A bit of a family emergency left me no time to set a qualifying lap, so I started
P18 of 19 (Door 17). One car spun, whilst another tried to pit (oops!), but the McLaren behind overtook, so I had a net gain of 1 position by Turn 1. I was
P14 when I pitted at the end of the lap to change from H to S tyres, re-emerging
P17. I was baulked on Lap 5 by a German Porsche crossing the blend line when leaving the pits. (
PD, make that a 10s penalty! I do it if the coast is clear but would happilt stop if everyone else did).
Another stop on Lap 7, for S and fuel, and I returned to the track
P14. I left the pits after my final stop (S tyres) on Lap 12 in
P10 On Lap 14, I was following a fellow Brit in a Toyota and passed him cleanly. I even flased my hazzards to thank him for leaving space. He repassed, with firm contact. He then braked late in the middle of the track and contact was unavoidable, but I did everything to minimise it and allow him to stay in front. But he turned in on me halfway through the final chicane complex, costing me not only the pass I was making but another position too. He then brake-checked me on Lap 16 and ended up in the gravel as a result, having the cheek to call me a "Pig" after the race!
I finished
P7 for 40 pts.