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UKGPL Season 17 - Amateurs Trophy - Race 4 - 65 mod - Imola

The fourth round of the Amateurs Trophy finds us in the prinicpality of San Marino at the Imola circuit that began construction in 1950 and was first used for Formula One in April 1963. This non-championship event was won by Jim Clark for Lotus.

Can I remind people not to go out on track until there is 30 minutes of qualifying left. This helps all drivers join the server successfully.

As always I would remind you to take care on Lap 1 especially under braking for Tosa and Rivazza and don't forget that this time around we have upped the ante and the Amateurs will race at Pro level with no resets allowed.
Chassis allocations are below- the same chassis will be used for all races this season, unless there is an adjustment agreed by the moderator.  Good luck!

Please use the updated 65 mod for this race.

The 65 mod V2 update is being used by UKGPL and the updated layout features are very welcome, with the ability to record best lap times at addon tracks and to have 65 specific tracks. The new collision boxes are also a great improvement.  Though the new slipstream code will need extensive testing, the preliminary race seemed to show that it would be a definite improvement in racing terms, without the controversy over its extent, as with the 66 mod.

Thanks to all involved with producing the update.  If the new slipsteam code works as well as it seems it might, perhaps it could help persuade the authors of the 66 mod to rework their code as well!

Please be in IGOR UKGPL chatroom by 8:55 p.m.
(You will need to set up a channel called #ukgpl if you haven't already done so)
IGOR and Race passwords: see above (#post_event_password)

Server ukgpl6
IP address TBC
Race date = 14-04-2009
Time = 21:00
Track = Imola
Variant = 65F1
Damage Model = PRO
Qually time = 30 minutes.
Race length = 50% Grand Prix (32 laps)


Driver lists can be found on the championship standings page (https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=LM2R&group=208&theme=6)

CHASSIS ALLOCATION

FERRARI Phil Thornton, Will Tway (reserve), Burtoner*, Asbjeurn*
LOTUS  StormCloud, Dave Randall, Bartosz, Bernie*, Steve Bird*, Geoff65*
BRM  NatanVix, Samb, Ginsters, Steve Bucket*, Ian*
BT11  CliveLoynes, John Roberts, Ken, Jethro, Fulvio
HONDA  EvilClive, Tim, Iestyn (reserve)
COOPER Mike Beattie, Lorenzo, if he joins, otherwise any visiting speed merchant
BT7 Hristo

*drivers also assigned a Novices chassis

65 Mod

These were the 65 drivers
BT7 Bonnier, Baghetti, Hulme (Bonnier drove for Walker)
BT11 Brabham Gurney Gardner Anderson Siffert (Siffert drove for Walker, Gardner and Anderson were privateers)
Lotus Clark Spence Rodriguez Mitter Russo Solana (and Maggs Hailwood Attwood Amon and Ireland for Parnell)
Ferrari Surtees Bandini Rodriguez Vaccarella Bondurant Scarfiotti
Honda Ginther Bucknum
Cooper McLaren Rindt
BRM Hill Stewart

The 1965 season was the last to use the controversial 1500cc formula which had begun after 1960, to the initial advantage of Ferrari.  The 1965 cars are smaller than the 1967 cars and have less torque and hence more grip.  It was claimed that they 'cornered on rails', however this allowed the Grand Prix series to retain the use of circuits which were otherwise to prove extremely dangerous.

The 1965 cars are ideal for those new to GPL as they allow the tracks to be learnt in light reliable cars, however these are also full Formula One cars, and quite fast....  Jim Clark won the 1965 Belgian Grand Prix in a Lotus.  Graham Hill took pole in his BRM P261 with a time of 3'45.4 .  The 1965 distance was 32 laps.

David Wright's 'Legends' site http://fp.gplegends.plus.com/ has the download of the 2.0.1 version (under 'details') as well as being an exceptional guide to both 1965 and 1967, for those interested in Formula One history.  The 2.02 update is available here: http://www.jamesonline.net/ukgpl/1965mod_PATCH_v2.0.2_Setup.zip

What has happened to the post for the Novices race at Imola for tonight?   ???

