Castle Combe, Wiltshire. Some drivers like a nice endurance stint. Others prefer a sprint. Fernando Horta, however, seems to treat three-lap races like an invitation to see just how quickly he can disappear from the rest of the entry list. Today at the historic Castle Combe circuit, our brave duude strapped himself into the Chevrolet Corvette C6-R GT2, converted pole position into an immediate vanishing act, and left thirty-one other cars to sort out their existential dread in his rearview mirror.
What the numbers say
Fernando Horta took a comprehensive victory, crossing the line after 3 laps in a total time of 3:09.883. Vincent Loi brought his Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo home in second place, though 'home' is a relative term given he finished a staggering 15.153 seconds behind our winner. That is not a gap; that is a county border.
Christian Hamilton grabbed the final step of the podium in the sister Corvette, crossing 26.395 seconds adrift of Horta, just a hair ahead of Sol Leung's Lamborghini. Further down the order, the midfield was a frantic, bumper-to-bumper car park of GT2 and GT3 machinery, all completing their three tours with admirable persistence if questionable closing speeds.
Now, let us examine the sheer absurdity of the stopwatch. Horta punched in a fastest lap of 1:00.013 right out of the box. Ian Jolicoeur, flying the flag for Rahal Letterman Racing in his BMW M3 GTR, managed a respectable 1:05.924, while the rest of the top runners hovered in the 1:06s. Let that sink in: Horta was nearly six seconds faster per lap than his closest pursuers on pace alone. If he had stopped for a quick cup of tea and a scone on lap two, he still might have made the top ten.
As for how the lead changed hands from pole: we cannot tell you, primarily because a three-lap race does not leave much room for a tactical chess match when the pole-sitter evaporates at the lights. The timing screen was clearly being used as a coaster by lap two.
Quotes
Fernando Horta (Corvette Racing, winner): Three laps? Is this a race or a warm-up lap? I barely had time to check my oil pressure before I saw the checkered flag waving at me. The car felt sublime, a proper rocket ship. I saw a 1:00.0 on the dash and thought the telemetry was hallucinating. Hand over the trophy and let's go find some biscuits.
Vincent Loi (Reiter Engineering, 2nd): Second place feels like a minor victory when the guy in front of you is driving in a different time zone. I spent the entire race staring at a yellow blur that occasionally resembled a Chevy. My tires are cold, my brakes are bored, and I want a refund on my entry fee.
Christian Hamilton (Corvette Racing, 3rd): A podium! Third place in the exact same car as Fernando! Though admittedly, watching him disappear into the horizon from sixth on the grid was a humbling experience. I think he took a shortcut through someone's back garden.
Ian Jolicoeur (Rahal Letterman Racing, 5th): Fifth place in a Bimmer against a swarm of Corvettes and Lambos. I tried my best, but trying to catch a Corvette on an airfield circuit with three laps is like trying to catch a falling star with a butterfly net.
The council investigates
The Super Mario World MotorSport Offline Solo Sessions Castle Combe Tri-Lap Duude Foundation (SMWMSOSSCC TLDF) has reviewed the timing sheets while sipping lukewarm espresso and issued the following binding decrees:
- Motion 20170622/03: the vanishing act. The council notes that a three-lap race is legally insufficient to determine who is actually fastest, because the leader finishes before anyone else has shifted into third gear. Future events must include at least ten more laps or mandatory pit stops to eat a sandwich.
- Motion 20170622/04: Mike Scott's clone. The council is deeply disturbed to find two entries for Mike Scott on the timing monitor (positions 18 and 20, both in the Sun-Red Racing SR21). Suspecting Vesuvan Doppelganger duplication magic or a severe database glitch, the council has ordered an immediate audit of the paddock cloning vats.
No further thoughts will be given on this matter, and the ElderCouncil will now return to their uninterrupted slumber. *snore*
So what now?
Another day at Castle Combe, another masterclass in yellow-car aerodynamics by our brave duude. The timing monitors are full of numbers, the podium has been claimed, and the paddock is left wondering if anyone can find six seconds of pace in their back pocket before the next round.
Next time, the saga continues…
Ps. Dave, seriously, where are you? Even in a three-lap sprint, we could have used a backmarker to lap twice! Come back!
