SimRacing.org.uk

The opening race of the Novices Trophy season takes us back to Imola - a first vist back since Season 19. This track hosts the San Marino Grand Prix but is in the heart of Italy and one of its iconic circuits. Some sweeping bends that will challenge the driver's ability to carry speed and some tighter corners that will require accurate braking to maximise the opportunities. The track was of minor importance until the 1970's and has seen some sad occurrences but hopefully we will enjoy our trip to the beating heart of Italian racing. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati... With the beautiful Appenines as a backdrop, who could want anything more?

Anyway on to the racing and the Intermediates will have to negotiate 23 laps. For this race, there is no handicapping in line with the new handicap system.
 
Please check the Season 23 pages for details (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=359&theme=6) regarding rules and the Novices Trophy (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=364&theme=6) pages in particular.

Qualifying may start before 9pm, if so, Reserve drivers should leave the server when 35 minutes of qualifying remains and only rejoin when 30 minutes of qualifying is left. This is to ensure that Full Time drivers get priority in joining.

Please restrict chat to pit messages if necessary, and this includes the end of the race, until all running drivers have completed the necessary laps.

The Intermediate Trophy races are run under Int Long rules and all incidents in the Lap 1 red zone will be moderated and reported incidents for the rest of the race, however the moderators reserve the right to review any incident. Drivers are reminded that they must take a Stop'n'Go for every Shift-R. The Red Zone will extend to the end of Acqua Minerale.

Please submit incident reports within a week after the race so that the moderators report may be out before the next race.

Race List = iGOR
Server = UKGPL3
IP address = ping ukgpl3.dyndns.org
Race date = 26/06/2012
Time = no later then 9:00pm UK Time (30-60 mins practice, race starts at 9:30pm)
Track = Imola (http://srmz.net/index.php?showtopic=485)
Variant = 65F1
Damage Model = Int
Qualifying time = 30 minutes
Race length = 23 laps
Password: see above (#post_event_password)


65 Patch: The 2.02 Release of the 65mod can and should be used. You need a working installation of the 65 mod to install the 2.02 Update. All the 65 Mod files can be found here (ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Mods/1965)

Driver lists can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R;group=364;theme=6)

Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Yes for Ferrari and Maserati (and also Alfa-Romeo, Lancia, Tecno, De Tomaso, Osella, Osca ...)

but Lamborghini are more dream cars than real racing cars
I only can remember the poor Lola-Larrousse F1 (under)powered by Lamborghini with Aguri Suzuki and Eric Bernard in 1990.

Well - they are pretty quick off the lights on the North Circular or out of Sainsbury's car park and that is real racing!

I think I'm going to have to miss this one :( which is a shame as I've done quite of bit of pratice to be ready for it.

Hope everyone has fun, and I hope to be back at the next race.

hope my connection improves tonight , repeatedly kicked off last nights pracky so scarcely a whole timed lap completed  :-\

I have not been able to participate because  :'( I made a mistake in scheduling. sorry   :-\

No problem Phillipe - we missed you though.

To the race - got a great start and managed to get myself up to fourth which quickly turned into second as John and Rog had minor wobbles at Tosa . Rob was super fast and I just needed to keep calm. Didn't do too badly although I could see I was holding the guys behind up a bit with my conservative mid 1:43's. John was really fair although I suspect he could have barged past if he had been less polite but he disappeared which left Rog nipping at my exhaust pipes. I made a mistake at Rivazza and John and Rog passed but I immediately got John back after he did a sympathy spin. Tried a bit hard to catch Rog and half-span at Rivazza again being greedy. That put me in Giovani's clutches and I kept him at bay for a while until... yes - another half spin at Rivazza. He got away and I set about chasing him down which I did pretty well. I caught him at Rivazza and he wobbled, I tried to outbrake round the outside and lost it... <sigh>.

Sad to see Rog fall off but I will take the podium - it is my first. My fastest lap here last time out in S20 was 1:44.1 and my fastest race lap was 1:46.2 from 19 laps so pretty pleased with my PB. Improved by nearly five seconds... how the hell was I so slow!

WD Rob and Gio. Enjoyed all the battles but Rob you must go slower.... ;)

All my podiums belong to HER.

Bad luck to my Teamie Nigel but you got good team points mate.

Looking forward to a fuller grid next time out.

Congrats to everyone, and especially Paul. You are looking quick this season.

Hope to back for the next race, see everyone on track.

Well done Paul, a cracking result which is proof of your continuing improvement.

Time for a change of profile pic I think :D

Started on pole got good start, 2nd lap inspected the fence at Tosa, due to others offs got back to 2nd then disco 4 laps from finish.
Really enjoyed this race at Imola and nice to have choice of car at mo.    Grats to Podium.


Hi Ross i have changed my avatar, this is how i felt after disco.

Love the new pic Rog... not quite as Zen though  ;D

@Ross - Thanks. You command I obey...

Hi Badblood you should have your Honda to replace milkfloat.

Might just do that Rog! I was sad to see you disco, you were very steady last night and deserved that silver medal. It is going to be a hard fought season I think. Strange not having Norm to race with.

Nice to have Billy back though.

Woohoo!!!  grats Paul the "new force" in Hiki Waza  ;)

Your advice on stiffening the roll bars proved invaluable - it was a little bit oversteery so I had to be a bit cautious on the brakes but once I got used to it the chassis was much more driveable and I could hold green all round - don't think I have ever got that before  ;D. Couple of silly mistakes cost me about twelve seconds so second was there for the taking but Rob was gone and Giovani kept steady...

