As predicted, it was a tough begin to the round the clock race with greater than an hour of full pre-dawn operating in foggy circumstances.
Nonetheless race management has principally let the race run regardless of the apparent visibility challenges, the security automobile solely used to retrieve a crashed MARC automobile from the highest of the Mountain.
That hasn’t proved to be a universally well-liked choice with a number of lead drivers talking out in opposition to race management for letting the race run within the fog.
Amongst them was poleman Mostert, who spent all the first stint main the way in which for within the #65 Melbourne Efficiency Centre Audi.
“I am making an attempt to thoughts my phrases – that is one of the vital ridiculous issues I’ve ever finished in a automobile,” he mentioned.
“It is so harmful on the market, I really feel so unhealthy for the Ams entering into the automobile.
“You possibly can’t see apexes, you may’t see partitions, and it is worse while you’re out entrance. I imply, you do not have a man to observe.
“It modifications from lap to lap, however Skyline for me is probably the most harmful. Highest a part of the monitor, you may write a automobile off and get severely injured round there.
“It is unhealthy. To be sincere, we should not have began I do not suppose.”
Drivers got an opportunity to observe within the evening earlier within the week, however in much better circumstances
Picture by: Edge Photographics
David Reynolds, who accomplished the primary stint within the #24 MPC Audi, mentioned the circumstances had been “stunning”.
“I do not know what they’re doing operating [the race],” he mentioned.
“It’s stunning circumstances. When fog is that thick, you may’t see the place you’re going, it is so harmful. It is actually unhealthy.
“Will Brown handed me; I used to be on the entrance of the queue and Will bought in entrance of the queue, and did not know the place he was going so he dropped proper to the again. He simply throttled out down the straight, ‘I am out of this boys’. I do not blame him.
“At first it wasn’t too unhealthy, however when it began to get actually foggy, you are simply restricted by your imaginative and prescient. If you’re going throughout the highest at 200 kays and you’ll’t see the subsequent nook or the apex that you just’re turning into, it is recreation over.”
Manufacturing facility Audi driver Kelvin van der Linde, who chased Mostert all through the primary stint, mentioned the important thing to the race proper now’s survival.
“It is undoubtedly powerful on the market, particularly now with our Bronze drivers leaping in,” he mentioned. “It will likely be difficult for them, they should survive.
“Me and Chaz had been going at a substantial tempo. Throughout the highest it is tough to observe, tough to see. It is about survival at this level.”
The #888 Triple Eight Mercedes presently leads the race after the primary 75 minutes.
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