Stateside

Dear Friends and Family,

This week I have made a temporary return stateside, back to Texas.

The reason I have returned is on account of my British visa which expired this week. I am applying for a new visa which will be a long term visa. At this moment I am not excactly sure how long it is going to take for my new long term visa I have applied for, but once it comes through, I will be able to go back to England on a long term basis.

In the mean time I have a few projects in the works which I will be able to announce in short accord!

I arrived back in Texas on Tuesday and I have been 'indulging' in a few of my favorite things from Texas first of which was hot weather, mexican food, and a bit of karting. This past weekend I went to MSR Houston, a new racing circuit in Houston, Texas and drove with the owner of the track on his brand new karting circuit. Unfortunantely I didn't get any photos or videos of the track, but it is a fantastic circuit! The track is .7 tenths of a mile, featuring a variety of low, medium, high speed corners and the ultra American NASCAR turn. The 180' turn is at the end of a straight and features four levels of banking, MEGA!

Hope this message finds you doing well, I am happy to be back in Texas to see my family, but am looking forward to getting back to England as soon as possible and getting back on with my program.

Wishing you the best.

Michael

Inside Honda F1

It’s hard to explain what the inside of a Formula 1 team’s headquarters looks like, but I will do my very best. In all fairness a Formula 1 team headquarters isn’t exactly a race shop, its not exactly a NASA workshop either, perhaps a cross of these two things with a high tech medical lab thrown in for flavor is the best way to describe an F1 teams headquarter.

Last week I had the chance to not only visit one of these facilities, but also to go inside the heart of the engineering section and see what goes on behind the closed doors at a Formula 1 teams racing facilities. The team I had the chance to visit was Honda Formula 1 team which is based near Silverstone in the United Kingdom Midlands. When approaching the facility from the motorway you won’t realize you are approaching it, and unless you know where to look it would be quite easy to pass by. That is of course, unless you know what you are looking for, then the industrial estate, transformed racing stratofortress is impossible to miss.

The purpose for my visit was to return a misplaced intercom system which had went missing a few weeks earlier at PalmerSport. One of the Honda’s F1 engineers had came to our facility and had been doing a driver evaluation for an F3 driver they are considering for their development program. As one of the ‘new’ instructors on the beat, I was asked if I could drive halfway across England and return the misplaced intercom (a half hour drive).

I was more than happy to make the trip and take the opportunity to see inside the Honda workshop. When I arrived on the scene I parked outside the perimeter of the facility and was instructed by the security officer to “head in, cross the bridge (you have a bridge at your raceshop?), past the lake, and go into building on your right.”

As I headed down the road with intercom in hand I had a chance to see some of the various buildings on site. There must have been six or seven large buildings, one appeared to have a Formula 1 car hanging from the ceiling, a nice bit of decorate kit I think.

Once I walked into the primary Honda engineering building I was greeted by a secretary who had a lanyard with my name already printed on it. I was met by the engineer who offered to show me around the facility. As we walked inside the medical laboratory feel became evident, everything was painfully clean, I felt as if I should clean my shoes! At this point the photography stopped for obvious reasons.

The first thing we came to was a primary engineering room. There were probably fifty members of the Honda team in the open office. The room was comprised of work stations where computer monitors faced outwards from the center creating a very ‘open’ work environment. We didn’t go into the room but I could see cad schematics lining the screens which were facing the hallway. As we rounded a corner we headed downstairs to a bay containing the teams test cars, the engineer explained to me they used the 2007 race models.

Beyond the test team bays there were two autoclaves in an open shop area, machines used for baking and putting a vacuum on carbon fiber components. The first autoclave was massive, perhaps 8 feet in height by ten feet long which could house an entire Formula 1 cars chassis. The second was smaller for aero components, suspension pieces, and other miscellaneous pieces. In the room beyond the area housing the autoclaves was a machine which cut the carbon fiber fabric before it went into the autoclaves.

The engineer then brought me to a room which housed the teams SEVEN CNC machines. The CNC machines can cut a chunk of metal, either aluminum, steel, titanium, or something even more exotic into almost any imaginable shape. These shapes are used as hubs, gearbox components, and other parts around the racing car. Between the CNC machine and the carbon fiber capacity the Honda team has the ability to engineer and create a completely new working part in less than three weeks.

At this point the engineer had to excuse himself and brought me back to the reception area. The tour through the Honda formula 1 facility was fantastic, although it was only a short tour it was really cool to see first hand the technology and resources which go towards engineering, building, and preparing a working modern formula 1 car!

unfortunate turn of events

Dear Friends,

On account of a problem with the insurance provider for the car, we have been forced to withdraw the entry.

