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CompRes

The California T makes its debut at the Grand Palais in Paris

ISSUE 092 MARCH 2014

CompRes Chevy Chase, Leeds Road, Selby, North Yorkshire YO8 4JH T: +44 (0) 1757-702 053 F: +44 (0) 1757-290 547 E: cs.man@btinternet.com

CompRes is available by subscription and is published 10 times a year for the FERRARI OWNERS’ CLUB

FERRARICOMPETITIONRESULTS NOISES OFF How are you getting on with Formula One, 2014 style? My first reaction, after viewing the first race, was pretty negative. Having been brought up with Grand Prix machinery being at the very pinnacle of motor racing, the traditional sound of previous F1 cars, particularly when you were at the circuit itself as opposed to viewing on the telly, was simply awesome. So much so that if you had any emotions Beauty in distress. The scoop-like nose designs of this year’s F1 cars at all, the hairs on the back of the are dictated by the regulations but are less than easy on the eye. neck would react to the fantastic wails and ear splitting shrieks. In my initial assessment was Montezeolo, not everyone is comparison, the volume and probably wrong. The action was converted! What do you think? aural quality of the 2014 noises is so riveting that I forgot about the so uninspiring, although to be fair absence of the traditional noise, CLUB AGM I have yet to hear them firstand I was even able to ignore hand. Even so, I reckon that the A reminder that the Club’s those annoying fuel usage tables. sound of my 308GTB, at the AGM and prize-giving luncheon is So maybe the current F1 engine’s useful end of its rev on Sunday, 27th April at Daventry format is not so bad after all, range, is far more soulful. Court Hotel. although from the look on the Another thing I couldn’t get Competitors in our two race face of our patriarch, Luca di my head round was the flagging Series and Hillclimb up of a table showing Championship have a small WHAT’S ON percentage fuel used. When mountain of trophies to collect did you ever see photographs for their endeavours in 2013 of Jimmy Clark’s fuel gauge as so we hope that as many of APRIL 21 Jersey M&LCC Bouley Bay a feature of his sublime you as possible will be at this Hillclimb performances? And the shape annual function. And, if you of most of the cars, to my are unable to be present but 27 FOC: AGM and Prize Giving eye, lacks any real purity of are due to be presented with Lunch: Daventry Court Hotel line. You can’t get excited an award (the list was 28 FOC: Silverstone GP Track Day about these weird scoop-like published in the Jan/Feb issue front ends as you might when of CompRes), please ask MAY 3/4 Brands Hatch: Pirelli Ferrari you look at what was perhaps someone to pick it up on your formula classic; Pirelli the most beautiful of all F1 Ferrari Open [double headers] behalf. cars, the Maserati 250F. 10 Harewood Hillclimb So when I tuned in to LAP RECORDS watch the Bahrain GP (with Last month we published all 11 Harewood Hillclimb Italian commentary by the current Ferrari records in Giancarlo Fisichella as we the Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb 24 Prescott Hillclimb were in Venice at the time) I Championship. This time it’s didn’t expect to get fired up by the action. But from the 31/1 Donington Park: Pirelli Ferrari the turn of the circuit drivers and in this edition you will find June formula classic; Pirelli very start it was nail-biting all the existing lap records for Ferrari Open stuff. And the excitement each of our two race Series at lasted the whole way through. 31 Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb the most recent circuits we I realised quite quickly that

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have visited. It will be interesting to see if the use of the new List 1B tyres will result in a crop of new records in our Pirelli Ferrari formula classic Series this season. And in the Open, we are keen to see how speeds are affected by the switch to Pirelli Trofeo control tyres in the renamed Trofeo class (last season’s Class C1).

BRANDS HATCH All registered competitors in the Classic and Open series were sent entry packs some time ago for this first race meeting of the 2014 season. Those who wish to join in the fun should have already have dealt with the paperwork and sent their completed entry forms to Anne (the closing date is 17th April). The timetable for all the Ferrari action at this meeting is as follows: Saturday Classic Qualifying (20 mins)

12.00

Classic Race 1 (20 mins)

16.50

Sunday Open Qualifying (25 mins)

10.45

Open Race 1 (25 mins)

12.05

Classic Race 2 (20 mins)

13.05

Open Race 2 (45 mins)

16.25

As previously mentioned, the second Pirelli Ferrari Open race is longer than ever before, at 45 minutes, and features a compulsory pit stop. In response to requests from competitors we are trying out this idea to enable competitors to share the car if they wish, although we imagine that most drivers will tackle the race single-handed. If it proves popular we shall try to repeat pit stop format more often although it is not always possible to persuade organisers to give us this amount of track time.

