Historic F1 Meeting, Brands Hatch,
This is one of my favourite meetings now, having been to the Grand Prix at Silverstone many times and thoroughly enjoyed the experience times were a changing.
I found out about this meeting about 18months ago, as it happened I could not make the GP in 2010 for one reason or another but was determined to get some sort of F1 viewing in that year, then I saw the advert for the Historic F1 meet, so off I went and had a brilliant time. Seeing all the old cars from my youth, the Brabhams, Tyrells, Saudia Williams and Walter Wolf Racing cars fly round the track bought the memories flooding back, this had to be an annual thing from then on.
So when I started my marshalling career this was the first meeting I volunteered for, I did a couple of other meets first that you may have read about already, but this is the one I was waiting for. To make it even better my brother and my son started their marshalling careers at this meet to.
We only marshalled on the Friday and Saturday as we wanted to enjoy the racing on the Sunday, but it was well worth it. The sight of these beautiful old cars during practice and quail was fantastic, the noise, the smell, everything you ever remembered it was there and to add to the spectacle you can even get into the garages and paddocks and see these wonderful machines up close n personal. Also on the cards were Formula Ford, Formula 2, Formula 5000, and the first ever dedicated e-Type Jag race to celebrate the 50 anniversary of the marque.
Marshalling was a joy, the drivers were just out to enjoy the meeting, it’s all about enjoying the atmosphere and the company, we had a couple of incidents to deal with as they day went on but nothing to dramatic. Blue flags a plenty on the Friday as the lower formulas sorted out the”pecking order” and quite a few “offs” as they wrestled with the tyres on the full GP circuit.
The added bonus as always is that marshalling your really close to the action, and when needed you CAN make the difference.
Historic F1, I certainly recommend it.
Next up the LMS 1000km at Silverstone Sept 9th/10th.
I’ll let you know how it goes soon.
Friday 5 August 2011
Marshalling. Variety's the spice, n all that. Part 2
In the fine traditions of this blog, marshalling encompasses all forms of motorsport, with this in mind I took myself off to marshal at " modified live". Now this is not really my thing, a bunch of acne ridden 20 some things with 1,000,000. decibels coming from the boot of their Vauxhall corsa. Wrong wrong wrong!!! The day in question was at cloudy an overcast day at Brands Hatch the programme said there would be a couple of practice sessions and then a quali session for the "Fiesta Cup", these kids are 14/15 year olds and they really go for it, a couple of small incidents and making sure the track was clean but not too much to do for these guys.
Then came the drifters, I don't mean the '60's Motown blokes these guys seem to like driving sideways as fast as possible, like I said earlier not really my thing, but you've got to be nothing but impressed by what they do. The track was cold the weather cloudy and these guys are still smoking their tyres "big time" and that's one thing we all go racing for right, the smell of burning rubber.
As far as the marshalling went it was a pretty quiet day, that's the great thing about being a motorsport marshal, you can get to see all manner of motorsport events that you would not necessarily pay to go and see, but for a little effort and a bit of spare time you might just find something you like or never know about and fancy getting involved in.
Next up was the "Historic F1" meeting but I'll leave that for next time.
All the best petrolheads.
Then came the drifters, I don't mean the '60's Motown blokes these guys seem to like driving sideways as fast as possible, like I said earlier not really my thing, but you've got to be nothing but impressed by what they do. The track was cold the weather cloudy and these guys are still smoking their tyres "big time" and that's one thing we all go racing for right, the smell of burning rubber.
As far as the marshalling went it was a pretty quiet day, that's the great thing about being a motorsport marshal, you can get to see all manner of motorsport events that you would not necessarily pay to go and see, but for a little effort and a bit of spare time you might just find something you like or never know about and fancy getting involved in.
Next up was the "Historic F1" meeting but I'll leave that for next time.
All the best petrolheads.
Marshaling, and how I started. Part 1
After the best part of 35 years following motorsport of one form or another I was sat musing one day trying to work out another angle to get involved in. I participated albeit at a very basic level running an old Vauxhall Firenza in some lowly local rallies. I’ve stood for hours getting cold, wet n hungry in Hafren forest waiting for the Metro 6R4’s and the like to come passed in the good old days of the RAC Rally, and like so many I’ve spent weekends at various tracks around the country just loving the smell of the fuel and rubber and the noise. But now I was itching to do something else, then it occurred to me, let’s go marshaling. How hard can it be? The answers in two parts, firstly its not very hard at all, all I did was get in touch with some guys at the BMMC (British Motorsport Marshals Club) and they very kindly and enthusiastically pointed me in the right direction
After paying my dues ,£20 annual membership and registering with the MSA I was off. A quick trip to AWS to get my overalls, and gloves, £56 and I was away. All I had to do now was volunteer for a race meeting and I was in. That’s the easy part.
My first meeting was the F3/GT meeting at Brands Hatch, and I was put in very capable hands. It’s one thing to watch these guys week in week out from the comfort of your own home but to actually be there is something totally different. Like a good boy I’d read to booklets that had been send to me and thought I’d be ok, but when the cars were actually on track and you have to think on your feet so to speak and count and work out which car is where at any given time( it’s not the done thing to Blue flag the leader) There’s just so much to think about that 9 hours on post flew by and next thing I know the Post Chief is handing my book all signed and saying well done, see you tomorrow. Day One over. It’s a great buzz to that close to the action, and to assist when needed. These guys give up their time, their weekends, family and a lot of personal expense to be part of this wonderful sport we all follow.
I survived my 1st day and I’ll let you know what happens as I go through my marshalling career.
Natural Born Racer.
After paying my dues ,£20 annual membership and registering with the MSA I was off. A quick trip to AWS to get my overalls, and gloves, £56 and I was away. All I had to do now was volunteer for a race meeting and I was in. That’s the easy part.
My first meeting was the F3/GT meeting at Brands Hatch, and I was put in very capable hands. It’s one thing to watch these guys week in week out from the comfort of your own home but to actually be there is something totally different. Like a good boy I’d read to booklets that had been send to me and thought I’d be ok, but when the cars were actually on track and you have to think on your feet so to speak and count and work out which car is where at any given time( it’s not the done thing to Blue flag the leader) There’s just so much to think about that 9 hours on post flew by and next thing I know the Post Chief is handing my book all signed and saying well done, see you tomorrow. Day One over. It’s a great buzz to that close to the action, and to assist when needed. These guys give up their time, their weekends, family and a lot of personal expense to be part of this wonderful sport we all follow.
I survived my 1st day and I’ll let you know what happens as I go through my marshalling career.
Natural Born Racer.
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