GT fun Series race REIMS

[Hristo Itchov]

Why not? We could have an endurance division, maybe not with 24h races, but something between 1,5h-3h races is possible. Something like this: https://www.simracing.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=8838.msg157863#msg157863

Personally I'm doing 4 divisions and another GPL league, each 2 weeks. The current 1.5 hours (including the practice session) of GT racing is already a bit too much, so a long race is a definite 'no' to me. I'm pretty sure others are even more limited on energy and time. If such long races go ahead anyway, have fun!

It doesn't matter if we have rolling or GP start, it is allways possible that someone will made a mistake and start a carnage;)

It's entirely different - what you say happens in the race, AFTER the start of the race and at full acceleration, in competition mode. I was talking about drivers messing up on the warm up lap and just before the green flag.

Could this be because we don't race on pro and on int. cars are harder to destroy?

Yeah, I think the same. I've never had my Chaparral 2F blow up the engine in either practice or race.

[EvilClive]

The limited info I had picked up, and thought that I understood,  before the start of this series, was that the reliability factor was programmed in as a random element and even if one was careful with these cars there would still be failures.

It seems that I may have overlooked something regarding the reliability factor by allowing a single Shift-R, and therefore making all races Intermediate which perhaps tolerates more abuse of the cars?

If we went Pro would we see more breakdowns??  I guess there is only one way to find out?

As a few have noted, the single Shift-R does allow a second chance if you are the innocent party in an incident, maybe a way of increasing the penalty for taking the Shift R would be a longer pit stop ( 10 secs stationary??) or require 2 SnG's within 5 laps.? or the option to perform either?  As long as we only allow a single Shift-R it would be relatively easy to monitor.

One question that arose in my mind after the Reims event, and I'm open to thoughts on this one. I am not trying to accuse anyone of cheating or wrongdoing as this is a fun series and I want to iron out any probs( or potential probs) before we attempt a "proper series"

If someone takes a Shift-R but does not perform the SnG, or takes a second Shift-R to which they are not entitled and continues racing do they affect the result? 

For example ....Driver "A" in a fast car running in a top 5 spot approx half way through the race crashes and performs a Shift-R to which he is entitled and drops to 10th place, but fails to take a SnG within 2 laps.  He is able to fight his way back up through the field because he is a fast driver and has a faster car. In doing so he drags smart opportunist driver "B" along in his slipstream for 10 laps and promotes driver B to 5th place which will be improved to 4th when driver A is DQ'd.

We cannot automatically disco a driver who stays in the race even if we wanted to, so what are your thoughts gents, or does it really matter???

[vosblod]

Well we're already running one Sh/R in the Privateers. I think it's working well, a few momentary lapses of drivers taking two but they have all taken a DQ with grace. It is very easy to check via GPLRA although sitting there timing people for 10 seconds wouldn't be the way I'd want to go.

Re gaining an advantage - I guess it's just one of those things. TBH, being so easy to check and our drivers being gents, forgetting to pit or taking two is unusual and is normally a result of red mist + forgetfulness. I try to avoid being draconian with the DQ but a second reset or not even attempting to pit gets madame guillotine.
As I say I think you have to live with driver "B" gaining something on the basis it is almost as rare as spotting a dodo.

[Ronniepeterson]

If someone takes a Shift-R but does not perform the SnG, or takes a second Shift-R to which they are not entitled and continues racing do they affect the result? 

Of course they do/did. But I don't think anyone did it deliberately to cheat at the last race. Hopefully everyone is aware of it now and it won't happen again.

[maddog]

I'd agree with Ronnie on that one.  And here's a reminder, I suffered an engine blowup, in the Chappy F at Silverstone - might have been abuse.  But then a fuel failure before mid-race. :'(

[Phil Thornton]

I was actually thinking of lap 3 when you outbraked me (and yourself) at the same last turn and I passed on the inside after giving way.

LOL I was waiting for you to mention that 

[Phil Thornton]

If we went Pro would we see more breakdowns??  I guess there is only one way to find out?

Yes I think you would.  I'm pretty sure if you examine a PRO race with GPLRA you will see a lot more subtle failures in the mechanical report.

[BadBlood]

Excuse my ignorance but does PRO imply a certain minimum length. I ask because I think an hour is long enough.

[Hristo Itchov]

Excuse my ignorance but does PRO imply a certain minimum length. I ask because I think an hour is long enough.

No, the length can be set independently.

[BadBlood]

Tx

[fpolicardi]

We cannot automatically disco a driver who stays in the race even if we wanted to, so what are your thoughts gents, or does it really matter???

The server admin can Eject a DQ driver with a chat command or simply send a whisper to the fault driver to remember him to retire, but that implies a Race Director that doesn't race.
I was one of those driver that didn't retire after the second reset cause a doubt about the rule and that I wasn't keen to retire after less than a km. from start. I hope I didn't affect other's result. 
Ciao

[Hristo Itchov]

As far as I know most people race with chat turned off, so that won't work. Besides, who's going to stay and watch the whole race, taking up a slot on the grid which could otherwise be used by a driver?

IMO it doesn't happen often, especially in an official race. I didn't even read the rules on shift-r because these series are just for test and fun, but I'll sure do if it was official.

[Phil Thornton]

The general impression I'm getting from the discussion is that most people are happy with PRO damage for the mainstream (i.e not novice) divisions.  Although I've got some reservations about PRO damage in the GTs because of the visibility perhaps it would be a good idea to try it for a race to see if the reliability really does become a more significant factor.  The last round in this mini series is at Monza on the 18th.  How about running the same round again the following week (25th Feb) but this time with PRO rules?  That way we'd get a fairly good comparison between Int and PRO damage.  Will the Chaparrals last the distance on PRO?

It depends on whether we can persuade Evil to extend this excellent series by one more week.

[vosblod]

Two races at Monza, how could I resist
Just tried Norbert's improved mirrors and they are great

[EvilClive]

That sounds like a good idea Phil.

If everyone else is ok with it, I will add a second race at Monza  ( original papyrus track) with Pro rules and the same 35 laps.

As you say, we should get a direct comparison between PRO and INT, or at least as direct as we are ever going to be with human drivers lol!