- 1,914
This is a made up story I'm gonna do whilst doin a season on F1 Challenge on PC with the F-1 Mania 2007 mod
"Hello?"
"Is this Scott Woodwiss, GP2 champion?
"Speaking?"
"Hi there, I'm a representative from the Toyota F1 team. How are you?"
"Erm...fine, I guess, thanks. Can I help you?"
"Well, actually, we'd like to help you. Are you free to come to Valencia on Wednesday?"
"Erm....yeh, sure."
"Fantastic. I'll get one of my team to contact you tomorrow and we'll sort everything out then. Bye." ClickPUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRR.
I look at the phone bemused, wondering if I'd just woken up from a dream or someone from Toyota F1 really had just offered to bring me up to Spain.
Fast forward to Wednesday later that week, and the sun beats down hard on the glorious surroundings of the Circuito Communitat Ricardo Tormo de Valencia. What more could a guy want: Hot weather and some rather hot F1 cars. I stroll into the paddock, sunglasses on, looking every bit the GP2 champion that I am.
"Ah herro, mista Woo'wiss, yis? A Japanese mechanic from Toyota spots me and shakes my hand
"Yes mate, it's a pleasure to be here"
"No pro'lem, mista Woo'wiss. Follo me puhlese"
I follow the mechanic round the garages until we come to the main pit garage of the Toyota F1 team. As I walk in, my eyes are immeadietly drawn to the awe-imspiring site that is the TF106, or at least the 2007 interim version before they get the new car released. The front section of the car is missing, exposing the electonics buried into the monocoque. It sits wheelless, being prepared for its first run of the day.
Suddenly, I'm being led towards it. "Dis is youar car, mista Woo'wiss. I'sa not quitea ready yetuh" The engineer states the obvious.
"Makoto, Jarno needs to talk to you about the telemetry from his last run. He's in the trailer right now" The chief engineer sends the mechanic away.
"Sorry about that. He can get a little carried away sometimes"
"That's alright mate. How are you?"
"Much better now you've arrived. I'm your chief mechanic for the test. I'll be the one you talk to on the radio and give feedback to after your runs. Shall we take a look at your car?"
"I think the answer's obvious to that one isn't it?" We share a laugh and then move over to the TF106 to discuss what my role will be in the test.
"OK, from what I've been told, you're here because the team think you might good enough to become part of the team for this season. After your great championship win, we think you'll be perfect for the squad".
"Wow, that sounds......I'm not sure what to say right now!"
"Heh heh, I thought you might like the sound of that. Anyway, make your way over to the trailer and get yourself kitted up. Your first run's in 20 minutes. Are you OK with wearing your own helmet or would you like a blank one, so people don't know who it is?"
"I don't see why I should need to hide my identity. Be good publicity for me, heh heh"
"OK, that's fine. Off you go then"
10 minutes later, I'm back in the pit area, sat in the car, talking to Paul.
"OK, Scott, just use your first run to get yourself familiar with the car and know where everything is, alright?"
"Yeah, sure thing. It looks all fairly similar to the GP2 car, just with more switches and dials, you know?"
"Pretty much, yeah. OK, you all set to go?"
"Yeah, just let me get my helmet on, and then fire her up".
I slip my helmet on, white with a purple chequered-flag design round the back. The words "Sam Jones" are displayed on the side and SJ on the front, advertising from a health club from my local town. The team gave me some Toyota F1 strips to put on my visor to look the part. With my HANS device connected, I raise my index finger to signal that I'm ready. With a judder from the ignition starter, the RVX06 engine bellows into life, a low drone like a sheep fills my ears. The mechanics lower me off the jacks, Paul gives me the all clear, I select 1st, and slowly creep put of the pitbox to the flashes of cameramen taking pictures of my departure. As I crawl down the pitlane on the limiter, my ears are filled with Paul's voice.
"OK mate, just get some installation laps in, so we can see what the car's like. And another thing - have fun..."
"Will do. Hey, d'you mind if I try the launch control outta here?"
"Be my guest"
With that, I stop at the pit exit line, take off the speed limiter and hold the LC button. I give my self a countdown.......5.....4.....3.....2.....1.....LIFT OFF! With that, the car catapults out of the pits and straight into Turn 1....
