Photo: Superstars Media

Thomas Biagi: “Spa race one was scary”

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Thomas Biagi went into the Spa-Francorchamps meeting knowing that the track didn’t suit his BMW, and was prepared for a difficult weekend. The heavy rain at the track for the whole weekend and the low temperatures mixed things up, as Audi were the dominant force with their four-wheel drive configuration.

Apart from a mistake in Race 1, which saw the Italian spinning at Les Combes and slipping down from seventh to tenth, Biagi got the most out of his BMW M3 E92 and was able to collect thirteen points, five less than Johan Kristoffersson. “My spin at Les Combes in Race One is a big regret for me”, said Biagi. “I could have finished in seventh and started from the front row in Race Two due to the reverse grid, but I ended up in tenth.”

Biagi is happy with his performances in the second heat, which led him to a rather unexpected fourth:
“I knew I wouldn’t have been as quick as the others, but starting from tenth I made up for several positions and had a great race, pulling out as much as I could from the material I had.”

The 2010 Superstars champion says the first race was particularly tricky:
“It would have been nice to have at least one dry race, but that just didn’t happen. We risked a lot, especially during the first three laps in Race One. The rain was really heavy and the visibility was poor. Going through Eau Rouge I couldn’t see the wall on the left, and I had no idea where the other cars were until they braked and the spray came down. During the last ten years of racing I can say that this is the only time in which I was scared, and I have no problem admitting it.”

Thomas Biagi also reflected on difficult times for his BMW, especially after its direct competitors, Mercedes and Audi, have taken big steps forward this season.
“This year we’re struggling a bit compared to the others. Mercedes, for instance, have improved the car so much that it’s now almost as quick as a BMW through the corners. In Hungary I was quite competitive due to the layout of the track, but I struggled a lot at Spa due to the long straights.”

Biagi currently lies third in the championship, 22 points shy of Vitantonio Liuzzi and just three behind Kristoffersson. The championship will resume at Pergusa, in Sicily, on September, 16th.