Henry Surtees Foundation Brooklands Challenge
2 hour team endurance 30th June 2015
Met Police Motor Club Team
PS Geoff Lamb (Captain)
PC Claudio Zazzarino
Tony Marston (Babcock)
Jack Kingsbury (Babcock)
The fourth annual ‘Henry Surtees Foundation Team Karting Challenge’ took place at Mercedes-Benz World on Tuesday 30 June and raised an estimated £59,500 for the Henry Surtees Foundation and Brooklands Museum.
The prestigious event received incredible support from the worlds of business, motorsport and media. Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell officially started the race proceedings, which saw an impressive grid of 32 teams – consisting of 128 competitors battling it out on the Mercedes-Benz World test track for the 120-minute endurance race, each hoping to secure their place on the podium. Also pledging his time and support to the foundation was ‘Great British Bake Off’ TV presenter Paul Hollywood who flagged off the F1/F2 car parade.
Damon Hill OBE took to the circuit in the 1965 Tasman 2.5 litre Climax Lotus type 32B that Jim Clark won the Tasman Series with (Courtesy of Classic Team Lotus) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jim Clark winning his second Formula One World Championship.
Derek Bell MBE was reunited with the Surtees TS7 that he successfully raced for the team; racer Scott Malvern drove the Surtees TS10 Formula 2 car that John Surtees won the Japanese Grand Prix and Imola Gold Cup in 1972 and Oliver Rowland a Formula Renault driver for Fortec Motorsport drove the recently restored TS19 Durex sponsored car.
The karting challenge saw exciting racing all down the field and throughout the two-hour session, teams Titan and KartForce dominated the race at the front of the pack. On the final lap Former Formula 1 World Champion, Damon Hill OBE dropped the chequered flag, as Titan Motorsport raced into victory securing first place, with their four-man team comprising of Martin O’Neil, his sons Jack O’Neil, Andy O’Neil and Owen Jenman
In hot pursuit and in second place were KartForce with its team of injured servicemen Mark Allen, Martyn Compton, Danny Holland and Pete Hobbs. Dave Player, founder of Kartforce said ‘as the lads have so many different injuries, including missing fingers and thumbs, KartForce had to design a new set of hand controls that give the lads full performance from the karts and allows them to race on a totally level playing in mainstream races. The team always look forward to participating in the Henry Surtees Foundation Team Karting Challenge and are absolutely thrilled to secure their place on the podium, the lads are a testament that you don’t need all your limbs to race… just British Bulldog spirit’.
An exciting dual took place between Carlin Motorsport and EFG Private Banking battling it out for the third position. EFG Private Banking completed the podium with its drivers Robert Crofton, Anthony Reid, Toby Sowery and Mark Lawrence.
Claudio Zazzarini
The MPMC team had a troubled start to the day, having had a poor performing kart in practice and qualifying. Geoff swapped the kart during qualifying but managed only a couple of laps putting the team down amongst the grid’s midfield runners in 16th.
Jack Kingsbury
Tony set some good lap times, showing his experience and consistency and, together with Jack and Claudio putting in strong performances, the team raced into a more respectable 5th on the road during the latter stages of the race. The last 20 minutes saw all the teams’ strategies converging, and the MPMC team finished a very creditable 7th, just four laps from the lead. Indeed, without the early issue losing three laps, the team would have finished 3rd or 4th, so looking good for 5th July 2016 and the Fifth Henry Surtees Foundation Brooklands Team Challenge.
Other noteable teams competing in the race were Phoenix Consulting, the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, one of the beneficiaries of the HSF, plus The Racing Steps Foundation with Ben Barnicoat and guest driver Sky Sports F1 presenter Simon Lazenby. Professional teams included Carlin, Ginetta, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1, Motorsport Magazine and the MSV All-Stars.
John Surtees OBE commented that: ‘It’s been a great atmosphere today with plenty of good humoured team spirit. I particularly enjoy seeing different professions taking part and the range of karting abilities. Whilst the main reason of the day is to raise money for the Foundation, it’s important that people enjoy the event and continue to support it. We are grateful to all the teams, competitors, sponsors and volunteers that have made the event such a success’.
The prize giving Champagne reception (courtesy of G H Mumm) took place in the impressive state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz World where trophies were presented by five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell. The evening was hosted by Former F1 commentator Steve Rider, and included interviews with competitors, and special guests including Loutfi Menasri, from Brooklands Motorsport, who came to share his story of how the foundation saved his life.
A welcome surprise came during the evening when the Metropolitan Police Motor Club presented to the Foundation a cheque for funds they had raised of £636.41.The evening culminated in a fundraising auction by Malcolm Barber of Bonhams featuring exclusive artwork, memorabilia and experiences raising £18,580 alone.
