After the race at Sitges, we have more questions then answers. The race took place yesterday and the problems already started before the actual starting flag: The grid only consisted of four drivers.

Those four Bugatti 51A driver with their respected times in practice were:

Unconventional start – Guy Don misses rolling start procedure

What confused the fans and race control the most was the behavior of the 2nd row car driven by Guy Don. While Happe, Malsma and Cleo started their Bugatti T51As with 50 kilometers per hour into the rolling start, Guy Don floored his car and went fast into his first lap. Realizing his mistake in Lap 2, when he caught up with the pack, he started braking, waiting behind the 3 drivers. After the new front runner Malsma got to the exit of T2, the official race start was on! If there will be a penalty for Guy Don we can’t say yet, but this should have consequences down the line.

Happe could win first place still – if the penalty gets announced.

What followed in the race was pure survival and not everybody was lucky – Frans Malsma was the first have an issue that put him out of contention for the win, as he spun at T2, popping tyres and having to pit. Malsma can be very lucky to have survived with only a blown tyre – he lost 3 laps in the process of pitting for new tyres.

A test of skill – Happe has to survive now!

Hunting down Don, who was a full lap ahead, Happe had to catch up a bit. At around lap 17 – desaster struck as the car of Evadne Cleo missed the turn into the banking due to the car having issues. Hitting the upper line of the banking, the car immediatly lost control, flying over into the forest behind the track. The race kept going, while the medics were trying to safe Cleos life. We do not have any info about the injuries sustained by the accident yet – should anything be announced you may hear it here first!

Happe still had to catch up about 1 lap to Guy Don, and in the next 50 laps did JUST THAT. Being about half a second faster every lap, he quickly reduced the distance between himself and the leading Bugatti and by lap 70 – it was clear, that this was going to be a very close call between the 2 drivers. Being very close inside the second of Guy Don on the last lap, Happe attempted to get close to Don at the first turn, but due to Don lifting hard in T1, Happe had to miss his opportunity, finishing the race under a second behind Guy Don. Should race control decide the rolling start prodedure in the favor of Happe, first place is but certain.

A tough next step – Reims

While the teams are packing their bags, we look forward to Reims, the next step of the season. This race will make a special occasion, because Gentlemen Drivers and Professional Drivers will actually race on the same track at the same time! Todays race put Happe in the eyes and ears of the public and even a few drivers. A good result at Reims will surely put him on the map for a seat as a professional driver down the line!