“This time it was our turn to be in front,” said Brabham after qualifying. “We’re strong in some corners, and the de Ferran guys are stronger in others, so we know where we have to work on the car to make more improvements for tomorrow.”
The de Ferran car was faster in practice, but Patrón Highcroft managed to make improvements, giving Scott Sharp and David Brabham a fast car for qualifying.
Brabham went oput and ran three consecutive fastest laps, finishining with a 1.05.323 at 135.517 mph. Simon Pagernaud in the de ferran car stayed on the track trying to best Brabham’s timer, but made a slight error in his last flying lap: he went over a curb with his right rear wheel, bouncing the back end right off the pavement. Pagenaud had planned to run a final pair of laps, but realized after his mishap, that he simply didn’t have the speed to beat Brabham on this day.
Patrón Highcroft leads de Ferran in the drivers’s championship by thirteen points, but David Brabham doesn’t feel the lead is secure. “Every time we are out there, our two cars are neck and neck. Both are very good teams with very good drivers. You have to get everything right to have an advantage. Gil and I were absolutely at it tooth and nail at the end at Road America. The pressure is definitely on.
“It is important to keep our focus and momentum going after the Road America victory because it is so close.”
