The Story of our 1961 Lotus 20/22 Formula Junior!

[Vipers]

Let's Go Racing!

 

So here she is, I’m delighted to say 18 months after acquiring her and after a 300+ hour restoration by Classic Team Lotus + full engine and gearbox rebuild our 62 year old Lotus 20/22 has got her FIA papers, just in time to race at the Silverstone Festival next week, can’t wait.

Last Monday was a pinch yourself moment as it was shake down day at Lotus Cars test track at Hethel and who was there but Johnny Herbert, this was my first time driving a single seater so no pressure, but what a privilege it was to drive it at the track that so many legends have driven in the past, amazing day and an awesome car to drive, thanks CTL for doing such an amazing job, roll on Silverstone.

You can read the full story of our 20/22 from the link below -

https://bit.ly/3DQObFK

And I'll update this page after every race weekend, off to Millbrook Proving Ground this Friday to get some seat time before Silverstone as a lot to learn.

Cheers,

Paul.

[Bibs]

Epic! You're going to have a lot of fun with that, just beautiful!! 

[Vipers]

Thanks mate, yeah I think once I've got used to it then it will be a blast, hopefully do a full season next year 👍

[DH2]

Wow, Paul, that is lovely!

You are a lucky boy.  I guess the new kitchen finally got done then

Dave

[Vipers]

Hey Dave,

Hope all is well, Ssshhhh, don't mention the kitchen, still on the to do list, there are just so many tempting Lotus's out there 🙄

[Rambo]

I will keep a look out for no 61 in the Historic Formula Juniors at Silverstone next week. Quali's on the Fri. Then they're usually the 1st of the race card on the Sat and Sun

Good luck.

[Vipers]

45 minutes ago, Rambo said:

I will keep a look out for no 61 in the Historic Formula Juniors at Silverstone next week. Quali's on the Fri. Then they're usually the 1st of the race card on the Sat and Sun

Good luck.

Thanks Rambo, I'll actually be re-numbered 124 for next weekend, I normally race 24 but apparently my car is too new for that but I can have 124 which works for me.

Yes I'll be at Silverstone testing on Thursday, then Qualy at 9am on Friday and then a race on Saturday and another on Sunday, both at 9am, that'll certainly wake me up.

Normally it is live on YouTube.

[Rambo]

It's always fun to watch the Historic Formula Juniors. Normally a grid of 40-50 cars with some great racing.

I usually make sure I'm on circuit for 0830. Bacon roll, cup of coffee etc.... then I head to Village/Loop to watch the 50-60 mins of fun packed action. 

I'm always surprised how little interest  there is in Motorsport amongst all us Petrolheads on TLF, LDC, LEC etc....Silverstone Classics/Festival has to be the best value 3 day racing event anywhere in the world.

[C8RKH]

Silverstone Classic is a blast but I cannot do this years and usually the LEGs Group are down there from Scotland as I think it is Mr.Laing who normally organises a trip.

I too get to the circuit just after 0800, but the last couple of times have treated myself to a VIP day too on the Saturday in the hospitality suite in the wing - it's a great place to watch from the balcony with a nice glass of wine and beer or three. I think I'm worth it lol....

[Rambo]

I suspect I'll bump into the likes of Andrew Laing, Bob Dickson, John Cherry, Al Matheson et al.....🍺

[Vipers]

Yeah I've been going for years so be cool to be on the other side of the fence, especially part of the Junior grid which always looks so much fun, I was told there is a 65 car grid this year so I hope to come in the top 60.

I'm actually also out in the Nascar for demo's on the 3 days which should be fun, the organisers have managed to get 15 stock cars and they want us to all run as close as we can to give a real Days of Thunder feel, sounds dangerous to me 😬

[Vipers]

Looking Back at the Silverstone Festival 2023!

Hi All,

I've just scribbled down a few words looking back at the Silverstone Festival if anyone would like a read, it was certainly a busy one jumping from the Lotus to the Nascar everyday, awesome fun though 😀

https://bit.ly/3Z7k6vv

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[Vipers]

Historic Sports Car Club Finals Weekend Race Report!

Hi All,

Just scribbled down a look back at last weekend's racing at Silverstone if anyone has some time to kill, please find the link below -

https://bit.ly/46BNrRx

Roll on the 2024 season 👍

#formulajunior #motorsport #lotuscars #racecar #motorracing #lotusformulajunior

[Vipers]

Our First Formula Junior Season Is Go, Snetterton Race Report!

Hi All,

So here we go, our first season in our 1961 Lotus Formula Junior, this has certainly been quite a while coming as we bought the car around 3 years ago now but its restoration was much more involved than I could have ever imagined but that is all behind us now and we can look forward to seasons of amazing racing ahead of us.

We did a couple of events at Silverstone towards the end of last year to really just shake the car down which it passed with flying colours so now it is time to get stuck in and see what we can achieve in this amazing little single seater, it still blows my mind that it has been racing for over 60 years, this car really has seen time change through the decades.

