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Was with a slow crowd. Qualified near the top, and 1st was just 4 seconds away at the end of the first couple of laps. I started on Mediums by mistake but decided as I was near the front I would run them as long as I could, not enjoying the advantage of a full tank but lasting as long as I could. I almost managed to escape the carnage but Paddock Hill claimed me around lap 3 and I suddenly had 6 positions to make up, as first disappeared into the distance.
After consistently lapping well in the mediums until about lap 14, and keeping top 5 positions all the way, I was wondering how far I could push the tyres when I went wide onto the straight, clipped a back wheel and went very sideways, suddenly reckoned I had a chance to rescue it and pit, missed the entry, and didn't make the best recovery adding 7 seconds to the lap. If I hadn't tried to pit and just rescued the spin it would probably have only lost me 2 seconds.
I took that as a sign and got Hards the next lap, and found they had more grip than the Mediums I had just got rid of, so after getting used to them I started lapping a second or two faster than I had all race now the fuel had gone, and had relatively fresh Hard tyres by the end.
I came 2nd which was very considerate of me. I reckon 12 laps medium 7 hard would be ideal, but would start on Hard tyres and pit early before gaining back the positions on the undercut. So tempted to do the later race now.
Was with a slow crowd. Qualified near the top, and 1st was just 4 seconds away at the end of the first couple of laps. I started on Mediums by mistake but decided as I was near the front I would run them as long as I could, not enjoying the advantage of a full tank but lasting as long as I could. I almost managed to escape the carnage but Paddock Hill claimed me around lap 3 and I suddenly had 6 positions to make up, as first disappeared into the distance.
After consistently lapping well in the mediums until about lap 14, and keeping top 5 positions all the way, I was wondering how far I could push the tyres when I went wide onto the straight, clipped a back wheel and went very sideways, suddenly reckoned I had a chance to rescue it and pit, missed the entry, and didn't make the best recovery adding 7 seconds to the lap. If I hadn't tried to pit and just rescued the spin it would probably have only lost me 2 seconds.
I took that as a sign and got Hards the next lap, and found they had more grip than the Mediums I had just got rid of, so after getting used to them I started lapping a second or two faster than I had all race now the fuel had gone, and had relatively fresh Hard tyres by the end.
I came 2nd which was very considerate of me. I reckon 12 laps medium 7 hard would be ideal, but would start on Hard tyres and pit early before gaining back the positions on the undercut. So tempted to do the later race now.