Yesterday was a tough day. Such is the scope of this race that the combined running time available from free practice and the two main qualifying sessions is six hours. To qualify for the race each driver needs to complete two laps, and the car only trundled a single tour in the first free practice session before stuttering back with an electrical issue.
We didn't run for the next two hours which was doubly frustrating - I've completed just two slow laps in the car before this weekend and I just want to do two fast laps and that'll be enough to feel confident for the race. But yesterday afternoon it wasn't to be. The consolation was that it was not an official timed session.
Harris and Meaden await their turn in the rain
The evening run was the first official quali session, but our electrical issues kept us garage bound for the first hour-and-a-half. And then, just as we were ready to let hot-hand Andy Gulden run some install laps, it bloody rained.
On the plus side, the car's gremlins were sorted and after four laps of the GP circuit and a single lap of the full circuit he handed over to me. With a mild warning that it was a bit slippery. A bit - as in the England football team is a bit rubbish.
The GP circuit was damp - I was on wets - but the rest was soaking and completely treacherous. The traction control was wound back and allowing large amounts of slip. As in I nearly spun in Hatzenbach, appeared to be attempting full sideways shots for Neil at Bergwerk and then generally tried not to connect with the barriers for another lap and a half. I didn't learn much about the car other than it sounds wonderful and the TC probably isn't to be trusted - that last point tempered by the fact I seem to have had it on low intervention.
Dickie had a similarly torrid time, and then Ollie ran a couple of laps to ensure that all drivers had at least qualified for the race.
I went to bed a little fed up.
Aston spent rather too long in the pits...
Morning quali began at 11am, to give me some seat time the team bunged me in first, on slicks and guess what? It was mostly wet! The rubber was the correct call, but again I couldn't glean anything about the car or have a chance to get a feel for the track at speed.
As I write the track is drying so Andy will try and set a sensible quali lap and then it's rest until the race.
Some wise hand once told me that a good endurance race result involves early purging of problems during the build-up. According to that philosophy, we're in fantastic shape!
Update:
Ollie managed a 9min 26sec in the closing minutes of final qualifying. That's third in class and 64th overall. Given yesterday's shenanigans, I'll take that.
Think we can assume my first stint will be exploratory!
The final shootout for the top 30 cars starts at 4pm UK time. It'll be a belter - especially if the GT-Rs wind the boost up!
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