Round 3 - 41. Int. ADAC-Eifelrennen [Mar 6th]

Not happy with that one. I made good use of the two weeks of practice and developed a setup with a really nice handling all over the stints and decent tire were - just turned out to be completely useless once the race started. I was absolutely struggling with grip once the server switched to the actual race weekend. First, I couldn't get a single qualifying lap done, in the first attempt, I ran out of track when my wheels locked up braking for the Hohenrain chicane. Ten minutes for tow and repairs. Then on the second attempt, the car just slid off the track trying to turn in on Flugplatz. No chance for a timed lap. I've happily been in front of the upcoming mêlée instead behind all of it.

Well, that warm-up lap, looked all a bit ... unorganised, dunno if everyone was in the right place. Looks as if everyone got away fine through the first turns, though I had to to take a bit of evasive action into Nordkehre, that Porker in front of me looked a bit laggy on my end, and when everyone dropped the anchor, Alan was a bit closer to me than I appreciated. I got past the brazilian gang pretty soon, but from there, it was a real struggle, the car was unstable, understeering and all over the place. Despite all efforts to be super careful, I damaged my car already in lap 1 in the fast righthander leading up to Schwalbenschwanz. I gained a few positions by other people's mishaps, but I had some serious problems to keep up with the cars ahead of me. In free air, the car was about 8 seconds of pace. I went into the pits for a sip of fuel and new tires after lap 3, I used that opportunitiy to adjust my tire pressures a bit. One click less at the front and one more at the rear, and at least the balance problem was halfway solved. Still a bit slidy all along the track, lacking that bit of extra leeway when things got tight I had before, and still a bit short of its potential, but at least the car got finally halfways safe around the corners. Unfortunately I was right in the middle of the Div II cars after my stop, that cost me dearly, because they were simply to quick in most of the twisty parts, and where my ponies could make a difference, I was often to far away to make it stick, or it was simply to tight and I didn't want to force the issue. There are a couple of places where you need 100% trust in the guy in the other car to make a pass work. That cost me a bit of time, too, nontheless I could successfully undercut Pascal on his stop, just when he left the pits, I could pass him into Südkehre. He gave me a good run for my money for the next few miles and finally squeezed himself past me before the Lauda lefthander, but lost it uphill towards Kesselchen, when his car came sideways. That gave me a bit of space, but he could quickly close the gap again. My tire wear was a bit to high, or the temps, the car got increasingly difficult to handle. And there was the prospect of two more positions right in front of me, I could hear and see the Div II leaders in front of me after Tiergarten. I could keep my advantage over Pascal in the Hatzenbach - Hocheichen section, and didn't lose sight to the Div. II Bimmers in front of me. After Flugplatz, Pascal really wanted it hard, and I could not definitely rule out he wouldn't refrain to try an attempt right int he middle of Schwedenkreuz, something that would definitely end in tears, so I had to make a bold statement that it won't allow it to happen here. A bit of rough move, but IMO still within fairness and neccessary. I could then see in my mirror he lost the car in the downhill section between Aremberg and Fuchsröhre, nothing I had to do with. I went after the Bimmers in front of me and almost got one in Kesselchen, but it was to tight to really make it stick. But already in the Karusell, I felt the tires were done, I could still get through the downhill section past Hohe Acht halfways safe, but arriving at Pflanzgarten II, the car became increasingly useless, even had another brush at the Schwalbenschwanz. While I could still get very close to the BMW again on the straight, I had lost way to much time until Galgenkopf to still make it.

7th overall and 5th in class, there was more in there, but all the circumstances and events just killed my whole effort. I don't know what car I had, but it certainlly a different one the that I did test successful yesterday...

Thank you! I spent a lot of time trying different gears to gain a few seconds. They worked well on full boost in qualifying, but the ratios I had for the race lacked in the middle sector.

After 2 blown engines, I knew I had to be careful. My best chance was to qualify on pole, which worked, and keep everyone behind me through the twisty bits while keeping the boost low. All of that went relatively well, except for the presence of Anders.

At Zolder, he was behind me when the engine went. At the Norisring, we were battling when the engine blew again. This time was no different in the way that I saw a lot of blue in my mirrors, and in front. I got away first, but Anders was onto me like a dog which hadn't been fed. The turbo power on the straight kept me ahead, until I messed up ad found myself chasing.

I knew if Anders found himself ahead at Karussel, I'd be doomed, as he clearly had the pace over me through the following section and could open up a gap. At one point, he did get the better of me. I then decided to run full boost until the end of that lap. The engine went into a territory I would have preferred to avoid. Nevertheless, I did catch him again, and applied the same strategy for the remaining laps.

The engine lasted, and after 3 Poles and having led each race at one point or another, I finally completed the job by actually finishing it off. Thanks to Anders for the great battle, it was massive fun! And well done to Thiago for his win in Division 1.