We would like to see as many FOC members come along to Brands to see the fun and enjoy – on the Sunday only – the special picnic arrangements organised by the Kent Area Group.

THRILLS AND SPILLS A novel requirement imposed by the organisers of the upcoming Bouley Bay hillclimb is for each competitor to carry an ‘Environment Spill Kit’. This is something not many Ferrari hillclimbers will have come across although the need to have some form of material to mop up spilt oil, fuel, and other automotive fluids is apparently common in rallying. One might expect most organisers of hillclimb competitions in the UK would have their own method of cleaning up spills but not so in Jersey. There, every driver must take his own. A bit of research established that kits of the appropriate size (in our case labelled ‘small’) are available direct from the manufacturers, New Pig Ltd of Hogs Hill (yes, really!) Glasgow or Merlin Motorsport at Castle Combe. The kits are around £6.00 each + post and packing and are small enough to be easily carried in the vehicle. Just be aware that if the organisers specify these in their regulations, if you turn up without your Pig kit you may not be permitted to take part.

NEW LOOK PIRELLI STICKERS Pirelli have changed their registration plate-sized decals this year – same size as before but now red lettering on yellow instead of black on yellow. The new decals are due from Italy very soon and initially will apply only to Ferraris competing in our two race Series. As soon as they arrive they will be distributed to all registered competitors.

BIRTHDAYS IN APRIL Congratulations to all those with birthdays in April.

Robin Ward

Carl Burgar

Simon Cooke

John Swift Ben Orza

Richard Preece

Ali Butler Ted Pearson Tony Gisslen

Mike Reeder

Tony Jones Mark Buckland

HAREWOOD DINNER

Lyn Seymour

Hillclimbers will be aware that on the Saturday evening of the Harewood Hillclimb meeting (10/11 May) there is a special Ferrari Dinner at the Bridge Hotel, Walshford, near Wetherby. However, this Ferrari party is not exclusively for those competing at the hill. We welcome all Club members and their guests to what is always a fun night out. If you would like full details and a booking form (tickets are £30 a head) please contact Anne Swift as soon as possible (contact details on page 1 of this issue).

Darren Wilson

Lars Kinell

John Taylor

Andrew & Robert Berman Lynda Richardson

David Edge Didier Benaroya

Mike Spicer Sean Doyle

Polly Everingham CompRes 2

RA’s HILLCOMMENT Early Bird Opener for the PFHC drivers at North Weald in Essex on March 16th. (results in this issue). This retired WW2 and subsequently RAF airfield has held car club sprints since the fifties, and is also home to some very interesting aircraft from that period. Our competitors were fortunate to have fine weather – North Weald in March can be very bleak indeed. Bouley Bay hillclimb, the next round of the Championship over in Jersey at Easter, should be warmer and certainly far more picturesque. Soon after that we return to very familiar territory with the double header at Harewood in May. New Players are few and far between right now, with just one to introduce. Dave Snelson from Daventry has a 458 Italia that you will see he put to good effect at North Weald on his first event with us. A member for some years, he has had quite a few Ferraris, and wary of 458 body repair costs (as also some of the rest of us are!), is shopping around for a 355 for hill use. He still plans to get the 458 out in places like North Weald, where the scenery is in the distance. Though new to the hills, Dave is not new to competition and has been active in rallying. He has a classic Mini Cooper competition car and plans to get some practice in with this at places like Loton Park. Around The Hills not a lot has changed for this season. Harewood hopes to build a restaurant to match some of the other hillclimb venue facilities, but have come up against planning difficulties together with unsympathetic neighbours. Prescott have had to put in a tyre wall in the field on the outside of Semi-Circle, but it is a long way down the slope and you should

