AC Multiclass Audi TT/Mazda MX5 @ BrandsHatch, Wednesday 7th April 2021

[HF2000]

@HF2000

If you are still looking for other cars to experiment with for mid-week races may I suggest the Ginetta GT5? I've been enjoying an RD member-created career in AC and a series utilizes the Ginetta and I think it would be a good fit.

I do not recall if this was a downloaded car and I'm not sure what the "rules" are about this and club races but if it is allowed it may be good fun.

The Ginetta G55 is available in s.gp. We used it in GT4 races. Is that the car you referring to?

 

[boomRoasted]

The Ginetta G55 is available in s.gp. We used it in GT4 races. Is that the car you referring to?

No. The G40 GT5 is what I was referring to.

 

[640er]

Thanks Han great idea this was, hope to see that as a permanent event (at least multi-class)

Nothing to tell from my side. After T1 I was handed P2 which I kept until the end. Patrick in front too fast, guys behind fighting each other and not catching me. Boring 39.30 minutes

 

[HF2000]

No. The G40 GT5 is what I was referring to.

Ok, looks like an interesting car indeed. It's not available on s.gp however. I can install the mod and try it out. If I like it, I can put it on the wishlist for s.gp.
Thanks for thinking with me!

 

[davejevons]

Thanks for the fun race everyone. I really like the split grid. The gap between the two types of car is big enough to make overtaking relatively easy for both groups. It was great seeing the MX-5s being hustled round on their limiters.

Apologies to the MX-5 grid and @Dzul for creating mayhem at turn 1. It was completely my fault. I hit @Dzul's bumper and spun. The MX-5 field then ploughed into the back of me. Hopefully I redeemed myself somewhat by overtaking carefully on my way back

I feel especially bad for @HF2000, who helped me out get a place and then ended up at the back of the grid as a result - sorry!

 

[HF2000]

Thanks Han great idea this was, hope to see that as a permanent event (at least multi-class)

Nothing to tell from my side. After T1 I was handed P2 which I kept until the end. Patrick in front too fast, guys behind fighting each other and not catching me. Boring 39.30 minutes

Yes, I can imagine that. Seeing our lap times we could have had some nice battles but after the T1 incident I was 21st and last. I had a great race though with catching up to 15th in the end.
You should try going off in lap 1 sometime too

 

[Douglas Aird]

Thanks for the race, guys, I really enjoyed it. First multiclass race and first 40 minute race.

P8 in the end, I got up to P4 early on and had a good battle with P5 and P6 until we caught a couple of the Mazdas.

I then tangled with an Audi, I will need to check the replay but I was certainly not expecting an overtake, spun off and lost 8 seconds and a few places. I'm pleased I managed the whole race without causing any issues for Mazdas.

 

[Shed 17]

Yes, I can imagine that. Seeing our lap times we could have had some nice battles but after the T1 incident I was 21st and last. I had a great race though with catching up to 15th in the end.
You should try going off in lap 1 sometime too

Thanks for organising Han, for what it’s worth I thought the format was just about right. The Audi’s did come up quickly and there were a couple of close moments but overall I enjoyed my race even though you were too quick for me in the closing laps. Looking forward to the next one!

 

[Mr Chip]

Thanks to all for a great race!
Was my first race for that long, and also in the faster class in a multi-class event. We usually race 20 mins in my small community events and the odd mc races, I’ve always driven the slower class.....

Had a couple of fun battles with some TT’s and was fun choosing the best way to pass the MX5’s. From what I saw, all of it was very fair and clean

Am I ok to post a replay from my POV?

 

[Kek700]

Being a razor-sharp 20-year-old Italian racing driver, manage an arthritic twitch, got the second gear at the start. went from 4th to last of the Audi tt.

Probably was the best outcome, I had a really interesting race with all the sub third place TT drivers, thank heavens for Mazda Mx5, saved the day for me, allowed me to close gaps that would not have been possible in 40 minutes of racing.
Finally came down to Simon @stribbeck he gave me a really hard time for what seemed like most of the race, it was only the mx5 that allowed me to catch up, then the Rotter gave me so much grief. luckily an mx5 came to my help, created a gap that was too much to close in the remaining laps.

Thankyou Simion for a great battle.
Thankyou mx5 for all the assistance.

 

[stribbeck]

Being a razor-sharp 20-year-old Italian racing driver, manage an arthritic twitch, got the second gear at the start. went from 4th to last of the Audi tt.

Probably was the best outcome, I had a really interesting race with all the sub third place TT drivers, thank heavens for Mazda Mx5, saved the day for me, allowed me to close gaps that would not have been possible in 40 minutes of racing.
Finally came down to Simon @stribbeck he gave me a really hard time for what seemed like most of the race, it was only the mx5 that allowed me to catch up, then the Rotter gave me so much grief. luckily an mx5 came to my help, created a gap that was too much to close in the remaining laps.

Thankyou Simion for a great battle.
Thankyou mx5 for all the assistance.

Hi Ernie,

That battle was amazing really enjoyed it, the mx5's really did spice it all up a bit too

 

[Mr Chip]

Here is race from my POV in VR:

 

[Chris Down]

My much belated VR onboard. Thanks a lot @HF2000 for organising and Erik and Yohann for the great battles!

