I can keep cool in Texas heat, insists Eastwood
Belfast’s Charlie Eastwood is anticipating another tough examination of both man and machine as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) arrives at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
The global series welcomes back the Six Hour Lone Star Le Mans to the calendar for the first time since 2020.
It also marks Eastwood’s return to a 3.41-mile stretch of tarmac that totals 20 turns — 11 left and nine right — and is famous for its ‘Big Red’ Turn One and its dramatic elevation changes.
Being Corvette’s home fixture, Eastwood and co-driving team-mates Rui Andrade and Tom van Rompuy will take to the grid tomorrow eager to display the pace and performance of the new Z06 GT3.R in the ultra-competitive LMGT3 class. Before then, however, they have the small matter of qualifying which is scheduled to start at 9.00am UK time and concludes with the Hyperpole session.
“In general, it is a fantastic track,” said Eastwood, whose most recent visit ended with him scoring a win with jonny adam in the now defunct LMGTE-AM class aboard Aston Martin’s Vantage AMR.
“I have fond memories of Circuit of the Americas. The last time we were there we won the race.
“It also was the very first place I got to drive the Z06 GT3.R a year ago in the heat of the summer which is what we’re going to have throughout the course of race weekend.
“I think it will suit the car very well. Degradation will be key — in the middle of summer in Austin it is not going to be cool at all — so managing that from the outset will be important.”
Eastwood says everyone associated with the No.81 Corvette is fired up to do well, especially after the promise they displayed last time out in Brazil.
Van Rompuy gained two places within the opening 10 minutes of the Six Hours of Sao Paulo — and was knocking on the door of the top five — when the Belgian was collected and spun off the Interlagos track by one of the LMGT3 Porsches.
“Brazil was not a great result but we showed some strong pace, which at the minute is what we need to show,” said Eastwood.
“We have got a bit of confidence going in and that is going to be important.
“There is a lot of speed so tyre degradation will be high and as it is a really tricky track it is difficult to get the car fully hooked up.
“It is a very long lap with a lot of highspeed corners, so it will test both the car and the drivers. Hopefully we can put everything together and secure a good result.”
Tomorrow’s six-hour race goes live at 7.00am UK time, with a packed LMGT3 line-up including current points leaders Manthey (Porsche 911 GT3 RS), Team WRT (BMW M4 LMGT3), United Autosports (Mclaren 720s), Heart of Racing (Aston Martin AMR LMGT3) and AF Corse’s Ferrari 296 GT3.