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have things under control by the time you arrive there. Most of the hills have incurred work and expenditure as a result of the relentless winds and rain over the winter as many of us have domestically. Finally, Dave Parr, Comp Sec of Hagley & DLCC who run Loton Park, has retired after 27 years. Many of you will know Dave but he should still be around with his Sierra Cosworth when we visit Loton in July. Keith Maddox some of you may recall won the Club Hillclimb Championship with his 246GT back in 1990. He subsequently sold the Dino and campaigned a 328GTS, before eventually moving to France at which time he parted with the 328. Now well into his eighties, Keith has at last got back into a Ferrari – seems like he fell off his motorbike once too often. He has bought another 328GTS in red (see pic) much the same as his last one; let us hope he moves back to Oxford before too long. The region where he

Keith Maddox at home in France with his newly acquired 328GTS.

and Tim Blackburn – another FOC competitor from the eighties live, is well down deepest south west in France. It’s a very long way from Calais, and as such I only ever visited them once. John Kemp many of you as PFHC competitors will know from his attendances at our Prizegiving Dinner, and especially for those splendid Ferrari books that he and Ferrari North Europe very kindly provide for us. John, a Club member nowadays, has, like Keith, just bought one of those very popular red 328GTS tipos. He was looking at 308s, but after I reminded him of the amount of screwdrivering these required he wisely went for the “turn-thekey” 328. John Marshall along with Wendy will be missing the first half of the season due to various circumstances, not least of which he is parting with his very choice 360 Challenge Stradale. As you know, John is prone to a change of steed every so often, but so far has not let on what is on his latest shopping list. Maybe La Ferrari, a 458 Speciale or how about the FF – one of these would be great for Prescott! In the meantime you can read John’s “My Favourite Hill” in this issue. Our Club Instructors traditionally have a pre-season meeting with some classroom or static training. This year it was at Cavallino House and the prime attraction was the introduction to the new 458 Speciale – much more interesting than that First Aid stuff we sometimes get bored with! FNE sent along one of these stunning new 458 variants on a trailer, along with Gary Exall who does all their dealer training. Gary is brilliant and we were all riveted to our seats as he

Photo: SwiftyPix

bought by Ford many years ago and their previously illustrious badge was then just used to denote the manufacturer’s most expensive models. Maybe we shall see some Fiat Uno Berties before long?

The unveiling of the 458 Speciale at Cavallino House, where Ferrari NE’s Gary Exall gave a fascinating tutorial on its prodigious technicalities.

revealed the secrets of the Speciale – which is more La Ferrari than 458 he reckoned. Sounds like good value then! Hethel the site of Lotus Cars, is also familiar to PFHC drivers where the Lotus test track is used as one of the sprint courses that form part of the Championship. Originally a relatively primitive and, in places, poorly surfaced facility, it has benefited from considerable investment in recent years. Hethel is fast with interesting twists and turns and provides excellent test facilities. A few days ago I met Peter Everingham and Jack Sears for a pub lunch, and afterwards Jack said “Let’s

David Sears.

Tyre Noise is a headache for both tyre manufacturers and even more so car manufacturers. Ever wider wheels and lower profile tyres have really created many problems, and not just the obvious ones of poor winter grip and falling into potholes. Open the window when cruising on the motorway and listen – you cannot hear the engine or the exhaust noise very much, just that huge roar from the wheels. Some years ago our Club organised some high speed running for Ferraris with electronically timed maximum speeds, first at the disused airfield at Woodbridge in Suffolk and then RAF Marham in Norfolk. At Woodbridge in 2003 we ran

go to Hethel to see my son David’s team testing”. David Sears, who like his famous father won a few championships in his driving career, has been a very successful race team owner and manager for many years. He presently runs the Super Nova team and their race cars are rejuvenated A1 GP single seaters, with 550bhp Zytec engines. We stood on the pit wall to watch, and as well as looking great they sounded much better than the latest F1 machines! Pit stop wheel Woodbridge Speed Trial, August 2003. changing was practised and this was fascinating the cars side by side, and I recall to see at close quarters. Super Jack Sears and Peter Everingham Nova were the top team in 2013 running neck and neck in their and we wish them every success identical red 328GTS tipos all the in the coming season. way down the runway, reaching a Bertone appear to have gone in to liquidation according to the press. A name very familiar to those of us who have owned 308 GT4s, Bertone do not seem to have been very active of late, which perhaps is the reason for their demise. It is sad that a number of these iconic Italian car styling houses have faded – you may recall the Ghia name was

terminal speed of around 151mph. Subsequently I went with Peter to a spot close by the runway adjacent to the timing gear. What was amazing was the noise the cars made – some doing as much as 180mph. You could not hear any exhaust or mechanical noise, just this deafening roar more like an

