Sometimes there are rare moments in life when everything just comes together at the right time and the weekend that just passed was certainly one of those; I hesitate to sound melodramatic, but it was one of the most unforgettable times of my life.
This is why people get excited about St Ursanne
From many years watching hill climb videos, there was one name that came up time and again - St Ursanne les Rangiers in Switzerland. I've always wanted to drive it. There's the iconic viaduct that you drive under, les Grippons where the cars hurl themselves flat out through a kink at unbelievable speeds, the forest that throws out corner after unrelenting corner and finally the hairpins that give you that last minute test of nerves on the brakes. It has everything, including a history that dates back to 1926, and once a year it hosts a round of the FIA European Hillclimb Championship.
It all started over a few drinks at Vuillafans when I realised that being the weekend before Chamrousse I would only need two extra days holiday having already booked the week off to go hiking in the mountains. Turns out I didn't need an international licence, and before I knew it I had an amazing sponsor (Tectri SA) who kindly arranged my entry!
Thankfully I've found a cunning solution to Herve the van's engine trouble which works 90 per cent of the time and requires keeping the revs between 2,000 and 2,500; I was thankful as it's a four-hour drive from Lyon and all the garages I tried to book for the repair where full or had some other excuse.
Dry practice on Saturday wasn't to last
The forecast was pretty mixed for the weekend; rain was a certainty but at least I'd had time to experience the car at the calmer speeds of Mont Dore the weekend before. Indeed after Mont Dore I felt less rattled by the prospect of driving in the wet, albeit the speeds at five-kilometre St Ursanne would be the some of the highest this season. We were parked next to a large factory, some way from the start but with the protection of a large covered area which would certainly make life easier.
I set to prepping the car and fitting the battery charger to overcome the issues from Mont Dore, before getting ready to drive the hill on the scooter. I wasn't relishing the task as it was soaking wet outside, but then a friend kindly asked if I'd prefer to use his 911 instead. I gladly accepted and off we went. Although the scooter is better than nothing, driving the hills in a car makes a big difference to learning a line, especially when you have an experienced racer sat with you. The forest section is by far the hardest to master, if you come into a sector off line you lose a lot of time - just search for David Hauser GP2 on YouTube and you'll understand!
Saturday dawned bright and dry, with a big entry the first cars were already making their way up the hill at 0700h while I was still comfy in bed. I was nervous and had the butterflies flapping in my stomach as I lined up. Seeing cars in the metal that morning that I'd seen countless times on the Internet (Bruno Ianello, Simone Faggioli, David Hauser) felt a little like walking on to a film set! The support provided by the Macracer mechanics Killian and Loric helped me to relax and focus on my driving.
Flat sections, forest, hairpins - it's a challenge
This first run would be my only dry one of the weekend, I nearly took les Grippons flat but slowed a lot through the forest as I tried to pick out the markers from Friday. Still, a time of 2min 23sec wasn't bad for a first run, as shortly after the rain began. Faced with a minimum 30-minute wait between leaving the pits and starting the run, it can be tricky to pick the correct tyres for the conditions. I was feeling quite gung-ho and opted for slicks as most of the tarmac in the pits had dried out, but my mechanics were advising full wets which proved to be wise as the forest was soaking and the road beyond it even more so.
My gearbox jammed momentarily and I ended up in sixth at one point, then I thought I was going straight on the first hairpin due to the amount of water on the track! It's a scary hill to drive quickly, the first part through the Garage is really fast as you fly between the railings and rocks, before you open up not the straight. Here it's flat in sixth for what feels like forever before you peel into les Grippons, lifting as little as you dare in the wet. The feeling of relief when you exit the forest is immediate as you know that the scariest and potentially most dangerous parts are now behind you.
Third practice went well in the wet once more, if a little slower than I'd hoped. I therefore began to focus on learning the line through the forest and making sure I clipped all the turn in points. In some respects the rain actually helped here as I was running at a slower speed and hence had more time to place the car in the right spot.
The exact nature of the weather for Sunday was unknown; rain was going to be an issue but how much and when was anyone's guess. I was a little tired but eager to get going as the morning was dry, although all hopes of a banzai run on slicks were soon dashed as the heavens opened. At least I knew there was no risk of choosing the wrong tyres, but the main problem was my visor fogging up off the line with rain pouring everywhere, and tackling the Garage at speed is like threading a needle - I had to back off a little before the fog cleared and I know it cost time. I was off line leaving the forest at the big left and then too eager to get on the gas leaving the second hairpin, running wide. But even so 2min 35sec wasn't too shoddy, and put me 12th in a class of 25 and third-fastest Formula Renault.
By the time I came to the second run I really had the bit between my teeth - the rain had stopped, meaning vision was clear and I was really finding my rhythm. In fact the whole weekend I felt in top shape, and this is the first time since the crash that I've really driven the car without any doubts in the back of my mind telling me to slow down. Once again this weekend proved to me the difference it can make having the support of a team behind you, and I'm convinced that this is crucial to building my ability next season. Having the guys with me at the line adds something too - it just gives you an edge to push even harder, perhaps there's a feeling of not wanting to let them down when they are all working to achieve your best.
Either way I drove my socks off on that run, the car just sliding a bit through les Griffons which was pretty intense, but when I crossed the line I knew that there was nothing else I could have done to go any quicker. Sadly I forgot to charge the camera battery overnight so I only captured action from Saturday, but I stopped the clock at 2min 25sec - holding on to my position in Formula Renault and also taking fastest lady, finishing 46th overall out 182 drivers. Jean-Jacques Maitre and Fabien Bouduban also took superb results finishing first and second in their class (E2 Sportscars up to 2.0-litre) respectively, making a perfect weekend for all drivers in Team Macracer!
Fastest woman and third in class - result!
To be stood on the top of the podium later that evening, holding a trophy and a bouquet of flowers was such an incredible feeling, and one that will keep me smiling for a very long time. I was interviewed in the paddock for ESPN (details coming soon) and when asked what my hopes were for the weekend I think I just said to finish above bottom in class and not damage the car given the high speed and difficult conditions at such a course. So you can imagine how ecstatic I was at recording my best result of my season, and I guess it just shows what a happy and well prepared driver can do - I can't thank Tectri SA and Macracer enough for an unforgettable weekend!
Next up is the ski resort of Chamrousse, where I'll be spending the week climbing mountains prior to the penultimate round of the season - it should another spectacular event.
Watch the race edit here.
Charlie Martin - Formule Renault 2...
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