Basingstoke-based vicar Simon Butler made a competitive debut in the 2022 Michelin Le Mans Cup at the Autodromo Monza in Italy over the weekend of July 2-3.

Without the benefit of much testing beforehand, the ‘Racing Rev’ was keeping his hopes in check prior to the event.

Rev Butler said: “I had only had an hour of running in the car and I had never driven at Monza before and so I was keeping expectations in check and I was hoping to use the weekend as an extended test session to get comfortable in the car.”

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But despite the limitations, Rev Butler quickly got to grips with both the car and the circuit and made consistent progress over the first two days of running.

Qualifying was a frantic affair with only 15 minutes allowed to set a series of fast laps. At the end of the session the number 53 RLR M-Sport entered car was in P29 on the grid.

“P29 is I think about the best we could have hoped for in my debut race,” said Rev Simon.

“Having only raced historic cars for the last 15 years it takes time to adjust to high downforce modern racing cars and at a circuit like Monza you need to be really confident in the car.”

As the two-hour race began on Saturday the number 53 car began to slowly work its way up the grid in the hands of Simon’s professional teammate Valentino Catalano.

At the halfway mark the young German driver had brought the car up to fifth position overall before handing over to Simon to complete the last hour of running.

In baking hot conditions, with an air temperature of 37degrees, the car was re-fuelled and had new tyres fitted before Simon took over driving.

As the Racing Rev left the pitlane he joined a track full of professional drivers with the target of holding on to as high a position as possible.

Simon quickly got onto the pace and held fifth for several laps before the vastly more experienced pro-drivers began to fight past.

With just four minutes of the race left, the number 53 car was in an impressive 16th place. Unfortunately the Rev was just a little too racey and carried too much speed into the Ascari Chicane and the Ligier LMP320 swapped ends on old tyres and the Revs race ended in the gravel.

His enthusiasm undimmed by the excursion the Racing Rev said: “It was a baptism of fire in the race today being the only amateur driver on track with the Pros. But it was a great learning experience.

“I’m feeling more and more comfortable in the car and beginning to understand how it responds. To be running in the top 10 in my debut race is brilliant and a P16 finish would have been a great result.

“I’d been trying to carry more speed into Ascari all weekend and with 3 laps to go I knew I had to keep pushing my limits. Unfortunately I pushed a little too hard on worn tyres and went off. But all in all it’s been a great weekend and a strong debut performance I think.”

Known as the ‘Temple of Speed’, the Monza circuit is the beating heart of Italian motorsport and has been a place of pilgrimage for race fans since it opened in 1922.

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Steeped in history and with parts of the original track still visible the circuit is one of the fastest in Europe and poses a unique challenge to drivers.

The Racing Rev will hit the track again towards the end of September at Round 4 of the Michelin Le Mans Cup at the legendary Spa Francorchamps ciruit in Belgium.

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