Driving an F1 car SAUBER-FERRARI C30
Billy Monger arrived at Rockingham to do some stunt training with Terry Grant, but was instead presented with a Sauber F1 car with hand controls to get his first taste of the category’s machinery.
“It’s a big step up from the British F3 car and it’s just completely different in every aspect,” he said.
“Everything is evolved and it was a bit of a shock to the system, the braking zones are shorter and the corner speeds are higher. For any young driver to get the opportunity to drive an F1 car is a massive opportunity.”
Footage and interviews from the event appeared on Sky Sports F1, with Monger interviewed.
Organiser: Manx Auto Sport When: November 9/10 Where: Isle of Man Championships: Manx Rally Championship; ANWCC; SD34 MSG Stage Rally Championship Stages: 15 Starters: 102
Jamie Jukes put his Manx jinx to bed in the best way possible as he was victorious on a twoday Pokerstars Rally that was dominated by treacherous rain.
With standing water on stages before Friday evening’s start, further torrential rain and severe gale force winds made the challenge even more difficult.
The opening stage, the 6.92-mile test at Little London took in some of the most exposed terrain on the island, including Druidale, Brandywell Cottage and Sartfield.
Jukes and co-driver James Morgan (Mitsubishi Mirage) battled through fastest of the leading crews, 10s up on Paul Mackinnon/rob Fagg (Ford Fiesta R5) with Tristan Pye/andrew Falconer (Subaru Impreza) a further 6s back. A huge shock came, however, when Kevin Davies/dylan Jenkins, starting at number 42, put all their Welsh road rally expertise to use to snatch the event lead by 2s from Jukes in a two-litre Pinto-engined four-door Ford Escort Mk2.
Already the retirements were mounting. Tony Bardy/tony Walker (Ford Focus WRC) withdrew with a badly misting screen, John Indri/ Matthew Smalley (Mirage) stopped in the stage and Dai Roberts/nathan Davies (Peugeot 205) suffered electrical problems. Eian Pritchard/steve Mcphee (Focus WRC) and Ian Chadwick/kevin Horgan (Subaru Impreza) also withdrew. In total, 19 cars failed to finish the first stage.
Due to flooded roads SS2 and SS3 each had to be shortened, the latter to avoid a fast-flowing ford, with the resultant delay only allowing conditions to worsen still further.
Davies’s head-turning pace continued on SS2 Arrasey – which runs over the island’s infamous mines and the Round Table plantation. He was fastest again to take the lead to 6s over Jukes. Wayne Sisson/patrick Walsh (Mitsubishi Lancer E10) were second fastest to move up to fourth place behind Pye, as Mackinnon dropped back after the Fiesta’s power steering failed, causing him to stall twice in the stage.
Top locals Andrew Dudgeon/joe Dooley (Lancer E6.5) were also in trouble with a misfire and misted screen, as Jukes caught them in the test despite his Mirage also cutting out off the start line, costing 15s.
Mark Jones/john Hawkins put their BMW E36 off the road at a triangle near the end of the stage as Spencer Chard/mark Perryman crashed their Subaru at a bridge.
Davies added another 5s to his lead over SS3 Brack-a-broom, fastest again from Jukes, as Gary Leece/john Tarrant (E6) moved into fifth place behind Pye, who had driven the entire night without anti-lag, and Sisson.
As the beleaguered crews arrived back at the Jurby service, they were informed that the second loop, stages four, five and six, was cancelled. There was universal agreement, with an astonishing 28 crews failing to complete the opening loop of three tests.
Saturday dawned with bright, drying conditions but with further heavy rain forecast.
With the power steering unit changed overnight, Mackinnon was fastest on SS7 The Lhen, as Jukes overhauled Davies for the lead. Sisson retired with his own power steering failure.
On SS8 Dog Mills it was Dudgeon’s turn to go fastest, as Davies dropped 30s with an off-road excursion that left significant bodywork damage.
Sixth-placed Martyn Jones/dan Colley (Vauxhall Nova) retired with engine issues and eighth-placed Rory and Paul Mccann (Honda Civic) bent their rear beam. Mark James/hefin Jenkins (Escort Mk2) also crashed with the stage cancelled for following crews ( see rally news).
Rain was threatening as crews reached first service after SS9 Orrisdale, where a fastest time allowed Mackinnon to move back into the top three, Dudgeon second best to move up to fifth despite an overshoot. Jukes’ lead grew to 49s over Pye, while Leece crashed out of seventh, smashing the Mitsubishi’s intercooler against a tree.
As heavy rain arrived, Mackinnon continued to push, fastest on SS10 to close to within two seconds of Pye’s second place. Dudgeon’s comeback drive also continued, eyeing Davies’ fourth place, ahead of the Subaru of Andy Davies, having a superb Manx debut with Max Freeman.
SS11 and 14 were both cancelled as Mackinnon’s push took second place on SS12 Orrisdale, fastest again as Pye went up a bank, frustrated by his mistake and dropping 90s, to fifth.
The gap to leader Jukes was slashed still further over SS13, with Mackinnon 21s faster. The stage was halted after Simon Summers/dilwyn John crashed into a house in their Escort Mk2.
The battle of attrition continued to the end, Mackinnon sidelined by transmission failure just yards into the final SS15 Orrisdale, where Dudgeon overhauled Davies’ star drive to take second place by just 1s.
Pye held on for fourth ahead of Andy Davies, with Stuart Egglestone/brian Hodgson (Escort Mk2) completing the top six.
Results
1 Jamie Jukes/james Morgan (Mitsubishi Mirage) 1h06m17s; 2 Andrew Dudgeon/joe Dooley (Mitsubishi Lancer E6.5) +1m42s; 3 Kevin Davies/ Dylan Jenkins (Ford Escort Mk2); 4 Tristan Pye/ Andrew Falconer (Subaru Impreza); 5 Andy Davies/ Max Freeman (Impreza); 6 Stuart Egglestone/ Brian Hodgson (Escort Mk2); 7 Rory Mccann/ Paul Mccann (Honda Civic); 8 Gordon Morrison/ Michael Hendry (Impreza); 9 Mark Jasper/ Don Whyatt (Escort Mk2); 10 James Munden/john Leigh (Impreza). Class winners: Pye/ Falconer; Jasper/ Whyatt; Mccann/ Mccann; Jason Harris/ Stuart Powell (Citroen Saxo); Mark Constantine/andrew Constantine (Vauxhall Corsa); Egglestone/ Hodgson.