Daz9
Full Member
Posts: 427
Inexorable pest
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« Reply #16 on: August 15, 2023, 09:48:53 PM +0100 » |
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Fwiw I was running the long gears, middle gears are 5 tenths slower for me here.
Couldn't quite nail the lap in quali for a time, but took some of the race fuel out and that did the trick, hence the 1.26.7 which I think is my best lap ever in this car here.
Made a bit of a mess of the launch, too much wheelspin meant that Dimi got into turn 1 in front, and I was happy enough to settle in second and take the tow. Overtaking around here is difficult, but not impossible if enough space is left. I thought I would be quite a bit quicker given that I was in the tow, but actually the high pressure tyres that DD was running did give him just a bit of an advantage in the first part of the straights, and I was having to move around in the braking zone to try to move him offline to get a run. Ran practically on his bumper for the first 6 laps or so, we swapped a little paint here and there but nothing outrageous. The chicane was an issue, whatever I was doing was better by quite a chunk, but a near static Cortina in the middle of the chicane in front of me a few times prevented the best use of my advantage there.
Eventually made a enough of an overlap through and out of Woodcote to risk a dive into the last chicane, and took the lead. DD slotted in behind, and took the chance to sit in the tow. He took in where I was quick, and was quicker on the back straight than me by a big margin, so actually breaking away was looking tricky despite the advantage in quali. With race fuel loads it was far more even it seemed, my car had more understeer with the fuel on which was robbing me of a bit of speed. I lead for 4 laps or so, but then pushed too hard in Lavant, touching the left kerb giving me some sideways action and losing drive, and I had no choice but to give DD space as he had a huge run up to Woodcote. Ah well, only lap 9 or whatever I thought, plenty of time.
Unfortunately, whilst it was fun moving around in the slipstream, being so close was also making it difficult to see all the turn in points for the corners. Turn 1 in particular, where I had found some time in quali, now became a problem for me, and that meant quite a few laps were spent then catching up, only to lose time in the aforementioned chicane and turn 1. I couldn't get the best from the car, and making a pass now looked harder as DD had learned when behind me so was quicker. Some moments where I did have enough speed to draw alongside came and went, and then eventually the inevitable happened and we touched, not hard but in a really bad place, just you are braking hard for Woodcote. I went straight off into the barrier to the left at speed, didn't lose too much time in all, only 4 seconds or so, but the car was bent of course. I wasn't impressed with myself, although it was a total racing incident it was on me to avoid it. I think the front brakes were locking a bit here, and that did for me.
At this point that left me with a situation of trying to now close a gap, with a car that seemed slower on the straights than before, with steering that was a little bent. Needless to say, the next 5 laps at least were rubbish, I was trying to go quick but the car didn't want to play, and lots of little errors like running wide out of St.Marys or the chicane then happened. I also nearly rolled it off the kerb in Woodcote when looking at how best to get past Robbie, turned in a little too early when distracted! Before long I was over 8 seconds back, with 13 laps or so to go, so no chance from there, it was in the bag now for DD.
Pegged the gap, DD was obviously in cruise mode by this point, and then by lap 20 I had a handle on the damage. Also, the lighter car was starting to pay off, my setup is obviously better on lower fuel is all I can think. All of a sudden I was flying along, and the gap was shrinking, not fast enough to actually get to him, but pressure is sometimes enough, so I gave it all I had. DD realised, and also then pushed, so the whilst the gap was still coming down it did mean my progress slowed. By lap 27 I had it down to 4 seconds, was never going to close all that in 3 laps, I was gaining 0.5 at best, but it was worth a go still right..... but then I tried too hard into St.Marys and a huge rear slide sent me smashing into the barrier on the left. Recovered to the track having lost 18 seconds or so, and just brought it home. If it wasn't bent before it certainly was now....
Grats to DD, uber consistent as always, and to Geoffers for the podium run.
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