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Photo: SwiftyPix

aircraft, which was all tyre and wind displacement. My Favourite Hill this month is written by a rather undecided John Marshall: I had a count up and I have done eight hills, not counting the Three Hills on the IOM or any of the sprints. When the “My Favourite” started I got to thinking about what is my favourite. But I don’t have one. There are so many aspects to the hillclimb experience that they all have something that is my favourite so that is what I will tell you about. Shaken but not stirred. John Marshall takes his 360 Challenge Stradale I love Scotland and through Bottom ‘S’ at Shelsley Walsh. Doune is a hill that anyone and mostly good visibility, it is a He explained that it is due to an who has driven it will never good hill for beginners and was overload of adrenalin. I like that. forget. For a start the prize for a the first hill I competed at but I In fact I suspect that I may be an friendly organisation must surely have never really got to grips adrenalin junky. go to the Lothian Car Club. The with it. If you don’t drive hard So now, as we continue hill itself is full of contrasts; the the time will be slow, but this is a south we cross the Channel to first half is mostly very narrow hill that really punishes over Jersey and the spectacular between Armco and then it opens driving. There is obviously a fine Bouley Bay. It wins the scenery right out across the fast Meadow line there somewhere and I can’t prize by a good margin and I love followed by my favourite Doune quite find it. the cliff top walks in the area. corner, East Brae. Over the Pennines and The organisers are very friendly We have a number of nearly into Wales is a hill that I and helpful and the hill is corners where there is a blind have heard many people say is everything a hillclimb hill should braking point but that is the only their Favourite, but it is definitely be. As a point of interest I have one I recall with a blind turn in. not mine. Loton Park is a always avoided driving up or Turning hard on a straight track wonderful venue, but this is one down the hill before the takes quite a leap of faith, which hill that scares me. Well, Cedar competition. My logic here is is all the more satisfying when Straight does. That really does that driving slowly on the wrong you get it right. Then it’s back feel like a tight rope with no lines, with open roads, is more into the Armco at the Esses. I safety net. I can hear some of likely to confuse than help, but I took the 430 there in 2009 and you saying “Well what about do enjoy walking the hill, and on returning to the paddock a Shelsley then” but I don’t feel the especially hearing the chiff chaffs very small scratch was noticed on same about that at all. Actually, calling. It’s like the first swallow a rear wheel arch which some Shelsley Walsh and Gurston and a sure sign that spring is wag described as “The kiss of Down are very similar. They here. Doune”. Later on, one of our both have a steep start, one up That leaves just Longleat more exuberant competitors had and one down, and have been and Prescott. The least said a bit of a snog at the same spot. described as two straights with about Longleat the better but Moving south the next hill is an Esse bend in the middle. Prescott is wonderful: a superb Harewood, which has a bit of But we all know that in paddock, an exciting, technical everything and a lot of weather. hillclimbing, straights are almost and challenging hill, great The spectating is good in that the never straight. Both hills take spectating, and a fantastic cars can be seen for nearly the almost the same time, and I find museum if there is time to fit it whole course, but the downside is that these two hills make me in. Prescott is great, but it that they are quite far away. The shake more than any others. doesn’t make me shake the way poor driver is absolutely flat out They don’t scare me but they are Shelsley and Gurston do. while to the spectators it appears a terrific challenge and definitely that the car is creeping along. excite me. I had an interesting With a series of ninety degree chat with Dr Tony and asked him bends followed by short straights why we shake after a fast run.

