I've just returned from Donington Park and a weekend of racing that has left me feeling, dare I say it, very good about myself. I ended the last diary entry with a line about how nice it would be to be writing with a podium trophy by my side. Well, I'm sorry, reader, I'm afraid I've not been able to fulfil that dream just yet, but I'm okay with it... Because my goodness, we came close.

Another Two 4th Place Finishes at Donington

Let's start with the headlines, I ended both races at Donington Park in 4th place in class. In Race 1, it was 5th overall and 4th in class. In Race 2, I finished 4th in class and 4th overall out of 19 other Ferrari 296 Challenge cars. That, in itself, is worth being very proud of, and for the first time, I think I'm allowing myself to do exactly that. Be proud of what I'm achieving.

Starting on a high

Donington Park hosted the 4th round of the Ferrari Challenge UK Series, and following a successful test day a couple of weeks before the race meeting, I started my weekend feeling very at ease. Something that was picked up on by the team and my colleagues who were on hand to catch the video footage for our YouTube series.

Donington, like Brands Hatch in the previous round, is a familiar venue to me. I've enjoyed many laps driving both the GP circuit and the national circuit on track days in my own cars with good friends for many years.

On a test day, a couple of weeks before the event, I had a stand-in coach whilst Miles Lacey was away working in the glamorous world of television. The stand-in was racing driver Sennan Feilding, a British GT Racing Driver with a cabinet full of trophies, including one for the GT4 win in the 2022 British GT Championship. Sennan acted as a perfect stand-in for Miles, and we both ended the test day on the 8th of July feeling very optimistic about a competitive race weekend.

The successful test day, the familiarity with the venue and a greater understanding of my capabilities following some utterly exhausting battles in the searing heat at Brands Hatch had all allowed for a far more relaxed mindset going into the next round.

Saturday - FP1, FP2 and some very dark clouds

There was no Friday test day for the Donington Park round, so Free Practice 1 and 2 on Saturday morning would be the only re-familiarisation sessions ahead of the timed qualifying at midday.

To make things a little more exciting for Saturday morning, some looming dark clouds were threatening us with rain and around 10 minutes into the first practice session, the threat became a reality.

It's worth noting that we've been unbelievably lucky with the weather so far for all rounds of the UK challenge series. The only time we've had rain in a race was in Race 1 at Navarra - ironically, a location chosen for the first round of the UK series to avoid the likelihood of poor UK weather.

We are prepared for rain. At each round of the championship, within close proximity of our slick Pirelli racing tyres are stacks of as yet untouched Rotiform Wheels, all wrapped in shiny new wet racing tyres. Wet Racing Tyres are fascinating things, designed to operate in pouring rain whilst providing grip levels which would rival a very posh set of sports road tyres in the dry. The only drawback to 'Racing Wets' is the requirement for 'proper rain'. If fitted to the car for anything other than torrential downpours, they overheat and crumble away as if they were made of cheese. The alternative to wets if the rain isn't heavy enough is, you guessed it, the racing slicks.

In FP1, the clouds gave way and dropped a sprinkling of sky lube onto the circuit. Typically, it wasn't quite heavy enough to warrant wets, so many drivers decided to play it safe and head back to the pits. At the point that the drizzle started to make an impact, Miles clicked through my headphones over the team radio and asked if I wanted to return to the pits. I replied with a smile on my face, "Nah, I'm alright out here actually, mate. It's getting slippery, but it's manageable!"

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid of crashing my director's racing car (yep, if you're new here, you might be surprised to learn that I'm not competing in a Ferrari Racing car that belongs to me), but at the same time, I'm also quietly confident in my abilities of car control, so when the unexpected slips and slides happen, I'm able to put the car back where it needs to be.

The rain came and went, as did the slides and the squirms under heavy braking. The FP1 session ended in good spirits, with the wet tyres still in brand new condition, waiting for the British weather to do what it does best. My best lap time in FP1: 1:07.6

For Free Practice 2, the rain had ended, but the cloud cover remained just long enough to keep us all looking up. The conditions stayed dry, and out I went to see if I could dial in a better lap time. I did—a 106.2.

With the glorious bright purple glow of the purple sector indicator letting me know I was improving my times on each lap, I was feeling more confident than ever about qualifying.

Qualifying for Race 1

At 12:45 on Saturday, it was time to set a lap time for a grid position. Miles and I had reviewed the lap data from the morning and concluded that there were a few minor tweaks that might open up the possibility of a few tenths of a second here and there.

