Mugello: Michael Klein weekend summary

Place: Mugello (ITA)
Dates: 02-04 May 2008
Track length: 5.24km
Results: 19th (1st race) / 12th (2nd race)

An unfamiliar race track presented Michael with a major challenge in Italy. While he was learning the perfect line, he was also having to adjust his setup.

Michael Klein talking about...

- qualifying: "We were already having a few problems on Friday with the setup and with the handling. The car was sliding about too much. I kept pushing and pushing but I was sliding all over the place; it just didn't feel right.

- the first race: "I wanted to go for all-out attack and get to the front, but at the same time I was wary of taking too many risks; it's far more important to get to the finishing line and gain experience than to go out of the race because of some stupid manoeuvre. I got off to a good start and went past one other car. Unfortunately, I then got stuck in traffic on the first lap. I did my best but sadly couldn't manage better than 19th position. I had too much oversteer and the car was generally hard to handle. Every time I failed to get the perfect line, I immediately began to slide about."

- the second race: "Twelfth is by no mean perfect but I can live with it. Once again, I got off to a great start and was able to make up one place. It's important to have a good start because this is a difficult track to overtake on. Mugello is a fast circuit, and if you're close behind another car, it's very difficult to get past."

- lessons from this weekend: "It was a difficult weekend because I was still unfamiliar with this particular track. I had to feel my way into it and discover the correct line because this is really important at Mugello. Unfortunately, I hadn't quite got the setup right at the start of the weekend. It got better by the end. Pity really, as otherwise I might have finished more towards the front. But everything is still very new for me and the experience is all grist to the mill. I feel quite relaxed about the whole weekend and am looking forward to the next one in Pau."

-credit: formelklein.de