GT Sprint - S3 R8 - Monza - 1st August

[picnic]

Replay and Provisional Results are up.

Contratulations to Greg and the 28CD mob for the drivers and team championships  

[Paddy Cummins]

Nice clean race. Made a few silly mistakes which really harmed my race but it was my best performance yet. I managed to keep ahead of Aangramn in the opening few laps but then he outbraked me into turn 1 and I shifted down to early and spun so that ruined my chance of catching him again. Still, made up some more places as some guys dropped out. Then, with 10 mins left, I was nearly out of fuel but made it back to the pits. I also needed fresh rubber. That definitley ruined any chance of catching the guy ahead as I was lapped a few times now but still, I noticed a big improvement from the other races:

Oschersleben - lapped 6 times
Estoril - lapped 5 times
Monza - lapped 3 times 

The new Driving Force Pro wheel must have been part of that but I think my driving skill is improving with each event too. I don't know when I'll next compete but I've enjoyed the start of my career here and hopefully it won't be too long before I'm out on the track again.

Thanks for the company.

Aside from my race, I congratulate Greg on the win and podium finishers Jon M and Zacari. Hard luck Zacari, I seen you spin off at Variante Ascari in the closing stages and loose 2nd place. 

Hope I didn't cause too much trouble out there today. 

[picnic]

I run very little GT but enjoyed the outing tonight until about 3 laps to go when I fell off coming out of the parabolica. Think is was my doing but after coming to a rest in the gravel mr super efficient mechanic came on the radio to tell me I had a rear left puncture :'( That was my one indiscretion in the race but cost me really dear.

Good clean racing, thanks guys especially Rich A who got a run on me a couple of times while I was 'tucked' up behind Shark.

[Simon Gymer]

Congratulations to 28CD on the team title. Seemed like you were everywhere tonight, everywhere I looked there were yellow F550s.

Thanks to everyone for the good attendance in the final race of the season.

Was a great fight in the last race and i'd like to thank the Team Shark boys for putting in a fantastic effort at the last race. Just wasn't meant to be. 2nd is still a great acheivement so well done to everyone at Team Shark for that.

Some very odd stuff on formation lap with FlyBri? not moving off the grid and then what looked like in my mirrors a 28CD car spear another one from behind as we approached the last corner to put on the limiter. Anyway, managed to avoid any nasties on lap 1 to get into the race cleanly and Team Shark in a good position in the race with Zacari doing a stella job with pole position and the lead of the race.

I had just managed to pop in a reasonable time in qualifying to get 5th on the grid, but I went conservative with the setup for the race knowing that it was VERY important to finish well. I think I went too conservative, added too much wing, took off too many revs, gearing didn't start low enough and so on. I was worried fuel would be an issue in the Lambo but there was so much to spare I could have taken some out and rev'd it higher. I was really struggling for pace in the race with my conservative setup and was having to try quite hard to get any sort of speed out of it. Still it was relatively stable except for some of the bumps that I could barely hold onto the car over. Out of T1 I seemed better than any of the people chasing me as I could literally floor the throttle and get no oversteer at all in 1st gear.

In the end I finished 6th which is pretty good for me at Monza so quite pleased with that as i really don't like it.

Thanks for another good season of racing and hope to see you all in shiney new GT cars for the SimRacing.org.uk GTR 2 Sprint Championship.

[Aagramn]

Congratulations Greg on the race & championship wins, and congratulations 28CD for winning the team championship.

[Rich_A]

Grats to Greg, really thought I might be more competitive for this season but got off to a bad start - mind you not to take away from the fast pace of many a driver here. Maybe doing Endurance two days before affects my ability too ..

Made some changes for this race, was better eventually .. sorry I had to spoil a Team Shark 6th and 7th, well I didn't spoil it except for pestering. Picnic's car lost traction on that final bump exiting last turn, was 30 meters away going 90 degrees left into sand trap. Unlucky!!