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PIRELLI FERRARI HILLCLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP: ROUND 1 NORTH WEALD 16th March 2014

NORTH WEALD OPENER OR THE FIRST TIME THAT I can remember we were actually outnumbered by another singlemake class at North Weald writes RICHARD PRIOR. The Lotus championship was there in strong numbers (27 of them) which left fewer spaces for the ubiquitous Caterhams, and just four TVRs came out for this first meeting of the year. Maybe the Lotus group had been boosted by those behind Lotus On Track Racing Drivers Club, who reintroduced the Sprint Series last year, and for 2014 unexpectedly included father & son competitors, former F1 driver Martin Donnelly and 20year old Stefan. The weather was a surprise too: bright sunshine with just a chilly breeze to remind you that summer was still to arrive. Nine Ferrari entries braved the Essex sprint circuit this year, including newcomer David Snelson in a gorgeous red and black 458 Italia, and a new car for Jeff and Caroline Cooper, replacing the 360 Modena with a more nimble F355 GTB. After getting through scrutineering, now done more

sensibly in paddock spaces instead of a ‘drive through’, it was time to send the gleaming Ferraris to the dusty under-used track for first practice. Caroline Cooper led the pack, and left the line with her usual enthusiasm and drove a smooth run . . . that is until the very last 180 degree cone/roundabout where she turned sharp on the exit and floored the throttle which unfortunately put her into a spin. The 355 stalled and wasn’t cooperating in getting going again, Pauline Goodwin was approaching fast in her California, and the marshals didn’t even have the red flags in their hands. Luckily within 50 yards of the stricken 355, PG saw a partially dangled warning flag and probably caught sight of the stranded Ferrari ahead. But it was all too close for comfort! New lad Dave Snelson didn’t realise he’d get so much wheelspin from the line and lost quite a bit of time in the first 30 yards. But after his run he mentioned that he was fiddling with the traction control settings on the 458’s manettino when the startline official told him to go after the green light had been on for a few seconds. Still, his was a

very good time for his first run, on 82.23. Mark Wibberley also hit the power pedal heavily and got the same wheelspin, if only for half the distance of Dave’s, and eventually settled down in the 360 Modena to record 91.21. Pauline got her re-run and without any incident this time set the fastest practice time of 81.44. P2 was smoother for most; Dave Snelson outbraked himself at the very end of the straight and crossed the white boundary line with all 4 wheels and so received no time, Pauline was going much quicker now, an 80.25 second run, but was using a vast amount of fuel on each run; despite having a few gallons on board the trip computer said only good for approx 30 miles, but we know these high tech modern tipos can shut down before the tank gets to the dregs to protect the engine and can leave the driver stranded out on track. The smaller cars of Jack Hargreaves (308) and Shaun Smith (328) were hitting their rev limiters in second gear between the startline and braking for the first right hand corner, but 88.77 and 85.32 respectively were good

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Newcomer David Snelson made an impressive debut with his gorgeous 458 Italia.

efforts from these Classic owners. a misfire crawled all the way back Hargreaves smashed his earlier Caroline Cooper coasted into the to the paddock without an official time and was 4.3 seconds better first corner and could make up a time on the board. One-Nil to off with 84.47 and looking good little time there, but completed Mrs C. for the 20 points. Dave Snelson the full run this time on 97.89. Mark Wibberley took a wide was still improving and was now Husband Jeff was consistent on exit from the same roundabout in the 70â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with 79.28, but the the second practice, with only 2 and had to wait to get on the gas, 9% difference between him and hundredths difference to his first dropping a few tenths but still Jack meant he needed to go run. Mark Hargreaves in the getting a good result on 87.73. another 2 seconds quicker for the 308GT4 had dipped under the Shaun Smith got no time on this maximum points. Mike Spicer 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with 89.45, as did Mark run - must have missed a cone or again performed superbly in the Wibberley (89.09). Shaun Smith taken a wrong route - while Jack 328 and clocked 83.51 seconds knocked over a second off which meant he was keeping with 85.32, and Mike Spicer in touch with Jack, just 0.33 (328GTB) was on the rev seconds away from being the limiter near the end of his run points leader after PEPs are and was now 3 seconds calculated. better off with 83.30. In R2 Pauline became the The organisers decided first away (the Cooper 355 on a third official run as was retired from the event) everything was running and was slightly slower by smoothly and the weather 0.3 seconds. Mark was fine, with the first Hargreaves was back under competitive run before lunch. 90 seconds with his best Mrs Cooper was again official run so far of 89.94, away first, looking slower but Jack went quicker again, around the roundabout pins, now on 84.24 and firmly in but a quicker time overall on the lead on points when PEP 97.12. Then with husband factors were applied. Shaun Jeff jumping into the driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Smith got an official time at seat the car again left the line last with 83.61 and was only quickly enough but coming a tenth of a second behind down the straight at the the best time of Mike Spicer bottom end of the course the in his similar car. Mark car slowed unexpectedly. Wibberley posted his best Podium positions: David Snelson took the Ferrari FTD flanked by Pauline Goodwin (2nd) time of the day with 86.87, Jeff got the car around the and Mike Spicer (3rd). roundabout pin but then with enough to put him into 6th

