Well that was an exercise in frustration management.
Improved my pb considerably in qual, but still only good enough for 6th on the grid.
Start and L1 went ok until the chicane, when Hayman knocked me into a spin and down to the bottom of the field. As he waited for me to pass, I had to go around on the outside, and ran wide onto the grass losing even more time..
Set about chasing the field. Got past Bill and later Kurt, when they went off. Next passed Steve at the end of the straight. Following lap, in the same place, Tony and I had a 'who-can-brake-last' duel. Tony won - and I got past
Next up was Matt, but he made it easy, when he went off at the end of the straight. Thus I was up to 5th, but then I ran into Roger. Knew from last years V8-series how difficult he can be to pass, and he was more than up to form yesterday. Under power his car was faster than mine, and so would extend a small gap in the straight sections. Thus any attempts at slipstreaming or outbraking were out of the question. Through the curves, you can only pass if the driver ahead makes a sufficiently big mistake, but Roger stubbornly refused to comply!
Lap after lap after lap, all I could do was yank my hair out in big lumps, as I watched Tony & Co slowly reel me in again. Eventually he got close, and past, when a light tap to Roger's rear sent my car wide through the corner after the chicane. Tony didn't have more luck with Roger, so now I was stuck behind the two of them.
Soon had Hayman in close attendance behind me, and after a number of close laps, he ran us both off again - thankfully without losing as much time as before. Seems we both rejoined rather rudely in front of Matt - apologies for that
A few corners later, we came upon a spinning Tony. Narrowly avoided his car, and for a change had a clear track ahead. Managed to extend a tiny gap to Hayman, but then I caught Roger once more, and status quo ensued. That allowed Hayman to close up again, but after some close laps, he spun off - I believe he hit one of those titanium corner poles ?
Matt replaced him, but didn't get too close before the race ended. Congrats to the podium - and to Roger for that matter, for not bending under all that pressure.
Cheers,
Erling