So this was to be my fourth time on the GP circuit, which says a lot about how much I enjoy it. Every lap of Silverstone is a challenge and the changing conditions this time made it even more difficult. The morning started off dry but by the time we arrived for the briefing, the rain was coming down. After a couple of mandatory sighting laps I decided it was too wet to start lapping and retreated to the pits until 10:30 when the rain had stopped.
I could have gone out in that first hour and a half, I've certainly driven through worse on the road. But I've done enough track days now to know what it's all about, and I can do without getting soaked just for fun. It provided us with a nice opportunity to get some breakfast and have a very civilised start to the day.
So when I did venture out onto the circuit, it was a whole new Silverstone to me. It will come as no surprise to anyone who uses A048 cut slicks in all weathers, that in the cold and wet, they are absolutely, utterly useless. Driving around the circuit was a balancing act of brakes, throttle and steering and all it took was an ever so slightly over enthusiastic input and the car would start misbehaving. Corners that were taken at high speed on full throttle were now taken with extreme caution. For example, exiting Chapel onto Hangar straight is taken at around 100mph in 5th with full throttle. In the wet however, this results in the rear wheels spinning up and the car wanting to swap ends. At 100mph. In 5th.
The other place of concern for me was exiting the Abbey chicane just before Bridge. Again, this is a throw away corner in the dry, taken flat in 3rd gear at around 80mph with a lot of help from the curb. You never think about the wall that's just a couple of metres from the edge of the track because there's never any chance of making contact. But in the wet, it was a different story all together. Despite short shifting into 4th and being careful with my right foot, it was incredibly easy to be having a big moment just inches away from the edge of the track, with the wall patiently waiting to meet the car.
So I quickly got used to staying clear of the white lines and curbs. Club and Luffield were the places to practice power sliding which was great fun. I managed a couple of half spins but kept clear of the grass (and any immovable objects). It was one of those times on track where you just have to give up trying to drive fast and enjoy the moment and learn what the car can do. And I learned a lot.
After lunch it had dried out enough to show a dry line and we could all start to press on. The slow and clumsy looking Caterham from the wet morning became a precise, agile racing machine once again. I had some great laps playing with the Lotus boys, and in a couple of instances seemingly managed to pressure them into mistakes. Have a look towards the end of the onboard video to see what I mean.
I thought I had the GP circuit fairly well sussed. I know where the corners are, where to turn in, apex, etc. The Caterham is a very different beast to anything I've driven before though, and it seemed even more inspiring than last year on the GP circuit. I learned I could carry enough speed through Copse to get up into 6th on the straight between Copse and Maggotts where the pit exit is, then ride the curb on the slight left kink of turn 2 as usual, a dab of brakes and down into 5th, and ride the curb for the right hander of Maggotts. Instead of then braking and changing down for the left hander of Becketts, I found I could simply lift off and turn in, feel my way through the weight transfer, get on the power briefly at the apex and on the run up towards turn 5, then once again just change down and lift off and guide the car through.
The upshot of all of that is that I needed only brake once for the entire Maggotts/Becketts/Chapel complex. It takes some commitment and faith that the car will stick, but it's absolutely as satisfying as taking Bridge at full throttle. Such a rush.
Anyway I've waffled on for far too long. Hopefully that begins to convey how much of a fantastic day it was. I'm never happier than when I'm behind the wheel on a race track, and I've come to realise that no matter how many times I visit Silverstone, it will always be a tremendously special, exhilarating and challenging place.
Check out the video and pictures in the gallery.