UKGPL Season 17 (2009) Inter League - Brands Hatch (GP) - Trellet - Mar 1

[Hristo Itchov]

I am having MAJOR trouble with keeping the Eagle in a straight line. I know Brands is mostly curves and there's only one "straight" to speak of, but every time I put the power down I'm sideways - constantly having to keep feathering the throttle, if I mess up braking by a couple metres, I'm in the hedge / barrier / doing the lawnmower. So far, I hit 1:37. Where should I be aiming?

I suggest you start with a PJ setup, his Brands ones are quite good. His Eagle setup has a time of 1:32.34, so that's your aim. 
Also watch a good fast lap of the track, it'd show you the best lines and braking points.

[Napo]

I am having MAJOR trouble with keeping the Eagle in a straight line. I know Brands is mostly curves and there's only one "straight" to speak of, but every time I put the power down I'm sideways - constantly having to keep feathering the throttle, if I mess up braking by a couple metres, I'm in the hedge / barrier / doing the lawnmower. So far, I hit 1:37. Where should I be aiming?

I suggest you start with a PJ setup, his Brands ones are quite good. His Eagle setup has a time of 1:32.34, so that's your aim. 
Also watch a good fast lap of the track, it'd show you the best lines and braking points.

I just kidnap an alien and make him race under my nick...still works like a charm

[Turkey Machine]

I am having MAJOR trouble with keeping the Eagle in a straight line. I know Brands is mostly curves and there's only one "straight" to speak of, but every time I put the power down I'm sideways - constantly having to keep feathering the throttle, if I mess up braking by a couple metres, I'm in the hedge / barrier / doing the lawnmower. So far, I hit 1:37. Where should I be aiming?

I suggest you start with a PJ setup, his Brands ones are quite good. His Eagle setup has a time of 1:32.34, so that's your aim. 
Also watch a good fast lap of the track, it'd show you the best lines and braking points.

I will give this a go this afternoon. Can you link me to a good fast lap then? The ones I have are of 1980s F1, so not exactly representative!

[Hristo Itchov]

I am having MAJOR trouble with keeping the Eagle in a straight line. I know Brands is mostly curves and there's only one "straight" to speak of, but every time I put the power down I'm sideways - constantly having to keep feathering the throttle, if I mess up braking by a couple metres, I'm in the hedge / barrier / doing the lawnmower. So far, I hit 1:37. Where should I be aiming?

I suggest you start with a PJ setup, his Brands ones are quite good. His Eagle setup has a time of 1:32.34, so that's your aim. 
Also watch a good fast lap of the track, it'd show you the best lines and braking points.

I will give this a go this afternoon. Can you link me to a good fast lap then? The ones I have are of 1980s F1, so not exactly representative!

I don't have links, but perhaps a lap from previous UKGPL Brands replays or from gplrank?

[Turkey Machine]

Race (actually qualifying) starts in about 10 minutes BTW, it's an EARLY START!

[Turkey Machine]

Apologies guys, I had an argument with a hedge and lost - I ended up with 3 wheels for the latter part of my last lap of competition and was looking good for a finish had the car not snapped sideways on the exit of the previous corner to Dingle Dell. I was really enjoying that race, had a good rhythm, was concentrating on not outbraking myself into Paddock Hill and Druids, and just trying to focus myself. Had a nice session behind Fulvio for about 5 or 6 laps before I made a slight cockup into Paddock and dropped back, and just tried to keep it on the black stuff, failing miserably with snap-oversteer at the worst possible place.

[zoic]

It was looking to be a hard fight with Hristo in the early laps, but unfortunately his Honda expired.

Rest of the race I just tried to stay awake with lack of sleep. Might have made a mistake with the gear changes and with 6 to go my engine started smoking very badly. Luckily I managed to nurse it to the finish

Thanks for the race guys. See you in the next interleague race 

[Napo]

Well my ISP decided to disconnect me.

Would have finished! Sorry guys

[Kanzo]

Ouch. Apologies to John, I really misjudged that corner on lap 4. I felt really bad when I saw that your race was over.  

Anyway, thanks to all of you guys for the race. I had some great time with William for almost 15 laps but you were a little faster. And of course then I had to throw it all away after 20 laps. It was quite tragicomical, really. (Check the replay if you don´t believe me...)

[Hristo Itchov]

Well, after a last minute change to Honda and missing almost half qualifying session due to the EVILNESS of GEM erasing my season ini entry for Brands67, lol, it was good that I already had some decent setups and with a bit of tweaking it was possible to do a low 32 or high 31 and was certainly on my way to do such a lap but the engine expired at the exit of last turn, so I had to settle for 5th on the grid.

The start was ok and I think most of us kept our positions and just tried to keep it clean and safe during the 1st lap. Then I tried to put pressure on the people ahead, but at the same time I was taking good care of preserving the Honda engine by shifting earlier and lifting up decently as well as be careful on downshifts. Of course that compromised me some speed, but I could keep up with the cars ahead and hopefully not slow Iestyn behind too much. He had a wobble eventually and dropped 3 seconds back, then after a few more laps just when I was closing in on Ilkka a car appeared to have gone off and rejoined behind me. Soon I realized it was Aleksi who started on pole and was leading before that, so I had to defend from his fast Ferrari and that lost me some ground, but at least I could keep 4th. I was just beginning to close up the gap again and at the same time Aleksi was getting big in my mirrors again when the engine simply expired at the apex of T3 when I went off the throttle. 
Shame as it could've been a good result. Grats to Trellet for winning this one and to our finishers for holding on until the end.

[Napo]

oh yea, and there was some crazy shit that went down in the back, I managed to avoid it all but some of it was a little much for organized league racing.

[Will Tway]

Yeah I turned into John as an Eagle was recovering at T1. I just watched the start and I had no sight of him at all. It was an unfortunate incident which did cause a few offs but I was happy to see everyone recovered. I certainly should have kept the outside line. Sorry to all involved.

After the dust settled, I just pounded away expecting the engine to let go at any moment. Had one freak spin somewhere between Pilgrim's  Drop and Hawthorn. Still not sure what the hell I hit. Had a great run with Kanzo as we were evenly matched. No time to wonder here, just spent the race trying to keep it together. Happy to finish but that was one tough group. Hat's off to Lorenzo for a brilliant drive and Aleksi for some of the best driving I've ever witnessed. Grats also to Jessi and the entire Trellet crew. WD.

Will