(Club Members at March 10th Open Day. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

Imagine the scene in the headquarters of any one of the top line F1 teams a month or so before they unveil their latest challenger for the F1 crown. Let's say it's Williams, but it could be anybody.

At 10:00am Frank Williams welcomes 450 avid enthusiasts and explains how he got involved in racing and what his racing philosophy is all about. Adrian Newey and Patrick Head spend a couple of hours taking the audience through their latest design and share with them the research methods used, all the time illustrating their presentations with films and videos as well as computer graphics. They are not alone, since most other key members of the team are present to provide support, while the whole thing culminates in Damon Hill talking openly and honestly about how he views the coming season and his head to head with Michael Schumacher. Throughout the day, smaller groups break out and are taken around the Williams facility to see the cars actually being built and get first hand accounts from those doing the building. The last excited visitors leave at 6:30 in the early evening.

(Ron Ayers at March 10th Open Day. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

Fantasy? Well, as far as F1 is concerned, right now the answer is yes, but for how much longer given that that is exactly what the ThrustSSC Team do for their super-keen supporters.

Sunday March 10th was just the latest in a series of Open Days at the teams facility at Fontwell, near Bognor Regis - and yes, they did welcome 450 people and do all the things outlined in the imaginary situation described above. The tradition started early last year when the announcement of the selection of Andy Green to drive ThrustSSC was turned into a similar event at Brooklands, scene of three early LSRs. Press, sponsors, TV, Team members and Mach 1 Club members combined to create a unique atmosphere. Since then, quarterly Open Days have continued this tradition and well over 1,500 fans have had a chance to see things at first hand.

The great thing about occasions such as these are that you get to see the people who are truly interested - and what a wide selection of people they are! Whole families, youngsters bringing parents along (and vice versa), young men and women with a passion for speed, grandmothers - in fact, the whole spectrum. This was a point picked up by Graham Swain who was there reporting for BBC Radio Five Live's version of their Top Gear motoring programme. He arrived part way through the morning and was immediately struck by the buzz going around the place and the genuine excitement shown by people of all ages and backgrounds. They just couldn't believe how friendly and helpful everybody was and how much information was being presented. A typical comment comes from Mach 1 Club member Alan Pearce: "With my brain still buzzing with facts and information, which I know will gradually fade away damn it, I must say thank you for a marvellous day out. I congratulate everyone for their incredible patience and willingness to help and impart information."

Many others have written since, one young lady being so impressed with Andy Green that she has announced her intention of becoming a pilot in the RAF. If you want a full account from one such member of what the day was like read the article by Sean Clarke.

(Signing ThrustSSC cowling at March 10th Open Day. Photo: Jeremy Davey)

So, once again the announced intent of Richard Noble to make this the most publicly accessible major motor sport project in history has taken another step forward. We pioneered the involvement of enthusiasts by starting the Mach 1 Club and now have 3,500 members, we were also first with a Web Site aimed at sharing the project. Interestingly, McLaren and Williams now have their own supporters clubs, while Ferrari and McLaren have just opened up their own Web Sites.

It's nice to know that a compact team of 18 people can not only run a government-scale project to build the world's first supersonic car, but can also pioneer ideas that the major F1 teams pick up. Who knows, perhaps one day they really will run Open Days styled on the ThrustSSC events. If you want to become a Mach 1 Club member, please click here to find out more. And don't worry, we've got plenty more innovative ideas up our sleeves yet.

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