Here's the replays from yesterday's race from my perspective:
The start is incredibly tight, and the field races downhill for the Andretti Hairpin side by side. Everybody is well behaved and we all keep in line through the next couple of corners.
@richroo gets slightly out of shape through turn 5 but catches the car skillfully 👍 A good line through the blind turn 6 gives me good traction up the hill, but
@AndreasR in front cleverly positions his car to the left to take the inside line through the corkscrew. I push on the throttle paddle as hard as I can, determined to get alongside him and stay there in an attempt to have the better line out of the chicane. This is where my race unravels...
@Don Mejillone swoops from the left side of the track to the right to position his car for the corner entry, a move I should have seen coming. But I'm too focused on my drag race with
@AndreasR and too determined to brake as late as possible, to realize it. I slam on the brakes, but it's too late: I smash into the back of
@Don Mejillone, spinning my car and robbing him of a potential podium finish
I'm really sorry, mate!
I find myself in 10th position behind newly signed teammate
@Hygrade B, but quickly regain two positions thanks to small mistakes of the drivers in front. I then chase down
@Sick Cylinder, who has great pace, but touches the sand braking for corner 3 on lap 4. Wanting to pass him properly on track, I give him a little (unintentional) push start to get back up to speed
I manage to sneak past under braking into the last corner.
@Harsk100 is the driver ahead of me, now. The gap remains constant but is just small enough to catch a glimpse of his car exiting some of the corners. This keeps me motivated to keep pushing and hope for a lapse of concentration on his part.
On lap 8, I run wide through turn 10, which automatically moves me into the pit entry lane. Well, I was planning to stop anyway
When I exit the pits, I have a clear track ahead and start to push. I have no idea where
@Harsk100 is, but I know he still need to make his stop. Starting lap 12, I barrel down the pit straight and see him accelerating down the pit lane. He has left his stop right until the end of the pit window. Oh boy, this is going to be a close one
I didn't realize it at the time, but the TV replay shows he's caught out by the ultra tight and narrow pit exit hairpin, which gives me the extra couple of tenths of a second I'd needed to come out in front
But it isn't over just yet. He's glued to my tail for the next few laps, but I soak up the pressure and slowly build a gap.
When I cross the finish line, I'm back in 6th position with mixed feelings. It is a good recovery drive from 10th after my first lap escapades, but without them I feel much more would have been possible...