Season 9 Race 2 SPA 2008 RACE Report

[Valerio Vinassa]

impossible drive here LAAAAGGGG lap1 my car was stopped on track for 2 time snd I say 1 or 2 sec. and than for 2laps big lag at the end of Kemmel and dont know what Kurt was thinking about me he was behind me really too dangerouse stay on track every turn was a nightmare will be lag or not? will be correct my brake point? too hard no sense run so.

Congrats at Podium anyway and all partecipants

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

Edit :wrong thread

 

[Chirlie Williams]

Q had bad start when got suspention damage on out lap thn couldnt do lap so ended up 3rd last


R was great coming back threw to 9th but 7 laps to go the rain came and as i entered the pits for wets i got sucked into pit wall somehow but ripped a wheel of , not sure how i ended up halfway threw pitwall , must be a bug at the entry to pit on righthand wall .so bad race for me .

cyas next race

 

[Bob Miley]

What a race!!!!

Q: worse than expected over a second off my best!!

R: 10th - So pleased I didn't really make any mistakes, even my off on lap 1 was not a mistake, was going to turn in at the top of the hill and saw Kennett really close on my inside so decided to go off track rather than cause an accident. Rolled up the grass waiting for a safe return, which came when everyone passed me so was last. Managed to make my way up to 11th then the rain came so pit in and put inters on as in practice wets just melted and had no idea how wet it was. Big mistake, spent the rest of the race tootling round like a pensioner on vallium. Chuffed with another top 10 finish.

The only problem was not getting the server password until 40 mins after practice started, when the kind Mr. Lex PMd it to me, Thank you kind Sir.

Congratulations to the podium and all finishers.

Unfortunately I am away for the next race but see you all in Singapore for more fun (password permitting)

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

The only problem was not getting the server password until 40 mins after practice started, when the kind Mr. Lex PMd it to me, Thank you kind Sir.

In retrospect I regret what I did, it created such a stir. The password was written in the post I asked everybody to read before the race. Kind of a way to make sure everyone are in tune with what to do on lap 1. Now I know I might as well save me the time writing these posts.

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

Kind of a way to make sure everyone are in tune with what to do on lap 1. Now I know I might as well save me the time writing these posts.

I read the post, but failed to see the password.
Would be great to put it in bold next time

 

[Bob Miley]

In retrospect I regret what I did, it created such a stir. The password was written in the post I asked everybody to read before the race. Kind of a way to make sure everyone are in tune with what to do on lap 1. Now I know I might as well save me the time writing these posts.

Sorry Nico, i still don't know which post I should have read, it must be some form of dyslexia or something like that.

Edit, just found the password and will make sure I check properly next time, all my fault sorry.

 

[Peter Marshall]

Congratulations Reik, Tim and Sean

Nearly didn't make this race. After checking my game during the day [Wed], when I went to start my game this morning [Thurs] Steam decided it needed to download the whole 2 plus Gigabytes of the game again . Not happy. Went to plan B, revived an earlier O.S. hard disk and ran Steam in offline mode. Yippee! Many thanks to tech boys for the tip!

Practice in the rain was excellent.

Q 11th. Very pedestrian, clean but disappointing.

R 6th. I was under prepared for this race. I asked myself if I could handle being a mobile chicane and told myself yes. A one stop strategy on Mediums then.

The start was good. I maybe lost a place or two in Turn 1, but no contacts. Anthony passed me down the back straight as did David. Latter in the race, Anthony did that again and Chirlie "Kimi" Williams nailed both of us. Nice move.

Keeping it together the rain fell just as I passed the pit entry. I did one more lap to decide what tyre choice was best. A scary lap. Chose the full wets and exited the lane behind Marko and in 7th place. An incident for Marko on the very last lap cost him a position and I inherited the place.

Always a pleasure. Well done to all and thank you all.

 

[Peter Marshall]

In retrospect I regret what I did, it created such a stir. The password was written in the post I asked everybody to read before the race. Kind of a way to make sure everyone are in tune with what to do on lap 1. Now I know I might as well save me the time writing these posts.