I went out to install the new tyres, conscious that I didn't want a repeat of Brands Hatch, where I exhausted my race tyres in qualifying. Ideally, I'd get a maximum of 20 laps covered to install the new tyres and set the lap time.

With the tyres 'switched on' (that's a racing term for having worked them into their prime), I pushed for a lap of purple sectors and succeeded in setting my new fastest lap time of 1:06.0, earning me a starting position of 6th place (5th in class), on the 3rd row of the grid. I was pleased with that.

Race 1: Saturday - Still no closer to loving the start procedure

As I've written about before, the race starts are my least enjoyable part of the weekends. Before collecting on the grid, drivers can complete two warm-up laps on the circuit before assembling in grid position. Once parked up on the grid, spectators, team members, and media can walk onto the start line and around the cars. Up to now, I'd always remained seated in the car, but this time, for some reason, I opted to jump out for the period that we waited for the grid to clear.

I think I did so primarily because it was hot in the car, but upon getting out and looking back from the 3rd row, I realised for the first time that there are quite a lot of cars behind me. Six rows of cars sat behind me, with just two rows in front. It was an excellent visual that rewarded a moment of reflection. I had earned this. I was near the front of the grid, and that had to mean something. The grid cleared, and it was time to hop back in, belt up and prepare for the often chaotic rolling start.

At Brands Hatch, I had a terrible start for Race 1, as I hadn't pushed at the start anywhere near hard enough, and I was determined not to do the same at Donington. All drivers completed our formation lap, and as we approached the startline gantry for the rolling start, I did my best to stay on the back of the leading cars without being pushed off or blocked by others.

A Frantic First Lap of Donington Park

Turn one at Donington is tight, the corner name is Redgate, a corner that requires precise braking and an even more precise line to get the fastest route out and into the following sequence of corners called Hollywood and the Craner Curves. Ideally, you want to brake late and turn in late by hugging the left-hand side of the circuit before carving across to the apex and achieving the fastest route out toward Hollywood.

As you'd expect, the perfect line isn't easy to find when multiple other cars are all battling for the same thing, but I managed to find a way through and landed myself in 6th place as we entered the infamous Craner Curves.

'Craner Curves' is a downhill S-shaped complex with a slight crest on a left-hand bend. The downhill stretch leads into the confusingly named 'Old Hairpin'. Confusing because it bears no resemblance to a hairpin. Old Hairpin is a long sweeping right that hooks you in at the apex and fires you into the lowest section of the circuit called Starkey's Bridge (where I managed to pass a car and get back into 5th place in class). Starkey's bridge is a flat left kink which then leads into a left bend called Schwantz Curve, followed by a tight right called McLeans.

Schwantz and McLeans require an exact line to get through. Turn in too slow and early, and the exit of McLeans is slow and non-competitive. Too fast and late, and you're pushed off to the left at the exit of McLeans towards the gravel, which allows the cars that got it right to slip by on the right. Hook it all up nicely and you're shooting out of McLean's back up the hill on a short straight to Coppice, a double apex right hander which ends with one of two straights towards the start line again. The first of the two apexes at Coppice is completely blind as it sits beyond the brow of a hill. Being at the top of the hill, it's also a challenge for physics and weight transfer. Once around the corner, the first of two long and rewarding straights greets you, Starkey's Straight allows for a glance at mirrors and, if needed, a chat with Miles in the pit garage.

In a matter of seconds, it's time to focus on the Esses, a tight chicane dividing Starkey's straight and Wheatcroft Straight, which hosts the pitlane and start finish line. The braking point for the Esses is on the brow of a hill, and the fastest route through requires hopping some marginally terrifying curbs in the hope of straightening out the bend.

Once through the esses, we're over the start finish line and moving back over to the left to line up for turn one again at Redgate. I end lap one in 6th place overall, 5th in class.

Another lesson in racecraft

Following my two races, which consisted of 30-minute battles at Brands Hatch, I was ready to get myself caught up in the mix once again, and I wouldn't have to wait long for the battles of Race 1 to start.

Ahead of me in my Class (Trofeo Pirelli) were four drivers. In 1st and 2nd place, it was Gilbert Yates and Pranav Vangala. These gents are seriously quick, with experience on their side, the pace is not competitive to the rest of the field, so I'm looking towards the rear bumper of my closest class competitors, Haymandhra Pillai in 4th and fellow Graypaul Ferrari Birmingham driver Paul Simmerson, who's now 3rd in class.

