MotorsTV UK Official Blog

My job throughout the season is to support the teams with any technical information such as assistance with setting up the cars for the circuit and generally getting the best out of their car.

There is also a troubleshooting element to my role. With endurance sports car racing also being about reliability I will also be on hand to assist with any mechanical issues that may crop up during the weekend. Quite often the teams will have questions on parts installation, particularly if we have significant updates, which for Lola is usually every season. They get a detailed manual from Lola but to have a point of contact at the track every time the car turns a wheel is a vital part of Lola’s customer service. As well as myself we will have a dedicated spare parts truck, specially seconded Lola design engineers with the teams and also roving engineers who go from team to team, essentially liaising with them to ensure there are solutions to any issues.

At Paul Ricard this week I was on hand to oversee the 2010 develop updates ran smoothly, which I am delighted to say they did. It was very windy and very cold so how representative the teams set up work is when we go back to Ricard next month is difficult to tell. Getting the tyre temperatures and also getting consistency of runs due to the strong winds was a little frustrating but all of the driver’s comments were very positive with regards to the aero feel of the Lola’s 2010 updates and that is very pleasing.

For most of the teams, the Monday was the better day in terms of conditions and most of our teams were concentrating on making new drivers comfortable in the car. Guys such as Marco Andretti and Guy Smith for Rebellion Racing were getting used to the car for the first time.

2010 is set to be a fantastic year of racing. The great thing about Lola in LMP racing is the sheer variety of teams, engines and even tyres that our cars run with. This year we have Aston Martin V12, Judd V10 and Honda V8 power in our cars using Michelin, Dunlop and Pirelli rubber. As I lead the design and the design team on the LMP project it is pleasing to see that we have this variety and adaptability in the product.

The RML team, who have been a Lola customer since 2004, have a new engine (HPD) and new tyres (Dunlop) and had a really strong test at Ricard this week. Andy Wallace has re-joined them and he was very happy with the way things went.

Having Mario Andretti and Alain Prost in the Rebellion Racing garage at Paul Ricard was terrific. While they didn’t get directly involved with the engineering their experience rubs off just in conversation with them. Mario is a huge Lola legend having won the CART title in 1984 with a Lola design. He was very happy to see his grandson become the third generation Andretti to drive a Lola!

When I got back to the factory on Tuesday, I immediately did an event report and inform the whole team of how the test went. The guys back at the factory are very passionate about seeing their creations succeed and this great start to the season was just the launch pad we are looking for ahead of the first race next month at Ricard. While we all can’t wait for that weekend to arrive, we are now working hard to find even more performance for our customers for this season and as soon as the 2011 regulations are finalised, for next season. The development never stops.

www.lola-group.com

Hi everyone welcome to my first blog.

For those of you that have yet to come across my name, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is James Tucker, I am 20 years old and come from Burntwood, near Lichfield. This will be my first year racing cars, having raced karts and superkarts for the last 11 years. I am one of the selected MSA Academy drivers, helping me to develop my skills and training off the track, preparing me for the coming year. 2009 was a great year on which to end my karting career, I became the youngest; MSA Superkart Grand Prix Champion, MSA Superkart Championship round winner and 250 Masters Champion, taking 7 lap records through the year. Being 20, we,  my Father, Grandfather and myself, decided if I didn’t move to cars now I never would. Therefore in 2010 I will be competing in the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship, with Works Van Diemen team, Fluid Motorsport.

I am thrilled to be invited to join the Works Van Diemen team, Fluid Motorsport. I believe this is a great stepping stone for my future, as they know how to, either spot or make a race winning champion. Such names as; Ayrton Senna, Eddie Irvine, Tommy Byrne, Michael Vergers and James Courtney all came through the Works Van Diemen team. In fact the team has won the championship 22 times in the last 32 years. So as you can see they have a definate proven record of picking and making champions.

Being picked for the MSA Academy is a great boost for my confidence, knowing how few were picked from so many. Not only that but the knowledge source to tap into is huge, giving me an advantage. I really look forward to listening to all their advice and understanding how I will benefit from it in the coming years.

I am currently preparing for the season with a series of pre season tests and fitness training. Tomorrow I will be attending the British Formula 3 and Formula Ford media day and can’t wait to have my first glimpse of the ‘competition’.

