Unique radio problems for SunEnergy Mercedes at COTA

Drivers are accustomed to having radio problems at some point during a race weekend. Poor transmission or reception is the normal issue, and SunEnergy Racing1 team owner/driver Kenny Habul would have welcomed something so simple during his qualifying run.

Instead, the radio inside Habul's No. 75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 became a dangerous obstacle to overcome at Circuit of The Americas on Friday while gunning for pole in IMSA's GT Daytona class.

"The radio fell down early in the session and fell into my lap," he said. "And from my lap it bounced in front of the pedals so I couldn't get to the brake."

Thanks to the radio's surprise presence in the footwell, Habul was only able to manage 11th in class. Considering the WeatherTech Championship's GTD category had 17 cars vying for pole, it also means he was able to put six drivers behind him while dealing with a wandering radio.

"I was trying to get it out with my foot and I had to brake with my heel and the thing got jammed down there in the end and it kind of put me off a little bit," he said.

The Australian, who comes to IMSA from an open-wheel and stock car background and shares the No. 75 with IndyCar veteran Tristan Vautier (pictured at left with Habul, above), wasn't expecting to set a new track record today, but does reckon the big Mercedes had more speed to reveal.

"So it wasn't perfect," he added. "There was probably three quarters of a second left in it, but we didn't tie it all together. It doesn't really matter. We will be OK.

"At the end of the day it is my job to bring it back to Tristan in a good spot and let him go out there and go crazy."