Strakka Racing LMP2 driver Danny Watts believes that he and his team-mates are in a good position to challenge for a high result at this weekend’s Bahrain round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Watts will share the British team’s Gibson 015S Nissan with Nick Leventis and Jonny Kane; the same lineup that recorded Strakka’s 6 Hours of Bahrain podium as an LMP1 team in 2012.
They currently sit eighth in the LMP2 teams’ championship with 53 points, although their position can be improved at the Bahrain finale with the two Extreme Speed Motorsports Ligiers close ahead on 56 and 59 points respectively.
“We all really enjoy driving at Sakhir, especially after our dramatic podium back in 2012,” said Watts. “As a track it really flows and we have the unique challenge of mastering the changing nature of the circuit as the weekend unfolds. It doesn’t get used that often, so when we all arrive the surface has a lot of dirt and sand on it, which means it gets quicker and quicker as each session passes.”
The Strakka Gibson has so far struggled to gain the desired results since its FIA WEC debut at the 6 Hours of the Nurburgring, achieving a best result of fifth at the German circuit in July.
However, as Watts notes, Strakka’s drivers have been working hard since the 6 Hours of Shanghai to prepare for the race in the Arabian desert, noting that open-cockpit nature of the car means that air flow is less of a problem for them than some of the other LMP2 teams.
“The Gibson’s open cockpit means we get good airflow and it’s a drier heat in Bahrain,” he said. “We’ve just returned from a Strakka Performance session and are in excellent shape for the weekend.”
Aside from its race weekend appearances at the 5.4 km circuit, Strakka Racing will also participate in Sunday’s FIA WEC rookie test session, which is aimed at young drivers hoping to impress current WEC teams for a potential future seat.
Strakka’s Gibson will be in action, and will be driven by McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Lewis Williamson and the team’s Formula Renault 3.5 regular Tino Ellinas.
The 6 Hours of Bahrain will get underway on Saturday evening, running into the night. The race is scheduled to start at 15:00 local time (GMT +3 hours).
You can view The Checkered Flag’s preview of the Protoype categories for the 6 Hours of Bahrain here.
