UKGPL Season 15 Division 1 - Spa (1967) - Apr 20

[Phil Thornton]

Im bit disgusted of how bad div1 drivers are lately all this turn 1 mayhem, taking the biscuit, although i didnt submit a incident, whats the point when i was out of the race even before getting around the 1st corner :/

To be honest if all races are gonna be like this, perhaps they should see how the clubmans do it :/

Sorry you didn't get a chance to reset for an incident that wasn't your fault, it's one of the down sides of PRO rules Burt.  Wait for the moderator's report to find out if anyone is to blame, you might find there are mitigating factors.

You have a point with the Clubman's, there has been some exemplary driving in the lower division this so far this season

[Ken Murray]

Im bit disgusted of how bad div1 drivers are lately all this turn 1 mayhem, taking the biscuit, although i didnt submit a incident, whats the point when i was out of the race even before getting around the 1st corner :/

To be honest if all races are gonna be like this, perhaps they should see how the clubmans do it :/

Rob, I haven't looked at the Spa replay to make any comment and I sympathise with your dissapointment, but we've only had two races and the minor T1 incident at Kyalami only involved me afaik. So I think it's a bit rash to say Div 1 has become a crash fest.

[Kruger Enge]

Not taking anything away from Clubmans who are doing an excellent job, it is unfair to statistically compare the incident rate with D1 due to different levels of speed and aggression. 

D1 races (and starts) much closer to the limit and at that level, an odd incident here and there is no surprise. However, I can't really see the point of your remark against D1 drivers who all went through start and the race without incidents.

If I'm not wrong, your particular incident did not involve any D1 driver, did it now?

[Burtoner]

no it didnt, sorry perhaps i was bit too annoyed at the time, and made my point in a quick burst of anger. Just 1st in 4 races was getting to me i suppose 

[Phil Thornton]

Moderator's report is published.  Now it's official I can clear up the debate about the lap 1 turn 1 incident, it was caused by warp rather than rash driving by anyone in particular.

However it did prompt me to look a bit closer at some of the other occasions when warp may or may not have been a factor:

This is Kruger (defending inside) and Ken (attacking outside) just before warp contact.  Ken failed to get past on the outside.


This is Kruger (attacking inside) and Lorenzo (defending outside) at the same place.  They got round side-by-side with no contact.  Kruger made a successful pass on the inside.


As a comparison, this is Burt (attacking inside) and Phil (defending outside) in the Clubman's at the same spot.  They got round the whole bend side by side with no mishaps.  Burt tried to pass on the inside and only failed due to the extra power of the Ferrari on the exit. 


Interesting to note Lorenzo, Kruger and Ken are drifting better and are generally closer together.  With closer more competitive racing warp contact is more likely.  It is worth emphasizing that it is the responsibility of the attacking driver to make a clean pass but the defending driver should know when they are beaten and yield the corner, especially when they are on the outside and at risk of warp (as Lorenzo did).

[Burtoner]

Oh well that prompts me to think about racing in div1 now, im wasnt so lucky, my race has to end due to a warp contact which they get 0 penalties for. Time to think my approach to racing in div1 and if its really worth it.

On could note nice to see image of me and Phil together!

[Kruger Enge]

Burt, if you quit before the season is over, you'll never know if it was worth it

I don't know a person in UKGPL who never had a bad race or bad start but I've never seen someone quite because of that - yuou wouldn't want to make that kind of statistic, would you Burt

[Steven Foster]

...my race has to end due to a warp contact which they get 0 penalties for...

...but that can (and does) happen to ALL of us (Aliens included) with PRO rules. It comes with the territory old chap...please don't be disheartened - the Men of Cooper need you!

[Ken Murray]

Moderator's report is published.  Now it's official I can clear up the debate about the lap 1 turn 1 incident, it was caused by warp rather than rash driving by anyone in particular.

However it did prompt me to look a bit closer at some of the other occasions when warp may or may not have been a factor:

This is Kruger (defending inside) and Ken (attacking outside) just before warp contact.  Ken failed to get past on the outside.


This is Kruger (attacking inside) and Lorenzo (defending outside) at the same place.  They got round side-by-side with no contact.  Kruger made a successful pass on the inside.


As a comparison, this is Burt (attacking inside) and Phil (defending outside) in the Clubman's at the same spot.  They got round the whole bend side by side with no mishaps.  Burt tried to pass on the inside and only failed due to the extra power of the Ferrari on the exit. 


Interesting to note Lorenzo, Kruger and Ken are drifting better and are generally closer together.  With closer more competitive racing warp contact is more likely.  It is worth emphasizing that it is the responsibility of the attacking driver to make a clean pass but the defending driver should know when they are beaten and yield the corner, especially when they are on the outside and at risk of warp (as Lorenzo did).

I am a lot closer to Kruger compared to the other examples it has to be said. It just reinforces the fact that when you are on the outside you are very susceptable and so you need to drive accordingly. In hindsight I should have left more space but in the heat of the battle we are making these decisions in split seconds and so it's easy to wise after.