Week 13: Magic At Mugello

Midnight 5th December, 2023

After returning home from a busy and hectic weekend on the mainland, I'm relieved to find out that Week 13 was just around the corner.

Other than the GT3 Challenge, it was a very quick decision to choose to do the Battle Of The Small Wings series - interestingly, this season the Lotus 79 had been included in the line-up.

Bar one track, the Week 13 calendar ticked off all of my favourite tracks - Okayama, Oulton, Red Bull Ring... Thursday's race was at VIRginia International Raceway - always an unenjoyable experience.

Thursday 7th December, 2023

Thursday rolled around. I bit my tongue.

Yes, this was all optional, but a bad track can really ruin ones da-...

It was gone. VIR was gone. I didn't have to race VIR!

Replacing VIR was a track I fell in love with at first glance: Mugello.

I don't know what it is, but I have an unusually high hit-rate when it comes to brand new circuits during Week 13.

(Midnight Pratice: 14th (class), 1:44.476

(Qualified: 4th, FL - 1:44.690 (-01.36 Off Pole)

(Race: 2nd)

Race AL: 1:46.644 (Average Lap)

Personal FL: 1:44.658

I had a thrilling start - even challenging for the lead at turn 1 (despite a few touches heading into T1)

From 3rd after Turn 1  ("the toucher" got back past down the inside), I knew what I had to do: keep it calm, clean and consistent.

I stayed in 3rd until lap 3 when the leader was taken out by the "Rejoin of the milennium

Beautiful, isn't it?

From there it was just a cruise to the finish - but not before Diogo Dettenborn paid me a visit up front - from 16th, he was on one hell of a comeback drive - flying through the grid.

I was still on for a podium finish...

The one rule for Week 13 is to "expect the unexpected" - and the unexpected happened alright!

Starting the final lap, Dettenborn tried to make a move around the outside of (Han) Bot for the lead, but they touched right rear to front left wheels.

Dettenborn speared right - but Bot's car went straight through him, then spearing Bot off to the right. Dettenborn somehow survived unscathed whilst Bot ended in the wall and out of the race.

Technically speaking - I SHOULD have won due to both cars being taken out, but The Physics Gods were with Dettenborn that day, and he managed to live another day - and win the race.

Mugello is a fast and exciting track and I can't wait to make more memories on it!