Stefano Comini “drove his heart out” in Macau qualifying

Stefano Comini will start from third for tomorrow’s first race in Macau. In doing so, the championship leader picked up an extra three points extended the gap to Craft-Bamboo Lukoil’s Pepe Oriola to four points, with the Spaniard qualifying in fifth, and says he put all he could into the lap.

“I drove my heart out,” said the Target Competition driver to TouringCarTimes. “I went through Mandarin in opposite lock and had some more moments in the second sector. I think I could have improved by seven tenths at least, but I am obviously satisfied with the result.”

The Swiss driver talked about his original strategy for the session.

“I was supposed to get a slipstream from both Francisco (Mora) and Andrea (Belicchi), but that didn’t go to plan and I was left with just one car ahead of me. It still worked, though, because I was quick in the first sector. I was on the limit, sometimes over it, but had it under control all the way.”

Comini told the tale of his second sector in his quick lap: “I had some big oversteer moments there, but it was down to me being on the limit all the time. I never felt in danger, but on the other hand I was very close to the walls all the time. I knew I had to do it. The following lap was even better, but I went wide and had to abort the lap.”

Talking about his outstanding rookie performance at the Circuito Da Guia, Comini used a simile to explain: “Macau is like a woman, you can’t expect her to give you everything straight away, you need to go out with her and be nice. Huff is surely her husband, but she was kind to me as well. I hope she will not slap me in the face for asking for too much too early during the races!”

Talking about tomorrow’s races, Comini obviously has the championship in mind.

“I think the Hondas will leave us fighting, they will build a gap quite quickly. It will be up to us behind to fight and it will surely be exciting. Pepe (Oriola) has been talking about an extra quid he has in his back pocket, so I am waiting to see that coming. I will drive as quickly as I can, hoping that Macau will not punish me for that.”