Well its a complicated story Graham, it involves a tad of binge here and a little woolgathering there, you know how it is....

Say no more Jack!  ;)

Do you think he gets legless as Jack, Steve or Dave?  Then there is that Amagi bloke as well......

Perhaps he even gets four hangovers!!! :o

Four hangovers? That doesn't even bear thinking about. Still, can't be as bad as the "Oh God of Hangovers" from Hogfather.

Why "Oh God" as opposed to "God"? Because whenever he appears, people say "Oh God".

;D

I really am not having the best of luck this season in the 65s. So far my season's consisted of 2 crashes and now an engine faliure. First time I've ever blown the BRM V8 - I guess it really isn't bulletproof  ;D. At least the race was fun while it lasted. I qualified 11th, was up to 5th by the end of the first lap but I just didn't have the pace of the frontrunners so I slid down the order. Eventually, when people were recovering from their battle scars and so on, I found myself up into 5th again, behind Clive's Brabham but unable to catch him. Then the engine exploded on the 13th lap; unlucky for some I guess. Ah well, maybe I can get a half decent result next time round.

Pretty happy with my result really. Didn't even realise there was a race tonight until this morning - Thought the easter break continued through the week  :ninja:
Got onto the server with just over 10 minutes to go having had no practice at all, and breifly climbed to 15th before being battered back down to last. Gave up on qualy and decided to test my hastily thrown together race setup (A 20lap setup from a fun race with nearly double the fuel load and no changes!)
Made it up to about 10th I think in the first lap, had mini dices with numerous people as they made their way past me in each direction.
Somewhere past the mid point Evil caught me up and I had a few laps to umm and ahh over wether to let him past or not when he caught me - in the end team Honor won over and I let him by once he was close enough  :)
Sadly that ment giving away my hard fought 6th as no-one else had the common decency to run out of fuel/crash before the end of the race  :hammer:

At least I didn't hit anyone this time!  ;D

I made it home from work just in time and dashed upstairs to the computer, got iGOR fired to see but 2 minutes left in Q.  MADE IT!

Oh, no you don't!  Recently installed firewall software closed me out and after repeated attempts, time ran out.  Only a moment after missing the start, I thought of trying the IP.  Might have got me in there in time.

Hope everyone had a decent go!

Well despite my best efforts Evil took pole with a low 39, but he let me by on the start which allowed the cars behind to threaten his 2nd place. I was keeping an eye on my mirrors and tried giving Evil some slipstream but that didn't work so well. After a few laps he and the other cars just disappeared so I had no choice but to speed up and keep a safe pace. I was hoping Evil would've dropped just a few seconds so I eased off a bit in a couple of laps and that allowed Mike to catch up and eventually pass me. There was just Fulvio back in sight, in 3rd, and no signs of a Honda, so that was as much as I could do. After catching up with Mike we had a very good fight for a few laps until he went off at Rivazza and dropped behind Fulvio.

From then on I just went at full speed and was just closing in on some backmarkers near the end, when I spun off on the braking to Rivazza and hit the railguard. Luckily there was no major damage and all wheels remain on the car, plus the gap to Fulvio was big enough.

Good victory in HER name after all!

-=Hristo=-

Hristo went off?! There is a God after all. ;D

Considering I'd done next to no practice here since the pre-season race, with what little laps being done not really worth the bother, and having come off the train an hour previous, I was effectively learning the track again tonight. Cobbled a loose setup based on the defaults with minor changes to brake balance, gears and clutch/ramp angles, filled it with fuel and hoped for the best. Did 1:41 (I think) in qualifying, which was to be expected really.

