A Saturday marked by drama at Watkins Glen International ended with historic lap times and a notably restructured racing line in the famous “Bus Stop” chicane, just before the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
During the final stages of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge support race, a piece of curb came loose at the entrance to corner 5. The loose curbing caused significant damage to a wheel of one of the Turner Motorsports vehicles, frustrating the team’s hopes for a good result and forcing officials to intervene immediately. The repairs to the circuit delayed the WeatherTech Championship qualifying session by two hours and forty minutes, which had to be moved after another scheduled IMSA support race.
In response to this hazardous situation, track officials opted to completely remove the curbs in that section during qualifying. This modification suddenly transformed the characteristics of the chicane, resulting in broken track records in the GTP and GTD Pro categories.
Officials confirmed that the curbs would not be replaced before the main race on Sunday; instead, the area will be painted overnight to ensure proper visibility for the drivers.
Impact on Qualifying
After an intense day of competition, the drivers who secured pole position in each category shared their impressions on how the modifications to the track affected their strategy and expectations for the race.
GTD Pro: Before and After the Bus Stop
Jack Hawksworth claimed pole in the GTD Pro category driving the Lexus RC F GT3 from Vasser Sullivan after a long wait that he described as exhausting.
“It’s been a strange day,” Hawksworth said. “We’ve been here like it’s been 24 hours. This morning we had a practice and then had to wait seven or eight hours to qualify. Finally, we got the chance.”
Hawksworth pointed out that the changes to the Bus Stop were very significant, forcing drivers to adapt to a new racing line without curbing.
LMP2: Tactical Advantage
Meanwhile, the LMP2 category saw the disappearance of the curbing as an opportunity for more aggressive overtaking. Jeremy Clarke, who secured pole with the #43 of Inter Europol Compétition, commented on how this modification could change traffic management during the race.
“Now we can be more aggressive at the braking zone,” Clarke said. “This gives us more space and opens up the corner, which will make overtaking easier.”
GTP: Precautions on the New Paving
In the GTP category, Jack Aitken secured pole with the #31 Whelen Cadillac, but admitted that adapting to the new chicane presents a challenge.
“It’s not ideal when the circuit changes mid-day,” Aitken acknowledged. “Our prototypes don’t have the depth to take advantage of this new area at the entrance at 180 km/h without risks.”
Aitken highlighted the complications that the differences in maneuverability between GTD and GTP could pose during the six-hour race.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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