 

[maxilogan]

All in all it was an intense and fun race, even if I finished in penultimate place. It the beginning I wasn't impacted too much by T1 carnage, and got away without losing too much time, but couldn't find a good pace until half of the race. I just had a quick look at the replay and while I apologised to @HF2000 for a contact while being overtaken by an Audi, it is actually @stigs2cousin to whom I have to apologise to for the crash in lap 2.
I spent most of the time chasing first for @JamKart22 then after I managed to overtake him, I tried to reach @boomRoasted which for a certain time I thought I could get to get close before the end of the race, except that I started making the usual errors.. Which relegated me in the same position, and had me making sure that Colin wasn't getting too close in the last lap after the last crash
It's now time to start practicing for Sunday, I hope I'll drive better than today for the return to GT3 (for the time being.. just to pay homage to @Chris Down before returning to cars which performance and races schedule are better suited to my skills and duties)

 

[HF2000]

Thanks all for joining. Full grids are the best!

I had a decent qualify with 3rd of the Mazda's so I had some hope on the podium. Well, that hope was shattered after T1. It's a kind of blind turn so I didn't see the two Audi's blocking my raceline and I hit the red one hard in the flank. When I recovered and got back on track, I got hit from behind by a Mazda who had obviously the same blindness problem. So I'm not blaming anyone here. Just bad luck for me.

After that I was last (21) but I like catching up and overtaking so I wasn't too frustrated. I had really nice battles on the way, especially with @Paul Fairweather (twice) which led to 15th overall which was only 1 place lower than I started.

I don't like Brands Hatch in general but with the Mazda it's not so bad. Only T4 stays a mystery for me.

Congrats to the podium and hope to see you next time. New event will be available today on s.gp.

@pattikins Great pace you had, almost 39's all the time . I was wondering if s.gp registered your result as a win and a podium as you finished 11th in total.

 

[JamKart22]

Shocker of a race for me. I was a bit put off in quali by the TT in our session and only managed to get one clean lap in for a time. That put me on the back of the grid. A bit of carnage at the start saw me gain a few places but I soon lost those by my inability to keep it on the track. A pretty miserable run to last place but I was determined not to register a DNF.

These MX5s are really tricky to keep pointing forward. I need a lot more practice to keep consistent. Does anyone have any tips on how to drive this car?

I did find the new format interesting but a bit demoralising when you're being swallowed up by a TT. To be fair, I was lapped by other MX5s too!

 

[640er]

Shocker of a race for me. I was a bit put off in quali by the TT in our session and only managed to get one clean lap in for a time. That put me on the back of the grid. A bit of carnage at the start saw me gain a few places but I soon lost those by my inability to keep it on the track. A pretty miserable run to last place but I was determined not to register a DNF.

These MX5s are really tricky to keep pointing forward. I need a lot more practice to keep consistent. Does anyone have any tips on how to drive this car?

I did find the new format interesting but a bit demoralising when you're being swallowed up by a TT. To be fair, I was lapped by other MX5s too!

Stay away from the brakes as much as possible. It's all about keeping the momentum up. Sometimes it's even better to stay in a higher gear, just to don't interrupt. For example, I didn't brake going into Hawthornes Bend (I think I saw you breaking just before lapping you), just dropped one gear and lifted a little bit. And in turn 2, I used 3rd gear instead 2nd.

 

[maxilogan]

I don't like Brands Hatch in general but with the Mazda it's not so bad. Only T4 stays a mystery for me.

I can't but agree. Never managed to take that corner in the same way two times in a row neither with the MX5 nor the Mini at the time I tried it, and I still have to understand whether it's better to brake earlier and take it tight to the left then drift to the right, or to brake late and stay away from the inner curb (though with the Mazda I believe that the first approach helps keep the momentum)

 

[Dzul]

Agree to all that has been said so far.

This was just my 10th. 'official' race online and the first with a mixed field and outside 'rookie' territory and I really enjoyed it. I had three simple goals: 1- Finish the race, 2- Race in a clean manner, 3- Learn from the experience. And I think I managed to achieve all of them properly. Especially learning from a race with different classes, racing with mixed traffic is a different ballgame. It was also my first race longer than 20 min. in a relative short track where my pace was just decent so I got lapped by a couple of the leaders on my class so, a new lesson learned, how to handle a blue flag by letting faster cars go by without being a driving chicane, haha!

What I enjoyed the most was the level of sportsmanship. Thank you for a clean race gents! Yes, of course they were incidents but mostly things that normally happen in an online race. Albeit seldom which is good. And no worries @davejevons we're good.

It was a great event to participate in, thank you for organising it! Looking forward to the next one chaps!

 

[stigs2cousin]

All in all it was an intense and fun race, even if I finished in penultimate place. It the beginning I wasn't impacted too much by T1 carnage, and got away without losing too much time, but couldn't find a good pace until half of the race. I just had a quick look at the replay and while I apologised to @HF2000 for a contact while being overtaken by an Audi, it is actually @stigs2cousin to whom I have to apologise to for the crash in lap 2.


Well, I´m over it (now)

It´s just really frustrating to qualify below you abilities, then to get held up by the usual first turn brawl and then to crash out.

( all of this happens to me A LOT!)

All of it is just part of racing, so after a bad night it´s all said and done for me, i will race you again next time and hope for a break of my bad luck next time.

See you on the track.

MFG Carsten