When the lights turn green, you drive off looking for some confidence in the car. You finish your outlap and approach the start/finish-line. Brake, turn for apex, throttle. Maintain throttle through the quick uphill combination onto the long straight. Brake for the chicane and ninety degree corner downhill to the long and slow right-hander. Turn left, throttle, lift for the long left-leaning follow through.
Straight, brake for chicane, another short straight and brake for another right turn. Step on the gas through another right turn, followed by two kinks left you take flat out. Brake for the final chicane and back on the gas towards the finish line. Rinse and repeat.
You really get a good flow going as you turn in the laps. The radio calls you in for a new set of tires to which you oblige. With the fresh pair of boots strapped to your car, you do a few long stints getting the feel for the car in racing conditions.
After an hour, your moment of zen is forcefully ended as the red lights mark the end of the session. The car felt decent and you wish you got some confidence in its reliability. As you turn into the garage, your mechanic holds up a tablet showing the fastest times of the session. Unsurprisingly, there is a meagre eight place showing on the screen. The result is not what counted for this session anyway.
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After the debrief, you make your way through the hospitality section behind the garages looking for a bite to eat. The caterer has the usual healthy stuff. Begrudgingly, you shove the organic salad down your throat. Daniels’ fifth place haunts your thoughts as you chew on some lettuce stuck between your teeth.
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