|
|
Post by Grant Riddall on Apr 18, 2021 19:56:11 GMT
Dam,
I was well made up I had 3rd in my sights and Coxon chasing me down for a battle, was really looking forward to it and just lost concentration, slightest touch of the curb and that was it!
I have to admit I have breathed a sigh of relief as I entered the pits as my arm is absolutely killing me so I’m not too disheartened!
|
|
|
|
Post by Tim Hille on Apr 18, 2021 20:16:32 GMT
I hit the kerb at the exit of the last chicane, went flying and touched the wall I would have liked to end my streak of costy mistakes & bad luck in the Lotus but looks like it will continue
|
|
|
|
Post by Luciano Rocha on Apr 18, 2021 20:20:10 GMT
I'm sorry Brian Janik for getting you in the zero curve.
When I saw you, you were already very close ....
|
|
|
|
Post by Kayo "Sideways" Michiels on Apr 18, 2021 20:26:09 GMT
Kept my head cool, kept out of trouble, kept out f the way of the leaders...
Was running 9th untill engine gave up 2 laps from finish, still finished 10th due to last cars being 2 more laps behind.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jules Bouchard on Apr 18, 2021 20:33:19 GMT
I'm surprised my engine lasted as I wasn't as gentle with it as I could have been. Had a great and intense battle with Brian for most of the race. Loooking forward to Detroit.  |
|
|
|
Post by Juha Bos on Apr 18, 2021 20:41:28 GMT
Results, points and replay are available: |
|
|
|
Post by Juha Bos on Apr 18, 2021 20:59:03 GMT
So this ends my run of F1 points finishes. Not McLaren's run though because Bruno bought it home 5th. Well done. 
Qualifying wasn't my strength but I managed a PB again. I'd spent most of my time on the race setup. I was sure I had a good thing going. Got off the line well again and managed to keep up with the leaders, while keeping to the fuel strategy. Then Coxon went for a dive in turn 1 to take 5th place off me. I didn't expect him, I didn't see him, I turned in, spun Richard and got hit by Dave Miller which put him out of the race. Sorry again Dave.
I dragged the wreck back to the pits and surprisingly they repaired it perfectly. A lap down on the next car, I set to work from 24th place. With 3 laps surplus fuel to play with and nothing to lose, I turned up the boost to the maximum. If it blew up, it probably wasn't going to cost me any points anyway.
Gradually I went by just about everyone, and was surprised by the speed of Ruben in the AGS. I wasn't expecting to see that car appear in the top 10 near a Ferrari. Shame it didn't last! Halfway through the race I was in 16th. I then spun trying to unlap myself from Anders, I spun again after Jules Bouchard had a coming together with a Ligier (which also spun) requiring another stop. Thankfully the repairs only took half a minute.
A few retirements later, the top 10 looked possible if I took a full lap back from Jonatan and Kayo. On lap 63, I finally made it. Meanwhile Bruno had brought his McLaren into 6th. I got so excited from that I distracted Jonatan, who went off. That wasn't part of my masterplan to reach the top 10. Sorry Jonatan!
So I got 9th in the end, and fastest lap on the way. Not too bad after such a start.
