«Sit quietly on the banks of the river, and past proplyvёt the corpse of your enemy.»
Confucius
Recently, a growing tendency to compare a modern motor racing that was forty years ago — and in most cases the comparison is not in favor of modernity. The biggest attack exposed Formula 1 — for what has become a very smooth and characterless, but others too gets.
But despite the fact that control modern machines it became easier, and in the racing bodies GT class set air conditioning, endurance races still remain a real challenge for the drivers and the cars, and the last 17–18 September to Endurance World Championship at the Texas track Circuit of the Americas once again confirmed it.
When the daily air temperature above 35 degrees inside the car thermometer rose to a mark of 60 degrees, according to the rules on duty at the circuit ambulances repeatedly for 6-hour stage took them to the medical center with a thermal blow pilot received after the change on the track.
The track in Austin — the-art race track length of just over 5.5 kilometers. It passes and Formula 1, and the WEC, and even MotoGP. COTA (Circuit of the Americas) was written by Herman Tilke, and is known for its elevation changes (41 meters) and lots of turns (there are 20).
One of the most famous places on the track — the first turn, which is located immediately after the steep ascent starting-and-finish straight. Curiously, just as Paul Ricard, the cell includes the configuration elements of other famous tracks — and Spielberg, and Silverstone and Istanbul Park.
WEC is coming here for the fourth consecutive year, about the same time of year, so the team has a pretty good idea what to prepare yourself. Moreover, naturally, the factory team and not only — plan your strategy based on the temperature and characteristics of their vehicles. So Porsche from the beginning set the task exactly the first drive, the hottest part of the race, when the Kings on the road will be Audi, and launch an attack after sunset, for their less favorable hot weather, and that she had to give them an advantage. And so it turned out.
As in the previous stage in Mexico, the most successful during qualifying proved to Audi: in Austin, they are completely occupied the front row of the grid, leaving Porsche and Toyota share the staggered second and third rows.
Andre Lotterer, pilot crew Audi # 7, after qualifying said that the car «flew literally — thanks to the guys from the department of aerodynamics, and that most of them would like to repeat the qualifying result in the race.» But for the second race in a row Audi just unlucky.
As for the interesting Russian pilots LMP2 category, there were in qualifying and surprises. Two crew SMP Racing # 37 (Ladigin / Petrov / Shaitar) qualified sixth and Minassian and the median (№37) — eighths. Surprise is presented in the G-Drive Racing, whose results were annulled and the crew №26 started from the last, 31 th place. The fact is that during the qualifying session, Alex Brundle on his three fastest laps, as it turned out, all the wheels went over the track, resulting in his time were not counted.
The first third of the race went pretty smoothly, and it became the undisputed hero Alex Brundle, who for 45 minutes of their first shift managed to overtake 18 cars and climb from last place to 13th position. Mark Weber, who started in Austin, first managed to win one seat, but then returned it back to Audi, and then after the pit stop and change drivers Porsche # 1 and became the fourth losing all Toyota # 6.
But after sunset the fate of the race has changed. Timo Bernhard started to break forward, and in many ways it has helped in the correct tactics for the pitstop, which surprisingly turned out to combine with the virtual safety regime. Meanwhile, G-Drive Racing with pitstop just unlucky. Due to aggressive driving, they had to call in to refuel in the range of 1–2 before the others, and several times they «missed» by Full Corse Yellow, who worked at the hands of their rivals. Nevertheless, by the middle of the race they were able to climb up to 2nd place in the category and were not going to give up. Their main rival crew Signatec Alpine # 36 also performed a flawless race, not allowing any mistakes on the track or on the pitlane.
Less successfully evolved from SMP Racing race team. The crew №37 one after another arose technical problems, to the point that at the time of Cyril Ladygina change the car suddenly stalled and refused again to start. Cyril was able to find a solution to force reload the car with the emergency button, but the moment was lost. Then, after some time refused traction control system, but there has already been made a collective decision not to call in to the pits for repairs, and to go as it is.
All of the major events in the senior class began around the second half of the race. The first problem experienced Loic Duval on the leading Audi # 8. The car started with electricity problems, and before it is started up again, it took more than a minute. This helped Audi second exit at the first position.
Then there is a contact at the Manor LMP2 with one of the vehicles Ford GT (# 66), which is another mode of FCY, then Benoît Tréluyer (Audi # 7) was not able to keep the car and ended up in the wall, but with a very light effects, which allowed it after only 4 laps to go back again on track. With all these events Porsche # 1, actually «peresidev» rivals, took the first place and continues to hold it with a comfortable reserve for the time of about 25 seconds, which allows to keep the lead even after the pit stop. However, it also is «endurance» — competent tactics and strategies to see how «swims past the corpse of your enemy.»
A little later coming Porsche # 88 Abu-Dabi Proton racing, and a few minutes and Manor returns to the pits due to a problem with the suspension (probably contact the consequences).
One minute before the finish line at the Audi # 7 disaster actually happens: they are forced to stop by an unscheduled pitstop to refuel — otherwise the fuel is simply not enough.
As a result — the first place overall for the crew №1 and №2 for fourth place car, and 5 win of the season for the Porsche team.
Toyota, which is very early in the season was not enough just stamina for the second time in a row on the podium and it seems that this gives the team confidence in their forces. At this time, the crew at number 6 as part of Stéphane Sarrazin, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi were third with the overall classification. Their second crew will finish in 5th place.
In the category LMP2 # 26 G-Drive Racing still return one position and eventually Roman Rusinov / René Rast and Alex Brundle finish third, and after a series of setbacks in Austin earned them 15 points are a symbol of the return of fortune.
At SMP Racing # 27 crew still managed to finish 6th in the LMP2 category — but №37 finished the race in fourth place. «It was very hot, — said Victor Shaitar. — This is probably my most difficult race on the physical condition of his career. In such circumstances, can only endure. I would like to finish in a higher position, but annoying technical problems twice threw us far back. »
The next stage of WEC will be held October 14–16 in Japan.
