SPEAKER_00 0:00

Well Lydia, that's uh the second weekend of the Porsche Sprint Challenge over and done with an eventful one as well in changing conditions and as we've seen in the final race, challenging conditions here at Alton Park.

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Yes, we had a few spots of rain in the last race, but it didn't really affect anything to be honest. But it's just the nature of the track, it's so narrow and hard to overtake. We had a bit of a trouble qualifying, really, so that put us on the back foot really because you're starting further back than you would like, and then making progress is hard because it's obviously hard to overtake around here. So yeah, it's been a tough weekend, but I think I've learnt a lot, and we've now got a couple of test sessions before our next round. So I'm really looking forward to those. Hopefully, that will then put me in a better position to actually qualify a bit further forward next time.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Two big challenges here this weekend. One, Alton Park is difficult to pass around, but also the weather has been changeable, hasn't it? Certainly in race three, it was getting very slippy out there, but it's a spots of rain on the windscreen.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Yeah, we were in an assembly area just before we went out, and we had a bit of a drizzle when uh a little while before we actually went to the assembly area we had a big pour down, so under the trees out the back it was a bit slippery. So, yeah, we've had every kind of condition this weekend. We obviously had wet and qualifying yesterday, and we had a dry race yesterday and this morning, and then sort of damp conditions this afternoon. So it's good progress to be honest, and it's good exposure and experience, and hopefully, that again if we get these conditions further into the season, hopefully I'll be or feel a little bit more comfortable and a bit more prepared.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

It's one of those circuits, isn't it, where you can have an 80% dry line and then in one particular part of the survey we've seen on the island hairpin there's there's standing water.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

There is, and it's such a big track. I think often we see rain at one point and we don't expect rain somewhere else around the track. It's um yeah, it's a big track, and obviously there's not a lot of runoff. And for me, I'm not very experienced in this car in those slippery conditions, so actually knowing where to place the car and where's the best place to be on the track is quite challenging, I guess. But it's you know learning from other drivers around me. I've I have picked up bits and pieces, so yeah, it's it's a very characteristic circuit. I love coming here every year, uh, but it does have its challenges, but it's the same for everyone.

SPEAKER_00 2:00

And I think that you've made a very good point there. You're you're learning this car as you go along, your first season in the porch. It's it's uh a car that can bite you, I think is the phrase they use if you're not careful, isn't it? But you're obviously very pleased with your performance.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

I am, yeah, to be honest, just to keep it on track. Obviously, I had a non-finish at the last round, which I didn't want to replicate. Um so yeah, I I think it's just laps for me. I obviously was very last minute coming into the season, didn't have any testing. Um so for me, really, this is my testing, which is obviously not ideal, but it's quite a high-intensity environment to learn new things, and obviously being in and around the other drivers, you do pick up things. So, yeah, these are hard cars to drive, and you know, the slightest little thing that you do can make a huge impact, and particularly when you're going around Alton Park and the barrier is about a metre away, the risks are quite high. So, yeah, no, it's a fantastic track. I really enjoyed myself to be honest, and I think I'm just feeling more and more at home in the car every every time I go out, really. So, yeah, that's that's what we can take away from this weekend.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

We've chatted before about the immense hard work that you did pre-season and continue to do to enable you to go racing, it's down to finance, isn't it? And your sponsor is really important to you. They put their trust in you to do well and and represent them. You're smiling, and and and therefore I'm gonna suggest that you feel you're you're repaying that at the moment with your performances.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

For sure. I signed up two days before Media Day. I know I've said it before, but it was so last minute, and the sponsor the well, the team and the partners pulled together actually to make it happen at the end of the day. I mean, yeah, like I said, I was on the week of Media Day, didn't think it was going to be happening. So the fact that I'm even at round two after having an accident at round one as well is a miracle to be honest. And uh yeah, huge thank you to all my partners. I've got a lot of local partners, so I'm based in Suffolk, I've got a lot of local companies and also companies you know across the UK, which is fantastic. Um so yeah, a massive thank you to them. Without them, you know, without each and every one of them, I wouldn't be here.

SPEAKER_00 3:50

And indeed, and some of those uh sponsors have been here uh supporting you and cheering you on this weekend, haven't they?

SPEAKER_01 3:55

They have. I welcomed a new sponsor which was Lifting Products, they've come along, and we've also had a huge tone out for Fenix Freight. They brought a load of guests along, they've had some nice hospitality as well. We showed them around the garage. So, yes, a massive thank you to them. Of course, they came on board with me um at the last round with the team, so that they've got a nice relationship with Clean Racing and yeah, stepped on board, helped me out a huge amount, and it's nice to have their guests here this weekend and looking after them.