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PFFC Zandvoort

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There really is nothing to beat a late 50s Humber Super Snipe for towing my 308 GT4, but all the way to Zandvoort? You're right it’s not ideal for a late Sunday dash back to Calais, so Jeff came to the rescue with an offer to use his ever reliable S type Merc (and I am already negotiating for next year cos Z is just terrific). Check on Wikipedia and they tell you about all the fatalities!

Well it is a real roller coaster of a circuit built literally on the sand dunes right alongside the North Sea and does the wind howl! But not like the noise from our 24 Ferraris (from 355Challenge to 328s, 308s, Mondials and GT4s)

With almost 3 hours of track time including 2 qualifying sessions and 2 races this is a tough weekend for the cars, one of the things I have learned over the last 2 years of racing is that preparation is everything, oh and having Richard on hand to check and fettle the car through each session! Even with that we had a spluttering finish to race 2 caused by carb flooding problems.

That first session learning the circuit is astonishing. About half way round I had the dreadful feeling I was going the wrong way such is the way the circuit curls back on itself. After more familiarity you begin to feel the way the hills and curves flow and when it begins to work that lovely engine really purrs.

Qualifying 1 was on a drying track with all the best times coming right at the end. With Race 1 in the dry albeit cold early morning we flew, taking 6 seconds off the qualifying time. Qualifying 2 was in the wet, the very very wet! Blind down the fast home straight into Tarzan, yes that's what turn 1 is called, and aquaplaning where standing water lurks for the unaware. Unsurprisingly even with less that 8 smooth cylinders Race 2 in the dry afternoon saw almost 20 seconds a lap coming off the qualifying time.

The cars handled a tough weekend well, aside from my carbs, just a cracked front lid fixing to take care of. Elsewhere a Mondial lost a rear wheel, a GT4 burst its oil pipes, a 328 wasted a clutch and a 355 kissed a wall. Hey that's racing.

And the Merc? Never missed a beat. The Humber is not happy!

By Richard Fenny.

Our thanks to Richard Fenny for this interesting insight into the F.O.C Pirelli Classic race at Zandvoort. If you would like to forward a Ferrari related news item then please do so, email the article to vanessa@foskers.com along with pictures.