This was a race where I was never meant to finish, let alone get a podium place
Grats to Hristo for fending off the round eyes and to Al for denying the second spot to a Waza.
I was still sorting my setup with 5 mins of qually left, and as a result never got in a really good lap so started 6th.
The start, started well all the way to T1, where some erratic braking and maneouvring ahead obliged me to take to the grass in full avoidance mode. .....7th place
Recovered and quickly closed the gap to the rear of Sam's BRM ( a sight that was to become increasingly familiar right up to the chequered flag!!
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Passed Sam ( for the 1st time!) and set off after Al and his Brabham. Got past Al after a misunderstanding about braking etiquette at Nouveau Monde and promptly threw the Honda at the scenery to allow Al and Sam to retake their positions.
Began to catch Sam ( again) and got almost alongside before developing a sudden keen interest in the quality of grip ( not) afforded by French grass!
Overdriving and a couple more incidents dropped me behind Tom by the half way point and I almost threw in the towel. But remarkably as the Waza was still apparently undamaged, despite my best efforts to re arrange the steering and suspension, I pushed on.
Prib showed that when I managed to concentrate , my lap times were fast enough to catch cars in front, so I had a cool drink up the long back straight and gritted my teeth.......SHE would expect some serious points from this race.
Tom was caught and passed, a few cars ahead succumbed to the pace and I was up to 4th but Sam was waaaayyy ahead. I decided to throw everything overboard that was not required and the fundoshi, which was heavy with sweat, had to go
The resultant increase in pace and the extra cooling enabled me to reel in Sam. Then a mistake halved the gap and he was in my sights.
"At this pace of closing it will be a doddle to pass Sam before the end and take a glorious 3rd for HER" I thought.
We crossed the line with 4 laps to go and I was once again staring at a BRM exhaust system!, just waiting for the moment to sweep past......... until Nouveau Monde where I ballsed up the braking and gracefully swapped ends to park against the polos
A quick recovery and still no damage and set off again to catch those tail pipes. 2 laps to go across the S/F line and a close up of those ruddy BRM tail pipes again....ok this time wait until the braking for Scierie and pounce........except at Nouveau Monde I ballsed up the braking and ......was left 4 secs behind.!!!!!
So, pulling the white headband down over my eyes I resorted to the Waza training and drove on sense of smell. Which would also mean that I would not have to see any more BRM tailpipes!!
1.5 laps to go and 4 secs to make up!! , but maybe I could force an error and still sneak 3rd?? Demon braking at every corner ( except Nouveau Monde on the last lap!) and absolute max revs from Nippon's finest engine and I was closing at the end of the main straight. SStill closing..... 50 yds behind coming to final corner....bugger! too far back! but banzai the last corner anyway as I can't lose 4th from here. It seems Sam was either ultra cautious through the last turn or had a "moment" but I nailed it with the tyres smoking and emerged on to the S/F straight right in his slipstream and the throttle screwed to the floor. Picked up the tow and jinked out at the very last second with the rev counter in unknown territory to just squeeze past on the line for a 3rd spot that was never meant to happen after the first half of my race...well and the 2nd half really
