5 Key Points for Watkins Glen with Brenton Hobson
After the postponement of Round 4 at Road America, the 2023 Motorsport Australia Logitech G Pro Invitational Cup stays in the United States as the drivers and teams instead prepare for battle at Watkins Glen.
Colloquially referred to by many of the drivers as the "Super Speedway of Supercars", the series will be utilising the familiar "Cup Layout", named as such due to it's use in the NASCAR Cup Series. This shorter and faster layout of the track always makes for close and action packed racing and we expect this round to be no exception.
In addition to NASCAR, "The Glen" has also been home to road racing of nearly every class, including Formula 1, the World Sportscar Championship, Trans-Am, Can-Am, the International Motor Sports Association and the IndyCar Series but this week, it's Supercars that will take the centre stage.
Taking us through the Panta Racing Fuels 5 Key Points for Round 5 will be SSR veteran driver Brenton Hobson.
Drafting
The big talking point for Watkins Glen will be the draft. With such high average speeds and so few slow corners on the track, the Cup Layout specifically at Watkins Glen will make utilising the draft critical. It will be a key component for both ultimate outright lap speed and also for implementing the best strategy during the 77 lap race.
Qualifying
A short lap time will mean that margins in qualifying will be tight, and you can be sure that even a tenth of a second will be the difference between a good lap and a disaster of a starting position on the grid. Watkins Glen is a place that you want to have friends because the draft will be critical in qualifying. Whether that be linking up with a teammate or jumping on the back of a draft train you need to optimise your lap time by every last millisecond.
Surviving lap 1
The Esses on lap 1 of a race at Watkins Glen is a minefield for destruction. With 45 cars going side by side between the narrow Armco barriers you can expect to see some carnage and a high chance of the safety car making an early appearance. In a long race like this being smart at the start and staying out of trouble is both important and difficult. It's a long 77 laps when you have a damaged car from the very outset.
Fuel
Fuel economy will have more impact on this race than nearly any other on the 2023 calendar. With a high average speed at Watkins Glen the track can in fact be challenging to pass on so using the draft to maintain track position while saving fuel will be a popular strategy for many. Passing cars on the pitlane with shorter pitstops will be easier than getting it done on the track. On the flipside, having poor fuel economy at this track will make you vulnerable to those around you so expect to see most of the drivers opting to err on the side of caution when it comes to fuel usage.
Pit Entry
The pit entry at this track is one of the most challenging and controversial in all of motorsports. To make your way into the lane means sacrificing corner apex speed and decelerating at the final corner while on the racing line. In turn this causes issues when being followed closely by another car who is not anticipating the preceding driver to slow down. At some stage in the race this scenario will cause drama and making sure you're not part of it will be part of the challenge.
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