I think a few of you were planning on coming out tomorrow, of course you are still welcome to head out for the meeting, but I will not be racing.

Shame! I was really looking forward to driving the Cooper!!

Hope you are having a better weekend than mine!

Michael

On the cover for Team USA

Hey Gang!

Just wanted to send you a quick note and pass on something that recently caught my eye. It is a re-print of the article from motorsport.com, but it was picked up on the opening page of the A1GP Team USA website. You have probably already read the article, but I was really happy to see my name on the opening page of the teams site!! Hopefully it will something to look forward to more of in the future!

You can see the article and check out the A1GP Team USA site at: www.a1teamusatv.com/

It is Friday so I think most of you will be very pleased that it is the weekend! I am getting ready for the Formula Junior race at Mallory Park on Sunday. From what I understand there are going to be 22 cars in the field with a number of different makes, models, and constructors being represented. I am not fully clued in as to the performance of these different models, so I am just preparing to push the car as rapidly as it will go!

Hope you have a fantastic weekend, check back on Monday and I will have some photos up from the race meeting.

All the best

Michael

My first British Motor Car Race

Dear Friends and family,

This weekend I will be doing my first motor car race in the United Kingdom. If the year were 1961 I would literally be on the clasp of Formula 1, the car I will be running is from the category called Formula Junior and was the final step for many drivers on their way to Formula 1. In fact, with a few minor modifications, the car I am driving could easily be prepared to Formula 1 spec, of well, 1961.

The particular machine I will be driving is owned by a gentleman named Peter Jackson and is one of three cars that were originally raced by the Cooper Works team during 1961. If anyone asks you the specifics of the machine it is a 1961 Cooper Mk2 Formula Junior T56. The engine for the car is a Ford Cosworth which puts out approximately 110 brake horse power. If you see a picture of the car by modern terms it is very ‘retro’ and looks like one of the truly fantastic machines that were seen in the famous movie Grand Prix.

Since I was young I have always been fascinated with this type of racing cars, knowing it was a design from the days of old I never thought I would have the chance to drive one. When Mr. Jackson offered me the drive, I was elated to accept the opportunity. At the end of the day I don’t expect McLaren F1 to ring me up on account of the spectacular performance I will be putting in, but an opportunity to drive something like this is simply too good to pass up.
The circuit I will be racing at is Mallory Park, an infamous circuit in the United Kingdom. While the circuit is short in length, just around one mile, it has both the longest and tightest corners in the country. From an overhead map you will see there are only five corners on the circuit, however Gerards the corner at the end of the main straight goes on for about two days and three weeks, and I am told it actually has more than one apex! On the opposite end of the course is a corner where the cars must brake down to about 30 miles per hour.

The race will be taking place on Sunday the 17th of August. For the race meeting I will have a single twenty minute warm up/reconnaissance/practice/ testing/ qualify session followed by a 12 lap race. Mr Jackson, who I met with last weekend to help in preparing the car, is clearly becoming a bit ‘nerved’ to entrusting someone else with his pride and joy. He has reassured me (about 350 times) that it won’t be necessary for me to push the car to the limits as I would do in a modern car. He would prefer me to enjoy the opportunity to drive the machine, which I intend to do, while driving the ever living b’jesus out of it. (just kidding Peter!)

In all fairness to Peter I am going to really enjoy the opportunity and not push beyond what I feel is 100% completely safe. I will try to mount an onboard camera on the machine as well, so you can ride along with me.

Although its not a Formula 3 car, but I can assure you I am completely excited about this opportunity. Mr. Jackson is a fantastic guy for entrusting me with his baby, so I will be first and foremost focused on bringing it home in one piece, but if the car were to get a bit sideways, there will certainly be a big smile on my face!

Hope you are having a great week, I’m counting down the days until Sunday!

Cheers

Michael

Adriano's Radical Race

Dear Friends,

Last week I had the pleasure of being the guests of one of my good friends from PalmerSport Adriano Medeiros, who is known around the office as Gringo during his Radical race meeting. There was nothing ‘radical’ about the race, however the manufacture of the car he drives is called ‘radical’ so it has thus claimed the title of this post.
Adriano and I got to know each other quite quickly when I came to PalmerSport because we share a common background. Adriano and I are both Americans, mind you, he comes from a different part of America, a bit further south, called Brazil, but none the less we are both ‘Americans.’ Along with coming from America we both share similar motorsport aspirations, while mine is Formula 1, Adriano is most keen to become a professional racing driver, which he has recently taken a major step towards through his association with PalmerSport and being in the United Kingdom.

