A real challenge last night as I knew Son would be quick in the Minardi from seeing his times in practice sessions on another server earlier in the week. Furthermore I know the Minardi sips fuel and can run lighter fuel loads so suspected he'd go with full length fuel which would save a heap of time in the pits.
I tried to set the Benetton for a fuel offset strategy, but the handling was severly affected and it was clear my times and consistency were going to be off. So I went for a simple one stop with half fuel and tyre change (hards) which would allow me to be quicker first stint.
Qualied 2nd but managed to slip by down Hangar after Son was slow coming out of Chapel on the 3rd or 4th lap. From then I concentrated on building a gap and was 15 secs ahead when Son pitted on lap 32 a couple of laps before me. I made a great stop for a change, but when I emerged from the pits all that pumping gas had put me 19 secs behind :'( I gave it all I had to try to keep some pressure on right to the end, but couldn't make the time up.
It felt disappointing to finish 2nd as I'd driven flat out and hardly put a wheel wrong all race, all the more reason to give huge congratulations to Son on a brilliant drive in a slower car
A solid performance too by Jamera and well done for making the pody.
Sorry to hear about the woes of some of the other drivers and a shame a few of the regulars were unable to make it.
We're straight into Season 2 next week, which will have a few tweaks to the format and hopefully provide us all with some more thrilling racing. Details to be announced soon....