Al Capone monologues in the movie The Untouchables about ‘Enthusiasms, enthusiasms.’ Before he goes on to use his baseball bat he talks about individual achievement, that a man stands alone at the plate. But, in the field, what? Part of a Team. If he performs and the Team fails, everyone fails.
These two races at Brands Hatch treated us to some fantastic driving, especially in the first race. The second race left a lot to be desired. Although many racers came through from the back and scored great results many in the middle were swamped and metaphorically bat on the back of the head.
The Bongo World Series is a challenge for new and experienced drivers with a focus on bringing on less experienced jockeys.
Quite a few have driven these second races as a throw away event of pot luck. It shouldn’t be. It carries the same points structure as the first and is just as relevant.
The point of the reverse grid is two fold, firstly, to give the guys in the middle and the back of the grid a taste of running at the front, to feel the pressure of being hunted, when to defend and when to strategically let someone past.
Secondly, to give experience to the faster drivers of how to safely negotiate through slower traffic. Race Craft! We have forgotten that most of this traffic is not as experienced. They brake earlier, don’t always take the optimal lines and their spatial awareness is not fully developed. We can’t dive right up behind them and get miffed when they brake early and we slam into the back of them. That’s on us.
Remember the guy you are racing may be giving the less experienced racer in front a little more space than normal. You can to. I know I’m asking a lot but please, in this second race be hyper aware that we want more and more faster drivers, and this race especially is about giving new guys that boost up the ladder not a bash off the track.
So, as much as a solo endeavour that racing is we are part of a Team. As Al Capone said: ‘If his team don’t field… what is he? You follow me? No one.’