For Adriano his break came when he met a gentleman named Charles Loughran whose lifelong dream has been to race. While Charles did not set off at a young age with the fire and ambition it takes to go racing, Charles did set off in the commercial world with the same passion and has became a successful entrepreneur with a number of products and brands. On account of this success it has permitted him to indulge himself in funding a racing car as well as enlisting the services of Adriano as his co-driver (the radical championship is an endurance series where two drivers pilot the cars), who also has the ability to instruct him and help bring him up to speed.
For this particular race meeting I arrived at Adriano’s house bright and early (before 7AM!!!) where his wife Ana had prepared breakfast for us. After breakfast we jumped in Adriano’s road car and headed off towards Donington Park the location of the Radical Cup Race Meeting and the 2010 British round of the Formula 1 World Championship (which should be an interesting affair). Donington Park seems like a fantastic circuit to drive, however quite short, just under 1 minute to complete. However from what I sat, if Silverstone isn’t up to scratch for Bernie Ecclestone’s expectations, Donington Park and the one lane country road leading into it, are going to need some serious development before the circus that is Formula 1 and the hundreds of thousands of rabid British motorsport fans descend upon it.
Once we arrived at the paddock we were greeted by Charles and the team they have employed to run their Radical racing car. The radical is sports racer modeled after a Le Mans prototype, and powered by a 1500cc race prepped Suzuki Hyabusa engine. Although the car does have a second seat in the cockpit the chassis is not too far removed from a single-seater, with the engine fitted behind the driver. Their particular car is primarily blue and adorned with their sponsors logos: Bauer, Alpine Star, and Airflow. Sitting stationary in the paddock the car looks rapid.
For the days competition there would be two race events, both an hour in length and would feature a compulsory pit stop and driver change at mid-distance. For the first race Adriano would start on the pit wall and Charles would take the driving responsibilities for the initial stint. It was Charles first time to start the race so nerves were certainly on the rev limiter, the least of which were Charles’, who knew a good start would be key if he wanted to return the car to the ‘hired gun’ in any sort of position to mount an attack on the leaders. For the best viewing point on the circuit I went to a corner known as ‘the old hairpin.’ From my vantage point the cars came blasting downhill through Crane curve (a flat right, then left hand section, which sends the cars hurdling towards the old hairpin in top gear), then hard on the brakes to slow the car before the old hairpin. As the race got under way Charles was behind the wheel for the first stint. It was easy to tell, even from the side of the circuit he was working very hard in the car, maximum effort! Although his times were slightly off the pace, it wasn’t on an account of lack of trying, a few drivers were getting around him, but they certainly had to work hard to take the position. At around 25 minutes into the race Charles was hovering just outside the top ten before he darted into the pits and handed the Radical and driving duties over for Adriano.
The first time Adriano came through crane curve it was clear the driver change had been made. While Charles himself had been working very hard in the car, the scream of the engine, pulling more RPM’s and a higher corner speed let me know Adriano was making the car work hard for him. Over the next few laps the engine pitch increased progressively lap after lap as Adriano pushed the car closer to the limit. The blue Radical’s course for the race had changed and forward was the new buzz word. While he was well back in the field at the driver change Adriano began carving his way towards the front, by the time the checkered flag came out, the blue radical had moved up into the top ten and was showing promise for race two.

After the race I went to speak with Adriano and Charles, and to listen in on a de-briefing session between the two. Adriano had noticed a few places where they could improve their speed on the track and make some improvements for the final race.

The next race would be similar in distance, one hour, but for this one Adriano would start behind the wheel. As the cars rolled out onto track I was excited to see what Adriano could do from the get go, although qualifying had not been good, starting outside the top 10, he would have the leaders directly ahead of him. When the lights went out Adriano had a good start, but not a great one He was boxed out as they made the run into the first curve, a fast right hander. The cars that he had initially passed were able to get back under him putting him back where he started. My vantage point for this race was very different, from a VIP suite overlooking the chicane coming into the main straight. Although not as critical for the overall lap time as was the crucial old hairpin, this is where a great deal of overtaking would take place as drivers out braked and lunged to the inside of their opponents.

As the race got started Adriano held position for the first few laps as his car got acclimated with the conditions. Soon however he started building up a speed that could only be matched by a few drivers on the circuit. Moving up the field, Adriano had the pace, however the passes did not come easily as he found himself getting caught in battles with a number of drivers who were reluctant to give up their positions to the charging Brazilian. On one occasion he made a pass into the chicane just before me, only to out brake himself the following lap and re-allow the driver through! Regardless of this, Adriano was turning good lap times and moving forward with a certain determination.
He only had twenty five minutes and his starting position had not been brilliant but when Adriano came into the pits for the driver change the official timing and scoring monitor read “P1. Adriano Medeiros.”

