GOODYEAR MARANELLO FERRARI CHALLENGE
RACE REPORT : ROUND 3 : BRANDS HATCH

PADDOCK STORIES

• The posh world of F1-style transporters has arrived with at least three of them parked up in the GMFC line-up. One juggernaut disgorged an F50, F40 and an F355/Ch opposite the Bermans, and almost swamped their more modest trailer-based effort. Difference in lap time 0.78 seconds - difference in £££'s - answers on a postcard please.

• At least he had a short walk to his own bar : David Wilkinson's F355 died on the line as the lights turned green, right in front of the two hospitality suites he had taken for his many guests.

• The Club marquee was busy as ever, with 21 spectators' cars lined up outside. The oldest was a 246 Dino and the most recent was a paddle-change F355 F1. Visitors there included David Barker, whose 328 is now being fitted with slide injection and engine management for Inter-Marque racing, and Bruno Cappucini, who was seen day-dreaming about F40s for next season.

• Left-hand drive, right-hand gear change, six-speed gearboxes, flummoxed a few 355 pilots. Mike Golding was certainly in the wars, making contact with no less than three other cars before eventually giving up the struggle and retiring himself.

• Patience has its own rewards : the "O" class cars now running on obligatory Goodyear tyres were considerably under the previous class record set by Thornton Mustard on Pirelli P Zero Cs, overturning early-season worries as to their suitability.

• Another four newcomers to the Series were welcomed : Guy Stevens (328GTB), Richard Smeeton (328GTB), Terry O'Donnell (308GTB QV) and David Ashburn (F355GTS). The wide spectrum of the Series meant that there were five different tipos in the first four rows of the grid.