The UoN Experience - The Nightlife Highs And Lows

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

As the second anniversary arrives which signalled the end of my education life and the finale to my journalism degree at the University of Northampton, I have decided to share my own personal experiences from my three years at UoN. This includes a look into how good is the University in general, a critical assessment of the video products I produced and what happened after graduation.

The next article looks at the entertainment levels out of hours. By going to University, you are committing yourself to three years of hard work, but also – enjoy yourself on occasion. The nightlife experience sees me talk about some of the nights, the venues and the stories behind student life when the sun sets.

When you decide to go to University, you know it is going to be one of the most enjoyable and demanding three-year experiences of your lifetime. There are many aspects to Uni. There is the workload, the deadlines, the relationships with your peers, your colleagues and your flatmates and of course, the nightlife.

I heard some good things about nightlife activities in Northampton before I went to UoN in 2009 and you know the saying; ‘All work and no play makes Simon a very dull lad!’ Was the nightlife experience disappointing or would it meet expectations? This latest piece to mark the second anniversary of finishing my journalism degree looks at the action, the dancing and some of the stories from three years out on the town.

Immediate change

Whilst I was never going to be one of those students who would go out and get hammered every single night, I wanted to enjoy Uni nightlife. It was important to keep a professional approach to most parts of my personality, but this was a good chance to integrate myself in a different and slightly more relaxed environment. That changed pretty quickly, before I had even begun on the course.

In July 2009, an incident occurred in my hometown that changed my look on the nightlife scene completely. This is something I will talk about a bit more in July in a piece for this website. What it did mean though was that caution took over rather than risk and my presence on the clubbing scene became more of an occasional visit rather than a frequent occurrence.

Nevertheless I had to go with the flow and Freshers Week was just that. First night I arrived in Northampton and we had drinks as a flat as I socialised with my flat colleagues from first year. All of the other members of Flat 35 were easy-going, likeable and easy to get along with. Two nights later, it ended in a trip to the first Northampton nightclub I would visit, Lava: Ignite.

From when I stepped into the place, I never felt totally comfortable. The main area was packed with Freshers as expected, but space was minimal and the environment in general just didn’t have the feel of a club that could offer a good time. I only went back once more in the next year and the place was eventually closed down after a tragic crush when people were leaving the club in October 2011 which led to the death of two students, one from the University of Northampton. I don’t think it is heavily missed by many.

I quickly preferred a trip to the SU bar on Avenue Campus, which was a two-minute walk from my flat. In fact, we often went as a flat group, or three or four of us to get the drinks in and spend a few hours keeping the pool table busy. It was enjoyable and a far friendlier, preferred environment.

A large gap

The clubbing days looked like there were over as soon as they had begun. I quickly settled into a pattern. Sure it might have made me a bit bland to say the least but I cared about my degree and I’d rather be keeping assignments on track than entertaining the opposite sex.

The only time I properly ventured out was a trip to the NB’s Sports Bar and Club in February 2010 which was a birthday party for one of my closest journalism colleagues. That night was really good. I vaguely remember having a couple of Black Russian cocktails that were nice at the time, but left me feeling the effects afterwards. I then decided that cocktails were not for me!

There were trips to some of the local pubs in Northampton like O’Neill’s, Pennywhistle and the White Elephant, as well as visits to the SU bar in second year but having not liked Lava or Embargo nightclubs and finding Haikkadou’s club to be just plain weird, I didn’t think any club would be able to overtake my experiences of Opus and Oceania in my hometown of Milton Keynes.

I was about to find my place though, Balestra.

New club, new group

Having moved into my own accommodation in second year, I wouldn’t say there was a group where I reckoned I could go out on the town with and have a load of fun. That changed at the end of that semester.

As a journalism group, we had usually been of the distant type. There were close friendship circles and other eccentric characters. However we seemed to get closer as second year continued, as it became clear that whilst you were an individual, there was also a team bond forming. This became quite important when communication levels dropped between lecturers and students in second year and servers with important work on them kept malfunctioning and crashing.

So to celebrate the final ever exam the majority of us had to sit in mid-May 2011, we all decided to hit the town, meeting in various locations around Northampton before coming together as one big group in the Balestra nightclub. The venue had only opened in the early few weeks of second year and Thursday nights seemed to be the most popular with students from UoN. It isn’t the biggest place but I found it very refreshing and a place where you are more than likely to have a good time. Many pictures were taken (one pictured below), drinks were had, dancing took place and it was so nice to be out as a journalism group and all enjoy it.

Me, Farida, Tamika and Nicole posing for one of many photos on a journo night out in 2011

I have plenty of memories of the UoN experience and this particular night was one of the best moments. It was so good, a similar routine happened the following week when second year officially drew to a close. Whilst it wouldn’t end up being the norm, it was a cracking fortnight of entertainment.

One final goodbye

Third year wasn’t about enjoying the nightlife. It did start with a repeat performance in Balestra three days after my 23^rd birthday. Not as many turned out, as there had been a delay in student finance payments but it was another super evening. A planned Christmas night out went a bit sour as the adverse weather conditions of December 2011 put a spanner in those works.

However, there had to be one final goodbye. The final day of the journalism degree was Wednesday, 16 May 2012. Not as much organising was needed. In fact, there was no initial plan on the day itself. A few of us decided to have pre-drinks at one of the student houses, then get a taxi into town for a night at NB’s. It was the first time I had been back to this place in over two years.

I remember getting out of the cab and one of my friends saying; “Are you planning to get drunk tonight?” My response was; “Yes I plan to have plenty of drinks and some dancing, but I do want to remember getting into a taxi in the early hours of the morning.”

It was another stunning evening. I remember being a bit of an ace on the dancefloor, although I have no plans to make a future appearance on Strictly Come Dancing! It was the final farewell to the people who I had shared my life with on a daily basis for the past three years and we went out with a bang! Not quite literally of course, but it couldn’t have ended any other way.

There was one final occasion and that was the end of year graduation ball at The Wing pits and paddock complex at Silverstone, the home of British motorsport. I was a bit reluctant to go at first; wary of the steep price for a ticket, even without having a meal there (which is something I wasn’t keen on). I eventually took the plunge, firmly in the knowledge that it was a great chance to dress up for the occasion. I never thought I would look smart in a suit and tie, but apparently I did. The evening went through without a hitch, apart from Rizzle Kicks backing out from performing at the last moment. Thankfully, Professor Green stepped in and did a good job without too much planning.

