Qualifying was always going to be a slightly compromised as I hadn't driven the car since Gary Feakins Racing had fitted the new AST suspension, Steering rack, wishbones and set the car up. Headed out on a thankfully dry track. The car definitely felt different, turn in seamed better than I recall from last year and the wheel spin that constantly caused issues in 2015 seams to be very much reduced (only issue now is a reducing number of excuses for not finishing well). Ended up qualifying 16th / 30 overall 3rd / 13 in class F behind David Graves and Matt Swaffer. Happy enough with the result although times were a little off what I'd hoped for however after just 6 laps it was just a case of needing to get used to the new set up.
After a pretty respectable qualifying session it was time for race 1, The track was dry so opted to head out on a dry stiff set up. All seamed to work well until the 5th lap when it satrted to rain by which time I'd set a best lap of 2:26.448 which was a good improvement of my best lap of 2:27.268 in 2015. At this time I was running 2nd in class behind David Graves with Gianluca Maretto close behind. Unfortunately the rain started to get heavier and the track became very slippery, especially on a stiff set up. On lap 6 heading into Riches I locked the brakes allowing Gianluca Maretto through who immediately spun in front of me allowing me to regain 2nd in class, Unfortunately another lock up into Ogies and a brief venture onto the grass allowed Will Arif through which demoted me to 3rd in class, still a respectable result and happy to return to the pits without damage. Certainly confirmed that running the AST's on a reasonably stiff setting was not the way to go in the wet.
By the time race 2 started the weather had started to improve although the circuit was still pretty wet and slippery, a fairy uneventful race just making sure the car survived the wet weather and trying to get a feel for the car in the wet whilst running the AST's on the fully soft setting.
By the time race 2 started the weather had started to improve although the circuit was still pretty wet and slippery, a fairy uneventful race just making sure the car survived the wet weather and trying to get a feel for the car in the wet whilst running the AST's on the fully soft setting.
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