A Mad March!

Good morning! I hope you are all well!

It's a new month - and a time for new adventures!

As they always say - where one door closes, another opens - and where Season 1, 2023 ended, March (and indeed Season 2, 2023) began.

Even before March began, there was chaos - and a bit of confusion. In the last days of February a letter was slipped through our front door telling us (my family/household) that the road outside our house would be closed for a couple of days.

On reading this, my initial thoughts were "oooh! How exciting!" - and I even moved my car to a neighbouring street (which was open) in light of the news (on March 1st).

Formula 4/IR-04/Formula D

1/03/2023

The 28th February, 2023 marked the first day of Week 12 - the final week of the season.

The very next day (March 1st, 2023) was my last race-day of the season - and unknowingly for the next couple of weeks.

Qualifying went...poorly with my worst performance of the year, starting in 13th/19th - last of those whom completed a clean qualifying run.

Judging by the pole-sitter's qualifying time and the fact that I was Car #19 (lowest on the grid) - I knew I was in a good split against tough competition

Pole: 1:43.020

Me: 1:47.052 (4 seconds off Pole!)

It would later become apparent that I had made it into the Top-Split - I was up against the best drivers during that time-slot - and despite being completely out of my depths - I had one hell of a race.

My competition comprised of drivers of the following iRating

- 7K iRating (x1)

- 4K iRating (x2)

- 3K iRating (x4)

- 2K iRating (x6)

- 1K iRating (x6) (Me Included)

Despite an immaculate Turn 1 from everybody, turn 2 descended into chaos as someone missed their braking point, locking up and tagging/spinning someone trying to go around the outside - more cars behind got caught up in this in trying to avoid the chaos up ahead.

Out of this, I made up 3 positions (from cars going left, right and centre)

Despite being overtaken during the incident - I made up a further position later on in the lap, past a car involved in the Turn 2 incident (driving slowly).

By the end of the lap I was up into 12th - with 13th, 14th and 15th all hot on my heels!

Despite lasting almost an entire lap, 13th eventually got past me in the final few corners of the lap - his 2.7K iRating skill-level coming in very handy.

Next up behind me was Kunnas - Car #17 - a much closer competitor than Wang - now in front.

To my utter surprise, on Lap 3, there was absolute carnage at the top of the hill at Turn 5.

It started with P9 running wide on the exit of Turn 4, before proceeding to spin.

Due to a "sketchy" re-join, P11 passed P9 (now P10) - but spun at Turn 5.

P12 tried to dart to the left of P10, who was stranded in the middle of the circuit - but both went for the same piece of tarmac and ended up colliding (P10 floored it to try and get off the track, P12 darted to the left to avoid hitting P10).

In the meantime, I sailed past P10 & P12 and their...shenanigans - and just barely avoided P11's "highly questionable" rejoin - putting me in a potential Top 10 finish for Top split - MAD!!!

With P11 behind, I quickly noticed my lines were getting sloppy - so, regrettably, I let him by - even worse was the fact he was Kunnas! One of my closest competitors (Car #17) - but from here, I promised to not let anyone else by.

The following lap (Lap 5) - I had a very entertaining battle with Car #18 - which he eventually won.

Half-way into the race, I was going to be very satisfied with a P12 finish - but lady luck wasn't done with me quite yet...

On Lap 7, P11 in front spun out - I wasn't going to throw away this opportunity to finish on the doorstep of the Top 10!

Despite this upbeat spirit - nothing was going to help the fact I was Car #19 - and on Lap 9/12, I lost P11...for the third time - this time to a 2K driver - Kunnas up ahead (P10) had already dissapeared off into the distance - and given the skill-difference I sort of knew P11 wouldn't hang around.

Lady Luck was adamant I finished P11.

At the final corner on Lap 10, Kunnas (10th) would lose the back end and would plough nose-first into the pit-wall - Kunnas was absolutely smashing it for the 1K Club, but his whole race came crashing down less than 3 laps from the end and promoted me to 11th.

I'd stay here until the end.

It was a thrilling finish to a rollercoaster of a season - with drama all throughout the grid.