After a less than successful season in the Inters it’s good to be back in the Novs ranks – although you all appear to have got a lot faster.
Excellent choice of track for the season opener.
Was on the wrong end of the GPL equivalent of a rugby tackle on Lap 4 (haven’t checked the server replay yet). After the SnG it was just a case of putting in some lonely laps & pick up any places through the misfortune to others.
Well done to the podium.

What's all this then?. Bad Blood qualifies 5th, AND on the podium, AND with all the usual suspects in the race, AND in a Honda!!!. This is a momentous occasion.  ;D
Well done Paul
Norm H

LOL

I never really got to grips with Imola with several bends prooving troublesome each lap- I got a slow start but just managed to maintain position. Several spins and offs later I was closing on the much improved badblood and thought I had the edge on him going into the slower corners but the usual excitement got me and I think buzzed my engine once too often before it gave up. A reset and stop and go saw me waiting for the flag all but alone with billy in my mirrors now and then. A 4th place was undeserved but I hope to stay on track more next time. Well done to all on the podium. ;)

Grats Paul, first of many to come?? Well done Rob and Giovani.

You did John!  ;D

Thanks for all the congrats, the surprise is palpable...  :D

<ramble>
I suppose I should be grateful I managed to get there at all!

Away on holiday this week,  so was not going to turn up at this new track.  However,  I thought maybe it was worth taking a copy of my desktop GPL folder & the wheel - just in case... :)

So, with a temp (non-gaming!) laptop & a surprise open WiFi connection nearby,  that was Monday night taken care of...  downloaded Imola & a blind BREASTS test (Pribluda not working).  Managed a few laps & didn't appear that warping was a major problem - maybe there was hope for Tuesday after all?!

Only place the wheel would fit was the kitchen table,  where the WiFi was particularly poor (I blame the thick stone walls!).  Once the table was jacked up, knees could get underneath & operate pedals.   Tip:  on a stone floor - a Turtle Mat seems to work well to keep pedals in place!

I managed to get laptop's poor display/OGL/Pribluda working to a fashion once display options were reduced/disabled somewhat.   Come game time,  about 28-29FPS was the best that was possible,  although the sound kept crapping out with just static for periods of time.

The lucky random setup was Mosport.  But in practice/qually,  I was clearly well behind on this new track. Revving out in 5th,  so tweaked with a few clicks.    About 15 seconds to green flag,  had a great idea to click around some more with the spanners, but must have adjusted 4th the wrong way.  Upshot was that I had crippled 4th so I had essentially lost a gear.  Luckily I'm not on auto gears any more,  so was able to skip that when changing in both directions.

But it was just a bad experience all round.  Seat/wheel too high/hunched forward to see small screen - my back was not happy/low frame rate/missing sound at times - and that's without the poor driving!

Probably a small blessing that the WiFi dropped out as soon as it did!   However,  I was hoping to reach the flag.  Otherwise 6th may have been there for the taking - but all the disco'd chaps could say the same of course.

Still, managed to get some bonus points for the team.  Hopefully come the end of the season,  this will be one of the results to be dropped.

</ramble>

Of course, I was hardly there & who am I as a newbie to comment anyway,  but congrats to Mr FastBlood up the sharp-end;  even though that is the competition :)


Cheers,
Dave.

Grats to all the finishers, afraid I wussed out after discovering my setup disaster. Although I did stay on the server to watch.
What a smooth, pacey drive from Rob, we have to assign him a boat for the season ( something with an anchor at least).
And mucho congratulations to my new team-mate SGwaza. Prophetic quote from PRO thread on the 21st:
                 It might find a new life in the Novices...
NEXT time mate:)

Looking forward to it Mr Smith. Practising Rouen already and I am running in the 2:07's with the odd 2:06 and the occasional 2:12/2:14 and one 2:42  :D

sorry ,
I'm wrong, I hit the car in front of me, I was not focused, I made a mistake by converting time (London -> Paris), I thought to do a training race, just before the  "official" race .

I would like to give praise to Dave Curtis who in the face of adversity and many random obstacles including tables and ropey wifi still managed a few laps which I'm sure is well admired by all here-- Dave I salute you  :laugh:

I have done some laps at Rouen and had it in my mind that badbloods post said " I've got a 2.01".... now when my times settled down I could see 2.08 but thankfully I thought wrong and am not so far off the mark. I've had under 2 mins here in the 67's some time ago but at present my best in the 65's is 2.05.81 but I'm getting to know the script- qualify ok, blow engine, coast to finish  :-\

Lol Jonny - wish I'd said 2:18 now and you could have been pleased with a 2:15  ;D

Rouen is a track that I quite like, but I've always been so slow there. My best pratice times at the moment are 2:08's, but normally in the 2:09 range.

I need to get faster quickly, so anyone got any tips?

psssst!!!   join the waza's, it worked for Paul :shifty:l

Leave off the brakes

No, I'll never join the dark side.

LOL - You may not have a choice Padawan...

You don't know the power of the dark WAZA side...

Actually changing my brake balance a tad forward made all the difference for me. Set the diff to 60/30 with 3 clutches and BB of 55 and suddenly I could brake rotate through some of the corners that I had found so hard. It is a Waza though so might not work in your flashy Italian job...

rotate through corners ?

isn't that the same as spin  ;D

lol Bernie - usually  ;D but I have set Reverse to REAALLLLY long!

Badblood say : This is a very unfortunate incident since B Bip was under the impression that he was in qualy ...

I do not believe to be in qualifying, I was mistaken for 1 hour, I thought it was a " training race " , this is why I stopped before the end .

Ah sorry Ed. I understand now. I'll change it.

*edit - Done.