SimRacing.org.uk

Season 26 Privateers Trophy - Round 4 - Zeltweg

Originally built in 1969 to replace the bland and bumpy Zeltweg Airfield circuit, the Österreichring track was known for being very fast, as every corner was a fast sweeper and taken in no lower than 3rd gear in a 5-speed gearbox and 4th in a 6-speed gearbox.  There are also noticeable changes in elevation during the course of a lap which means the downhill sections are even faster. Like most fast circuits it was a hard circuit on engines and even harder on tyres simply because the speeds were so consistently high.

We will run Intermediate Damage with the allowance of ONE shift-R reset. No Shift-Rs are allowed in practice unless authorized by the moderator. A Shift-R (fault or not) MUST be followed by a Stop & Go. A Shift-R for tyres/fuel is not allowed. Any driver taking more then ONE Shift-R OR failing to take a Stop & Go will be disqualified from the race result.

For Season 26, all drivers must complete at least 50% of race distance to be classified.

Race List = IGOR
Server = UKGPL_GPG
IP address = 62.195.2.111
Race date = 23-02-2014
Race Time = race starts at 21:30 UK time
Qualifying Time = Between 30 and 60 minutes, starting no later than 21:00 UK time
Track = Zeltweg 71 (http://ftp://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/Tracks/Zeltweg71)
Variant = 67F1
Damage Model = INT
Race length = 50 minutes (laps 28)
Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Replays Available here (http://ukgpl3.dyndns.org/inc_replaysS26_js.aspx)

Driver lists and token rules can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=426&theme=6)

The full time drivers can start to practice as soon as the server is available.  Reserve drivers can also join as soon as the server becomes available but must leave the server with 35 minutes of qualifying left, for a total of 5 minutes; this will allow any remaining full timers to join.  If there is enough space on the grid, the reserve drivers will be able to rejoin when there are 30 mins of qualifying left.  

Moderating The red zone will be fully moderated for lap 1 only. For this event the red zone will be from the start to Schikane. Other moderation will be on reported incidents only.  However any incidents that occur in the red zone that are not reported by the drivers will be reported by the moderator.  This will allow all affected drivers the opportunity to present their case before the incident is moderated.  This should ensure there are no surprises when the moderator's report is published and hence appeals will be less likely.  If you haven't received a PM about an incident before the link below the results table is removed, you can be sure that you will not appear in the moderator's report.

The chassis token system is explained on the Privateers (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=426&theme=6) standings page. Please ensure you choose a chassis that is within your budget, which can be seen by hovering the mouse over your points total in the standings.

Please restrict chat to pit messages including at the end of the race until ALL drivers still racing have crossed the line.

Well that didn't last long - Rear ended going into T1 than caught up in a pile up a bit further down the track. That's one of the drawbacks of a full grid I suppose. I think I'd better stick to my usual starting position at the back of the grid!

I thought I splash the cash on a shiny new lotus. Well, he sold me a duff one, im going to write to my MP.
Nothing to do with me having to scream the whatnots off it keep up with the cookie monster's fezza.
Grats Axel and to whoever made it.
See you all next time.  :)

Big apologies Mike. I got my braking point wrong. Thought I was going to avoid you.

Grats to Axel on an impressive pole and a fine win.  I qualified down in 6th well off the pace of Axel in the same car, however it was a long race so I wasn't too worried.  Bernie was driving really well and I wouldn't have been able to pass him if he hadn't made a mistake.  I picked up another place when Andy L spun and another when Gareth's Lotus packed up.  That left me in 3rd place with 75% of the race to run with no real chance of catching the 2 leaders.  It was far from boring though!!  Andy L recovered and was on my gearbox the whole way.  Thankfully the power of the Ferrari was just enough to keep me ahead, Andy was really quick over the last quarter of the circuit.  The last lap was a cracker.  We were side by side through T1 and I just got ahead into T2.  As we came out of Bosch Kurve we came across a back marker who tried his best to keep out of the way (thank you) but I put a wheel on the grass trying to get past and nearly crashed.  So did Andy but we both recovered to finish.  That last lap was definitely one for the scrapbook  ;D

For the record, the server was rock solid for me.  Did anyone have any latency problems?

No probs at all! Rock solid here too...

