First race back after a while and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My race was all about the start in the Audi jumping from the back to third. After that I held Geoff and Toni up for a while as I really struggled with understeer, I was having to try and hook the inside wheels over the sausage kerbs to rotate the car.

Well done Mark on the win and Geoff on third. The Audi was the car to have here but I didn't have enough to challenge Mark.

Thanks Geoff, will definitely give this a go.

I managed to try the new FFB for an hour over the weekend in the GT3 ranked daily race at Silverstone GP. The FFB felt good although not that different but I could barely feel kerbs and bumps. I wasn't sure if it was because Silverstone is a flat track or because I haven't updated my firmware.

I then did a lap of Aragon in the Cupra competition and the FFB was glorious, the car felt much more FWD and realistic. I'd need to get used to it but it felt a much bigger step forward than the GT3.

Hoping to be back on the grid again soon.

Thoroughly enjoyed last night's race. The Opel had good pace in certain areas of the track but really struggled through the Dunlop curve so there were oversteery moments into the inside barrier aplenty.

Well done Bonni, Geoff and Leonardo! Special mention to Birger for getting that Mustang that far up the order.

I made a mistake with the maps last night Martin. In race 1 I ran map 3 on the straight and map 2 everywhere else. Realised at the halfway point that I had battery to burn and started running map 4 on the straight and 2 everywhere else, still had some left so I ran the last two laps on map 5.

I'm not sure if map 4/5 on the straight and 2 everywhere else or map 3 everywhere would have been the best option but either way I didn't use the range effectively by saving so much to the end. The time gained running map 5 doesn't outweigh the loss in range and ability to run a higher map more consistently.

Spins on the brakes and corner entry seems to be a common complaint - I don't tend to have this issue but I do drive these very differently from how I like to drive. In a WTCR car I like the rear very lively so I can move the car about on the brakes, in these I find straight line braking, almost parking the car on the apex to turn and then being patient not getting on the throttle until I won't have to lift off even with the power understeer as the best way to go as the weight and drive in these cars is low down in the rear.

Well done Mark on winning race 2 and well done to Mark and Geoff with the podiums.

I ran both races too conservatively and fell too far behind the leaders. I got a gift in race 1 due to mistakes but even without a trip across the gravel at T1 in race 2 I wouldn't have caught Mark and Geoff.

Well done Geoff on a dominant win 

I seemed to be a curse tonight, John disconnected when I was chasing him in the early laps and Jos spun into a wall when chasing me - I saw him coming on the brakes, left some room but then had to turn in at the last minute.

There is a fast car somewhere in the Opel at this track, the sweet spot is just so narrow. I thought the race might start and come back to me as it went on because my tyres were lasting nicely but it became like driving on chewing gum as they warmed up.

I completely lost touch with Dieter and Pete - well done on the podiums. Still had fun though

Brilliant duel with Geoff in race 1, I lost count of how many times we switched places. We spent the entire race under each others boot lid but I think Geoff just had a little bit extra in terms of driving and setup. I ran as fast as I could all race but at points Geoff was able to really turn it on.

I benefitted from mistakes in race 2 so when I made one of my own on the second to last lap it didn't cost me due to the battles behind.

Well done Geoff and Dieter! Well done everyone else on some great racing.

You'll probably find certain car and track combinations suit you better relative to other drivers so you may climb and fall through the order depending on the event.

I tend to be stronger in a WTCR or GT4 car but inept in anything open wheeled, mid or rear engined. As a result I think I've gone wheel to wheel with everyone here despite all our differing abilities.

Finally, raw pace isn't everything - you may find that you improve your tyre management, car setup preferences, consistency and general race management over time and that may be enough to climb up the order.

Welcome Nij, was great to have you race with us and hopefully you'll stick around for more racing. Was also great to see a good turnout. Well done Geoff, John and Jos 

Last night was a disaster for me - problems with everything from Steam to setup were topped off on lap 1 by an accidental upshift when hard on the throttle out of the right hander at the top of the hill sending me into the barrier. With my engine hanging by a thread I chased the pack but didn't have pace to begin with so it was a real struggle with a ruined engine, my only gains were by attrition more than anything else.

Shame about the server issue in race 2 but well done Mark on the win and Geoff on second.

