Shawn Rashid: Onwards and upwards

Knockhill, Scotland. The weather was colder than anticipated with icy winds; however, the sun was out to greet us the entire weekend. I arrived a day before race day to analyze and experience the track for the first time. An old-school circuit full of elevation changes, blind corners, and gravel traps on exits.

I feel blessed and grateful to have experienced such a unique track in a beautiful country. Unfortunately, due to how the event was set up, we were only afforded one test day with four fifteen-minute sessions before race day. I spent the first two sessions learning the track and becoming familiar with its nuances. For the rest of the sessions, I was able to find pace quickly despite never having been to the circuit before. Finishing with the fifth-fastest time of the day, I was confident that I would be able to put in a competitive qualifying time on Sunday.

I put in the 6th fastest qualifying time in the first quarter twenty minutes on race day. As qualifying went on, unknown mechanical issues made the car more and more challenging to drive. By the end, it was very difficult to turn right and almost impossible to brake without the front right tire locking up.

We thought we had understood and addressed the issue prior to race one; however, it was clear that the problem was persisting upon starting. Regular racing only exacerbated the mechanical issue as the competition went on. Despite this, I finished eighth out of twenty entrants and first among the rookies! Immediately following, the team discovered that the primary support for the rear struts had a major failure, causing the corner weights to be off by over 60kg. It was unknown what the cause was, but we can be sure that the massive curbs did not help.

After starting race two in 8th position with a new part, things went well for a couple of laps until the same part began to fail. Like the one prior, I spent most of this race completely adjusting my driving style. Adjustments included moving all my turning and braking points and moving lines to adapt continually worsening car. Although I spent most of my race defending my position, I felt like I had performed some of my best driving to date. I found myself in the sixth position and first among the rookies at the end of the race. Ultimately, a performance I could leave with my head held high and proud.

Like in life, the hard days on the track seem to be the greatest teachers. With the speed I had shown throughout the weekend, I was disappointed not to have made the podium. However, I feel grateful to have had this experience force me into a new skill set. This journey is all about adding to the mental textbook and toolkit. Days like these only serve to make me stronger emotionally and mentally, allowing me to improve my racing skills once more.

Thank you again to the family at Ammonite Motorsport. They put in the hard work and dedication day in, day out. I know we will sort out these issues together and look forward to kicking ass next time out at Silverstone. To my family and friends, your support means the world to me, and I feel the energy each and every one of you sends. Peace and love, until next time.

- Shawn Rashid