LMP2 - 1th split in the 7:00am GMT timeslot

Driver:

Antti Terho
Tuomo Jussila
Ian Andersen

Team LMP2 started the race at Saturday 7th October, time 7.00 AM (GMT). Antti drove the qualifying and laptime stopped at 1:09:540 which was enough for position 5 of 12 car field in our class (total 40 cars on the race). Pole position lap was 1:09:128 by Prosim LMP2.

Antti also takes the race start and two opening stints (stint = runs between pitstops). Race start was was safe and calm, drivers know it is 10 hours race so there is no reason to drive like crazy in first hours. In the race there is two other car classes racing alongside us, causing some traffic. Patience is highly needed!

After two stints car was running at position 5. Car was passed to Ian, who made brilliant work to climb positions to P2 with showy overtakes. After his two stints he made a pitstop and passed the car to Tuomo. The driver cycle goes on this way. Later in the race the team experienced some shocking moments, as Ian got some Windows notification while he was driving.

This caused his PC monitors freeze for a moment, luckily Ian was at slow-speed corner so he could stop his car safely on trackside until monitors are back on normal position. If this happened in high-speed corner, the result can be badly damaged car with forcing us retire the race. Antti also made a spin, luckily there were no cars around the spin so car remained untouched.

Later Antti was trying to overtake a slower GT3 car, but the GT3 car was trying to enter pitlane, meaning two racing lines crossed and the contact caused Antti spin again. Once again team had luck in this one, still no significant damage on the car so team could continue the race.

Night time is getting started in final race hours. Track is getting dark and visibility is worse, even though track and car has lights. Team was getting very close to exceed incident points limit, which was 50. You get one point from driving over track limits, two points from losing the control of car and four points from a contact with another car. 48/50 incident points two hours prior the finish, so it was almost impossible to avoid a penalty.

Team unfortunately collected more off-track incident points, so team was handed a drive-through pitlane penalty. This was a disappointment, team was at risk losing podium spot. But other teams also had their moments and unfortune, we managed to keep position 2 until the finish of the race! Awesome result by DSR!!! Position 2 after 10 hours and 493 race laps. Race was won by Prosim LMP2, who made 496 laps, meaning DSR was 3 laps behind the winner.

After a succesful endurance race DSR is taking next step on improving the racecraft. At first team must practice avoiding incident points so penalties could be avoided. Fuel saving during the race is also a important skill to learn, DSR made one extra pitstop in the race because fuel was running out at end. With better fuel usage the race can be finished with less pitstops so it saves up time.

Next endurance race is at November 11 -  8 hours of Fuji Japan with GT3 cars.