At the start, I could not see that effing flagman for love nor money! When the flag raised, I was ready, when it dropped, I was still ready, then I realised others were moving and had to scramble first gear and hope no poor sod behind hit me. The first lap I just kept plodding on, and knowing how and where I could brake for Tosa since I'd done it at the end of qualifying, I was surprised to be alongside a few people as they couldn't make their minds up where to go. Saw a flying BRM at the exit of Acque Minerale, and by the end of lap 1, made it up to 9th! A couple laps later John then realised there was a Brabham beside him as he tried to occupy the same piece of tarmac that I was using. I think it was him also deciding that a slower sideways line through Tamburello was definitely the way to baulk me completely. After plodding slowly(ish) through the race, just trying to be consistent and keeping a loose eye on Pribluda for where I was and others were, I had a definite "Jethro" moment (you lot are free to use that in future if you have such a moment too y'know ;) ) and threw it off Tamburello running wide on entry, losing around 20-25 seconds in the process and being almost plum last! So I just hoped that some would throw it off the road (some did, which was fantastic from my race point of view), and others would battle their way slower. Had Geoff battling right behind me to try and get past, so I let him have it and hoped he could catch Steve Bird, who was about 10 seconds in front of me. Then he threw it off at Rivazza, at which point I swore at him! :D So I spent the last 10 laps or so reeling Steve slowly in. By the last 4 laps, I had him in my sights, dipping below 1:40s at last and saw the gearbox getting ever closer as I rounded Rivazza on the penultimate lap. When I aimed for the inside at Tosa, I tried getting a better exit, but that didn't happen, so I tried again at Piratella, with some more success, then aimed for the clean exit at Acque Minerale. Giving more than enough room, I then found him going a bit sideways on the exit of Acque, at which point I could not avoid hitting him. Not getting the best restart, I followed him down to Rivazza, getting closer still, then found him graciously letting me through on the exit of Rivazza 2, which I'm eternally thankful for. :)

After a week of swearing, work, head-scratching and more work interruptions...I finally managed to get GPL up and running satisfactorily Tuesday afternoon. Came into this race with 1 prac race up my sleeve in 2 weeks, and was surprised to do a PB of 1:40.31 in qually for that event. Was still finalising FF settings etc as the servers were due to be started!!
Less than perfect qually but posted a reasonable lap in the low 40's, then ambled off to the pit shed to supervise the crews final preps and fueling. Gotta watch 'em ya know....after a night on the slops they often get this stuff wrong! 8th place on the grid was my lot.
Like Jethro, the wallah with the pit board obscured the flagman, and missed the jump badly. Followed a tight group of cars down to the hairpin, expecting some action that might elevate me.....but no dice there. Exited behind Natans' BRM and appeared to be a little faster than him at that stage, so set about having a look at him and plotting a pass. At the bottom of the hill, before Acque Minerale, Natan suddenly......vanished! Fearing a rear-end shunt if he re-appeared in front I let the Lotus run deep and wide into Acque Minerale, and left him plenty of room. Next thing I know, he's re-appeared inside and slightly behind me (out of glance right view), and as he made straight for the L/H exit apex.....where I was, he cleaned me up and knocked me off the track into the fence. Sadly though, Natans BRM bore the brunt and flopped on it's back, putting him out. Sorry mate, was looking forward to a bit of cut and thrust with you.
Kept chasing people down, passing them, then throwing it off the road. The car was great, had good pace and was easy to drive when my mind didn't wander. A bit tired I suppose, after all....I've been up all night at work.
Must apologise to Dave for the contact in Acque Minerale. You went in tight and so you had to run a bit wide on the exit. So I took a wide entry to come in under you at the apex and exit a little tighter and faster. But as we got to the crossover point at the exit, you started warping from one side of the track to the other....I had to back off but the warp remained and I clunked you on one of your twitches to the right. Apologies for that Dave, that's why I pulled over and gave you back the spot. I then made a clean pass at the hairpin on the next lap.
Not a very satisfying race for me in most aspects... But did manage a PB of 1:39.88 on the last lap. 10th place was the best I could do under the circumstances, those being chucking it off the road every other lap. On to Mexico I suppose. 

(http://www.planet-venom.co.uk/gpl/Numptygraph/Da_Imo.gif)

Grats to Hristo, Fulvio and Mike.

Apologies to Dave Randall, it was a 1 metre warp on my replay.  Your connection was not the best last night Dave.  You disappeared completely for a couple of seconds at one point.

Race just wasn't long enough for me to recover from my awful start.

