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ANANDA MIKOLA : RACING FOR INDONESIA |
FIA Formula 3000 International Championship |
DISAPPOINTMENT AT NURENBURGRING FOR ANANDA MIKOLA
Qualifying for round 4 of the 2000 FIA Formula 3000 championship at Nurenburgring was a big disappointment to Ananda as he gave all that he had to try and make the grid in the most difficult circumstances.
The first session started with rain falling, all the drivers knew they had to get that important lap in early and with this being Ananda’s first time at the circuit he did well by moving into 24th position.
The rain then stopped for the last 10 minutes and drivers with previous experience of the circuit were able to find the extra tenths to bump Ananda back to 28th .
With the knowledge gained in the first session and still with one set of new tyres available Ananda and the team were confident of moving into the top 20 in the second session.
Then disaster, rain poured down 5 minutes before the 2nd session started which meant that all the drivers would wait in the pit lane until the track dried. With the rain stopped the circuit took longer to dry as there were no cars circulating,
With 15 minutes to go Ananda and several of the other driver ventured out on the circuit on wet tyres to see the conditions. Again all the drivers came back into the pits to wait for the circuit to dry out, with only 8 minutes to go slick tyres were fitted in the hope the circuit would be good for one quick lap right at the end of the session.
At this stage lap times were coming down by 3 second a lap and going into the last lap Ananda posted at time better than his first session and it looked like Ananda could just make it.
Then Ananda’s new team British Formula 3 Champion Mark Hynes was just in front and with limited time Ananda did not have time to drop back and wait for a clear lap so he had to keep pushing hoping Mark would go quicker, through the back section Mark was holding Ananda up and then at the chicane he made a big mistake which totally ruined Ananda’s lap and any chance of qualifying.
Obviously the team was disappointed, but this time luck was not on Ananda’s side. On the team telemetry it showed Ananda lost half a second stuck behind Mark which was the difference of qualifying and not.
Ananda Mikola
Obviously I am disappointed as I know I could have gone quicker. But I gave it my best which is all I could do
Piers Hunnisett
This was one of the hardest qualifying sessions for Ananda, to learn a new circuit and do the time he did in the conditions was good. If, is a word that comes to mind but that motor racing.
Gabriele Rafanelli
It’s a shame Ananda didn’t make the cut, we were all confident of a top 20 position but the weather was against us, this is one thing we can not control.
20/05/00