Early March and I hear from Matt that this year’s allocation of racing slicks and wets has not arrived from Korea.  Although there are still four weeks to the first race, the testing season is already underway, leaving teams searching at the back of their workshops for last year’s cast offs.

 Testing on second hand tyres is better than no testing, as I’m about to find out at Silverstone.  But even before we get to Northamptonshire a second sponsor is signed.  Thank you and welcome aboard Laurent Abergel and ARPADIS Chemical NV, I hope you enjoy the ride.

Thursday March 11: cold, overcast, but dry.  Arise at 05.02; start the A4 and wait for the demister to clear the ice from the outside of the 'screen. By 05.30, just twenty eight minutes after somewhat reluctantly leaving a warm bed, I'm still bleary eyed but I'm on the road for the drive to Silverstone.  The traffic is kind and I’m there early.  Matt is already in garage 2B and I say hello to chassis guru and driver manager Andy Rogers.  Andy has 12 years of chassis development experience, most of it with WRC (World Rally Championship) teams.  A few years ago, he tired of the globetrotting lifestyle and switched to UK national circuit racing.  This is his second year with the VW Cup.  Chatting over a bacon roll, information born of experience pours forth; it quickly becomes clear to me that Andy is a goldmine of racing knowhow. 

Around 9.30 I’m strapped in and I bimble down the pit lane and out onto the track.  My prosthetic leg is wearing a new racing boot today (it’s not alone; I have one on my flesh and blood foot too).  I don’t know it yet, but my new shoe is allowing my right foot to slide from side to side in the foot-well, a situation I first become aware of at the end of the pit straight, when I go for the brake pedal only to find it partially jammed by my right foot, which has slid itself underneath the brake pedal.

First time on slicks, first time wearing a HANS Device (Head and Neck Restraint System), first time on the National Circuit layout, first time in the GTI’s  Recaro for close on six months, first fast corner and only partial braking available; no wonder the first session of the day is tentative (a polite synonym for slow).  I’m immediately swamped by everything out there: Ferrari F430s and Porsche GT3RSs I can understand – but when an Alfa 156 comes past I return to the pits for more advice from Andy.

Matt fashions a foot guard, Andy adjusts my seat position – immediately I go faster.  By 2.00 in the afternoon we’re all frozen, but we’ve learnt enough for one day. By 3.00 we’re heading for home.

It’s a good start; we’ve used the day to fix some basic issues which will not arise again.  We also postpone the next test (an official test day at Oulton Park) for one week – this will give Matt time to load a software upgrade for the DSG and me time to thaw out.