Epic Photos courtesy of Colin Jackson
Oh boy, back at Silverstone for rounds 8 and 9, and the fourth race venue of the 2022 Junior Saloon Car Championship calendar. Friday Practice saw a lot of driver development. With the help of Aston of Nurburgring Tours I was able to work on my cornering techniques which are very different from karting, as the element of suspension in a car makes weight transfer a large factor in how you enter corners.
The weather was dry on Friday up until the last session where we saw specks of rain however it wasn't abundant enough to affect the circuit, same goes for Saturday morning practice.
Qualifying went alright to a point but I couldn't get enough clear air in for a fast lap, so I sat behind other cars hoping the slipstream would get me a high speed laptime, alas, I disappointingly qualified P22, which was not consistent with my practice pace.
Races... This is where it gets interesting and... very wet.
Race 1: Sunday 9:25AM, after raining through the night, it continued for most of the race day, keeping the tarmac very wet. My prerace prep was just me trying to figure out how to not... crash the thing, it's worth mentioning this was my first time driving the Saxo in the rain, and this was going to be my first drive in a wet race. Was it slippery? Awfully... Was it fun? Absolutely! the race went well for a first go, minus not being able to see because of the spray and having the wish-whoppers on full whack. During the race I had to avoid a series of crashes and spins, and even managed a few spectacular saves myself, my car having its own little moments too. But all in all I managed P17, so at least I went forwards, and I was proud of the little French car's handling and pace in such awful conditions.
Race 2: Sunday 12:10PM.... still raining. This race saw a better start as I was feeling a little more confident in myself to perform. It was a lot grippier this time after a few car tweaks (we're all learning) but still pretty slippery and still pretty fun. During the start I had to avoid an accident and lost a few places, this set the pace for the race. I would later pull myself away from who I was fighting with in the first 5 minutes, and would manage to cross the line P22
Thanks everyone for their messages of support, to those who bought ONENINE merchandise, (to those who haven't, the shop tab is right above, what could you possibly be waiting for?),
those who helped with ongoing costs, tyres, knowledge, helped us to prepare & progress,
and
I would also like again to take this opportunity to thank all the sponsors big and small, & all who played a part in helping me on my journey last year to get to JSCC from karts,
(you can still watch the documentary on BBC iPlayer : My Life On The Fast Track),
and also, special thanks to the partners who have continued to support me in the 2022 season , I am so grateful to be quite literally living my dream, driving these iconic British circuits and hopefully making you proud. Adam Kluj Transport Services, and Michael for all his help, Aston of Nurburgring Tours, and Joe of Arthur Morgan Kitchens, without all of whom I simply would not be racing.
Thank you!!
Sandro#19
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