I read your post mate; I reckon most of us would have done so and all of us appreciate the time you spend on us big time. I smiled when I read where you placed the password; I thought it was clever [in a good way].

Sorry that I was a little under prepared for this race [busy but no excuse]; my strategy at this track nearly countered for it, but I will do a stint or three at my favorite race track, erm... Monza.

Nearly didn't make this race. After checking my game during the day [Wed], when I went to start my game this morning [Thurs] Steam decided it needed to download the whole 2 plus Gigabytes of the game again . Not happy.......

And now, rebooting back into my normal OS and Hard Driver, Race 07 launches properly without Steam asking to download the 2 plus Gigabytes. Like some other users, Steam is being a bit annoying lately and coercering the occasional expletive remark out of me.

P.S.
The recorded live TV telecast for Spa is here

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

That. Was. Epic.. I finished.. That's the main point.

I messed big time.. I sat down in time, went to setup screen to put race fuel, my mind went completely blank. I forgot how much there was in the practice starts, time was ticking out so i put super softs and hoped that the predicted rain was due at the beginning.. Nope.. Went to mediums but since i missed the fuel i needed to carry over stints, i was tanked light. Mediums and it felt kind a nice. Pace was horrible at times, did mistakes, not really a good solid race. But i sweared to go to finish line this time, no matter what. Hoped for rain, that could've saved me that one extra pitstop.. It was really close to rain all the time, thunder and lighting, it darkened really slow.. And then i started to see the signs of rain any minute now... It happened too late, i had to go the last time just 8 laps to finish... But that end was quite epic, i got really good lottery on my pitstop, i was 100% it was going to go to monsuun so full wets.. That was the conditions i hoped, my whole setup was relying on that fact, in the dry i couldn't even pass Bob when he came from pits in front of me.. RBR setup so to speak.. More wings and less brakes, built for the middle section and for wet.

I got one really good scare at Blanchimont, i started to lose the healthy amount of fear towards that corner and got cocky.. I don't know how many times i spun, Reik was coming to lap me soon and Bob was even closer.. I got it under control in the last possible moment, got justa small nudge from the left side wall, looked back, huge cloud of smoke but both seemed to notice my situation in time. i was out of the racingline, that did helop a lot.. Fear what would've happened if i would've lost in the right side wall, the car bounces straight back to racingline...

One of the worst races i've finished here so far... 14th by tenacity, not by skill. Two mistakes in qualy.

Well, Monza next, brakes need tuning there.

 

[Bob Luneski]

I am an idiot. No...I am an IDIOT. No...I AM AN IDIOT. No...I AM A STUPID IDIOT.... You get the point. Instead of actually reading the calendar (that has been posted for some time) I just assumed that Spa was 2 weeks after Hungary. Argh.......oh well.....That's just going to make chasing Reik down for the championship a little more difficult

 

[Tim McIver]

Don't make the same mistake again, it's a 1 week gap again.

 

[Valter Ostman]

Grats podium and all survivors.

EDIT: The fight on last lap was epic. Different strategies and all I watched the broadcast-vid yesterday. Great job from everybody. And there were two commentators at spa, very professional.

Thanks all Presto volunteers.

I had to work late Tuesday and Wednesday. It was our yearly customer conference. I had no time to clean up the latest Steam mess.

Q: No Q

R: No race

I work for a software company (www.idus.se). If we had done what Steam did to us Simbin customers(not only once but over and over), we could just as well go look for new employment right away.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

I read the post, but failed to see the password.
Would be great to put it in bold next time

I guess I should have put the whole text in bold... If I put only the pw in bold the whole point is gone. But as I said, I regret what I did and it will not happen again. Also, it might not be needed anymore as it seems everybody did a good job this time.

Sorry Nico, i still don't know which post I should have read, it must be some form of dyslexia or something like that.

Edit, just found the password and will make sure I check properly next time, all my fault sorry.

No worries Bob, I take part of the blame, I know it was overly ambishious of me to expect all to notice the password. Also, with the great safety consern you show (among other things through thourogh stint practice) the post was not crucial reading for you.