Well done to Anders for winning! I'm really looking forward to Detroit (no I'm not trying to please the broadcasters), hopefully the car will work well there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Juha Bos on Apr 18, 2021 20:59:37 GMT
Kept my head cool, kept out of trouble, kept out f the way of the leaders... Was running 9th untill engine gave up 2 laps from finish, still finished 7th due to last cars being 2 more laps behind. I think your maths need a review.  |
|
|
|
Post by Michael Drechsler on Apr 18, 2021 21:18:09 GMT
Phew! I finished a race, finally! Last, and with enough time lost out on oh so many occassions, but I finished! Last out there, but: I finished. Unlike my competitive environment, who all dropped out for various reasons. As no one else volunteered to be last, I raised my hand, but I almost handed the honour to Jonathan. I was so sure, I'd either be left out by my engine or put the car into the wall of champions, but neither happened, even though I missed four of five upshifts, and refraining from doing the last chicane at 200+ kph kept the car safely on the road. Just had a damn stupid brain fade before the race began. I stopped a bit short of my starting box, so back in came first gear and moved a bit ahead. Just forgot to go back into neutral. I wanted to play a bit with the throttle to get acustomed to the response before the lights go on, but with the first gear engaged, and for some reason releasing the brakes, that manouvre got the car rolling a bit ahead. Argh! Of course, the lights went out, and before I crossed the line, I already had a drive-through. Mwah!  That I served right away, well, there's another 60+ laps to get to the tail again. I had some slight difficulties getting into the right rhythm,and apparently, I set up the car with more top speed in mind as my competition, but I was still a little faster than the car directly ahead of me. Balance was neat. maybe a little heavy-handed on turn in, but else, it was as I like it. Fuel economy wasn't much of a problem, I knew I would be a few laps down, so that always gives you some leeway. Engine life management is the key word with this car, carefully observing the engine speeds and temps, that limits the amount of boost you can use anyways.. It was a bit difficult getting into a decent flow once I got lapped, though, and for shaving a second or two of my distance, I quickly lost much more, as lapping often didn't work in my direction. I think, once I was even tapped and spun around. I was more than once annoyed about people moving next to me but then not making the pass stick, even though I slowed down earlier. But slowly, cars dropped out or had other problems that helped me get ahead of them. I was closing the gap to Luciano in his Zakspeed, but then something got in the way of my rhythm again so I decided to make my pit stop after 27 laps, probably a little early, but if your rhythm is gone, its sometimes better to built it new than trying to catch it again. Out of the pits and over 30 seconds down from five or so, I could quickly reel in, but then, faster cars got me again, and so the game went on and on. Some time later, he went into the pits for his stop, and I was like 10 seconds ahead of him, a gap which I could quickly spread a little, until it was about 20 seconds. Driving got a bit easier with less cars on the track, Luciano got a little closer again, and I wasn't so sure that would last until the end, so I cranked the boost up a click to have a little more at my hands for what I still considere could become a defensive battle, but then, Luciano dropped out, as quite a few others did, and being last now with a insurmountable gap to the next car, I lowered boost to the minimum. Still, that engine wants to be babied home. I know the statistics of the real race, by that time, I had more laps than Piercarlo Ghinzani and Christian Danner together! I wasn't willing to risk my race, so I went into cruise mode...
...wait a second...
...wasn't that gap over a lap last time I checked...?
...the car in front of me must be stationary...
...11th, now that would taste me nice!
When I passed the start/finish line, Jonathan in the other Zakspeed was 11 seconds ahead of me, at first, I had the impression he would pull away from me, so I stayed at my current boost level...
...but not so quick...
...one click up. How many laps left? Ah, can't read that now, move on...
...could become tight, another click of boost...
...ah, that could still work out! Screw it, two more clicks! Next lap, he's mine!
No, I couldn't fetch him, it was already the last lap. But just 3 1/2 seconds down from Jonathan. Damn it, if I just hadn't made that fumble on the grid! If some of the faster guys wouldn't have made such cumbersome moves in the wrong places! Still, I finished the race, what over half of the field didn't, but a bigger gap would have made that much more satisfying, even though If I was the last car running. Thus I'm feeling less like a winner for finishing and surviving, but more like having lost something. Well, I'm slowly getting the hang of it, I'm working hard on handing the red light to someone else, so be warned!
|
|
|
|
Post by Kayo "Sideways" Michiels on Apr 18, 2021 22:23:02 GMT
Kept my head cool, kept out of trouble, kept out f the way of the leaders... Was running 9th untill engine gave up 2 laps from finish, still finished 7th due to last cars being 2 more laps behind. I think your maths need a review. Whoops! Didn't saw that error... I was trying to keep you at bay... 'till the engine gave up. But had fun, and surprisingly, not many errors, maybe just going a bit wide here and there... |
|
|
|
Post by Luciano Rocha on Apr 19, 2021 1:35:25 GMT
I increased the pressure to try to get you but then the engine burst. 
