FIA GP3 - American Conor Daly Takes Personal Best Fifth Place Finish At Spa

Noblesville, August 28, 2011: MAZDASPEED driver Conor Daly arrived at Spa this week with little experience on the circuit. It was his first time to race here and after qualifying a season high 7th place, he later moved up to 6th when another car was disqualified in tech.

The weather was typical Spa with rain and dry each day resulting in a cold wet race. Despite the weather, Daly produced his best qualifying and race result of the year in what is considered the most treacherous of tracks in the wet.

After starting 6th, Daly passed British driver, Nick Yelolly around the outside at Les Coombs on the first lap. Yelolly did not want to yield and the two cars touched breaking Yelolly’s suspension.

After five laps, the focus of the race became Daly and British driver, Alexander Sims. Sims attempted for three laps to pass Daly and at the 145 MPH Blanchemont flat left hander, Sims made a lunge and lost control spinning off and hitting Daly’s left rear putting him into a long slide over the curbs. Sims apologized to Daly after the race for the contact.

The battle for third and fourth place between British drivers, Andrew Quaiffe-Hobbs and German, Nigel Melker was just too far ahead for Daly to catch despite setting his fastest lap of the race on the last lap.

Speaking about his race, Daly said, “I’ve had so few laps here that I know I was getting better as I learned the track. The pressure from Sims was intense and I saw him try the move and actually gave him room so that he would not take us both off the road. I’m more pleased for the team than for myself because they have supported me so much this season.”

Because of the reverse grid start in race two tomorrow, Daly will start from the second row of the grid, his highest starting position of the season.