Ripper of a race! Prancing Horse? NAH! You needed the Red Ball Special!
Grats to Clive on a fine win. Close for me but no cigar. Quite happy with a P2 placing. Fine job by Sam to score a podium with the weak-in-the-knees Eagle.
The start was quite entertaining as I shot through the hole between Sam and Dean as both were tardy off the line. Up to places before T1! LOL! Managed to catch the breeze off the lead serial and hang on comfortably. Early fallers like Alex and Bastian...bad luck there, bud...paved the way to a chance for a top placing. Quite interesting to see that the weak Eagles of Sam and Tristan were able to hang onto the Hondas so well. Good job, gys.
On Lap08, I had a bit of a giggle as Clive just up ahead got out of phase in the esses and careened about looking for grip and a way out of his dilemma. I could have pressed the issue for a pass but that would have been unkind and kinda risky. My real concern was for Sam and Tris directly behind me not realizing that I was holding back to miss Clive and giving me a punt. Luckily, they realized in enough time to not get into the back of my Honda.
Lap16 and I must thank with appreciation Sam's falling on his sword to avoid a collision in the esses. I noted that he disappeared in my mirrors to the left and thought, 'NAH... He's not seriously trying a pass there, is he?' I more or less took the line leaving Sam the only options of spinning or hitting me. Bad luck there, Sam. Glad to see that you recovered in time for P3.
With about six laps to run and Clive & I level-pegging, my vision started to fog a bit. Bugger! It wasn't too bad but a bit disappointing as I'm new meds which are definitely helping. They just didn't last long enough. With the prospect of making a bad mistake and costing me...and possibly Clive, too...a good finish, I decided to play for P2 unless circumstances fell into my lap for the win. I took my chance with a slipstream pass of Clive on the penultimate lap and held him till the last tour when he got underneath me on braking as we came off the back straight. Clive went a touch wide there I came within an ace of drawing alongside. I still held hope for a chance at payback through the esses and on the final straight but no, it was not to be. Better P2 than ashes.
I hadn't been monitoring my pitboard very often and hadn't noticed that Iestyn was running P5 behind the lead quartet and gaining ground. Just as he was looking to join the lead serial, his engine expired. Pity. And poor Tristan suffered the same fate around the same time. Hardly justice for either.
Other things of note from the replay cap... Alex with a nice recovery from his early off to challenge Sam for a podium only to spin away the honour late on. Fulvio coming up 1/2 pint short on petrol on the last lap and having to yield to Axel for P5 right at the line. Bad luck there, FP. Nice drive I must say, Cookie. Dave right in hunt for that position, too. Good show.
Fun track!
I see that Clive has just posted as I was about to do the same. Hope his report is an entertaining as the race was.