Driving got a bit easier with less cars on the track, Luciano got a little closer again, and I wasn't so sure that would last until the end, so I cranked the boost up a click to have a little more at my hands for what I still considere could become a defensive battle, but then, Luciano dropped out, as quite a few others did, and being last now with a insurmountable gap to the next car, I lowered boost to the minimum. |
|
|
|
Post by Bruno Pagiola on Apr 19, 2021 2:33:46 GMT
It was a disappointing weekend, althougth the good pace at practices. I didn't get a good chance at qualy but I had a good setup for race. I started well jumping to 18th, then the faster cars got pass me, but I kept a good pace approaching to Arrows and Brabham until I spun close to leaders when they were about to lap me, but no damage. After 5 laps (at 22 lap) my Carlo Chiti creation (as known Motori Moderni) did as well can do, blow. But ISO let me know how can be hard the life of Minardi driver...  |
|
|
|
Post by Kayo "Sideways" Michiels on Apr 19, 2021 3:33:25 GMT
I'm guessing everybody saw John Thim suddenly became John TILT when he was some distance from you? Graphical error with the lower detail model?
|
|
|
|
Post by Brian Janik on Apr 19, 2021 3:43:58 GMT
I'm sorry Brian Janik for getting you in the zero curve. When I saw you, you were already very close .... NP. shocked the sh!t out of me, unfortunately lost a couple positions, but relieved not to DNF on the spot I'm surprised my engine lasted as I wasn't as gentle with it as I could have been. Had a great and intense battle with Brian for most of the race. Loooking forward to Detroit. Was intense Hardest race of my life as I was pretty hungover, make that still drunk from the night before. But we were still fair to each other despite the haze. Dont be too amped about coming to Detroit, you may never get to leave |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2021 4:14:42 GMT
I'm struggling to get comfortable around this horrid track but will continue lapping during the evening, but if I can't get comfortable I'll release the car. In case anyone wants to do a few laps of practice just in case. curse of the zakspeed  |
|
|
|
Post by Grant Riddall on Apr 19, 2021 8:25:39 GMT
Well I really enjoyed last night! I just enjoyed finally having a setup I felt entirely comfortable with!
Preparations didn’t go to plan, had to minimise practice due to my arm. About 3 weeks ago someone thought it was a good idea to go head on into me and a friend coming round a turn resulting in a break on the forearm.
Wasn’t sure if I’ll race or not but felt up to it! (Thank you paracetamol!)
Qualifying went better than I could have hoped. I genuinely didn’t expect anywhere in the top 6 but to put it in second felt like a win! Well done to Wilks thou that lap was perfect as I was riding on board!
The start went even better. I genuinely just wanted to race my race and not expect to much but I found myself leading. Didn’t use my boost once until lap 14 or so so felt really comfortable sitting there saving fuel for a push near the end.
Once Anders and Jaques passed I continued to pace myself saving immense amounts of fuel. Burning 2.64l a lap... for the ligier this is a win so I continued and didn’t let the pace of others phase me to much.
Around lap 35 I noticed everyone pitted but my tires were still great! I had good grip and traction still, so pushed a little more till lap 41 and pitted for super softs. Cranked the boost up to enjoy the saved fuel and went after the top 3 but wasn’t to be. 15 or so laps to go I gave the inside curb of the last chicane a touch and up my car went enough to put me into the barriers.
Got back to the pits and wanted to finish the race but in all honesty my arm was killing so called it.
Well done to Anders and Wilks. You guys are hard to keep up with!
Have to say this championship so far I’ve noticed how you cannot call anything. Even getting a top 7 finish is hard as each race everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. It’s great!
|
|
|
|
Post by Richard Coxon on Apr 19, 2021 9:19:04 GMT
Was called away and thought I'd make it back in time, but didn't... Just my luck these days, as if I didn't have enough psychological problems already. Sorry to hear about your issues. If you are struggling to commit or have the time for the series then perhaps it may be better to release the car and grab a one off when you know you can be fully committed and have the time to the race. After all you joined in the warmup and then never took the your place at the rear of the grid. You just remained in the pits. Plus you have only done 3 of the 6 races so it is obvious luck is not on your side. I only mention this as the series is proving more popular than we ever imagined and i know of many people that would jump at the chance of having a full time car. P.S Unfortunately too, one more absence from yourself (Announced or not) and you will lose the car. |
|
|
|
Post by Bruno Chacon on Apr 19, 2021 10:58:38 GMT
McLaren is not very fast in qualifying, but during the race it shows its qualities.