The nightlife experience at the University of Northampton had its moments and there were times where it wasn’t enjoyed. However, I had some good times away from the pressures of lectures and studying and wouldn’t swap any of it. My message to future University students is to find a decent balance between work and fun but enjoy the nightlife aspect. University only happens once, so live it and embrace it. 

Categories: Balestra, Cocktails, Dancing, Drinks, Graduation, Journalism, Nightlife, SU, University, University of Northampton

The UoN Experience - Year Three: The Final Goodbye

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

As the second anniversary approaches which signalled the end of my education life and the finale to my journalism degree at the University of Northampton, I have decided to share my own personal experiences from my three years at UoN. This includes a look at some of the nightlife memories, a critical assessment of the video products I produced and my insight into each of the three years I had in what was my second home.

The next article places specific focus on the third and final year of the journalism degree. 2011-12 saw the countdown towards the London Olympics and the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. Plus, Manchester City won the Premier League title in the most incredible way possible. For me, third year was all about building on how second year ended. It started badly, but improved rapidly and finished with mixed emotions which involved saying goodbye to my many friends I had made.

Two years down and one to go, the University journey had certainly contained its ups and downs. First year had been almost been in cruise control; second year provided far more challenges. Looking back two years on, third year was harder but I managed to conquer challenges better than second year, possibly because of the previous experience.

The planning for the final year had begun as early as June 2011, when I had to decide on a topic for my 5,000 word dissertation. I was always intrigued by the 24-hour news channel concept and decided to focus on the rise of Sky News in TV journalism, combining it with a major 90s news story which made them a more creditable source in media. The OJ Simpson trial was fascinating as much as it was sensationalised, with many of the witnesses playing up to the live TV cameras when giving their evidence. It was Sky’s coverage of the helicopter chase of OJ the year before his trial in 1994 that saw it win widespread praise from all quarters for the first time. I was glad that the dissertation was 5,000 words only. As a group, we were all lucky it wasn’t 10,000 which was the case on other courses. I wouldn’t say the journalism students got off lightly but it was a nice luxury to have. A 10,000 word essay would have been mighty difficult for all of us.

After the slow start with second year, I was hoping for a better first month to third year. How wrong was I? If I had to pick a month where I was in a bad place, October 2011 would top the list. The final year began on my birthday of 3^rd October! Although the first week went okay (largely thanks to a Thursday night nightclub celebration for my 23^rd year of existence), it went downhill from there. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. The summer break had been too long and I wasn’t prepared for what was to come. I was also majorly affected by the deaths in quick succession of two well-known motorsport figures in IndyCars and MotoGP. I got very upset by these events. While I had every right to be shocked and slightly downbeat by what had happened, these events were out of my control and by allowing them to get into my personal detailing, it clouded judgements. After a lecture where an essay topic was changed; two weeks after having already prepared something, I lost control of my emotions. There was only one thing I could do to try and drown the shambles of the month and that was to get drunk. It wasn’t like me at all. Sure, I liked a drink – we all did on the course and we all enjoyed a good party but it was a rare episode where I let alcohol do my talking. It was the best thing I could do. By drowning my sorrows, staring in mirrors and playing loud music in my room, I had to just release all the tension and stress that had been building up.

It affected my social media activity too. Both Facebook and Twitter took a break for a month while I got myself back on track in November. I did that and the episodes of the first month of the year were slowly, but surely forgotten. Concentration turned towards various assignments in the five modules I undertook. Some underlined my strengths and others highlighted weaknesses. As 2011 turned into 2012, my grades in the first half of the year were not good enough. I had collected too many average marks and feared for my final degree classification. With the job market as it was, a 2:2 would be utterly hopeless to me. I had to get a 2:1. Rather than feel sorry for myself like before, I seeked advice from my lecturers (two pictured below) and it got me back on target.

Two of the best lecturers, Hilary Scott and Richard Hollingum got me back on track in tough times

In third year, I will always lookback on my TV project with immense pride. I came up with a modern idea, and utilised it with plenty of research and filming in my spare time. It was an interesting topic and something I immersed myself in throughout the opening months of 2012. While I wouldn’t have it down as my best project, it was the most enjoyable work I underwent in third year. The task I hated the most was the group project on motorsport. With my racing background, I was expected to ace this topic in our group, which involved a media day trip to Silverstone for the final round of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. I didn’t enjoy it – I don’t know why (apart from someone stealing our tapes), but while everyone else seemed to have fun – I found the day slightly unrewarding. As I had already committed to TV for my final project, I had to work on an eight-page magazine and I hated every single minute of it. I worked with someone who I really couldn’t stand. The individual was irritating, frustrating and so opinionated. They even had the cheek to ask me to compromise my antivirus security to bring my laptop into University grounds!! I couldn’t do that and was unwilling. I didn’t help myself by coming up with a feature piece called ‘Death in Motorsport.’ It was such a grim idea and one I regret suggesting. Nevertheless, the whole project was a joke. The other three members of the group were fine but I didn’t get the camaraderie I was hoping for. Perhaps not being able to choose group members would have worked better on reflection.

As the weeks went on, so did the months and once again, the spirit of the group was shown in abundance. That is what I found out about our course. We started a year all slightly distant to one another or in our own friendship band groups and we all had them but as it reached crunch time, we all pulled together and helped each other out if necessary. Whether that was explaining how to burn MP3 tracks to a CD, suggesting a sound change to a narration or even having a chinwag about everything in the SU in spare time, it was worth it. I will never forget the appreciation and the time of the final few weeks in both second and third year.

Being one of the elderly statesmen in the group at the time, I saw it to myself to set an example for the rest. It wasn’t something I needed to do but I felt it was my responsibility. If I slacked off, it was a bad example to everyone else. The extra two years at college doing a BTEC National Diploma really helped. The experience of this shone through in the period when deadlines emerged. I was never programmed to leave assignments until the last minute to beat a deadline. With this, I was often asked for help, advice or assistance and I didn’t mind doing that, as long as it didn’t compromise my own performance. There were times where I did think ‘do your own work’ or ‘stop asking me, I might be wrong’ but 99 per cent of the time, I would try to offer the best support I could to my colleagues.

I had made a load of friends throughout the three years but I made more in third year. While I stayed close to people I had known from the start of the course, I made sure I knew everyone and tried to get on with everyone too. There was the odd individual who I struggled to see eye-to-eye with and there were occasional personality clashes but I couldn’t complain too much. It was nice to know people but also work closer with them as the degree went towards its closure. When all projects were handed in on 16 May 2012, my journey was complete. A wild night and few weeks were to begin (more of this in the nightlife chapter) but it was the end of an era.

Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things to do. These were people who you saw on a weekly basis, daily basis in some instances. I’m not great at saying farewells to individuals who I know so well. When I last met Ellie around a month after everything finished, we spent a few hours reminiscing and trying to make each other laugh, which I think we did. When it was time to say goodbye, I could feel the emotion from both of us, realising that this was it. I would say I was friends with 95 per cent of the course, but I did make special friends along the way. 

However if there was one who I shared many great memories with the most, it was with Ellie. We bonded so closely from day one and were always there for one another. There were times where we let each other down but that happens in most friendships and whenever there were tough moments, we always worked hard to ensure it didn’t get in the way of what we had as a friendship. If I was forced to pick one person I miss the most and would like to see again, Ellie would be top of the list – just because we shared so much, relied on each other and had such a fantastic friendship. I would like to think that we might see each other again at some point, or our careers collide into one another in the future.

So that was that, University was over and a new chapter of finding employment after graduation was about to begin. It was to be a tough and far more testing proposition than first anticipated.

Categories: 2011, Deadlines, Grades, Journalism, May, Silverstone, SU, TV, University, University of Northampton

The UoN Experience - Year Two: Trials and Tribulations

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

As the second anniversary approaches which signalled the end of my education life and the finale to my journalism degree at the University of Northampton, I have decided to share my own personal experiences from my three years at UoN. This includes a look at some of the nightlife memories, a critical assessment of the video products I produced and my insight into each of the three years I had in what was my second home.

Next is the middle year of my degree. In 2010-11, the UK celebrated a Royal Wedding, then suffered days of rioting in the summer. Barack Obama successfully managed to capture the world’s most wanted man and England’s cricketers actually won an Ashes series in Australia. For me, this was a rocky year but I survived it and learned a lot from the difficult times to make me a stronger individual.

After a break of some three months, second year began at the University of Northampton in late September 2010 and it was fair to say that it was a sluggish start for yours truly. This would turn out to be the biggest character test I had endured in my education history. It led to me nearly walking away from it all in the spring of 2011 and ultimately ended with my first ever A grade in exam conditions.

With my Halls of Residence contract ending, I had to look quickly for new accommodation for second year in Northampton. Luckily, I found a room similar to my first year environment in a building called Sunnyside – owned by YF Properties in January 2010. I quickly signed a rental agreement and moved in eight months later. Sadly the early weeks were punctuated by regular cutouts of the electrics in the building. I was unfairly blamed by some of the other stayers who believed one of my electrical products was causing the faults. That hurt because you know deep down when you’ve done something wrong and when you haven’t. It took around three weeks to solve, with the movement of a fridge freezer in my room to help ease socket pressure, but it turned out to be a faulty hairdryer in another area as the cause. After that, I (pictured below) elected to keep myself to myself throughout my two years in Sunnyside as I had more important issues and that was passing my degree.

Smiling through a tough start to second year, which turned into a bumpy ride

However this didn’t help my settling in phase into second year and meant I couldn’t fully concentrate in the early weeks. I also wasn’t happy with the spilt of the course that saw me separated from almost everyone I had been close to in first year. Whether it was planned is not for me to answer but it did start a tempestuous relationship with many of the lecturers throughout second year.

The one person I hadn’t been spilt up from was another female who would play a huge role in both my development as an individual on the course and a friend away from the assignment pressures. I had got to know Tamika through first year but not in the way I did throughout the next two years. Tamika became a very close friend of mine. We were in all the same module classes and I had great fun being around Tamika and with another lad in the form of Shane. We were in the lengthy six-hour workshop sessions on a Tuesday morning and quickly formed a friendly partnership in group projects. Tamika and Shane were big players in perhaps the funniest project throughout my three years at UoN. Tamika and I were asked to do an exercise on sound prep for the Film Style & Technique module in October 2010. What followed was a hilarious two-minute piece of drama, superb acting and ‘The Maskman,’ played by Shane. We only revealed his identity about six months after the piece went online on YouTube!

I continued to work with Tamika throughout the year and alongside two other journalism colleagues, Chris and Parris, we produced a short but fantastic five-minute documentary on issues of car parking for students at University. It had a perfect balance from student concerns on the issue to the way the University could deal with the problem. Tamika and I did the camera work, the production folder and the editing, Chris and Parris were the main people who carried out the interviews. I was so proud of this project when completed – and tops the list of video work throughout the course.

Whilst the friendship I had with Tamika went from strength to strength, I wasn’t feeling so good on the inside. When I had to film the opening of a new manufacturing company in the Brackmills Industrial Estate of the town on my own, it was the catalyst to a huge meltdown as winter gradually turned towards spring. After relaxing and not studying during Reading Week (there’s a lesson for all future Uni students), slacking off on my return to lectures, the charger to my laptop stopped working and then a furious argument with a fellow colleague, I came so close to going home back to Milton Keynes and not returning. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind and I’m happy to admit I was on the verge of a breakdown. I’m an individual who often takes things to heart and therefore, this can lead to huge uncertainty. I questioned if I was good enough for the Uni course – even thinking of going because I was a distraction to others around me.

Having felt zapped of morale, confidence and happiness, I was ready to pack up and go when I saw the videos of the horrendous tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011. As a trainee journalist, I really felt for everyone affected by something so devastating that Mother Nature could throw up. I then realised that here I was feeling so low just about a laptop charger breaking and a petty argument when others worldwide had lost everything through no fault of their own. If I had gone through with it and walked away, it would have been a massive mistake. A weekend back in home comforts helped, and I returned with a new belief and also a relaxed, rather than stressed approach to the workload.

Before all that, the entire journalism intake had undertaken a press day for the first time as a group magazine was put together for Christmas in 2010. On the day itself (the final Friday before Christmas), it was sheer and utter chaos but organised chaos in that. With the hard work of the whole course, plus the knowledge and experience of senior lecturer Hilary Scott, we got a Unique Xmas magazine online and there was an element of both pride and relief. Hilary only began lecturing with our group from second year and she was an excellent motivator and lecturer. If you worked hard, she would appreciate it and if you got on the wrong side of her, your life would be made a misery. I think that was a good element. While I’ve never liked harsh criticism, I also appreciated what Hilary would do for some of my weak design work. Rather than paper over the cracks, she’d tell me face up if it was utter rubbish and I could start again by improving. She did that with most of us. In second year, Hilary was the only lecturer who I felt I could communicate with in a fair and dignified way and it is a shame that we are no longer in contact.

