SEASON 12 Race 2 MELBOURNE RACE REPORT

[Valerio Vinassa]

here is the place for fun

 

[Nelson Ullinskey]

I qualified poorly (19th or so) which is usual for me. Had a tremendous first few laps and made up many positions. My strategy was a one stopper and it usually is for me and this at first worked out quite well. I looked on track for a top ten finish, but this did not happen because of my incident described in the incident report thread. I honestly feel terrible for what I did. Because of incident, I lost all grip in the rear and wound up 20th. However, on a more positive note, I would consider this one of my best runs in the league yet!

 

[Alberto Casado]

After a reasonable Q and quite good start, I was a bit too cautious on throttle and slowly drifted to last place. I sat there for my whole 1st stint (1 stop), just with the tail of the pack in front. Very nice consistent lapping, but not enough to catch up.

Then botched pit stop (I had to reverse to actually enter pits because I went on the grass and almost against the barrier). Went out in front of, I think, Kurt, who passed me when I out-braked in penultimate turn.

About 3/4 race is when things got exciting, some 2-stoppers went out of pits and I got April right in front of me. I could have actually passed on the spot, but she was extra slow for blue flags and I did not want to take advantage of that. I attempted an overtake on T2, but lost place in T3, then a few more chasing until I could pass.

Something like eternity with a car in my rear wing followed. I thought I could keep it up, but I guess old tyres and my own exhaustion made effect in the last 3-4 laps. I made a couple mistakes, April passed me and when trying to return it I half spun. This put Bob on my tail, we fought for a while until he also passed me and after another scare I decided it was best to keep it there and not lose yet another place (Somebody else was 4-5 s behind) in the last lap.

I have had more action in other races, but I think this was my most consistent one. And the last quarter was extremely tense. The track though, not really one for overtaking.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Gutted.. just 1 liter more fuel would've been enough, saved three laps and tried to keep 15th place, then April snuck past and i did the most stupid thing ever: tried to take that position back.. stupid stupid me.. I was totally sure that i will be lapped twice, by the midway i noticed only 35s to the leader yipee, oh ****, i'm gonna run out of fuel..... All my fuel calcs were done on 38 laps sharp (had 0.7 laps worth on lap 39... )

Skipped qualy cause i felt totally out of pace.. Should've done that hotlap, people were slow today. Setup and the car felt good in practice1 and the surprisingly slow pace of others left me with a positive mind.

Race: Surprisingly at the midpack when i honestly though to be second to last.. Kept my cool until first and only pit stop. I did notice that i might not be lapped by two laps after all, which was my tactic.. So tried to dial pitmenu but this track has only one straight where to take your eyes off the road. So managed to get 1 measly liter more, decided to do it in the pitlane, nope, just fumbled and overshot my slot by 85m!.. Almost went over the exit line, which in hindsight would've been the right choice... All that meant i got flustered and things got hot, literally.. I had a wet t shirt near by to cool my head but i fumbled with that also: lost it in the straight before T5... ffs... I have to put a fan to the next race to cool me down.

Pace was good, i didn't need to really push to the dangerzone at all. That helped to manage tires (can't remember the values, over 60..), also i tried to go with "Kimi" style. No, not the rally style but the flat, short corners meaning to let car settle before braking and keep the steering wheel dead center. Then short apex and quickly back to dead center wheel (or as close as possible to it). I did some test sessions with the upcoming GP2 2013 mod and their tires are especially tuned for such style.. I like that, the car feels settled, balanced, i can vary my braking distances without it showing in laptimes, good for defending..

Two major mistakes, dropped me from Valerio. It was really easy to drive the first third, he's done 1 stoppers a lot more than me so i just copied his pace until his tires went away. And then the fuel fiasco.. Should've just let people pass and keep the pace that gets me thru the line... Also engine shutoff happened half second before i got a chance to check it after the last corner, i could've coasted without engine but rear locked up and that was it.. Should've could've.... Really gutted, my pace and performance, confidence and consistency was really good, majority of the laps were within half a sec from the best. Didn't get scared by small slips, just adjusted and carried on.

