jonolester

Dom and I were today destined for Spa-Francorchamps for the epic 24 Hour endurance race. While our plans have slightly changed and we're instead heading off in the early hours of Saturday morning (for a lunchtime arrival, with the race starting at 04:00pm), the excitement to see the famous circuit in the flesh hasn't. I've also been told by many, many people of the need to sample to iconic Belgian waffles and local beer while I'm there. I've had a solid week of fitness training, so why not! I hope to catch up with Stephane Ortelli - who is competing in a Porsche RSR at the race - who I haven't seen since 1996 when we lived together in the UK for a few months. My sister Chelsea and I (despite being 3 and 6 respectively) ... read more

Three weeks ago I left New Zealand on a tour of Europe to pursue the next step in my motor racing career. It's gone by in a flash, and now I'm just a week from boarding the big silver bird to make the return journey, but there's still a whole lot to look forward to in the coming week! Dom and I have spent the last three days at Donington where he had his debut in British Formula 3 - an extremely tough championship - and with his family all eagerly awaiting updated back in NZ, I took a new role for the weekend - photographer. Armed with the wicked Sony camera Dean Cockerton lent me for my trip, I explored every possible angle of the Donington National Circuit and snapped away as Dom tested, qualified ... read more

At this time of year, Europe enjoys its Summer months. But the Hungaroring preferred to keep thing Arctic for my brief but exciting visit. I departed Faistenau and the rest of Austria at 04:00am on Thursday morning in a minivan with the team, for the 800kmjourney to the historic Nurburgring for the ninth round of the Formula 1, and of course the latest Porsche Supercup event with Lechner Racing. I knew there would be little else in Europe to rival Fuschl and Austria in general for its beautiful landscape and fresh water lakes, but the constant rain was something I was keen to see the back of. What I wasn’t expecting was Antarctic temperatures in Germany, to accompany yet more patchy rain! Even so, the Nurburgring was amazing. While I wasn’t able to drive the historic ... read more

As I write this I’m feasting on a few snacks I picked up at a small supermarket in Fuschl am See (yep, I’m back in Austria now). As I saddled up on the Lechner Racing Aprilia scooter to take the 4km journey through the windy forest roads to Fuschl from my motel, The Steinbrau, I was quietly excited to sample some of the foods on offer here. Then I realised as I walked in the door of the superette, that I hadn’t a clue what anything was, what was in it, or what it would taste like. It was the same at dinner last night. The entire restaurant menu was in German, and the only English word the waitress could say was ‘cheeseburger’, so that was my only real choice! Good burger though. It’s all part ... read more

Thirty five hours of travel and three plane rides later, I’ve made it into Europe. It wasn't without its moments - while the Thair airways flight to Bangkok was bloody good in all aspects, the twelve hours I spent on Lufthansa en route to Frankfurt was like pulling teeth in all facets of the word. Even so, now that I've seen my destination, I realise it's well worth the effort. I was picked up from the airport early this morning by Walter Lechner who was kind enough to spend the morning showing me the sights of the local region and the many comparisons it had to the landscape back home in NZ. I've have settled in to a quaint little room at a local B&B, near the village of Fuschl am See in the mountains of ... read more