As deadlines approached, nightmares began. I was on track and never really had problems with meeting deadlines in good time, although some assignments wouldn’t be without their troubles. The eight-page magazine I did in second year was so close to failure. It was a pitiful attempt and highlighted my dreadful design talents. If you saw it, you’d come to the conclusion that a 10-year-old could do better! Others had left things a bit tighter and with computer servers crashing and not being sorted instantly just added to the pressure. On top of that, there was a Law & Government exam to prepare for. MB5, which was the main work room for journalists became a second home for most of us. All it needed was some sleeping bags, a kettle, toaster and microwave and it probably would have converted into a sleeping hut! So when everything was handed in, it was pure joy for all of us. I was so proud of the group in general. We had come together and helped each other out in those final weeks and battled against the lecturers in almost a mini mutiny. All of this happened in the midst of one of the hottest April months on record too.

I put a lot of preparation into the Law & Government exam – although with other various projects going on, I couldn’t solely focus on this as much as the first year exam. I went into the tense atmosphere of exam conditions in a confident manner, perhaps the most I’d ever been. Usually in exams, my brain froze and I didn’t perform. This time, it was all different. I felt I had done well, but I was stunned when the results came back and I had achieved an A grade! Surely it was a mistake…Simon Wright getting an A grade in exams is about as likely as the United Kingdom ever winning the Eurovision Song Contest again! It did happen though, perhaps more by fluke than good nature but it is on the results record so I won’t be swapping it for sure.

With lectures, workshops and presentations completed by mid-May, it was then out on the town for a proper celebration with my course (more in the nightlife chapter). The year wasn’t quite finished though. In July, I went to London to undertake a two-week work placement with Runners’ World Magazine, one of the many publications under the National Magazine Company. It was such a valuable and useful experience of how a publication works (on a monthly basis in their case). I enjoyed it, even if the commuting was a bit of a tricky. I was incredibly lucky to get this placement and I think it put me in good spirits that I could work well in an office position which is what I now have today.

So that was second year done and dusted. Two-thirds of the course done, just 33 per cent to go and now it was crunch time. Second year at the University of Northampton had taken me to the brink and back but I had succeeded and it was time for a decent summer break and a family holiday in Fuerteventura before the joys of my final academic year in education – season 2011/12.

Categories: Accommodation, Degree, Documentary, Friendship, Government, Journalism, Magazine, Parking, University, University of Northampton

The UoN Experience - Year One: A solid beginning

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

As the second anniversary approaches which signalled the end of my education life and the finale to my journalism degree at the University of Northampton, I have decided to share my own personal experiences from my three years at UoN. This includes a look at some of the nightlife memories, a critical assessment of the video products I produced and my insight into each of the three years I had in what was my second home.

First up and it is rewind to 2009-10, a time where political powers changed in this country, another World Cup failure approached for England’s footballers and for me, the start of a new journey at University for myself, one which blossomed to begin with.

The time had come. It was Saturday, 19 September 2009 and to many, it was the beginning of a normal weekend. Not for me though, as I was about to start my journalism degree at the University of Northampton. All bags packed, documents ready to be shown and the car journey from my hometown of Milton Keynes to my new home was about to take place.

Before I left, I took one final look around my room at home. The part-time retail job I had at the time meant I would be back every weekend so I wasn’t leaving for good. However I wouldn’t be at home as regularly as I used to be. I got a photograph out taken of the family at a happy time for us just eight months earlier. We were beaming with smiles at such a fantastic day. I admit it was tough to not feel emotional at this moment.

I made the most of my new surroundings in first year accommodation

Enrolment day itself was long but that was to be expected. Once all that was done at Park Campus, it was off to Avenue Campus and the Bassett Lowke Halls of Residence. This was where I would be staying at University in my first year. I still remember my room very well – Room 1 in Flat 35 (pictured above). It had a self-contained kitchen and small bathroom. It was very cosy and useful for me in my first year. That did mean sharing with a roommate and he was good company to start with. By the end of January 2010, he was gone though as he moved back to his parents’ home in Northampton. He was staying over there a lot and decided the money he was paying to stay on campus wasn’t worth it. It was probably the right decision and it gave me a big room to myself for the next five months!

The other flatmates I was with were all very cool and we socialised well from an early stage. At the end of the day, we were all in the same position of moving away from home and it was more important to do this than be locked away and look like a loner. I enjoyed their company and made some good friends, some who I am still in touch with today.

Hello to the course colleagues

Two days after moving was the introduction to the course colleagues I would be getting accustomed to for the next three years. There were some interesting characters but no heavy troublemakers which was good. I remember the introduction to one of my fellow colleagues, Farida in a striking Coventry City home kit. Farida would provide plenty of entertainment and kind friendship over the course of the next three years.

However the individual I spent the most amount of time in first year would turn out to be another close friend throughout the University journey. My friendship with Ellie was formed from day one, when I introduced myself to her during some tedious afternoon PowerPoint presentation in the main hall. At first, Ellie’s look was like ‘yes, do I know you?’ At that point, I reminded her of a brief conversation we’d had a week earlier on Facebook when she had taken the time to find someone studying on the course. And from that moment on, a special bond was created. We were almost inseparable in first year, helping each other through the various challenges. Ellie would often need guidance in lectures from me and she returned the favour by helping me out with some tricky real life situations. The best moment of our friendship I think came when a short conversation about something to do with living arrangements in second year on social media turned into a long two-hour chat with compliments aplenty on both sides. It is one of those chats with someone you don’t forget.

I generally found the workload in first year fairly comfortable to deal with and never hit drastic issues in terms of assignments piling up and deadlines mounting. Of course, there were moments where tasks were tough to do – one of them involved a Media Relations project within the first two months which was the first time where I really struggled to get the required tasks done. This was largely because I couldn’t get the contact required to get an interview done about their PR department. It was a weak spot in my college days and although I would say it still isn’t one of the better skills in my media background, it is something I have managed to adapt pretty well through Uni and now into my full-time role in the publishing industry.

Favourite tasks

Favourite tasks in the first year included a radio vox-pop piece on Petrol Prices going up in the build-up to the 2010 General Election. I’m not a fan of politics but can easily criticise policies. I came up with various answers like ‘Anything is possible’ and ‘We’re in a mess, simple as that really’ in regards to the worldwide global recession. One of the best people to interview was a guy called Miles who when he was asked about paying at the pumps, his first response was ‘As a hippy at heart!’ It was a random response but a light-hearted approach to a tough debated issue. I also undertook a marketing module called The Entertainment Business. I really enjoyed that module, despite being the only single honours journalism student to choose it! It involved a detailed report into the 2010 BRIT Awards – and I spent loads of time on this to get the best grade possible. It was a shame I wasn’t able to carry on with a marketing module in second year. That was because all journalism students were made to take Creative Writing. I never enjoyed it, never saw the benefits to it and was annoyed that this had to be done too in second year (unless you were good at photography which was the only other option).

