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Post by Michael Drechsler on Jan 15, 2023 20:33:02 GMT
Phew, these cars are pretty exhausting to drive, always bouncing around and usually not where you want it to be. Got that darn heating burner starting & holding up in the fifth attempt, stayed for a few more minutes to see, if it really holds up and then rushed home, arriving at the end of the briefing. So into the car, a few laps to accomodate myself and off it race went! My start was quite decent, there was more in it, but thought better of it, had a pretty restrained first lap and then did what I could do. I was never really comfortable with the car, as I find it hard to judge what the car will do next. I guess I know the problem for me, but I currently don't know how to work around it. Had some really nice outbraking manoeuvres and gained a few positions doing so, but probably overstressed my brakes a little in the course, because at some point, I had to brake earlier to make the next turn properly. They would come back later, though. I got as high as 12th and was having a nice scrap with Luciano, but I had some slight errors, so he could pass me again. I followed him at a save distance for a while, and about lap 33, I realised I could probably go faster than him, especially in the downhill secion, so I tried to pick up the pace and soon was well under a second, but then, braking for the chicane, the whole thing locked up, I hit him slightly in the rear and did a quarter spin, which allowed Ray (I think) to pass me, too. That pretty much gave my tires the rest and I tried to roll it home, but the remaining few laps were hard. 14th, well, about what I expected. Roll into the 20s under your own power and then pick up what's left. I'm just happy I had 'just' maxed out the number of track limit warnings and two of them were off my own misjudgement. Yesterday, I did a race sim and had 8 of them, and only one that was on my own, all others were of the 'you gotta be kidding me'-kind or due to the behaviour of the car.
Well, lets see how the next race turns out.
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Post by Alan Santo on Jan 15, 2023 20:36:29 GMT
Happy to have finished!
Did a really good start, after deciding not to qualify and had more space to get settled in the car.
First part of race was good to me, closely following guys and benefitting from others mistakes.
Then there were run offs, inconsistencies and so on. I decided to pit and test new tires, first stop didn't change so I went back for it again(was already last so...).
Thank you admins for organization and congrats once again for broadcasting
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Post by Cezariusz Czlapinski on Jan 15, 2023 20:41:48 GMT
My big apologies Grant - didn't realize that I made contact with you at the last lap. I was 100% sure that it was tight but clean pass  I wish the rules to allow voluntarily giving back this win to you. After quite good start my mind switched to tire care option. Best I could do after some 10 laps was 115°C for the rear left. Then for the last 3 laps rear tires status was all red and 120°C. Car started to roll into almost every corner and I was quite happy to bring 2nd place to the finish. The only option to try on passing was where I could carry more speed into the Coppice corner. My aim was to use all of the inside curb area and see if my corner exit would be good enough to take it to the checkered flag. After viewing the replay I'm not so happy about this win  |
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Post by Grant Riddall on Jan 15, 2023 20:47:05 GMT
My big apologies Grant - didn't realize that I made contact with you at the last lap. I was 100% sure that it was tight but clean pass I wish the rules to allow voluntarily giving back this win to you. After quite good start my mind switched to tire care option. Best I could do after some 10 laps was 115°C for the rear left. Then for the last 3 laps rear tires status was all red and 120°C. Car started to roll into almost every corner and I was quite happy to bring 2nd place to the finish. The only option to try on passing was where I could carry more speed into the Coppice corner. My aim was to use all of the inside curb area and see if my corner exit would be good enough to take it to the checkered flag. After viewing the replay I'm not so happy about this win Honestly, don’t worry about it. You deserved the win overall not me, your tire management was fantastic and you and Richard.W were quicker overall. I was just bummed out it was last lap and i made sloppy mistakes! still a great race long battle  continue it at Monaco  |
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Post by David Sabre on Jan 15, 2023 20:59:22 GMT
