SPEAKER_00 0:00

Well, Dave, we were just commenting on the sunshine here at Brands Hatch. What a great day to launch the twenty twenty six season. It is great, yeah. I love coming to Brains when the sun's shining. It's not so good when it's wet though, is it? We're hoping that can we have some of this weather at Donington, do you think, in a couple of weeks' time? Would love it, yes. We'd love it. Interesting season uh coming up. Uh Charles Rainford, Darrell DeLeon uh in your garages, two very capable drivers. Looking forward to this season, do you? Yes, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:27

We the trouble is this stage you don't know who's showing their full hand. Um we're going through a test program, trying various different options so we could bolt on our known quantity setup, but um you know we're on pole here last year, one two, but one year on you don't know what how much you know we've developed our car, but how much we've gained to what others have gained, we probably won't know till we get to qualifying at Donnington.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Talking of qualifying, a new format for this year. Are you looking forward to that? No, to be honest, no.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

I'm I'm not a fan of it because you could have a problem on the Saturday qualifying race and you start back at the grid Sunday. Yeah, um, there was two of us team owners voted against it uh at the teams meeting, but we were outvoted. And even the administrator of the championship said it would be more expensive, and we all agreed, but the other teams didn't. And so, yeah, I'm personally not for it. We're here to go racing and not sell hospitality on Saturday.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Do you think the format though is going to punch things up for the season? Because there's a what a hundred points, additional points available in the the qualifying race?

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Yeah, but the problem is if you get turned around in the qualifying race, you start back at the grid Sunday and you're your your day's gone. So that's my view of it. Um, and I know one of the other team owners we we both bought it up at the team's meeting, and I can see why some people want to do it, and um the main idea is to sell hospitality tickets on Saturday. Well, we're not here to sell, we're here to go racing.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

So talking of going racing, we've got four weekends until we have the summer break this year, which is slightly earlier. What is your you always have high expectations, Nick, don't you? But what's your expectation for your two drivers by that halfway stage?

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Um very hard to say at the moment because we don't know what everyone's true pace is. We think we've got an idea, so um it's yeah. Um you know, our our two young lads are um both on their second year. Well, Darrell's on as third, but second with us. Um so no, we've still got things to learn and put a whole package together, so we'll yeah, come and speak to me at um halfway point.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Talking of them coming back for a second year, how many years is this for you now, Dick, in the championship?

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Uh 2026. We started Super Tour in 1996, so 30 years. The wily old campaigner, I think they call you, don't they? Uh could be that, yeah. Good to see you, Dick. Thanks. Thank you.