First i would like to apologize for the no-show of one of the ABRacing cars. Daniel didn't manage to get his new modem to work in time and Alex got stuck at work.
Qual: Considering the time i practiced, not bad. 14th.
Race: I started the race with full tank so i can "gain" some time during the pit stop. Calm start, gaining a position due to someone leaving the track in the first lap. I knew i was going to be slow in the first stint, but everyone was pretty much on the same pace around me, so the difference was made on small mistakes that someone would made lap after lap. I made a small mistake and dropped a position to 14th again. At this stage i was getting a lot of pressure from a Yellow R8 (sorry mate, new here, still don't know names). It was a good and most of all clean battle. He made some moves to overtake me but i manage to defend my position. That R8 made a mistake and dropped 1 or 2 spots.
On lap 24/25 spun exiting the first chicane and dropped a couple of spots. I was never comfortable with my car's setup, and at this stage i was drifting almost on every corner... On the end of lap 29 i pitted, and then my whole strategy was ruined. First i made a mistake, stopping the car outside my pit stall, and the engine was already off when i stopped. Had to start the car again and move to the correct position. Pit crew made their job and sent me on my way, but... the car WOULD NOT START! I could ear the engine starting, but then... silence. I took me a good 20-25 seconds and 5 or 6 tries to get the car going.
Oh well, got out of the pits on the 20th spot, 12 seconds behind 19th car. I was pissed with the whole situation and made lots of laps filled with errors, due to not having the concentration required... In the mean time i got lapped by the 5th position car, and i started to concentrate and make clean laps. To my surprise i was able to stay on his tail, 1-2 seconds behind for good number of laps, without losing time to him. I started to pick up the pace and gain time on the 19th, my good old friend Pedro Louro from Sonic Racing Team, i catch up with him with 8 laps to go, i think, and with 5 to go (or 4... or 6... around that) i managed to pass him and gain my only position on the whole race. With 2 to go 2 guys must have crashed, since i ended up in 17th.
Not the perfect debut, but... s#$t happens.
See you next time.
Carlos Costa