HEADLINES
- Nick Catsburg gets his first taste of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the WeatherTech United SportsCar Championship Monterey Grand Prix
- Catsburg’s gentleman teammate, Tim Pappas, qualifies the #540 Black Swan Racing Porsche in tenth, before being promoted to eighth after two disqualifications
- Pappas starts the race and runs comfortably inside the top ten
- Unfortunate and unavoidable brake line failure ends Black Swan Racing’s charge before Catsburg takes the wheel
- The Dutchman takes to the track later in the race and treats his limited seat time as a test session
- Catsburg travels from Monterey to Marrakesh for the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Race of Morocco
- Another podium finish is the target on the vibrant streets of the Moroccan capital
Nicky says…
On Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca…
“Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is absolutely awesome! It’s in an amazing location in California and I think it’s one of the most beautiful tracks I’ve visited in my career. There’s also a lot of history associated with the circuit and all of this makes it a very special and enjoyable place to race. I’ve completed a lot of laps on the simulator, but to finally drive it for real was pretty cool.”
On The Corkscrew…
“My expectations for The Corkscrew were pretty high. Laguna Seca itself is a favourite among fans and drivers, but the one corner that stands out is The Corkscrew. It drops 59 feet – the equivalent of five and a half storeys – and the first time I went over the crest was a bit unsettling, as I couldn’t see the exit! It’s certainly a unique situation and there’s no other corner like it, but you find your own reference points and get to grips with it quite quickly.”
On the Monterey Grand Prix…
“The weekend started off well. Free practice was about preparing as best as possible for the race. Tim (Pappas) had quite a lot of time in the car and it was up to him to qualify and then start the race.
“He did really well to go tenth fastest, but we were then promoted to eighth after a couple of drivers were disqualified and he stayed inside the top ten for the duration of the opening stint, until we had a brake line failure just before the first round of stops. Our race was over then and there, but Black Swan Racing repaired the car and I went out to do a bit of testing, which turned out to be very productive.”
On the brake line failure and what might have been in the Monterey Grand Prix…
“A brake line failure is very uncommon and we couldn’t have foreseen or prevented it from happening. It’s a shame that we were unable to finish the race, as we had confirmed that we weren’t too far off in terms of setup. Our pace was strong and I really think we could have fought for a strong result and points. I would have loved to have tried the Black Swan Racing Porsche at its best in what was the first sprint race of the season for us.”
On his expectations for the WTCC Race of Morocco on the streets of Marrakesh…
“I’m more hopeful going into the WTCC Race of Morocco, as some weight has been taken out of the LADA Vesta TC1. We got a podium with ballast last time out in Hungary and I’m definitely looking to continue my streak of strong races with another top three result in Marrakesh.
“Generally, these street tracks are a bit of a lottery. Danger is never far away and it’s difficult to judge how things might pan out, with this being a completely new circuit for everybody. I know nothing about the track or Morocco. I do know the new circuit will be without crazy chicanes and I’ve heard Marrakesh is awesome. I’m looking forward to checking out the souks. If I don’t reach the podium, I’m sure I can haggle for a piece of silverware there!”