Chris Jacque
Well, what can I say ?
Mixed bag, very mixed bag of a race!
I had put in a LOT of time in preparing for this race. I tried to run a full practice race each night and was having some serious trouble with rear grip...I decided on a setup on Monday night and decided to take it easy and watch the cutting as its one of my big faults :\ oh and spinning
The weather made this very interesting as you can/could sacrifice one stint for the benefit of another with the temperature changes. I settled on a middle of the road set-up, swaying slightly towards the 2nd Stint.
So Qualifying,
Putting so much time into race set-up I didn't have any wing ideas so I dropped the fuel from the race set-up, donned some nice new sticky shoes and headed out and managed to get pole with a lap just teetering on no cutting (my replays are available for all if you require). It was hard getting a lap with no traffic and taking it very easy on the out lap so as not too overheat the tyres. However pole is pole so 2 in a row!
Race,
Started off with a bit of a slow start but managed to scramble into t1 ahead, then it was a pace session with nerves ( I don't know why i get nervous racing...) to get a gap from 2nd. A bit of luck and a bad sector1 from Tim saw me clear of towing him along the straight and his fight allowed me to escape early in the race. I got the gap to roughly 8 seconds then relaxed and went to sleep, but Tim didn't and he closed it up by a few seconds! I was pushing flat-out in the last half of the stint to maintain the gap.
I pitted and didn't speed, for once... rejoined and magically was in 2nd with Tim a further 10 seconds behind me! 1st pitted and I reclaimed the lead. Very happy! I was pushing pretty hard on the new tyres enjoying some nice lap times until I came across Valter!!!!
I have watched the replay and hindsight is amazing, but at the time I saw him take a different line to me and thought I could run out to the rumble strip of the chicane and then pass him on the straight. But alas he slowed on my apex point and I was carrying too much speed to avoid PIT manoeuvring him. I am sorry Mr. Ostman
I really am...
Rest of the race was uneventful trying to keep Tim at bay having a few near spins in the process!
All my cuts land misdemeanor's listed.
All done under the provision 2 wheels on the white line or greater = no cut.
Qualifying Lap
Clean
Race Laps
Lap 5
CUT Turn 20 exit ran wide, apexed too early. TS 617.22 Went on to mess up 21 in sympathy, no cut.
Lap 14
CUT
NO GAIN out-braked myself into 17, ran wide on exit. TS 1509.55.
Lap 19
Pitted, no 7th gear this time
Lap 21
CUT Turn 5 Apex, mounted the kerb. TS 2209.51
CONTACT Turn 8/9 Caught Valter Ostman on the apex point, did not expect him to let off the gas there. Upon replay you can clearly see two different lines through the corner. My fault! Decided to wait a second then carried on as he would be instantly blue flagged, rest of lap slow. Didn't know what else to do.
Lap 25
Debatable CUT, mounted apex on Turn 6, shadow on front left is on the edge of the line. TS 2612.66
Lap 26
Nearly ran into the back of Jim as he lifted! buldging eye moment!
Lap 27
CUT Braked too early cut across apex of Turn 20
Lap 31
CUT
NO GAIN out-braked myself into t1, ran off the exit onto grass, was luck not to spin. TS 3199.34
Regards
Chris