Amanda takes the lead!

Amanda Whitaker made a good start to her 2005 racing season at Germany's Hockenheim circuit this weekend in the Historic European F2 series.

Racing in the Formula Atlantic class, Amanda was thrown straight in at the deep end when the heavens opened at the start of the first race on Saturday while the cars were lining up on the grid and the field were forced to skate around the circuit with their wide slick tyres on the slippery track. Despite still learning the car and track due to teething problems in testing, Amanda drove her way to 2nd place in class regardless of a down on power engine and few sideways moments in the tricky conditions!

The second race on Sunday was once again wet, but this time the competitors had chance to put on their wet weather tyres before the start of the race. Amanda made a fantastic start to claim a lead which she never relinquished and revelling in the wet conditions she won the class by over a minute ahead of her next competitor, gaining fastest lap in the process. "I'm very happy to have just kept it all together in the adverse conditions, but to get these results right from the start is great." she said after the race.

She now takes a healthy championship lead to the next race again in Germany at The Nurburgring in June.

Entering the hairpin in qualifying

Through the 'Mercedes' complex

The F2 class was won on both occasions by Swiss team mate Christian Fisher in his March BMW, making a heroic effort to beat reigning champion Philip Harper despite a broken clutch. Amanda's fellow Silverstone instructor and other team mate Chris Alford had an eventful race, battling hard through the field to finish 5th in class in the first race and 3rd in the second race, right on the tail of the 2nd place car.

The race was part of the famous 'Jim Clark - Revival' meeting, celebrating the life of the legendary Scottish Double World Champion who died racing at the circuit in April 1968.

Chris & Amanda pay their respects

Over the weekend a festival of cars from a bygone era and modern machines were raced & demonstrated including the Ferrari 360 Challenge and a display of past & contemporary Formula One Ferrari's.

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