So, as mentioned entered the first slot of today and got in a mixed B and C lobby. Bit worringly was the variety of SR, perhaps because it was still early? It turned out be a rather eventfull race indeed.
Anyway, qualifying went okay, my lap was a few tenth slower then my best practice lap but never expected to be able to get under 1.14 seconds anyway, that was a freak lap. I qualified second in the end, behind an Englishman in another Ferrari.
Start went okay and I stayed close to the Englishman. Sometimes you just know instinctivly after a few corners that the other guy is a clean racer so had no worries that there would be any issues with him and we could race freely. He made a small mistake and I was able to overtake him (as in the picture) and he then followed closely. After a few laps a Spaniard in a Nissan joint us and after I had a bad final chicane he had a good overtake on me in the final corner.
The battle for first was a bit more physical with him but nothing to bad. A bit of rubbing here and there and I outbraked myself once at the first corner but fortunately without any contact. After 7 laps I was still following him closely when i got a 0.5 second penalty. I realised that I wasn't going to win this fight this way, also as by now there were five cars close together so decided to pit early, hoping for clean air and perhaps that others actually change their tyres that will cost them a few seconds. Added benifit is that you serve your time penalty when leaving the pits which is much better then at the straight with full speed!
I got out and had the clean air i wanted and a lap later the Spaniard and the Englishman entered the pits. And, as I hoped, i got in front of them with about 2.3 seconds so my evil plan worked! (Later saw in the replay that the Spaniard indeed changed the tyres but the Englishman did not, but he had an incident in the chicane before entering the pits costing him time)
All I needed to do now was get to the finish line without any incidents. My laps were fine but the other 2 drivers were just faster and in the final lap they were well within a second of me. But made it to the finishline in first place!! Happy with the points and finally in B. Was not the fastest today but still one of my best races till now.
More important i made friends with the Englishman, you can never have enough good, clean racers in your list! Although I got too man that are faster then me!
PS: one driver did not go for the mandatory stop, which baffles me as at one time you must notice that the whole field is pitting!?
I don’t know why but even when I feel that I absolutely nail the lap, its still disappointing. Will decide later whether to destroy my DR or not!