Operator error for me in race 1. My wheel had done a full turn left when I came back ready for the race start. Felt the FFB but assumed it may be the camber of the grid at Brands Hatch, was a little surprised when the car turned hard left into barrier on launch.

I must have used too much of the battery trying to chase Geoff and Mark and had to run the last couple of laps on map 1 and fell away, I'd run a 10 minute stint in practice on map 3 and not quite used half so thought I'd be ok.

Well done Geoff, there was no catching you this time out 

Well done also to Frex and John for the podiums.

I made a mistake when chasing Frex, through the fast left in sector 2 I came off the kerb a little sideways and hung my rear right wheel into the gravel on the outside which sent my car spearing across into the tyre stack at the inside of the next left. That took half my engine health but fortunately at Knutstorp there is only one straight to lose out on. I then didn't know how much later I could brake into turn 1 and got it wrong a few laps later ending up in the gravel.

That set up a nice last few laps chasing Pete. My race also wasn't helped by a few accidental double taps of the downshift paddle from 3rd to 1st. I seemed to look after the tyres well and had good pace through the first half of the lap here but really struggled with the second half every lap.

Well done all 

Thoroughly enjoyed last night's race, well done Frex and Geoff who were a class above  

The Opel was a real handful and I struggled with the rear axle locking and hopping in practice. Upping the differential preload and power settings cured this but seemed to hurt the car's turning ability. As a result I had to run the rear very loose, I managed to hold on for a good qualifying lap late on but had no confidence I'd get through the entire race without a spin or trip to the barriers.

After Frex and Geoff cleared off in the race Pete kept the pressure on. He was quicker than me for a while but couldn't get an overlap in the right places. As the race went on and I got better through turn 2, 3, 4 and onto the straight and Pete's Audi started to work its front tyres harder I became less vulnerable. I also benefitted late on passing Bill between turn 2 and 3 whereas Pete got caught where turn 3 gets tight gifting me the gap.

Satisfying race overall, one of my better drives. The Opel seemed a little slow in the corners and on the brakes but didn't seem to have the straight line advantage I thought it had, it was also hair raising arriving sideways into turn 5 most laps and I did have a 5th gear drift through turn 4 on one lap.

I also struggled with setup, a lot of trial and error meant I finally found a setup I liked late in qualifying.

Similar to WTCR, I like these cars as loose at the rear as possible - it's just a shame the rear suspension is less adjustable. If you don't like an oversteery car it might be best to avoid my setup changes below.

Brake pressure increased two clicks.
Front camber increased two clicks.
Front tyre pressure increased to 24.9psi.
Rear anti-roll bar increased one click to maximum.
Rear damper bump and rebound increased two clicks each.
Final drive increased one click.
Differential coast reduced one click to the lower of the two settings.

Geoff and Frex have a smoother driving style than I do so their setups may prove more useful.

Hmmm, seem to have lost connection to the server. Server seems to think the race has 1781 minutes left.

Enjoyed the half of the race I got to do anyway. Had a good battle with Jos in the early laps, hard luck to Geoff who had a moment in the gravel at the last corner gifting me second at the same time I was inside Pete for third.

I wouldn't have caught Frex as the gap was back and forth a little but overall consistent. Assuming Frex wins well done on a strong win and to the podium finishers 

Thoroughly enjoyed last night's race, great racing with Geoff and Frex and well done Geoff on a hard fought win.

After Laguna Seca, it was nice to have 'some' brakes again, a little bit more settings tweaking needed but last night felt almost as good as before I updated my wheel firmware.

Over a lap there was very little in it between Geoff, Frex and I but Geoff's Bentley was punchier out of the corners and on the straight while my BMW was a little tighter on the brakes and turn in.

Benefitting from Geoff's slipstream allowed me to keep the pressure on and stay clear of Frex until I messed up a downshift at the end of the straight, hit Geoff and spun - apologies for the hit.

I rejoined in front of Frex and with Geoff slowing we recommenced battle as a three. Geoff kept it tight all race and it was so close that a divebomb on the brakes would have been the only chance at leading, even then I may have been a sitting duck with Geoff in the slipstream on the straight.

Not sure what gave you the impression I'm a BMW fan Geoff  
Yes, I drive an M140i and my wife has an X3 M40i, I tend to prefer the smaller BMW's with a straight six up front, rear wheel drive and just the right amount of too much power. That said, think I'm going to take the Opel for the DTM '92 series.