Snetterton - 12/14th October 2007- Rounds 11 & 12

Friday - test day

We arrived Friday morning looking forward to the last weekends racing of the year. I went out for a few laps to get myself programmed into the car again and familiarise myself with the circuit.

I then started to push the car to get the times down and take in how the car was operating when I found I was hitting the rev limiter in 5th gear before I reached the end of the straight.

My technician Ian decided to strip the gearbox and put in a higher gear.

The 2nd test session of testing uncovered another problem with brakes. When I stopped in the pit lane with my foot on the brake pedal this caused the brake master cylinder to get hot and cause the brakes to seize on.

Ian the changed the Master cylinder and I went back out for the 4th and final test session and set the 2nd fastest time.

Saturday - qualifying

The car was checked over during the day and ready with the old race tyres on that had been used for Brands Hatch from the previous round.

I only managed to get two clear laps in when the red flags came out due to three cars crashing out around the circuit.

I finally qualified 4th on the grid with an additional two cars on the front row which weren’t in the championship.

Sunday morning - Race 1

As I lined up on the grid with only one thought on my mind, I held my breath trying to anticipate the lights going out.

As the red lights disappeared I controlled the clutch to stop the wheels spinning too much and slotted into 4th place.

For 10 laps we were all together and trying to find a way past each other with Chris Needham leading followed by Keith Baldwin, myself and John Gray.

As we started lap 11 we were 3 abreast going into turn 1 when Keith Baldwin was hit in the side sending him into a spin and being hit at full speed by John Gray.

Keith’s car was knocked 6 feet up in the air and as he landed Keith was knocked out.

The race restarted and I was in 3rd place. I went past John Gray briefly to take 2nd but he came back past me half a lap later and then went on to past Chris Needham. That was how we finished the first race. John Gray 1st, Chris Needham 2nd and I came 3rd.

Sunday afternoon - Race 2

I was feeling quite confident for the second race and was raring to go.

I made a good start off the line and went past John Gray for second but unfortunately he came past me again.

We swopped places about 3 or 4 times which allowed Chris Needham to open up a gap.

I got back past John and and set off after Chris and with 5 laps to go I was right with him.

I had 2 goes at trying to get past him and was putting him under some pressure. Chris made a mistake out of turn 2 which allowed me past into the lead with 3 laps to go.

I knew I was quicker than anyone through turns 4 and 5 and was able to open up a small gap but once I got onto the long straight Chris was back up behind me due to his car being newer and with a bit more power.

When I finally saw the last lap board I was thinking that this was it, my first win in Formula 3.

Whilst driving as fast and as hard as I could to keep Chris behind me I came up to a lapped driver and had to briefly back off which allowed Chris to catch right up behind me again.

Racing towards the last corner I braked as late as possible to stop Chris coming past, I locked the brakes up and went over the apex kerbs quite hard which caused the car to bounce across the road and lose some momentum.

Chris was now by the side of me and we were both racing to the finish line.

Chris beat me by 400th of a second.

So close yet so far. I could not believe it.

That was my last race of 2007 and I managed to finish 3rd in the championship.

Now for 2008.