MarkCup's BMW i3S

Nope. Nor did it catch fire. Nor did it win.

However, if I stayed in my usual class (RWD over 2,000cc) I would have won that class I think. But I argued that I should be in the lesser class because my cc is technically nil. D***head.

Front tyres took a battering, and there's really not a lot of front end grip when you really ask. The tyres just roll over and protest, loudly.

What tyres are you running? eco’s still?

I swapped out to 195/55/20 all round which made a massive difference in tyre choice and also helped on the cost front.

crazystu21 said:

What tyres are you running? eco’s still?

I swapped out to 195/55/20 all round which made a massive difference in tyre choice and also helped on the cost front.

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Yeah still on the standard OEM Bridgestones. A week later and the fronts don't look quite so trashed now, but the rears on on the wear indicators...so I'm getting a consistent 11k miles from those.

June 2024 GRRC Autosolo

To set the scene...

Our play ground for the day


The day's base of operations


Which had the usual Goodwood accoutrements to take an interest in between runs

How was the i3? Capable, in the right hands very effective, but I could only manage 4th in class (RWD under 2000cc) and 7th overall out of 28 entrants.

If I'd stayed in my usual class (RWD over 2000cc) I'd have won it by over 10 seconds . As it was, I was beaten by 2x MX5s, and a misfiring Austin Healey Frogeye Sprint!

Day started with 73.5% battery


Number plates removed and ready to go


Some of the field

Winner last time out in his Cayman S, James brought his Exocet this time

The coffee was surprisingly good (and free!)

A breather between runs

No prizes for moi

9% battery consumed over 4.3 miles. I make that 1.1 miles per kWh, or instead of the usual 180 miles I get at this time of year, equivalent to a fully charged range of only 48 miles 😁

Lastly, I didn't do cameras et al, I just enjoyed the day. I got a little footage from my phone, and have dashcam footage of my runs.

So here's a quick 90 seconds showing an entertaining 3 series compact, a Spitfire taking off because Goodwood is always doing Goodwood things and it sounds f***ing awesome, the misfiring Frogeye that whupped my ass, and my best run of the day. I was 3rd quickest out of everyone on that course and it was my last run of the day, I'd dialed into it a bit by then, so there's more to be had from the i3 next time out.

Here I am, four months further on from the June Autosolo, and apart from a permanently lit passenger airbag warning light (as a result of taking the passenger seat out for that Autosolo...it'll get a service in the New Year so they can reset it), all is good in i3S land.

It almost wasn't though, Thursday on my way to work I got a low tyre pressure warning, meh I thought, it's because ambient temperatures have dropped. Nope. Back right tyre was 10 PSI light. F***. I had 8 miles to go if I was to drop it at the ATS that sits at the entrance to our industrial estate.

I nursed it along gently, seemed to be losing only very slowly so I carried on. 3 miles out and it rapidly dropped to 17 PSI. Another mile and it was showing 10 PSI. A mile later it dropped to 4 PSI and then almost immediately to 0 PSI. F*** again.

I was 200m from a petrol station, limped there at 10 MPH, pulled in for air from the automatic air thingy, then found out that unless there's back pressure from the tyre valve, it doesn't/won't activate the compressor and inflate. £1 wasted. Double F***.

It was only then that I saw this LOL



It had gone through the centre of the tread before spearing through the sidewall.

So the last mile was limped at 5-10 MPH, I pulled over multiple times to let cars past, and was just desperately trying to be so gentle with it so as not to roll the rim off the rubber and onto the road surface.

Great success! The rim was untouched.



Luckily they had one of these rare tyres at the DC, and the manager who knows me and the car (we constantly b**ch and moan about the landlords!) saw it before I even got there at 0900, ordered the tyre, and at 1030 called to say all done. £280

Which brings me to today, with some prep ahead of tomorrow's Autosolo.



We're running on the usual track layouts (from the pits/start line up to Madgwick and/or down to Woodcote) so I'm hoping for a better showing than last time. Target is 6th Overall or better!

TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY POUNDS FOR 1 TYRE!

Genuinely that car wash picture is making me itch.

Tez. said:

TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY POUNDS FOR 1 TYRE!

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Yep. Insane isn't it! Fortunately the company paid for it.

While I was chatting to the manager I asked him to look up the cost of the rubber for the i3's incoming replacement...

£380 a corner 🤣

The weather could not have been any better




And I have a rival 🤣

Um, yeah, right, so I may have just smacked a cone really f***ing hard 😅

That'll mostly polish out, and what won't will be well within the BVRLA fair wear and tear guidelines. Phew.

It's not been raced until it's been cone rashed!

Rare to see them do much damage tbf, unless they get stuck under your bumper and rip it off or something.

Forgot to update following Sunday...

Don't have official results yet but of course I didn't win...Chris in his MX5 scooped the prize again (under 2000cc RWD class...which is where they put me in the i3).

Had a great day though, I had some genuine pace at the end. I overheard a 718 Spyder driver saying to another that he proper wrung his car out on the last course, managed a 67 second time. Wow said the other driver, mate that's so quick.

In my i3 I was less than a second slower 😁