Nogaro, Monza then Zolder in Spring – somewhere in amongst those you’d expect some fast racing on dry, sunny tracks. Instead, Michael Lyons, and team mate Stefano Gai, treated onlookers to another duo of edge-of-the-seat races as inclement weather claimed Zolder this weekend.
The #51 AF Corse car scored two podiums at Nogaro, bringing Lyons to the Belgian circuit standing third in the championship. With clear advantages for Lyons’ Ferrari 458 Italia on a dry track, there was hope that a couple of days of good weather could see the pair take the championship lead. It was not to be.
Round 3 took place on Saturday afternoon, with Gai starting the race from pole position. As the cars lined up for the formation lap, a soggy crowd assembled to watch what was to become another action-packed round of the FIA GT3 European Championship. The formation lap revealed the true extent of the moisture on the track with the trail of grand machinery throwing up a considerable mist as it snaked toward the start of the race. Nonetheless, Gai made a good start and quickly drew a decent lead over the #14 Audi and #1 Mercedes. The Merc and Audi battled heartily for second place while Gai retained the lead, nursing the twitching 458 through each corner. As the pit window loomed, the #51 car was becoming more of a handful and Gai was drawn back into the 1-2-3 battle. The Audi lost out, dropping back to leave Gai defending against the #1 car when the pit window opened. A momentary contact between the two cars gifted some lucky collector with a very expensive Mercedes grill badge before the #1 car peeled into the pitlane for a mid-window change over.
Gai came in to change with Lyons with just two minutes of the window left available, and it appeared that the #51 car would be booted with slicks to finish the race as the sister AF Corse #50 car had done a few moments before. As it was, Lyons left the pit lane on the same wet rubber – as had most of the rest of the field – and slotted into P2 behind the #14 Audi. In typical Lyons’ style, he regained the lead two corners later and set about making it stick until the chequered flag.
Lyons drew a significant gap until – seemingly from nowehere – the #11 Lamborghini came into view to challenge for the lead. Lyons defended valiantly but was compromised by the need to conserve the wet tyres on a quickly drying track. The #11 car appeared not to be so conservative and took the lead with eighteen minutes remaining on the clock. This wasn’t to be the end to the drama; the #50 sister car, capitalising on the slick tyre choice, was able to close on Lyons using the now dry racing line, and went on to take the lead with just over five minutes left of the race.
It seemed like that might be the order for the closing laps, but the Lamborghini’s earlier charge took its toll and – in the last laps of the race – Lyons hunted down the P2 car and prepared for a pass in the final lap. With just two overtaking opportunities left, the two cars came upon a back marker in the form of the #12 Lamborghini – sister car to the P2 #11. In a sweeping right-hander, the #11 took the inside line and Lyons chose the outside of the turn, sandwiching the #12 car in the middle. The pace was there for Lyons to make the brave move stick and take the P2 on the exit, but mid-corner contact between the two Lamborghinis pushed the #12 car wide and, consequently, Lyons too. The resultant lost pace prevented the pass in that corner and Lyons wasn’t able to close the gap enough to utilise the last opportunity in the final corner. A hard fought race and masterful management of the tyres saw Lyons achieve his third podium in as many races.
Lyons commented: “We were unlucky with the pit stop, but I looked after the tyres, giving us a strong run to the finish. The contact between the Lamborghinis forced me to run wide and lost us the P2 finish, but I’m still pleased with the podium result.”
Round 4 initially looked to begin under just the conditions that the Ferrari needed to solidify Lyons’ dominant pace – dry and bright – although there were clouds on the horizon that threatened to create mayhem. Fortune did not favour the #51: the cars on the formation lap had barely reached three quarters of the way round before spits of rain fell and the red flags came out to signal a delayed start. Wet tyres were trollied onto the grid and it was ‘all change’ for a wet race.
The second formation lap was a complete contrast – wet and with lowered visibility. Lyons started the race in P6, but after a melee on the exit of the first corner his line was compromised, resulting in a spin for Lyons in the second.
From P10, the #51 car was in a position that Lyons is known to be able to convert into success. Within two laps Lyons was back up to P8, and making gains on the #11 Lamborghini in P7. Alas, the conditions didn’t suit the Ferrari, and Lyons was unable to climb further up the standings before the pit stop window opened. The driver change saw Gai back out in P8, with just under twenty-seven minutes left of the race.
Gai sliced past the #16 car to take seventh place in the forty-sixth minute, having brought the slicks up to temperature on a rapidly drying track. The #15 Audi had taken the gamble to stay on wet tyres under darkening skies, in the hope that the return of rain would give them an advantage in the closing laps of the race. The gamble didn’t pay off, and Gai – after leapfrogging the #14 car took P5 from the #15 Audi a few laps later.
In the final lap of the race the rain returned, threatening to upset the standings once more. With care and concentration, Gai brought the car home in P5, retaining the third place spot in the championship.
Lyons’ next race is at Circuito de Navarra in Spain, 27th May. With the promise of dry weather, it will be a race to watch, as Lyons’ will be able to bring out the best in the Ferrari and – with good fortune – see a truly deserved top step.
Source : Michael Lyons