I was surprised to get pole in the last minute of the session as I was struggling to close up the 3-4 tenths gap on my previous runs, but I guess the setup changes I made before my last run helped.
The start seemed OK and nobody did anything excessive, although I think we had contact with Syd on the top of the hill but miraculously the cars kept going straight. Soon after that he passed me on one of the straights and I could only keep trailing him by tucking behind into his slipstream, but it wasn't enough to launch an attack, there was just not enough power.
Dave soon joined us and we started having some side by side racing that sometimes lasted for nearly a whole lap, and we did that a couple of times. In the meantime I could see Evil waiting behind, just keeping close for the slipstream. Syd was opening a gap at around that time and so it was important that we don't let him escape and break off the slipstream. It was funny, because as he moved left and right on the straights while myself and Dave were running side by side, he was giving either of us a tow and thus affecting the battle.
Eventually we closed up on Syd and it was very difficult to follow him close as he was losing it in the corners frequently and applying brakes or lifting up, to which I had to react suddenly and it got hairy a couple of times, with Dave and Evil very close and reacting as well. I was getting irritated of all this and launched a bit of a risky attack going into the last corner which Syd thankfully noticed on time, but then I lost it under acceleration on the exit and spun around, dropping down to 5th by the time I recovered.
It took a bit of time to get used to how the car was handling when it was on its own, but soon enough I started closing up the gap to Fulvio ahead, though I wasn't aware if the leaders were towing each other to open up an even bigger gap. Fulvio went off at the loop and promoted me to 4th, then I passed the stricken car of Syd and was up to 3rd.
Evil was some 4-5 seconds up ahead and it took a couple of laps to close up the gap, which was probably helped by Evil and Dave slowing each other down while involved into their battle. Evil passed Dave just as I had caught up with them, and I took the chance to go after Evil and into the inside of the corner. I think Dave didn't expect to see me there as he was just getting ready to turn in back behind Evil, so he reacted too abruptly when he realized I was in there and went off.
Evil looked very fast and clean, almost without making any mistakes and he was definitely the faster one once I got in front, he just had so much corner exit speed and I could hear him lift up just so he doesn't attempt a pass. I was wondering if he's just letting me win (which I was hoping was not the case) or that he was planning his attack for the final laps of the race, testing me to see where he has the advantage. He tried a pass and a few fake attempts, so that confirmed my thoughts that he was just sandbagging at this point of the race.
It was all decided in the last 2 laps as Evil had a great run out of the esses but decided not to pass me and I think he missed his best chance right there, because after that we caught up a backmarker. I passed the latter just as we started the final lap and got a bit of a break away in the esses, so Evil couldn't have a run on me towards the loop. He had a run out of the loop and towards the next corner though, and nearly managed to pass me but I held the outside line and kept 1st until the finish line!
Great racing, very close, especially with Dave, I wish all races and all drivers do it like this, it was all fair and sportive, yet competitive. Grats to Evil for a fine 2nd, though I think he was the faster of the two of us and could've won it. Good to start the seasons with a 1-2 for Waza!
SHE will be pleased!