What a contrasting impressions at this round!
GT2, EMEA, mid B/S
Tried the first slot at noon and literally nothing was sticking. Qualified lowly 13th with a lap of 27.6.
The GT3 Ferrari was not good to me, way more slidey than the gr.4 plus with just too low top speed for that kind of track. I was butchered on the straights by basically everyone. Started on mediums, switched to softs on lap 12. The other flaw of the Ferrari in my hands is that it chews the rubber like crazy. Softs could go 8 laps maximum. I was maybe in a chance of 9th by the end of the race, but mistakes in last lap and hugely missed braking point for the last chicane made me finish 12th.
I was disgusted with my driving and decided to write this round off.
But... during the otherwise busy day, I kept thinking about it and while I usually don't do the evening slots I decided to go for the penultimate one. In FP before the race I improved my best lap to 26.2 and started to feel a little more confident about this track. I knew the flaws are still there, but a touch more careful approach could make me at least make up for the DR lost (hoped for top 8).
Good pace from FP translated into really nice laptime in qualifying (26.5) which gave me 2nd spot.
Nice start, was able to hang on to leading Honda and noticed that they were struggling a little in the twisty part of the track. On lap 3 I had a look in turn 1, but it was too close for clean pass so I conceded, but Honda made wide exit into 1st tunnel and I managed find a gap on the hard right in between tunnels.
Leading the race? That was unexpected.
The pack behind was growing, they were catching with every straight. The Honda overshoot the first corner, parked on the wall and soon rage quit.
French Citroen was catching very quickly. Did pick up a 0.5sec penalty along the way so my execution was postponed until lap 7 when they closed in on the straight to last hairpin and I just braked early to let them go.
By lap 8 my rear tires were very worn but still some 20% left so I decided to stay out for one more lap. We pit with the Citroen at the end of lap 9, when I exited the Citroen suddenly disappeared (after replay review they got 3 sec penalty for cutting pit lane and rage quitted).
So I was 7th after taking mediums and just carried on. After all the pits were done on lap 14 I was again leading the race with armada of Porsches and VW behind.
I bravely held on until lap 19 in the lead, but the mediums started sliding and it was inevitable, so I left huge space into turn 1 and lost the lead.
Behind me, the Italian McLaren appeared and only due to their 0.5 sec penalty I didn't lost the position before the final lap. Turn 1 of lap 20 - serious trouble for me, the rear tried to go away for a whole turn and I lost every advantage I had. They were on my back.
McLaren takes 0.5 sec penalty, but too late to serve it. I'm ahead after they gone wide, but they lunge into my inside for the hairpin making me go wide and veeeery slow on exit.
On the run to the finish I loose another two positions. Duh!
McLaren takes 1 second penalty and is relegated behind me, so I'm 4th.
It was an exciting race and although my final position is so-so, I'm glad I raced it. Salvaged my DR, got very decent points (91) and a clean race star.
Nice little Ferrari, nice!