For the next 8-10 laps or so, I'm doing all I can to close the gap towards Haymandhra and Paul. I could see that I was closing the gap on Haymandhra, and I could also see that he was pushing a little too hard into certain corners. I decided the waiting game was probably the safest option rather than trying to attack and go for an opportunistic overtake. Eventually, Haymandhra lost grip at McLeans Corner, causing him to slide out wide and to the left, and I found a way through on his right side and ended up 4th in Class with Paul Simmerson ahead of me.

The next target in my sights is Paul Simmerson. Paul made the heroic move from competing in The Coppa Shell Class (what many regard as the amateur class) up to Trofeo Pirelli, which typically is the class in which the faster drivers compete. I can see that lap by lap, I'm closing the gap ever so slightly toward Paul's rear bumper, but to make things interesting, another driver is closing the gap on me from behind: Callum Leatham.

Callum and I race at a very similar pace, and we've previously battled at Oulton Park for a 3rd and 4th finish (Callum got the podium just two hundredths of a second ahead of me). I'm now in a racing sandwich with someone I want to pass in front, and someone who wants to get past me behind.

Miles is doing his best to keep me calm and focused over the radio, reminding me not to focus on what's happening behind, but instead on the task ahead of me. A further 10 laps pass with the battles ensuing, and by this point, we're catching up to lap back markers from Coppa Shell.

The task of getting past the slower back markers allows for the gaps to close between me, Paul and Callum. With around five laps until the end of the race, Callum makes a move on me as I pass a back marker, and he claims my 4th place in class and almost immediately 3rd place in Class from Paul, a hell of a move! As the three of us head along the start finish straight split by hundredths of a second in time, I'm ready to try and take advantage of a potential mistake from Callum or Paul as they enter Redgate. They're side by side at one point, and then Callum starts weaving to defend his position from Paul.

As we brake for Redgate, the inevitable happens. Paul and Callum come together, and I hit the brakes and turn the car to the right in an attempt to get by both of them. In my peripheral vision, I see cars sliding sideways, but I make it through unscathed. I'm now in 3rd place in class, and for the first time in the season, I'm on track to be standing on my first ever podium.

I radioed through to Miles, "I've made it through!" Miles replies,

"Okay mate, I just need clean lines from here on out. Just a couple of laps left".

For a moment, I'm starting to imagine the podium process. A 3rd place finish in my first-ever competitive motorsport championship season would be a dream come true. I assume that Callum and Paul are off and into the gravel at Redgate, allowing me to get the job done and complete the remaining two laps to end in 3rd. That was the case at least, until I glanced in my wing mirror after getting through Old Hairpin to see the unmistakable livery of Paul Simmerson.

Paul had somehow controlled his slide after being hit by Callum and was back on my rear bumper. What a hero! The outcome of Paul's heroic return was, of course, the pressure I neither wanted nor needed at this point in the race. My rear tyre pressures were showing 1.98 bar, which is about as high as you'd ever want racing slicks to be. The grip levels, as a result, had dropped drastically. Keeping the car in control with a far more experienced driver breathing down my neck was now the name of the game.

I crossed the start finish line on what was to be the penultimate lap, selfishly wishing for a chequered flag, but no, there was one more to go. I was still in 3rd place. I got through Redgate, Hollywood and Craners, but then, at the Old Hairpin, I hit the brakes just a millisecond too late. The grip levels had gone, and I was sliding out to the left, perilously close to the gravel. I avoided the gravel and stayed on the tarmac, but Paul, who had got his braking point spot on, took advantage of his grip and sailed past me to rightfully reclaim 3rd place. I won't document the words that I shouted in my helmet in the moment, but I'm sure you have a rough idea of what they might have been.

I completed the lap and passed the chequered flag in 4th place in class (5th overall). The podium had been mine; it was within reach, but a mistake on the final lap gave it away. In the moment, amazingly, rather than feeling cheated or defeated, I was completing my cool-down lap with pride. I'd driven as hard as I'd dared, and despite coming very close to losing control, managed to end the race with no damage and a very respectable 4th place finish.

Race 1 Result: 4th in class

On reflection, as I stood watching Paul claim his 3rd place trophy, I couldn't help but smile. He earned that spot, and I'd driven bloody well to get it from him in the first place, but in the (very literal) heat of the moment, it was passed back. Today was only Race 1, and tomorrow, on Sunday, we'd get to do it all over again.