"Hello?"
"Is this Scott Woodwiss, GP2 champion?
"Speaking?"
"Hi there, I'm a representative from the Toyota F1 team. How are you?"
"Erm...fine, I guess, thanks. Can I help you?"
"Well, actually, we'd like to help you. Are you free to come to Valencia on Wednesday?"
"Erm....yeh, sure."
"Fantastic. I'll get one of my team to contact you tomorrow and we'll sort everything out then. Bye." ClickPUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRR.
I look at the phone bemused, wondering if I'd just woken up from a dream or someone from Toyota F1 really had just offered to bring me up to Spain.
Fast forward to Wednesday later that week, and the sun beats down hard on the glorious surroundings of the Circuito Communitat Ricardo Tormo de Valencia. What more could a guy want: Hot weather and some rather hot F1 cars. I stroll into the paddock, sunglasses on, looking every bit the GP2 champion that I am.
"Ah herro, mista Woo'wiss, yis? A Japanese mechanic from Toyota spots me and shakes my hand
"Yes mate, it's a pleasure to be here"
"No pro'lem, mista Woo'wiss. Follo me puhlese"
I follow the mechanic round the garages until we come to the main pit garage of the Toyota F1 team. As I walk in, my eyes are immeadietly drawn to the awe-imspiring site that is the TF106, or at least the 2007 interim version before they get the new car released. The front section of the car is missing, exposing the electonics buried into the monocoque. It sits wheelless, being prepared for its first run of the day.
Suddenly, I'm being led towards it. "Dis is youar car, mista Woo'wiss. I'sa not quitea ready yetuh" The engineer states the obvious.
"Makoto, Jarno needs to talk to you about the telemetry from his last run. He's in the trailer right now" The chief engineer sends the mechanic away.
"Sorry about that. He can get a little carried away sometimes"
"That's alright mate. How are you?"
"Much better now you've arrived. I'm your chief mechanic for the test. I'll be the one you talk to on the radio and give feedback to after your runs. Shall we take a look at your car?"
"I think the answer's obvious to that one isn't it?" We share a laugh and then move over to the TF106 to discuss what my role will be in the test.
"OK, from what I've been told, you're here because the team think you might good enough to become part of the team for this season. After your great championship win, we think you'll be perfect for the squad".
"Wow, that sounds......I'm not sure what to say right now!"
"Heh heh, I thought you might like the sound of that. Anyway, make your way over to the trailer and get yourself kitted up. Your first run's in 20 minutes. Are you OK with wearing your own helmet or would you like a blank one, so people don't know who it is?"
"I don't see why I should need to hide my identity. Be good publicity for me, heh heh"
"OK, that's fine. Off you go then"
10 minutes later, I'm back in the pit area, sat in the car, talking to Paul.
"OK, Scott, just use your first run to get yourself familiar with the car and know where everything is, alright?"
"Yeah, sure thing. It looks all fairly similar to the GP2 car, just with more switches and dials, you know?"
"Pretty much, yeah. OK, you all set to go?"
"Yeah, just let me get my helmet on, and then fire her up".
I slip my helmet on, white with a purple chequered-flag design round the back. The words "Sam Jones" are displayed on the side and SJ on the front, advertising from a health club from my local town. The team gave me some Toyota F1 strips to put on my visor to look the part. With my HANS device connected, I raise my index finger to signal that I'm ready. With a judder from the ignition starter, the RVX06 engine bellows into life, a low drone like a sheep fills my ears. The mechanics lower me off the jacks, Paul gives me the all clear, I select 1st, and slowly creep put of the pitbox to the flashes of cameramen taking pictures of my departure. As I crawl down the pitlane on the limiter, my ears are filled with Paul's voice.
"OK mate, just get some installation laps in, so we can see what the car's like. And another thing - have fun..."
"Will do. Hey, d'you mind if I try the launch control outta here?"
"Be my guest"
With that, I stop at the pit exit line, take off the speed limiter and hold the LC button. I give my self a countdown.......5.....4.....3.....2.....1.....LIFT OFF! With that, the car catapults out of the pits and straight into Turn 1....
