Was definitely a good combo though. The 40 minutes flew by, felt like 20. As usual, it was consistency which helped me to 4th place more than pace. (Most consistent on the server, according to the stats.
)
@Jopamir probably would have had me if there was another lap or two, since he was faster and I
used my last P2P on the last lap. Bad luck on the spin mate. Looking forward to next week.
Ah, you guys who know about P2P.
Imagine my surprise when I saw it with 15min to go, saying P2P:x10 on the bottom of screen. And then realazing I have no idea which button is assigned to it. All that while being in close fight with
@Steve Le Gallez , great racing mate
In the end as I realized we wereon even playing field, both with no idea about P2P?!
Anyway, about my evening. Run practice with full tank on primes to see how they behave (since I only drove 20min race on alternates earlier in the week with AI). Manage some consistent but slow times, guessing/hoping that leaders are on low fuel. Then in Q, first lap, only half second behind Stephen, with mistake in S2. Bbut even with mistake it was to fast as I couldn't connect all 3 sectors for anything faster. Ended in P3 and hoping I will not do 180 for everyone behind.
Start of race, gentle, gentle, go gentle Sasa. After turn 1, I am just behind
@PurgerUK in P2 and P3 is long way behind. Then we got into our "rhythm", his 1-2sec faster, but okay. Saw Steve catching up so I let him through in hope to use him to maybe get some time ahead. But few laps later he lost in after turn 1, so I am back in P2. P1 is out of reach at that point and I see that Steve is actually not that faster as I though, so I try to keep him behind now. We didn't lose time to Ross in P4 and it looked good. Until me losing it in last 2 turns and again Steve going ahead. Then Steve and Ross pitted and I just kept going, trying to leave as little time as possible for alternates in second stint. Just before my pit engineer says I will get out somewhere behind Ross in P5, so I realized I lost a lot on old tyres I guess. Pitting: alternates and 40lit fuel. Going out of pit and I get overtaken by...Steve
I thank my Red Bull crew for that obvious super fast stop and try to use my tyres to pass. I had a lot of grip on exit from turns, but it took me few tries as I didn't want to do banzai after nice battle that we had. In 3rd-4th try Steve didn't stay on outside in turn 4 (counting Kink). But I thought he will probably be back in last laps. And then my worst nightmares with 5min to go, we caught few lower placed cars. I saw them fighting and thought about just watching but Steve was closing. Luckily for me
@Gerdoner made decision for me with his half-spin, so he let me through. We passed them cleanly and then came last lap, tyres in their 40s %, and that last turn which I am still scared of to attack more then 50%. All clean I am in podium. If I remember correct my last podium on RD R3E was in F1 cars on Belgium 1 year ago, so I guess I do something right with open-wheels, don't know what though
Great racing from everyone, congrats to Steve for win and Steve for podium (you should have got P2, it's less to write then
). Looking forward to Laguna Seca on Saturday. I will be even happier when I actually drive the car on track, did it only in motogp game long time ago.
