HSSC Silverstone Classic 27 /28/29 July 2007

On route to the circuit I began to think I was in the Dutch inland waters atop a dyke rather than the A34, such was the residue of the previous week’s floods, yet Silverstone had survived and a fantastic weekend of racing beckoned.

The Formula Junior cars were set up in a tented display area on the Copse runway, this gave a very colourful presentation of the visual history of Formula Junior from the front-engine OSCA of Peter Mullen through to the Lotus 27’s of Michael Hibberd (ex Peter Arundell), Nicholas Colyvas, and Roy Walzer.  An information board on each car, printed by Simon Diffey, rounded off the effect.  The display did cause drivers problems as the shuttles and trailers were in an area a mile and a quarter away whereas the motorhomes were behind the Pit Straight grandstands across the track.

With more than seventy drivers wishing to participate it was difficult for Duncan to select the cars and reserves.  Forty-eight cars qualified on Friday and due to attrition all the reserves bar Martin Carter (Lynx Mk 3) raced on Sunday. 

Qualification was hard fought with the first seven cars covered by just 1.019 seconds.  It was difficult to post a quick lap time as the yellow flags were waved for several laps and with just less than five minutes of the session left the red flags were displayed for an incident involving Erica Pilkington’s Gemini Mk 2 and David Stevenson’s Mallock U2.  A trip to hospital for X-Rays of Erica’s shoulder showed no bones broken and she and both cars were able to start on Sunday.  Unfortunately the session was not restarted and a number of cars were unable to show their true pace.  Peter Jackson’s lap time, for example, in the Cooper T56 improved by almost eight seconds in the race.

Grid positions: 1st Dennis Welch; 2nd Chris Drake; 3rd Michael Hibberd; 4th Gavin Pickering; 5th Mark Woodhouse; 6th Andrew Hibberd; 7th Simon Diffey; 8th Matthew Watts:

Formula Junior contested The Colin Chapman Trophy with a full grid of 44.  Lining up alongside Dennis Welch’s familiar Merlyn Mk5/7 on the front row was Chris Drake in the Brabham BT6. Welch led from the start pursued by a gaggle of cars towards Copse, somehow everybody found their way through and the chase continued.  By the end of lap 2 the leaders were a close pack of four, Welch having been joined by and then overtaken for part of a lap before retaking Michael Hibberd (Lotus 27), with Mark Woodhouse (Lotus 22) and Gavin Pickering (Lotus 20/22) tagging on the train with little more than half a second covering them.  In hot pursuit was Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22) who would claim fastest lap of the race on Lap 5.  Welch’s Merlyn continued to tow the four Lotuses astern until disaster ended his race on Lap 8 when he limped into the pit lane with a broken wishbone.  Hibberd’s Lotus 27 sped away with Mark Woodhouse snapping at his heels then confusion spoilt the party, as the leaders crossed the line for what they thought was the last lap the flag was waved at the 3rd car and the rest of the field.  The two leading cars pulled out everything they knew to be first across the line and Woodhouse succeeded in passing Hibberd whilst negotiating traffic, raising his arm in victory.  When the cars pulled into the pit lane they were met with the news that Michael Hibberd and won on the previous lap.  Mark Woodhouse, though bitterly disappointed, took his defeat as the gentleman we all know him to be and shook the winner’s hand.  In third place was Gavin Pickering giving an apt Lotus 1-2-3- for the Colin Chapman Trophy. 

Race control cut short the race by one lap; it is usual for the cars to enter the last lap when the clock is on zero.  Their excuse was “Formula Junior cars are slower than other series and if we had allowed another lap it would have added three minutes to the race”.   Even if this is true, which I doubt, it should have been made clear to the drivers and team prior to the start as many drivers leave it until the last lap to overtake for a podium or class win.  This confusion must be investigated so future races do not run the risk of being spoilt for the entrants.

Saturday evening Elizabeth and Len Selby extended their hospitality to Formula Junior, approximately forty drivers, friends and family enjoyed a very tasty barbecue and accompaniments.  The heavy rain came as predicted but did not dampen the spirit of the party-goers. So a big thanks to the Selby’s.

Jill Carter August 2007