I have met Simon a few times and hes never said anything about it .
Well, it may have been Senna, but he still lost!
Pesky, my next guess was going to be you. The Choc bar was far too big a clue!
Ian
Yes was me… In 1981 round of P&O Ferries (IIRC) at Mallory Park. Had a FF Van Dieman RF80 which my bruv and I used to race (he with a certain degree of success!). Ayrton Senna qualified on pole(in a new lap record) in Works FF81 and I was somewhat further down the grid . It was a 15 lap race and as a good lap round Mallory was in 49 secs I calculated that Ayrton Senna would lap me on lap 13. My ambition was therefore not to be lapped which I comfortably achieved as I crossed the start/finish line to start my last lap 3 secs before Ayrton finishing
It was after practice that I decided that a career in motor racing was not for me
At the end of the season Ayrton Senna returned to Brazil ‘disillusioned’ with motor racing and Tommy Byrne (IIRC) took his car to 1st place in the FF Festival at Brands. A revigorated AS returned the following year and cleaned up in FF 2000 and then F3.
I also recall the following year that the works FF1600 drivers (inc Maurizio Gugelmin) were having problems setting up the RF82 works cars. A Senna at Snetterton took the car out and within 3 laps had reduced the other drivers times by 2 full seconds
He was an awesome driver who I consider the very best and I once had the very special privelege of being in the same event (can’t say race) as him
We sold the RF80 and bought John Booths (of Manor Motorsports fame) RF81 the following year and my brother drove this with some success beating Maurizio Gugelmen - amongst others
So there it is…
My guess (well first one) is Mike Stripe!
Am I right?! Am I right?!
Ian
Sorry to have ‘gone missing’ lately but I have been so busy (honestly)
Ian, I’m flattered and I did write an article about Senna and the Lotus years for last year’s tribute meeting at Donington but I never actually met the man (but I do know one of his mechanics quite well)
Regards
Fantastico Simon…
Simon
Chap from same close as me, Steve, reckons he might have sold you a formula ford car???
This Steve raced formula ford for a few years - can’t miss him he’s a big lad!!
he currently plays with an ex-le mans BMW
Which he has promised me a few laps of Silverstone in, in a few months time!!!
Oh yea
He took me out in my exige - CAN he drive!
Tone - we had 3 FF cars; an Alexis Mk15 bought from Markian Racing in Cheshire (could that be him?) and 2 Van Diemens (RF80 and RF81 both bought from John Booth). A rear wheel came off the Alexis whilst entering Paddock Hill bend at Brands which my bruv described as rather interesting…
I raced against David Coulthard a few times in Karts in the early 80’s and beat him once or twice
Mind you, having watched Coulthard’s career since, I’ve never considered that beating him made me a good driver
Jenson Button’s dad also owes me a fiver from Larkhall (Glasgow), when Jenson was in karts and they couldn’t afford the petrol money to get home - they really were on the breadline
Ultimate respect to a driver like Button who makes it with no backing and no money and can fight at the front with the best of them - I reckon my fiver was well invested!!!
pretty news mark…
didn’t jenson buttons dad sell their house to finance jenson’s racing career?
Coultard got his Williams drive minutes before the bank manager repossessed his parents house!
If you want a very funny F1 ‘no money’ story read Perry McCarthy’s ‘Flat Out, Flat Broke’, most amusing.
Ian