I would like to thank my sponsors; 1st Choice Superseal, BG Printers, MTS and Sue-Sew for helping me get here. Please feel free to visit my website, www.jamesjtucker.co.uk

James

Hi

Hope that you all had a great weekend. Our testing over the weekend in our Evo9 went great and we are confident that with the information we gathered from our test that we will be able to put together a faster package than what we had last year.

Leading up to the test there were plenty of early morning finishes getting the car back together and ready for the test. We then headed down to the forest early Saturday morning where we spent over 13 hours trying new suspension and diff set-ups. Obviously from the results we achieved last year we have a strong package already and when you get to this stage the steps of development get smaller and smaller which are ultimately harder to find. But we made quite a few steps forward with the car which is very promising especially as we have some more development to do based off the information from the weekend.

A huge thanks to the whole team for helping get everything ready and in place for the test and their work during our long day in the forest. Also a huge thanks to Murray Coutes from MCA Suspension in Australia for coming over to help with the fine tuning of our dampers. We now have a few changes to make to the car before we undertake one further test before we leave for Rally New Zealand in late April. We were also lucky over the weekend that Sloan Cox and their team joined our test with their Evo 10. As well as us helping them with some advice and guidance it also gave me a chance to have my first drive of an Evo 10, before we head to Italy on Tuesday to have our first drive of our Evo 10 that we will be driving for the season. They are a totally different car which is obvious from their appearance, but also their power distribution and their great handling capabilities. We now have no doubt that the Evo 10 given the right set-up are a faster car than our current Evo 9.

A huge thanks to the Cox family for travelling down from Rotorua to give me the chance to get to grips with an Evo 10 so that I can hit the ground running in just over a weeks time when we begin testing with the Pirelli Star Driver Team.

Now I have a day and a bit to tie up all the loose ends, accumulate and analyse the data from the weekend as well as pack my bags before we depart from Christchurch mid Tuesday afternoon. I cannot wait to get over there, meet the team and team-mates, and start what is going to be an exciting year. While we are in the UK before our training program begins, John and I will be spending a day with Rob Wilson, a reknown driver trainer that Mikko Hirvonen (Ford World Rally Team) works closely with. I will keep you up to date with progress as much as I can, but will have daily updates through our website www.haydenpaddon.com.

It was a dream start to our FIA World Touring Car Championship challenge at Curitiba, and the first time we’ve ever scored well on the opening rounds of the series.

When I arrived in Brazil, I thought fourth and fifth could be on the cards, so you can imagine how happy I am with second and fifth.

In recent years, we’ve left Brazil with no WTCC points, but this time I’m fourth in the drivers’ standings with 28 points. What’s more, Chevrolet is leading the manufacturers’ championship after finishing 1-2-3 in Race 1 and 3-4-5 in Race 2. The performance has finally broken our Curitiba jinx.

Curitiba is one of the best places to come racing. The changeable weather always makes for exciting racing and the atmosphere is electric, especially as it’s the first race of the year and everyone is really pumped up.

This year was no exception.

Thirty minutes before the pit lane was due to open for the first race, it started to rain so heavily that we had to start the race in single file behind the Safety Car. I could see Jordi Gené up ahead.  I followed Gené before in the wet in Japan and he’d locked up and went straight then, so I wasn’t surprised when he did it this time. Moments later Alain Menu out-braked himself, and within seconds of the start I’d moved from fourth to second.

Only Yvan Muller was ahead of me. I had a little lunge at Turn 4 during the race, and although I felt I was slightly quicker than him – especially in the middle part of the race when my car was very strong – I didn’t attack. If it wasn’t my team-mate ahead, then that would have been another matter; I’d have pushed like hell and gone for the win.  However, it had stopped raining, the sun was drying the track out extremely quickly and it was best for me to look after my tyres and get the number 7 Cruze home.

Not only did I do that, for setting fastest lap I won a watch and a mountain ‘bike, courtesy of Monroe Performance. I was presented with the watch at the press conference and the mountain ‘bike, which will be delivered to my home, is supposed to be a good one.  I very grateful – I just wish I hadn’t bought a mountain ‘bike a few weeks ago!

