UKGPL Season 16 (2008) - Mexico City - F1Legends - Jan 11

[Jack O'Ferrall]

Thanks for keeping us advised Ken- we are still hoping for more volunteers, it's a 2000GMT start.

However I haven't had any emails from my contact at F1Legends since Monday, which has me concerned- if there has been a problem with email, can one of the F1Legends drivers get in touch, in chat if that's more convenient?

[Phil Thornton]

Thanks for keeping us advised Ken- we are still hoping for more volunteers, it's a 2000GMT start.

Hope Napo turns up, he's a BRM specialist

[Jack O'Ferrall]

I've updated the race details, it'll be F1Legends3 on Vroc, and also available on GPL-TV.  The password won't be the one that was up, I'll post it at race time.

That's a relief, thanks Jean!

[FullMetalGasket]

Don't know why I bother with these, Saw an accident ahead at the exit to the chicane so slowed slightly more than normal to avoid re-ending Will who was slowing similarily - only to get re-ended myself and flipped by one of the other team
I really am beginning to think it's a waste of my time taking part in these races, as it would appear that I'm jinxed to NEVER finish one 

[EvilClive]

Don't give up FMG!! I made it to 22 laps and turned my Eagle into a bicycle!!

To be honest I had been fighting the setup all weekend but was at least running up towards the front.

I got a great start and gained about 4 place slotting in between Clive L and Ken Murray before T1 I knew I would struggle so figured I'd let Ken pass on the straight and ride shotgun in 5th or 6th th spot.

This worked well for the next 10 laps or so then the setup bit me and a spin dropped me one place. I was still running in 5th and with quite a healthy gap so I figured, that was as good as it gets.

A second spin lost me 5th only for the guy who gained a place to spin himself on the next corner and give it back again  :O) merci!

All was going well until Hristo appeared on prib in "lapping mode" .

I saw him in my mirrors exiting the hairpin, but lost sight of him in the bumpy esses. I could hear his Fez and was sure he would take the inside line along the little straight.....suddenly I realise he is on the ruddy outside!!!! just as he jinks back in behind me. In my efforts to ensure I did not take out the race leader I stayed wide...too wide and scraped two lovely wheels off on the armco!!!

I should have kept a better eye on Hristo in my mirrors, but when you are up to your neck in crocodiles.........

[Will Tway]

After a black screen and a 10min reboot, I finally got into the game. As Tim mentioned, I slowed to avoid a few flying cars and suddenly he was gone. Don't give up Tim, it gets better, I was so eager to try and pass a Coop I'd been chasing for a good 20 laps, I gave her more revs that she could handle and it was all over in an instant. I seriously had a marvelous time. I too always get nervous when I see H coming up, but I got lucky as he approached in a favorable location. LOL

Sorry mates, I got a bit greedy and paid the price. If I get invited next time, I shall try better. (Have I already said that) 

Thanks again to Dave for setting this up. And F1 Legends, a very nice bunch.

Grats to the podium and all who finished.

Crashed and burned.

Will

[Ken Murray]

Made it in the end. Pleasantly surprised to be given a Brabham in place of a BRM. Happy with 7th on the grid, although the French team did seem to edge it at the front of the grid. I dropped a place to Clive at the start but as he has already reported he kindly gave it back at the start of the second lap. Then with the first lap incidents and a few drop outs I soon found myself running 3rd. After I lost Clive riding shotgun I had to keep an eye on yoel in his Lotus but I managed to maintain the gap throughout to take the last podium position. Shame we didn't have many finishers but I have to say I was lucky to survive a couple of brushes with the armco at T1 during the race.

[Hristo Itchov]

I wasn't ready for this race. Not at all. I was too nervous in qualifying and couldn't focus at all nor calm down. Especially when Martin did a very quick time in the Eagle I kept overdriving and missing my lines and braking points all the time. 

There were some problems with the opposition, some behaved quite badly. One of the Jeans was running infront of me, went wide, hit the wall and obviously his lap was ruined. He moved over to free up the ideal line but as soon as he saw me in his mirrors he moved back infront to block me, so I just rearended him in anger. 

Anyway, I managed to take 2nd behind Martin and had a good start thus closing up on him towards T1, but braked a bit too late and went wide so he managed to open a slight gap. Unexpectedly though he wasn't pulling away and I could easily close up on him and attempt a pass in T1 after a proper slipstream on the s/f straight, but I braked too late again and hit the armco. By the time I managed to free myself from the glue effect he had regained 1st place and opened up more than a second gap and I thought it's all over.