A tough race in these cars, well done CC and Grant. I only just managed to finish as the tyres were worn out. I was running 11th and then Juha got a drive through therefore up to 10th until the finish. 1 point . Thanks for the broadcast.  |
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Post by Ricardo Mendes on Jan 15, 2023 21:31:59 GMT
Congratulations to the podium finishers, your pace was very fast! Had a great qualy session, nailing a 12.8 on my second attempt. At the time I was still thinking that pitting in the race would make sense, so I just tried one more fast lap (aghhh, was improving 0.150s just to miss out the final chicane!  ). Anyway, was quite happy with P4 on the grid! At the start was really careful not to hit anyone and tried to settle behind the four cars ahead. Richard, what a great start off the line! (and probably a not so good start from my side! ) I reached the final warning for going off-track very early in the race, and that compromised a bit my race pace. When Anders got a run on me I didn't tried to battle for the position, not to loose time to the drivers in front. Anyway, ended up loosing time in traffic and lost contact with him and Giovanni. By lap 20 it was absolutely clear no one would pit, so I decided to stay on track and make the best of my tyres. For the remainder of the race Gabriel kept me sharp (good battle!  ), but fortunately I was able to keep the car on track and bring it home on P6, only by around one second. Looking forward to the next race of this series! |
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Post by Richard Wilks on Jan 15, 2023 22:08:36 GMT
Well i guess its time for me to replace this wheel, because driving almost all race with it bent 45º to the right is not so fun, and its an handicap i cannot afford with the level of competition around here Thank you all who showed up, was a nice colorfull field. |
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Post by Juha Bos on Jan 16, 2023 15:00:44 GMT
Donington is a track I have a love hate relationship with. Yesterday it was the former for 10 laps and the latter for the remainder.
I couldn’t get anywhere near my PB in qualifying so I lined up in 10th. The start was fine, I followed Little Al and John Thim in their battle for eighth, ready to attack.
I did attack - but it was the chicane I attacked with a half spin. Once I returned behind Al I overdid it again and cut the chicane once too many. A Drive Through it was.
Now I’m aware Senna set a fastest lap at Donington when going through the pitlane, but this was a different layout, and obviously I’m not Senna. Yet I felt inspired in the wrong way by getting another Drive Through. And a third and a fourth. By then I knew every inch of the pit lane.
I completed the job with a few half spins after failing to stay on top of the car, but at least I made it to the finish. Not a good evening then, I hope to have a less eventful race next time.
Congratulations to those who made it home in one piece.
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Post by Giovanni Centorame on Jan 16, 2023 17:50:05 GMT
A good start of the season for me and i'm in general satisfied for the good result;
Qualy was good, the 2 tyre sets rule is interesting as tyres are not so durable and is a sort of compromise of trading between qualy or race performance. The plan was to use only one set but after a very good time at my first attempt i couldn't improve due my mistakes or traffic, after 10 laps tyres were not good to improve my laptime and i was forced to use the other set.
So i started the race with already 4 laps on the tyres. The setup was suited for my driving style albeit a little harsh on the rears; my start was awful, i have to practice more on downhill, and i lost a position. For the first half of the race i was close to the top three even if i knew i was not exactly at the same level but by lap 20 even if well behind, i built a good gap from Anders and Ricardo. At this time the tyres were already below the 50% and i had to take care of them; the last 10 laps was a close quarters battle between me and Anders, my rears completely gone, i feared that a tyre could explode ( never tried what can happen with 0% in Automobilista but i was very close to know really) the tyres were so worn that i was wandering even on straights.I was terribly slow on the downhill section but i could carry extra speed at Coppice exit and that saved me from Anders's assaults.
Congrats to CC and the podium for the fantastic race, now head on to Montecarlo!
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Post by Anders Nilsson on Jan 18, 2023 18:50:46 GMT
Fun race had good battles with Mendez and Centorame . Top trio was just out off reach amazing pace up there  Broadcast team cheers |
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). Anyway, was quite happy with P4 on the grid! 
), but fortunately I was able to keep the car on track and bring it home on P6, only by around one second. 
