Welcome to the new drivers and great to see a big grid. Well done Jonny for getting the Gordini almost onto the podium!!! Grats to all finishers for surviving a tricky circuit for 16 long, hard laps.
I truly sympathise with Clive Loynes who appeared to have this race comfortably won with around 6 laps to go. Then it appears that it all went wrong very quickly, and very comprehensively
I only witnessed the first part of the tragedy as I passed his Connaught emerging from the undergrowth at T1, as I chased Peter's Maserati in the closing laps.
I don't know what happened once Clive re-joined the race, but I can imagine that he was already spitting nails about whatever had put him out of the lead, To then tumble down the finishing order as he did regardless of the reasons must have been soul destroying. Peter's last lap excursion when he too had the win safely in his pocket must also have been galling.
After a great launch off the grid which snatched me 2nd spot, the early laps were not great for me and I thought that any hopes of a win, or even a podium,
were lost. Further mistakes and very close escapes through the race further reduced any thoughts of tasting champagne and by half distance I was focusing on trying to gain a few places just to score some good points.
Throughout the race I was chasing Peter's distant 250F, but he was always 4-5 secs ahead and his extra speed on the straights kept him ahead. A long battle with Phil and Alain hindered him and just as I was about to get within attack range, he passed them both and sped away!! Fortunately for me, but not so good for Phil and Alain, they both managed to slide off and allow me a free pass in the following laps and I resumed my chase of Peter.
With around 5 laps to go our pace was drawing Clive's leading Connaught closer, but I was convinced that although we might catch the old campaigner, I doubt that we would get the time, or the chance, to pass.
One or two small errors from Peter had allowed me to get within slipstream range and a sniff of 2nd spot, but the Maserati was probably just too strong.
Then Clive suffered his first stroke of misfortune and Peter and I inherited 1st & 2nd with a lap to go.
I was a fraction too eager on the gas out of the Esses and two wheel got tangled in the weeds. I watched Peter pull a 100mtr gap and fully expected Clive's recovering Connaught to be all over my tailpipes, or even sweeping past
. Once I got back up to speed along the following straight I re-checked
my mirrors and Prib for Clive, only to discover an empty space.
So, with only half a lap left, 2nd looked like the best I could finish. But, given the number of errors I had made it was probably better than I could have expected. Then drifting through the long right hander I see a red Maserati in the undergrowth!!?? Was that Peter?? I had to resist the temptation to look at Prib until I had got the car settled on the next straight...no Maserati ahead, and Prib confirmed that Peter was now behind me
.
With a comfortable lead of 200mtrs I was ultra cautious for the last 60 seconds until I crossed the line.
I suspect that this series is going to swing back and forth between maybe 5 or 6 drivers who each suffer their share of misfortune/mistakes. Only another 9 races to go