The setup that Juha prepared was excellent, it suited my way of driving like a glove. Thank you Juha!
Okay, 18 place at the start and worse, I started badly and lost 4 positions. It took me a long time chasing the cars ahead at a solid pace.
A good fight with Brian (I confess that I always get nervous around him) and in the end a big fight with Ray.
Cramps in the leg and a full bladder disputed which of the two would take my concentration. I managed to remain steady until the finish line, stopped the car on the grass on the left and ran to the bathroom. Old age sucks!
First time I managed to finish in the points zone in an F1 championship!
|
|
|
|
Post by Anders Nilsson on Apr 19, 2021 15:41:24 GMT
Yes  but to be honest didnt see that one coming . Had really good battles thru the early stages off the race great fun Wilks ,Grant and DJ .Tough luck DJ  without that u would have been hard to stop. But i knew even if its fun to battle, i was loosing time so i had to get thru to free air to get my strategi to work. I managed it and now it was all down to me to keep the concentration up and to be consistent. Got a really good pitstop "yep i had to buy them beer " 9.2 sec . Wilks had a worse one wich i think was my good fortune cause he was catching me at the end . But he keept me honest the whole way I dread Detroit where the boys can go flat out. Grant might be up to full strenght . Gonna be a really hard one  . My teamie did an awesome recovery drive thru the field two Ferraris on podium  , il guess the old man is pleased and so the tifosi with us  Great broadcast as usual sry for my bad french in the interview tho  |
|
|
|
Post by John Thim on Apr 19, 2021 16:51:08 GMT
Wow 4th. What a race! Started poorly 16th, quali not my strong side in these cars. However the car was so enjoyable to race! Great start got by 5-6 cars in the opening laps. Then had the perfect gap to manage my car, however realized I was tight on fuel. Had to fuelsave for the majority of the race after that and do tire management. Gabrielle catched me and unfortuanatly we touched in turn 1. My fault, he was in my deadzone, and I tried to stay on the outside. Sry for that 'penalised my self by lifting off'. Yeah and the 'tilting'. Hilarius and disturbing at the same time 'Benny Hill theme would have been appropriate'. However I had no issues ofcourse, but I knew it was happening. I think Alberto was right in calling it a 'funky setup', I believe the setup versus the nature of the track surface made it a sort of a semi-solid. This track is a bit strange at places. As when you fall downwards in-car crashing, but in the outside view your standing in the so called 'rowing-lake'. Equal points tally with Alan Jones. Kinda cool! Great battles allround, Concrats to Anders and all the finishers! |
|
|
|
Post by Ruben Fernandez on Apr 19, 2021 18:21:19 GMT
Again very dissapointed with myself.  Qualy in 17th, I tried fight for 12th, but I am on the limit with this car, so it was what I hope. A bad start due to a shift lost, and focused on try to avoid troubles. I tried to get my pace of middle 28's for the first stint, but was impossible, many battles (I got a lot of fun) and traffic. Unfortunately I hit the inner curb in the last chicane, avoiding a huge crash, but "kissing" the wall of champions and sustained damage in the right rear suspension. I tought, shit, another retirement, but the car appears to be in good condition, so now without traffic I was able to get my pace. Suddenly I was in 6th place, I couldn't understand anything, and Richard Coxon was getting close to me. He overtook me with Juha behind him, it was not my race. I did my pit stop in the lap 36, and after that I started to make a lot of mistakes and spins, maybe the right rear suspension was the problem or myself. I caught up Ray Riddall and I tought stay behind him saving fuel for a last attack but let the leader pass by, and I lost a lot of time (my mistake) so I got to push again to catch him. I lost my concentration and in the last chicane "kissed" again getting a "big one".  To have a decent pace, I have to go to the limit of the car and even myself. Congrats to Nilsson, Wilks and Coxon, great battles, and the other ones who finished the race , amazing 4th John Thim See you in Detroit  |
|
|
|
Post by Bruno Pagiola on Apr 19, 2021 18:24:39 GMT
I increased the pressure to try to get you but then the engine burst.
