Season 5 Race 8: Hockenheim Drivers meeting

Valter Ostman

PrestoGP Veteran
I like it like this. No cutting but agreed wides just like in F1. Together we can decide on were it's not allowed to drive outside. We have had that kind of rules in China and Singapore. And if you think you are made off the right stuff and can handle the curbs, why not try to drive like Alonso. However you must keep in mind, it can be like Russian roulette to go wide in some places.
 
I am not in favour of allowing the running-wide thing. Why? It effectively removes an overtaking opportunity IMO. If a car runs wide out of the track boundaries, do I have to leave room for them to regain and defend their position in front of me? If I wish to survive I do.

Certainly I am in favour of discussing any track specific issues. But following a car that runs wide at turn 1 at Hockenheim and then charges back in front of me lap after lap is a little unsettling. “There he goes! Bye. Wait, he's back. Quick, move over. Sorry”. lol :)

It's only an opinion.
 

Reik Major

Premium
Guys I'm sorry and feeling a bit guilty, that I pushed this discussion too far :rolleyes: :redface:

For one thing I'd bet my a**: We all mean the same! :cool:

We want to stay within the white lines all time, but no one gets killed if "a little going wide" happens some times in the race.

I didn't want you to think, that my aim is to go as wide on the curbs as possible lap after lap. I just wanted to say "it can happen". But what Peter mentioned is definately right.

Also the safety aspect, mentioned by David, is very important.

So please excuse me, that I stressed it too much :wink:

Finally I agree, that Hockenheim has no special place, where an exception is needed. So I'll stay inside the lines. Basta! :D (if I'm able to... :redface: :tongue:)
 
I think it was rather me that saw an opportunity to address a small problem when you mentioned the theme.

I think we all agree as well, I was just adding the fact that at the end of the day this is only a guideline that will not have consequences, maybe with the exception that the drivers themselves can tell off those who are the least able to stay within the white lines.

As long as nobody expect the race director to deal with these situation I am more than happy.

I also think a drivers meeting will help all drivers being on the same page and ease the stress of some drivers observing other drivers being more cynical than themselves.

The stuff I said about "completing" the "Presto GP transformation" before season 6 includes that all drivers are active in the drivers meeting thread. At the moment we can clearly see that is not the case.

I will make a new thread or something pointing out where we are now and where we need to be soon.

And Reik, never be sorry for voicing your opinion, that is sooooooo much better than dead silence and is crucial for Presto GP's progress :)
 
The stuff I said about "completing" the "Presto GP transformation" before season 6 includes that all drivers are active in the drivers meeting thread. At the moment we can clearly see that is not the case.
I just got back from 2 days conference in Gothenburg myself.

Personally I drive conservatively, and prefer to drive within the spirit of the rules. Since I continually find myself 3 or more seconds a lap slower than the leaders, it is easy to think that a lot of that time is lost by not pushing the limits of the track geography.

If I do see something like that I don't wish to follow their lead and be regarded as exploiting the track myself. It is frustrating and lets face it if there is no time to be gained by it they would not do it.

So I am all in favour of any ruling that persuades guys to refrain from doing a Kimi. Talking of which was it not Kimi who gained track position by going wide at Spa and driving full speed on the outer tarmac and back onto the track? I don't feel he is a good example for us to be following.
 

Reik Major

Premium
First of all, Graham, I completely understand your feeling, but I can promise you, that I'm a kind of sportsman, who'd never enjoy a lap record with an unfair gained advantage or a victory with unfair behavior.

...it is easy to think that a lot of that time is lost by not pushing the limits of the track geography...

About me I can only honestly tell you, that my so far PB (1:12:5xx) was driven in a fair way. It only has the minor flaw, that I crossed the white line with all four wheels by some inches at the exit of T1 but this was caused by hitting the inside curb, sending me into a slight. So this flaw caused more likely a time loss than a time gain! That's why I didn't cancel this lap, which I would have done, if I went wide knewing it gave me a time gain.

What I want to say is, that a high 1:12 is easiely possible with very clean driving!

...It is frustrating and lets face it if there is no time to be gained by it they would not do it...

Again I have to point out first, that I don't want to offend you or defend any kind of unfair driving, but I disagree with you on that.
As a racer it comes naturally to me, to use inside and outside curbs as long as the shape of the curbs allows it. Of course the inside curb of T1 doesn't allow much. It's an exciting part of racing on a race track and it feels good to master tricky chicanes by using the curbs and gambling with the car.

Here at Hockenheim and also at Interlagos we have some places where the curbs are flat and wide. So without noticing it from my cockpit view it can happen, that I accidentically leave the track only by naturally using the full curb. That's what I wanted to point out in this forum before this event, just to be sure if it's ok or not.

In general I have two priorities:

1.
In qualy I allways stay inside the lines! If I noticed I crossed them with four wheels, I don't finish the lap.

2.
In the race I give myself more safety room not go wide too often. If it then happens by a driving mistake or missjudging the grip, because of tire wear, I don't feel guilty, because it causes a time loss.
 
I don't want to offend you or defend any kind of unfair driving, but I disagree with you on that.

Don't worry Reik you don't offend me and I hope I have not offended anyone. Of course I use curbs.

I don't believe that anyone here is doing what would be regarded as cheating - such as cutting chicanes or anything like that. Not at all.

I am saying that I would prefer the rule to be strict that all "try" to remain between the lines. Rather than saying it is ok at this corner or that corner. Because if you say it is strict I believe all will try to stay that way, but if we say it is ok at certain places then some will (in that case legally) exploit it and some will not.

I hope I am making myself clear.
 

Reik Major

Premium
I am saying that I would prefer the rule to be strict that all "try" to remain between the lines. Rather than saying it is ok at this corner or that corner. Because if you say it is strict I believe all will try to stay that way, but if we say it is ok at certain places then some will (in that case legally) exploit it and some will not.

I completely agree on that!!! :wink: You're right, if it's stated this way, we'll have less of this discussions (which I also enforced untill now).

My priorities are the same as Reik : I always try to stay on the track, at least two wheels inside the lines. If I'm outside the track, it's because I made a mistake or avoided an accident.

I bet it's everyones priorities... :wink:
 

Reik Major

Premium
Guys, remember to check tyres after each session switch! To avoid problems like wrong tyre choice I allways make a short "walk through" my setup before entering the grid. I remembre guys struggeling with wrong tyres at the race start at interlagos...
 

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