Well, there I might have a problem, as English is not my primary language,
but I can give it a try.
We started in the morning the 14th of August with ? hour of theory, flags,
rules, aso. It rained a lot at this time, so wet track. We started in our
own cars driving a very slow lap with stops at every importent brakepoint.
Johan Rajamaki (the owner of the F1 cars) told us about braking and driving.
2 simple but very importent rules. NEVER suddently release the throttle
without braking, the car will spin within a ? of second, and NEVER put the
throttle to the floor unless all 4 wheels are pointing straigt ahead. At the
evening before we saw a video and some pictures of people that forgot one of
these rules. Crash, a lot of money, and a broken car was what they had
:o( Well, after this, we drove some "racing" laps in our own cars, and then
Johan came back on the track, driving in front, showing us the ideal-line of
the track. We then drove some more laps, and then it was time to move on to
the Formula Opel-Lotus. It still rained a little, and the track was wet, but
we all keept the car on the track, well a guy did not, but no damage to the
car, so we contuined after he was pulled on track again. We continued to
noon in these cars, and after a while we all felt we knew this car to a safe
point. They are really funny to drive, but I had the F1 in my head all the
time. Would I be able to start it? Would it stall? Can I keep it on track?
Well, watch the others and see how to do it, I think. After another hour of
driving Opel Lotus to dry out the track (the rain has stopped), the leader
dropped the bomb!. Sven drives first! Hmmm, no watching, no learning from
the other. I had 2 minutes to find my helmet, and get into the Arrows F1. As
I sat there (see picture <Last instructions>) I started to feel home in the
car, but my pulse was rasing to about 800!! People went away (see picture
<40 sekunder til start>) and they pushed the car to start. We was told to
put the throttle 5 mm down, keep the car in first gear, when it starts,
count to 5, shift to second gear, count to 5 again, change to 3th gear, and
then we can drive. As we all was ordinary drivers, we would not be able to
steer the car in first and second gear, so these was off limit for us. Johan
raced in a car ahead of me (as a rabbit), and he looked after me and my
driving. First lap went relativilly slow, I tried a little whroom on the
straigt, but I felt I had to know the car a little better before firering
the bullet. First lap no damage. Second lap, after the 180 turn (in 3th
gear) onto the straight, The Pedal to the Metal, BOOM it felt like I was hit
in the back with a large stick, shifted to 4th another hit, shifted to 5th
another hit, shifted to 6th yet another hit (will this ever stop???), ups
there is the brakepoint, I started to brake, but it was too late, I could
see, that there was NO chance I could bring the speed down to this turn!
Luckely there is asfalt behind this turn, so I steer the car straight and
braked as hard as I could (the frontwheels stood still). Hmmm, I stalled it.
Damm. Johan saw it in his mirror, and turned arround to pick me up. 2
mechanic came to push me to another start, and I thought, that Johan now
would keep the speed down as he has seen I did not brake at the right point.
But no, next lap was at full speed again, and on the next 6 laps I hit the
rev-limiter 3 times which means I drove about 307 kph as the fastest, and
this on a wet track! What a day. At the evening I got a certifikat showing
that I had driven this car. And then he told something very interesting.
Johan would buy another Formula One car (he has 5 F1 allready). But not a
simple F1. He got his hand on Damon Hills Jordan Formula One from 1998, and
next year or the next again this Jordan will be available to us to buy a day
in this baby!! Hmmm, I feel I must go there next year again.
I hope you can understand most of what I have written, as I know my English
is not so good.
Again, Thanks to my wife for this gift!! I love you.
--
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Sven