Race Day 2 - Sunday: Qualifying

Sunday started with an equally relaxed and comfortable approach for me. I don't mind telling you, it felt odd. Usually, I'm a nervous wreck ahead of the races, but the competitive element of Saturday's race was a reminder that I've every right to be confident in my ability as a driver.

Miles and I started the day as we often do, reviewing the data from the race and looking at lines where I might be able to find tiny increments of time for qualifying.

When it was time to hop in the car for qualifying, I was feeling good. For Q2, we're allowed to start the session on the old set of tyres from Race 1. The logic in doing so allows for heat to be generated in the brakes and suspension, which then gets transferred into the new wheels with the new tyres, which are swapped over in the session. Hotter brakes also mean they can be put to work immediately with the new tyres for a better installation process of the new slicks.

I completed around five laps on the old tyres and even managed to secure a lap time that would land me in 5th place on the grid, but it would be the new rubber that would get the task done. As I started what would be my final lap on the old rubber, I saw a yellow flag waving, quickly followed by a red one. Callum Leatham had crashed at the Old Hairpin, and it didn't look good.

I returned to the pits and for the next 20 minutes, we waited for Callum's car to be recovered. Fortunately, Callum was fine, but the car, sadly, was not going to be repaired in time for the race. He was out.

Qualifying resumed for 15 minutes once the circuit was reopened, and in that time, I managed to secure a new PB lap record of 1:06.08. I was back on the 3rd row, but this time in 5th place (4th in class) for the start.

Donington Park - Race 2

Race 2's start was my best so far. I'd once again hopped out of the car to take in the view on the grid and then, when the time came for the lights to go out, I held my line and position in 5th place overall and 4th place in class. And that, as it would materialise, would be the outcome of the race for me.

For the following 30 minutes of racing, whilst drama unfolded elsewhere on track, for me, it was all relatively sedate. I drove the fastest, cleanest and most competitive laps of the season so far, and so did my competitors around me. Just like in Race 2 at Brands Hatch, I was on the coattails of the fastest driver from the Coppa Shell class, Mike Dewhurst. Mike drove brilliantly, but he was a block between me and my nearest class competitor, Fedor Samarukov, who was ahead of Mike in 3rd place.

I was pleased to see that I was driving closely behind Mike. He's a fantastic driver with a whole season of experience already, but ultimately, divided by class, Mike is not a competitor for me to focus on. Thanks to the consistency of the driving from Fedor, Mike and me, a gap of 50 seconds separated Mike, me, and Mike's nearest competitor behind us, Peter Hunter. With that knowledge, Mike graciously allowed me to overtake him after the old hairpin to chase down Fedor for 3rd place in class.

Unfortunately for me, Mike's kind gesture came just a few laps too late, and Fedor, who drove brilliantly for the entire race, maintained his position in 3rd and finished the race, earning his spot on the podium.

It was a second 4th place in class, and this time, a 4th place overall, which, whilst it hasn't rewarded me with a trophy, has put me back into the top 4 in the 2025 Championship standings. Above me in third place is Paul Simmerson, who has been allowed to carry across the points he earned from the start of his season in Coppa Shell to Trofeo Pirelli. If I were a grumpier version of myself, I'd probably let that bother me, but I like Paul, so I'll let it slide.

One round remains: Silverstone.

We have just one weekend of racing remaining; the final round of the UK series is to be held at the home of British Motorsport, Silverstone, from the 5th to the 7th of September.

I'm excited for Silverstone, I now have four rounds and eight races under my belt since the start of the year, and if there was ever a reason to feel good about a competitive weekend of racing for the final round, the weekend at Donington has rewarded exactly that.

If you would like to come along and see the final round, tickets can be found here: https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/ferrari-racing-days

words by John Marcar
photography by Henry Faulkner-Smith

John Marcar's Motorsport Diary:

The Prologue: ‘Welcome to the diary’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 1: ‘Ferrari UK’s Ready 2 Race’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 2: ‘Let's Start Off by Winning’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 3: ‘My First Official Test Day’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 4: ‘The First Race at Navarra’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 5: ‘Round Two at Oulton Park’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 6: ‘Battling Brands Hatch’ >> READ HERE
Chapter 7: ‘Podium Chasing at Donington’ >> READ HERE

John's Motorsport Diary - Chapter 7: Podium Chasing at Donington Park