23-10-2007, 11:47 PM
Amazing race.
I dedicated myself mostly to ChampCar the previous week and didn't train at Mexico since more than a week, so I surpised myself being 2 seconds slower than when I made my setup. I didn't have the needed confidence and I couldn't regain them. However, in Qualifying I could risk, and I take my first official pole position. Roberto Nogueras and Tiago Guerreiro where very close, at 1 and 2 tenths.
The race, anyway, was goign to be a whole different story. I hadn't the confidence and I started slow and was 9 seconds adrift at the third lap. Tiago and Roberto were together at the front, and I was pulling out from Berto Carvalho. But I made a little mistake and lost the pace, and he got me again. For his part, Tiago pulled out from Roberto some seconds, and I started to make a gap again after Berto had an off.
However the story was about to change. Tiago started to lose his tires, while Roberto was consistent and I, whitout realizing, started to go faster and faster, until I eventually made the fastest lap of the race. Again, my first official one. The gaps started to shrink and with 6 laps to go the three were a group. I didn't want to attack Roberto if he could attack Tiago first and make some mayhem (evil grin), but thought I'd have to do it. However, things went better and at the end it was Roberto who attacked Tiago. But Roberto failed to brake well after the overtaking in the main straight, and drifted, leaving Tiago leader again. And later that lap, Roberto drifted again, and a third mistake made him spin.
So I was left alone against Tiago and with a new gap due to the accident (I almost eat Roberto, lol). I caught him at the Peraltada of lap 31, but I had to lift to not touch him. I made several mistakes. I could take the draft but again had to lift because I failed to break in time, so at the end I gambled with the braking. I braked later, just when I saw Tiago doing it, but I didn't realized it was not a very late braking and Tiago lengthened more than me and we reached the turn at the same time. We touch each other and eventually he won the position again. Two and three turns later, he braked a little too much and I had to make a great effort to avoid a severe accident. I even touched him but while I almost spun, he could go ahead.
So he won, I was second. But I'm very very happy. Not that much with the result because If I have trained a little more instead of leaving it pass I could have won. But anyway surely Tiago could have done it too. I'm happy with the fight, and with the sensations. I NEVER felt what I felt today. My heart was going to jump out of my chest when I attacked Tiago. Really.
Well, just to finish, it's been a pleasure to drive with all of you. I still do it in Champ Car with some of you, and I'm sure we will see ourselves again on the circuits in the future. Thank you for these great races.
I dedicated myself mostly to ChampCar the previous week and didn't train at Mexico since more than a week, so I surpised myself being 2 seconds slower than when I made my setup. I didn't have the needed confidence and I couldn't regain them. However, in Qualifying I could risk, and I take my first official pole position. Roberto Nogueras and Tiago Guerreiro where very close, at 1 and 2 tenths.
The race, anyway, was goign to be a whole different story. I hadn't the confidence and I started slow and was 9 seconds adrift at the third lap. Tiago and Roberto were together at the front, and I was pulling out from Berto Carvalho. But I made a little mistake and lost the pace, and he got me again. For his part, Tiago pulled out from Roberto some seconds, and I started to make a gap again after Berto had an off.
However the story was about to change. Tiago started to lose his tires, while Roberto was consistent and I, whitout realizing, started to go faster and faster, until I eventually made the fastest lap of the race. Again, my first official one. The gaps started to shrink and with 6 laps to go the three were a group. I didn't want to attack Roberto if he could attack Tiago first and make some mayhem (evil grin), but thought I'd have to do it. However, things went better and at the end it was Roberto who attacked Tiago. But Roberto failed to brake well after the overtaking in the main straight, and drifted, leaving Tiago leader again. And later that lap, Roberto drifted again, and a third mistake made him spin.
So I was left alone against Tiago and with a new gap due to the accident (I almost eat Roberto, lol). I caught him at the Peraltada of lap 31, but I had to lift to not touch him. I made several mistakes. I could take the draft but again had to lift because I failed to break in time, so at the end I gambled with the braking. I braked later, just when I saw Tiago doing it, but I didn't realized it was not a very late braking and Tiago lengthened more than me and we reached the turn at the same time. We touch each other and eventually he won the position again. Two and three turns later, he braked a little too much and I had to make a great effort to avoid a severe accident. I even touched him but while I almost spun, he could go ahead.
So he won, I was second. But I'm very very happy. Not that much with the result because If I have trained a little more instead of leaving it pass I could have won. But anyway surely Tiago could have done it too. I'm happy with the fight, and with the sensations. I NEVER felt what I felt today. My heart was going to jump out of my chest when I attacked Tiago. Really.
Well, just to finish, it's been a pleasure to drive with all of you. I still do it in Champ Car with some of you, and I'm sure we will see ourselves again on the circuits in the future. Thank you for these great races.