This however would be the best news for the race as the bad news immediately began to set in. The drivers change went smooth, Charles climbing behind the wheel, however when he went to re-fire the car (it must be shut off for the drivers change) the response was an uninspiring ‘click.’ For some mechanical reason that I simply cannot be bothered to write about the car’s starter engine failed to ignite the flame of the 1500cc engine and the car sat motionless unable to bring itself back to life. Immediately, Adriano who had just finished his stint at the wheel was behind the car pushing it in an attempt to re-fire the machine. Over the next :45 seconds in relations to the cars on track the car sat near motionless as they pushed it forward, then painstakingly pulled it back, and then re-pushed it until it finally fired. Those :45 second I am sure took hours in Adriano’s mind, the longest of the weekend without question, perhaps the longest ever. The damage had been done and on the account of a simple problem with the starter engine the race and Adriano’s efforts were cast into oblivion.

By the end of the weekend the final race results put a major damper on the excitement created by the driver in the first stint of the race. Charles carried on, gaining valuable track time necessary to his development as a driver. However for me there was something special about the weekend, a quiet victory, as I was satisfied to see a driver from America with ambition and grit getting his chance. Although it took him a little while, it proves to me in the motorsport world of ‘hard cuts soft’ where money is apparently more valuable than talent, a guy from America with a head on his shoulder can make it.

I intend on writing soon about my chance to get getting behind the wheel of a racing car myself, I think I will do it tomorrow.

Hope you are having a fantastic week.

Best regards from a sunny UK.

Michael

In the news: motorsport.com

Dear Friends and Family,

Believe it or not I have managed to make it in the world-wide motorsport media! Well, sort of! After meeting with A1GP Team USA owner Rick Weidinger at Brands Hatch I wrote an article which was picked up by motorsport.com about the team and the A1GP series.

If you would like to check out the article you can view it at: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=302345

For the next day or so it will also be available on the sites homepage at www.motorsport.com

Hope you are all doing very well! You won't believe what I have been able to see today!

Warmest regards

Michael (from a very very wet UK!)

Fortec Motorsport

Dear Friends and Family,

A couple of weeks ago I was able to meet with a few teams from the two championships I have been exploring and determining the viability of me participating in; Formula Renault and Formula Ford. Both of these series offer very valuable learning platforms which would serve as a fantastic place for me to move towards Formula 1.

The first team I visited is one of the top junior formula car teams in Europe Fortec Motorsport. The team is truly outstanding in both performance and size. In total there are 18 drivers for the team competing in five different championships.

When I arrived on the Fortec motorsport premises, which is located in an industrial estate in the British mid-lands, I found not one but two warehouses which house the team and all of the necessary equipment to run these cars. Between the two buildings a fleet of immaculate white transporters which haul the cars to the track were parked, impressive stuff.

After heading in to the front office I was met by the team director and owner Richard Dutton. Richard has been involved in the motorsport scene since for a number of years. I can't recall specifically how many at this moment, but close to as my lifetime, with the exception of a few years he 'escaped' to do real estate. Eddie Jordan personally asked him to return to run a driver he was bringing up through the ranks in the 90's.

One of Dutton's recent accomplishments, aside from championships in nearly every class his team enters, is that he is responsible for bringing along Formula 1's newest winner, Heikki Kovelainen through the junior series ranks. He told me he had been impressed with Kovelainen and his perseveirence even though he didn't have any money for racing, even relating one story where he raced at the karting world finals in Japan and sent his chassis with another teams van and had to carry his engine as carry on luggage his flight.

During my meeting with Dutton he showed me around their facilities and introduced me to the Formula Renault team manager. We had a chance to speak about the details of the program and there are certainly some details! Dutton was quite pleased with my previous racing experience and expressed an interest in running me in a car for the winter championship a set of two rounds which he uses to evaluate drivers for the 2009 championship. In order to run the two race winter championship and do a few days of testing I will need to come up with around 42,000 United States Dollars. While the word motorsport has this funny word 'sport' in it, what it really means is motor business. I am going to be hard on the case of finding the sponsors to help me secure this seat for the winter championship as well as the entire 2009 championship!

Today I am going to be doing some private instructing with a journalist by the name Will Powell and perhaps even the famous photographer Stuart Price from the magazine Autocar, the worlds older automotive publication. Wish you all the best for a great week, i'm going to be busy!!!!

Cheers

Michael