Mon 3 June: From one historic venue to another. The weekend was spent at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, with our client Pat Heuzenroeder – the 18-year-old Australian racing driver competing in the GB3 Championship. We start the week back in London at the Royal Automobile Club for a media event hosted by another of our clients, Asetek SimSports – the world-leading sim-racing hardware business. Founder and CEO Andre Eriksen, plus special guest Deagen Fairclough – the British F4 championship leader – conduct a round of media interviews followed by a delicious three-course lunch. With just over a month to go until the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, Deagen – who earned his British F4 seat by virtue of winning a sim-racing competition – then gives a Silverstone sim-racing masterclass before our media guests attempt to beat his time (spoiler: they didn’t!). We are joined in the RAC’s beautiful Committee Room by the trophy presented to the British Grand Prix winner. Deagen, 18, beamed as he posed for pictures with the gleaming gold cup and studied the names engraved on it, saying that it is his dream to one day add his own. Judging by his sim-racing skills, he has every chance.
Tue 4 June: Another day, another event with Asetek SimSports. This one is at London Concours – the automotive garden party at the Honourable Artillery Company. Asetek is running ‘The City Challenge’, a brand-new addition to the show’s 2024 line-up. The competition runs for the duration of the three-day event, and sees both individual drivers and teams attempt to set the fastest lap time at Silverstone using Asetek’s sim-racing equipment.
Diagonal MD Matt Bishop’s latest Motor Sport column
is published. This week, The Bish explains why Formula 1 driver turned pundit, Martin Brundle, would have made a great F1 team principal.
Wed 5 June: Pat Heuzenroeder is in our London offices today. Morning interviews with the Australian motorsport press are followed by photos and filming around some of the city’s iconic landmarks. One journalist asks Pat about the sacrifices he has made having moved 10,000 miles to the UK two years ago when aged 16. In typically mature and articulate fashion, Pat insists it has been his family’s collective sacrifice, revealing that he, his parents, his brother, and his sister, have not been together in the same room for several
years. However, Pat’s mum and dad will both be with him at the Hungaroring in Budapest, Hungary, for the next GB3 Championship round (22-23 June). Before that, Pat will attend this weekend’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix as a guest of the Aston Martin F1 team and the following weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not a bad few weeks!
After a quick Australian Rules Football lesson from Sydney Swans fan Pat, the Diagonal team has a meeting with a new client with whom we are planning a special launch event next month…
Thu 6 June: The Asetek SimSports team rounds off its trip to London with a visit to the Diagonal offices to talk us through plans and product launches for the rest of this year and beyond. Suffice is it to say, they have lots of mega things upcoming and we are excited to tell you about them soon.
Fri 7 June: The Diagonal team is on the road to Thruxton, Hampshire, with our client The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for the fourth race weekend of the year. The 2024 BTCC season is already shaping up to be a classic – six race-winners and a total of 11 drivers – more than half the field – have already reached the podium at the nine races to-date. Ash Sutton is yet to win this season, but the reigning champion leads the overall Drivers’ standings by virtue of his seven podiums so far. Thruxton is the fastest circuit in the country
and one that Josh Cook loves. Ten of the 32-year-old’s 18 BTCC victories have come at the 2.4-mile speed bowl, so keep your eye on him when the races start at 11:45, 14:35, and 17:20 on Sunday. As ever, you can watch all the action live and free across ITV’s platforms – including TikTok – and our team will be on-site all weekend to bring you closer to the action via the BTCC’s digital and social media channels.