Look Away Now if........

[Bob Bull]

It must now be apparent to any visitor to this site that I do not own or race a Morgan, therefore will always remain inferior to the manly (and womanly -sorry Mary) types who inhabit the forum. This explains why I am constantly trying to impress my betters and swanking about the glamorous lifestyle of a BBC reporter and the many famous people I come in contact with. I will now share yet another of my experiences with you, but having been criticised in the past for my vainglorious boasting ... if you are envious or easily offended .... look away now!

On Wednesday (Sept 3rd.) I was a guest of Audi at the Le Mans Series, Media Day at Silverstone, where they, Porsche, Aston Martin and Peugeot were giving circuit rides to members of the media. Audi had on hand two of their latest and most powerful ever road cars, the RS6 a 580bhp Saloon with all of the electronic gizmos, traction control etc. these were to be driven by Alan McNish and Dindo Capello, two of the best sports car (non-Morgan) drivers in the world. Some years ago I had been at Donington for a similar event and bagged a drive with Dindo in an Audi TT, and as we left the pits he asked in his broken English if I would tell him which way the corners went as he never been there before!!! Trying to explain a 'blind, uphill right hander' when he was on full throttle was a trifle nerve wracking to say the least. I reminded Audi's Press Officer about this when I accepted the invite, and as I climbed into the R6 next to the great man once again he smiled and said he remembered the incident, and would I show him the way around Silverstone. Luckily I have seen him win there before so knew it was a joke. Over an out-lap and in-lap I was able to get a pretty good idea of the performance of the R6 as Capello threw it about using lots of kerb and switching off the traction control the better to slide the car around the Grand Prix circuit, reaching 150mph down the Hangar Straight. I had my faithful mini disc recorder with me and Dindo commentated as we went, however, back in the pits I discovered that the anti-shock mechanism had not been up to the 'G-Forces' (?) and I lost contact after Becketts. I also blagged a ride in a Porsche GT2 with Gordon Robertson, Senior Instructor at the Porsche Driving Centre at the circuit, but once again technology failed me. Being so important it was easy for me to get a second bite of the cherry and arrange a further session with Dindo (by now we were the best of friends), and as chance would have it we came down pit lane immediately behind the sister car driven by Alan McNish. This was too good a chance to miss and I suggested to my driver that the pride of Italy was at stake, we had to beat the Scot, then as we arrived at the end of the pit lane preparing to accelerate Alan braked slowing us down before shooting off through Copse. It was war! Dindo went to pass, Alan weaved, 'not fair' I cried. "We will take his tow and pass him under braking" said Dindo as we closed up down to Stowe. "No, too fast". Into the left, right at Club we were inches from his bumper and passed Alan into Abbey, seriously sideways. To be fair Alan had a passenger who would probably not have appreciated a wheel to wheel battle and he did not fight, but from then on, for the remainder of the two laps our R6 was driven with complete abandon, constantly breaking away on the corners and taking Brooklands in an induced powerslide and very sideways indeed. My recording only lasted to Brooklands on the first lap but what I got was magic. Back on dry land Alan came up to us, smiling all over his face and said that he and his passenger were laughing, really laughing at Dindo's antics and expressed admiration for his car control, but felt that if he used the same lines in the 1000km's they had no chance of winning.

I doubt if any other journo got such a wild ride,certainly two colleagues from the Radio Station did not, I like to think that Capello recognised a kindred spirit, particularly with my urging him on to pass McNish and, I found out later on my truncated recording, - laughing like a hyena most of the time.

So you see I do have my moments.

Just thought I would share this with you!

Modest Bob.

PS; Why not go to the 1000kms this coming weekend, it should be a great race.

[Jim Mountain]

Bob,

I think you need to buy a race car and get this out of your system before it starts to damage your health

[Chris Acklam]

Great stuff Bob, you're a lucky man. It sure beats the day job.

[Bob Bull]

Jim,
Should I take your advice and relinquish my position at 3CR I would then no longer get to attend the British GP (at least without paying). Should I do this the position of hod carrier, which is still vacant at this time, would not be necessary, and I seem to remember you expressed an interest in applying?

Be careful what you wish for!

Chris, yes such treats make all of the unpaid work I do, often in adverse weather conditions, worthwhile and when I get old I shall be able to look bore my grandchildren every Christmas with my experiences.

Bob

Footnote: Writing this made me recall another incident involving Dindo Capello, it was at the end of a previous 1000k at Silverstone won by Dindo and Alan McN. for Audi, when the drivers were being interviewed. Questions were taken from the floor and a foreign journo asked Capello why he was favouring his right leg, had he had an accident? No says Dindo it was the seat in the car,he had been uncomfortable and the leg had cramped up. I snatched the microphone and asked; "So driving an Audi makes you limp?". Everyone laughed except the man himself whose English was not up to the innuendo.

You have probably realised by now that I do not like to take life too seriously, whatever the occasion.

Bob

[Jim Mountain]

Good point B ob, my previous statment shall be withdrawn in the intrests of hod carrying,