Circuit:	Brands Hatch, Kent
Date:	October 19th-20th 2007
Championship:	Caterham Roadsports B Championship 2007

I was certainly looking forward to the last meeting of the 2007 Championship. Good weather had been forecast, the car had handled well last time out at Oulton Park, (if a little down on power, which had been most noticeable down the straights) and I was feeling confident that some of the mechanical related bad luck that had beset me throughout the season, would disappear and at least allow me a good finish to the season.

Testing on the Thursday went reasonably well with no incidents and lap times approaching the declared times of some of the front runners.

Following an early breakfast at Brands Hatch Place Hotel, I made my way to the circuit to sign on for 8.00 a.m. and get the usual scrutineering etc, out the way. A 15 minute qualifying session was scheduled for 9.30 a.m. and I made sure I was early in the queue to get out on the circuit with some space in front of me, as I didn't want to be baulked on track and then not get clear laps in, as had been the case at Oulton. The car felt good and I was confident of a reasonably good lap time.

In actual fact just 4/10ths of a second was the difference between me, in 8th place and the pole sitter, Championship leader, Gareth Thomas (car no. 77). Just a second in fact covered the first 12 places, so close Caterham racing can sometimes be.

RACE 1

So I lined up in 8th position, on the 4th row of the grid, alongside Oulton Park double winner, Roelant de Waard (car 62) and had some other quick drivers behind me. I also realised that my grid position was in fact slightly downhill, which meant a different and as yet unpracticed technique of starting with part of a foot on the brake. I was very aware of not wanting a false start (and therefore risking some form of penalty) by allowing the car to roll over the line before the lights went out for the start of the race and was so conscious of that, that when the lights did go out, although I got away well for a split second I then couldn't find second gear which allowed a couple of cars to just nudge ahead going into the first corner, Paddock Hill Bend.

I remember thinking "no problem, there's 20 or so laps ahead - just stay out of trouble and get through the first few corners unscathed".

As we shot down the hill from Paddock and up towards Druids, I could see 7 or 8 cars very closely grouped together and thought there was almost certainly going to be some form of impact and I could pick up one or two places by staying wide on the outside.

I saw Steve Mansell (car 5) lock up his brakes (I think) as it brought a huge plume of tyre smoke from the back of his car and he then hit the back end of Stuart Patterson (car 2) quite hard who was just about to turn in to the apex. Unfortunately the momentum took the back of Stuart's car straight into my own front offside wheel, pushing me straight into the gravel trap followed quickly by Stuart who had done a 360 and Steve. All three of us were buried in gravel with me pushed the furthest in !

The safety car was called out to neutralise the race and my own race was over, through absolutely no fault of mine, after just two corners !

The in car video showed the extent of my frustration.

It took 5 or 6 laps to get all three cars out of the gravel, with mine the last to be pulled out as I had been pushed in the furthest. I made my way slowly back to the pitlane to be checked over and then went back out with maybe 12 or 13 laps left in the race, to get some practice laps in but ensuring I didn't interfere in any way with the Championship contenders, Gareth and Andy Thomas (car 10).

The car was fine and handling well and in fact my best lap time proved to be just 2/10ths of a second off the race winning time of Andy's. Although Gareth had lead for part of the race, there was an incident between him and Andy which lead to Andy taking up the lead and the eventual win. So Gareth's 3 point advantage going into the penultimate race, had been turned into a two Championship points deficit. Everything to play for though and it meant an exciting "down to the wire" last race to decide the Championship.

As for me, I would go into the last race disappointed by being pushed off so soon in race 1. but at least very confident of my lap times and the handling of the car generally. As I was the last to be pulled out the gravel and therefore deemed to be the first person to go out the race, I would be starting on the very back row of the grid for race 2. A situation I was actually looking forward to as I would be confident of a fair amount of overtaking opportunities.

RACE 2

Saturday morning presented excellent weather and upon arriving in the paddock, I changed the tyres, checked pressures, oil etc and got myself ready for the last race of the season. The atmosphere was good, there were a lot more people there compared to the day before and there was much more of a race meeting environment.

Lining up on the back row of the grid in 18th place, I had Steve Mansell in front of me and Chris Legg (car 33) alongside him, just ahead to my left.

However, I made a very good start and quickly realising I could possibly take both Chris and Steve, I moved sharply to Chris's left. Stuart Patterson (car 2) who had been immediately ahead of Chris, had himself moved to the right to block Chris taking an inside line around him at Paddock Hill and that left a gap for me to pull alongside him too. Going round Paddock Hill bend, cars in front of me then blocked my way and I had to lift, allowing Chris and Stuart to regain their places ahead of me. I then quickly passed Richard Duvall (car 45) on the run up to Druids. Chris took the inside line at Druids but Stuart braked early and I was able to just nip in front of him before the apex.

In the meantime, in a similar repeat of the incident that involved me at Druids the previous day, Simon Naylor (car 9) and Championship contender, Andy Thomas (car 10) had come together and were parked up. I couldn't tell whether they were able to get out the gravel but I did notice that they weren't as far in as I had been pushed the day before. So that meant by the second corner of the race, I was already up to 14th having passed four cars.

On the run down to Graham Hill Bend I had Steve Roche (car 18) immediately in front of me and Stuart was now hot on my tail and I therefore had to drive defensively down the back Cooper Straight.

Going into Clearways, Simon braked early and left a gap to his right just wide enough for me to get through. 5 places and up to 13th place by the end of the first lap.

