Interview Between K&N Filters & Peter Alexander - 12 June 2010

PA Team supporter K&N Filters Olaf Wolff interviewed Peter Alexander on PA Motorsports recent run of success...

With the sort of domination you are displaying this year clearly people will begin being petty and suspicious, do you have any amusing anecdotes, or have you been accused of anything particularly ridiculous?

 

Yes! Almost right from the first race rumors started that we are running a ‘big’ engine, mainly because we were getting pole position by quite some margin and our race pace was similar. We have set new lap records at every circuit we have been to so far even despite carrying an additional 19kg of ballast on the car because a new driver and car weight was introduced for this season. It all came to a head at the last round at Snetterton, the paddock rumors were getting worse. After the race our car was directed into the scrutineering bay, something I was almost certain would happen. We were asked if we could have our diff sealed to which I replied ‘yes please!’. The scrutineers looked at me in a funny way and I explained about the number of rumors I had heard. The scrut’s confirmed that they had had their ears bent by a few of our opposition too so I said ‘Well, while you’re sealing the diff can you seal the engine too?!’ I must be the first Team owner to ask for his own engine to be sealed!! Autosport magazine found it amusing too and ran the story this week. I’m hoping that we can get the diff and the engine checked before the next round at Mallory so we can go there with everyone knowing we are legal.

 

Is the car really that much faster than anyone else, or is Darren in the zone right now? Also, what are his feelings about the car and regarding all the success you’re experiencing?

 

It’s a bit of both. I have put a lot of time and effort into the car but Darren is also using it properly. We trust each other totally, he lets me put the set-up on the car I think is right and I let him get on and drive it! We work really well together and it’s nice that he has said it is the best car he has ever driven! He has said that even if he moves on to greater things he still wants to come back and drive the car for selected races. We would love to take a lap record at every circuit, currently the Macon holds 6 outright HFF lap records, more than any other marquee of Historic Formula Ford. If it rains at a circuit we haven’t got the lap record on we will have to come back to it next year! With regards to his feeling about success, he has been disappointed with the rumors that we can only be going so fast because we are cheating, he says ‘Can’t they see that it is me?’ I have to keep telling him that it is a good thing that people are saying these things because a. They don’t think the times we are doing can be done and b. If they are worrying about us they are not worrying about their own cars and set-up! I just hope that some key people notice what we are achieving together.

 

 

Short of everyone switching to Macon’s, what kinds of things might you expect other teams to start doing to compete against you?

 

To be honest I think a lot of them are just bewildered and don’t know where to look first for the additional pace! We are visiting a lot of circuits that Darren has never ever been to before and he still produces the goods. A classic example was Oulton Park last year, Darren had never been there before yet on his fourth lap of testing he was significantly under the lap record! It would be nice to get some recognition for our preparation and set-up as well as the Macon cars as I still get told that to compete in Historic Formula Ford you have to have a Merlyn!!

 

How many races remain in your season, and without looking too far ahead, how do you like your chances the rest of the way?

 

There are still races to go including a race at Spa. Darren is super confident and I am confident that the car has the pace. The more races we win the more I start panicking though that something silly is going to break on the car and spoil our unbeaten run, all it takes is a throttle cable to snap for instance! The more we win and the more lap records we get the more time I’m spending on the car!!