Showdown at Suzuka

After a great qualifying session leaves me starting in P2, I elect to start on intermediate tires despite dry conditions, hoping the dark clouds in the distance bring the rain. I get eaten alive by the competition starting on slicks in the first sector of lap one. Building on lessons learned from round one at a soggy Red Bull Ring I try my best to be patient and let the race come to me. Eventually, the heavens open and the rain comes. It. Is. On.

With no need to pit for tires or fuel it’s a 12-lap sprint to the finish. Multiple bouts of torrential rain resulted in wet conditions for the entire race, catching nearly half the field that started on slicks with their proverbial pants down. Pushing consistency over outright pace I found myself back in second place and reeling in the leader. With a handful of laps remaining I was within striking distance of P1 when disaster struck. Taking too much kerb into Degner put me on the slippery edge of the track, resulting in a slide off circuit at the outside of turn 9. Exiting with dirty tires and out of rhythm, I touch the grass on the inside just before the hairpin before sliding sideways across the track and rejoining in 5th.

I knew I had the pace against the competition in the wet, but was there enough time? It was time to push! With one lap to go I was in 4th position with 2nd and 3rd battling right in front of me when, at the hairpin, I managed to pick them both off in one move! With a healthy gap between myself and the battle behind I brought the Advan Porsche 993 home in second place.

Nations Cup results after two rounds