Race :: Round 12 - The Front Field Tightens

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Rescuing himself from a looming disaster, Italy's Sebi Orsi shifts down hard. He expertly slides the little red Maserati forward and somehow skids smoothly out of the Barrböjen curve with only a little bit of tire wear as the result.

Yet Orsi is closely followed by Norway's famed Volcán and Denmark's Diederik Olsen. Both seem to be hounding him closely and unwilling to let go of any perceived advantage to take the lead. They are in the hunt, hoping to press the Italian into a mistake now and surprised that he has managed so well to survive the challenge of this last curve.

The next curve, ahead on the ice, looms wickedly for the three leaders.

Farther back, Britain's John Milk, Belgium's Victor Hugo Stéphane, and Germany's white knight, Godeschalk Hegkman, close on the lead group. Monaco's Louis de Montignac takes Barrböjen with astounding skill, positioning himself perfectly for the chicane.

Along pit row, Vitez Rychly takes a final glance across the track to search for VV. He cannot find her. There is nothing left to do but turn his attention back to his car. Rychly assists the maintenance crew as they work briskly on his orange Bugatti T51A. The mechanics quickly repair the oil pan and swap the front brake shoes. The other crew members swiftly replace the tires, switching to studs and leaving the chains behind. Rychly will soon rejoin the race, hoping to preserve his position with the final group of racers who are only now cutting into the hairpin of Hårnålskurva. He leaps back into the cockpit as the mechanics drop the car off the jacks.

Finland's Tavho Myrsky maneuvers toward his pit area while Portugal's Pedro Gomes cuts left with his Bugatti as he slows the car. Agonizingly, he fumbles his gear selection and falls short of entering the Portuguese pit stop. Pedro curses, his voice carrying across the pits – though few can understand the Portuguese terms he uses, it is clear that it has something to do with cursing a sheep.

The Scottish racer, Alastair MacDougall, presses forward down the straight in his Amilcar C6, hoping to catch the lead group as they cruise onto the ice. He is separated only by a few seconds from the lead pack in Barrböjen, so it is likely that he will soon make his move to close the gap.