"Now, you have all completed the beginner courses here in Mondello Park, am I right?" asked Roger Tiernan, one of Mondello's Racing School instructors. Not wanting to be the only member in our group of eight with my hand in the air I kept quiet.
At the launch of the Mondello Park 'Become a Racing Driver' competition a few weeks ago I had joked that, as I had not completed a racing school I was ineligible for the competition; a throw away remark that I thought no more of until an email arrived from Leo Nulty (Mondello's new Sales and Marketing Manager) asking when I was free to take part.
So before I knew it I found myself, suited and booted in my race gear, sitting down for the drivers' briefing with a group much more experienced than me - some of whom are using the day as a practice run before the actual competition. Out of my depth would be putting it lightly.
I think Leo gave my driving skills more credit than they deserve, but thankfully he made amends by pairing me with Aron Smith (current BTCC driver for Redstone Racing) as my personal instructor. After a brief exchange of pleasantries Aron strapped both he and I into the race-prepared Mazda3 that would act as my training car for the €385, three-hour long Chequered Flag course.
Heavy rain throughout the morning meant that I took the first few laps tentatively, but under encouragement from Aron I soon began to build both confidence and speed. Thankfully, as part of my job, I have been around the Mondello circuit countless times in my life, so I know the basic layout of the circuit (probably why I was running with the advanced class), but it is generally at slower speeds while working on photo shoots, not flat out into turn one, brake hard before turning in and clipping the apex; this was new and slightly scary, but at the same time exciting.
Aron quickly figured out that the line I was taking exiting turn one was not ideal and instructed me to make minute changes to compensate, to allow me to attack turn two and the back straight that follows with more gusto and straight away it began to work. What I thought I knew about the Mondello racing line was not a million miles off with just a few tweaks here or there required. Most of those changes centred around the double apex turn three - a corner I have never been able to negotiate properly. However, with Aron's instruction and brake, turn and accelerate boards in place I was able to carry more speed into the corner (despite the wet conditions) and come onto the power earlier than before - that was until I got brave right at the end of the session and sent the Mazda into an ungraceful pirouette.
It was somewhat of a blessing the spin happened at the end of the session as it grounded me for the next segment: 20 laps behind the wheel of a Formula Sheane single seater. This is where my inexperience came into play; while the rest of the group had driven the 160hp 1.8-litre cars before this was my first experience with the rear-engined, rear-wheel drive racer. A few calming words from Aron (including telling me to hang back from the bunch to find my rhythm) and it was out onto the track and straight into a spin as I clipped the soaking wet kerb on the inside of turn two. Damn!
Back on track and with nerves settled again I quickly discovered that the Sheane is much more communicative than the Mazda - time a gear change incorrectly and the back end will step out, leave the braking too late and the back end will step out, get on the power too early... and you guessed it, but the car will always give you just enough notice to allow you to apply some corrective lock or stand on the brakes. So despite some hairy looking sideways moments the car and I largely stayed in sync with only a couple of minor visits to the kitty litter to speak of.
The sensation of speed as you sit exposed to the elements and with your backside inches from the tarmac is unparalleled; pull fifth gear along the straight and pin the throttle and you feel as if you are going for a land speed record despite only touching triple figures, and the grip (when you can find it) makes a mockery of that available in any tin-top.
As the session progressed my lap times began to tumble as I grew more accustomed to both the car and the track and I set my fastest time two laps from the end. That time was two and a bit seconds adrift of the fastest time of the day, but considering it was my first attempt I left the circuit happy and vowing to return again - in the dry.