The fourth round of the Michelin Le Mans Cup took place at Paul Ricard at the weekend (25-26 August, 2017) and for Optimum Motorsport it proved to be a tough and frustrating event as while the podium position was welcome, it was a race that could have seen both Flick Haigh and Joe Osborne on the top step of the podium.
Haigh made a great start to the two-hour race from second position on the grid, moving to the class lead only for a safety car to be deployed which again bunched up the field. The restart saw Haigh maintain the lead but on lap five, the #8 Lamborghini made an optimistic lunge for position, striking the right rear of the #75 Audi and sending Haigh into a spin.
With a deflated tyre, Haigh was forced to pit, dropping to the tail of the field. The British racer was soon back out but the damage had been done. Pitting from fourth at mi-distance, she handed over to Osborne who soon tracked down the #8 car for position, making the move on lap 41. Osborne soon gapped the car behind, taking the chequered flag third.
Team Principal Shaun Goff
“The #8 took us out of the lead and we could have and probably should have won the race. It’s obviously good to be back on the podium, but it really wasn’t the race we wanted, it’s frustrating. We look forward to Spa Francorchamps with a view that we are owed a good slice of luck.”
Flick Haigh
“I was looking in my mirrors for the three corners before and I thought ‘I don't trust you’. So I was very aware where I was placing the car and then he just hit me. It always seems to be the same. And he just got a drive through penalty for that. It doesn't help our race at all but we got the podium, so perhaps that is something we can take to the next race.”
Joe Osborne
“It was damage limitation almost from the start. We’ve had terrible luck at almost every round so far this year and it continued here. You can’t have a race without mistakes, your fault or not, but that’s basically what happened here today.”
