So it was off to a rather dull Snetterton for the day for the official Renault Clio Cup test day around the new 300 layout at 2.97miles long.

The first session went well enough but I had severe problems with grip all round meaning I was sliding around the track everywhere but still put in a time good enough for 4th in the Classifications.

The second session saw my time come down further to a 2m10.8s but this was only good enough for 7th overall. After lunch the set-up was changed to my liking and the car felt brilliant. The right amount of tail-happiness and I finally mastered what I thought was a now awful corner called Corum. Now I’ve learned how to drive the corner I love it, something I’m sure many drivers won’t as it is rather gung-ho.

The final session of the day was a mixed bag. I went out on the same tyres as before with the intention of changing to new tyres half way through as I knew this would make the car mega. I picked up where I left off before dipping into the 2m09s but then the red flag came out. So we put the new tyres on anyways. When we went back out after a short delay the rear tyres had cooled a bit and obviously the new fronts were stone cold, and then it started to rain in places leaving some corners quite slippery. Never the less I got a bit ballsy plucked up the courage to drive through the damp and next thing I know I set the 2nd quickest time of the session by 3 thousandths of a second and the 3rd fastest overall time of the day of a 2m09.267s. I was well made up and so were many other people – I even made it on to BTCC Crazy! Check it out at http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/2011/05/19/james-colburn-tops-snetterton-300-test/.

Overall, a brilliant day, a great circuit and some really fast times. I am chuffed, hope you are too……. Now on to Oulton Park!