Thank you so much, Simon! You have been a wonderful rival. When I think of real racing, it's not typical to find a rival with whom you can get along well. I can say I've been lucky to race in a "realistic" environment, and have a rival that, first and foremost, is a complete gentleman. Never a dirty move, never a bad word for anyone, and always trying to make his best for the series.
That first race back in Fuji already showed a lot of promise, and as the races went on, things only got better and better. It's been as much a pleasure racing with you as you say it's been with me! During the first half of the season, I was simply there, doing some good results but not a breakthrough race. This came in Monza, after the second pole of the season and my first victory, after storming from second-to-last towards that ellusive first win. After that, I think what happened is the typical transformation drivers go through after their first victory. Daytona was not the best place to shine, yet a third place was a good result. And Monaco was magic for me, especially for a track I used to be scared of.
I thought I had a limit on my skill, but I've realised I can still improve, even if little by little. I believe I've found my style, and that's a great discovery, as it allows me to face races in a different way. It may be true that numbers don't lie, but I believe pretty much all every driver within the top5 could have won it. We were all so close, and the cars, too, which in the end is the reason everything was so enjoyable.
Although I had competed in PURE JGTS before, which I label the first big series I raced on, the WSGTC was definitely something else. Knowing about its name, the pressure I put on myself was big. After the qualifier, in which I was 10th or 11th, I wasn't very confident, but all of a sudden it all changed after the first race at Fuji. I found myself less than a tenth of a second away from the victory! This boosted my confidence, and although this season has still seen some rookie mistakes on my part, I can say without a doubt that I have improved a lot.
Of course, I found myself really comfortable with these cars. A lot more than I did with the GT500. After Nürburgring and Suzuka (11th and 7th), I thought I was done for. When I start getting bad results, I bring myself down too easily. But I learnt how to prevail and keep fighting with the amazing rivals I had.
For me, this was a bumpy ride as well. From the excitement of the first podium at Fuji to the disappointment of a lost victory at Laguna Seca, going back to a thrilling ride at Spa, only to be followed by a mistake-filled race (Nürburgring) and a race with the wrong tactic (Suzuka). The recovery of Indianapolis, and the shocking pace at Monza, that gave me one of the highest points of the season, with a victory on the sprint race. Suddenly, a third place at Daytona felt like a weak result. A podium, a weak result, on me!! If you had told me before the season, I would have laughed so hard. And then, Monaco. The highest point of the season, and without a doubt the best race I've driven in my life. For today's race, I didn't expect much, so when I found myself ahead, I wasn't ready for it, and too many mistakes happened. Fifth place is disappointing, but while I could have done more, I didn't really deserve more. One little interesting bit of information; I actually ran out of fuel down the hill after the backstraight on the last lap. I was shocked!!
A special mention to Simon, Josh, Johnkiller, and Falcon. You've all been great rivals, and I enjoyed these friday nights of racing.