It was a tough weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the #3 and #4 Corvette C7.R. Mishaps and traffic netted the pair a 6th and 7th place in-class finish at the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix.
Antonio Garcia and his #3 Corvette started the race near the back of the field due to an overnight engine change, but fought steadily towards the front. Bad luck found Garcia early on as a faster Prototype caught in traffic created contact and damaged the right front fascia of the #3.
Garcia was met with more frustrations during a pit stop in the first hour when he collided with a tire left behind by the #4 Corvette. With the damage on the front and this added delay, the #3 Corvette’s day was pretty much over.
“The balance and handling of the car suffered,” said Garcia. “It is tough to pass here without damage but with it, passing is nearly impossible. It was frustrating for sure for both Jan [Magnussen] and I because we couldn’t fight with other cars in our class.”
The #4 Corvette, co-piloted by Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin, didn’t fair any better. A balked start behind traffic and lack of pace against the BMWs, Ferraris and Porsches meant the pair did everything to just hold on.
“It was a case of reeling off the laps and staying out of trouble,” said Gavin. “With our competition seemingly having a performance advantage over us, it feels like we’re sort of driving with one arm tied behind our backs.”
With Monterey behind them, both crews are looking forward to taking a break from IMSA as they prepare for the 83rd running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13.
Photos courtesy Sportscar365
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