A few interesting anecdotes from the event; Corrections welcomed as all from memory
Patrick Head used to have an exhaust manifold with the internal gas flows perfectly demonstrated through the molten aluminium the piston had deposited on the way out.. He said it got thrown out, unfortunately, because it sounds beautiful.
Turbo boost pressures of 5.6bar were quoted, from the grenade engines with blanked wastegates. 81 psi
Horsepower was dynod at 1,000bhp, the capacity of the dyno, at 9,500 rpm in an engine that redlined at 13,500. Derek Warwick and Patrick Head both said this to be about 1400 flat out.
Tunnel exit speeds in Monaco, with the old faster chicane, hit 192 (or was it 196?) mph.
John Watson told the story of how Porsche had fitted a TAG engine to a 956 as part of their learning curve. As soon as Ron found out he started/threatened legal proceedings, as this was his engine not Porsches. Different worlds!
I wouldn't pre-book any London GP tickets if I were you.
Like most drivers (although McNish takes it to extremes) Pastor is smaller than you expect. I didn't get a chance to weigh him, but I hefted a Ray's wheel in the shop.
The first Honda engine to arrive at Williams consisted of a block and head on a pallet, a selection of various length inlets in a cardboard box and not much else. Williams composed a great long list of technical questions relating to engine thermal characteristics, exhaust dimensions, everything you'd consider vital to this sort of thing. The faxed reply - "Please use your best thinking", or something equally succinct.
Subjectively, I found the whole thing very rewarding (not just the chance to get a load of photos of recent cars either). Unlike a majority of the audience I simply sat there and listened to what was being said, letting others take a bajillion photos and tweet hurriedly. Ross, Martin and Bob obviously appreciated the show of support evident from the turnout, considered the questions fairly and were relaxed and open, although obviously guarded when discussing things like driver contracts.
Sir Frank opened the evening, which was of course brilliant for someone like me who grew up watching their dominant streak*. He spoke very highly of Pastor's speed, and I'm not one to challenge his authority in the area. He also said his English isnt perfect, so he "sometimes says the right thing at the wrong time, or the wrong thing at the right time depending on how you look at it".
*It sounds silly but as I drove the open, flat road towards the HQ I got a little smile imagining Ayrton spanking along this very road in his NSX. I admit I may have been in a lower gear than the road strictly called for