About 100 yds ahead of me was Chris Legg and a pack of three or four other cars. I braked later than them going into Paddock and again into Druids to put me alongside Chris going round Druids and immediately behind Shai Shammai (car 46). On the run down to the next bend, Graham Hill bend, Chris took Shai on the inside and Shai nearly left the door open for me to follow through too but just had the pace to keep ahead of me. In the meantime, my being slowed by Shai had allowed Stuart to get right on my tail, so close in fact that he proceeded to take my rear light off !. Going round into Clearways, Shai had blocked me and Stuart managed to pull alongside. I gave him room to move as I didn't want another early finish.

So going into the Brabham straight towards the start of lap three, I had Stuart immediately ahead and Shai to my left. Stuart had more pace than Shai and I was then able to get a tow off Stuart. As we approached Paddock Hill bend Stuart started to move left to block me going round the outside of him off the tow but I immediately pulled right to take him on the inside right on the apex. I was very pleased with that move !

As I passed Stuart, I'd also noticed that Kevin Begley (car 6) had gone wide and into the gravel Paddock Hill bend

So by my reckoning I was now up to 12th from a starting place of 18th, after just two and a bit laps.

Alex Monighan (car 50) was my next target and I got on the back of him coming onto the back Cooper straight on lap 3. Stuart in the meantime was staying all over the back of my car and was right on my heels. I managed to get a tow off Alex down the Brabham start/finish straight and then took him round the outside of Paddock Hill Bend at the start of lap 4. Then, braking much later than Duncan Winner (car 17) at Druids, got right on the back of his car going round the hairpin.

In the meantime I could see that Andy had made good recovery from his early spin with Simon Naylor and a lap or two later, was on my tail getting a tow along the start/finish straight. I certainly didn't want to get into a tangle with Andy whilst he was still in contention for the Championship and so didn't defend his passing move on me going into Paddock Hill. Andy quickly passed Duncan on the inside at Druids with Duncan appearing to not want to get in Andy's way either, giving him a wide berth to get through.

I followed Duncan, got the tow off him up the pitlane straight and went to the outside just before Paddock Hill bend, braking later to take him for the 11th place. This was proving to be a very enjoyable race and I was beginning to think a top six place was a real possibility.

It then took me a couple of laps to get right on the back of the next group of five or six cars, braking much later at Paddock Hill to get immediately behind Chris again.

In the run up to Druids, David Tansley was concentrating hard on defending from Chris and essentially left the door open for me to come up the inside of both of them, round the apex. I remember thinking "I bet that took them both by surprise" but nevertheless I was up to 7th !

It then took me four or five laps to get on the back of the next group and coming round Clearways was surprised to see Gareth in the middle of the track, having spun. I was now very close to Richard Boughton (car 21), managed to get the tow off him going down the straight and as he moved to the left to sweep round Paddock Hill, I veered to his right, outbraking him to take another place, right on the apex. 5th !

I had also realised that with Gareth now behind him, if Andy could just stay ahead of him he would have the Championship. I therefore thought that if I had the opportunity to take him cleanly, then I would, as it wouldn't damage his Championship chances.

Coming round Paddock Hill a couple of laps later, closely on the back of Andy who himself was just behind Paul Latimer (car 87), as Andy moved left for the sweep round Paddock Hill, I again moved right, braked late and dived up the inside of Andy. 4th !

A lap later and we caught the first of the back-markers, Richard Duvall. I was soon on the tail of 3rd placed man, Paul Latimer and got a tow off him down the straight. I felt another of my favourite moves coming up, getting Paul to assume I would go to his left down the straight, where most of the track was and then, at the very last minute, dive right, brake as late as I dare and hopefully take the place. It worked a treat although this time my speed was a little higher than normal and the exit a tad risky. But nevertheless I was 3rd, having started at the back in 18th !

My next "target" was Paul Stoughton (car 76) lying in second place just behind race leader Roelant De Waard (car 62).

The car was behaving impeccably, the tyres were still good and my confidence was sky high.

My move on Paul was going into Clearways. I braked earlier than usual, was on the pace a little earlier and as Paul understeered slightly to the left he left a tiny gap which I dived for. I was in 2nd place !!!

Furthermore, Roelant was only just ahead of me. I realised that a win was on the cards although Roelant has proved to be very quick indeed. It wasn't going to be easy !

It took a couple of laps to get right up behind him and then I outbraked him going into Paddock Hill again to get within a whisker of his tail. On the subsequent run up to Druids, Roelant was in the middle of the track but as he braked, I dived right to the inside and braked very late indeed to pass him although was practically sideways going round the apex ! I pulled on everything I had to keep the car on the black stuff and at the same time keep Roelant behind me and it paid off.

I was in the lead !!!!

There then followed two or three laps with Roelant right on my tail. I had to drive my pants off to keep him behind me. Whilst he was able to get the tow off me a couple of times going down the pitlane straight, I was able to brake just a little later than him, to keep the place. This was the hardest driving I'd done but for obvious reasons, also the most enjoyable.

Then, driving as hard as I could along the back straight I saw red flags and lights ! I realised the race was over and I'd won !! But I don't think Roelant had seen the red lights because he came past me fast going into Clearways, even though I had slowed and was waving my left arm somewhat frantically to warn him. I didn't want him to be disqualified on a red flag infringement but I think he probably had the shutters down, concentrating on a win. But I was very confident I had already bagged that.

I had won my very first race in the showcase final event of the Championship. in front of a good crowd and quite a few friends who were cheering me on from a hospitality box overlooking the entire circuit

………. And Andy had won the 2007 Roadsports B Championship.

A result all round !

Now all it needed was for England to work their magic over South Africa in the Rugby Union World Cup Final in Paris and for Lewis to take the FI 2007 Championship title in his rookie year …. But of course as we were to later learn, sadly neither was to be !