Race 2 was dry and I made a great standing start to go around the outside of everyone. We got a bit bunched up in Turn 2. I was overlapping Tom Coronel and Alain was overlapping me, so when Tom hit the brakes and turned sharp right for Turn 3, we hit.

Unfortunately for Tom, that damaged his car. I was gutted, because he’s a good mate. It wasn’t my fault, but I still made a point of going over to see him after the race and explain, because for sure he would not have seen Alain on the inside of me. He’s a pro and he knows these things can happen.

I didn’t come out of the incident scot-free.  The front toe on my car was pushed out, and from then on it didn’t take right hand corners very well. The gearbox radiator must have been damaged too, because the gearbox temperature went through the roof and all the warning lights came on.

It meant I couldn’t put pressure on the car in front, but the speed of the Cruze enabled me to keep the local star, Augusto Farfus, behind me and finish fifth.

Chevrolet finished 1-2-3 in the opening race of the 2010 season, we lead the manufacturers’ standings and I’ve made the best start ever to a WTCC season. It’s just reward for all the hard work the Chevrolet and RML team has done over the winter months, and this could just be the start of something great.

Hola from Mexico!

I’m writing this from next to the pool at our hotel in Leon, Mexico, just across from the Rally Mexico service park.

It’s nice to get some sunshine over here as the weather has not been great back home in the UK recently and the last rally we did was in Sweden where it was -25C!

We got here on Saturday night after a long flight from the UK, so on Sunday we just had a relaxing day with a little bit of fitness work in the afternoon with our trainer Barrie Johnson.  It was really just to shake off the stiffness and help us get used to the high-altitude conditions here in Mexico.

That altitude not only affects us but the car as well.  The difference between Rally Sweden and Rally Mexico is around 2000ft and about 50 degrees centigrade in temperature, meaning the Ford Focus RS WRC has to withstand a huge change in conditions.  The thin air here can cost you around 20% in power output, meaning you do have to change your driving style to account for that.

On Monday morning we had a look around the service park just to find out where everything was and then did a bit more fitness training in the afternoon to help us get ready for the rally.

On Tuesday we went out to recce the rally route and it was nice to find out that not too much had changed since the last time we were here in 2008, with only around 13kms of stage we hadn’t seen before.  It’s really good when you come to a rally and you don’t have to make completely new notes, it makes life a lot easier.  Rather than starting from scratch it’s more about development, and you can get the benefit of your experience from the last time you competed on the rally.

I really like Rally Mexico because the atmosphere is great, the fans are so enthusiastic and everyone in Leon really gets behind the event and enjoys it.  The weather is always good too and the schedule is quite compact so the days are not too long compared to the likes of Rally Sweden, which apart from the extreme weather involved a fair bit of travelling between stages and meant a lot of early starts and late finishes!

We got a decent result in Sweden but our pace wasn’t what we really wanted, so we’ll be looking to try and improve here in Mexico and close the gap on the four manufacturer drivers as much as possible.  The surface is nice and consistent here so that and our previous experience here means we are confident of doing that.

Hopefully Scott [Martin, co-driver] and I and Henning [Solberg] and Ilka [Minor, co-driver] can get some more points on the board for the Stobart M-Sport Ford team and we can push ahead of our rivals in the FIA WRC manufacturer standings.

Adios Amigos!

I have to say I very excited and honoured to be writing this column for the Motors TV website. 2010 looks set to be a very exciting year for me as not only will I be having a proper go at the British GT Championship but the opportunity to drive the new Chevron GR8. Chevron has a fantastic history in making sports cars and single seaters back in the 60s and 70s and to be a part of the next chapter is a dream come true.

The Chevron deal came about quite late as it all happened at the Autosport Show in January after a chance meeting with Ray Grimes, Chevron’s Sporting Director. I was very impressed with the rolling Chassis they had on display especially as the whole concept was only 5 months old. The speed at which they had turned this around and the quality of the work would put a lot of larger manufacturers to shame. Ray and I spoke several times over the weekend and the initial idea was put in place. Following the Autosport Show I then had the pleasure of visiting the Chevron factory in Cheshire, wow what a place, it was like motorsport heaven. There I was surrounded by B16s and B8s in total awe, everywhere you looked there was history including the original B1 built by the Chevron founder Derek Bennett. It seemed a very fitting place to take the next steps in Chevron’s history.

