Why you are waiting

Today’s timetable has been rendered meaningless, the second free practice session delayed by at least an hour following complaints from drivers concerning dust in the gravel section of the Autodrom Česká Lípa.

The problems with the track came to a head after Timur Timerzyanov rolled his Citroën C4 in the gravel section, “I did not see the corner,” said the Russian, “It was very dusty and I slowed down to leave a gap between me and the car in front but it was not enough, I didn’t see the corner and was already too wide when I tried to turn.” Timerzyanov’s car was not badly damaged in the incident and the KHM team is busy checking it out, the delay meaning that they are likely to get the car back on the track for the second session.

Others also had problems, Andy Scott going off the track at the same point as Timerzyanov crashed, but surviving the incident relatively unscathed. Jos Kuypers also criticised the conditions: “I was driving behind Heikkinen, the only thing I could see was his rear bumper. That’s all,” said Kuypers who did not try the Joker Lap in his practice run, “I simply could not see the entrance of the Joker Lap section, there was too much dust.” Supercar champion Sverre Isachsen took his responsibility as leader of the pack and checked the track with Clerk of the Course, Jan Mochan. Following this the top surface of the gravel section is being brushed and scraped away and the section watered. While this was going on, the TouringCar drivers had been left sitting in their cars in the holding area and the 1230 start for the second timed session had come and gone before they were informed of the delay.

This is not the first time that an event at Sosnová has been delayed because of problems with the track, the 2008 and 2009 events were both delayed after drivers intervened because of dust and/or watering problems.

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