Great fun race, as I love this track and know its shortcuts  ;D

Seems I need a spin to get my concentration back  ::)

At the end my prib lap counter was wrong and I did reduce fuel consumption to a minimum and did one more lap with 0.1 litres left ;D

Apart from my T1 muff up, drove that quite well. Once I got going Phillipe span in front of me and I launched him into orbit. Sorry Phil, I had nowhere to go... Once I got going I had a train of cars in front of me and managed to get past Martin and Fabio but David was very quick in front. Got it wrong towards the end of the lap and ripped a wheel off on the armco which let Fabio through but just managed to keep Martin behind. Surprised to see David leaving the pits and chased him. He was quicker but span out of T1. Grateful to see the chequered flag as he was closing up again.

All a bit pointless as I will lose at least three places in the Steward's room.

Apologies to Michael once again.

I was 4th on the grid with the front 3 much quicker. 6th fastest lap and 4th at the finish sounds as good as I could expect. I got away ok, but spun a few laps in. I chased down Phil, who was then in 3rd and spent half the race trying not to hit his gearbox. I seemed to be quicker, but all of his corner exits were good enough to keep me behind.
Into the last lap I managed enough tow to get alongside into T1 and we stayed alongside to T2 where his Ferrari power edged him ahead. Then we nearly tangled with the backmarker and lost equal amounts of time, so finished just as we had done for so many laps (and in fact just like we did here in the same cars 2 seasons ago). A truly exciting race.
Grats to Axel and to George who could crash, reset, stop and go without losing a place.

Tough race, indeed!
No time to practice before it, at 9 pm I just discovered that I never drove a Brabby on it...
Found a setup, I needed time to get used to it.
From 13th in the grid to 7th at the chequered flag is not that bad: it could have been a 6th but I let my engine explode two laps before the end on my try to get Billy :-\
I spent too much think blaming on myself, then I do a S+R with the Stop'n'go, just before the winner crossed the finish line.
Anyway, didn't change anything for the Black Night score ;D
Grats to the podium and everybody raced: I like full grids!!
See you all at the Glen!

Was happy with my qually time as my set up was one I had cobbled together on the night although the gear box could have been better ratios .

I found the Brabby rather understeery on race fuel , I got a good start and was pleased to find I could keep in touch with the leaders , was having a good dice with my old adversary Phil but I had slid wide a couple of times letting Phil past when I ran wide onto the grass at hellalicht ? Then a few laps later pushing very hard to try and get the place back I slid off again onto the grass at  schikane , the car spun and finished up on the wrong side of the Armco with no way out except to S/R , had to wait ages for the whole world to pass by before I could do so effectively my race was over , Later on I blew my engine involving another S/R which should have been the end but decided to motor on " just for the fun " then another blown engine made 3 x s/r 's . So please Mr moderator feel free to DQ me from the results .

Not a good day for the Soggies with Mike being punted off at the start by a young chappy who should know better by now as he'se had lots and lots of (target) practise at it .  ;)

enjoyed the outing though in spite of the results , grats to the flying Axel who had his own race from pole to flag and to the other podium boys and well done to all who finished in one piece .

Happy to oblige and REALLY ruin the Soggy's day. ;)

I like the track. It took me a while to adjust to the lack of grip. I used a GH Kyalami setup. I suppose that the Ferrari understeered a bit, but I could still steer with the throttle in a nice way. The race start was lack luster for me. I was in the back of the grid. I wanted to be careful, and move up gradually over the next 50 minutes. I was able to maneuver around the T1 accident without losing too much time. After exiting T2, I had to put the binders on for another accident. My car spun around backwards. I owe a big thank you to Michael for narrowly missing my car. Then, while still on the first lap, I spun on my own in the left hand corners. I was happy to have survived those incidents without a scratch, but I lost a minute of time. The rest of the race went beautifully. The car was a joy to drive even though my competitors were few and far between. I actually finished better than I had qualified, and I am happy about that  :)

I don't know if this is me, the track or the car (Cooper) but it was probably my worst mod 1967 UKGPL race !

I won the Privateers Trophy on season 23 and today I can tell you a lot of drivers have made huge improvements  ...but not me :(


By the way, it's great to see a full grid at the start and not so many mistakes and retirements at the end.


Just a kind remark to my team mate Dave Curtis :
Please Dave, when you are one lap behind, do not stay so close to the drivers who overlapped you !  Moreover on such a track with hard braking and big risks of rear ending ! 

