David O'Reilly
A bad quali means I can go forwards in the race.
Just had a great career race last night at China. (Last season I was P20 there).
(Career 3 of 7. Lotus. Settings: 50% dist, Legend AI, all sims bar fuel, no assists bar auto box and pit speed/box).
Quali: 11[SUP]th[/SUP] was best I could do on Options but didn’t mind as I planned to start 10[SUP]th[/SUP] on primes anyway.
Weather forecast was 30% chance of rain which doubly meant primes to start. Was hoping the AI may get caught out with Rain in 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] half of race and need to two stop.
Opening laps: Starting P11 I muscled past some AI at the never ending turn 1 and again as they queued like gentlemen for turn 3 netting P6. Managed to get past Alonso briefly for P5 but like his real life version he hung on like a spaniel and re passed me when I made an error. I settled into P6 expecting to end there.
Middle: I did my best to stay in contact but Webber was -22sec by the first pit stop cycle. My race pace was around 2 sec a lap slower than his. It was just close enough and once all the AI had pitted I was in P1! Knowing that I would be passed when I pitted for options at lap 20/28 I tried to distance the mid field runners with good pace. Then.....The rain came around about my pit window!
Finale: I pitted for wets as the rain intensified returning in P6 but with 5 runners ahead of me still on options! Sure enough they had to pit for wets and as 3 of them did I gained a place. Until Webber pitted from P1 -29 sec and & Massa from P2 who both rejoined ahead of me. Webber -6 sec , Massa – 2 sec. My wet pace was better and I caught Mass at 2 sec per lap and got the pass. 3 laps from home and only Webber to pass. I got him at the end of lap 27/28 at the last hairpin and started the final lap in P1 taking the win.
Race win from P11 on a track where my dry race pace was +2sec. Very satisfying.
(Career 3 of 7. Lotus. Settings: 50% dist, Legend AI, all sims bar fuel, no assists bar auto box and pit speed/box).
Quali: 11[SUP]th[/SUP] was best I could do on Options but didn’t mind as I planned to start 10[SUP]th[/SUP] on primes anyway.
Weather forecast was 30% chance of rain which doubly meant primes to start. Was hoping the AI may get caught out with Rain in 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] half of race and need to two stop.
Opening laps: Starting P11 I muscled past some AI at the never ending turn 1 and again as they queued like gentlemen for turn 3 netting P6. Managed to get past Alonso briefly for P5 but like his real life version he hung on like a spaniel and re passed me when I made an error. I settled into P6 expecting to end there.
Middle: I did my best to stay in contact but Webber was -22sec by the first pit stop cycle. My race pace was around 2 sec a lap slower than his. It was just close enough and once all the AI had pitted I was in P1! Knowing that I would be passed when I pitted for options at lap 20/28 I tried to distance the mid field runners with good pace. Then.....The rain came around about my pit window!
Finale: I pitted for wets as the rain intensified returning in P6 but with 5 runners ahead of me still on options! Sure enough they had to pit for wets and as 3 of them did I gained a place. Until Webber pitted from P1 -29 sec and & Massa from P2 who both rejoined ahead of me. Webber -6 sec , Massa – 2 sec. My wet pace was better and I caught Mass at 2 sec per lap and got the pass. 3 laps from home and only Webber to pass. I got him at the end of lap 27/28 at the last hairpin and started the final lap in P1 taking the win.
Race win from P11 on a track where my dry race pace was +2sec. Very satisfying.
