Moderator's Report
Summary
A win for Francesco Molteni in a Brabham and a fine second place for Mikos in his BRM. Billy Nobrakes completed the podium in another Brabham.
Server replay time: 0h16m35s
Lap 12 - Barbeque Bend – Dave Curtis and Eric Bilodeau
Dave and Eric are having a tremendous battle with Dave on Eric’s tail for several laps. Eric is pushing hard to try to shake Dave off and so he runs wide at Barbeque Bend. Dave takes the opportunity to try to overtake on the inside but he is unable to keep a tight line and he runs wide into Eric. Both cars spin off. Although the contact is minor, Eric suffers the vagaries of the GPL collision engine and his car is irreparably damaged and he is out of the race. Dave can continue seemingly unaffected.
Eric did nothing wrong.
Dave was well within his rights to try to overtake but he needed to stay on his own side of the track until he had cleared Eric’s car.
This was not an overly ambitious overtake, it was a clear opportunity. However, Dave should have been able to execute the pass without shunting Eric out of the race. A was a lack of skill rather than a lack of judgment on Dave’s part, nevertheless he must be held accountable for the incident.
Server replay time: 0h22m20s
Lap 15 - Jukskei Sweep – Dave Curtis and Bernie Darwin
Bernie Darwin and Kai Daum are dicing for the minor placings when they are about to be lapped by Francesco Molteni and Dave Curtis. Francesco gets past Kai on the brakes into Crowthorne Corner and he is on Bernie’s gearbox as they approach Barbeque Bend. Bernie stays wide to allow Francesco to safely pass on the inside. Dave manages to overtake Kai (who had stayed wide) on the inside at Barbeque Bend and draws alongside Bernie on the approach to the Jukskei Sweep. Bernie moves across to take up the racing line and contact is made. Both cars spin out. Bernie can continue but unfortunately Dave is out of the race.
Francesco Molteni did nothing wrong.
Kai Daum did nothing wrong.
Bernie allowed Francesco through by keeping wide but in doing so Dave was not visible in his mirrors, consequently Bernie was unaware Dave was alongside when he moved over.
Dave expected Bernie to let him through and so he moved alongside into Bernie's blind spot. Dave had made the assumption that Bernie was aware he was alongside and was prepared to let him through.
The guidelines for lapping advise the lapped driver to maintain their normal racing line unless they choose to make a deliberate move to allow the lapping driver through. It is the lapping car’s responsibility to make a clean pass, it is not incumbent on the lapped driver to move over. However, there was clearly a misunderstanding here exacerbated by the fact that a pair of cars were lapping a pair of cars which made the situation unusually confusing.
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Lap 21 – Main Straight – Dave Rainier and Bernie Darwin
On the exit of Leeukop Bend, Bernie spots Rich Welsh in his mirrors and he realises he is about to be lapped. Bernie decides to make it easy for Rich and so he moves onto the grass allowing Rich to stay on the racing line for The Kink. However, this severely reduces Bernie’s speed and on the run to the line he is much slower than usual, just as Billy Nobrakes is approaching to lap him. Bernie sees Billy very late but he moves off the racing line to allow Billy past on the left. Dave Rainier is only a few hundred yards behind Billy and he has positioned his car to pass Bernie on the right. As Bernie moves over to let Billy through, Dave realises the gap between the armco and Bernie’s car is disappearing fast so he decides to switch sides and pass Bernie on the left. Changing direction at full speed is precarious and Dave puts a couple of wheels on the grass partially losing control just as Bernie appears to drift left. Contact is made and Dave is out of the race but Bernie can continue in his seemingly indestructible Honda.
David did nothing wrong.
Bernie seemed to be weaving on the straight as if his steering parameters were set wrong or the car was suffering from suspension damage (observing the handing earlier in the lap suggests the car had suspension damage and this is confirmed by the GPLRA Mechanical Report that declares severe problems with right front suspension at 22m43.190s). The car should not weave and need to be constantly corrected in a straight line. By moving over to let Rich through Bernie had compromised his normal line and speed which made his driving on the straight inconsistent with previous laps and hence unpredictable. This was obviously exacerbated by the suspension damage.
Arguably Bernie should have retired the car but he was entitled to continue in order to score points. Having decided to continue with a damaged car, Bernie should have stayed well off the racing line as a courtesy to others.
