Working the Wheel: Rain in Brazil.

Although not to the extent of 2003, the Brazilian Grand Prix last weekend was again affected by the weather.

One man who is well aware of the challenges Interlagos holds in the wet is Martin Brundle, the ex Formula One star who now guides British fans through the season in his role as commentator for ITV.

In another exclusive extract from his book Working the wheel, Brundle discovers the joys of competing in the wet in Brazil...

"Drainage is a particular problem at Interlagos. I recall a strange incident just before the start of the race in 1996. This was a particularly difficult period for me because I had just survived the massive accident in Melbourne two weeks before and then my dad died. I had qualified sixth at Interlagos but even that seemed to be of little use when the rain really came down on race morning. As it happened, I was the first to leave the pit lane when it opened to allow cars onto the grid. I reached the end of the pits and the standing water was so deep that the Jordan, even at 5mph, created a bow wave that then came off the front wing, filled the cockpit and drenched me.

"I crept round the lap and, even though I had wet tyres on, I couldn't prevent the car from aquaplaning. I returned to the pits, got out of the car and told everyone that there was no way they could start the race. It never occurred to me or anyone else in the team that the clock was still running. Drivers have fifteen minutes to leave the pits and make their way to the grid. Fail to do that, and you start the race from the pit lane.

"It had stopped raining and, all of a sudden, we realised the pit lane was about to close. There was immediate panic because I had convinced everyone, including my team-mate Rubens Barrichello, that the race was not going to run on time. We got out with seconds to spare.

"The track was drying by then although there was a huge black cloud on the horizon. I was on wet-weather tyres, but some instinct told me I should change them. The guys in the pits wanted me to stay out. In their view, this was the clever thing to do because that big black cloud would be here any minute. The rain never came. I was lapped. Then I spun into turn one, which was pathetic driving. I was angry about the tyre choice because I had been running really well all weekend.

"Experience says that you have to be on the right tyres. A pit stop and changing to the right tyres is better than several laps on the wrong tyres. There is no point in staying out in a vain attempt to make the wrong decision come right. The track that day was too dry for wets. It was a bad couple of weeks."

Extract taken from Working the Wheel by Martin Brundle, courtesy of Ebury Press (copyright: Martin Brundle and Maurice Hamilton 2004).

If you want to meet Martin Brundle, then now is your chance, as he continues his tour to promote his new book. Brundle will be visiting numerous locations in the coming weeks, full details of which are provided below.

Martin Brundle book signing schedule:

Saturday 30 October
1pm - 2pmSheffield ASDA, Handsworth Road, Handsworth, Sheffield, S13 9BN

Tuesday 2 November
1pm - 2pmLondon Alex Reade Motorsport, off Carnaby Street

Wednesday 3 November
12 - 1pmCoventry Waterstones
6pm - 7pmBirmingham WH Smith, Fort Shopping Centre

Thursday 4 November
12.30-1.30pmNottingham WH Smith
5.30- 6.30pm Leicester, Fosse Park WH Smith

Tuesday 9 November
7pm - 8pmMilton Keynes Ottakars

Wednesday 10 November
1pm - 2pmManchester St Anne's Waterstones
6pm - 7pmEllesmere Port Borders

Thursday 18 November
1pm - 2pmNorthampton Waterstones,
5pm - 6pmPeterborough Waterstones,

Friday 19 November
4pm - 7pmKing's Lynn Brundle Volkswagen,

Working the Wheel is available in all good book stores now, priced ?18.99 and also right here in the Crash.net online shop.