Tighter gearing is the way to go, i'm surprised that it's not more common.. 1st gear the tightest corners, 2nd for the next set, 4th for T12-13 and low grip T6. Really good, reliable, really good exit speeds.. Might be the fastest way to go on tracks where there are lots of hairpins

Really good battles, too many to say. Midpack is where the fun happens

Next race checklist:
- Do math on full distance, you never know when it happens that i finish on the leading lap..
- Put Nostromo keypad back to pitmenu, it needs to be accessed without looking.
- Do more pitstop practice, this time i had like three stops done..
- Relax, speed happens if it happens. If it doesn't, so what...

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

Here are the race results:
http://prestogp.com/index.php?view=standings&season=12&league=1

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

What is the policy on DNFs that happen 200m before finishline? Do i get points? Don't know as this was the first time for me... I waited until everyone was in garage to not mess up the results. I was 20th. i think..

 

[David Turnbull]

qualifying - 2nd

not great laps but good enough for p2, grats sean for pole.

race - 3rd

not a great race for me , started slow, a number of contacts during lap 1 and a minor kiss on the wall lap 7 gave me a damaged rear end, every right hand turn was a nightmare after than, getting into the pits was a hard job, spun going in on my first pit, ended up on the grass going in for my second, the fast right too was deathly, half spun there twice and smacked the wall, consistantly slower than sean and guus from lap 7 i just hoped to hang onto 3rd for the rest of the race, managed it quite comfortably in the end but this is a race id rather forget and ill quickly turn my attention to the next race.

grats sean for the win , grats guus for 2nd , grats everyone who finished .

cya all at next race

 

[Valerio Vinassa]

Q back
Race 12th
after a bit chaotic start I take my pace behind me Kennett front Eliezer after few laps we meet April so a nice train with some attempt to pass but 3 or 4 laps before pit I met Valter on worn tires is more fun mate so again a bit of adrenaline.After pit a few laps alone Valter was ahead 6sec. I tried catched him but some blue flag and some aggggrrrr I lost the car, it was not possible, anyhow a nice race less mistakes and nice battles.


Cogratulations to Sean Guus David and all drivers
Thanks PrestoGP RD and our Daniel the meteorologist

 

[Peter Decker]

Firstly, congrats to Sean! Sterling effort. Guus and David too. Sorry to read about your suspension David - I've never seen that small of a rear touch could give that.

And sorry David for my bumps. Tho I felt a bit friendly to keep close and cuddle, maybe that was a bit too friendly. The late break didnt feel good - hoped you would turn earlier to avoid. Too little race practice from my side, I guess, and eagerness, as always.

Anyway. I shouldnt have raced yesterday. Tomorrow is an exam and all week has meant preparation, and tireness. I thought the race would be a break, but instead it became a brake... into the wall... too many times, so I quit.

The positive and fun thing tho was to be in front first laps. I hoped for rain and made a think-outside-the-box strategy with a 3 stopper, potentially asymmetric. I guess I surprised David by my pace, ey?

Oh, and Q was good too! For once, I dared to go for a 1 lap setup. Close to PB - best when it matters most!!!

Fun battles anyhow, especially after 2nd pitstop around lap 20!

Btw, did the rain show up?

Peter out, study mode on. Going cold turkey.

 

[David Turnbull]

Sorry to read about your suspension David - I've never seen that small of a rear touch could give that.

dont worry about it peter it wasnt you that gave me the suspension damage, it obviously added to why i ended up getting it but it was them 2 stupid kisses on the wall that settled it and im still at a loss to explain why, ive had much harder hits before and never received anything, an example is around half way through the race, i spun, smacked the wall and never received anything when i was waiting for a wheel to disappear

I guess I surprised David by my pace, ey?
.

very surpised when you defended round the outside when i tried to pass one time i knew id have my work cut out with you here, now i know why, you 3 stopping son of a b****

 

[Bob Miley]

Nothing to report except I enjoyed it.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

What is the policy on DNFs that happen 200m before finishline? Do i get points? Don't know as this was the first time for me... I waited until everyone was in garage to not mess up the results. I was 20th. i think..