I found the right balance to studying and the nightlife scene and as the year wore on, you would find me more often in the nearby SU enjoying a drink and a few games of pool with my flatmates rather than hitting the town on a boozy night out. My nightlife outlook changed before coming to Uni but it was something I was happy with.

First year ended in the final week of May with an exam. These were never my strong points, as GCSE results would testify but I achieved a respectable grade. I did spend many hours revising but with a better, more serious technique to it – I could have achieved a stronger result. First year also introduced me to the world of Twitter as I signed up after ignoring the site at Milton Keynes College and I began my first full blogging website on BlogSpot that eventually lasted a full 18 months.

First year at the University of Northampton wasn’t a piece of cake but I passed with the minimum of fuss and felt happy with the fairly secure introduction to the degree. However, if I thought second year would be the same, I would have another thing coming.

Categories: Avenue Campus, Bassett Lowke, Degree, Home, Journalism, Marketing, PR, September, University, University of Northampton

Imola at 20: What lessons have been learned?

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

The deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were a huge shock to Formula One and to global sport. The first fatal accidents to drivers in Grand Prix for eight years, and 12 on race weekends meant some serious questions were posed and needed to be answered decisively.

To conclude the IMOLA AT 20 series, I ask the questions and try to answer them too and find what has motorsport as a whole learnt from the tragic events of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Aftermath

Before that though, the aftermath was one of devastating shock and sadness for the world, especially with what happened to Senna. On a weekend where Nelson Mandela was heading for power as South Africa’s first black president, Manchester United were winning a second straight FA Carling Premiership title and Anne Kirkbride returned to work on Coronation Street following a battle with cancer, the newspaper front pages, radio broadcasts and TV news bulletins were all about the Imola deaths.

In Brazil, the country was left deflated. Not always the happiest place with terrible amounts of poverty and an unpopular government in control, people looked to Senna for inspiration and happiness. Now he was gone and it left his fans on the brink of despair. Senna’s girlfriend of 14 months, Adriane Galisteu was crestfallen. Despite the disapproval of Senna’s family, the pair were madly in love and it is widely believed Ayrton was ready to settle down with Adriane – he saw a future with her that he hadn’t with any of his other relationships.

The funeral of Senna brought Sao Paulo to an absolute standstill. Many of the great of F1, past and present were at the service including Ron Dennis, Frank Williams, Emerson Fittipaldi, Alain Prost and Gerhard Berger. The service on Thursday, 5 May was held after three days of national state mourning. The Brazil football team would go on to win the World Cup final in the USA two months later and dedicated their win to Senna. Meanwhile, a quieter gathering visited Salzburg as Roland Ratzenberger was buried. His parents had only just returned from a holiday in Mexico to their native country on the day their son lost his life.

The FIA quickly dismissed speculation about the cause of Senna’s accident – a case that would eventually go to a messy trial that lasted years. Programmes such as the Channel 4 ‘Going Critical’ series of 2001 were totally inaccurate and didn’t bring the facts a documentary need. Max Mosley did add though that he was certain that a front wing failure was the cause of Ratzenberger’s fatal accident, something that is widely believed to be true.

Monaco misery

The fraternity gathered sombrely at Monaco with Williams and Simtek just fielding one car each. Then in the closing stages of Thursday morning free practice, Karl Wendlinger had a massive crash exiting the tunnel into the Nouvelle Chicane. Wendlinger was knocked unconscious on impact and taken to hospital where he was placed in a deep coma. Deeply distressed, Sauber and their other driver, Heinz-Harald Frentzen went home emotionally drained by recent events. Thankfully, Wendlinger would make a full recovery, although he was never the same as a racing competitor.

More accidents continued to blight the season. Lotus driver Pedro Lamy has a dreadful testing accident at Silverstone, breaking both of his legs when a failure on his car saw him ejected from the seat. Andrea Montermini broke his foot and cracked a heel when he lost control of another Simtek during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. In Germany, a kamikaze move from Mika Hakkinen to try and take the lead from row four eliminated himself and five other drivers, luckily without injury. Hakkinen was subsequently banned for the next race. In Estoril, Damon Hill narrowly escaped injury when his car flipped over Eddie Irvine’s spun Jordan during qualifying and at Suzuka; a marshal’s leg was badly broken when he was hit by Martin Brundle’s McLaren whilst attending to another car that had crashed at the same spot a lap earlier.

The FIA though were already in the process of pushing new regulations through to ensure a repeat of Imola was unlikely.

The GPDA and FIA act

Following the Imola tragedies, the drivers were rocked. Many questioned their desire on whether to compete again – even championship leader Schumacher wondered whether he should carry on. The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association was reformed on the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. Berger, Schumacher and Christian Fittipaldi would meet with Niki Lauda and the FIA on a regular basis to make immediate changes to circuits. There were some desperate measures in immediate weeks, with temporary tyre chicanes looking clumsy at best on the Barcelona circuit. There were changes to the tracks at Silverstone, Estoril in Portugal and Spa as the commitment Eau Rouge ride was tempered for 1994 by a temporary chicane.

The FIA also acted quickly. Mosley hosted a highly charged press conference in Monaco to push through new regulations which included changes to the airbox, the banning of pump fuel and more protection around the cockpit for the driver. Further improvements after 1994 have made the sport a much safer environment to compete in. Tethers have been added to each corner of the suspension to stop wheels flying off in accidents and striking the driver’s head. Helmets were made stronger and more robust which saved Felipe Massa’s life when a spring hit him at full speed during qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Crash structures were also brought into place, with all cars designed and built needing to pass demanding crash tests on the side, front and rear of the chassis. Failure to pass these requirements would mean expulsion from the racing circuit. The HANS (Head & Neck Safety) device was made compulsory from 2003 onwards after vigorous testing in America, protecting the driver’s neck in a shunt. Other changes in recent years have included the banning of pointed noses on the front wing, and higher cockpit protection for the driver.

Close calls

Senna’s friend and long-time F1 medic Professor Sid Watkins was put in charge as the Head of Safety, a role he held until his death from a short illness in September 2012. The work that Sid, the FIA and the GPDA did in the weeks and months after Imola has to be credited. It managed to put motorsport back into a safer environment.

