Season 12 Race 6 SILVERSTONE - RACE REPORT

[Valerio Vinassa]

nice track = nice race

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Tough race, as expected. First part, up until the pitstops i was very relaxed. Myabe too much, almost took Vale out but he's old fox (it's a finnish phrase..) and left the inside open, i needed that extra 5-10m. Sorry mate, i brake there just like every lap but it just slid, i turned in to slow motion for a moment.... I was on the "wet" side, that should have really no matter if it is steady rain like it was today.

Long range battles but mostly alone. That was due to first pitstop being on lap 10. That was a mistake, not because tire conditions or tactic but i decreased fuel just a bit, on original calculations i had 10l extra.. Big mistake.. Had to pit on the last lap with 0.3l left.. Sean drive just a bit too fast (how much was left on the clock when you crossed the line on penultimate lap?) Pace was really good, i'm totally happy about this race. Sad it wasn't dry cause i felt that i could've held that 9th qualy position.

9th IN QUALY! Really great, a lot of that is due to help i got, thanks all and Sean in particular. And Reik, that setup made a huge difference this time. Was really looking for top10 finish but i had a HUGE minifreeze just 10 laps before the finish, really fortunate that no one was close by as i was in the racing line. Lost one place there. Spun after the picture came back, that took one position more.. Like always after a freeze, you just can't get in to the rhythm so couldn't keep up to regain that place. Tried to pressure April after her last pitstop but my last stint was going to be long from the get go and it was futile effort. My extra pitstop took yet another position, i really didn't have a good pitmenu preset for running out of fuel, that was not in the plan. Fuel consumption was higher than expected.. I even changed to dry tires on that last stop, such was my hurry to take the preset that was the shortest Didn't even look what tires, just needed that fuel and that extra "what if it dryes up at some point" choice was selected..

I do need to think about pitmenu and how i handle that. Using keyboard is so tricky, i lose several seconds in each race trying to find the right keys (space, enter and arrow keys, should be the easiest but then again, i use ultra flat and compact keyboard, one of these (of course i have mods in it): http://media.ldlc.com/ld/products/00/00/41/11/LD0000411115_2.jpg My WASD and other FPS keys are modded so that i can feel what key is what without looking plus other ergonomic changes but that arrow/shift/enter section is original.. It is the best gaming keyboard i've ever used.. For shooters, super fast action.

 

[Richard Hill]

What a great race Don't normally like the rain that much but shoved some wing on and away I go
Didn't qualify as I had only 1 hr 10 mins practice in the end and didn't feel too comfortable starting higher up.
So started last place and had a good start but went for a gap that didn't open off the start line totally my fault but no problems I hope valter? Other than that I kept running not expecting to be so high up then I spun and kept spinning till I was last place and thought "Right I need to get my act together!"
Then I picked people off one by one as people had problems.
I had a few incidents that I couldn't avoid as people spun and made mistakes in front of me and had no where to go but that's racing.
One thing I would like to apologise for is to David as I feel that I slowed you up as you were lapping me into t1 if so I am sorry treys to stay off line but slowed to much so when I realised I gunned it for the run off area.
After I pitted I was 14th and I then got The guy in front of me (sorry I can't remember who it was) so in the end settled for 13th then on the second to last lap saw kennet pit so I thought that no one was behind me that could overtake me I pushed and the last time through Stowe I clipped the grass and went into the wall heavy. I wasn't sure id make the finish line as I thought I lost a wheel but luckily I still had 4 wheels on my wagon and finished.

So all in all I had a great race being where I thought I'd finish.
See you on track next week

 

[Valerio Vinassa]

Q 12
R 9
Safety start for T1 and then a few of laps in fight with April nice chase for me until Julius overtaken both I met Kennett and like usually we dont drive side by side we drive wheel by wheel.Laps before pit I thought maybe better put an extra fuel but I lost to correct this I remember only when aaaccchhhIm on pit-lane, so I wait until penultimate lap and then i decided to do the fuel-pit, cost me one position but anyway Im happy.

Congratulations Sean Reik David and All participants really not easy drive on wet is a goal to be able to do so

Thanks PrestoGP, RD and Daniel


PS. Kennett old fox = vecchia volpe also in Italy is used in this case I understand like a congratulations more simply I saw-imagined you in my side so let the room and turn a bit late so solved the problem

 

[April Dillon]

Phew. Driving in the wet's always a joy in any car.

Though, I'd had a rough day before the race started. So my original goal of "top 10 finish" changed to "not a DNF", and I added a couple clicks extra rear wing to compensate for a mental disadvantage.

Ultimately though, Presto managed to turn things around and end my day on a high note. Finishing 10th hits my original target too. But ultimately, the finish line was the much needed high point.

Thanks for a nice evening, guys. See you next time at Barcelona, and remember not to drink the tap water!

 

[David Turnbull]

qualifying - 2nd

happy to be 2nd, tried for another attempt but realised i wouldnt have time so quit and hoped to keep my place, worked out as reik stayed in 3rd.

race - 3rd

bad start and was overtaken by reik into turn 1, luckily i didnt lose another to tim, settled behind sean and reik and managed to catch them back up and pull a gap to tim, reik had a spin and i was onto sean, managed to close upto 1 second when i decided to pit early on lap 11, it worked well as when sean did his pit i was leading, the gap was starting to grow and i was thinking it could be my night, well that was until i came across richard on the start finish straight, i think a lift from richard here wouldve been ideal and we carry on as we were but he carried on and i was preparing to follow him through turn 1 and get by at turn 3 but at the turn in point to t1 richard carried on full speed and i was fooled into following him for that split second, it cost me nearly 3 seconds to sean and he was now right on my tail pressuring me all the way, i then made a mistake at copse and half spun allowing sean to pass but still managing to stay ahead of reik, until the 3rd stint, i dont know what happened, i checked temps, i checked pressures, i also checked wetness level but this set of tyres felt terrible, at one stage i thought sean and reik had switched to slicks, i suddenly had trouble stayin on track and made a number of mistakes, so much so that reik passed me with 2 laps to go and sean had a 9 sec lead over me by then, dire last stint when i felt i was probably fastest in the first 2 stints.

