“MN has given me some fantastic memories”

Ouestion for you: when did you last hear of a slipping clutch that stopped slipping of its own accord? Exactly. Me neither. And now I’m in possession of firm proof that Renault’s Kadjar does not have these self-healing abilities. I first detected rising revs not being matched by further forward motion on the first hill, on the road out of Nice towards Marseille.

Was that? Could it be? Surely not… Don’t be silly.

And anyway, Chaka Khan’s just landed on Riviera

Radio. Turn it up.

By the twisty drag up from the coast towards Aix, the slippage was definitely there. But I was sure all would be well. Apparently not. Crawling up a hill at 20mph, Gap was a long way away. And now that horrible clutchy rattle was starting to drown out ‘Ain’t Nobody’.

Pop. The pedal went to the floor 15 miles from the Hertz desk at Marseille airport. With a deep breath, considerable persuasion and a degree of commitment to the cause, fifth gear was engaged.

I made it. Hertz wheeled out the ‘T’ Kadjar, complete with fully functioning transmission, and away I went. Nairobi, a Nissan Sunny and the last Safari was the last time I found myself in the same situation.

I found myself doing a fair bit of looking back last week. The reason being, this is my last column for Motorsport News. After more than 23 years of helping to fill these pages week after week, the time has come for me to move on to a new challenge.

A very brief stint at a stockbroker (I’d been there six months when I spotted the ad for an assistant rallies editor) aside, MN’S all I’ve known for my entire working life. And I can’t begin to tell you what an absolute blast it’s been. You know that line about not mixing business and pleasure? Total nonsense.

My father competed in rallies and I grew up with Motoring News. Starting work at Standard House in September 1996 was a huge moment for me. Reporting on the same month’s Showground

Stages in Builth Wells filled me with terror. It wasn’t all plain sailing at first, but thanks to magnificent editors and all-round fabulous human beings like Mark Skewis, I got there in the end.

I take away some splendid memories, including trying to explain how my pen, thrown with unfathomable force and a complete lack of accuracy at Charles Bradley, missed the one known as

‘Jarvis’ and connected squarely with the back of Simon Arron’s computer. Tubber’s screen went blank and he, not unfairly, considered the two things related. Oops.

Other memories include competing against Colin Mcrae on the 1998 Mcrae Stages (Colin’s Metro 6R4 broke and I drove a Daihatsu very slowly) and countless rides with countless world champions.

MN’S evolved a great deal down the years as ownership has moved from Teesdale to Haymarket to Motorsport Network and now finally Kelsey Media. Kelsey represents the start of an exciting new chapter for MN and with editor Matt James at the wheel, you can have great faith in the future of our favourite weekly read.

For now, it’s farewell. And a very, very big thank you for putting up with me for so long.