07-11-2016, 01:22 PM
well, this race (and track) was a challenge for body, mind and soul …
Q – I couldn't get close to my PB, but a 1.16.high was enough to secure P5 on the grid.
R – Starting from the outside, I was on P6 behind Dan after T1. I managed to stay in close distance for a while but after spinning (w/o crashing into the wall) after a a few laps meant that there was a considerable gap. Dan seemed to struggle with his tyres and he went to the pits just when I arrived behind his gear box. After that it seems that I was pretty consolidated, having a significant gap to the leasing cars, but a also a wide gap to the cars behind. Due to the general mayhem I was running 3rd around half time of the race. Traffic was enormous, but I managed to keep it clean and tidy while lapping until …
Around 2/3 of the race distance, I had another car to lap in front of me just before the chicane. I tried to be super smart not overdoing it, and by doing so I breaked too hard and crashed into the chicane – absolutely my bad. I was limping back to the pits destroying the car even further. After a 2min plus pit stop, I was 2 laps behind and around P9.
Well, I lost a podium place but I managed to overtake a few more cars for position. At the end I was back in P5. And this was actually a success – at least I reached my goal.
TRACK – I think that Monaco is very special and has its place in a proper F1 calendar. The real problem is the chicane in the 66 layout :o. These cars (BT44) are too powerful and too crazy to survive a bottleneck like that in heavy traffic. I would suggest to go for a more modern layout (80s) where speeds are much lower through the chicane, which leaves also some space for error.
All in all, that was another great and extreme experience during an extra-ordinary season. Looking forward to the next races and really hope that my team mate Andi can get rid of the bad luck that sticks on him (no points yet).
CU in Zolder
Q – I couldn't get close to my PB, but a 1.16.high was enough to secure P5 on the grid.
R – Starting from the outside, I was on P6 behind Dan after T1. I managed to stay in close distance for a while but after spinning (w/o crashing into the wall) after a a few laps meant that there was a considerable gap. Dan seemed to struggle with his tyres and he went to the pits just when I arrived behind his gear box. After that it seems that I was pretty consolidated, having a significant gap to the leasing cars, but a also a wide gap to the cars behind. Due to the general mayhem I was running 3rd around half time of the race. Traffic was enormous, but I managed to keep it clean and tidy while lapping until …
Around 2/3 of the race distance, I had another car to lap in front of me just before the chicane. I tried to be super smart not overdoing it, and by doing so I breaked too hard and crashed into the chicane – absolutely my bad. I was limping back to the pits destroying the car even further. After a 2min plus pit stop, I was 2 laps behind and around P9.
Well, I lost a podium place but I managed to overtake a few more cars for position. At the end I was back in P5. And this was actually a success – at least I reached my goal.
TRACK – I think that Monaco is very special and has its place in a proper F1 calendar. The real problem is the chicane in the 66 layout :o. These cars (BT44) are too powerful and too crazy to survive a bottleneck like that in heavy traffic. I would suggest to go for a more modern layout (80s) where speeds are much lower through the chicane, which leaves also some space for error.
All in all, that was another great and extreme experience during an extra-ordinary season. Looking forward to the next races and really hope that my team mate Andi can get rid of the bad luck that sticks on him (no points yet).
CU in Zolder