Very pleased to round out the season with a win, even if it was at Joao's expense. The race itself started as a run of the mill race and turned into a fantastic ding-dong battle with Anton Grebennikov!

Q: Couldn't put a clean lap together but still managed 2nd in P2. So reasonably pleased.

R: Well, T1 at Monza isn't famous for no reason! Alex Fed in P1 had dropped it ahead and was sat facing the wrong way in the middle of the track immediately after T1. I was in a blind-spot behind Anton Grebennikov and when he darted left to go round Alex, I had to go right. Alex however, started to try to get out of the way and whilst trying to drive to the outside of the track, he innadvertantly drove into me. Just one of those things really, can't blame Alex for wanting to get the hell out of dodge!

I picked up right-front suspension and aero damage that would affect the car's handling for the rest of the race.

After T1, I was 3rd in class. Joao was miles down the road in P1 and Anton was a few seconds ahead. On lap 2 Anton had an accident with Alex Fed and I was up to P2. This lead into a period of 20 odd laps were I was happily pulling away from Anton, engaging traffic when it came up (stellar job GT2 guys)

However, from about 40 mins-in my rear tyres went off in a big way. This wouldn't have been too much of a problem if it wasn't for the aero damage I had picked up earlier in the race. The car would plough into a corner because of the front aero damage (particularly the lesmos) and then snap unpredictably when I got back on the throttle. Very tricky. I ran off the track on a couple of ocassions and even had a BIG spin comming out of Variante Ascari that should have ended my race but I got away with it.

Unfortunately, all this fannying about let Anton catch and pass me. He was 5 seconds ahead of me when he took his stop. I absolutely floored it when he stopped and also did an extra 4 or 5 laps - pulling ahead to about 50 seconds. Had I not needed to change tyres, I would have the lead when I came out. As it was, I exited with about the same gap as I had before Anton stopped.

I didn't drop my chin though and I kept pushing, pulling in Anton by 3 or 4 tenths per lap. Then we drove past Joao's smouldering car and both realised a win was on for one of us. (Joao had simply checked out before this point)

Still pushing I reeled in Anton and so began an amazing battle of Porsche vs Courage!

It started when Anton made an error exiting Ascari, I pulled him right in and sat under his wing through the Parabolica. We tore down the front straight nose-to-tail and Anton moved over to cover the inside line into T1. I made a cheeky little attempt at unsettling Anton by using the extra tarmac to the right of the front stretch to pull along side. My idea was that Anton would jump left to avoid a collision into T1 which would afford me room to get back on the track proper. However, somehow (and after PM'ing Anton neither of us are any the wiser to what happened): we drove into one another.

My suspicion is that whilst we were dueling it out (it was proper chariots of fire stuff!) we were sucked towards each other as the track funneled towards T1. The result is that Anton wildly came across my nose and I just as wildly went towards the outside wall. Somehow we both collected it, but Anton then immediately dropped it into T1. I passed him, but a searing pain in my head said that Anton was probably a bit shaken by the front stretch incident. I slowed exiting Lesmo 2 and flashed Anton past. Whilst I don't think either driver deliberately caused what happened on the front stretch, I didn't want to beat Anton like that. No way.

I stalked Anton for a few laps, before making another attempt down the front stretch. After passing him ROUND THE OUTSIDE of the Parabolica, he pulled alongside down the front straight. More chariots of fire stuff but this time I blew T1 when I tried to outbrake him. I scampered across the grass and again allowed him through. On the same lap, Anton made an error exiting Lesmo 2. I pulled alongside straight away and had the racing line into Ascari. Normally, whoever has the inside has the advantage into a corner but at Ascari, whoever has the racing line has the advantage because of it's fast and narrow entry.

Anton missed the braking zone and rather specatacularly flew across my nose and straight over the gravel trap (so much so I thought he had had a brake failure) I passed him for what I thought would be the last time. Little did I know, that Anton would find a more pace and keep up with me. I ballsed up the second chicane a few laps later and Anton dived inside into Lesmo 1. He ran wide though and I immediately dive back under into Lesmo 2. On the next lap, Anton had an altercation with a GT2 car.

I was absolutely thrilled to take a suprise win. Had neither Anton nor myself been involved in T1 accidents it would have been interesting to see how we could have dealt with Joao's pace. Indeed, had Joao not blown up he would have taken a dominating win.

Thanks guys, this was only my second race with this mod and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The sound of the Spykers and Porsches whilst overtaking flat out round the curva grande is something absolutely mind-blowing and thoroughly enjoyable.

I look forward to seeing next season's schedule!