Pirelli Paddock Pass: Michael Christensen

Porsche factory driver Michael Christensen is coming off of the most succesful outing of his Pirelli World Challenge career at Lime Rock Park where he teamed with Spencer Pumpelly to take a win and a third place for Alegra Motorsports.

This week in the Pirelli Paddock Pass, Christensen reflects on the progress he and the team have made, his favorite track on the PWC calendar, and more.

How had the team performed in the races leading up to Lime Rock?

“We were quite alright in Virginia already with the car. We were missing a few small things that we fixed for Mosport and the test sessions there we were really competitive.

“In the wet it was also quite good, especially when it was drying, we were by far the fastest. I knew in the test sessions that we had a very competitive car.”

Were you expecting to be able to contend for a win at Lime Rock?

“Coming to Lime Rock, with it being my first time there, it was a bit hard for me to expect anything really but I knew we had been doing a good job in terms of the developments since the first test and the first race.

“We had moved quite far from there with our knowledge of the tires and so on. I felt that we were getting quite competitive.

“The first race, everything fell into our hands so we had to take the opportunity we had and we won.

“The second race we were second and putting pressure on the Ferrari but they didn’t make the same mistake they did in the first race and we lost a position in the end and finished third.

“It was a positive weekend, but still I hope to sweep a weekend one day.”

Do you feel like you’re back in the championship hunt?

“It’s a full championship, so definitely you’re trying to do the best possible result for the championship. That’s clear.

“At the moment, in the beginning of the season we just lost ground and had some races where we had to find the ground and come back into picture.

“Now I feel that we are kind of there, but there’s still a lot of hard work to do to come fully back into the lead fight. I take it race by race and hopefully it comes together.”

Are you more comfortable with the environment of PWC now compared to the beginning of the year?

“I was confident already and comfortable in the beginning, but you have to find your way a little bit. You have to find what is allowed, what isn’t allowed in terms of driving limits and behavior.

“You have to get that experience before you can go all in, I think. I have more experience now, but it was not that I felt unready at all. For sure I have more experience now and I know what to do.”

What track that you have visited for the first time this year with PWC has been your favorite?

“St. Pete for sure. I really like that one. It’s a good street circuit with good high speed and low speed as well.

“It is possible to overtake, unlike other street circuits, and I think it has a good mixture of all kind of things.

“I know in a street circuit it’s hard to expect much action but St. Pete had some of those characteristics. It has some really good flow, especially in the first part of the track. It’s really good fun.”