Page 2 - GT Purely Porsche Aug 11

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NOVEMBER 2006
69
A sweeping right-hander, I gently touch the
rear of the car ahead as I struggle to get slowed
down. However, no damage done, I accelerate
out, tugging at the perfectly placed lever as each
up shift arrives on the climbing run to Mcleans.
The tarmac is narrow and curving so the pack
has no room to separate yet and I am still
staring at the twin exhausts of the pair of cars
ahead of me. The wall of noise is fantastic and
as I brake for the right-hander we finally make
our way past the damaged front-runner.
Up to fourth gear, then down to third as I
brake for the long right-hander of Coppice, I
remember to get a decent blip into the throttle
as I work the clutch and push the lever
forward on the down shift. Feeding the power
in smoothly it’s on to the back straight and for
the first time since the red lights went out
about 50 seconds ago, I have time to relax for
a split second.
However, with a tight chicane approaching
fast, it’s a short-lived moment. Arriving in fifth
gear at 235km/h (146mph), braking for the
right-left chicane that ends the Donington lap is
one of the hardest things to master in the
Porsche Cup car. In less than 200 metres you
need to shed a huge amount of speed and make
two downshifts, all without locking a wheel in
the ABS-less 997. And on this first lap it’s
complicated further by the need to defend from
the bunch of cars behind. Through the chicane
safely, one of the leaders gyrates on the grass
after the exit. I power across the line, flat
shifting up to 5th gear and get ready for Redgate
to begin another lap of Donington.
With the remnants of the first-lap carnage
still littering the track, waved yellow flags are
flying at the first corner, so I rest easy in the
knowledge that overtaking is out of the
question. But with a stream of Porsche coolant
drawing a dark line down the centre of the
road, the track is still treacherous.
The pack finally starts to spread out and for
the first time I can arrive at the corners on the
correct line and use the right gears, but before
long numerous retired cars in dangerous spots
causes the arrival of the safety car.
So now it’s time to take stock, while I gently
Words:
Owen Mildenhall
Photography:
Jeff Bloxham