Returned home late from a visit to Pembrey circuit in South Wales with Andy Livingston, rather tired and developing a nice red glow
The decision to join the server was made with about 10 mins to the start. Then I realised that I needed to choose a chassis??? My trusty Connaught was going to be severley outclassed around Monza10k. I recalled trying the Lancia a while back, but seemed to recall that I had loaded too much fuel and the gearing had been wrong.
But with only 7 mins of qually left, there was no time to do much. I opted to leave the fuel...better too much than too little ??,So I upped 4th gear one notch and dropped 5th by one notch to try and sort the ratios.
One qually lap placed me last on the grid, but I had managed to slipstream Fulvio and felt that I had improved the gearing. However after a good start I found myself dicing with Phil's silver aircraft carrier and I discovered that although my gearing was great for following Fulvio's Ferrari, it was looking decidedly vulnerable trying to tail those Mercs. With a full tow around the banking I was running perilously close to the red line for extended periods
Axel and Mr Loynes were ahead and looked like they were going to escape. Try as I might around the twisty bits to make up ground, and grabbing the tow from Phil's high speed Merc on the fast sections it was no good. Bastian joined Phil and myself in his Lancia and a 3 way battle developed. Then Axel and Clive explored the kitty litter at Parabolica and as we turned into the pit straight I was leading!!!
That did not last long as Phil simply blew past in his Slipstreamer like I had the brakes on
For a few laps it was ...follow Phil for the fast bits and pass him in the corners with Bastian close behind. But the thing that was worrying me (on Prib) most was a pair of Sipstreamers that were catching our little duel
Axel and Clive had recovered and closing at an alarming rate!!
Suddenly we were a group of 5 cars, 2 Lancias and 3 Mercs
and things got very tight at the corners with those heavy, clumsy Mercs blocking the road for the elegantly balanced and nimble Lancias. But on the straights it was a desperate fight to hang on to the silver coat tails....geez but they were quick!!! Then Axel's car exploded right out side the pits ( at least it saved him a longg walk home
) So 4 cars left in the leading group 2 Mercs, 2 Lancias. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
I was aware of the braking issues for the Mercs after the first laps they needed to drop anchors much earlier than the Lancias and so I found it easy to close any gap, or even sneak past, at Parabolica especially....until I followed Phil too deep in the slipstream and missed my braking point by about 5mtrs.
A run through the gravel allowed the other 3 escape beyond slipstream range
. I was hoping that they might slow themselves down a little by fighting over places but despite putting in a few laps that were faster than any others I had managed without a tow, I was losing ground.
I suspect that all the early high speed slipstreaming and a few laps pushing very hard proved too much for the engine and I experienced that moment of perfect inner peace and tranquility as swept out of Ascari, just when the engine fell silent
.
It was great fun whilst it lasted but I could not see a way of beating those Mercs to the finish line off the banking on the final lap, they were just too fast.
Grats to Clive , Bastian and Phil and all finishers and to brave Tago who got the Gordini to the flag..... again