Euro FB: Toban

That was the worst race I've done for a while... for some reason, after practicing race setup for 50 laps or so and doing fine in qualifying, in the race I found I suddenly had a chronic case of oversteer... so much so that I span out of the lead on lap one, then span at least twice more later in the race. I also managed to take out Kent twice, once while trying to pass him he slammed the door on me (I need to watch the replay to see if I was far enough alongside), and the other time I span all on my own and trying to keep the car off the wall, I managed to direct it back on track and into his path (sorry!). I also had quite a few people rejoin the track dangerously infront of me, and a couple of people ran into the back of me, while countless others lost it just like I did and almost caused some huge wrecks. I had to do the last 8 laps or so with a badly damaged car, but while I was in 10th and Milan was 3rd I still had the championship... then I noticed Milan take 2nd, so I had to push really hard. I managed to get up to 7th by the end which, thankfully, was just enough, and me and R4R managed to win the teams and drivers titles by some very small margins...
It sucks that I had to end a great season on such a crap race, but that always seems to happen at this track, I should have been more conservative...

Oh well, nice season all, cya next time.

Grats again on the title Scott.

An interesting race to say the least, could not quite work out at which angle and from which direction the next bullet was coming, but there were plenty out there. No offence to anyone though, it has been some time since I laughed out loud during a race, just thought this track was pretty much guaranteed to cause mayhem and so it did.

Shame to see the end of the season, but very pleased to be third overall.

In a piece of blatant advertising please visit the Shark @ R2P chapter where we will run a series of F BMW as an Independant championship on a Tuesday night for Season 7.

Hope to see you there!

Nick

Great race, enjoying the numerous battles, first with Martin then with Sam, Dave was close also on the lead.
Some lapped guys was too aggressive and make it some needless re-overtaking maneuvers that cost me some losing time.
At the end Sam slowing down and I take 2nd after his fuel probs.
Grats to win Dave!

lol, I just lost champs by 2 points, but I know where it failed by exactly 2 pts.,but never mind, system never likes me, lol.
Scott was by far faster through the season and deserve this title more than me.
Congrats Scott and your team.

Good bye F-BMW.

Not too bad a race with all things considered.
I could not get anywhere near the top cars times in Sector 2 and 3, but I could only guess it was because I drive to "Guarantee two wheels on track", not to "Hopefully keep two wheels on track". Thus you have to slow a lot for the chicane areas to have that guarantee every single time through them.
But maybe they had just worked out some great way to do that also, just faster!

Qualifying 6th was about where I expected to be, though I could not get one clear lap until the very last run, with seconds to go!.
Which reminds me of Brian Duray...

I forget the exact sequence, but something like: Brian was ahead and ran off track, so I was zooming up and passing him but he charges back on track right in front of me, as if he wants to race on with the lap - for no use as his lap is already wrecked. Rather than stay a bit slower and blend in behind.
Than a lap or so later I am catching some slower car, which comrpomises my lap, but I WAIT for him so I don't ruin his. But Brian comes charging in and through the both of us, through the chicane, and lucky for us all to survive it!

No patience, little regard for other cars and their track rights, in both cases (eg mine and even the other cars in the case of the back marker). Plus earlier had come up behind me and raced me into some area (might have been after I passed him on his ruined lap), when again there is no need to. Far better off would have been to hang back and then get a full clear lap alone.
Like I said, I forget the exact sequences, but three things in one ten mins of qualifying made that all stand out!

For Qualifying all you want to do is get CLEAR of other cars and get a unimpeded run. Not impede others. Not race others. Not charge up behind others - or if really you do have to, for avery slow car ahead, then ensure it does not mess up their lap, and then aim to get your run to pass them somewhere safe and unimportant (if even possible).

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The race went well... for about half of it.
I caught up to Dean Watson(?) and I could see by the way I was gaining very fast that I was running much faster lap times. So I prepared for the need to pick a path past him, except as we came out onto a short straight he headed left off the right edge corner exit, so I ran for that continued right side path past, but as soon as I headed that way he turned back right and braked. BAMM, straight in the back of him.
I am not sure what he was doing, in the replay all I see is the turning to head left, then rear wheels locked and changing back to head right and it was still long before the next right hand corner ('normal') braking or turning zone.
It should have been a simple pass, I could have gone either side once I saw where he headed coming off the left hander exit, and the speed differential would have had me blitzed past in a flash.
It seemed to me that maybe he panicked? But if it was intentional to be slowing so much, so soon, in that short straight, then it was not a good idea.
The move to head left and then sharply back right was the fatal action - tho combined with braking it was then assuring the incident.

Tip: To allow a pass drive LINEARLY. Slow down if you want, but wash-off speed, decelerate and never brake. And flow the line you choose to take, whether that stays on the corner exit edge, or curves round the racing line, just do whatever you do smooth and linearly.
Basically race on as per 'normal' and if you want to allow the pass easier, then wash-off that speed, or don't power on fully at the next exit.

