After a summer where I raced in the 24 Hours of Zolder and the 24 Hours of Barcelona in different series, followed by the Le Mans Cup (LMC), it was finally time to get back into our yellow racing machine for a very special race: my home race at Circuit Spa-Francorchamps. It's a circuit like no other and tailor-made for these high-downforce machines. We used the collective test on Wednesday to set up the car the way Pieder and I wanted it, and we found our almost ideal setup quite quickly. We decided to get some more laps in to become more comfortable, while staying out of trouble and not pushing ourselves and the car to its absolute maximum.
The Friday sessions went as usual in the morning with some limited track time due to some FCY (Full Course Yellow) situations. We opted for a steady approach and finished in P14. We still knew where we could improve to break into the top positions. Pieder used the bronze driver test to fine-tune the setup before we had to completely change it for the usual rain showers here at Spa. I started FP2 while it was still raining and immediately felt comfortable in these tricky conditions. I kept it well within its limits while still being among the top 5 runners on track, a great feeling to have when you know how much faster you can still go but can still match these gold-rated drivers. When it started to dry up, we switched seats, and Pieder got in the car. He took it easy and didn't manage to improve our time. P15 was the end result, but our feeling was getting better with each passing lap.
Saturday, as always, is the crucial time of the weekend, and we were completely prepared for it. Some last-minute setup changes provided us with the most ideal setup, and we were able to secure an amazing P2 in qualifying. We knew throughout the weekend that we still had some amazing pace in hand and were very happy that we were able to showcase it now.
Starting from the front row at my home race with the team was not only an amazing sight but also a significant advantage. This way, we would be able to avoid the inevitable chaos at T1, and so we did. A domino effect of 5 cars going round at various places throughout T1 caused the first safety car of the afternoon, while we solidified our P2 position. After a lengthy first safety car period, we were released again, managed to hold our position with ease, and began to close in on the leading car. However, our progress was interrupted by the second safety car of the day.
During this extended safety car period, the pit window opened while we had already passed the pit entry. A few cars at the back of the field slowed down significantly to make it into the pits as the pit window opened. This gave them a huge advantage as they were allowed to catch up to the field before we could complete our pit stop. The following lap, we entered the pits, and I took over the car. We lost one additional position in the incredibly busy pit lane. As we re-entered the track behind the safety car, I found myself boxed in by some GT3 cars that had made an earlier pit stop.
Upon the safety car restart, I was put out of position by one of these GT3 cars and subsequently lost a few positions. I tried to defend my position and not get passed, but the risks being taken by the rest of the field were insane and a danger to all of us. I managed to navigate this period without sustaining any damage. As the race continued, it was these very cars that later became involved in some significant incidents and had to retire.
After yet another safety car period, I regained my rhythm and was able to maintain an impressive pace, passing a few competitors. The pace I had in the later stages of the race kept me close to these amazing gold-tier drivers, and it would have been enough to secure us a podium place or even a win if it hadn't been for the poorly timed safety car during the pitstop window.
In the end, I secured our first points-paying position of the season in P6. While we were pleased to earn our first points of the season, we must also feel a bit disappointed when considering the pace we had throughout the race. We could have secured a podium finish if it weren't for the three safety cars. Nonetheless, in the end, we must be content with our first points of the season.
A big thanks to my sponsors for making all this happen, together with the Haegeli by T2 Racing crew who did a perfect job this weekend.
The progress we have made throughout the season gives us hope for an amazing season finale at Portimao. After a few weekends of hard and intense racing, it's now time to recharge my batteries and prepare for one more great race this season, where we will once again be aiming for the points-paying positions.
