Anglesey Coastal Round 4 Race Report
Redemption and a Maiden Victory at Anglesey!
First off, apologies for the delay in getting this write-up out—it has been a chaotic and incredibly busy week following what was a truly unforgettable weekend at Anglesey.
A year on from the heartbreak of chasing down P1 only to fall short, I returned to the circuit with unfinished business. This time, I finally managed to finish the job—taking the top step of the podium and securing my first-ever victory in motorsport! To make the weekend even sweeter, I also locked down my first-ever class pole position.
The Long Journey & Preparation
The weekend kicked off on Friday in the most grueling way possible. After finishing a demanding night shift, I immediately loaded up and left Essex for the long haul to Anglesey—an intense 8-hour door-to-door drive. I arrived at the track Friday evening to sync up with the team, finally heading to the hotel on the island around 22:00 for some much-needed rest.
Saturday morning started bright and early with championship scrutineering. It’s always a tense moment ensuring all kit, safety devices, and the car itself meet the strict safety regulations, but we passed without a hitch. Then, it was time to wait for qualifying.
Qualifying: Chaotic, Red Flags, and Pole!
With 38 or 39 cars crammed onto the tight, twisty Anglesey Coastal circuit, space was at an absolute premium. It was another capacity grid for Roadsports, complete with a reserve list.
We lined up in assembly and headed out, but the session was incredibly chaotic. We only managed three flying laps before the first red flag came out, halting the session early for lunch. Despite the heavy traffic, I got lucky, hooked up a clean lap, and found myself sitting on Class pole when the red flags waved.
After lunch, the session resumed for another 15 minutes. History repeated itself as we only got another 3 to 4 laps in before a second red flag ended the session permanently. Fortunately, I had managed to improve my time on that brief run, securing a hard-fought and hard-earned Class C Pole Position!
Technical Troubles & Team Heroics
Following our last round at Silverstone, the team had spent significant time trying to diagnose a frustrating power loss. Craig had changed the fuel pump, checked the coils, inspected the SSV, and compression-tested the engine.
For the RX-8 purists out there, our compression test results came out at 4.9 and 5.7. In the rotary world, those numbers usually scream “rebuild territory.” However, if this report can put any track-day or racer’s mind at ease: these cars can absolutely still perform at those numbers!
That said, after qualifying, Craig asked if the power deficit was still there. Because the RX-8 isn’t exactly famous for low-end torque, it can be hard to tell by feel. I checked last year’s data and realized we were still 4mph down on top speed after the fearsome Church corner. Craig also noticed that at full racing temperature—something we couldn’t easily replicate in the workshop—the engine sounded like it was bogging down at lower RPMs.
Craig, Ben, and Luca spent the next two hours troubleshooting everything. Ultimately, they swapped the coil packs, and the engine immediately sounded much healthier. The stage was set, but the race would be the ultimate test.
The Race: A Masterclass in Strategy and Wheel-to-Wheel Racing
We lined up as the final race of the day, having out-qualified a handful of the faster Class A and B machinery. Fortunately, Anglesey only features one long straight, meaning our power deficit wouldn’t hurt us as badly.
When the lights went out for the rolling start, it was a clean getaway—no positions gained, none lost. For the first half of the race, I had a Class A Lotus glued to my bumper for three laps. When he finally got past me after Church corner, I managed to hang onto his coat-tails right up until the pit stops. Meanwhile, Ben in his Lotus Elise was right behind me, keeping me completely honest and refusing to let me break away. One mistake and he would have been through. I knew I had a bit of extra pace in hand if I could get past the Class A Lotus ahead, but since I wasn’t losing significant time, I played it smart and stayed patient.
Then came the pit stops, and with it, a massive spike in blood pressure! The Class A Lotus in front decided to almost come to a complete stop 20 meters before the pit lane entrance. I was absolutely livid inside the cockpit as we crawled into our pit garage for the mandatory stop. Ben capitalized on the drama, staying out for an extra lap. By the time the stops cycled through, we had lost the lead and dropped to P2.
The Fightback
I got my head down, focused, and made sure Ben couldn’t pull away. We traded sector times—Ben was incredibly agile through the final sector in his Elise, while most of my lap time came from the immense speed I could carry through Church corner and up the hill to Rocket.
The turning point came when a faster Class A car came up to lap us. I saw my opportunity and took it. Getting a phenomenal run out of Church, I dragged myself right up to the back of the Lotus going into the heavy braking zone for Rocket. It was an adrenaline-pumping three-wide moment into the corner, but everyone kept it clean. I made the move stick and retook the lead!
From there, I kept my head down, hit my marks, and managed to pull out a small, comfortable gap.
The Chequered Flag
Crossing the finish line to see the chequered flag wave was a moment of absolute joy and immense relief. This victory has been a long time coming!
A massive shoutout to Ben for pushing me the entire race—you didn’t let me relax for a single second, and it made the win feel even more earned.
An even bigger thank you to the team for their relentless hard work. Without their quick thinking and fix over the lunch break, I wouldn’t be standing on the top step of the podium. The car felt alive, and our top speed was right back where it belonged.
I am absolutely buzzing after this one and already counting down the days until Snetterton.
Thank you again to my amazing sponsors and to everyone who follows and supports my racing journey. Let’s keep this momentum going!