You will see an example of it later in the race when I allow Simon to pass me in Turn 1, seeing I was damaged and no use fighting him off anymore. We both get to run near top times around the section, both with ease and safety, and off he goes on his way.

I am still sorry we hit Dean! Maybe something was going on I don't know of. (some loss of control).

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With that loss of front wing and front suspension damage I could not fend off the next two cars behind me anymore so I ended up 6th.

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Honourable mention goes to Richard Johnstone, who I have noted in many races how he is a most considerate racer who plans his 'passing allowances' very well, and you can always rely on them being done in that well thought out way and in a prompt manner! eg He just does that 'flow' of the path and speed reduction to assure the passing car can just race on by.
And that results in a very safe interaction, with the least speed/lap-time detriment to the passing car and also himself!
So his race times might be a bit slow compared to fast end guys, but he is one of the better racers out there.

Practice session was hectic, Qualy was insane, couldn't find a bit of clear track but I was perfectly happy to start right down the back for my debut race.

I was fairly conservative at the start and a couple got past me but I was waiting for the wrecks. It happened in T1 on L2 and I tried to avoid a car in the middle of the track but clipped him. My car still felt fine though.

Had an off all on my own and did quite bad damage to the suspension and just managed to limp into the pits before the leaders lapped me first time round, was glad about that.

Was well down after the repairs and it was just a case of staying out of the way of the lapping cars and making it to the end for P16.

Quite a scary debut but I'm happy that I didn't take anyone out, rejoined considerately and I don't think I frightened anyone lapping me too badly.

I guess Nick had problems but if not then I'm happy for my fastest lap to be just 0.5s slower than his considering his experience with this sim. I think the Shark chapter might be right up my street Nick. Cheers.

My debut on R2P, quite eventful!

I was disappointed to see so many people running sub 59s laps in practise, I could only beat 1m every now and then so I knew straight away that a top 10 was probably the best I could achieve here, but wanted to make a clean debut as the main priority.

Qualified down in 17th after not being able to get a clean lap in, but I was expecting a few people to fall off the track so decided to just take it easy at the start.

Sure enough, nobody crashed at all on the first lap, from what I could see, so I lost a couple of places by being over-cautious.

Thankfully, people then started making up for the lack of lap one crashes and I picked my way through the wreckage to be in 12th place by lap 5.

I then got caught up as a car tried to recover after a spin and drove onto the racing line, so I lost about 20 seconds there and then.

Recovered and had a fantastic battle with Matej Ahacic for the next 5 laps or so, thanks very much Matej, you are a courteous driver who made the whole race so memorable for me.

You had a lower downforce setup I think as I couldn't get close down the straights but was able to close up in the twisty bits, eventually got past thanks to the help of a backmarker and the leaders lapping us at the same time.

I then threw the car off the track on the next lap and gave away the place and one more as well! Strange one that, lost it in t1, got onto the grass and that was that, never lost the car there before in practise.

Sorry to those of you I scared rejoining, I thought there was a bigger gap than there was, a rookie mistake, but no harm came of it.

Finished 14th, disappointed with my error, but apart from that quite a decent debut, just need to find a second a lap and I might score some points eventually!

BTW, Mr. Brian Duray, you behavior under blue flags on laps 17-18 is unacceptable, imho.
Grats to Scott and podium guys. Nice mod, btw :)

Had been away for a while so had no time to practice. Joined the session just in time for qualify and started 8th I think due to alot of traffic during the session.

Had a good start getting up to 6th and starting to find some pace when on lap 2 I had a bad spin on a flat out part of the track. Never expected to spin there but did and unfortunately collected C. Melton as well (srry m8). Car was then damaged so it was going to be a long slow race for me.

Lap 4 and had another off at the right hand hairpin and this time slowed a few others down as they braked to get round me (Sorry Nick and D. West think you guys got the worst of it)

Rest of the race was just a matter of finishing with such a badly damaged car. Gratz to the podium and hope to race another season with these on some longer tracks were you can stretch your legs a bit :)

An "interesting" race at least. At the start of the second lap I saw a couple of people coming together ahead and braked/moved to the inside right as they would almost certainly fly off track to the left.

I think the driver running behind me was unsighted and didn't have time to react, so I got damage front and back and had to pit.

Thanks for the kind words Peter, I do try to watch the mirrors and plan for when traffic will get close to me if I am off the pace and especially towards the end of races when people are planning that last lap move and running at very different speeds due to tyre wear.

I do have to apologise for bumping into D.Howe, I was quite happy to follow you through the corner and pass after but when you jumped on the brakes I had nowhere to go. It was my fault for running into you though, I should have been prepared.

I think i wish i had waited to debut on the start of a season rather than the last race. Apologies if i got in the way i did try keep out of the leaders, by the time i slowed down to let one past another came along. Thanks peter for your words, im not sure if it was my own error for not postioning myself for the turn or that my wheel for some reason is freezing either way i hope i didnt spoil your race.