi-venue stage rally greater that a National B status event for the next two years and during that period of time are subject to MSA observation.

2. the time penalty for Car 2 (Mr Jock Armstrong and Ms Paula Swinscoe) be rescinded and the results re-declared and re-issued.

3. Border Ecosse Car Club make a contribution towards costs of the National Court of £1000.

This decision was set down at 15:23hours on Wednesday 30th September 2015.

STEVE STRINGWELL CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST 2015

(c) Exhaust restrictors are sealed separately to prevent them being changed during a meeting. (d) The competitor’s father when confronted with an excessively large exhaust restrictor fitted to his child’s kart said “OK. Let me come clean,” and then went on to explain how he had changed it.

The competitor’s father himself gave evidence and whilst acknowledging that he had fitted what turned out to be an illegal restrictor suggested that he had made a mistake rather than being an out-and-out cheat. He maintained that he had very limited engineering expertise, particularly with engines.

The National Court, having considered all the evidence, concluded that there had been breaches of both Regulations C1.1.2 (a) and C1.1.8.

The National Court: 1. Directs that parent/guardian licence holders and their nominees must ensure that karts when raced are compliant with the relevant rules and regulations.

2. Orders that the competitor’s father is suspended from being a licence holder for two years with that suspension itself being suspended for two years on condition that there are no further breaches, particularly in relation to matters of eligibility.

Further, directs that a fine of £250 must be paid together with a contribution towards costs of £400.

GUY SPOLLON CHAIRMAN

The Strength of Experience Tel: +44 (0) 1952 582825 Fax: +44 (0) 1952 582821

www.speedlinecorse.co.uk • info@speedlinecorse.co.uk 58 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

057-59 National court DS.indd 2

27/11/2015 14:19

Favourite racers from the worlds of

Including

GREAT RACING CARS FORMULA 1, SPORTS CARS, INDYCARS & RALLYING by the stars who made them famous

★ DAMON HILL ★ MARIO ANDRETTI ★ EMERSON FITTIPALDI ★ ★ JOHN SURTEES ★ ★ JACQUES VILLENEUVE ★ ★ JOHNNY HERBERT ★ ★ MARTIN BRUNDLE ★ ★ SÉBASTIEN OGIER ★ ★ DARIO FRANCHITTI ★ ★

★

GREAT RACING CARS

41

FORMULA 1

Essential info

Williams FW14

Entrants Williams Drivers Nigel Mansell, Riccardo Patrese Debut 1991 United States Grand Prix Achievements 17 wins, 21 poles Constructors’ Championships 1 (1992) Drivers’ Championships 1 (1992)

1991-92

WILLIAMS FW14 & 14B

plus many more

★164-PAGE COLLECTORS SPECIAL★ Lotus 78 ★ Brabham BT44 ★ Mrab BT44 Williams FW25 ★ Ferrari F2004 ★McLaren M23★MercedesW154 Mercedes W154 Lotus 72 McLaren Williams FW14 Alpine Williams FW1 lpine A441 ★ Tyrrell Porsche 956 ★ Lotus 1 BT54 Minrdi M189 Jaguar XJR-14 Porsche 956 ★ Lotus 19 ★ Nissan GTP Audi R10 Sauber C11 Mercedes 300SLR Lola T70 Bentley Speed 8 Chaparral 2F Chaparral 2H Alpine A441 Zytek GZ09S Lotus 38 AAR Eagle BLAT Eagle

MARK BLUNDELL

1992 Le Mans winner, 61 GP starts, Champ Car race winner

SEE THIS CAR IN ACTION @ the motor sport digital edition

040-43_FW14&15c.indd SA DS.indd 40

GREAT RACING CARS

The Williams FW14 was as close as it comes to perfection for me, really. It was just a pleasure to use. It did whatever you wanted it to do and as a driver you can’t ask for much more than that.

