Mendoza - 7th of December - Round 17

[Olaf Lehmann]

There are several errors in the mendoza track.ini, which means that the pitstallboard is definitely not displayed.
That's why everyone should definitely use my track.ini this time:

http://race.eolc.de/Olaf_Lehmann/trackiniMENDOZA.zip

In addition, there are again nonsensically irritating spectators in the pit lane.
I am not a track designer, who can remove them?

BR OLaf

[snafu]

Hi Olaf,
Try this (Drop files into the "mendoza" track directory). A few stragglers, but they are also used elsewhere in the crowd so I left them, but they shouldn't be too much of a distraction.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lcns33rh ... fyvtb&dl=0

TTFN
John.

[snafu]

Well, if I didn't laugh I would probably cry.

I will never get such a good chance to win a race as that one. Comfortably ahead of Tim, only a few to go and messed up lapping Seb. I was planning on just following him home and when he slowed to let me pass I found myself approaching T3 in the wrong gear on the wrong line and hit the barrier. Lost a rear wheel and got stuck in a bush.

Oh well. !"£$%^

TTFN
John.

[Olaf Lehmann]

I made a stupid mistake in the first right-hander on lap 28 and my car was crooked. I looked at Pribluda and wondered whether I should drive through or repair it...and then I hit a crash barrier.
That meant not only seventh, but half points.

Too bad it was going well before...

[tim]

Quali was good, but there is still some time to find in this outstanding track. A lot of fun to drive here!

Start was again bad, compared to André. I wonder a bit about this, as I always was a good starter, maybe the tiny bit of carefulness when engine is turning high takes it price? André did a really good job and passed me on the inside in turn 1, I could follow him and at that moment and everything was fine. I knew I don´t need to push it, smoothly wanted to find my rhythm.

Then, around lap 5 in turn 5, on the hill and entrance of the leftturning depression I hit the brakes to hard and lifted the pedal to late. The Cooper heavily understeered and I touched the crashbarrier with my right fronttyre. Target pit. A little early for my taste as thinkings about championship came trough.

In pit I got fresh tyres instead of a repair what I instantly recognized when leaving. The last time I needed a repair is far to long gone to remember how to behave in this kind a situation - I thought switch into reverse-gear is enough to get a repair? Maybe I installed the first gear to early, have to check..

Back on track with fresh tyres but an unrepaired car demanded another slow lap and the upcoming feeling championship is gone..

Back in pit. After some time waiting and hoping my mechanics could fix it I decided to fill up the tank and drive through to the end. With a carefull tyremanagement 25 laps could be possible..

Out again with a repaired car that instantly felt better. Racingfun was back.
In the same time André and John had their battle in front, I was last, P8 and far over a minute back.
After some calculations I hoped for 3rd place but the next 5-10 laps my car was heavy and it took me time to find a better flow.

Via pribluda I checked that John had overtaken André. That brought back hope a little. Thanks John for that
I really like that track and slowly found myself feeling comftable with it. Flow came back and was even stronger when I reached Rainer. Then these guys in front, I think Seb was involved, had a hairy situation. Rainer attacked him at T4 but ran wide, I was about 100m behind but with better momentum I could pass him on the inside of the next turn. I think he didn´t really expect me, in replay it seems so, but everything went well, P7 and Seb in front. He didn´t wanna fight and fairly opened the inside line. Thanks

P6 followed by P5, Olaf was piting and I closed up on Björn. When I reached him, I had a good run and took the first possibility to set myself on the inside. Everything went well for me, but maybe I irritated him. Sorry buddy!

P4 and somewhen P3, I started loosing overview who is where. Had to focus as my rear tires were already starting loosing grip. Still around 1/3 of racedistance to go..

Suddenly, I recognized André must have troubles. When I passed pits it got reality, I found myself absolutely unexpected on P2. In this moment I realized the consequences for championship - roedl in the lead -but instantly tasted some bitterness about it as we could have more fun here on this marvellous track.. the beginning laps came back into my mind, and what could have come if race would have developed better.. Instead, I started calculating again. 1 point ahead into the last race, for now.

John was on a fast ride and far outta reach. For nothing in the world a mistake now.
Tyredegradation still in a manageable condition, but increasing concerns about André´s final attack with fresh compounds.
Still 7 or 8 laps to go at this moment. Eyes on pribluda, maximum smoothness, sticking on the ideal line on menu.
But surprisingly André didn´t manage to come closer as laps went by. I started to breath save air and slowely calmed down myself.

