Race
"At every start, I'm very cautious. I proved after some years of racing that my strength is finishing races at a reasonable speed, which brings good results.
In first laps I put pressure on the guys in front, and took advantage of my experience. They made small mistakes that let me through.
Then I was in a 3-way battle with Samuel Libeert behind, and Gabriel Montanes in front. Despite many little mistakes of Gabriel Montanes, I couldn't pass. I had to wait some laps to study his driving, and finally I passed in the chicane of S2. Samuel Libeert also took advantage of the pass and followed me."
From that point started a battle that lasted until the final laps with Samuel Libeert, with some extremely close action. Side by side in S1, many attacks, close pit exit, etc. Finally, he made a mistake and let me breathe for the final laps.
Very exciting race, and very good result !"
Qualifications
"As expected, I was not as fast in quals as I was in practice. I was a bit frustrated, since a top10 was possible...and it would have been first time (ever). I'm at the back, but very close to the people in front of me."
Race
Drama in Malaysia...After 2 turns, my front wing is taken off by an incident in front that I couldn't avoid.
A few turns later, as I was driving to the pits, my car has been destroyed by a rear hit (Matteo Keersmaekers). I thought everyone had past me, but I was wrong. I didn't pay so much attention to my driving line 2 turns before pit entry, because I was changing strategy.
Race
At the end, I finally bring one "lucky" point. After the DNF in Sepang, it's another race to forget.
After analysis of the data, the best position i could score is P11. My pace was 0.33s slower than Australia (in comparison with the winner), which can be explained by the lack of practice. At this level, a little difference can have huge effects.
A bent suspension due to a slight contact around lap 33 caused me a spin 1 lap after, and some bad laps which probably costed me a better result.
Congrats to my friend Joakim Bengtsson for the win, and Timon Bolier for a stunning 3rd position.
Race
The first laps just in the middle of everyone is always difficult. I pay as much attention as I can to avoid contacts, and of course I'm overtaken. But also, I see cars off track at every turn. I keep in mind that the race is 57 laps and I don't insist too much on risky moves.
After the first laps, I'm caught in the middle of a fight for P10. With Joao Barbosa, Andrey Yakimenko and Tomo Meglic begins a real fight. We all had the same pace so it was very exciting.
At the end, Joao Barbosa takes a little gap, as I have to fight to keep P10. Tomo Meglic DNF and Andrey Yakimenko is closing. 2 laps from the end, front left brake faded. I think it's due to my bent suspension. I lose 20 seconds.
Yakimenko passes and hopefully Joakim Bengtsson took a lap to almost everyone. Only Wes Richards remaining but he seems to have lost his brakes too! I visit a bit of sand but finish 10th.
Very exciting race with many battles through all the distance!
Quals
Very close, like usual. I manage to make p16 (usual position) at the last lap. I'm pretty happy but I could have done a bit better.
Practice
Petter Kaasa gave me a good base setup for this race, I felt immediately comfortable with it. I changed it a bit according to my driving, and I was ready for the race.
70 timed q-laps, 100 race laps.
Race
I don't remember how many red flags there where, and from what I heard there were in all categories. So...what's the problem?
In all starts mine went fine, except the "real" one. My tyres were completely cold and I had to go off track in T1 to avoid hitting anyone. I avoided the walls with a miraculous driving.
From that moment till 5 laps from the end, the race was boring. I was at the back, with a car that was difficult to handle. My laptimes were horrible. At the end I almost overtake Jorge Izquierdo, and Scott Michaels is trying also to pass me.
Result: P11 at the end, pretty much "usual" result despite having very low practice. It won't be sorted for Monaco since I go in Greece till...saturday evening before the race! It's a shame, but many things go first.
Quals
0.5 away from PB, pretty much usual with pressure. P14 with the penalties.
Practice
A lot of mess with the track, different versions and different versions of tyres in the first week. The second week I had no free time for F1, so I started practice only...sunday morning.
4 hours practice, and race already! That was far from enough.
Race
Huge mess pretty much everywhere, mostly caused by Tomo Melgic that forgot to brake but got away with no damage. I'm lucky, got passed them with a few hits here and there on my car. I'm in a good p13 and very heavy on fuel (35laps). Even P11 at the end of lap 1!
That's where Domagoj Malezic lost a wing, didn't see it, and unfortunately ran into me. Car destroyed but still able to go repair the car. 3m09 to make lap2...
Andrey Yakimenko was behind me during many laps, which made it interesing. Thanks Andrey! I was running mid16's due to my damaged car and heavy fuel. After first pitstop I was still in front of Yakimenko, and I tried to push a bit more. I was into 15's, and he finally made some mistakes and retired. With all other retirements I was in top10 !
I finally made also a mistake after 3rd pitstop, watching blue flags and cold tyres....Could rejoin pitstops for repair, I did nearly 4 minutes for this lap.
With nobody behind, I put boost on lower setting (9) and was just driving home. Some other retirements made me finally do p7.
At the end I finish with 6 laps to the leader. Yes, I was slower than most guys. Yes, I did a mistake. But I had the most determination to go till the finish line, and that's a quality that shouldn't be minimized.
