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Gounon “Didn’t Understand” GTD Pro Wave-By Confusion

GTD Pro drivers recount “confusing” wave-by sequence that caught out top two runners…

Photo: Perry Nelson/IMSA

Jules Gounon said he “didn’t understand” what was going on with the wave-by procedure during the final full-course caution of the Motul Course de Monterey powered by Hyundai N that ultimately led to the top two cars in GTD Pro receiving costly penalties.

Ross Gunn in the then class-leading No. 23 The Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and the second-placed No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R of Antonio Garcia passed by the GTD leaders while under the fourth caution that led to both cars getting two-minute and 50-second stop-and-hold penalties for completing improper wave-bys.

It opened the door for the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Gounon and Dani Juncadella to take the class win.

“I didn’t understand so much what was happening because I saw some wave-bys, I saw the Corvette going, the Aston and I was like ‘Why are we not going?'” Gounon said.

“In communication with the team, they were confused and it was like, ‘Standby, standby.’

“Then suddenly we waited and we were like, ‘Are we going to get the wave-by? The Lexus didn’t go.’

“The Porsche was pushing behind me and I was like, ‘Should I go or not go?’

“It’s always difficult. Two years ago in Daytona we went and then we got a five-minute stop-and-go penalty.

“So it was a bit confusing… I don’t really know what happened. Inside the car, you don’t have that much information.”

The complicated wave-by process was triggered by the GTD class-leading No. 44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin of Andy Lally, which was in front of the overall leader and necessitated a full GTD class wave-by.

Per IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rules, GTD and GTD Pro cars are treated as a separate classes in terms of any wave-bys, thus keeping the GTD-Pro class cars behind.

“The safety car split the GTD field,” Garcia explained. “The GTD leader was the real GT leader, so that’s why everyone behind us moved to the right to get a pass-around, and the 23 moved to the right, as well.

“But because we were the GTD Pro leaders, we should have stayed where we were. But that’s the way the rules are.

“I just made a mistake and went to follow the 23 when they were wrong.

“I had a big queue of GTDs behind me, and all I could see behind me were GT cars moving to the right. So that’s what confused me.

“If I could have seen the Mercedes or Lexus GTD Pro cars behind me staying to the left, I would have figured it out. But there were a ton of cars between us. It’s a mistake that shouldn’t happen.”

Gunn, meanwhile, admitted to his car making the error, although echoed Garcia’s comments on it being a confusing point of the race.

“It was a little confusing for me in the car because I was told to do the pass-around, so I did it and then about two minutes later I was told to ‘Stop…wait for the safety car to come back and overtake you,'” he told Sportscar365.

“But then we were informed by the officials that it was too late. So I understand why we were penalized but it doesn’t make it any easier.

“Everybody did a really great job today. The car was really nice to drive today, especially in clean air.

“I think we had the win in the bag, which makes it really disappointing.”

The No. 3 Corvette of Garcia and Jordan Taylor finished fourth in class, with the Heart of Racing Aston of Gunn and Alex Riberas having brought up the rear of the five-car class on Sunday.

Gounon: Last Stint Was Like “The Jungle”

The WeatherTech Racing driver admitted the wave-by miscue opened the door for an unlikely class win after struggling early in the running of the two-hour and 40-minute contest.

“It was quite a crazy race,” Gounon said. “At one point it looked like we were fighting for P5 in class, which was last position for us. Then suddenly we were in the lead.

“I’m not sure we had the best pace today but we stayed out of trouble, did a great pit sequence and in the end brought us in the lead.

“The last stint was a bit like the jungle.

“I don’t know why but with the wave-by we [were] behind all of the GTDs and obviously they were all fighting very hard and we were trying to fight our own class behind with Patrick [Pilet] and Ben [Barnicoat].

“You were just trying not to get caught in a battle with the P2s, the [GTPs] and the GTDs, so it was quite crazy out there.”

Article updated to reflect clarification on GTD Pro/GTD wave-by process and situation in race

Jonathan Grace contributed to this report

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John

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