Cotton/ Davidson Take Kart Race Honours - Lordy And Lietz Don’t One feature of the Saturday before the Test Day that has become a favourite is the drivers and media kart race at the Circuit Alain Prost, overlooking the Porsche Curves. Saturday's race took place in baking hot conditions with 23 pro drivers representing most of the major teams on the grid for the 24 Hours proper. Hot favourite was Anthony Davidson, who had been paired with Racecar Engineering Editor and soon to be DSC columnist Andrew Cotton, whilst some way further down the order was Felbermayr Proton driver Richard Lietz paired with DSC’s Photographic Editor David Lord (below ). Lordy though has been practising in his own kart, fully equipped with kit and spares begged and borrowed from friends around the paddock – he’s been taking it seriously too – so despite his rapidly advancing years he was up for the fight. Davidson set pole position into the 2:03s, Richard (#14) back in 12th in the mid 2:04s, but Lordy qualified 7th in the journos line-up just three seconds off his professional partner’s best. As a pairing a good finish looked a distinct possibility. From the off Davidson was away like a cat with a firework taped to its tail, but behind there was plenty of bumping and barging and Lietz wasn’t getting the best of it, losing places early on as elbows were metaphorically extended. After a couple of attempts Lietz was pitched into a gravel trap and dropped to 20th. As things settled down though there was an opportunity to show that skill made a difference and Lietz began to mount a recovery drive. Tom Kristensen (below , #4) had become one of several victims of over exuberant colleagues; Mr Le Mans binned into a gravel trap graced more than once in last year’s race by Peter (Pedro) May. Audi team-mate Benoit Treluyer followed suit a lap or two later. Lietz meanwhile was making up places before the pro drivers session came to a close a little early (the race was started very late and several had important briefings to attend). Davidson pitted from the lead and Cotton was in the kart very quickly. Some clever pit placing from the Lietz/ Lord combo saw them make up three places too. Back on track Cotton was striding away courtesy of some rapid lappery and a second-placed journo who was both slow and defensive – a 20-30 second gap was his pretty rapidly. Lordy meanwhile rejoined in 12th but was making up places on every lap – indeed he got as far as a fighting sixth before disaster struck. Drawing liberally on the Racing Driver’s Book of Excuses (which we think he got for his recent 50th birthday) he came up with the following gem: “Another kart spun in front of me and I had absolutely nowhere to go” That’s shorthand for - I binned it – and by the time he’d got the #14 kart back on track he was down to 16th position, but with a steely glare that spelled trouble for the competition! He was lapped by the flying Cotton (below) soon afterwards but stuck with the leader as he made his way back up through the field, finally finishing a fighting 10th as the Cotton/ Davidson combo took the top step of the podium. Richard Lietz offered some helpful feedback to Lordy on his performance as the pair developed several theories on their disappointing final position. “We had oversteer and understeer everywhere, the 2012 upgrades have been a disappointment and we had a bad balance of performance here.” Lietz will be taking to the track with a chance of GTE glory in a fortnight’s time – Lordy meanwhile will be pounding around an empty and windswept kart track somewhere in Leicestershire next week muttering quietly to himself that “If it hadn’t been for that kart spinning in front of me . . .” Better luck next year (but actually well done golden gloves!). GG Gallery to follow . . . | 
