Welcome to the Pre-Season Testing event for Season 8 of the RaceDepartment Historic Grand Prix.
This will be a very cut down briefing compared to the actual race events, as the event is mostly a practice session - we will NOT be having a separate qualifying session, I'll roll straight to Race and just go with whatever the game gives us.
The breakdown of the events will be as follows:
Practice1: 19.00GMT - 40 minutes
Race1: 19.40GMT - 9 laps
Practice2: 20.00GMT - 40 minutes
Race2: 20.40GMT - 9 laps
This is a test event, so grid placing is immaterial and will be whatever Practice gives us.
We will be using RD CLUB rules and CLUB PASSWORD for this event. If you take anyone off, or even if you think you might have, STOP AND WAIT FOR THEM. Failure to do so could jeopardise your place in the League.
This is a non-competitive event, merely for us to work any last minute kinks out of our setups, make our final vehicle choice decisions, test the preliminary skin packs I'll be providing, make sure no-one has any problem connecting / staying in / viewing anyone elses skin. Don't go treating it like a League race.
Event 1 will be round Dijon GP - I will be rolling here @19.00GMT (20.00 Ldn), irrespective of what track the server is currently on.
Dijon is well known to us all, relatively simple and biased towards power thanks to that long, long main straight. The nimbler cars will be able to make up time in the middle section, but this is not really their domain.
T4L - The blind and crested braking zone makes this tricky enough, but the way the turn dives away downhill and left means that it's a balancing act to get power on. Turning in too soon to avoid the scrubbing understeer means that the high inner kerbs come into play, trying to keep too much speed on means you will drift wide towards the outer hazards, and putting power on too early will result in the rear end swapping places with the front. Easily the trickiest corner on the lap.
T5R - the uphill approach helps by shortening braking distances, but again, the crested exit means you have to be careful how you put the power down.
Event 2 will be on the International Layout of Mondello Park, and will follow the same 40 min prac/9 lap race format
We don't drive Mondello that often, but the international layout is a great track. This is very much about the handling, how much speed you can carry through turns, how soon you can squeeze the power on, how predictable you can get your car to behave. There's only really one section that the more muscular cars can stretch their legs, but even that is protected by some handling based design tests at the end.
T4R - this slow corner follows immediately after the mid paced T3R, and tightens on exit. Going in too hot is bad news - locking up will send you straight on into the sandpit, drifting wide will put you in the wall, too much power to correct will send you across the dusty grass on the inside.
T8R - After the long straight, this trap double right waits, protected by a downhill approach (meaning braking zones are extended) and an off camber entry (that if not allowed for will put you into the sand again).
T13L - This is quick enough that you will be attacking it and riding the inner kerb under acceleration. Be warned here, the more you cut, the bumpier it gets and the less control you will have on the exit. The Cut Track warning is on the right hand side of the exit, so it's daring you to be careless.
Thread will open nearer the event.
Quite liking it and get the feeling we're going to get on fine through the season....roll on Nurburgring.