[mclaessen]

and then what looked like in my mirrors a 28CD car spear another one from behind as we approached the last corner to put on the limiter.

I got clipped I think it's an incident similar to the one I had at Enna once. Then it felt like the field slowed down too much for me to brake making me crash into the back of the guy in front. I think in today's incident some warp on my part was involved   Nothing you can do about it. These things happen when racing online

A bit disappointed about this race. I had hoped to finish at this track for once. Another (final) chance coming next week.

Congrats to Greg for the race win.

Aww, what am I complaining about actually. WE WON Good job guys!!

[Zerbubus]

Grats to the winner, well done to my Team 28CDM.

I was having a good race until my FFB died on my wheel and then i just kept coming off, and to stop me causing trouble for other drivers, i pulled out of the race. 

[FlyBri]

Congratulations to 28CD on the team title. Seemed like you were everywhere tonight, everywhere I looked there were yellow F550s.

Some very odd stuff on formation lap with FlyBri? not moving off the grid

Sorry about that, my buttons on steering wheel stopped working couldnt select first gear  

Shame cause i put in a decent quaili time (4th) and felt strong for the race. Wasnt good for the team championship at that point, me not starting and Maurice's incident but well done to Greg for win and Locutos for finishing 4th and securing points (provisionally as keep being mentioned  )

[greg130]

Good clean race allround for me.
Qualed in a respectable 3rd behind the flying Zac and Jon.
Jon did as he promised and span at the chicane leaving me in 2nd.
Couldnt belive it when Zac started to ease off the pace, what were you doing mate ?
Anyway soon caught him up and then he spun right infront of me, unfortunatly it was at the first chicane so I had no-where to go but into the side of him.
After that it was just a case of bringing the car home and hoping that Locutus in the remaining 28 CD car could finish ahead of shark.
All turned out rather well in the end with the drivers and team championship.

Grats to all the drivers for making it a clean season and a pleasure to drive with.

Oh and Fly I wouldnt worry about the provisional result, we have such a large points margin that even if things do change a little we are home and dry.

[locutos ukgtr]

I got clipped I think it's an incident similar to the one I had at Enna once. Then it felt like the field slowed down too much for me to brake making me crash into the back of the guy in front.

Damn Mclaessen, just looked at replay, didnt think I hit you but obviously clipped you, very sorry mate, dunno what happened. I was warming brakes when you guys seemed to stop, no brake lights warning or anything. My fault entirely and once again apologies.

[ginsters sponsored]

Congrats to Greg and team 28  . Pretty damn faultless driving for last two seasons.

Now, don't be to hard on me when we get thumped on Saturday. 

[greg130]

Now, don't be to hard on me when we get thumped on Saturday. 

Think it might be us getting the thumping mate 

[mclaessen]

I got clipped I think it's an incident similar to the one I had at Enna once. Then it felt like the field slowed down too much for me to brake making me crash into the back of the guy in front.

Damn Mclaessen, just looked at replay, didnt think I hit you but obviously clipped you, very sorry mate, dunno what happened. I was warming brakes when you guys seemed to stop, no brake lights warning or anything. My fault entirely and once again apologies.

Yeah, no problem. I already thought you didn't stand a chance to brake in time. I had a very similar incident at Enna once. Exactly like you describe the field froze. Must be some kind of warp/lag involved. Nothing you could do about it

[Zacari]

Couldnt belive it when Zac started to ease off the pace, what were you doing mate ?

I was being a wally, that's what I knew Shark was in 4th off the start, but after 2 laps I couldn't see him so I kept the gap back to Jon quite small.  Then when Jon span, I figured the only way we'd get anywhere in the championship was to try and back you into Jon.  Unfortunately my lack of recent racing meant I got caught out at the chicane and 11-12 seconds on over-heated tyers in 7 laps was too much to make up.  I should've just kept my own race pace and chanced the rest to luck, which is what I'll do in future!  I'll try and make amends in the enduro...