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The choices we make

The choices we make

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Way back in the 1990s my dad, brother, best mate Rob and I were regular attendees at Formula 1 races. My first race was in 1987, aged just 15. I’ve been to races with people who I hope are reading this blog (hello!) and had a lot of laughs, beer and barbequed sausages. I was there during the height of Mansell Mania, when Damon Hill won in the rain at Spa and for the first night race in Singapore, which I think was back in 2008.

Dad had contacts within the F1 teams, so we occasionally had access to the pit lane, giving us the chance to see and hear the cars up close. I also managed to get Mansell and Hill’s autographs. In more recent years, I’ve driven some of the circuits I was previously a spectator at which has been great fun.

I read mechanical engineering at university with a vague dream of working for the Williams Formula 1 team, or if not them then McLaren. But if I’m honest, I never really tried to follow that dream for many reasons, not least of which was not having the confidence that I was good enough to make it.

In recent weeks I feel a little like I’m living vicariously through the daughter of a client (you know who you are!) who works for a leading F1 team that has recently seen a major upswing in performance and results.  

F1 is a sport I used to love but it had lost some of the attraction. It’s lovely to be reengaging with it and getting a genuine sense of satisfaction out of someone I’ve never met holding a winner’s trophy and being on the telly!

If the last 18 months have taught us anything, it’s to spend time with those whose company we enjoy and (in my case) to take the time to sit and watch that F1 race and remember why I used to enjoy it so much.

Basically, my advice to you all is spend less time panic buying petrol (and preventing those who actually need it from accessing it) and spend more time having fun. Speaking from recent experience – it feels great!

Finally, you may have noticed markets have slipped back a fair amount in recent weeks. That’s not unexpected considering how quickly they rose – it always felt like they had gone up too far, too fast.

There are several factors at play that have caused the current nervousness:

  • Global inflation will lead to central banks increasing interest rates
  • Supply chains are shot to pieces
  • The pandemic is still working its way through the system
  • Throw in a massive Chinese property company defaulting on a loan repayment and you get the perfect storm.

Bumps and potholes are to be expected on the road out of the pandemic, in the same way they are on the M25! We’re not unduly worried and neither should you be.

Take care everyone.