Friday Testing

So our first event of 2024 is at Snetterton in Norfolk, the home of Lotus, so a home race for our 20/22, I have to say I have never been a big fan of Snetterton, it always seems to be wet and cold there, in fact I first went to Snett to test the Radical SR1 we had just got in 2018 and the day was snowed off and it hasn’t got much better over the years to be honest.

I was certainly keen to get back in the groove asap on Friday though, our first run was around 10am and as soon as I sat in the car it started to pour with rain, with the afternoon and Saturday race day looking dry I decided to sit out the 2 morning session as I felt I wasn’t going to learn much and didn’t want to damage the car in anyway.

So I had lunch and by the afternoon it was dry and the sun way out but it was still really cold and windy but I jumped in our Lotus and drove down the pit lane for my first test session of 2024. Now to my surprise I really didn’t enjoy this session at all, it was like I’d forgotten how to drive, this really surprised me as I was pretty happy with my pace for the Silverstone races but here I really felt like a duck out of water, all I could put it down to is that I have only driven a van for the last few months so it was a bit of a shock to be sat in a lightweight, super responsive and fast race car , another contributing factor was the really strong winds, with gust up to 80kph the car felt like it was about to take off, it only weight 400kg’s so when a gust of wind hits it you really feel it and it was at its worst down the back straight where you are going the fastest, it was so scary I was afraid to take my hands of the steering wheel to change gear as the car was darting left and right when the wind hit it, not a pleasurable experience at all, I was so glad when I saw the chequered flag and the session was over.

So I came in after the 1st session really disappointed in myself and my severe lack of pace, I was even wondering if it was time to hang up my helmet, had I lost it, you do hear about it being like a switch and you know when that time comes, but I gave myself a good talking too in-between sessions and went out again for the last session of the day, what a transformation, the wind had died down slightly and I knew to expect it which helped a little, in the end I went 15 secs a lap quicker than the session before and started to feel comfortable in the car again, maybe there is still life in the old dog yet.

Saturday Qualifying and Race Day!

So today was predicted to be dry and less windy and even though when driving to the circuit it was pouring down once there it did remain dry all day which was a real bonus. So now it was time to qualify, my best time yesterday was a 1 min 35 second lap so in my head I wanted to get down to a 1:33 or so, in the end my very last lap was a 1:31.369 which put me 11th on the grid out of 22 cars, so bang in the middle of the pack but I was delighted with that time, the funny thing is the faster you go doesn’t feel any harder than when going 5 seconds a lap slower, all very strange.

Fastest Lap of the weekend

Please find my last Qualy lap below and fastest lap of the weekend, it still amazes me how slow it looks on camera, in the car it really does feel much faster, watching it back I'm thinking to myself what are you doing, looks like you can walk faster.

The Race

So after sitting around for 4 hours it is time to jump in the car and perform, now I was a bit worried about getting of the line as we have standing starts and that is not something you can really practice so we took our positions up on the grid and I sat and waited for the red lights to come on, I then upped the revs to 5000, the lights went out out and I lifted the clutch and we were off, so job one was complete, I didn’t stall, then I realised it was actually a rubbish start and I dropped from 11th to 14th by the 1st corner but I fought back to 10th but I stupidly let the car behind me through towards the end thinking it was the leader lapping me but it wasn’t and I could get back passed him, I was so annoyed with myself as I felt 10th was were I deserved to finish but if someone had told me at the start of the weekend I would finish 11th I really would have taken that, especially after the awful start on Friday.

So that was weekend 1 complete and I felt it was a great success as still so much to learn with this car, it is such a different animal to anything I have driven before but when you are in the groove it really is an amazing experience, so responsive and you are just a few CM’s off the ground to the sense of speed is great, such an intense experience, I really love it and can see me racing Formula Juniors for years to come, especially as everyone in the FJ paddock are so lovely and friendly, historic racing really is very special.

Next race is a Cadwell Park in a months time, that should be a brilliant track for these cars as very tight and twisty, can’t wait.

Cheers,

Paul.

Professional Pics taken by Charlie Wooding -

https://www.charliewooding.co.uk/

[ChrisJ]

Looking good !!!

Question - why is end of your nose taped off?

[andyj007]

fantastic Paul .. great report... !  living the dream ..  ive had some good and bad days at that track.. when its windy its bloody awfull although i enjoy it wet there especially on the 300 circuit ..  ..  ..  what are the other meetings are you  racing at this year..?  ..  

Andy 

 

[Vipers]

17 hours ago, ChrisJ said:

Looking good !!!

Question - why is end of your nose taped off?

Hey Chris, As it was so cold that was to help keep the engine temps up 👍 Hopefully for the rest of the year we won't need it.

9 hours ago, andyj007 said:

fantastic Paul .. great report... !  living the dream ..  ive had some good and bad days at that track.. when its windy its bloody awfull although i enjoy it wet there especially on the 300 circuit ..  ..  ..  what are the other meetings are you  racing at this year..?  ..  

Andy 

 

Thanks Andy, yeah Snett isn't my favourite but any track is good fun isn't it, Cadwell Next, then Donington and Silverstone, I'm missing Spa and Oulton unfortunately as got a couple of Springsteen gigs lined up.