Originally Posted by
kaanage
The tyre (only the driver's side front) developed a slow leak somewhere between turn 1 and GIO as I 1st noticed the front end pushing a bit through GIO, so I missed the apex by a couple of feet.
At Siberia, it pushed more (missed the apex again) and seemed to spin up a bit on exit with a bit of vibration through the steering wheel.
Up over Lukey heights, the understeer got really bad and the vibration was quite noticable as I crested the hill.
Out of MG, I deliberately pointed the car more than usual and clipped the apex fairly hard at turn 11 to try and fight the understeer - at this stage the vibration was getting pretty bad and the car still understeered on to the rumble strip on the exit.
On turn in into turn 12, the vibration was blurring my vision and at the apex, it felt like the wheel was about to fall off.
Fearing the worst, I backed right off down the straight and noticed some smoke coming from the driver front wheel arch area. The steering wheel was still vibrating badly and the car was now pulling to right so I pulled off just after the pit exit.
All in all, a destroyed tyre was a relief vs what I though it might have been. 2:30 wasn't too bad a lap time in retrospect.