Phew. Finally over. That 130min is tough, especially if you've done an hour or more parctice just before hand. Note to self: Practice on saturday, k?
Got a decent qually and third spot. First lap and Jon is off at the top of the hill. If I spooked you being a bit hot into the turn, causing you to take evasive action to the outside curbing, I'm sorry. I
think it was within limits still, doubt there would have been contact.
After that it was a bit of a cruise for a while. No chance to keep up with FreQ, and Gazza slowly falling behind. Half a lap after I can't see Gazza in my mirror anymore, so I naturally loose focus, quickly bringing him back as a wakeup call
A GT2 goes wide in the Eau Rouge uphill left, I try to avoid him when he comes back, but he comes all the way across the track, squeezing me in between the railing and his car. Car is a bit understeery but nothing too bad.
Once the tires start to go, I have a hard time keeping Gazza at arms length. When I press the pit key, the guy tells me "better come in, you've got some aero damage" ( at least I think that's what he said), but the pit light doesn't come on.
On the following lap I spin it at the first right at the top of the hill, and Gazza spins too while trying to avoid me. Sorry about that.
Second stint I'm alone pretty much, chasing Gazza but loosing plenty of time/gap to lappers. I catch Allnut just before Eau Rouge twice, the first time I try to squeeze by side by side, costing me two seconds, and Peter a cut track possibly? Second time I coast part of the downhill, keeping my distance, then going full speed through Eau, this method only costing me one sec, should have done that the first time as well.
On the third stint TT come out of the pits just a little too early, just early enough that I can't pass before the end of the straight, aaagh. I chase him with less then a second of gap for most of the final stint. When he gets away, a lapper brings him back
. What I lost to Gazza, I gain with Tom.
But even though I'm right on his tail I don't really have a chance to attempt a pass. Only place I had enough of an advantage is at the top of the hill into the first righthander, but sadly I'm unable to find the room I would have needed.
We catch Gazza towards the end, TT gets past, but some defensive driving by Gazza keeps me behind. The final laps I struggle to keep in touch, slipping and sliding with fairly worn tires.
All in all an enjoyable, if *very* exhausting race. The third stint made up for the less eventful 1st and 2nd. A bit disappointed I couldn't, hmm, 'capitalize' on the qually position, but, should have expected it. Endurance remains a challenge for me, just getting to the finish line, I mean
Heh, a short novel again, gotta learn to be brief one of these days.