Wasn't sure I was going to do the race as I kinda forced myself to take the longtail, eventhough I didn't like it, so lost motivation to race
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Went on the practice server early to try and get the thing tamed and see if it would make it more enjoyable. In the end I went very extreme with the setup, but I hardly noticed any cons
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Had a messy lap in qually, but still was unable to improve the next laps, as the rest were even messier. With an all time low point, hitting the inside wall in T1.
Decent start but I think it was FMG that had a better start as usual and I had to defend into turn 1. After that, with the use of some boost on the straight I was able to create a gap, but few laps later, all of a sudden I see the gap to FMG decrease rapidly. I was running the boost on 80% all the time then to preserve the engine and my tyres were already yellow/red and he was on hards.
I knew I didn't have his pace, even if I pushed on full boost, so I waited for him to close up. Then it was a matter of not outbraking yourself and switching to max turbo on the straights.
I was really holding him up, so I knew I had to go for the undercut with pitstops. If he would stop earlier and use the pace he had, he would jump ahead of me, so I pitted a lap earlier than planned.
When I cam out, I left the car on 100% for the whole time, untill he pitted. But even then, I was hardly able to close the gap, so I expected him to get out infront. Also because fuel took ages, and I forgot it is fuel added, so I had way too much fuel and he didn't need that much anymore.
But he came out of the pits a few seconds behind me, with around 9 laps to go. So I was in for a repeat of stint 1. This time, we were both on mediums, but mine were already close to getting yellow.
I thought about swtiching to hards, but I was already struggling with heat into the mediums, and you can't change tyre pressure for compound change, so I left it on mediums.
The first few laps with FMG right behind me, I only used the boost on the straights, but the last few laps I left it maxed out the whole time. Worn tyres plus full boost, equals feathering the thottle to the extreme. Often barely touching the throttle and coasting through corners. I had to focus on the exits, as FMG had more cornering speed and would often leave a slight gap to have the momentum out of the corner.
Luckily for me, the extra power of the LT saved me.
This race was exactly what I was hoping for for this race, a handling vs power battle just like a few weeks ago at Imola. I have seem to be on the defending side a bit much tho
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Had a bit of aero damage halfway through the race, no idea if that slowed me down more, but on the replay it looked like my front was wrecked
. Damage model in this game is so increadibly bad.
Awesome race in the end and well done to FMG for having the patience to be behind my slow car