It was quite a strange time for me, actually, because I was testing and developing the FW14 in 1991 when I was actually racing for Brabham. There were no issues between the teams with me doing both – in fact Brabham was quite pleased because the team was developing the fairly unusual Sergio Rinland BT60Y and they would ask me about the Williams all the time.

I remember going to Imola in early ’91 and going two seconds quicker in the FW14 on race tyres than I had with the Brabham on qualifying tyres. It was night and day really. I remembered thinking about that quite deeply when we were getting up at the crack of dawn for pre-qualifying!

The FW14 was quick, had amazing downforce levels and that great Renault V10 engine. After some initial bugs were ironed out it was reliable, too. It was actually the first generation of car that used a blown ❱❱

01/09/2014 040-43_FW14&15c.indd 15:09 SA DS.indd 41

03/09/2014 11:28

63

SPORTS CARS

SEE THIS CAR IN ACTION @ the motor sport digital edition

1969-71

PORSCHE 917

HELMUT MARKO

1971 Le Mans winner, 10 Grand Prix starts, Red Bull linchpin

Essential info

Porsche 917 Notable entrants Porsche, John Wyer Automotive Notable drivers Jo Siffert, Pedro Rodríguez, Brian Redman, Vic Elford, Hans Herrmann, Richard Attwood, Kurt Ahrens, Leo Kinnunen, Helmut Marko, Gijs van Lennep Debut 1969 Spa 1000Kms Achievements 15 wins, 11 poles (WSC) Constructors’ Championships 3 (1969-71)

062-67_Por917&917/30.indd SA DS.indd 62

GREAT RACING CARS

01/09/2014 16:33

I can’t recall whether it felt better in long- or short-tail guise, but when the handling was sorted it was an unbelievable car. My victory at Le Mans apart, I recall leading my first race in a 917, at the Österreichring in 1970, but it ran out of fuel and failed to finish. We introduced ABS at the same track one year later, but that failed and Gérard Larrousse and I retired after an accident.

It wasn’t an easy car to set up and I never found it particularly easy to drive, with all that power. It was a bit of a monster, but perhaps that’s what we’re missing in modern Formula 1 at the moment – something to separate the men from the boys. ❱❱

062-67_Por917&917/30.indd SA DS.indd 63

03/09/2014 11:29

15 5

RALLY CARS

1998

SUBARU WRC98

MADS ØSTBERG

Winner of one WRC event, works Citroën driver

£7.99

Lotus 72 ★ Porsche 917 ★ Audi R10 ★ McLaren MP4/4 ★ Williams FW14B ★ March 86C cedes W196 ★ Bentley Speed 8 ★ Mercedes 300SLR ★ McLaren M23 ★ Brabham BT54 ★ Audi Quattro ★ Jaguar XJR-14 ★ Porsche 908/3 ★ Penske PC23 ★ Ford Escort Mk2 ★ Subaru Impreza WRC98 ★ Lola T70 Mercedes C11 ★ Chaparral 2F ★ Lotus 38 ★ Renault R25

During my professional career I’ve driven some Subarus, the Ford Fiesta and now the Citroën DS3, which was designed for Sébastien Loeb and is a really amazing car.

But I’m quite a straightforward guy so I would say my favourite car of all time, just by looking at it and driving it, is the Subaru Impreza WRC of 1998, the first World Rally Car I drove.

OK, I’ve never competed in it – but my dad let me drive it when I was 13! I was not flat out, but I was allowed to drive it on a test on snow in Norway.

I’d learned how to drive a car very quickly when I was young. My dad was sitting next to me and I was allowed to do some drifts and it was a fantastic feeling. After I was a bit older and knew how to drive a WRC car, I tested it again. We sold it to another Norwegian guy and he asked me test the car with him, so I did one test day in the car.

I got lucky again.