In the end, I managed to beat:

- x3 2K Drivers

- x5 1K Drivers

I thought it was also a very fitting way to finish my Formula 4/IR-04/Formula D career - and open wheel career for the time being - and foreseeable future, managing to get into Top Split - had I done another season, it may have been risky with me getting into Top Split (consistently)

Next season I'm headed into the realms of IMSA in both GT4 and GT3 (Endurance) - both (usually) providing a few more splits - although none racing on a Wednesday - do I keep Wednesday clear or race the brand new Clio Cup that was announced?

We'll see!

Until next Season, Goodbye from the race reports, and thanks for reading!

~

02/03/2023 - "MOT Migraines"

Following Hungaroring - my real life car needed tending to - and within less than a week, I went from "Oh shit my MOT is due" - to having it all sorted and ready to rumble - having bought Timon in June 2022 - this would also be my first MOT with Timon..exciting times!

The last minute dash to sort my MOT was far from ideal - and could have ended absolutely horrifically - but lady luck was with me that day - and somehow, I was able to swoop in, snatch my mother's MOT slot from her and claim it for my own, her having it done later in the week. (or weeks to come)

What WASN'T so great was that the road I was about to use as a detour to get into town...was also closed - meaning I was on the wrong side of the closed road outside my house - but I eventually found a (lengthy) detour.

The MOT (Test) Result

It was also VERY good that I did get it sorted because Timon failed (like owner like car eh?)

Well...He DID fail - until they put the spare tyre on and fitted a new bulb to the passenger brake light.

other advisories included (without verbose):

- (Driver-Side) Front Inner Driveshaft joint CV (Constant Velocity) Boot "severely deteriorated"

(I don't know what that is either)

- (Driver-Side) Rear-tyre nearing legal tread-limit (i.e: both rear tyres were fucked, but since they replaced the tyre with a spare, now only one of my rear tyres is fucked) - Inner Edge

- the same part on my front (lower) and rear suspension ("arm pin or bush") worn but not resulting in excessive movement. (Inner rear most brush & track control arm - inner bushes not looking too fine either.

- Passenger side brake binding (not excessively)

- Minor Oil-Leak (Timon doesn't have an under-tray, so the oil cannot collect there, so instead falls out the bottom of the car - not excessive)

Wherever I went from here - it would be a pricey day out - especially seeing as my car was due an interim service

I had one of five options.

1. Take it to the Skoda dealer and get everything sorted, done and dusted

2. Take it to Tennyson's (where I had the MOT done) and get it all sorted

3. Take it to "The Car Clinic" and get all the repairs done and dusted

4. Have my mechanic friend Will get it all done and dusted.

5. A mix of 2-4

In the beginning, it was looking very favourable to do option #5, but after a few days of talking - and Tennyson's first being first available at the end of the month.

A few days on from this - we agreed a sweet deal on 3 & 4 - Will and The Car Clinic doing the whole job (bar tracking - which National Tyres is doing, bless them)

but by 10 days on (10th March) - the majority of the headaches were ironed out - and pretty much all of the parts had arrived at their respective locations

03/03/2023 ("F3 Memories")

As mentioned in a previous blog, the 3rd March was very much a "nothing day" other than the anniversary of my most recent win to date - over 2 years ago - 730 Days ago. Ouch. Still waiting for my next...

04/03/2023 ("The Suicidal RoadTrip")

Looking back, I did an absolutely suicidal trip onto the mainland with partially bald tyres - and a rather unhealthy looking under-side of my car.

Sure, it was to see a mate and to take my brother to the Isle Of Wight - but my love for driving and pleasing people/seeing people shouldn't have been a priority with the state my car was in.

05/03/2023 ("Grand Pri-orities")

Despite my road fully re-opening on Sunday 5th March, 2023 - I knew where my priorities lay - and the first Grand Prix of the season wasn't about to watch itself!

06/03/2023 ("New Week, New Adventures")

The 6th saw the start of a new week - and myself and my brother head into Newport - in doing so, we (or I) found a grocery shop - and stocked up on some groceries.

The main reason for going into Newport was to drop of parcels and to find some cards - but we eventually ran out of time (and there weren't many decent card places) before I had to have my tyres swapped over.

I had a pair of "hand-me-down" tyres - part worn which were supposed to last until I had my service with Will in about 11 days.

The following day was the start of Week 13 - but I had other commitments I had to attend to which shall be mentioned in the next blog.

But for now - but from here (wherever here may be) - thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next one!