We have a fantastic team behind us this year with several of the engineers and designers having worked for Chevron under Derek Bennett’s leadership, but also the enthusiasm and commitment of Cosworth to supply their engines and electronics really strengthens the package. I really feel as long as we can get on top of the set up of the car early we could have some fantastic results. It is going to be a steep learning curve at the first few rounds as it looks like we will only have a few test days before Oulton Park. However, with the race winning experience of ABG Motorsport, the backing of Cosworth and the outstanding car that Chevron have produced we should be in a good position when the season starts. The only problem I can see is that most Chevron Cars were famous for winning races right out of the box, so no pressure at all then….

I’m delighted to be writing this new column for the Motors TV website, because I think this could be a great year for me.  I’ll be honest – the aim is to win the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and with the Chevrolet Cruze I think I’ve got a great opportunity.

The WTCC begins in Brazil and is followed by Mexico. These are not historically good races for us. I’m the only Chevrolet driver to have scored points at Curitiba, but having finished 5th in 2007 and 8th in 2006, it’s not the type of results you go around shouting about. I quite like the Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba, so there is no reason for it not to like me!

In eight races in Mexico, I’ve only finished in the points once – and that was back in 2005 – and the year after I finished up in hospital, so that’s not been a lucky place either.

The most number of points we’ve managed to leave Brazil and Mexico with is four, but this year I’m looking for 12 or 13 points from the opening two race meetings.

It sounds ambitious, but I think we’ve got an excellent chance of making the strongest start we’ve ever had to a WTCC campaign.

I believe the Chevrolet Cruze is now the strongest car in the WTCC.  We had a good first season with it last year and we’ve had a very good test programme over the winter. We’ve not made any big changes to it, but as a team we all understand the car a lot better and we know how to get the most out of it.

I’ve tested the Cruze at Valencia twice and once at Portimao, and we’ve worked very hard on fine tuning the set-up. At the final pre-season test session at Valencia I did four or five race distance runs, which might be very beneficial when we get to the first race at Brazil.

We know the Chevrolet Cruze can be competitive in Curitiba. Our lap times last year demonstrated this and the outcome would have been a lot different had we not been forced out of the first race.

We also showed last year that the Cruze is phenomenally strong on street circuits, and I think we’ll be strong everywhere this year. That will be important, because our game plan for the season is to try and score points in every race.

That’s easier said than done of course, because the opposition this year will be very strong.  In fact, I think this will be the toughest season ever.

Consistency will be key to our championship success. If that means not winning any races in 2010, that doesn’t bother me – all I want to do in 2010 is come home with the title.

Hello again and welcome to my first blog of the 2010 season. After a great first season in British Formula Ford in 2009 where I comfortably won the Scholarship class and finished 6th Overall we decided it would be best for me to stick around in 2010 and race for the Overall Championship crown. The next decision was choosing a team, a decision that was not taken lightly. After months of head scratching we felt that a second year with the Kevin Mills Racing squad was my best option. After my recent visit to Australia to meet the Spectrum Manufacturer Borland Racing Developments I’m sure we have made the right decision. With a new car in 2010 the Spectrum 012, I believe I will have a car to match the Mygale and hopefully carry me to many wins along the way, if not the title.

It was decided my best option for some pre-season testing was to fly to Australia and get some warm weather mileage under my belt with the new Dunlop tyre. I did five days while I was there at three different tracks and there was no shortage of laps. With only a few cars, if any at times on track I had no distractions as we put new development parts to the test. I was very impressed with the Borland team and their desire to win in 2010. Their commitment to me and to winning is a key reason why I wanted to stay at Kevin Mills. The Dunlop tyre was better than I expected, not that I was expecting it to be bad, it was just very impressive whether new or old. With lap times considerably more consistent than the outgoing Avon.