It was a good race for me last Sunday but I still made too many unforced errors. The holy grail for me is a race with full concentration from start to finish and not a single error. I tend to enjoy the races in retrospect though.

It's an odd sort of 'enjoyment' during the race itself because I'm so nervous at the beginning, I'm almost physically sick. It sounds dramatic but it's true, my heart beat goes through the roof (it's the same sort of feeling I get before I race down a hill on my street-luge in events).

The first few corners and laps feel like walking on egg shells, trying to judge what others are doing so as not to tangle with anyone. I convince myself there is something wrong with the car because it handles so differently. Then, I gradually settle into things and relax a bit more - relatively speaking. With about a third of the race gone, I'm completely 'lost' in the race to the point where I don't even know what position I'm in, I'm just lapping and lapping, I'm concentrating hard and barely blinking. I reckon someone could tip a bucket of water over me at this point and I wouldn't know it for a few seconds as I'm immersed in the race. I'm just 'elsewhere'. :)

In the last third, I can feel my concentration dropping as I'm getting very tired, my eyes are dry, my mouth is dry, my shoulder and back problems begin to bother me (possibly from gripping the wheel too hard or unconsciously tensing my muscles too much) so I go into survival mode and make more and more mistakes as a result. It's a relief when the chequered flag comes out!

I'm not normal really but then again, I've never claimed otherwise!

I was the same GC, when starting my racing career online.  It's not easy to stay calm and concentrate.  Better to be nervous at the start, as problems can be big ones.  Though, using less energy early on, might help you towards the race end.  A few deep breaths, and a walk around the room before the grid forms, could help a little.  Then, with a few successful races, the car might catch up to your racing. :D Actually - 2nd looks quite successful from the back of the grid where I sat! 

If it is any consolation CG I think we all felt as you do in the early days.

I can still remember the heart rate at what seemed to be 500 beats per min as the flag was about to drop, the sweaty palms and the cramp in my forearms after only 10 laps!!! By the end of a 25 lap race I was a physical ( and mental) wreck. I had to go and take a rest afterwards............all over a computer game!!  lol my wife thought I was going crazy!


The one thing I started doing that helped was to get into a regular pattern before the start of a race.

 It went something like this............

Always do the last few laps ( max 3)  on race fuel , that way you are dialled into the car on cold tyres and full tanks for the start of the race.

Don't keep lapping until GPL kicks you off to start the race, better to retire to the pits with maybe a minute or two still left in qually and relax. Maybe take a good drink of water or squash as your brain and body are going to need it!!

In that 2 minutes check that you have got your race setup loaded and the correct fuel loaded

When you join the grid don't sit there revving the engine like a boy racer, sit calmly and quietly and watch the timer count down to 10 secs. Force yourself to relax with a few deep breaths.

With 10 secs to go take your hands off the wheel and shake and relax them, then gently place them back on the wheel being concious not to grip it to tightly.

Then turn your concentration on the starter.

Only build your revs up as the starter raises his flag and concentrate on the flag, ready to go as soon as it drops.

For the first lap just concentrate on being smooth and safe as the tyres warm up, watch the cars ahead for spins and contacts so that you can avoid them.

I used to pick a fellow driver who was maybe about my pace or very slightly faster and during the race my aim was simply to be able to see that other car at some point during each lap. That way I learned to be consistent with my lap times and gradually I picked up pace. ( I never told those drivers who they were, but as I improved I moved my sights higher up the grid  :) )
 
I have always maintained that your biggest adversary is the track itself. Concentrate on not letting the track beat you by driving within your speed/ability. Remember each error that takes you off track loses at least 20 secs, so better to be 0.5 secs earlier on the brakes , and get cleanly around the corner  ;)

Don't misunderstand me, I do not find GPL boring after all this time, far from it, but I have learned to do the Zen thing and relax muscles and mind and "feel the force"!!! Yes there is still a tingle at the start of a race and I am sure that my heart rate rises, especially if I get into a really close duel with another driver (s) that is finely balanced.  That I guess is the beauty of GPL, it still excites after all thsi time!!

I finally got round to watching the race replay; a very entertaining scrap between Andy and Phil towards the end!

EvilClive and maddog - thanks for the advice.