Despite my difficulty in getting to grips with this track, I managed to run several clean laps in Qualy and get a bit further up the grid than usual. Stayed safe during the first few laps, although I had Nick pressing me all the time, and like others got some freeby positions with the expected grass trips of others.
I accidently took the last uphill right in 4th, running a bit wide letting Nick through, but fortunately didn't go all the way off. Eventually I was catching Aleksandr for 8th or 9th and had my 2nd incident in the last chicane. I kept it off the grass but didn't reverse far enough and in going forward to restart, ended up fully on the ICE! loosing half a lap and 4 places.
Still I can't complain with 9th place finish, given I was expecting to be out within a couple of laps like everyone else!
Something to celebrate too - no hits from anyone or self-inflicted damage to my car for the 1st time....YAAAYYYYY! Crew chief well happy I can tell you...LOL