I know I said I'll take it easier this season, but the car felt so good at Solitude that despite the disadvantage on the straights I could throw it into the corners with a lot of confidence, therefore going to the limit came more naturally without requiring that troublesome extra effort.
In Qualifying I could never get a clean lap as I was still tweaking the setup and trying to guess the braking points around the track since I've never driven it in this particular car before. On my last lap I went over the limit too often and that compromised a potential 38, something I managed to do in the latter stages of the race itself after getting more used to the car-track combo.
My start wasn't so good as I had set up a tall 1st gear to use it around the hairpins, so my revs bogged down and I moved to the left to allow people behind to go by. Not many did though, so I arrived in T1 3rd or so, braked very late and drifted a bit in the middle of the track, but it was clear road there, with only Tim ahead on the outside line.
Suddenly someone braked too late as I noticed for a moment in my mirrors before hitting me from behind and spinning me around. Luckily the car span back forward and I could immediately step on the throttle and avoid being run over from the approaching cars, but others behind weren't so lucky...
From there on Tim was about 2-3 seconds ahead and Mike was very fast behind me, plus I was now more angry from the contact so it upped up the pace instantaneously. That allowed us to catch Tim rather quickly and I made my attack going into T1 on one of the following laps, braking as late as I dared.
It JUST worked and then I had to defend from him on the long straight. Although he managed to pass by I braked late for the hairpin at the end and moved ahead once more, then opened up enough of a gap by the end of that lap to give myself some sort of security.
The race from that point onward was very (too) long, but I kept it in Qualifying tempo throughout the whole distance. That eventually almost cost me the race on the very last lap as I was going for the ultimate fastest lap
, but touched the grass under braking for one of the turns and spun around with my rear into the tree wall.
Again, luck was on my side as there were no trees to rip off my wheels, but the engine was now damaged so I had to cruise to the end of the lap. Fortunately I had enough gap over Tim.
Hoorah for Wazas 1-2-3!!!
SHE IS pleased!
Cheers,
-=Hristo=-