Since 1994, there has not been a single fatality at a Formula One Grand Prix meeting involving drivers. That doesn’t mean to say that there haven’t been close calls. They include Robert Kubica’s aeroplane shunt at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, the terrifying pile-up at the start of the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix and Mark Webber’s acrobatic flip over Heikki Kovalainen during the 2010 European Grand Prix at Valencia.

Three marshals have sadly been killed since 1994. Italian fire marshal Paolo Ghislimberti was struck by a loose wheel from Frentzen’s Jordan after a five-car crash at the second chicane on the first lap at Monza in 2000. Less than six months later, 52-year-old marshal Graham Beveridge was killed, also hit by an errant wheel from Jacques Villeneuve’s BAR Honda when he crashed in the 2001 season opener in Australia and more recently, Mark Robinson died when he was run over by a recovery vehicle whilst clearing up Esteban Gutierrez’s damaged Sauber after the 2013 Canadian Grand Prix.

Senna’s foundation

In the weeks leading up to his death, Ayrton Senna had been working on creating a foundation to help children in Brazil. In a time of desperate poverty, the aim was to give youngsters in the country a chance with decent health and a good education. Senna cared deeply for those in Brazil. He was their ray of light and he wanted to help out when possible. Three months before his passing, he launched the Senninha cartoon character.

His sister Viviane has carried on the work since his death and it has really made a difference. It started in late 1994 and by the end of 2008; 10 million children and young people in Brazil had received assistance from the programme which has produced educational programmes and the launching of The Connect Yourself Program and The Gran Prix of Journalism. The work that Viviane has put in to achieve the results has been outstanding and her brother would be extremely proud of what she has done to make Brazil a better country.

Closing chapter

This article brings an end to my week long stretch of pieces on Viewing Perspectives. IMOLA AT 20 has been very informative to me and while tough to write, I have found this to be an intriguing project to write and share with my readership circle.

It is great to see the strong safety record since Imola. Sadly, it had to take a tragic weekend and the death of a champion and a rookie to knock the sport out of its complacency it had slipped into. Ayrton Senna was charismatic, ruthless and passionate. Some of his driving actions have been called into question and rightly so. However, he was still a brilliant champion and one of the ultimate best. Roland Ratzenberger was hard-working, determined and a charming presence on the motorsport circuit wherever he was. He had managed to achieve his goal. It was such a shame it was cruelly taken away from him shortly after he had got onto the grid.

Tributes paid to where Ayrton Senna died earlier this week on the 20th anniversary

The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix will always go down as one of the blackest weekends in the history of sport. Lessons have been learnt from what happened and motorsport is now in a much safer place than it ever has been before. I do hope that what was witnessed at Imola 20 years ago will never be seen in the future.

Categories: 1994, Adriane Galisteu, Ayrton Senna, Brazil, FIA, GPDA, Imola, Lessons, Professor Sid Watkins, Roland Ratzenberger, Safety

Imola at 20: Ayrton's Awesome Top 5

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Sunday, 1 May 1994 – what were you doing at around 1.17pm on that beautiful summer’s afternoon? That was the exact moment of time when three-time Brazilian world champion Ayrton Senna crashed head-on into a concrete wall at the Tamburello bend on the seventh lap of the San Marino Grand Prix. He had been leading the race and was building up speed not much below 200mph.

Senna died in hospital, although many believe he was killed on impact when suspension debris pierced his helmet, causing his fatal injuries. He was just 34 years old.

20 years on and whilst Williams have found replacement drivers since to fill the void left by the great Brazilian, Formula One hasn’t. To mark this anniversary; IMOLA AT 20 looks back at the top five races I believe Ayrton Senna had in his 161-race career.

There are my own personal choices, so I apologise if your preferred selection didn’t make the cut. It was very hard to omit races such as Jerez 1986, USA 1990, Monaco 1992 and his final win at the Australian Grand Prix in 1993. However, this is AYRTON’S AWESOME TOP FIVE.

5. 1988 Japanese Grand Prix

The setting for many of Senna’s most dramatic moments at the wheel of a racing car was to be at Suzuka in Japan. His bitter rivalry with the Frenchman Alain Prost led to contentious collisions in the following two years. Before these though came a titanic scrap for the 1988 championship as McLaren teammates. Their car was by far and away the best – winning 15 of the season’s 16 races. Due to countback and an unpopular dropped scores rule in those days in which only the best 11 races counted to the final championship positions, victory in Japan would seal Senna’s first title.

He started from pole position but stalled on the line and only Suzuka’s sloping downhill gradient kept him going. By the time he had full speed though, he was down to 14^th and Prost stormed into the lead with an enormous advantage.

Senna though was a man possessed and cut through the field very rapidly. He was back to eighth by the end of lap two and by lap six, had forced his way past Michele Alboreto’s Ferrari into fourth spot. Just Prost, Ivan Capelli’s Leyton House and Gerhard Berger were infront.

Senna caught and passed Berger, Capelli’s car broke down and then Prost was hampered by his turbo boost causing concern, plus a small sprinkling of rain – something the Professor never enjoyed. Midway through the race, Senna closed his teammate down and edged past entering the first corner to lead. He then pulled away enough distance to secure his seventh win of his debut season with McLaren and with it, his maiden world championship title (pictured below).

Thierry Boutsen soaks Ayrton Senna after he clinches his first title

It was some way to clinch the title for the first time and few could begrudge Senna his moment.

4. 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix

Senna’s first victory arrived in the driving rain in Portugal, 1985. After a strong debut year in which he learned a lot about the sport, Ayrton took his driving talents to Lotus. Lotus was the perfect team for him at the time. It was a team that could build around the Brazilian, and one where he could showcase his driving skills in a car that could occasionally win races but wasn’t a championship beater.

He claimed pole position in Estoril in what was only his second race with the British squad and pulled away serenely whilst his rivals were caught out by the wet conditions, notably Prost who spun into the wall on the start-finish straight whilst running third. Senna lapped everyone apart from Alboreto’s Ferrari and he was a minute behind in arrears. It was a copybook performance and continued his reputation as the ultimate F1 rainmaster in the 1980s.

3. 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix

This is one of my favourite drives from Senna. The Brazilian Grand Prix was a race he was desperate to win but by 1991, this had eluded him through a combination of unreliability and clumsy driving errors (running into backmarker Satoru Nakajima whilst leading in 1990 as an example).

