There was no need for Lisette to carefully consider the weather forecast ahead of Rounds 9 & 10 of the Mighty Mini Championship, plenty of unbroken sunshine and hot conditions were, for once, guaranteed. The latest championship races were played out in front of a bumper crowd at the UK’s fastest circuit, Thruxton, on the 7th & 8th July.
Lisette was excited about the weekend, knowing that both her and the England football team (playing at the same time) would be competitive if they gave it their all! She was confident that the fast-flowing circuit would suit her car and she could build on her previous experience at Thruxton last year.
Qualification was warm and dry as expected. Lisette arrived at the assembly area early, focused on getting out quickly to find clear track space. The strategy worked and Lisette had plenty of time to reacquaint herself with the track before the championship front runners glided passed. Full of confidence she tucked in behind them in the hope that some of their mastery would rub off on her. By the end of the session Lisette felt she had done okay but considering how many cars had passed her she was not confident of a good grid position. That concern was short lived and faded quickly once she learned her efforts had placed her seventh, the best she had achieved all season.
Race one on Saturday came quick on the heels of qualification so no time to fret. Lisette got off to a great start holding a tight line through turns one and two before tucking in behind Carolan and Claringbould ahead of her. As the laps unfolded she stayed close behind them as the three nudged away from the trailing pack. Lisette was clearly able to lap quicker but could not find a way through, restricted to the occasional dart up the inside as she out dragged the others on Woodham Hill before they closed the door going into the chicane at Club. As the race drew on it looked like she would need to settle for seventh until two laps from home the squabbling duo ahead of her opened the way for her to surge through taking the chequered flag in fifth, a personal best finish for Lisette.
Sunday brought larger crowds and even higher temperatures with the paddock full of spectators eagerly pouring over the multi-coloured spectacle that is the Mighty Minis. Lisette benefitted from the reverse grid formation and she lined up fourth on the grid for race two. A frustrating start saw her overcome by the championship frontrunners and even before turn two she had slipped places, by the end of lap one she was down to seventh. Undeterred Lisette set about regaining places, using her grip and speed around Church to leap frog the pack before some light contact at Club sent her spinning and down the order to tenth. With only a few laps remaining and the clock running down Lisette was relieved to finish a credible eighth following a frantic fight back.
Commenting on the weekend Lisette said “Wow what a roller coaster of a weekend, from the high of finishing fifth in race one to the frantic scramble to recover after the setback midway through race two. I am especially happy that I made some good overtaking moves and perhaps surprised a few going the long way around them at Church. As always great racing with the Mighty Mini crowd.”