The results are generated automatically from the result file, and the result file (made by Race07) sais DNF. I am guessing that normal racing rules would say the same?

Btw, did the rain show up?

Peter out, study mode on. Going cold turkey.

No, it was dry to the end. Good luck with the exams

 

[Valter Ostman]

Grats Sean, Guus, David and all drivers who made it!

Q: 13th

R: 11th

One stop on L18, 98/85 L fuel.
Setup: Season 12, Istanbul, shared by Sean. A few small wing angle tweaks. Thx Sean.
Cuts:0.
Wides: 2.

Good start, but down to P15.
L5 down to P20 in the right hander before Sport Centre. A contact on left rear spun me round 180.
L13 up from P20 to P17? Valerio went wide in front of me. The others are a mystery.
L16 Tires are gone. A lot of drifting
L18 Kennett, I, Valerio, Kurt and Jim in a small flock now, having fun, fun ,fun. In P11. Pitstop. Out in P18.
L27 Nelson goes of track to let me by? P13.
L33 Overtake on Eliezer. It wasn't my merit. I'm in P11 now. It pays to persistently chafe around.
L37 Eliezer is close behind, but his car loses power and he stops.
A lonely lap to the finish line.

Thanks Nicolai, Daniel, RD and all you clean superdrivers I fought with

 

[Nelson Ullinskey]

L27 Nelson goes of track to let me by?

Yeah, a few laps before that I went off and rejoined unsafely. Jan Sramek hit me (the fault was mine though) and my suspension was murdered on spot. Having zero rear grip, I figured it would be safer to let everyone by instead of possibly causing another incident.

 

[Reik Major]

Grats to Sean, Guus and David and of course to all finishers.

A shame I couldn't make it home in time. I think this time there was a Chance to beat David.

Will try to win all the remaining races now.

 

[David Turnbull]

still a long way to go reik, ive no doubts this will go to the wire again

 

[Peter Decker]

also Reik, you never know who gets stuck the first laps behind Peter doing 3-stoppers. Wanna team up? You fix me some of those fancy pancy pedals Ivwe heard that you cheat with?

 

[David Turnbull]

you pull any more of those 3 stoppers on me peter and im taking you out!!

and stop trying to talk reik into them

 

[Guus]

Kind of a frustrating race for me, looking at seans rear all race long. I was making small mistakes every lap and my driving was just plain sloppy, probably because I was trying too hard trying to push. It was very intense though, especially with lapping other cars. I knew that if sean made a proper mistake i would have him, but he never did Grats sean
But im happy with the result, I was hoping to finish, and finishing in 2nd isnt that bad I hope I can be as competitive next race.

 

[Nicolas Rouge]

Q 16th
I didn't want to start in 12th-15th because of the grid issue, so was happy with my place, but I knew I had to avoid more issues starting from the back.

R 17th
Started with 100l and the idea to make one stop lap 19, but made a mistake in turn 5 lap 13 that gave me suspension damage and no front wing, so I lost an enormous amount of time reaching the pit while letting everyone pass me. Switched my strategy to a 2-stop then, and filled my tank with the maximum amount of fuel. Of course I was last and I could only hope to win back some positions before the race ended, but the car in front was already 30 second and I began to let people lap me, so there was hard moments. I started to drive well after my second stop (just for tires) since I finally can enjoy a lighter car, and slowly gained on the back pack (April, Nelson, Bob & Alberto). In the end I gained some places because of accidents and with Kennett than ran out of gas, but I had to slow down off a little in the last lap since I was also having trouble with a nearly empty tank.