The forecast was bad, but the reality
was worse. We drew back the curtains of the Best Western Grand Prix
Hotel at Le Castellet to discover thick fog and heavy rain.
But conditions change quickly in this part of France, and thankfully
they changed for the better – so much so, that mid-way through the
morning’s FIA World Endurance Championship test session, it was sunny,
completely dry and the Paul Ricard track temperature was 20ºC.
Jonny Kane took the Strakka Racing HPD ARX-03c out first, initially
on Michelin wets before changing to slicks. Danny Watts was next in the
car, taking the morning’s total up to 50 trouble-free laps.
Nick Leventis will drive the majority of this afternoon’s session.
Today the team continues to focus on tyre testing, as it learns more
about the upgraded 2013-spec. car. It’s all a highly detailed technical
balance between tyre compounds, driver feedback, suspension geometry and
aero adjustments that gives the car performance and tyre durability –
and whilst the ARX-03c is very different to last year’s 03a, we are
heading in the right direction.
