The largest Ferrari class yet seen at Bouley included no fewer than six previous Ferrari Hillclimb Championship winners. Regrettably we lost one of these as Jon Goodwin’s 250GT Lusso expired on the way to Poole with electrical problems. Jon still turned out to support wife Pauline and have a good time whilst he was about it. Last year’s Bouley winner Nick Taylor, this time armed with his formula classic Mondial 3.4t, faced stiff opposition with Chris Butler (F355) and Nick Frost (348GTC) lined up against him, besides Richard Prior (348ts). Taylor was not too worried as neither Chris nor Nick had been here before. One thing in their favour though is the course is on a public road, and it is possible to get familiarised, albeit at low speed.

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A very early sign-on around 7a.m. Easter Monday was not too much of a problem with the Ferrari drivers staying at The Highfield Country Hotel about a mile away. It seemed an unnecessarily early start with the practice runs were not underway 'til nearly 10am. Problem is the Bouley course is a public road and the organisers have to work really hard setting up, and clearing too – it has to be back open by around 6pm. Two practice runs were taken by the Ferraris and these passed off generally without incident. There was one exception - Mike Spicer, flush from his success the previous weekend at Snetterton had a particularly lurid first practice, starting with another attempt to demolish the famous Spicer shed on the outside of the first corner. He missed it by a whisker, and went on for one or two more near misses before crossing the finish line.

Up at the front it was predictably Nick Taylor on 51.18 secs, topping out with a convincing lead over his pursuers. The other Nick, Frost that is, was amazingly fast on only his second run here at 52.07, surprisingly ahead of Richard Prior at 52.31. John Marshall has always shown great form at Bouley with his 328GTB, and on 52.54 was ahead of the F355’s of Butler and Allen. Other notable practice performers were Pauline Goodwin's 328GTB at 53.58 - miles faster than she had been previously, and very close to Geoff Dark's 308GTB, also Andrew Holman driving the attractive Grigio 348tb with his usual extreme verve on 53.92. It was nice to see FOC Committee member Richard Preece taking his well presented 308GT4 up this daunting hill in a very creditable 56.49 on his first visit here. A relief it was too as Mike Spicer got to grips with the track on his second practice, having a peaceful run up in 54.35.

Back at the top of the hill the Ferrari drivers had time to relax as there was a short lunch break before being called forward for the first of three official runs. No relaxation though for Richard Preece – he had punctured a front tyre and it was losing air at a prodigious rate. With some help from his friends he soon had the thing jacked up and with spare wheels borrowed from Pauline's 328 and Peter Hitchman's Mondial he was soon back in business. Both these wheels had ancient Goodyears on, and Richard wisely decided to have his own PZero shod wheel repaired. A local man turned out to do this, and Richard only had to do one run on the loaned cardboard tyres, which he found exciting enough.

On the first of the afternoon official runs, Nick Taylor zoomed the Mondial 3.4t up in an impressive 50.90 – not bad, but some way short of Jon Goodwin’s record mark with the F355. Richard Prior was next on 51.45, with Frost and Allen tied at 51.90. Chris Butler still being conservative with his F355 was next at 52.64. Of the smaller cars Geoff Dark with 53.24had now just got his 308M ahead of Marshall's 328 on 53.29, with Andrew Holman close behind on 53.38. On the second run Frost moved ahead of Prior and Butler now headed Allen. Taylor, still with a class leading run in the bank went slower. Meanwhile Mike Spicer, who must have been taking lessons from Peter Hayman, smote the bank on the exit from the top hairpin sufficiently to need to engage reverse before continuing to the finish. Some damage to the front offside corner of the bodywork meant he would not take the remaining runs.

Significantly only about a third of a second separated the first five cars on the second official run. It was now inevitably going to be down to the final third run and there was to be a very close finish indeed, but before recounting that it is time to look at the rest of the class. Back on his own tyres, Richard Preece clocked his best on the third at 57.20, strangely a little slower than his second practice. The suave Peter Rogerson armed with his left hooker F355GTS, improved steadily over his five runs with a best of 57.02, but could not catch Peter Hitchman (Mondial 3.4t) – his best was the first run of 55.94. David Hathaway (348GTS) looked set for a good contest with Holman but it was not to be – he managed a first run time of 54.82 but then suffered gear selection problems on his second, before having to withdraw from the third.

Club Competitions' Director John Swift, driving his handsome black metallic F355 with some circumspection and neatness was on 54.59 on the second of the afternoon runs, closely matched with Pauline Goodwin until she finally got near to her stunning practice time with 53.89. Andrew Holman was comfortably in here with a string of 53 second runs, and a best of 53.38. Geoff Dark meanwhile had been unable to improve on his first time out when he clocked 53.24. He had been a second faster in 2006 and this time had to give up a place to John Marshall – top of the smaller tipos with 52.66.

Up at the top of the time sheet the first five were again running close, but the sensation was Chris Butler, pulling a blinding final run out of the bag at 50.86 to just snatch the class win from Nick Taylor who, despite really trying, went slower. Another amazing final run to came from Richard Prior - he wrung the last drop out of his 348ts to stop the clock on 50.91 – you will recall Nick had previously posted 50.90. Just five hundredths of a second seperated the first three places! Easily the closest result we have ever seen. Nick Frost and Richard Allen were close too, so this was a really exciting competition and it was a delighted Richard Prior who scooped the much prized 20 championship points as a just reward for such effort, above and beyond the call of duty.

Click here for the results.

Click here for the Championship positions.

Click here to return to the Ferrari Hill Climb Championship page.

Tough work this hillclimbing

Snett race winner Mike Spicer struggled on his return to this more exacting motorsports' discipline

"This week I are mostly bin understeerin' "

David Hathaway had a troubled time

Swifty opens up his 355

"I deduce that this is PG's 328, Watson"

PhotoShow maestro Andrew Holman

"Red 328, no Track Tarts badge, must be John Marshall, Holmes"

Should a 355 really squat like this?

Nick Frost was on the pace on his first visit to the venue

Richard Prior in one of Bouley's fast bits on his way to 20 points

Nick Taylor - back in his trusty Mondial and ultra-competitive

Chris Butler took his second consecutive win with an inspired final run

Obviously Jim's day off

pics by Bureau des Etrangers, Ali Dixon, Pauline Goodwin , Andrew Holman, Bob Holmes, Angela Preece & PriorArt. Results from Anne Swift