Great to see Maxim showing impressive pace and taking the win.
But I didn't take it.
Still it was unexpected for me to get such a successful result (pole + lead for about 2/3 of the race).
Quali was strange here : It was my first few laps in soft tyres (didn't take the time to test them before as I don't count too much on the grid position usually). My best lap was my 1st flying lap. I knew that soft tyres would be very hot very quickly due to banking curves. 2nd try was a fail, 3rd lap was to cool them down, 4th and 5th were other attempts with no success and I then understood that they just had too much wear yet. So that I went back to pits to discuss Tim's alcoolism with my team.
Then we got champagne cups to celebrate this pole position.
I saw nothing from the Mark false start but was quite happy not to be under pressure in the aerodrome straightline. First 1/3 of the race was quite peaceful here, as I was pretty sure tyres wear would be a problem in the end of the race, and above all because my heart was almost over-reving yet.
Then I saw what was a weird blue car in my mirrors. I thought "Damn, Kimi is flying above everyone !!" until I finally saw the name "Tim Muttram" and remembered he had spoken about a blue livery just before the start.. Oh ok, end of the laugh time then. I didn't want to really fight against him, he was coming like a bullet, and I had a nice result to hope in the race.
After about 2 laps after the join up, he passed me at turn 2 but was a bit too much overdriving on the grass at the turn exit, and the little fault became a spin. I had then a bit more time to accept the reality.
Later when he was back in my gearbox, we had another little battle but again, I had no decent hope to keep him behind.
By the way, Tim, could you please give us your postal address so that we can send a whiskey bottle to you on a weekly basis ?
I won't be able to get such a result for a long time now, so it's full enjoy time here. (I hate Silverstone, even don't know the track, don't know my national track Charade neither, then it's Green Hell, and I quite dislike all other tracks too..
)
On a side note, happy to see a compatriot driver coming, welcome Christian !