Its difficult to judge our performance in Australia, the only data we had was from a year earlier on the Avon tire and we were faster at every track. But until we get to Oulton Park for the first race of the season we won’t know how good any team really is. But I am confident in the way the car reacted to the tire that we will have a stronger car than in 2009 which is very encouraging. I feel very motivated for the coming season and I believe as always it will be a very closely fought affair.

For now though I have a Dinner Suit to buy as on Saturday I have the BRSCC awards evening where I will collect my Scholarship trophy. Something I have been waiting a while to get my hands on, I hope this time next year I will be preparing to collect  the Championship trophy.

I look forward to bringing you updated blogs throughout the season and if you happen to be at any Ford meetings this year please come say hello. The first round of the season will take place at Oulton Park over the Easter Weekend. I hope to see you there.

Jono Lester

It’s a nice way to end the year; driving a racing car.

In 2009, I haven’t really done it all that much. My last official ‘race’ was in April when I won the Hamilton 400 Trophy, and since I’ve been itching to drive whatever I can.

I’ve spent a good portion of this time as a test driver for Juno Racing New Zealand with their new Synergy V8-powered sports car, but insofar as Porsche racing goes, there’s been very little.

That very little however, has meant a hell of a lot.

I’ve aligned myself with the very successful Lechner Racing Team and in July had a two-day test at the Hungaroring, which put me in line for the 2010 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup after setting some really competitive times and working well with the team’s experienced engineers.

Again, this past fortnight, I’ve been up in Bahrain for some more testing with the team; this time developing the new 2010 Porsche GT3 Cup car which will be used in the Supercup next season.

As from the last 997 upgrade in 2008, this car is a cut above any Cup Car ever made. The response of the steering and engine; the noticeable increases in torque and power; the more docile yet more refined rear end with the giant rear wing – all of this has contributed to a very special race car.

To be one of the first in the world to steer one was a genuine pleasure for me.

My entry for the 2010 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup has been lodged and I’m proud to be a part of the Lechner Racing Team with its passionate and hard-working mechanics and engineers, and a really positive and focussed team environment.

There’s still a budget to find, but isn’t that always the case with motorsport? I couldn’t have really picked a worse time to be money-hunting given the economic climate, however that won’t curb my enthusiasm and drive to make this happen.

I can see this being my one shot at making a career out of professional motorsport in Europe. I’ve gotta take it with both hands!

The weather’s great back here in NZ – believe it or not it rained more in Bahrain that it has here in the last two or three months! I’m really looking forward to heading up to the beach with my girlfriend, family and friends over the Xmas break for some brief R&R before heading full-steam into an exciting 2010.

See you all there!

Jono

www.jonolester.com

Hello everyone and welcome to my final blog of the 2009 season. It has been a great year for me and one I have thoroughly enjoyed. 2009 was my first season of car racing and it has been a steep learning curve. Karting was all I had ever known so this season was always going to be a challenge. British Formula Ford is a great championship which always attracts young talent from all over the world, this year was no different. However after the first round of the season I already felt very much at home and I had some great results in the first half of the season. A podium in my first ever car race was more than anyone expected of me, and pole at only my second attempt at Rockingham a few weeks later really signaled my arrival on the Ford scene. I had 13 consecutive top 6 finishes this season which helped me to cement a top ten position in the overall championship. I also won the scholarship championship taking 18 wins from 23 starts which is nothing short of dominant. Thanks to my British success I was given the chance to race 3 meetings in Germany for Austrian team Neuhauser Racing in the Formel ADAC championship and this provided me valuable experience into slicks and wings single seater racing. The team were nothing short of fantastic and gave me a very competitive car. The results were not what I had hoped for but with such limited track time I was always on the back foot. It was difficult going from a car with down force one week to Formula Ford the next, the too were just too different. However taking fastest lap at the Sachsenring was a highlight not to mention seizing what may be my only opportunity to race the fantastic Nurburgring GP Circuit. A big thank you to both Kevin Mills and Neuahuser Racing for all there hard work this season and I really enjoyed the experience. 

Having just returned from a weeks holiday in Tenerife I feel re-juvinated and more importantly slightly tanned and ready for the 2010 season. Plans for next year are well underway but nothing is yet set in stone, the biggest issue for me now is to find the sponsorship I need to continue my racing not only next year but in years to come. I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it and wish you all the best for the New Year.