Did Fernando Horta's Ferrari 360 GTC spontaneously combust at the Red Bull Ring, or was it a tactical sacrifice to preserve the dignity of an absurd 1:33.192 lap time?
The post-race press room at the Red Bull Ring smelled heavily of scorched synthetic oil and cold Styrian beer as journalists cornered the paddock survivors following a dramatic four-car GT2 showdown.
(Penny Pincher - Paddock Gossip Weekly): Fernando, you set an outrageous 1:33.192 best lap—two full seconds faster than anyone else on track—and briefly led lap 2, only to park your #01 Williams Ferrari on lap 4. Is it true you blew the motor on purpose because you couldn't stand the sight of three Porsche GT3-RSRs hovering in your mirrors?
Fernando Horta (Driver, Williams Grand Prix Engineering): First of all, that 1:33.192 was pure artistic expression. Second of all, no, I did not sabotage my own car. The Ferrari engine simply refused to breathe the same mountain air as those German tractors. I took the lead on lap 2, showed everyone how fast a proper car goes, and then decided 13 laps was far too repetitive. Why stay out there trading totozinho with Porsches when you've already proven you're two seconds faster per lap?
(Guido Reni - La Gazzetta dello Sim): A question for Llanowar Elves, Chief Strategy Unit for Williams Grand Prix Engineering. Tap three green mana to explain how Moreno Soli went from dead last on lap 3 to winning the race in the #22 Manthey Porsche.
Llanowar Elves (Williams Strategy Unit): Look, we generated early acceleration, pushed Horta into P1 on lap 2, but his thermal bars hit critical mass. Soli sat back in fourth place doing 1:35.205s, watching us melt, and then just strolled past when our exhaust turned into a campfire. It's basic resource management. Soli held up a forest of GT3-RSRs and won by six-tenths over Rossiter's #00 car. It’s thoroughly disgusting, honestly.
(Otto Von Whistle - Salzburg Motor News): Moreno, you spent the early laps sitting at the tail end of the group, yet you beat James Rossiter by just 0.632 seconds at the checkered flag. Was this pure tactical patience or did you just get lucky?
Moreno Soli (P1, Manthey Racing): It was pure calculation! I saw Horta driving like a manic rocket before his engine disintegrated. Rossiter and Gergo Szabo were busy bumping each other for position. I just waited for the smoke to clear, stepped on the pedal, and took the win. A trophy is a trophy, even if the guy in P4 had the pace of a fighter jet for three minutes.
(Chico Tabacaria - O Globo Racing): Fernando, South Park's Szabo finished third despite being a full second off your lap time. Do you feel robbed by mechanical reliability?
Fernando Horta: Robbed? My friend, Szabo needed 21 minutes and 30 seconds to complete 13 laps. I accomplished my finest work in four laps. Technically, my speed density per minute was vastly superior. I am claiming a moral victory.
Ps. Liz, if you are reading this, please send spare head gaskets to the garage. The Ferrari is currently weeping oil onto the transport truck.