Starting from his customary pole position, Senna led from lap one but was hunted down all day by the much-improved Williams Renault package of Nigel Mansell. However, when the Williams weak spot of its misbehaving gearbox span Mansell out of the race at three-quarters race distance, all was set for a comfortable run to the chequered flag for the local hero.

Not so though, as his gearbox also began to develop a mind of its own. Then, Sao Paulo was hit by a typical cloudburst. Stuck in one gear, his lead was being slashed into by Riccardo Patrese in the second Williams. Senna was frantically waving his hand for the race to be stopped in the closing laps but he completed the required distance of 71 laps, and held off Patrese by just over three seconds. Another one or two laps and it would have been another tale of home heartbreak.

In the pits, Ron Dennis was ecstatic and in the car, Senna was overcome with emotion. The effort of finishing the race meaning he needed medical assistance to extricate himself from his chassis. He was physically shattered and mentally exhausted but also emotionally delighted. This was a memorable and popular victory for the whole of the country.

2. 1984 Monaco Grand Prix

Despite testing for the likes of McLaren, Williams and Brabham during and after his British Formula 3 championship success in 1983, Senna opted to drive for the unheralded Toleman team for his first break into Formula One. In the dry, the car had no hope of winning and he even failed to qualify once, but it was a totally different story in the wet.

Having got the maximum out of the equipment he had available to him to start 12^th on the grid around the streets of Monte Carlo, Senna moved forward to eighth in the early laps on Sunday, as the track surface turned into a skating rink in the principality. With devilish overtaking and sheer speed, Senna moved past Keke Rosberg, Rene Arnoux and then drove clean around Niki Lauda approaching the first corner to claim second place.

He then relentlessly closed down race leader Prost before politics got in the way. Jacky Ickx, a former Grand Prix driver himself, brought the red flag out to stop the race before half-distance after Prost had wanted the event to be stopped. Senna just failed to catch the Frenchman for what would have been a sensational victory.

It was a terrific performance and the start of something special on his journey. It cost Prost too though. With only half points awarded for this race, he lost the 1984 world championship crown to teammate Lauda by just…half a point!

1. 1993 European Grand Prix

Number one for me without a doubt is Ayrton’s performance in the 1993 European Grand Prix. With McLaren having lost their works Honda contract at the end of the previous season after the Japanese manufacturer pulled out of the sport, Ron Dennis’ team had to soldier on with a customer Ford V8 engine.

Senna had only agreed to drive on a race-by-race deal days before the season opener in Kyalami but arguably put in some of the greatest drives of his career. He won his home race for a second time, claimed top spot in Monaco for the sixth time in seven years and ended the year with superb back-to-back triumphs in Japan and Australia. However, it was this performance at a damp and murky Donington Park in Leicestershire during Easter weekend that clearly stands out.

It was the third round of the championship and Senna qualified fourth in the dry, but a considerable distance in time behind the dominant Williams cars of the returning Prost and rookie Damon Hill. On raceday, the weather turned in his favour. What happened next is quite probably the greatest lap ever seen on the racetrack.

A slow start dropped Senna to fifth, but he fought his way back from being squeezed out into turn one to outdrag Michael Schumacher exiting Redgate. Next, Senna powered around the outside of the Sauber Ilmor of Karl Wendlinger to claim third in the Craner Curves. Within two corners, he was right on the back of Hill and found a gap on the inside of McInnes to snatch second spot with just Prost infront.

Alain’s one second advantage was obliterated in one right-hander and a tight chicane. Going into the Esses, Ayrton outbraked his chief adversary and claimed the lead in breathtaking fashion. He went on to set fastest lap in the pits and won by over a minute with only Hill finishing on the same lap. It was simply stunning and ranks as the top race of Ayrton’s Awesome Top 5.

Ayrton Senna da Silva didn’t endear himself to everyone but he has left a legacy that can never be damaged. Legend is an overused word in sport, but that is what Ayrton Senna was. He was the greatest of his generation – possibly the greatest ever to have raced in Formula One. 20 years on from that dark day at Imola, his is a life that was lived to the absolute maximum.

Categories: 1984, 1993, Ayrton Senna, Brazil, Donington, Formula One, Japan, Overtaking, Portugal, Rain

Imola at 20: Simtek's painful story

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Sometimes in life, we can forget about people so quickly – harshly in most circumstances. That shouldn’t happen to individuals who give their life to a certain dedication. Roland Ratzenberger fits into this category. Although only a newcomer into the sport, the charming Austrian had already become a popular soul in the paddock before he became the first driver to die at the wheel of a racing car in 12 years during qualifying for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Ratzenberger was driving for one of the two new teams in the sport, Simtek Grand Prix. Set-up by former FIA president Max Mosley and the hard-working Nick Wirth, Simtek were the natural underdogs of the pitlane who seeked a dream and ultimately went bust for the challenge.

In the fifth edition of the Imola at 20 series and exactly 20 years to the day since Ratzenberger perished at the circuit, I pay tribute to one of the most hard-working teams who never got much more than pain and punishment.

Early founding

Created by Mosley and Wirth, Simtek Research was founded in 1989 and began their journey as a consultancy firm in the world of engineering. Its aim was to be a third party in helping out construct racing chassis and constructions of wind tunnels for competitors to the highest possible standards.

With a facility in Banbury, Simtek built up their contracts in Formula One, Formula 3000 and IndyCars and their engineers ran the BMW 3-series cars that entered the German Touring Car Championship in 1991. Two years later, Wirth’s Grand Prix dream almost came true when Simtek won the contract to design the car for the Bravo Grand Prix team. Unfortunately, the sudden death of Frenchman and project backer of the Bravo team, Jean Francois Mosnier, saw these plans end up in the scrapheap.

With Mosley having sold his stake in Simtek Research to Wirth after becoming FIA president, Nick realised that if he was to achieve his racing dream, he’d have to do it himself rather than through a third party route. So in the summer of 1993, he took the decision to enter Formula One with his own team for 1994. They would be a newcomer on the grid along with Pacific Grand Prix.

There were realistic hopes but good backing for Wirth. The major television cable channel MTV came on board as title sponsors and three-time world champion Sir Jack Brabham became a shareholder, meaning his son David Brabham would drive one of the cars.

However they still needed funding for the second seat. Step forward Roland Ratzenberger.

Roland gets his chance

Having narrowly missed out on a Jordan drive during 1991, Roland Ratzenberger’s own Grand Prix dreams didn’t look like they were going to happen. He’d spent the majority of his junior career racing in formulae in Britain and then in Japan, racing single seaters, touring cars and sportscars. He had joined the Toyota squad to compete at Le Mans, finishing fifth in the 1993 24 Hours event and already having secured a drive for the 94 edition.

