Well I'm gonna miss these cars, they are quite a challenge with that heavy engine at the back trying to kill you at the slightest opportunity
For the last race I had already decided after a few laps practice on tuesday I was going to send it on mediums, because the track had no really long fast corners that overheat those rear tyres - I was sure it was on with some management. I know Lorenzo tried it at Kyalami and suffered near the end but I feel Imola was a bit gentler on the rubber.
TBH I was surprised at the start of the race that neither Tim or Lorenzo had the same plan, so it made my life easier and the advantage was immediately clear as I just drove away and gapped them in the first couple of laps while the hards were still coming up to full temp/pressure. Once Lorenzos hard tyres came in he started matching my times and then even closing a bit, so I had to up the pace to maintain/control the gap, all the while trying to keep super smooth. It worked, but the 2nd half of the race I could feel the tyres starting to go away a little. Maintaining pace wasn't too hard but any real oversteer just made the rears have a meltdown and less grip afterwards.
For sure the Hard tyre had a race advantage in that you could push 100% all race, and I could see Lorenzo really trying (and was rewarded with fastest lap
), but the pace advantage and extra heat in the fronts with medium compound really paid me back
Congrats to Tim on winning the championship, and to Lorenzo for always being there making it hard work, and to the rest of you for sticking with it and I hope having fun
