Yahoo Autos Nixed 6 Hour qualifying leaves GTP drivers with mixed feelings
Reactions to scrubbing GTP qualifying for Sunday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after a shower dumped rain on Watkins Glen International are mixed, with drivers expressing disappointment, relief and indifference. A shower began to dump rain just as LMP2 and LMP3 qualifying began, and continued into the time period that GTP qualifying was to run. After three LMP2 and LMP3 drivers slid off the track hydroplaning in Turn 7, GTP qualifying was cancelled.
Nick Tandy, starting on pole by way of the points standings he and Mathieu Jaminet are leading in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsports car, is obviously not mad about being up front, though he laments the lost opportunity to figure out relative pace in the wet. Colin Braun, however, would have liked to qualify, even if he believes the call from IMSA officials was ultimately the right one.
“Kinda disappointed we didn’t get a chance to qualify,” said Braun, who led both practice sessions in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06. “We had a really fast car in the dry, and I think we would’ve been equally fast in the wet, so our expectations were pretty high going into qualifying. We’re really impressed with what Acura and HPD have done on the ‘tools’ side of the car to make it really quick and drivable. I’m sure IMSA made the decision (to cancel qualifying) based on things they could see and we could not. So it was a smart decision for the series, but man, I would’ve loved to have given it a shot, because we were definitely feeling good about our chances.”
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Pipo Derani had been quick in the No. 31 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R prepared by Action Express Racing, setting the fourth-fastest time in the morning practice session. He expected the session in the rain would have been entertaining, but appreciates the series considering the drivers’ safety.
“If something like (what) happened in LMP2 and LMP3 happened to GTP, then I assume it would be hard for the teams to recover for the race, so they’ve had their reasons. And, well, we just follow whatever the decision IMSA thinks is best for us — also for our safety as well, I think. I think we never think about that much, but they do more often than us. So for sure it’s a shame because I kind of wanted to be out there, even though it was rainy. I think it would have been fun. But yeah, we’ll start P2, which is championship position, and it’s a long race, so even even that doesn’t really matter.”
Louis Deletraz, the endurance addition in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura, was anticipating his first qualifying session in GTP, but that will have to wait a bit longer.
“We didn’t see the track conditions, but looking at how much water came down 10 minutes after, I think it was the right call,” said Deletraz. “I think the Acura is really good this weekend, but you never know until you race. Especially with only one-and-a-half hour practice and 56 cars on track, no one gets a clear lap, no one sees the full potential. I felt great in the car and I was looking to my first qualifying in GTP.”
