UKGPL Season 19 (2010) Amateurs Trophy (65) - Mexico City - Mar 30

[kinghiro]

I had a fantastic start. I think my clutchbutton got stuck or something cause my car did not move.(maybe some sticky stuff went down there during years of pornsurfing ).I went out last and passed nick on the grass.He was very eager to pass me again and I didn t want to stay in the way. After some laps behind a very descent Phil who also tried to let me pass when I didn t mean to I got through and worked my way up to hmmm 7 th I think. Had a nice battle with Rye wich unfortunatly ended with a spin for him. Thx for clean racing to those I overtook.
oh almost forgot racelength: No big surprise for anyone I guess that I would love to have the 50 minutes instead of "long".I saw it would be fixed, but still felt for putting in a "vote".

[Phil Thornton]

Not sure what happened to my inauspicious Amatures debut , combination of an unfamiliar car , (not sure if the Lotus was the right choice)  and a shortage of wheel time but I understeered right into a brick wall at the kink before the hairpin when trying to defend my next to last place 

I was as disappointed as you Bernie.  I was hoping for a battle with someone for the wooden spoon LOL.  It's normally mine by default.

How you guys are getting those brabs and brm's into the 51's is beyond me , I was way off the mark , maybe its a combination of my driving talent and the Mexican food , will stay off the jumping beans next time 

Yes amazing times, but something for us to aim at 

[bernie]

Maybe we could have relived the Clubmans Cup , won't forget the great racing we had   

[Statmeister]

Here's some additional stats for Mexico (subject to race moderation).

The opening round of the 4th Am's season & Evil Clive's victory moves him into second spot in the list of the division's alltime winners with 5 wins.
And for today's random stat, the only drivers to have won more than 1 Am's race are:

1. Hristo Itchov (9)
2. Evil Clive (5)
3. Full Metal Gasket (4)
4. Fulvio Policardi (3)
=5. John Roberts / Natan (2)
 
As far as the Statmeister challenge goes, not only did Evil Clive manage to lap more consistently than anyone else but he also claimed the quickest average laptime (1:52.836)



Details of what this is all about here

[b_1_rd]

Hmm, interesting stat!  Remind me again why we run handicapped chassis!?! 

[JamesRye]

Statmeister,

I like these stats, it is good to see how consistently inconsistent I am 

Cheers,

Jim

[JamesRye]

Not sure if this is the place to post, but what sort of times are people managing around Keimola.

I have done 10 laps with a modified Zandvoort setup and can scrape a 1:22.00

Hoping that this will be a mid-grid laptime?

James

[b_1_rd]

Rather than create a rule for this sort of scenario, in the interests of close, safe racing drivers are requested not to weave in order to break a tow. If weaving to break a tow becomes widespread, a rule outlawing it may have to be introduced.

I'm a little confused.  I know, doesn't take much! 

I admit to have done this occasionally in previous races, is it allowed or not? 

[Hristo Itchov]

I think it's OK to try and break a tow (though it's not really effective most of the time), as long as you pick up a line well in advance before a braking zone and thus not surprise the driver behind. So as long as it's on a straight and as long as you're not doing it when the other car is too close, I don't see a problem.

[Clive Loynes]

Me neither H.   

I’ve never had a problem with people weaving to break a tow but I would have said that it is a matter of distinguishing between weaving to break a tow and weaving to block.

Nothing wrong with the former but the latter is a heinous crime that gets everybody hot under the collar.

The difference is just a matter of who moves first. If the bloke in front moves out of the path of the bloke behind, where is the problem?

If the bloke behind moves across the track to make a passing attempt and the bloke in front also moves over, then that is blocking.

When the car behind is getting close and is about to move but the bloke in front moves over, then basically he has done the guy behind a favour.  However, as the lead car moves over he will have moved the other car into his blind spot and will have to cease his wanderings back and forth as he must assume that the other car is alongside.

It is probably the last point that causes the problem.  Some drivers have difficulty in “acknowledging” that the other car is alongside, even when it’s the other car that has done all the work and made his intentions crystal clear.  What chance does he stand of accepting where the other car is when he has confused the situation still further?

One thing about weaving to break a tow in GPL, or any other sim, is that it’s safe enough in a fight between two drivers who know what they are doing.  Lob a third car in there and it really shouldn’t be indulged in.  There is no way that you can always know where both of the other cars have got to.

[Hristo Itchov]

I couldn't have said it better, Clive. I wish the FIA were not as dumb and adopt the same view instead of just calling "weaving" any two times (or more) a car changes its position on the road or saying they don't want to encourage breaking the tow. The morons should look at their stupid rules about aerodynamics instead...

[Phil Thornton]

There has been some lengthy discussions on the mods forum about breaking a tow. 

We have a clear rule about weaving to block.

We don't have any rules about weaving to break a tow.

I suggest we wouldn't want a group of drivers weaving down long straights like a snake, that is likely to end in crashes.  It hasn't happened as far as I can recall.  If it does, then we may want to change the rules.

At the end of the day trying to break the tow will only delay the inevitable IMO.  If the following car is faster they will catch up anyway.  If the following car needs the tow to get on terms, they won't pull away if they eventually overtake.  It should be relatively easy for the overtaken car to retake the position.  So IMO it would be better if we didn't bother trying to break a tow, if you are genuinely quicker you shouldn't need to.

Rest assured we won't introduce a rule on this without widespread consultation (and certainly not mid season).  If the drivers are happy with the rules as they stand then the rules will not be changed.  However if the moderators are regularly faced with incidents caused by "excessive weaving" (whatever we determine that to be) then we would have to introduce a rule for the guidance (and sanity) of the moderators.