154-155_Subaru.indd SA DS.indd 154

GREAT RACING CARS

SEE THIS CAR IN ACTION @ the motor sport digital edition

02/09/2014 11:57 154-155_Subaru.indd SA DS.indd 155

02/09/2014 11:58

13 3

FORMULA ONE MERCEDES-BENZ W196 INDYCARS

1994

PENSKE-MERCEDES PC23 500i

01

ROGER PENSKE Legendary US team owner

5 010791 482003

SEE THIS CAR IN ACTION @ the motor sport digital edition

132-133_PenskePC23 GC DS.indd 132

001 Cover.indd 1

02/09/2014 11:08 132-133_PenskePC23 GC DS.indd 133

My favourite Indycar is our 1994 Penske-Mercedes-Benz we raced at Indianapolis with a 209 cubic inch, rocker arm Mercedes-Benz engine they called ‘The Beast’. Quietly, we took advantage of the stock-block rule for the Indy 500 which had been dominated by the Buick V6 turbo stockblock type engine running 55 inches of boost which was seven inches more than the standard, four-camshaft V8 racing engine most of us were using.

We saw we could build our own engine to those rules and we worked on it very quietly for a year and surprised everyone when we rolled out the engine for the start of practice for the Indy 500. We sat on the pole and dominated the race with our cars and won with Al Unser Jr and that engine. That was a great day for our team and company and it established my relationship with MercedesBenz like the Porsche 917/30 had done with Porsche.

Following that our dealership business with MercedesBenz expanded worldwide and I sold the Detroit Diesel engine manufacturing business to Mercedes.

02/09/2014 11:08

03/09/2014 14:50

Our 100 Greatest Grands Prix Souvenir Special is now available direct from Motor Sport for just £5, saving £2.99.

Packed full of what we think are the most significant Grands Prix in history. Will you agree with our choices?

To buy a copy of this special edition magazine visit:

www.motorsportmagazine.com/GRC 60 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

060 Bookazine Ad.indd 1

27/11/2015 14:46

national court SITTING TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Chris Mount Ian Watson CASE No J2015/23 Mini Challenge & Mazda MX5 Championship Results Brands Hatch 10th May 2015 This matter comes before the court at the instigation of the MSA as an investigatory hearing in accordance with MSA General Regulation C.9. It relates to an event at Brands Hatch held on 10th May this year when several national races supported the main International event.

An MSA Timekeeper was dealing with the national races whilst the international had brought its own timekeepers with their own system.

It had been understood that the regulations which set out the classification criteria for the support races had been entered into the said system but unfortunately it would seem that for some such races that was not the case.

When results were published certain competitors were shown as having been classified when in fact they should have been shown as “Not Classified”.

Both the organisers and the MSA wish this court to permit the amendment of the relevant results and, upon inquiry, the court accedes to their request.

The amendments to be made are such as to show the following numbered cars as “Not Classified” in the races referred to below.

BRSCC Mazda MX5 Race One, cars numbered 51, 111 and 666 Race Two, cars numbered 76,111, 2 and 66 Race Three cars numbered 21, 36 and 23 Mini Challenge Race One, cars numbered 19, 26 and 58 Race Two, cars numbered 17, 46 and 7 Race Three, cars numbered 71, 19 and 26.

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Chris Mount Ian Watson CASE No J2015/24 Eligibility Appeal This is the eligibility appeal of a competitor brought by his parent

against the finding that the fuel which he had used whilst competing in the IAME Cadet Class at Larkhall on 12th July 2015 differed from the control fuel.

Much is said as to the interpretation of the print-outs of the samples taken but it would seem expedient to consider the testing process which had been adopted.

Reference to the “Sporting Regulations General” of the Super One Championship, Article 3.5 clearly states that “Testing of fuel will be carried out

by WP Motorsport in accordance with D34.3.” This is a reference to MSA General Regulation D34.3.

This regulation deals with fuel testing.

The first part of Regulation D34 refers to both analysis testing and comparative testing. D34.3, however, deals only with comparative testing. Although D34.1.4 states that only one sample need be taken for comparative testing this is on terms that “the vehicle remains in parc ferme to enable subsequent samples to be taken should the first sample confirm non-compliance”.

