We arrived at the track on Thursday before the two international practise days to prepare the cars from the flight to Miami. We get also the handout tires for practise and the maxima controlled fuel.
So from the beginning it was very difficult for me to find the perfect setup, because the handout tires were are lot harder in the rear. I tested everything and also with great team work we could collect some workable things on our new 750.
At the end of the IPD test days I found myself in second place, close behind Robert. At the following second days we could see, that the track time from the infinity guys before the worlds payed off and they set the pace from the beginning. It was everytime very close at the top and after practise I was again in the top 5. Tire wear and fuel consumption were very good and I was able to make 6 minutes with one tank.
Also after controlled practise I was still not happy with my car. I never had a constant balance from the car and it changed to more and more oversteering. Also everytime when I went out on the track the balance was completely different also when I changed nothing
So for the qualification I let the car how it was and learned to drive with it. I finished 5 from 6th rounds under p4 and two times very close to the tq. So the speed was there over 7 minutes. I never had the fastest lap but it was constant.
After qualification I was 4th overall and could drive in the super pole. This mode is not made for me and I missed the runner up spot for the final by one tenth.
On our free day on Friday we prepared the car and engines for the semi and hopefully the final. Tire wear was not very high, but to make the 30 minutes semi without change was a risk. Fortunately I was in the second semi and we could check before, how strategy will pay off in the end. So it was safe to do it without tire change.
The semi final was nearly perfect. I started second behind Naoto and we could pull away step by step from the rest of the field. After the first fuel stop I started to safe tires, and finished second behind Naoto after 30 minutes.
That gave me the 4th place in the grid for the one hour final.
The final start was a disaster for me. My car was to early on the ground and I must play with the throttle to be sure that the engine is running. I couldn´t remember but the referee saw a reaction from my car before the ton and I touched the white line from the box, but haven´t an early start. Anyway I got a drive through penalty and was last after the first round. I was on a 5.30 pit strategy because my runetime was always by 6 minutes, also in hot conditions and on small tires. I passed car by car but unfortunately I had a little contact with Eduardo and I flipped over and lost again a lot of time. Nothing happened with Edu but I got again a stop and go penalty for that race contact?? After that I was exactly one lap behind the leader and before my 2nd pitstop I flamed out in the in-lap. So in the end I finished 6. Not my day but the goal was to reach the final again, and in the final everything must be perfect and you need a lot of luck. This time nothing was on my side.
I want to thank Serpent and all my sponsors which make all this possible. Special thanks to my pitcrew Klaus Lechner and Merlin Depta.
So finally the nitro season is over in Europe and now I will spent some time with my electric cars indoor on carpet.
See you on the track
Till the next race.
Dominic Greiner
You can find my setup here:
https://www.serpent.com/xcart/cart.php?target=product&product_id=10569#product-details-tab-Setups
