Pepe Oriola has put his win in the second TCR International Series race in Georgia down to experience, with the Craft-Bamboo Racing driver making the most of changeable conditions at the Rustavi International Circuit.
Oriola took victory in damp and drying conditions in race two, although light rain did start to fall again at the end of the race.
The Spaniard says his win was down to experience – and having got the rear tyres on his SEAT León car up to temperature much quicker than his rivals early on with an unusual technique.
“I pushed really, really hard in the first laps to build an advantage at the front,” said Oriola to TouringCars.Net. “It was really tricky as it was sometimes wet and sometimes not, but I had big confidence with the car.
“I had a really, really good warmup lap; I was using the handbrake like I was in a World Rally car! I had to do it like this, and I overtook a [Volkswagen] Golf, because he had three slides on the track and my rear [tyres] were warmer.
“I think that was the key of the race – to have the rear tyres warmer. At the end it was scary because I saw rain coming on the windscreen and I was afraid, because I was the first one through the corners.”
Craft-Bamboo Racing openly admitted to having been puzzled by their relative lack of pace during the weekend, where they were out-paced by the older specification car of Ferenc Ficza and Zele Racing early on.
Oriola suggests that the speed differential between the different SEATs may have been down to the Austrian team putting on more new rubber on their car, whereas Craft-Bamboo Racing used their experience, and resources, more effectively in the races.
“We are here because of our experience. I made a super start on the wet side of the track, I managed to warm the tyres, to focus and not make any mistakes.
“We made some small changes on the car [ahead of race two], which seemed to work, and every lap I’m kept learning the track.
“At the test on Friday I just put four new tyres on, and I guess they [Zele Racing] put eight, ten or twelve on. In any race you have new tyres every time.
“It made us look like we are the team with more budget, but we’re not because I’m professional and I’m not paying, so I have to use what the team give to me. I’m not going to pay for extra sets [of tyres].”