But again he was much slower and I caught up with him and attempted another pass into T1 but this time we entered it side by side and although I tried my best to keep the inside line I slid a bit wide and either Martin decided to go straight to avoid me or I touched him and sent him there. Regardless, I slowed down to let him back into 1st because I felt it was my fault at the time. Obviously he didn't have the speed though and eventually he went wide and into the armco in T1 on one of the next laps so I took the lead and lost sight of him very quickly. I saw he retired in a few laps, so that pretty much decided it.

It wasn't before half distance that I could finally focus well and calm down, so my driving improved and I just settled into a rythm. Apart from a few mistakes on my own due to overheated tyres, I managed to do some clean fast laps, especially the last 2.

I have to say some words about backmarkers - they were TERRIBLE!  I don't know who was who, but more than half of the cars I passed gave me a hard time, on purpose or not. I sure had many opportunities to use the "raise hand" button to show them the finger and so I did! 

After the race I saw the mechanical report from RA and for some reason Martin got a medium damage in his left front on lap 1, so that probably explains his lack of speed thereafter. Otherwise I don't think I stood a chance, not in the mental condition I was anyway.

It was a shame to see so many of our team retire, I was keeping an eye on the system messages. Congrats to Ken for his 3rd place and to Natan and Phil for being our only other finishers to score points.

-=Hristo=-

[Clive Loynes]

Sorry team, I blew it.

Qualified 5th and lost a place off the line to a Brab, I think.  Just took it easy and gained some places when the Brab nudged their Lotus out of the way at T4 and then got himself cross-threaded at the start of the Esses.

That meant that I was in a comfortable 4th and I could see a couple of Ferraris and a something ahead.  They were in a bit of a battle so were not pulling away much, if at all.  My pit board told me that it was the enemy Ferrari ahead so I decided to have a go.

Then going down into the hairpin it appeared that the two Ferraris were quite close together.  By the time I had assured myself that they were not going to bung the track up I found myself heading for the Armco.  I thought that I was going to be able to glance off but no.  I caught the leading edge and took my left front clean off.


Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger..................................bugger!

[Will Tway]

Jack Seller wrote:

J'ai uploadé le replay de la course ICI.

http://www.f1legends.ch/download/F1Legends_UKGPL.zip

Thanks Jack.

[Jack O'Ferrall]

Congratulations to F1Legends, and also to Hristo for another impressive win.  Thanks to Jean for organising and hosting the race from the F1Legends side, and to Jack Seller for the replay link.

UKGPL 1st, 3rd (good race Ken!), 9th and 10th= 18+16+10+9=53pts

F1Legends 2nd (wd Bertrand), 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th= 17+15+14+13+12+11+8=  an 'impressive' 90pts, with seven finishers- one more point than ADC!

Despite the final result and though we were edged on the grid, this was very close for much of the race while UKGPL still had six runners and an advantage in terms of position, so we weren't outmatched.  If it's any consolation Will, I suspect we may have been down by a single point before your engine went, so at least the pass would have made a difference!  The rematch has been provisionally set for May 31st, I hope it's as well-received as this one! 

Thanks to Natan for turning out at short notice, another useful points scoring run, this time with the BRM.  I'd also like Tim and Gasper to get points for us this season- and Clive to return to solve our Lotus problem!   Leffa was briefly in contention for the last slot after John had to miss out and I'd hope to see him in UKGPL colours at some point, as well as Jethro if he has his connection sorted. 

Having mentioned team colours, we're hoping to experiment with colours in our next race with GP Fun on the 25th, and we've been asked what colours we'd like- any opinions?

[Ken Murray]

Having mentioned team colours, we're hoping to experiment with colours in our next race with GP Fun on the 25th, and we've been asked what colours we'd like- any opinions?

Is that helmet colours or car skin colours??

[Jack O'Ferrall]

If it works it'll be car colours, with the colours applied to one of a selection of simple liveries, nose band, stripe etc.

However the method used may be tricky, it depends on organising a join order to the server, but I reckon we should try it anyway.

[Ken Murray]

If it works it'll be car colours, with the colours applied to one of a selection of simple liveries, nose band, stripe etc.

However the method used may be tricky, it depends on organising a join order to the server, but I reckon we should try it anyway.

and we will all have to install the files beforehand!! I am comfortable to mess with my GPL install but I think some may be wary. It's not like more modern sims where custom files can be added to the base install without overwriting. To get custom skins in GPL you will need to overwrite the existing car skins. Easy enough to copy and backup the existing car folders though.

[Turkey Machine]

That seems to work OK for helmet colours, but for liveries, won't that just apply it for all cars?