After the first couple of laps where the field was sorting itself out, I found myself in a fairly lonely 8th for most of the race, after letting Evil have an easy pass twice! While he was recovering from various incidents.  He was clearly much faster and I really don't see any point in holding anyone up if they are that much quicker.  I was hoping to tag on the back but I didn't have enough pace.

Anyway, in the 2nd half of the race I was keeping a watching brief on Geoff and Jethro behind, trying to push a bit if they were closing.  Eventually Jethro got passed Geoff and started closing in good and proper, I pushed as hard as I could without throwing it away to a stupid off track error.  It wasn't enough and Jethro was on me with a lap and half to go.  I was prepared to fight for the position and managed to hold it until the exit of Acque Minerale, trying to get the best drive I lost the rear and spun in front of Jethro who couldn't stop in time and tagged the side of my car.  I set off again pretty quickly conscious of a rapidly closing Geoff, and watched to see if Jethro managed to get away undamaged.  When I noticed he was moving again I backed off.  As I had made the error I felt the position was his and thought it only fair to allow him through on the run to the line.

Pleased to have finished another one intact.

Grats Steve, another good effort. 

Going to have to stop you doing all this "after you sir" stuff!  Best to keep your chin on the tank and let the mods sort out who did what to whom!


You are certainly pulling your weight and I see Ken is still swinging the lead!  ::)

LOL  When I passed Evil and John fighting on the grass I hoped that they didn't have a wheel between them.  No such luck.

All's fair in love, war and motor racing.....................So long as nobody is looking.  Ask Ron Dennis  ;D

Glad I'm not the only one who finds that Kinst Vonsterga's T1 movie rings frighteningly true when on track  ;D

What a disappointment that was, running 4th having stayed out of trouble despite lots of close action until Clive attempted a pass!  <All's fair in love, war and motor racing.....................So long as nobody is looking.>  This insight into Clives mindset is a bit hard to swallow after last night!!   ;)  To be fair I have to say though it does appear to be at least mostly down to warp from my replay too.

 Not sure why my connection doesn't seem as solid these days, just tested my broadband speed which seems healthy enough, I recently rebooted the modem and router and did some general PC maintenance such as defrag and scans for nasties which only found a couple of non-critical pests.  I will have to ban her from using the laptop on race nights as perhaps that's having some impact..

Only downloaded this track a week ago so was quite pleased with pace, think I need to charge a bit harder in the race as this trying hard to stay out of trouble and worrying about Pro rules approach doesn't seem to be working.  So perhaps I will adopt some of Clive's mottos too!!   :)

Wasn't really sure how the little Cooper would cope on this speed bowl of a track, but I had worked on a set-up that got me through Tamburello flat so hoped for the best.

I was please with qually as I set my time without the aid of a tow. Off the line I gained a position or two by the exit of the first hairpin and settled in behind Dave and Evil. They were obviously holding each other up and I was able to close. Then they had the inevitable bump at Tossa and suddenly I was 2nd !! :)

I reckoned Hristo lifted off 'cos I caught him too easily, and was surprised to be able to work a pass. However, being ahead of him is a bigger challenge, and I was too busy watching my mirrors and making line errors. Fulvio was starting to close, so I pushed on, but a mistake at Rivazza saw me grass tracking and back to 3rd.

The Cooper couldn't stay with his Brabham and I drifted back, helped by a further spin. But I was able to keep Clive 5 secs or so in arrears and made it to the finish.

Good fun and a better finish than I could have hoped for :D


Grats to Hristo and Fulvio on a fine display.

Nooooo! Gutted to miss this, just been so busy in work recently.

 :) grats podium ones !! and Clive for pole.
and  to Will catching some points for Antipasti racing team.
( pitty Norbert and Phil missed this race ).

@Mike Beattie , I really would like to test your Imola-Cooper setup , as I wasnt able to bring my Cooper too speed there. may you can sent it to me via PM ?

edit

got your setup . thx a lot.  :)

Final call for incident reports.

Are you allowed to publish those before the report's finalised? :)

***EDITED by MJ***

Posted in wrong thread. Oops.