Hello again, and thanks for taking the time to read my blog.
I am still walking around uni with a huge grin on my face! The first three rounds at Brands Hatch provided a good introduction to the Supercup and a proper insight into what I regard as the countries most competitive championship for aspiring sportscar drivers.
The weekend epitomised the idea of progression and development through time. We went to the track with a setup we knew was quick through testing, however, for whatever reason it was not working on Friday. Try as we might, we could not get the front end to grip and neither could Carl. Luckily we had the help of coach Rob at hand and we ended Friday P7, 4 tenths off the pace, 3 tenths of which we knew we could find at Paddock.
However, come qualifying and to an extent race 1, we had not found the answer to the same issue. The race itself was frustrating as we knew we could be quick. Having said that, race 1 was also a welcome experience as I found the level of racing in the Supercup was one that, with time, I believe I can revel in.
We carried on hunting for the illusive sweet spot in our setup and by race 2 I think we found it. The result improved for us as well with me ending P5 and around one tenth off fastest lap. Confidence was growing in my racecraft by this time and with our confidence back in the car, we knew we had the capability to lead from the front in the final race of the weekend, if only with a little more consistency in the lap time.
Race 3 was an intense affair from the start. I sat in P3 knowing I had a really good car underneath me which was a fantastic feeling. The Indy circuit is a difficult place to race on as a train of cars. It is very easy for the lead car to turn in on anyone making a move. This was very much the case in race 3 and I think I had contact with at least three other cars. However, after keeping my nose clean and working back up to P2 from P4, the car still felt really nailed. Unluckily for Shaun, contact the lap before ended his race. This handed the lead over to me with nine laps to go, during which I was able to pull a consistent lead over the other two front runners.
It was an absolutely brilliant feeling to get a win on the first weekend. Especially as it is a new series for the team and I. We remain under no illusion of how tough the competition is. We are continuing to work hard with a test at Thruxton next week. If this progressive attitude continues, I hope to bring more good news over the coming weekends.
Thanks,
Luke
