Wilks: Bad conditions

Our Atlantic Adventure would prove not to be much of one!

After starting the Rally Acores on Thursday evening with three special stages we were quickly into problems. The island rally was to be our first gravel race of the year.

In the build-up unfortunately we were unable to test on the island so it was all down to the shakedown to get a feel for the surface and the car. We planned to go all out on the first stage as road position was going to be a big factor in the result of this event.

The regulations stated that after the first day the road positions of the top five drivers would be reversed for the  start of the second day, and then again at the end of that day.

This is due to the inherent disadvantage of running first on the road in an event like this: you end up cleaning the loose gravel for everybody else's tyres, and it's a harsh punishment for being fast. It can also lead to tactics that are not often seen in rallying.

So into the first stage we figured on facing dry, dusty conditions. Tgere was an unbelievably fast section of road to start the stage, then onto tarmac for a few kilometres before returning to the dust and gravel.

All was well - until we hit a wall of dust created by the previous car. We could not see a thing!

After being patient and straining our vision to see the road for five seconds or so we were able to continue. We came to the end of the stage to see we were fourth overall, and 7.5 seconds off the lead.

We had been unjustifiably punished. We were in a catch 22: do we push for the lead and risk not making up the time, or go for a good road position for day two?

We opted for the good road position for day two, it was our best chance.

But then the weather unexpectedly changed overnight. Rain had soaked the ground and low cloud was covering the high peaks. The first stage of the day we were fourth fastest, and, after stage five was cancelled due to an escaped herd of cows, we moved on to stage six.

The surface was slippery no matter where you were running on the road, and the thick fog along the knife edge was the place I picked to push.

Being brave is part of the game and in the fog what you can't see you don't know! There happened to be a drop of a few hundred metres on our right, but unknowingly we pushed on.

With two kilometres left of the eighteen kilometre stage, I locked the brakes in a fast approach to a corner. The surface changed to a very runny mix of mud and water... but I didn't see it for the fog. We hit the bank and broke the suspension.

It was as easy as that: one small error and we were out. Gutted!