Klien sets new lap record in Adelaide

04/03/2013

Pitpass' own expert columnist was at the wheel of a Mercedes AMG SLS GT3 at the Clipsal 500 event in Adelaide, Australia over the weekend and while it wasn't quite the result Christian Klien had hoped for he still finished up third come Sunday afternoon.

Klien started the weekend strongly by claiming pole position however, a slow getaway in the opening race hampered his progress, while things were further complicated when a Safety Car intervened towards the end of the race, demoting him to fifth place at the flag.

"I pushed hard and was being held up," said Klien, "so the team pitted me as soon as they could. When the Safety Car came out, it became a total mess. I don't know what happened but I feel as though Race Control didn't do me any favours."

With the bit between his teeth the Austrian soon charged his way back up the order in Sunday's race, lowering the lap record around the street circuit by half a second as he chased down those ahead. The 30-year-old hauled in his rivals to bring himself up to the tail of second placed Klark Quinn's Porsche. Then, as the race built to a thrilling final corner climax, Klien's car faltered.

"I was able to really go for it and put my foot down. To get the lap record was a pleasing end to the weekend, but the time early in the race cost me," Klien explained. "On the very last lap I was heading towards the final turn and we developed a fuel problem. I coasted across the line in the end and got third place, but it was really close - just half a second in the end."