▁he ▁was ▁still ▁hope ful ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁catch ▁Ver g ne ▁in ▁the ▁D ri vers ' ▁Championship ▁battle ▁as ▁he ▁expected ▁to ▁improve ▁his ▁results ▁in ▁the ▁season ' s ▁closing ▁three ▁races ▁but ▁stated ▁his ▁feeling ▁a ▁repeat ▁of ▁his ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁e P rix ▁double ▁header ▁success ▁would ▁be ▁more ▁difficult ▁next ▁time ▁round , ▁" Like ▁normal , ▁I ▁have ▁to ▁do ▁a ▁mi racle ▁at ▁the ▁last ▁race ! ▁But ▁stranger ▁things ▁have ▁happened . ▁Looking ▁back ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁last ▁year , ▁that ▁wasn ’ t ▁so ▁bad ▁for ▁me . ▁ 5 3 ▁out ▁of ▁ 5 8 ▁points ▁came ▁my ▁way . ▁To ▁do ▁that ▁again ▁will ▁take ▁some ▁doing ▁though ." ▁ ▁The ▁consequence ▁of ▁the ▁race ▁meant ▁Ver g ne ▁increased ▁his ▁lead ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁D ri vers ' ▁Championship ▁to ▁ 4 0 ▁points ▁over ▁his ▁nearest ▁rival ▁Bird . ▁Rosen q v ist ▁was ▁a ▁further ▁ 3 6 ▁points ▁ad rift ▁in ▁third ▁place ▁and ▁race ▁winner ▁Ab t ▁moved ▁from ▁sixth ▁to ▁fourth . ▁Bu emi ' s ▁fourth - place ▁finish ▁meant ▁he ▁fell ▁to ▁fifth ▁position . ▁Te che et ah ▁maintained ▁their ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁Teams ' ▁Championship ▁but ▁their ▁advantage ▁had ▁been ▁reduced ▁to ▁ 4 4 ▁points ▁by ▁A udi ▁whose ▁one - two ▁result ▁moved ▁them ▁to ▁second . ▁Virgin ' s ▁solit ary ▁points ▁result ▁from ▁Bird ▁meant ▁the ▁team ▁fell ▁to