9am EMEA. Decent slot, 154 points up for grabs. Me in one of my two key races in the Vantage V8 which I earmarked for it's straight line speed. I was the only Aston on the grid....lets get going. Door number 7.
Qualifying starts - only time for one quick lap? Better nail it. I'm first out of the pits, about 2s ahead of the rest of them - meaning I didn't need to worry about any dive bombers as long as I could keep it clean on the pit lap and quick lap. Came around in a 1.40.086 - 6 tenths off my best but hopefully it's okay. 2nd to last finisher comes round JUST slower than me in a 1.40.104! It's pole for the lone UK driver in the Aston Martin!
Race begins after a panic because we were held stationary for maybe 10 seconds before we all got going. Someone down the grid left and then we all got going. Lap 1 finishes, got the French 2nd place driver about 0.3 seconds behind, with a pretty sizeable gap to 3rd and below already.
This race was MEGA. Clearly the NSX is quicker in the Infield, but I have the power advantage. A couple of laps in a row, the NSX can get just about alongside on the main straight, but once they pull out of the slipstream I can keep just enough ahead to pick my line and drive defensively through the Senna "S". This carries on for.... Well. All 10 laps! Every lap is rinse and repeat, I pull away a bit down the first two straights, and they catch right up by the top of the hill. My hands are hurting, I'm shaking.
This is the scene into the S at the start of the final lap, the crowd are going wild....
Oh no! I run a tad wide at the Bico de Pato, putting a wheel on the grass.... This would be awful but it would be equally deserved if the NSX could overtake and take advantage.
As we head into the final corner...
NSX takes the outside.... His nose is just ahead! But both of us drive cleanly, I leave enough room for them to make a clean exit. As we exit, my power advantage gives me just what I need to edge back ahead on the inside and..... Victory for the Aston Martin!!!
Giving me my first ever world series win! Absolutely buzzing. Clean race bonus as well as it was just beautiful driving from both the Englishman and the talented French driver.
Seems like 3rd and 4th also finished neck and neck - although on the replay it seems like they weren't as clean coming down the final straight!
I was 0.018s ahead after qualy, and 0.18s ahead after 10 laps. I would love to have kept driving that race. Anyway.... 154 points, now up to 284 for the series. Really enjoyed that and I will celebrate my first ever WS win in style tonight!