How a TF Sport Corvette went from first to worst in WEC opening round at Qatar

After much anticipation and testing, Tom Van Rompuy (BEL) qualified the TF Sport # 81 Z06 GT3.R first against 17 other cars from nine different manufacturers in the LMGT3 class for the 10-hour 1,812km race over the 3.343-mile Lusail circuit in the desert about 15 miles north from the capital city of Doha. (whew!)

About 3 hours into the race, the electronic shifter mechanism conked out, costing 7 laps for the time it took to replace it. 

Another 3 hours later, Charlie Eastwood (IR) was driving when problems with the electrical harness (they are very complex) ended things on lap 177.  TF Sport garnered one official point by qualifying on the pole.

TF Sport # 82 Z06 GT3.R started eleventh and finished tenth completing 294 laps, sandwiched by two Team Proton Mustangs. 

Drive-through penalties and mistakes put them 5 laps behind the winner. 

The LMGT3 winner, completing 299 laps, was the # 92 Porsche 911 GT3.R of Manthey Racing, a well-oiled team that began racing Porsches in 1996.  (Team Penske made it a sweep as Roger’s # 6 Porsche 963 won the overall Hypercar class).

 While the “official press release” calls the blow at Qatar a learning lesson, performance in the seven races ahead including double points at Le Mans will prove the mettle of the C8 Z06 GT3.R.

Photo credits and cheers for Richard Prince.  It is a safe bet that Richard will journey to WEC races in Europe, Asia, the USA and South America before finishing on Nov 2 at Bahrain, a mere 86 miles up the Persian Gulf from Qatar as the crow flies.