Oulton Disappointments

Like many competitors I was looking forward to the meeting at Oulton Park. After the sabbatical during July, returning to racing would be welcome and as a bonus we were to race on the full 'International' circuit. With the exception of Spa, it is the only track we race on in 2008 that can claim Formula One heritage.

Conditions were perfect when I arrived on Friday to deposit the Swift. As later events demonstrated, the few cars testing at this magnificent circuit had made the correct decision, if you enjoy driving fast with the car underneath you, Friday afternoon was the time to be out.

The weather forecast for Saturday was dreadful......

.......And accurate! There is nothing like adverse weather to show up deficiencies in organisation and management and this applies equally to those running the meeting and competitors.

Firstly, the circuit, the red light at the end of the pit lane is inadequately screened and in Saturday morning’s prevailing gloom was the most obvious object as one crossed the start/finish line and turned into Old Hall. Several competitors initially read it as a red flag signal. Secondly, when approaching the chicanes the marking was confusing and caused several to have navigational problems i.e. some competitors turned off the circuit, easily done when you are driving in a cloud of spray working on restricted visual cues. Those checking the course view it from the luxury of the Course Car and know it well, they don't appreciate the problems experienced by a competitor, new to the track, vision obscured by a cloud of spray. Attending a compulsory briefing is no substitute for time on track and time on track was going to be in short supply.

The generally recognised priority during qualifying it to complete the requisite three laps followed by setting a fast time. At Oulton Park several cars did not achieve the former requirement and most of the field managed the bare minimum of three timed laps. Most of us started the day with an 'out' lap followed by a red flag and an 'in' lap i.e. two incomplete untimed laps. When we regained the track, the time available was just enough for most competitors to complete three timed laps.

Torrential rain gave atrocious conditions when the 1200/1600/1800 grid took to the track to start to qualify, the rain abated for the second part of the session, after the red flag. If qualifying had been a race one would have anticipated two green flag laps to assess difficult track conditions. The only sensible approach to the prevailing conditions, at Oulton Park, would have been to start qualifying with something similar. In comparable conditions, this is what happened at our Anglesey meeting 2006. One ponders as to where the authority for making such a decision resides, laps behind a Safety Car could have prevented the red flag and damage to several cars.

Using his knowledge of the 'Blue Book' the CoC permitted those 1200/1600/1800s with less than three timed laps to start. The race was red flagged when your editor had a solo spin at Druids which left his undamaged Swift with a dead engine on the apex of Druids. In mitigation I would comment that when I walked across the circuit there was an oil slick on the racing line and at least four cars had spins or half spins at Druids on the first lap of the restarted race.

After a long delay, in which my Swift was pushed 4m, the restart took place. Page 261 of the 'Blue Book' states that starts should either be in original grid positions [< two laps completed by the leader] or finishing order [> two laps completed by the leader, < 50%]. The leader had completed 2 laps and was on her third. How the blue book copes with fractions of a race between 2 and 3 is unclear, but the actions taken fit with the interpretation that 2 and a part lap is more than 2 laps completed. My own view is that the writers of the blue book are probably lawyers (sorry Neil) and not mathematicians. In any event, the restarted 'race' was duly red flagged after a couple of laps - but before the leader had completed 2. If less than 2 laps had been completed, my understanding is that the "race" did not take place as far as the rules are concerned. Therefore, given the choice of two, two lap 'races', the CoC decided that the event started in the correct grid order be 'the race'.

After the race, several drivers expressed some confusion as to what was happening while waiting to be reformed on the grid. So my additional thought is: if the race leader has started her third lap when the race is red flagged, how is the competitor still on their second lap going to know whether to line up in grid order or race order for the restart? Forget high tech, a board carrying the legend 'race order, or 'grid order' could assist in making the process more efficient and less fraught. I have to admit this is not my idea but Geoff Pashley's. After all, a delay in reforming the grid is not good for competitors or a meeting's timetable.

The total number of laps driven at speed by most Mono1200/1600/1800 competitors was fewer than seven, a most disappointing outcome to the meeting. But it’s an ill wind, Katherine Impey was very pleased with her overall win, at the other end of the grid Ian Hughes was very pleased to bring the Ex Ray Dackombe, Agent DB2, across the line in its first race this millennium.
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Patrick Huston

Oulton has an F1 heritage. The first (and only) win in F1 for a 4wd car was Moss in the Ferguson Climax P99 at the Gold Cup in 1961.

Oulton has a very nice course car, if you like Renaults with purple bits. Safety car was not used during the 12/16/18 race, though it worked well at Rockingham.

The Blue Book - essential reading

Steve Cave spins off

Pics Andrew Cliffe and unknown