In general: I realised that I made a mistake as my "password trick" lead to several drivers getting a "stressful" entry to the race, something that was one of the main points I wanted to adress in that post... what irony.

Also, I was not in the best of moods (after the race) as I managed to ruin a great race for myself running out of fuel, depriving me from experiencing that sudden change in weather towards the end of the race... I have been waiting a long time for such a scenario, now I know how Tim felt when he oversleept last season

Btw: From my point of view I was very happy with the safety level in the race

EDIT: Results and league table:
http://prestogp.com/index.php?view=standings&season=9&league=1

 

[Reik Major]

Any chance of rewatching the broadcast somewhere?

 

[Marko Vuori]

Broadcast is available here:

http://www.racemedia.org/video/Pres...A-Belgium-GP/c3ad277802f4cb48600f21545ea6c4c2

 

[Sean Greenlaw]

Grats Reik ! Tim and all the finishers !

Q: 2nd Miles from pb
R:3rd 62 62 62 softs
Got ok start and through 1st stint just stayed steady gap increased to Tim and Reik, mistake in pits and repeated this for 2nd stint with same out come. 3rd stint i was able to start to pull gap down to Tim was about 3 secs as it started to rain lol panic stations. I just missed pits as i noticed it started to rain, i made a mistake going off costing 5 10 secs time after struggling i thought i have to pit. Out off pits gap to Reik was down to 10 secs and Tim had stayed out was crazy end to the race and then ended up same order with us great race with a crazy end.
Overal pretty happy with 3rd but could have been better if no mistakes i think thats same for us all though

Cyas on servers ! Thanks Nico and RD ! Simrace.tv and commentator's !

 

[Bob Miley]

I guess I should have put the whole text in bold... If I put only the pw in bold the whole point is gone. But as I said, I regret what I did and it will not happen again. Also, it might not be needed anymore as it seems everybody did a good job this time.

No worries Nico and would not have been a problem if I had read it properly instead of skimming over it, but I will read everything properly from now on lol.

 

[Dino Paolini]

This Round 2 was a very intense experience alltogether.

Q: Very difficult circumstances for a superpole qualifying. There were only wet laps in the free practice + all the practice starts + the waiting time ect. So no recent experience with a dry track and it had to instantly work Oo

I just tried to push more than my head was telling me to (my head was still in wet-track mode...). I felt like I was really on the edge on this lap, but it was 1,1 seconds off my pb
But it seems everyone suffered the same problems than I did (except Reik) and it planted me nicely on p4 for the grid, so "maximum +1" again because David started at the back.

R: The actual race start was better then my 3 practice starts and I could even just keep my position ahead of Marco out of turn1.
My first stint was not very good unfortunatly. I knew from practice than most of those laps should have been faster. The gap to Sean was already impossible too early and David was closing in quite a lot already.

Second stint went better with a lot off 44's which was exactly what I could do, so pretty happy with that, but David was closer now approaching the last pitstop.

In my third stint I just tried to put the foot down and really push like crazy to maybe give me a chance to hold it against David. I had several personal bests in this period as it was the only chance to not get caught by him. I think it would have been very close at the end if it wasn't for the rainchaos.

Speaking about the rain-period... I was happy that I realized right before stopping that the wet-tires were the way to go, but I lost quite a lot of time crawling around places and trying to set up my pitwindow at the same time That was really stupid, considering Sean had also some problems ahead and I had maybe the only chance ever to contest his position. Also entering the pits my car wiggled into the grass and almost spun in there, so even more seconds waisted.

q: 4th / r: 4th

In the end, I'm still happy to reach the finish in my starting position I must say these cars at this track was the most awesome combo that I drove in quite a long time; very addictive stuff

Next one will be tough to see the finish line for me, but i will try it, cu guys

 

[Dale Suttie]

What can i say well qualifyed last on wets
Did a consistant 1st stint one spin locked up the rears at rivage.
Lap 14 i pit but cant select as after the stupid update i over looked remapping "menu select" button and had to retire