Yes, I do realize that it is Friday. 7 days since I started my A1GP experience. But please believe me when I say that this is the first moment that I have had a chance to breathe since this whole roller coaster began!

Lets back track and I will try and make this simple and in chronological order at least...

Thursday 3rd November, 2005
This morning started well enough. My first task was to meet up with my new sponsors 'Embroidme' at Liverpool. They will be doing all our team and sponsors uniforms for the 05-06 season.
From here I made the trip out to my first real function for the A1. An invitation only event at Government house. But when I get there... 10 minutes late by this stage(Thanks to Sydney traffic) I find out that I am actually at Parliament house. Well, how am I meant to know? I am a westie and a country girl! I have no clue what the difference is between the two. So from the Parliament house car park to the Government house one, I am coached over the phone by Di from Sandra Nori's office. Without her I think I would have chucked it all in and turned around and gone home. So, as I sped into the car park at G.House, I staved the temptation to pull on the Handbrake and just ripped a massive U-ey in the car park instead. Once inside I found that I had arrived just in time for the speeches, to meet Will Davison, the Sheik and a few other VIP's.

The Sheik surprised me the most. For a man as busy and important as he, he was very softly spoken and very polite. He actually spoke to me about my Fvee racing and congratulated me on my scholarship. That absolutely blew me out of the water! Then, as I saw the time nearing an indecently late hour for me to be heading to the track (I had been at the function for about 10 minutes at this stage), I ran over to Alan Jones(AJ) and asked if it was time to go yet. Here I met Will Davison and promptly ran out to start heading to the track.

Once at the track I was introduced to all the guys on the Aussie team. Some of which I had met on the Monday prior, all as nice as before. But I was still was at a loss as to what my position on the team was actually to entail. So, I walked up to the Head Engineer Paul and asked "So, for this weekend, apart from stay out of the way, don't touch anything and don't break anything, what do you actually want me to do?" Observe, was his reply. Which at this point I was totally cool with. Here I was, sun burnt, hot and still dressed in suit from the morning's function. I was just impatient for everything to get underway already! But at this point the guys were just getting the car together.

By the time dinner rocked around I had been supplied with a uniform, been introduced to all the guys on the team and was probably more scared about what the weekend actually held than at any other point in this whole scholarship process. As the time neared 11pm we made our way home. To the Crown Plaza Norwest in the Hills district. Here it actually sunk in that this was the FIRST time I had my own room, my own bathroom... Heck... MY OWN SHEETS when on 'tour'! Up to this point I had never actually been away on a race trip, SAE of VEE where I had slept in an individual bed in and individual room on REAL sheets. All the other times were bunk beds, sleeping bags and as many people squeezed in as was humanly possible. But here... WOW! But, as I got changed and sat down for the first time in hours, I realised that in that type of environment, where you are around peeps 24/7, you can't just turn off. It wasn't till about 2 in the morning that I finally got off to sleep. But the next morning was a 6:30am leave, which means that I would need to be up at around 5:45am if I was to be ready!


Friday 4th November, 2005
Today was the first real day of the Aussie round of the A1 with practice for both drivers, Christian Jones and Will Davison. This practice was to determine who would be in the car for the weekend and would give the engineers some idea of what to expect around the track under various conditions, as we battled looming clouds.
As Christian hopped into the car I was handed a headset so that I could get a bit more indepth understanding of what sort of communications went on between driver and crew. It was an amazing experience. To see the car on the track, on the telly, right in front of you and then to have all that going on around you, and then inside your head... was a little freaky! But cool. I wish CAMS hadn't banned radios for our category. Using them for the weekend made me realize how handy and important a part that they may play in sessions.

We were able to take a look at the different data sets that Christian brought in with him after his session, and once Will was in the car we were able to put them up against each other back to back. The software that the A1 uses in some ways is very similar to what the Motec systems on my uni's FSAE team uses. Something I never really had anything to do with at uni but was given the chance by the engineers on the Aussie team to have a play with. As we looked over the data and the times produced by each driver, it was decided that Will would be put in the car for the weekend. Will actually has got a bit of experience around the Creek. I remember when I was 15 and him, Will Power and Leanne Tander nee Ferrier were racing around in Ffords... What a difference it is for us to be all grown up and involved in this category!

As the night went into prep mode, strategy and setup was discussed for the next day's practice and qualifying sessions. Another late night, but in it I actually started to learn a bit! Data analysis, car preparation... all the important things. But of course, nerves kicked in and as I was helping one of the crew pack the rear dampers with plastic packers, I dropped one. Right in-between the under tray and the engine... They have one of those surgical style grabbers that are meant to be able pull them out, but it didn't really work in the position that the packer was in. So following the packer went a screwdriver, a pick and hands before the grabber was able to do it's job. It was kind of like the situation where you threw your shoes, your school bag and your hat into the tree to get the ball out and none of them came down again... Luckily it all came out again. But not before the team member in question probably felt like smacking the stupid uni student in the head!

From here we packed up again and left for home...


Saturday 5th November, 2005
Nerves are starting to spike as we go into qualifying day... Things need to really go right here for the team to save them from starting from the rear again and having to make their way through traffic during the race, increasing the chance of something going wrong. I really didn't want to get in the way, or do anything else wrong.

