PADDOCK STORIES

• How's this for true grit? Ben Orza picked up his newly-acquired F355/Ch from Germany, drove it overnight to Donington, race-prepared it on Sunday morning in the paddock, with the assistance of his son, then practised out of session for just two laps with a field of MGBs to start his first Maranello race from the back of the grid with a 10 second penalty, and gain a useful couple of Championship points.

• Like father like son. Alan Cosby dropped his F512M off the road during his scrap in the leading group and then two laps from the end, son Ben managed to do exactly the same in his 308GT4. Young Cosby had been building up to it for a while - his attacks on Redgate Corner getting more adventurous on every lap.

• Amongst the guests in the hospitality suite was Rodney Westhead, the Chief Executive of Ricardo Group plc, together with his wife Judith. This is Ricardo's first venture into racing sponsorship and their profile and visibility will undoubtedly increase during the year.

• Series returnee, Nicky Paul-Barron, admitted to some trepidation before his first race since July '97, in the ex-Mark Peters 355/Ch which finished second in the 1996 European Challenge. With prominent sponsorship from Bebecar, the nursery products firm owned by Club member Peter Teichman, he soon found himself in the thick of the front running group.

• Why was this race unique? Because both of the flat 12s not only finished but one (Testarossa) actually won the race and the other (F512M) set the second fastest race lap. Quickest of all was Hetherington's F50 during his searing drive up the field, which earned him the Psygnosis Driver of the Day award.

• Leaning wistfully over the fence was ex-Champion, John Pogson, complete with faraway look and the promise of an F40 in time for the Brands Hatch round on 3rd May. With two F40s, an F50 and a couple of reliable flat 12s, the spectacle at the front of the field should be tremendous.

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