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place on scratch and give him 10 Championship points. Dave Snelson was enjoying himself and really getting the hang of things now: no wheelspin away from the start meant a faster time of 78.20, and closing in on Jack who was now just 1.3 seconds ahead on max points. So it was all down to the final run. It was still sunny but even chillier as Pauline get under way. Another good run showed it to be her fastest time of the day, but 80.64 became 85.64 after a 5 second penalty was applied for hitting a cone. Jack failed to continue his steady progress and was a tad slower this time, as was Dave Snelson, but Shaun Smith had his eyes on a podium place if he

could overtake Spicer’s 328. He was going well until the end of the straight when there was a big lock-up with clouds of tyre smoke. The car thumped the raised curb as it slid off the track; although he had to stop and be towed back to the paddock by the support vehicle, there was no serious damage to the 328. Only Mike Spicer could now upset the result. He drove with his usual smoothness and looked visibly quicker through the chicane on the return section. Jack Hargreaves was watching the digital display and saw an incredible time of 81.75, which meant a 2nd place on scratch and with a minus 3% PEP factor took his adjusted time down to 79.30 and ahead of Jack’s 20 points by

more than a second. BUT, a sharp eyed marshal reported that Mike had clipped a marker cone and, as with PG, had 5 seconds added to his time, resulting in 86.75 and dropping him down to the lowest step on the podium courtesy of his time in R1. So it was Dave Snelson who accepted the winner’s trophy from Martin Donnelly, with Pauline 2nd and Mike in 3rd. The important 20 points went to Jack Hargreaves, 17 to Mike Spicer and Shaun Smith 15, all three of them being in the Classic class and also leading the 2014 PFHC championship.

NORTH WEALD SPRINT 16 MARCH 2014 Round 1 Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb Championship Pos Driver Scr

Tipo

Pract 1

Pract 2

Run 1

Run 2

Run 3

PEP %

PEP time

Pts

David Snelson

458 Italia

82.23

4wo 87.69

79.28

78.20

81.91

4.5

81.72

Pauline Goodwin

California

81.44

80.25

82.19

82.48

85.64

1.0

83.01

Mike Spicer

328GTB

86.69

83.30

83.51

86.32

86.75

-3.0

81.00

Shaun Smith

328GTB

86.88

85.32

999

83.61

---

-3.0

81.10

Jack Hargreaves

308GTB

89.33

88.77

84.47

84.24

84.71

-4.5

80.45

Mark Wibberley

360 Spider

91.21

89.09

87.73

86.87

87.25

1.0

87.74

Mark Hargreaves

308GT4

92.26

89.45

90.16

89.94

88.71

-4.5

84.72

Caroline Cooper

F355

173.86

97.89

97.12

retired

---

0.0

Jeff Cooper

F355

93.44

93.46

999

retired

---

0.0

Key: 4wo = 4 wheels off,

999 = no time

Classic competitors in blue

Championship Points after Round 1 Jack Hargreaves

Mark Hargreaves

Mike Spicer

Mark Wibberley

Shaun Smith

Caroline Cooper

David Snelson

Jeff Cooper

Pauline Goodwin

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PIRELLI FERRARI formula classic CIRCUIT

DATE

GROUP

BRANDS HATCH (Indy)

05:05:12

LAP RECORDS to end of 2013 TIPO

TIME

SPEED (mph)

Jim Cartwright

328GTB

55.355

76.70

Ben Cartwright

328GTB

55.845

77.86

05:05:12

David Tomlin

308GTB

55.315

78.61

04:05:12:

Nick Whittaker

308GT4

58.874

73.86