But as if. I think I can quite safely say I am the Bridget Jones of the racing community. A complete blonde and very ditsy. I was pretty successful in keeping out of the way, and as the day wore on, my duties included cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. All of which was cool as it gave me a chance to get up close and have a good look around the car. But by the evening, after we had qualified in 13th, I think someone on the team had a brain fart as they actually let me take apart the brakes on the front, clean everything up, replace the pads and do a spanner check over the front end. I can't say that I didn't stuff up here... as how could I not? I was given something to do... But lucky it was only a stupid thing. Like putting the brake pads in b4 the guy holding the pistons back had a chance to get out of the way. Meaning that there was pistons, pads AND clamps inside the caliper... something which is not meant to occur all at the same time! When everything was back on, I asked that someone check over my work, as only a temp member I don't expect that anything I do be taken as gospel... but after checking one nut I was told that if all were the same, what I did was trusted. Not wanting ANYTHING to go wrong, I did a double spanner check again... The last thing my aspiring Race engineer career needs is a blotch on it that says that I was the chick that forgot to do up Will Davison's steering bits...

But everything went off well, and we looked forward to a good start tomorrow in the sprint race. We headed back to the hotel for a team drink, then off to bed.


Sunday 6th November, 2005
Today is another nervous, early start for the team... we arrive at the track for prep and a run-down on strategy. I get my first track side interview and we all get ready for the biggest day of the weekend... RACE DAY.

Before this though, I got to meet a VERY cool lady in the form of Will Davison's Nan. Now, this might not seem like much to some, but for those that know the Davison family's involvement in motorsport in Australia for the last 3 generations, will understand. This lady wasn't just the late L. Davison's wife, but also a driver and motorsport chick in her own right. She is an honorary life member of the ARDC (MY Car club!) thanks to her late husband's contribution to racing, but is a hill climb and Targa Tasmania competitor... from what I got to talk to her about! From all the people I met on the weekend, I think the one that I would most like to grown up like, would have to be her... A lady, but a COMPLETE Revhead!

The sprint race started well with Will dodging much of the traffic at the rear by getting a good start. A few laps in though, we saw on the TV that the Left hand side-pod was flapping a little. One of my jobs for the morning was to go around and put cable tie cuffs over all the cable stays which stabilize the side pods. So here I was, absolutely crapping myself thinking that I had not put it on right as the stay had somehow come loose. Just what I needed. "Here comes the blotch!" I thought... Thankfully Will got through the race with little hassle, again missing alot of the mis-haps on the track as we sat through about 2 safety car periods. The race was called on time, rather than laps, and we got ready to look at data, change car setup, clean and get ready for the almost immediate feature race. We came11th.

Once the car got in, it was found that the notorious cable stay which I thought I was responsible for, turned out to have somehow sheared itself at the top of it's thread. Not a good thing for the team, though only a matter of replacing, was good for me. As all other things were put back into their rightful place, Will Davison was inserted back into the car and we headed out to the grid for the feature race.

The atmosphere on the grid was amazing. Where I normally sit at the creek, next to the grandstand, was absolutely PACKED with people. All waving flags and screaming out to the people who filled the grid. Where I stood I could see The poms, the Brazillians and many other teams who possessed seat holders, engineers and drivers who I greatly respect and look up to. What a place to be! This time last year I stood on the hill and watched the V8's. This year I stand on the GRID with an international motorsport category... LITERALLY world class, and look up. How far have I come... how far have I got to go!?

The race finally gets underway and is as thrilling as the ads promised it would be! There is pleanty of biff and barge, LOADS of overtaking and a good lot of tiffing between the teams. No more so that the race between Will Davison in the Aussie car and Alex Yoong in the Malaysian car. There is a HUGE accident towards the end of the race with Japan leaving the circuit at turn 1 and belting the CEMENT wall at high speed. The carbon tub and engine separate, as they should and the driver sits so stunned that he hardly moves and we fear for his safety. We go under full circuit yellow and the safety car comes out once again. After about 8 or 9 laps of safety car, the lights go out and the course heats up for a 2 lap dash for the finish... Will is able to bring it in at an amazing 6th and the French take home their 6th consecutive win for the season.

WOW! Well, what a weekend... But it isn't over yet. It is time to pack up and put everything on a plane for the Malaysian round. Another day's work in itself. So we get together and start to dismantle the whole setup... Everything had it's own little bag or box and it all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. It is such a cool setup! If only all racing forms fitted as well as this!

We pack up again to get ready for the EC after party, but by the time we get back it is all over. The guys are tired and go to bed, so I go back to my room, watch a movie, have a few drinks and hit the hay myself...


Monday 7th November, 2005
Well, the weekend is over, but the work still continues, for the guys at least. They are off to QLD, then Malaysia. In the mean time, I shall turn 21, read Carroll Smith's books cover to cover, compete in nationals, be a bridesmaid and study for exams and move house! Then I am off to Dubai. So I am pretty busy too.

I say my farewells(The guys happy to see the back of me no doubt!) and start making my way back home to get ready to go to Wollongong.

Thanks to Sandra Nori for making the whole thing possible. Without her support with the Office for Women, this whole experience would not have been possible. I have learnt things and made contacts that would have taken years to make. And most important of all, my break for this came in Australia, thanks to Australians!
Thanks also to the A1GP of Nations, both internationally and at an Australian level... And to think of it... I still have Dubai to go!!!




On a Fvee note, on Wednesday this week we tested at Wakefield Park. This was our first outing since the accident and consisted of shake-down testing to check all components, as well as some seat time for myself. It was very exciting as I was finally getting my driving skills up to a standard where I am starting to be very consistent and clean.

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