GT Festival Bahrain

November 25-27th

Taking part in the inaugural Bahrain Gt Festival was a real eye opener to say the least. We were in a new and vibrant, if a little dusty, country in the Middle East and the facilities and circuit were absolutely awesome. The track was big, wide and very fast. The circuit designer had mixed in a lot of gradient change, camber alterations and a variety of different speed corners. Sixth gear twice on two of the longer straights and it was 1st gear three times for the slower corners and hairpins. With a total of 44 gear changes a lap it was pretty busy in the cockpit and heat was clearly a factor given the effort we were putting into the driving and the ambient temperature in that part of the world.

The race format was also very new with no testing and drivers experiencing the track for the first time in qualifying. Two one hour qualifying sessions on the Thursday was all the teams got before racing commenced. The Festival was made up of three 35 minute, one driver, sprint races and one two driver final race lasting for an hour. The results of the first heat decided the grid for race two and the result of that race determined grid order for race three, with the starting order for the final based on the results of the last heat.

And most importantly Nick (Adcock) was getting his first drive in the GT3 which is completely different to anything he had been used to previously. "When I say completely different I don't just mean the incredible power but the fact that the engine and driven wheels were the wrong way round compared to my usual race car." explained Nick. Technique therefore had to be adjusted. To drive the circuit itself was a pleasure, very long compared with a UK circuit and with numerous challenges. When driving the car I was trying immensely hard to get a competitive lap time whilst trying not to either crash or break it. I was very aware that we had to be around for the final feature race on Friday afternoon and I didn't want to be the superstar who put it on pole before writing it off..."

Heat 1 Stuart

Stuart started the first heat and after a day of truly bad organisation it was held in total darkness due to all the delays with the other races. As Stuart explained, "There were cars on the grid with no headlights but I have always thought of myself as a smooth driver and a team mate that will always bring the car home after a race but in this race I must have either spun or ran out of track at least a dozen times as you have no braking points in the dark. I was sorely tempted to park the car up as not only could you see nothing on the track there were headlights on full beam in your mirrors, (those that had them) but the inside of the car was also in total darkness. Why did the chaps at Porsche not install a dash light I do not know as deciding what gear you were in was just guess work. I have never been so delighted to see a red flag. It was was shown after 20 minutes of racing with cars parked all over the circuit due to either accidents or their drivers just giving up. Anyway I brought it home in one piece and having started ninth in class we slipped to a disappointed 15th out of 22 starters in our class.

Heat 2 & 3 Nick

The car was exactly as I hoped it would be - looked gorgeous, went like stink, sounded lovely and handled very forgivingly on the limit. As it was despite our best efforts the GT3's running on Michelin tyres had some 3 second advantage over our Dunlop shod car anyway.
I was enjoying myself immensely but blotted my copy book slightly by having a spin in my first sprint race by trying too hard. I could see I was catching those ahead and carried too much speed into the second from last corner, then trying to get on the power too quickly and around she came, mainly due to the fact I had attempted a recovery Clio style by accelerating heavily - WRONG.
We subsequently finished 9th in both sprints which was disappointing given my competitive nature but certainly the potential is there.

Time to chill out and inspect that truly fantastic facilities which we had. We operated out of the Jaguar F1 Team garage and had the Jordan F1 Team hospitality suit. We could have catered for at least 150 but there was only 5 of us. Where are all your friends when you need them?!! (Working hard in the UK Stuart!!). Nick had driven two very good sprint races in race two and three which had put us back up to 8th in class for the final.

Final. Stuart started and Nick finished

For the final we had grid girls and it was also looking as if I was going to get to race in daylight. The start was very hectic and I decided to stay out of trouble as much as I could until first, the Martin Short Mosler was spun out in front of me and then the Tech 9 GT2 Porsche of Adam Sharpe . I was having a good battle with a Panoz Esperante and a couple of Lamborghini's when the safety car was deployed. Why I don't know as there were no incidents on the track that I could see. After twenty minutes of racing the safety car came in with the field bunched up and with us in a good position for Nick to take over just about the 25 minute mark. We made a fantastic driver change which resulted in me being thrown out of the car and with Jack's help we got Nick back into the race after just 23 seconds.

I was hustled into the seat and belted into place incredibly quickly and was sent on my way in seconds. So quick was it I realised I'd left my gloves behind but what the hell I got my head down to go for it. Two laps later the safety car was again deployed and as we were one of the first teams to pit we lost a lap to our rivals when they then pitted under the safety car period. Safety Cars had worked against Steve and Stuart all year in British Gts and here they were again. What bad luck..
Nick ran the entire race with the Morgan of Aaron Scott, but a lap behind. It was just then a case of keeping it clean and bringing the car home, which he did. The Morgan finished a very credible 3rd in class and we were 12th.

Stuart - "It was a privilege to be part of the Gt Festival and the hospitality given to us by our Middle East hosts was truly amazing. I wonder what Thruxton and Croft have in store for us next year?"

Nick - "The feature was tremendous fun and the noise and sight of 50 odd cars blasting off at the start is a sight and sound to behold. In all a truly memorable experience and its sincere thanks to Stuart and William for making it happen and to Neil and Jack for looking after the car. "