Third hardware failure in a row.
Damn. Hard luck TT.
Wasn't really surprised, but mad anyway. I was following Shark easily, waiting for mistakes and events, MJ wasn't far ahead, so I had a chance again for the top.
At Brno, you'd be waiting a long time from me. I was taking it so easy during the first part of the race doing 2:04s or, 5s I think. I didn't feel any pressure from you as I felt very comfortable where I was and driving like that I was not really looking in my mirrors. If you'd have gone for a late braking manoever I was quite happy to let you through as I had the championship in mind early on in the race.
Gradually Shark closed in and after around 30 odd mins he was close enough for me to hear his snarling Mosler engine. He then stayed within a second or so of me for about 20 more minutes until i pitted for fuel and tyres.
As the race got later and later in I was more switched off out of championship mode and more into trying to win this as the racer instincts kicked in. Once I saw MJ was nowhere near as fast in the race as qualifying I thought I had a good chance. Without pushing too hard I slowly closed in on him up to half way and then just sat there about 1 seconds behind thinking there was a long way to go yet and no need to risk all at this stage. I wanted a clear view of the braking zones and so didn't want to get any closer.
When i came out the pit i drove like a qually lap as i presumed Shark would be making his stop soon and he did. I was very very pleased when i came screaming down s/finish straight to see him only just emerging from the pitlane.
With a full tank of fuel as usual on board I knew I could stay out for a long time, but I also knew I would have to put more fuel in than Mark in the pits so. As the tyres felt good even after 50 minutes there seemed to be a bit of cat and mouse with Mark and who would pit first. I was determined not to be out thought on this one, so I stuck it out for as long as possible and sure enough Mark eventually decided he needed to pit with about 30 or less minutes left? I then put the hammer down on old rubber and a clear track I was sure to make up some time on Mark with him not in the way. Sure enough as I came out of the pits I was almost exactly where I had left, probably losing only a second on track to Mark despite having a longer stop.
With about 20 minutes left by now, I closed Mark down, occasionally being held up by back markers who wanted to give Mark a breather.
No one could hold me back though, everytime Mark got a gap I easily closed it down again.
In the final stages I was driving so fast that I managed a fastest lap of 2:02.3. For me this is an awesome time in race trim especially in the Mosler which is clearly slower than the 911 especially in a straight line. I was driving so much faster than Mark I was really being held up, but how do you get past a car that is so much faster down the straights that even in the slipstream I was dropping backwards and driven by a guy that is racing his absolute heart out, but also very defensively?
Inevitably he caught me up again after several laps and then put the most pressure i have ever had to endure in sim racing for lap after lap as he tried every trick in the book to put me off my line and upset my braking zones, which he did very well
The pressure was unbelievable and i was dripping in sweat as Shark jinked left and right trying to find a way past. Top driving mate
as i'm sure my braking got very erratic towards the end as he kept disapearing into my right rear blind zone and it would have been easy for us to have contact.
Absolute total relief to withstand his final assault on the last lap and cross the line in an ecstatic 1st place NGT
It was a good battle, in which I don't think I could have driven any better or done any more to get by.
I had to drive probably the best I've ever done in terms of car control and on track positioning to try and overtake you and at times avoid contact with your, how shall we say, "wide" car
. I'm sure it looks great on the replay (even without wheels!) well worth a watch. It was tough being quicker trying overtake a car being driven so utterly defensively.
Good win Mark.
I only need 7th position next week to wrap up another drivers championship win at Suzuka, but the NGT team championship is gone with only a 1-2 from Team Shark and no starters from NGT Legends (a miracle) able to change that outcome. However, looks like the GT team title could be Team Shark's at last though. Great drive from Zacari to take the win as well as a good placing from Maverick to earn extra team points. Well done chaps.
