A lot has happened since my last column, with the big build-up to the start of the season involving lots of testing, then the races at Sebring and St Pete, a tragedy and a sex scandal...!
Going back a little in time, the race at Sebring was a really disappointing, as we were hoping for a better result. We arrived for the race having put a lot of testing miles under our belt, and we had a good feeling that we would be strong.
We went into the race in two minds, to go with full downforce or very little. In the end, we went for the very little and this probably wasn't the best choice as we struggled with the changing conditions of the Sebring track, which seemed to be worse than normal. Each time we went out on the track, the car would be very different to drive, and we also had a few issues with our 2008 tyre, which didn't help the situation. The Fernandez and Andretti teams also had a few issues and went back to the '07 tyre, but we stuck with the '08.
On a positive note, all the talk around the paddock was of the Acuras going flat in sixth around turn one, and I have to say it was a real buzz to do it. The cars are progressing so fast now - much quicker than we have seen for some time - and, when I tested with the new aero bits in January, I did a ten-lap run and eight of those laps were flat in sixth at turn one. Mega....!
The race, however, turned out to be a struggle, with the lack of grip and the inconsistency we had. The AGR car was fast, and the Fernandez car was also quick, but we were a little behind. In the end, things came our way by staying out of trouble. We had a very reliable car and put in a few quick stints because all the stars and moons lined up.... briefly. So, eventually, we managed a good result, taking fourth in class and fifth overall, which was as good as we deserved.