Driving got a bit easier with less cars on the track, Luciano got a little closer again, and I wasn't so sure that would last until the end, so I cranked the boost up a click to have a little more at my hands for what I still considere could become a defensive battle, but then, Luciano dropped out, as quite a few others did, and being last now with a insurmountable gap to the next car, I lowered boost to the minimum. I didn't need force the boost too much to blow it! With 1.70 bar this engine doesn't keep up... |
|
|
|
Post by Michael Drechsler on Apr 19, 2021 18:32:12 GMT
I increased the pressure to try to get you but then the engine burst.
I didn't need force the boost too much to blow it! With 1.70 bar this engine doesn't keep up... And now you know why I'm very conservative about using that boost button! Driving like a granny has its very own charme. You may pick up a flower bouquet while driving and bring it home.  |
|
|
|
Post by François Remmen on Apr 19, 2021 19:31:12 GMT
well, phocus was now, how to finish this bmw engine.
qualify, man in practice it was nice for a low 1.23 but during the official, it seemed like I had to pull 100kg forward, sweat and blood for 3 seconds.
Nevertheless
for the race setup I had extended the gearbox and put on boost 2.1.
just enjoy driving. some nice fights but how slow I was, everyone disappeared on the horizon.
as is rfactor the motor gets a random lifetime. and this time I had a higher percentage than in Spa, but of course I made 3 big mistakes with shifting until before the hairpin I heard a crunching noise, wasn't it grass? no, so accelerate at full throttle and yes, KABOOM lap 46, I believe.
I did my best to let everyone pass safely
Cheers
|
|
|
|
Post by Bruno Pagiola on Apr 19, 2021 20:08:31 GMT
I didn't need force the boost too much to blow it! With 1.70 bar this engine doesn't keep up... And now you know why I'm very conservative about using that boost button! Driving like a granny has its very own charme. You may pick up a flower bouquet while driving and bring it home. I Believe that's not just it... This track forces you to shift the gear many times per lap, mainly at downshifting. Every time that I blew the engine were when I downshift. But the turbo pressure for our weak and even unreliable engines we need keep at the low gauge. At Spa the engine ran well without risks. |
|
That I served right away, well, there's another 60+ laps to get to the tail again. I had some slight difficulties getting into the right rhythm,and apparently, I set up the car with more top speed in mind as my competition, but I was still a little faster than the car directly ahead of me. Balance was neat. maybe a little heavy-handed on turn in, but else, it was as I like it. Fuel economy wasn't much of a problem, I knew I would be a few laps down, so that always gives you some leeway. Engine life management is the key word with this car, carefully observing the engine speeds and temps, that limits the amount of boost you can use anyways.. It was a bit difficult getting into a decent flow once I got lapped, though, and for shaving a second or two of my distance, I quickly lost much more, as lapping often didn't work in my direction. I think, once I was even tapped and spun around. I was more than once annoyed about people moving next to me but then not making the pass stick, even though I slowed down earlier. But slowly, cars dropped out or had other problems that helped me get ahead of them. I was closing the gap to Luciano in his Zakspeed, but then something got in the way of my rhythm again so I decided to make my pit stop after 27 laps, probably a little early, but if your rhythm is gone, its sometimes better to built it new than trying to catch it again. Out of the pits and over 30 seconds down from five or so, I could quickly reel in, but then, faster cars got me again, and so the game went on and on. Some time later, he went into the pits for his stop, and I was like 10 seconds ahead of him, a gap which I could quickly spread a little, until it was about 20 seconds. Driving got a bit easier with less cars on the track, Luciano got a little closer again, and I wasn't so sure that would last until the end, so I cranked the boost up a click to have a little more at my hands for what I still considere could become a defensive battle, but then, Luciano dropped out, as quite a few others did, and being last now with a insurmountable gap to the next car, I lowered boost to the minimum. Still, that engine wants to be babied home. I know the statistics of the real race, by that time, I had more laps than Piercarlo Ghinzani and Christian Danner together! I wasn't willing to risk my race, so I went into cruise mode...
but to be honest didnt see that one coming . 
without that u would have been hard to stop.
.
, il guess the old man is pleased and so the tifosi with us 
