On Sunday 15th September 2019 Cranleigh Racing took part in their first Greenpower event at Dunsfold Park. The team worked hard to get to the event with a very short period of time post Summer holiday to get the car ‘race ready’.
Whilst the team were at first taken aback by the professionalism and set-up of some of the teams in the paddock they were keen to learn and nervously waited whilst the car went through its MOT and race scrutineering. There was a moment of relief as the car passed and minds switched to the 90 minute practice period where the team could properly test the car on track for the first time. Although it became clear that the car was not the quickest in the field it proved reliable and consistent on lap times. The team worked well together to consider pit stop strategy and technique ahead of Race 1.
After some slight adjustments to the chain position and tension the car was ready for the first race. The team decided that a driving combination of Lulu Bryn-Jones, Georgia Alexander and Joshua Bartels would take on the first race and we set ourselves the goal of ensuring the car finished Race 1 undamaged. Not only did the car finish but Cranleigh Racing sat in 45th position out of a field of 76 cars. Lulu set the team’s fastest lap of 2.19 whilst Josh showed maturity in the way he drove by managing the battery levels to ensure the car went the distance.
The team had a quiet break in between races as the car was reliable and showed no signs of wear in the first race. However, after a break failure on the way to the grid the team had to act quickly to repair it to avoid a time penalty. This was avoided and Cranleigh Racing managed to start the race on time. Max Schutte, George Porter and Finlay Galbraith took on the driving in race 2 and managed to finish in an even more respectable 40th out of a field of 74 cars. Max Schutte set a new team fastest lap of 2.17 and the car continued to go well on track.
The team had a fantastic day and managed to win the ‘Best Newcomer’ award which is a great starting point for Cranleigh Racing. The students have come away with a vast amount to think about before they compete again and the experience at Dunsfold will be invaluable as they start preparing for their next event. One thing is for sure, Cranleigh has the Greenpower bug so watch this space!
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