General Regulation D34.3.1 states “Each sample must be a minimum of 50ml.”

D34.3.6 effectively re-states that which is said at D34.1.4 in that if the result of the first test confirms non-compliance (the competitor having been informed) two further samples will be taken, hence the need for the vehicle to remain in parc ferme. The entrant is to be given the opportunity to select one of the two remaining sealed samples for testing in the presence of the competitor.

On the papers before the Court it would seem that but one sample was taken, the quantity being 120ml. This was tested and found not to conform with the control sample. One notes that there is nothing in the papers to indicate that the control sample was itself taken in the manner required by Regulation D34.3.2.

In view of this finding, the Technical Commissioner was informed and a further test was carried out. There is a conflict of evidence as to whether a representative of the competitor was informed and present but there would seem to be no doubt that the second test was carried out on fuel from the same 120ml sample as the first. There is nothing to suggest that the competitor was given a choice of sample or indeed that any second or third samples were ever taken.

The matter would seem then to have become even more confused as at the conclusion of the second test of the first sample, steps were then taken to obtain a one-litre sample with the intention of sending it to the MSA for further testing as would be consistent with the regulations dealing with analysis testing.

Again, there would seem to be some doubt as to when exactly this one-litre

sample was ever despatched to the MSA but there was no necessity to do so in any event as Regulation D34.3 clearly states that if the second sample shows compliance, the third sample is to be tested “on site by an MSA approved official”.

To summarise the above, there is nothing before this court to show: 1. the steps taken to obtain a sample of the control fuel and as to when the sample was taken, 2. that second and third samples were ever taken, 3. that, in view of 2. above, the competitor was ever given a choice of sample for a second test, 4. that the representative of WP Group who conducted the tests was an MSA Approved Official.

The decision of this Court is therefore that the appeal must succeed, the results must reflect this and be published accordingly. The appeal fee is to be refunded.

Finally, although this appeal succeeds because of a failure to adhere to testing procedure, it should be noted that the competitor did not and does not accept that the fuel used was other than the control fuel.

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Chris Mount Ian Watson CASE No J2015/27 On 11th July this year an entrant PG was present at an event at Larkhall organised by the West of Scotland Kart Club. His child was competing in the MSA British Cadet Kart Championship and the Entrant PG was the relevant PG licence holder. He was required to appear before the Clerk of the Course who found him guilty of an offence, MSA General Regulation C.1.1.9, and referred him to the Stewards of the Meeting who suspended his PG licence for 30 days and, in turn, referred the matter onward to the MSA. That case now comes before this court for consideration to be given as to whether there should be a further penalty.

The facts are that at the start of the formation lap the kart driven by the entrant PG’s child had pulled off on the far side of the track and stopped because the plug had oiled up. The entrant PG wanted to cross the track to fit a new plug but was instructed by marshals that he should not do so. He

ignored their instructions, came over the barrier onto the track and, having been prevented from continuing further by the marshals, was eventually escorted off the track but not before subjecting them to considerable verbal abuse.

At the end of the race he was expected to remove the kart by pushing it on a trolley but he insisted on starting it. On being told he had to push it he proceeded to push it very slowly round the track thereby delaying the start of the next race.

The court has expressed the view to the entrant PG that his actions that day were utterly unacceptable and quite contrary to the aims of the Race ’n’ Respect campaign to which all competitors in this championship are expected to adhere.

The entrant PG accepts those comments and has expressed, both verbally to this court and in writing to the MSA, regret for his actions. He further accepts that the action taken by the officials on the day and the penalties which they imposed were entirely justified and appropriate.

The entrant PG says his actions were born out of frustration and apologises.

He explains that, like so many karting parents, he and his wife do whatever they can on a modest budget to enable their child to go karting.

