We caught up with Erebus Racing’s Peter Hackett after their weekend at Phillip Island. After a tough start to the 2012 Sargent Security Australian GT Championship at Clipsal, the Erebus Racing team bounced back with a 1-2 in race 1 at Phillip Island. The second race did not go so well for Hackett and team mate, James Brock. A heavy incident for James and mechanical gremlins for Hackett meant race two was one to forget for the squad. With the next round of the GT Championship occurring in four weeks at Winton, Hackett is confident and is looking forward to getting on track again.
A full race recap is available on the SpeedTV website.
Hi Peter, thanks for your time. A great race 1 for you and Erebus Racing with your win and James in second.
It was really remarkable. As a team it was only the second race we had run two cars. At Clipsal we started with two cars and in the second race I didn’t start, so it was the second ever race that we ran two cars and to finish 1-2 was remarkable – especially in those conditions. We are still learning the cars as a team and they were faultless.
I had pace on Friday in free practice before they canned the day. James was coming to terms with the car as it was the first time he drove the car in the wet. We couldn’t be happier with day 1 – at least!
Yes – as then in race 2 – a wet/dry race it went wrong.
Yes – the highs and lows of motorsport really – I hate to use the cliché really but what can I do?! We knew the Ferrari would come through, we know the Viper would be quick but probably use its tyres. We knew the weather was going to come. Really James and I were cruising around keeping the leaders in touch, waiting for the pitstops and for the weather to come.
It started with me really. I had a small technical issue with the car. We think it may have been the fuel pump – but we didn’t know it at the time. We were therefore in the process of going through a complete electronics reset inside the car – turning off the ABS, turning off the ASR and all those sorts of things. When we arrived at Honda without the ABS, I locked the right front and popped the tyre. That is how badly I locked it. So I went in the gravel trap. They dug me out and we ended up finishing the race with the hazard lights on with this fuel issue.
Not ideal for me but we done enough in race one and with the qualifying points too. The qualifying points come very important in the Championship now which was proven on the weekend. For me it was a surprise to finish second for the weekend. But a good result and we have moved up in the Championship, learnt a bit more about the car and get on top of this fuel pump issue – if that is what it is.
Do you have any idea to the extent of damage to James’ car and is it reparable before Winton in four weeks?
It has to be really! The answer is we don’t know. It went on the truck last night – straight back to the team. I know they have started to pull it apart to start assessing the damage. We have spoken to the guys in Germany and sent them some pictures. We know we have their full support in repairing the car in time. But the turnaround time is very tight – only four weeks. It took that long that long to fix my car after Clipsal. James’ car is hopefully is more superficial. In accidents, you can hit the tyre wall and spin around really rapidly. The carbon fibre does all the work and disintegrates itself into a million pieces and looks like the car is destroyed but hopefully the chassis rails are untouched. We won’t know though until we have a good look. It will probably take two or three days do that. Once it is naked so to speak, we will make the call on whether to repair or replace it.
Back to race 1 – the success and can you take us through the late race pass where you went three wide?
It was interesting actually. Earlier on I led and Bowe went past. James was sitting behind me shadowing me everywhere. It was a really difficult race. We were leading and therefore the first to get to any different surface on any point on the track. In conditions like that, leading is probably the worst place to be. All James had to do was follow me and if saw me slide under brakes or something, all he had to do was judge that and brake a bit earlier. Or if I got taily on exit, all he had to do judge that. He was shadow boxing me all the way. I was on the radio to the team, asking if he was faster and if he wanted to get past. They kept saying no it was ok!
When John Bowe went past, I wanted to see what James had so I let him past as well – it also let me manage the tyres a bit better as well. We were on two different strategies so it made sense to follow for a bit and conserve the tyres. We made out pitstops, the weather came in and it was interesting. I knew that the Ferrari was first and I knew that James was second and I knew that the gap was closing rapidly. When I left after my pitstop they were eight seconds in front after my pitstop with about 20 minutes left.
The Ferrari was on the inside and James was on the outside and I thought it would be strange for a Ferrari to stay on the inside at the exit there. So I aimed my car to do a move down the inside and it was one of those ones where the oceans parted and went straight through. It was fairly easy actually.
It was getting dark and I knew there were four Ferraris in the race, but to be honest I didn’t know which was which. When we got round to Southern Loop, I saw a red Ferrari and I saw James Brock. I was then working on my racecraft – I didn’t know it was for the lead but I was hoping it was. Into Southern Loop – James has a history of going round the outside and it has good grip out there in the wet. The Ferrari was on the inside and James was on the outside and I thought it would be strange for a Ferrari to stay on the inside at the exit there. So I aimed my car to do a move down the inside and it was one of those ones where the oceans parted and went straight through. It was fairly easy actually. It was for the lead and from that point I put my head down. I had three for four laps to break the spine of the guys that were going to hunt me down. I got a bit of a gap and held it there.
Are you confident that the Mercedes will suit Winton in four weeks?
We did a couple of test there after my car was repaired after the damage from Clipsal. I haven’t done either of them but the guys are confident that we have a good setup. It is a track that I have been to many times before, although I haven’t been there in the SLS. We are always confident. The car is incredibly consistent. The car may not be the fastest in the dry and not the fastest car in the wet in a single lap but over an hour, I think we are proving that we have an incredible racing package for an endurance car. Clipsal we led for 58 minutes of a 60 minute race and at Phillip Island we led. At race two we were at the front for half the race untroubled. I wouldn’t expect this to change. Although Klark Quinn will be really quick in the Porsche. I know that car puts its power down really well out of the slow corners – which Winton has. The Ferrari is going to be very fast. In every GT3 category the Ferrari 458 is incredibly fast over a flying lap and has shown to be quite quick over an hour as well. They were obviously unlucky with their qualifying penalties at Phillip Island which would have changed the race.
I think the Series is shaping up to be quite a good one. Greg Crick has shown great one lap pace and he is very difficult to get past. The Viper puts its power down so well – probably best in the field. I think again, it will be a Ferrari, Greg, Klark, James and I trying to work out who has the best strategy.
We are rubbing a bit of paint and we are very fast – we are faster than V8 Supercars at most tracks. Our numbers are higher than Cup Car. I think the fans are starting to see and people are appreciative of the racing.
I know we are very much looking forward to it.
Yes! I think we have a resurgence going on in GTs. The numbers are up, the racing is good, the guys at the front are all there are racing to win and not afraid to race wheel to wheel. We are rubbing a bit of paint and we are very fast – we are faster than V8 Supercars at most tracks. Our numbers are higher than Cup Car. I think the fans are starting to see and people are appreciative of the racing. The second race at Phillip Island was a little unfortunate with the number of incidents. You think the day before in worse conditions we didn’t have a safety car and the second day we had a couple. We get that every now and again.
Thanks Peter that is great.
Cheers.
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Interview by Sam Tickell, May 2012
Photo courtesy of Nathan Wong/www.thenationals.com.au
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