Week Goes From Pretty Poor To Pretty Damn Fine!

Good afternoon! I hope you are well! I started this week on 1198 iRating - the highest my iRating had ever been in my career!

Heading into Monza I was aiming to finish my first Formula 3 Season on a high after a rollercoaster season, I was in for a shock - but not the shock I had wanted.

I qualified 7th for my final (or supposed to be final) race of the season.

Aside from my pole at Interlagos, it was my best qualifying to date - matching the successful attempts at the Nurburgring and Road Atlanta races. Other occasions I started 7th were for my first podium (NEC, Round 2) and my maiden win in the Skippy series.

Unfortunately, the racing gods weren't on my side.

Yes, maybe I should have given him more room, but I believe me hopping the kerb didn't help matters either. I fell to 1092 iR. I guess my 1.2K Celebration must wait a little longer...

The damage would only further increase after being taken out of my second attempt after starting 6th.

By this point, I had fallen to 995...I guess the slow plod back up to 1K was back on again.... (sigh)

What happened next was the last thing I was expecting. After doing the 3pm race, and then the 5pm race (now participating in the 7pm race), my hopes weren't too high....but beyond my wildest dreams and expectations, I slapped it on pole - I was ecstatic, but with 2 minutes or so for people to complete lap times, I held my breath...I did it, I was on pole, for the second time.

I filled my car back up with fuel and plonked my car down, my heart was racing, I had to control it. The long, painful wait for the lights passed, and the lights appeared, and then went out.

I rushed to the inside - the last thing I needed was someone diving down my inside into turn one

Truswell leads as they file through turn one

With the exception of turn two (the blue #20 car getting the inside line for the turn, but a rubbish exit), I dominated for the next 9 laps (the race being 20) Colin Ullery slowly closing the gap lap by lap before passing me on lap 10.

On lap 12, Ullery suffered a major gearbox failure - with me only being a couple of seconds behind, I quickly caught the leader and passed him - leading the race for every lap after, right to the flag.

It'd be my first win of the year (and in Formula 3) - my second overall - and after such a difficult day with the two DNF's previously it was incredibly sweet.

The race left me with 1077 iRating...not as high as I started, but still, after all of this, above the 1K mark, so that's alright.

The work of Bathurst may have been undone, but as long as I just keep plugging away - keep having results as I do and having fun, the iRating will come.

I will continue to prove to those around me that I'm safe and they can trust me and with races comes iRating (or lose lol) but we'll see how the future goes. We've got the whole of March left to go before there's any talks of going back to uni. #OnwardAndUpward

A Stunning Reveal

That evening, I would be treated to the release of the 2021 Aston Martin Formula One livery.

The Aston Martin car looked absolutely GORGEOUS

(Aston Martin being the old "Racing Point" Team - Racing Point taking over from Force India)

Tuesday evening also saw action from Donington Park in the form of the Hare And Tortoise Championship - and with punting Joe Bradley (blowing my engine in the process) and a not-so-clean race 2, it was certainly yet another to forget.

The next race on the calendar is a bit of a surprise...but I'm looking to make a massive "no collision comeback" after a messy start to the season.

I'd also join the RSRWS (organisers of Classic Daytona 12hr) server, only to find out that they had a league/season already underway - in addition to a "Legends" road series - something that I had never seen before and after watching "Scottish Legends" on YouTube, it was something I was thoroughly interested in - Season 4 starts later on in the year/month so hopefully I can get in a race or so before shuttling back to University.

Thursday 4th February

Thursday was a rather mixed day - starting with a Television News Production Lecture, followed by the release of the Haas livery.

The livery was INCREDIBLY Russian - I do hope Haas realise that they've got Mick Schumacher to worry about too - not just old boy Mazepin

Anyway, moving on from Mazepin, not sure I really want to talk about him much longer. The day would end with me competing in the ISPC - The Intercontinental Sim Porsche Challenge utilising the Porsche 911 Cup. I'll admit - it was a desperate grab. It was a desperate grab at some air-time or to race in a league, or be involved in the ISRC in some way.

I don't drive the 911 Cup regularly and it's not a car I particularly enjoy - I'd qualify plum last, pick up some positions on drivers who fell victim to the Porsche's violent ways and then returned to the rear.

After a late spin, I was about to call it quits and pull into the pits and retire - the white flag then waved and I decided to finish it...just because.

I'd lose second to last position, but wouldn't participate in the second race.

Apex Racing League (currently) have a Mazda MX5 league running, but I'm personally waiting for the Formula 3 league - It's an interesting one - the Mazda is slow and at times some-what enjoyable, but I don't think paying £8 per race (or like £20 for a season) is worth it if I don't love the car like my own child (like my love for the Lambo Huracan GT3 or Dallara F3 car)

That evening would end with me and my girlfriend watching Glee, doing a podcast and having a really relaxed night in.

Friday 5th March

Friday started in the least-expected way possible.

It was 2 in the morning and I was just doing some analytics for Kabort (who'd done most races for the team) when I received a message.

A message from a friend - an old friend. Oliwier Swedrowski.

Oliwier last messaged me in April 2020 and after not seeing him (in person) since Karting yonks and years ago, it was a shock and surprise and amazing to see him messaging me - to see he was alright and alive and was doing good. Me and Oliwier would talk after a great night's sleep.

He shortly went off to bed, but the feeling of being re-united remained. We'd discuss more

Williams also revealed their livery...it was an interesting one