OUMF Triumph at Brands Hatch 'Festival Italia' – 11th August 2024

The OUMF team continues to ride high this season, maintaining our flawless record with yet another victory at the iconic Brands Hatch circuit during the 'Festival Italia.' It was a weekend packed with excitement, challenges, and ultimately, triumph as we brought home another class win in the HRDC's 'Jack Sears Trophy.

​The preparations for me began on Thursday evening when I arrived having been away from OUMF due to the start of my placement. It was good to be back at the barn and part of the team again. The team gathered to give our trusty Riley a final once-over before the big weekend. Everything was looking good and by Saturday morning, the Riley was primed and ready to go. We packed up the van, loaded the Riley, and hit the road at 4 PM, bound for Brands Hatch with excitement and optimism.

We arrived at Brands Hatch in the early evening, just as the sun began to dip behind the trees. After setting up our pit near Paddock Hill bend, we decided to unwind with some drinks at the local pub, the Rising Sun Inn. Spirits were high, and after the night time track walk ritual, we turned in for the night, knowing that Sunday would bring the real test.
​Sunday started early, with the team up at 6 AM for the all-important spanner check. Everything seemed to be in order—until disaster struck. We discovered that the rear shock absorber mounting had failed, threatening to derail our race day plans. A crack in the weld meant that it would be unlikely to survive qualifying let alone the 45 minute race. But, as always, the OUMF spirit prevailed. Thanks to the kindness of John Racing, who lent us a welder, we were able to fix the mounting just in time.
As if that wasn’t enough, we then noticed that the brakes felt worryingly soft. A quick inspection revealed that the pedal box hadn’t been fully adjusted after the previous work done by Dave Sellers over the summer and some of the bolts holding it in were loose. With some fast work and fine-tuning, we managed to get the brakes back to their usual sharpness, just in time for qualifying. And it was decided that a thorough check of all inside fixings would be added to the spanner check.
Despite the morning’s setbacks, the Riley was back in fighting form for the qualifying session. The competition was fierce, particularly from the Dorlin-driven Austin A40. However, Ding managed to put in a stellar performance, securing P2 in class, right behind the A40. There was a moment of relief when it seemed the A40 might not make it to the race due to some technical issues, but they made a swift recovery by sourcing Mini wheel studs that fit, ensuring the battle was on.
In the down time between qualifying and the race the team did another spanner check and spent time practising the pit stop manoeuvre as in the HRDC's 'Jack Sears Trophy' you must either change drivers or stop and get out. This is best done with two people helping the driver. 
When the race began, it was clear that we were in for an intense contest. Ding and the Riley quickly pulled ahead of the A40, and it wasn’t long before we started to gain a significant lead. The Riley’s rock-solid reliability allowed us to stretch our advantage with each passing lap. I spent the race watching from Druids and taking pictures alongside Connor Johnstone and Ethan Wakeman. With Brands Being surrounded by chain link fence it was difficult to get a good shot but with a steady hand you can follow the car to get it in focus and fade out the fence as well as adding motion blur to the background. Down in the pits, Tom Reid and James Biley were able to pull off an almost perfect pit stop that meant Ding was able to keep his lead and press on.

With a best lap time of 1:01, the Riley ultimately finished laps ahead of the A40, securing a dominant first in class and 11th overall. It was a commanding victory that showcased the determination and resilience of the OUMF team.
A huge thank you goes out to the HRDC for hosting such a fantastic event, and to our sponsors, whose support is invaluable in helping us achieve these consistent results. Without them, victories like this simply wouldn’t be possible.
As we packed up and headed back to Oxford, the sense of accomplishment was palpable. The Riley had once again proved its mettle, and we couldn't wait to see what the next race at The Autumn Classic at Castle Combe in September would bring.

Joseph Farley – Computer Science Placement Student