Congrats to the top3. Very good driving.
Quals
As usual, in fact, I start the race P18. I'm expecting huge mess in the first laps, I just hope I'll be able to avoid them...
Practice
After a week in Kos (Greece), I could start practicing only 4h before quals. Loaded Timon's setup and did a few laps during a couple of hours. More, in a row, is too much.
Race
Bad start. I'm very cautious and cars overtake me from everywhere. I lose positions that I gain again with some cars that go off track
We make a nice 3 way battle with Gabriel Montanes and Petter Kaasa. I pass both but Kaasa sticks behind me. I receive the order to let him pass, but then I overtake him again as he was slower than expected. from that moment, except that mistake in pit entry that cost me 15 secs, nothing special to report.
At the end I'm p12, with no chance to catch the guy in front, or lose position. I save engine and cross the line with 1 lap off the leader.
Quals
Honnest laptime, and with penalties of others, I'm well placed
Practice
More than usual, but not very happy with improvements done after 100 laps. I've been practicing with race fuel.
Race - P10
Qualifications - P13
Training 2 - thursday 24 june
I have made a few improvements on the car. I also took a look at my team mate John-Eric Saxen's setup. Finally I decided to lower the wings for better topspeed. I also changed the balance of the car, which makes the car more stable in first sector. Thanks to the telemetry, I noticed that I lose a lot of time (0.25) in a single turn: abbey. I'll work on this one saturday.
I have achieved my goal as I scored 1.17.3, so the car is good. It's only 1s away from the very bests. Saturday I'll also have to set a strategy for the race: tyres, pitstops, etc
Training 1 - thursday 18 june
I have made 30 laps recon on this track I like a lot. I take the Spain setup as basis, and run with 40 litres of fuel to help develop a better race setup. The aero will be very important on this track, as there are many fast turns. I'll have to find the correct balance between speed and grip.
I also tried a qual run, where I did 1.17.935. I hope to gain .5 until the mid of next week.
Race - P12
The start is brilliant, and I'm able to overtake many cars in first corner. I'm up to 11th, but Tomo Melgic went too fast for turn 2 and hit me. Fortunately the car wasn't damaged, but I lost all the gained positions.
For the two first laps, there are several incidents and I'm able to pass several damaged cars: Melgic, Wezenberg, Izquierdo, Tihekari. I also pass Wes Richards. At this point, I'm already 14th, and several drivers are just 5 seconds ahead.
I push as hard as I can, but I can't go faster without mistakes.
In lap 5, there are again damaged cars I can easily pass: first Palmer, and Joakim Bengtsson who has to pit. In the meantime, Fred Gosling has retired. I'm 11th now. 10th when Nebojsa Tramosljika also retires.
On lap 12, Stroud makes a strange move to avoid being passed, but it ends in the gravel. DNF for Stroud and pit for Kanitz. I have moved to 8th position!
Lap 15, I've catched Barbosa, but I have to enter the pits. The portuguese driver is on a 2-stopper. When I rejoin the track, I'm still 8th, behind Yakimenko. He makes a couple of mistakes in last chicane but manages to be fast enough so I cannot catch him.
Lap21, Bengtsson has recovered from the damage of lap5 and catched me. He's much faster, he puts a lot of pressure, but cannot pass. He finally pits at the end of lap25.
Lap30, Stefan Kanitz also catched me, but I have to pit.One lap later, he also pits, but gets out just in front. Very well played from him. But then, after trying to pass Joao Barbosa, he brakes too late and both cars lose grip. I'm just here, and I pass in the middle of them. I'm 7th, but I have Kanitz sticked to my back. Finally, in lap40, he passes me in the last chicane.
After that, there is the drama: Bentsson (who made his pitstop) is puttin again pressure on me. My rear tyres are worn, and my concentration goes on the next pitstop. That's too much, and I finally made a mistake. Car spins, and I hit the wall. I bring the car to the pits for a repair, but the fight for a good position is over.
In the final laps, Izquierdo also overtakes, but the deception is already big. I finally finish 12th, but 8th or 9th was in the play.
Qualifications - P16
I've done far from enough practice to score a fast lap. Moreover, I've focused my driving for the race. At the end I'm 16th, but I have a good strategy for the start.
Training 1 - saturday 18 july
Only the first practice session. I've done 50 laps with 55 litres of fuel, to be ready for the race. Sofar, I've scored 1.28.4. It's not fast enough for a good position in the race, but all what I can do in so little time. 28.0 is probably quite easy with a few more laps.
Tomorrow is the race already, and I'll try to make some more laps in the morning.
Race
The start is really bad. 2 or 3 red flags, I have much nerves. I lose a couple of positions in the race, but it's something I was expecting. My goal was to cross finish line. After a few lost positions, begun the cruise. Nobody close enough to catch me, or to catch. Just trying to make no mistakes, save engine and brakes.
At the end, only 8 cars finish. P7 is just a fine result, with a pace that could have been faster...but would cost too much time to achieve it.
Quals
P16->P12 with the penalties!
Practice
On a track like this, where no mistake is permitted, I have the advantage of experience. Despite only 50 laps of practice, I'm confident I can score a pretty good result