After a mixed weekend for BRC Hyundai N Squadra Corse in Marrakech, with both Norbert Michelisz and Mikel Azcona involved in incidents in the race which cost them positions, Girolami was the highest scorer of the squad, but he could have scored higher if he hadn’t opted to drop back behind Volcano Motorsport’s John Filippi in the final laps in order to avoid compensation weight.
The new compensation weight system is based on points accumulated over the race weekend, with the highest scorer taking the maximum possible 40kg to the next event.
With Girolami set to take two fourth-place finishes, the Argentine was about to land himself with the full 40kg for being the highest scorer of the weekend, so the team requested he drop a spot on the final lap to save him 10kg at the forfeit of two points.
“In Race 2, my start wasn’t good, but I managed to avoid the chaos in Turn 1 and then my race opened up,”said Girolami. “After that as I was P5, and then overtook Piguet’s Audi and was set to finish P4, but on the last lap we inverted positions with the following car so we would lose 10kg of compensation weight for the next race – it was a team decision. I’m happy with the support the team have given me the first two races. It was amazing to win in the first weekend in Vallelunga and then to score good points in Marrakech. I think it has been a good start of the season and I feel really motivated to keep learning and to try and be at the top of the game for the next races.”
While the team’s gamble made sense at the moment he dropped back, it would have made no difference as Lynk & Co Cyan Racing teammates Thed Björk and Santiago Urrutia swapped positions before the finish line, guaranteeing that Urrutia would have been the highest scorer, even if Girolami had still finished fourth.
Urrutia will therefore carry the maximum 40kg of compensation weight at Mid-Ohio, with Yann Ehrlacher and Girolami both on 30kg, Ma Qing Hua with 20kg, and John Filippi with 10kg.
Picture: WSC/Fastclick
