Photo: Jacques Letihon Photographe

Mat’o Homola deprived by electrical gremlins at Spa-Francorchamps.

Mat’o Homola and co-driver Fred Caprasse were deprived of a potential win in the qualifying long race at Spa-Francorchamps, after an electrical issue saw him drop out of the lead on the first lap.

Homola had rocketed to pole position by over a second, with an adjustment on Saturday to the Balance of Performance which removed 20kg of ballast from the Astra TCR working in his favour.

The Slovakian however was forced to return to the pits at the end of the first lap, after first pulling off from the lead with a technical issue, which the Belgian DG Sport Compétition team need to resolve.

“I think there’s some small issue with the connection, as I had no power,” said Homola to TouringCarTimes. “It wasn’t an engine issue, but an electrical issue. There was no problem with the engine, everything was fine, but just from the beginning I had no power on the straight.

“When I stopped at the marshals’ post, I couldn’t start it so I knew it was an electrical problem, so I opened the bonnet, shook the battery and suddenly it worked. I then drove the fastest lap in my stint, so I’ll start from pole tomorrow in my first sprint race. The car was brilliant all day, it was just a shame about this small issue.”