Mission 4 – Hurry To The Hungaroring
Start Point: Radisson SAS, Bratislava
Finish Point: Hungaroring, Hungary (track day)
Mileage: 139
Our alarms somehow wake us. Ouch. Still tired. Hangover. Shower. Pack. No time
for breakfast. Father Bruce goes for beige slacks this morning!
We get down to reception / checkpoint area. Mandatory breath-testing is
performed on all drivers before they are issued they’re mission packs. Dave is
marginally over, and they won’t let him drive anywhere…I’ve partied all night
with Dave, and don’t fancy my chances of passing…
I blow as instructed, long and hard until I hear the click. We look at the
display in amazement at a reading of ‘0.00’. I can’t believe it, but I take the
mission pack. My suspicions are further aroused when I later manage to bump a
kerb while bringing the 530d M Sport out of the underground car park!!
Wow. Mission pack advises we’re off to a F1 track, the Hungaroring. The
weather’s stunning. This will be a great day.
We get cracking, just behind Craig and Phil in the Red Scooby, which is always
entertaining. Before long, we’re at the border. We draw some hilarious faces
from the border officials, and then pick up some Hungarian motorway tax.
Wiz and Albert are parked up in the Boxster, as are John and Shelli in the Jag.
The Silver Aston’s pulled in too. We decide to go in convoy where possible.
We set off. Wiz comes screaming past in front of us, performs a cheeky wave, and
then blasts off into the distance. 10 seconds later, he’s nowhere to be seen.
We spot Robert and Martin in the silver A8 ahead. Time for some fun. We’ve had a
police siren and blue lights fitted to the motor, and as we come tearing up
behind the guys, we flick the switch on both.
Their reaction is hilarious. Anchors are slammed on, and they pull into a slower
lane, bringing the speed right down. I stay on their bumper for a few seconds,
then we floor it, fly past, wave. Lights and sirens off again, we maintain a
great pace until Budapest.
Coming out of Budapest on the M3, we catch up with Wiz and Albert, who’ve been
lost in the Budapest centre traffic. We follow each other in all the way to the
track, where a wrong turn allows Wiz to demonstrate a perfect reverse 180
degree spin turn!
Moments later, we’re pulling onto the pit lane at the Hungaroring. It’s 35
degrees. Awesome. We talk to the organisers about sourcing some brakes…the
shudder is really rough now. A guy at the track says he can find some.
The next few hours flies – a definite highlight of the week. We get our sponsor
stickers on, and Dave takes a few laps that have many in supposedly meatier
motors showering him in praise.
He also manages to keep the transport on the tarmac, which is something Jaime
and Tormo regrettably failed to do, sticking their Ferrari 360 into the wall
coming onto the home straight, writing it off in the process!:
http://www.cannonballruneurope.co.uk/uk/images/ferrari.jpg
I take the video camera out in Craig Preston’s Porsche Carrera, Wiz’ Boxster,
The Noble M12 and Peter’s Black Monaro, grabbing some awesome footage along the
way.
Track day over it’s back to Budapest, where we’re staying in the impressive
InterContinental. Dinner is served in the hotel tonight. We’ve decided we’re
going out in convoy tomorrow, with the Fastnet Porker and Jamie D’s 530d. We
head out to a top Budapest nightspot, where I reprise the role of the Dancing
Priest in Father Ted!
Towards the end of the night, it’s a real winner with the ladies – at one stage
I’m literally surrounded by my own mini-entourage! I’m having so much fun here,
I decline the opportunity to get on the bus back to the hotel with everyone
else, but half an hour later, I realise just how tired I am, run out and grab a
cab, and get back to the hotel.
A street girl offers me a good time right outside the hotel. Incredulous, I
point to the priest kit and ask ‘Are you sure??’ She insists it’s not a
stumbling block!! Laughing my self silly, I enter reception just in time to see
Craig from All the Sins go crashing to the ground, bringing an ornate lamp
stand with him! Time for bed, methinks.