Finally, I’m writing my lines for this year: ‘Just like last year, I’m going to make sure that any car I’m driving never makes contact with another competitor.’

Crystal balls are dangerous devices, especially for journalists, but I’m just wondering whether we’re going to see something new. Will there be a marked increase in European competitors crossing the Channel to race over here this year?

The trend has been the other way in recent years but, all of a sudden, the dramatic drop in the value of sterling against the euro might see things changing. It will always be great for us to go and race at the best European circuits like Le Mans and Spa and, of course, the old Nürburging; I have no doubt that British competitors will still relish the prospect of competing at those wonderful places.

Our Continental friends have always made us welcome and they have tried to keep entry fees at a reasonable level. The grim truth, however, is that with the pounds in our pockets being worth so much less now, it is going to be expensive for us from the moment we reach Calais and start buying fuel and paying hotel bills, let alone those very reasonable entry fees.

It must look very different from the other side. Most European drivers feel a quickening of the pulse when they imagine themselves racing at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington and other British circuits. For the foreseeable future, it seems, that will be a very affordable proposition for anybody whose current account contains euros. Many of them must be casting an eye over our major international historic race meetings – of which we have a large number of excellent events every year.

Apart from straightforward race meetings, the Tour Britannia on September 7-9 strikes me as being a magnet for overseas drivers in the new financial climate. We also offer a large number of superb historic rallies that might encourage Europeans to start heading for Dover. If so, I’m sure they would get a very warm welcome, as we do whenever we visit their countries. Well, most of them anyway.

I do sense a change in mood among British drivers. They still want to race at premium events in Europe but my suspicion is that many of them are aiming to race more at home and save some money by being a little more selective about the overseas events they choose to tackle.

For personal reasons, I’d like to put a big plug in here for the ADAC Classic Trophy, which was won last year by the British pairing of Allen Tice and Chris Conoley, driving Allen’s Marcos 1800GT. Their terrific achievement has not had the recognition it deserves here but make no mistake – the ADAC Classic series is one of the best things available in European Historic racing.

The main appeal is that it’s run for fun, the driving standards are generally high and it provides good, long races on the old Nürburgring, Spa and other top circuits. My own drives in ADAC Classic events in the last few years, sharing Mark Taylor’s DB4, have given me some of the best racing miles I have ever enjoyed. Even though the ADAC Classic organisers have apparently been forced to reduce one of their Nürburging events from 500km to 300km in 2009, this is one series that remains well worth a bit of damage to the wallet. There’s nothing quite like racing a powerful old car on that Mecca of a circuit in the Eifel mountains and I hope that enough discerning Brits will make the effort to bear the inevitably increased cost of doing just that.

Needless to say, I shall still bust a gut to get to Le Mans this year. Apart from the fact that I have a burning desire to drive in the Motor Racing Legends race on the Saturday morning, I have a feeling that the 24 Hours itself might turn into one of those epic races on this occasion.

Meanwhile, we’d better start brushing up on a few sayings such as ‘Bienvenue à Brands’ and ‘Wilkommen in Silverstone’, or whatever they might be, in case our friends really do start arriving over here.

Finally, I’m writing my lines for this year: ‘Just like last year, I’m going to make sure that any car I’m driving never makes contact with another competitor.’ If I say it often enough, and touch wood, it might just turn out that way. You never know.