Legends Unleashed: Inside the Thrilling Action at Brands Hatch
Last weekend saw the Legends meet at Brands Hatch, supporting the British Touring Car Championship under glorious May sunshine. Giggabox #28, Harri Musselle set out to conquer his home track once again with #3 drivers Mike Schlup and Paul Musselle beside him. Mickel Motorsport had been working diligently to prepare the cars for a strenuous weekend of racing and the drivers emerged onto the track on Saturday morning to give the Kentish crowd a show.
Race 1
A beautiful Brands Hatch morning was greeted by an exhilarating Heat 1 from the UK Legends. The young talent, Harri Musselle, started 21st on the grid, at the front of the rookie championship contenders. Harri confidently made his way through early havoc at Druids, not holding back his youthful agility in the frantic fight. Only three laps in and the 16-year-old had made his way up 8 places to 13th in the pack. The closing laps came quickly and the Giggabox #28 saw itself in a cautiously comfortable 18th. Harri’s limited experience on the racetrack was far from showing as he brought the car home for a 20th place finish, defending off championship leader Andy Bird and finishing a narrow 0.037 seconds behind 2011 UK Legends championship winner Stephen Treherne.
Race 2
Following a successful start to Round 3, Harri found himself starting in 25th for Heat 2 of the sun-shining spectacle. Brands Hatch had to offer for the British pocket rockets. He was quickly met with danger as a four-car tangle at druids meant a tricky navigation for the young brit. Proficiently, Harri guided his way to 20th place with only a few laps to come. Unfortunately, on the exit of clearways our #28 found himself in an entanglement with a snap of oversteer that saw him spin off into the gravel. However, he impressively tackled the dirt and managed to pilot his way home to a 24th place finish. Two successive successful finishes meant Harri would be starting in the grid draw for the Round 3 final.
Final
Closing stages of an action-packed day in Kent saw Harri starting the race in the pack for the first time in his career. #28 started on the outside row 2 as he maintained a top 6 place, hastily defending down the pit straight. A further 2 laps passed and the top 10 sped down the Brabham straight once more, only for Harri to find himself sandwiched front and centre. A collision was bound to come and so it did. Fortunately Harri made it through the wreck undamaged, but he was only a crest of a hill away from a major setback that saw Mickel Motorsport teammate Matt Knight collide with Harri and put the youth talent down to 20th place. However, the #28 car was far from its due finish to round 3 as lap after lap Harri kept improving, with jaw dropping overtakes, resulting in an electrifying career best finish of 14th. What a positive way to end round 3 for Harri and the team.
Round 4
Race 1
After a thrilling day of racing on Saturday, a sun shining morning invited the UK Legends to a hopeful start for Round 4. Sunday began with the first ball draw of the young driver’s career. Harri pulled blue 12 meaning he would start further to the back of the grid for Heat 1, leaving him with the challenge of fighting his way through the grid. The racers were off and Harri made a successful start, making up places whilst having to manoeuvre through a collision at druids. The elevation changes proved to be a hindrance for the Giggabox driver as he spun on the exit of the Mclaren bend. Fortunately, Harri made up time and brought the car home yet again, finishing an impressive 22nd.
Race 2
Heat 2 later approached and with a glistening track, Harri started on the inside of row 3 behind his dad, Paul Musselle in the JLM X Giggabox #3 car. The two planned to guide each other further up the order as the race continued by bump drafting, a technique only legal in the UK in Legends, where cars go tail to nose to build speed and gain an advantage. Harri made a tremendous start, teasing his fight with the leaders for the first lap. The hot shot showed fiery pace as he stood his ground defending front-running drivers from taking his precious top 10 position. Musselle buckled slightly into clearways where he was forced over onto the grass. He recovered well, only for the track to get the better of him on lap 5 of 10, spinning him round, pushing the #28 back to 25th. Ever determined, he wanted to fight and so he did, passing three cars successfully and finishing the second heat in 22nd.
Final
Brands Hatch provided a phenomenal weekend of racing for the Giggabox team. Going into the Round 4 final, Harri had his eyes on a strong finish to only his 8th round of legends racing. He started on the inside of row 2 and as the red lights turned off it was straight on the gas. Ascending Hawkins hill in 3rd place, Harri kept his place but as the 5/8-scale rockets powered towards the end of lap 1, Harri ran into caution and collided with the rear end of second place, sending him spinning onto the grass. Fortunately, a red flag provided the rookie with a restart, leveling the playing fields. Harri used these restart laps efficiently and set his fastest lap times round Brands Hatch with a 56.035. Rounding the Kentish track for the last time in the weekend, a steering issue saw a less than ideal end to an amazing round. Nevertheless, this took nothing away from a triumphant weekend for Harri and the green Giggabox machine.
“It was great to be in the pack for the first time. I spent the weekend getting quicker and quicker and to get my fastest lap time around Brands, I’m ecstatic. Speedfest in June is going to be a great weekend and I hope to keep improving and get some better finishes.” ~ Harri Musselle, #28