decent result for the championship again, closes things up a bit more, 4 races to go, this gonna be a run in to remember, grats sean and reik and all finishers, thanks nico and rd and daniel (we cant have 3 wet races in a row, can we?)

p.s no worries richard but the best thing to do wouldve been either let me past before the turn or carry on as usual and ill get past at the next, we live and learn though

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

David: That's funny cause i suddenly got huge grip at the later parts of the race, i had to look my tire wear few times cause i was constantly pulling green sectors, on 75% tires.. Few moments before that it felt like i was on ice.. The weather staid pretty constant thru out the race so it can't be that.

 

[Valter Ostman]

went for a gap that didn't open off the start line totally my fault but no problems I hope valter?

Do you remember Senna's famous quote about a racing driver always having to go for a gap
No problem.

 

[Sean Greenlaw]

Q: 1st ok lap but thought I should have restarted once I seen lap time, in the end lucky nobody could manage 2 laps.

R: 1st 67 67 57 wets all way

Got a good start able to hold lead with a little increase and decrease back and forth to Reik and David through 1st stint, Reik all under 3 or so secs for quite a while. Reik made small mistake allowing David into 2nd gap around 2+ to just 1+ just as he pitted. I came out just behind David a few seconds I didn't have the fastest stop. Tried to just be patient holding gap quite easily and when caught upto David when he was lapping was able to sit behind him quite comfortable be patient again waiting for opportunity to pass down hanger preferably. Unfortunately David made small mistake at copse returning lead to me again.

David again stopped early for 2nd stop so knew it would be close again so I lowered fuel 10 litres as it looked like would be wet for at least a while more not knowing if it would dry I didn't lower it as much as I did in china. I also made a small spin out of 2nd last corner and thought noooo my chance to keep lead out of my last pit was gone, however kept pushing as was still setting near pbs end of this 2nd stint anyway making use of the extra laps, in the end that and the fuel reduced helped me come out from last stop just ahead of David with just enough gap he wasn't quite in my slipstream.

I was able to pull gentle lead on David and Reik with there troubles and with them fighting, making the end of the race slightly more relaxed still with concentrating on making no mistakes as I could only lose the race from my own mistakes from now.

Penultimate lap I came across line I think around 15/19 secs (Kennett) but I still had enough fuel for another 2 3 laps anyway with it staying wet to the end I could have lowered last fuel to around 47 probably being optimal, but didn't want to make same mistake as china .

Finally it was a really good race again with Me Reik and David all with a shout at winning Race and spent quite a lot of time with gaps of just 3/4 secs cover all 3 cars which was quite impressive, really well done will have to wait for results to see fastest laps I think I might have this alos but it chopped and changed a few times so will no doubt be close times again.

Grats to Reik, David and well done everyone who finished

Thanks to Nico RD and PrestGP, cyas all in Barca only a week to go !

 

[Steeve Fournier]

Q: 7th. 2 spin during out laps on the two 1st attempt, they both leads to some damage. Try a 3rd time and barely record a lap, clock hit 0 as i was on the last corner. Ended up 7th. with a messy lap.

R: Accident.
Only made 1 stint, was doing OK, just a few mistakes (less than i usually do on wet). As i enter the pit, speed limiter was ON and my foot was still on the throttle, when disengage the speed limiter, the car spun and i hit the wall in someone else pit box. Hope all their crew are ok.

I was missing a wheel, but manage to reach my pit box. I guess damage was not repairable cos it immediatly drag me to lobby.

So disapointed to end my only season 12 race this way. Even though i didn't expect much from me cos i really suck on rain, and i so hate it....

Anyway i was glad to live once more the adrenaline prestogp is providing me at every race i do

Steeve

 

[Alberto Casado]

Do you remember Senna's famous quote about a racing driver always having to go for a gap
No problem.

Senna should have met Maldonado...

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

I was missing a wheel, but manage to reach my pit box. I guess damage was not repairable cos it immediatly drag me to lobby.

It's pretty rare to lose a wheel without losing suspension arms, that's why F3000 + 3 wheels = DNF. They can fix bent suspension but not missing parts.

 

[Nicolas Rouge]

Q 10th
Bad lap, could have been better but there was traffic, and couldn't do another lap.

R 7th
Strategy : 80 + 55 (lap 13) + 50 (lap 25) with wets
Uneventful race for me, except in the first laps and when lapping people. Fought the car a lot to stay on track, that was exhausting, even if I drove very carefully. In the end : no big mistakes, consistent laps, and a lot of DNS gave me my best result this season so far.

Congratulations to Sean for the win and the setups. CU in Spain (or Catalonia I should say).

 

[Valter Ostman]

Grats Sean Reik David and All participants!

Q. 16th

R: 11th
Very nice weather. It was an entertaining race at the back of the field. Too bad I lost the opportunity to go hunting Kurt down. He was quicker and past me. After a while I came close. Then he pulled away more than 5 seconds. We kept that pace for a while, then suddenly he had an accident that cost him the DNF. Now it was nothing more than the rest of the race left. Hard hard work.
I made a foolish mistake in the pitstop. I didnt realise that I missed the spot, waited and lost some time. I want to blame that on exhaustion

Thanks Nicolai, Daniel, Sean(setup), RD and all Drivers!