He had driven some 350 miles to be at Larkhall. He believes that since the introduction of standing starts it has become commonplace for plugs to oil up and that this frequently results in a start being delayed to resolve the problem.

He believes that this happened at Larkhall on the days before and after this incident but that he and his child were denied a similar opportunity.

The court expresses no view on the entrant PG’s assertions and clearly, such exasperation as he may have felt does not excuse his conduct that day. The court does, however, recognise what is effectively a character reference placed before the court by a karting official and determines as follows 1. It is appropriate to impose a further penalty, 2. The entrant PG’s licence will be suspended for the remainder of this calendar year, 3. No further MSA licence is to be issued to the entrant PG until 01.01.2017, 4. Any appointment of the entrant PG as an entrant’s representative will be deemed invalid (H27.1.9(c)), and 5. The entrant PG to pay a contribution toward the costs of this Court in the sum of £250.

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN

Winter 2015 www.msauk.org 61

057-59 National court DS.indd 3

27/11/2015 13:10

opinion

Simon says...

SIMON ARRON

Some things are better nowadays. Recalling the cabin fever of his youth, Simon Arron applauds today’s shorter off-season

Having covered every Formula 1 world championship grand prix between 2001 and 2012, Simon Arron has returned to the real world and is now features editor for Motor Sport magazine

The sense of anticipation would brew for five months. The British motor racing season used to be a regimented beast, active from March through to October and then largely dormant save for quirky delights such as the Boxing Day meeting at Brands Hatch (slightly too far to cycle if you lived in the Oulton Park suburbs). Each campaign would take what seemed an age to materialise, but time would accelerate suddenly upon the fresh season’s dawn and it would be over almost before you’d had time to blink. The good news? You’d be another year closer to qualifying for a provisional driving licence, aka a step nearer to Mallory Park. The bad? Cabin fever had set in once more…

Back then my most acceptable alternatives were Saturday evening stock car racing at Manchester’s White City Stadium, long since demolished to make way` for yet another retail park, or the gritty reality of Northern Premier League football at Altrincham FC, where I once witnessed a particularly angry old man stride from the terraces to attack Boston United’s left-back with his walking stick. All wonderful sporting theatre (and I still follow Altrincham’s every kick from afar), but it wasn’t quite the same as listening to distant engines being primed as you cycled along the country lane between the A49 and Oulton Park’s main entrance.

But the world has altered. There are more UK race meetings than ever there used to be throughout the summer – and also in November (Brands Hatch,

Snetterton, Donington Park, Silverstone and Anglesey all hosted them in 2015), while initiatives such as MSV’s circuit-based rally championship stretch the calendar further yet and give extra value for season-ticket holders.

Boxing Day Brands Hatch bit the dust 30-odd years ago, but Mallory Park has a The peculiar more centrally located alternative with a pleasures of winter motor wonderful qualifying system: pole racing… this position for each car race goes to the first is the Brands Hatch Formula driver to place an entry, one of the few Vee Festival, systems Formula 1 has yet to try. There November 2014 are winter karting championships, too, while rallying and sporting trials have always been year-round options for those of woolly hat and stout boot. The only thing missing from all this is rallycross, which is in a healthy enough state but no longer forms the fortnightly backbone of Saturday afternoon sports programmes on black-and-white TV. On January 1 1977 a friend and I sought refuge from the off-season by cadging a parental lift to a rallycross event at the old Longridge circuit, set in a former quarry on the Lancashire moors, close to Preston. Deepening snow enhanced the spectacle, but also persuaded the organisers to call a halt about four hours before we were due to be collected. This was long before the invention of mobile phones or any form of social media – and Longridge was too primitive to feature anything as useful as a call box – so rescue came there none.

It mattered not. We still reflect fondly on that day, for cabin fever had been soundly defeated.

“I once saw an angry old man attack Boston’s left-back with his walking stick”

66 www.msauk.org Winter 2015

066 Simon says GC DS.indd 66

27/11/2015 13:01