Race Report - Race 6 - 2006 Pirelli Ferrari Open - Club Racing Series'

Thruxton, acknowledged to be the fastest track in the UK, is only occasionally used by the Club so it was a rare event for the Pirelli Ferrari Open series to have a fixture here in its inaugural season. As with many circuits these days, environmental issues limit the number of days of racing that the local authority permit and, with owners BARC running a number of their own championships, it is always difficult to obtain a date for a ‘guest’ series.

We were last here as long ago as 2003, in the days of PMFC, when young Lewis Carter set a new lap record for Ferraris at a thumping 104.52mph, with his 360 Challenge timed at 1:21.144 around the 2.356 mile course. Of more interest, perhaps, to Open competitors, is the best F355 Challenge time of John Seale, 1:23.85 (101.15mph) which he established in the year 2000. The quickest PMFC ‘M’ class lap time recorded is 1:26.59, by Ian Hetherington in his F50, set in 1999.

Given these old targets, it would be interesting to see how the PFO runners would perform this year, bearing in mind that the cars are that much older and perhaps don’t have the same standard of professional attention lavished on them as they did in their youth.

Despite the attractions of the potential high speeds, the Thruxton event only managed to muster a single figure Ferrari entry. On a dull but dry morning, the sky thick with overhead cloud, just eight cars, made up of four ‘C’ class and a similar number of ‘S’ cars were assembled in the paddock ready for action.

After missing the previous races at Brands Hatch, Charlie White was back in action following an engine transplant in his F355/Ch. Both Witt Gamski and Alan Cosby were hoping to repeat their Brands successes, having each scored an outright victory. A new radiator had been fitted to Cosby’s F512M after the car had shown signs of distress in the cooling department.

The rest of the field were much as we had seen them two weeks earlier, although some cars (I’Anson’s and Gamski’s) had been treated to new rubber by Pirelli’s Pete Hopkinson, again administering advice and impeccable service from his familiar yellow Competizione truck in the Ferrari paddock area.

It was an early start for the Ferrari drivers, with sign-on at 07.50 and John May’s scrutineering procedure timed for 08.05. Both John Taylor (308GT4) and Nick Chester (308GTB) were able to remove their 20kg success ballast for this event.

The 15-minute qualifying session commenced promptly at 09.20 and we noted that only three of our drivers (Cosby, Taylor and Mike Reeder) had previous race experience at Thruxton. For the others it was a severe test of their ability to get the hang of the course in a very short time.

Clearly Mark I’Anson has this ability and perhaps his considerable rally experience came in useful. He was noticeably quick immediately he drove out of the collection area and to his great delight his time of 1:27.141 (97.33mph) secured pole position. Only just behind was the more experienced Witt Gamski who was to share the front row on a time of 1:27.793.

Although Alan Cosby’s 512 sounded its usual magnificently sonorous self, its driver was unhappy with the engine. After setting the third fastest time (1:30.554), on lap 5 he headed for the pits with serious maladies. Removal of a plug on the flat 12 engine revealed a dropped valve which also accounted for a reported stuck throttle. The big Ferrari was sadly loaded onto its trailer for a premature return home.

Charlie White wisely took things easy to give his replacement engine a chance to bed in. He reported a strange ticking noise from his RHS front wheel but his crew were unable to find anything amiss. There were no apparent difficulties with the rest of the field although John Taylor was mystified by his lack of pace compared with his scintillating performance at Brands.

The Ferrari race was the first of the afternoon and the cars assembled in the collecting area just before 2 o’clock. Following a green flag lap behind the pace car, the field was released from its rolling start with I’Anson taking the initiative. However, by Allard, the first corner, Gamski had come alongside and snatched the lead.

When the cars came round for the first time the order was Gamski – I’Anson, and then after a little gap, Simpson – Chester – White – Reeder – Taylor. Although Gamski was in front, I’Anson was sticking to his hind quarters like a leech, the pair of them circulating at about the pole position pace.

Chester took over third position briefly when Simpson went straight on after Church. However, this situation wasn’t to last long as White was making huge progress through the field, lapping some 10 seconds quicker than in qualifying. Charlie took third spot on lap 3, demoting Simpson (who had recovered from his off-course excursion) and Chester to 4th and 5th respectively.

Meanwhile, the luckless Mike Reeder was stranded at the back of the circuit after a rear wheel detached itself. Three studs had pulled out and he was clearly fortunate to have avoided a potentially nasty incident.

The position at the front dramatically changed on lap 6 when Gamski overcooked things at the chicane and spun. I’Anson suddenly had a five second advantage and, since the two leaders had been lapping at about the same pace, it looked unlikely that Gamski had enough laps in hand to retrieve the situation even if he was able to up his game.

However, Witt is a determined driver and he managed to screw some more speed out of his 355 to reduce the gap. He established a new PFO lap record on lap 8 at 1:25.657 (some 1.80 secs off Seale’s 355/Ch. time, so maybe Anno Domini has taken its toll) and one lap later he was on the coat-tails of I’Anson.

However, it is one thing to get close but quite another to get past. That last lap was a humdinger, with I’Anson hanging on grimly to his slender lead. And then, as the two leaders braked for the final corner, at Club, Gamski seized his chance and surged ahead at the chicane. The gap at the end was just over 1½ seconds.

Charlie White brought his now fully run-in Challenge car over the line to collect third place, his final lap being his fastest of the race. In 4th overall and winning class S was Tristan Simpson, despite having some gear selection bothers towards the finish. Nick Chester collected a second in class while John Taylor, complaining of a lack of adhesion on his GT4, brought up the rear but scored a useful third in class.

After a quick towelling down the drivers reassembled in the Media Centre for the prize-giving. Sue Taylor was prevailed upon to present the rather nice Club trophies, although the difference in stature between her and the winner, Witt Gamski, posed certain difficulties with the embracing part of the ceremony.