Today, Le Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal was awash in a sea of open-wheel racing euphoria as it began its three-day Air Canada Grand Prix race weekend. Sunny skies and warm temperatures made for an idyllic backdrop to the theatre of motor racing at Le Circuit, as three open-wheel series ran sessions today. The CART-Toyota Atlantic series drivers ran a qualifying session immediately before and after Formula 1600 and Formula One drivers completed their practice sessions.
There you have it. Sandwiched between his past, as the 2000 Formula 1600 champion and his future as a driver longing for the chance to one day race in the Formula One, Gormley Ontario's Jonathan Macri qualified 7th quickest in his NTN Bearings Swift. Not quite what Jonathan was hoping for. "I'm a bit disappointed with the results. We were pushing for at least a top-five finish." Jonathan said.
But his grid position was not the entire reason for Jonathan's disappointment.
"Our problem is that we are lapping about eight tenths of a second slower than the 4th place starter. It's not quick enough for us to be competitive. We are going to have to check the data and to try to figure out why we are losing a second to the top four drivers. I noticed my brakes were a bit soft, both in practice this morning and in qualifying this afternoon. This is something I'm sure we can fix, but I think this isn't the reason why we are lapping a second slower. There is some other problem we have to try to identify. Hopefully we will figure it out. If we can pick up a second, even half a second, we'll be competitive tomorrow. Montreal is a big track that allows for passing, but we need to improve," Jonathan said.
Unfortunately, Atlantic teams have no more track time to test their cars. Drivers will be going straight to the starting grid tomorrow afternoon, so whatever changes the team does make, with any luck, will translate into a one-half to one-second improvement. Not an easy go. However, as it demonstrated in Milwaukee just last weekend, when the team re-built Jonathan's car, literally, overnight, it is possible. Hopefully, Jonathan will start tomorrow's race with an additional second in his racing pocket.
It must have been a strange kind of excitement that overcame Jonathan today, his eyes transfixed on an imaginary point in front of him, watching his past, present and future speeding by him. The sight of the Formula 1600's must have sparked indelible memories of his triumphant win here last year on his way to capturing the championship. And, he surely must have been whisked away to racing wonderland as his mind transported him square in the cockpit of a Formula One car, racing for a legendary team - Ferrari, Williams, MaClaren - alongside the most elite drivers in the world - Shumacher, Hakinnen, Villeneuve. "No," he must have finally thought to himself, shaking his head and breaking his dream-like stare at the imaginary point, redirecting his eyes back in front of himself, the imaginary point now becoming a target of Jonathan's concentration, eyebrows furrowed. "No, today it's qualifying; tommrow it's race-day. My series is the Atlantic, and I'm here to win." Well than Jonathan - allons-y! Avec tout vitesse! Bon chance et a` demain.
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