Then, I think 1 lap to go, John made a mistake and donated his clear victory. Bad luck John!
But anyway -impressive pace and style, I really like it!
[to John: As always I watched replay. And as I especially like Brabham and drove it always with plessure, I want to mention its strong power on low torque! Even Cooper is not that bad here. I didn´t use 5th gear on this track. That brought a lot of stability, especially during braking..]

At the end, lucky me in perspektive of the championship. A tear for the lost funfactor!
And the recognition: Never give it up!

Well done everybody!!
tim

[Olaf Lehmann]

In the end both "alien" heros at the first two places...GRATS TO BOTH AND TO TAGO FOR 3RD!
We'll see at Rouen as an earlier christmas present who would be the champion.

Code: Select all

  PITSTOP LISTING

   8:24	 26.9s	T.Roedl		Tire change
   8:51	 27.6s	R.Alpen		Repair
  10:44	 35.4s	T.Roedl		Repair/Refuel
  27:42	 27.5s	S.gore		Repair
  30:39	 27.5s	J.Hammonds	Tire change/Refuel
  30:48	 36.2s	A.Jahren	Tire change/Refuel
  33:06	 26.2s	O.Lehmann	Tire change/Refuel
  41:30	 26.9s	S.gore		Repair/Refuel
  46:11	 27.5s	A.Jahren	Repair

[Bjørn Finnestad]

I was fast, but you all were clearly even faster.
In qualifying I had to realize that it was the lap time I set that I had to deal with. During practice it was easy to improve on some previous laps on this course. Was hoping to get under 1:50, but didn't make it, had sector times that didn't help. During training I decided to bet on no pitstops, here there was less tire wear, I balanced the setup so that there was a nice distribution between the front and rear wheels this time.

In qualifying I was nowhere near such fast laps.

Not too worried about starting at the back, being able to start gently and warm the tires and just see what happens. I was overtaken by unlucky drivers heading back up, but my pace meant it wasn't appropriate to make it difficult for anyone to pass. In the tight right turn I saw in lap 8 or so, Seb had better brake and I went wide, and I didn't have the pace in the turn anyway. Rainer braked too late, but I saw him re-enter the track. At lap 16 or so, I cut the turn a bit too much and lost speed, so I was quickly approached by Tim and therefore I pulled into a safe place. Afterwards I checked the Pribluda menu for possible lapping that could come I think, and took it easy, but tried to keep up a bit as well.

The tire wear on the right front wheel was tremendous. Arrived at the finish line without any significant problems and was surprised to finish fourth and within the same lap in this race, but it was because of the misfortune of others. It's a pity that teammate John drove out, you were fast on the Brabham, very good.

Grats Tim for win, André, and Tago for podium! Grats to finishers.


Thanks all for the race, see you all in Rouen!

[André Jahren]

Qual
A good qualifying session form me. Had good progress and saw mid 1.48 at the end.

Race
A good start put me in position to pass Tim in to turn 1.

Felt comfortable and drove well the first 5-6 laps. When I lost Tim from the pit board I was not sure if he crashed and was out, or if he had pitted and was chasing from behind(I do not have Pribluda installed)

So for the majority of the race I thought he had retired and that my race was with John for the victory
, and myself trying to score as many championship points as possible.

Already on lap 7 or 8 I struggled with my tires, and John gained quickly from behind.

3 or 4 laps before the pitstop he passed me and just disappeared.

Then as we both pitted on lap 16, I saw an opportunity to gain a bit during the pitstop, but ended up driving to fast and over shot my pit box and needed to revers back, and ended up losing time instead.

On lap 18 I was 5 seconds behind and thought to myself, just keep a steady pace and collect the championship points for second place.

But it’s so hard! As I saw I started gaining on John I didn’t manage to contain myself and started chasing him down.
Had a good balance in the car and got in to a nice rhythm, but was driving on the edge.

Managed to close the gap to John, but then I lost the rear on the exit of turn 3, hit the barrier and damaged the car.
Halted back to the pits and did my stop for repairs.

Then as exited pit I saw on my pit board that Tim was P2.

Came out P5, and managed to get back to P3.

Then as John crashed out on one of the last laps I found myself P2 with Tim P1.

The championship is on, and Rouen will be an exciting race.

Congratulations to Tim for a great recover and victory, and to Tago for joining us on the podium.

See you all in Rouen