SEASON 17 RACE 6 - SOCHI - RACE REPORTS -

[Valerio Vinassa]

good race at all and welcome back David

 

[David Turnbull]

thanks vale it was good to be back.

im sorry for leaving half way through the 50 mins race, i really couldnt continue, when i had the stent put in they went up the vein in my right arm and during the 20 mins race i felt it start to ache, i thought i could do it but the pains were too much, i think next race should be much better with an extra couple of weeks before then, i thought id be fine but you dont know until you try and i tried my hardest

qualifying - 3rd

pb for 3rd place so was very happy with that.

race 1 - 4th

damage limitation went well for me, i had high downforce compared to everyone else's medium and it showed instantly in the practise starts but i had to stick with it and not make any changes that would make me drive any worse than i already was. i was fairly lucky to be 4th at the end but gratefull as it keeps my championship hopes alive

race 2 - DNF

just couldnt hang with the guys in front and only managed to be in 5th at one point due to incidents, my pace was terrible and i got in the way once or twice for which im sorry, i pitted early due to massive flatspotting although it didnt much help as i flatspotted the new tyres on the next lap after the pit, obviously around half way i had to give up but at that point it was a pretty lonely race and all that could happen to me is id lose more places so best call it a night before i caused myself anymore pain, even typing this is sore so im going to have some rest and hopefully in a weeks time i can practise again and then for next race i should be fine or at least closer to completing the races than i was tonight.

grats all finishers, podiums and unlucky martin on the disconnect, your pace here was scary

see you all on the forums and on track

 

[Valerio Vinassa]

Q my pb so not bad
Race 1 and 2 task done a bit of fun in first laps then understeer curbs etc.
The only thing worthy of note is a very nice battle with Tom in race2

Congrats podiums and Martin was unreachable

 

[jego]

Q: Not good, just could not get into the rhythm again, I was more then 1 sec off my personal best from the day before, where I managed to do 1:48s just fine.

Race 1
Unlike the test starts I managed to get a bad start . Cost me a few places just after a few meters.
Turn 3 was dangerous then, I was back to P8 however had to lift a few times due to cars going really aggressive and close by.
Wheel banging around with April for most of Sector 2, in the end I lost grip through the corners and Valerio passed me as well.
Valerio was on HDF, so I managed to get by him again and April spun out when I was closing in, so that gave me P5 in the end.


Race 2
Bad start again...and yea a lot of stuff happened in front and behind me. I managed to avoid most of it and arrived at T3 in P4.
After a few first lap struggles and T15 mayhem I was back to the back, P9.
Next lap, T2 mayhem and suddenly I was in P5. From there on I was trying to get into a good rhythm, which sort of worked, but in lap 8 Valerio went wide in T5 and I blindly followed with too much speed and spun out on the astroturf. I had some contact with the barrier but the car felt fine, just the tires were really messed up.
I thought about not pitting, but decided it's not worth it, because I had a good gap to P6. Pitted in Lap 15 from 2nd position. I left the pit as expected in P5.
From there on I tried to maintain my gap to April while closing in on Francisco Valle, who then went a wide in T15 and was overtaken by April and me. April and I had a few battles for position, and in the end she was in the front. She crashed into Nicolas who tried to get back on track thought.
It was P3 for me then, Vlad tried to take it , but I did not let him, as I managed to get my pace back in the last laps.


Overall was a good result considering I was struggling a lot to keep a good line through the laps.
I had super good Sector 1 times, but from there on it started to slip away every lap again.

See you next race guys, and good to see you back David!

 

[MOOOOOOOOOSCHT]

Q1: P1 perfect, not PB but who cares

R1: P1
I lost P1 at start to Artyom, but after some corners I had it back
Artyom was the rest of the race 1-2s behind and hunting me
But I was able to control this

R2:
Much action, faults, fun, ...
Then the cars suddenly dissapeared ... connection lost
Some minutes later I was still sitting there, the wheel holding with both hands, with wide opened eyes and bared teeth ...
Can`t believe it.

Happy u r back David
Take care of your health, so better you practice not too much

Grats podiums
Thx to all organizers
Cyas
Martin

 

[Vlad Dogar]

Q: P5
On my second run I was in the high 1:47s in the first half of the second sector, but I messed up in the double left before the back straight, and that was it. P2 was doable.

R1: DNF
Got up to P3 before turn 2, I thought I left enough space on the inside, but in the end I did not, as Tom (I think) touched me and I had a half spin, and lost 3-4 places. I think I got back up some places, but misjudged turn 4 2 laps in a row. The second time the damage was more than I could manage, as suspension was really affected.

R2: P4
Crazy race...The start went well until turn 2, when Tom hit me under braking. I had to cut the turn, and wait for the whole pack as I ended up in a strange position. Not even into turn 3 and was last with big flatspots... The race went well, I got up some places and ended in a fight with Martin and David. Before turn 2 I was side-by-side with David, with Martin on our tails. There was contact as Martin hit me from behind, and I had a huge spin, the car went upside down (if I remember correctly), but damage was not as big as I expected, and managed go on with the race. The tyres were even more flatspotted after this. Some laps later I made a mistake at the last turn and lost again some places, and tyres were done. Went to the pits in the same lap as David, and in the end I got up to P4, mostly due to the contact between April and Nicolas, as I was not able to catch and pass Johannes.

Not the results I expected, but I`ll do better next time.
Nice to see David back, and some diverse podium occupants, I think this championship fight will be close & fun.