However when negotiations broke down with a number of drivers, including Gil de Ferran and the experienced but shunt friendly Andrea de Cesaris, Ratzenberger swooped in to do the deal and take the second seat.

He had impressed the engineers with his technical feedback and dedication to the cause at a winter test, ironically at Imola. He signed a contract for five races to see how things would go for both parties. For most drivers, winning is what drives them on but for Roland Ratzenberger, just being on the grid was a victory in itself.

The odds were against Simtek. Only 35 people were employed in the racing team, only 10 per cent of the staff employed by legendary Italian constructor Ferrari. Also, Wirth had designed an active suspension car for 1994 which of course would have fallen foul of the new regulations put in place at the start of the year. With a heavy chassis, which included a manual gearbox and a less than powerful V8 Ford engine, although reliable – there weren’t any expectations for them to reach the midfield.

Beating Pacific was an achievable goal and they did this in the first two races. Some technical problems and over-exuberance from Ratzenberger meant the veteran Belgian Bertrand Gachot from Pacific got onto the grid instead for the season opener in Brazil. Brabham kept out of trouble though and finished 12^th, although that was the last of the 26 finishers. Three weeks later, both Brabham and Ratzenberger made the grid at the TI Aida circuit, taking the final two spots on the grid. Brabham retired early on but Roland, with previous track knowledge from his Japan days, ended a fighting and proud 11^th.

Despite teething problems, the Simtek project had made a good start but then came Imola.

Tragedy

Both Brabham and Ratzenberger were excited and competitive but enjoyed each other’s company. Roland’s contacts from his days in Asia meant he was close to a number of the drivers in the paddock, including Eddie Irvine, JJ Lehto and Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

At Imola, the car looked better in terms of handling stability. With the hopeless Paul Belmondo no threat to anyone but himself in the second Pacific and Rubens Barrichello out of the weekend’s activities following his Friday crash, Simtek were on course for a second successive race with both cars on the grid.

On Saturday, Ratzenberger set a high target, to beat both Gachot and his more experienced teammate Brabham. Whilst the first goal was realistic, the second was possibly too ambitious. Nevertheless, he was full of confidence going into the second qualifying session. On his first out lap, he had an excursion at the Aqua Minerali chicane, which damaged the front assembly of the car. Rather than come back to the pits for checks, the Austrian (pictured below) pushed on to start his first flying lap of the afternoon.

Roland Ratzenberger on his final lap before tragedy strikes

Through Tamburello and the front wing weakened, then failed and already exiting the corner, having built up speed close to 200mph, he had no chance. The impact with the wall at the Villeneuve kink is beyond description and there wasn’t much left of the car when it eventually rolled to a halt at the Tosa hairpin.

Despite the best efforts of the doctors, both at the track and at the Bologna hospital, fatal neck injuries led to Ratzenberger’s death.

The team was inconsolable, as were the rest of the paddock. Bernie Ecclestone urged Simtek to race on to help with the shock. Whilst Bernie’s enthusiasm for the show to carry on was not called for in the circumstances, the team leader shone through.

On race morning, Brabham said: “I lost a close friend yesterday. Though teammates for a mere few weeks, we had already a lot of fun together and had every reason to look forward to a great year with the Simtek team. I am confident that the greatest tribute we can pay to Roland is to race today, hence my decision.”

Bravely, David continued and won many admirers for his spirit, not just at Imola but throughout the rest of the season. Suspension failure put him out of the San Marino event but he would not quit. It was his passion that also kept a devastated Wirth going.

When Ayrton Senna died, the attention switched away, understandably so but the majority seemed to totally forget what had happened to Roland Ratzenberger. On Friday, 6 May 1994 – Ratzenberger was buried in the town of his birthplace, Salzburg in Austria. Compatriots Gerhard Berger and Karl Wendlinger attended, along with his closest pal in the paddock, Frentzen. Mosley went too, adding: “Roland had been forgotten. So I went to his funeral because everyone went to Senna’s. I thought it was important that somebody went to his.”

With Brabham’s courageous attitude, Simtek decided to carry on – adding a ‘For Roland’ sign on the airboxes of the cars. It wouldn’t get any easier.

More agony

The shattered Simtek mechanics then had another write-off when Andrea Montermini, who was signed up to take the seat vacated by the dearly departed Ratzenberger, lost control and crashed heavily during Saturday morning practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. Wirth’s dreams were turning into the stuff of nightmares.

Frenchman Jean-Marc Gounon took over the car from the French Grand Prix afterwards and achieved the team’s best ever result on his debut, with ninth place. Brabham finished 10^th in Barcelona. 11^th in Hungary and 12^th in Japan and he started to occasionally outqualify the Lotus and Larrousse cars as the season progressed. When he started a fantastic 21^st in Belgium, Brabham rubbed salt into Erik Comas’ wounds. After Comas had joked that he would retire if ever outqualified by a Simtek a fortnight earlier in Hungary, Brabham did just that at Spa and went on to quip; “I want to wish Erik a happy retirement!” Simtek finished damaged but survived a turbulent 1994 season. They were the best of the debutants and hoped 1995 would be better. It wouldn’t.

MTV decreased their sponsorship levels for 1995 and although Brabham’s heart was with the Simtek project, a huge financial offer from BMW to go and race in the British Touring Car Championship was impossible to ignore. Wirth replaced him with the talented Dutchman Jos Verstappen, partnered by Italian Domenico Schiattarella. The S951 chassis was much better, with Jos qualifying a sensational 14^th in Argentina, and ran as high as sixth before gearbox problems intervened. Schiattarella finished ninth in Buenos Aires but the team’s financial plight was getting worse. £6m in debt and failure to get more financial backing left Wirth in a miserable position. Monaco 1995 was the team’s last race and they filed for liquidation shortly afterwards, taking 48 jobs with it. The assets were auctioned off and Wirth’s dream was over.

He moved to Benetton as an engineer, then chief designer but left the company in 1999 and after an unsuccessful return with Virgin Racing in 2010 and 2011; Wirth has given up on the sport he so wanted to succeed at.

If the funds had been there, Simtek had a decent chance of creating some success. Sadly though, the word pain dominates Nick Wirth’s dream. For Roland Ratzenberger, at least he achieved his ambition, even if it was far too short-lived.

Categories: 1994, Austria, BMW, David Brabham, Imola, Max Mosley, Nick Wirth, Roland Ratzenberger, Simtek