PADDOCK STORIES

• It was all very well being part of the somewhat glamorous PowerTour but it meant that the Ferraris, very much in the supporting role, were banished to the very far end of the paddock, just this side of Loughborough. It gave everyone the opportunity, however, of admiring the enormous standards of professionalism reached by the F3 and Privilege teams, whose transporters, motor-homes and hospitality units resembled an F1 paddock of not so many years ago.

• Phil Nuttall was delighted with his fifth grid spot but the relative newcomer admitted to some nervousness in starting so far at the front. Maybe he didn't really mean it, but he said before the race that he would have preferred to start from somewhere further down the field. Do you believe that?

• There must be a bee in a bonnet somewhere. The circuit commentator read out a bit of a saga about minimum weights involving Alan Cosby's portly F512M. The last time this car was weighed (at Castle Combe) it creaked the scales at a mighty 1418 kilos when the minimum weight allowed for it was just 1390. Sounds like a diet all round could still be within the rules.

• After the exemplary driving standards at the previous Zolder round, when not one car touched another during the entire close race, it is disappointing that Donington saw much contact. Even disregarding the first lap melee, there were a number of frustrated drivers who decided that a quick bout of contact was the best solution to getting or staying ahead. The parc ferme showed a bewildering number of cars with dings, dents and tyre marks.

• Important visitors took the opportunity of joining the Ferrari supporters and competitors on the day. Rodney Westhead, the Chief Executive of Ricardo Group, joined us for lunch in the bustling Club marquee and was shown around the various Ferrari teams by Competition Director John Swift.

• Judging by the overtaking that was still going on, the black and yellow flag shown after the first lap incident was a mystery to some drivers. Whilst the front of the field immediately pulled up and maintained position the same was not true further down. It was a surprise that the Clerk of the Course elected not to become involved. At a race the previous weekend at Oulton Park, one miscreant (in a non-Ferrari race) lapped the entire field under a black and yellow flag and was soundly excluded for his efforts.

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Race Report

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