UKGPL Season 21 (2011) Works (67) - Torino (Valentino) 55 - Jun 5

[miner2049er]

Some very strange behaviour in Qually by 1 or 2. It's frustrating to have someone try to overtake you rather than back off and make space for themselves because they spoil their own lap as well as yours, then after a couple of corners you see them upside down in a heap. Also got baulked at the chicane on what would have been my fastest lap and would have put me 3rd.

Having said that, the fact I blew my engine on the grid would have meant a bit more carnage behind. So, this time with Prib running I waited for everybody to go before resetting and setting off.

Had a brew with Vos at the chicane but it all got a bit hectic as there wasn't enough water in the kettle so I went and took my Stop n Go instead then started a great recovery drive with some consistent laps and the odd hiccup and found myself in 4th with 4 to go and then I lost concentration exiting the chicane and ripped a wheel off.

Really enjoyed this challenging circuit but disappointed not to make the end.

[bernie]

Agree with the qually , got balked badly on most laps and maybe did the same for others .

Fantastic track though unable to do it justice due to lack of practise and talent .

Got held up at the start behind whoever it was parked his car broadside across the track , not that it made much difference to the end result , took a leasurely drive to the lowest podium step thanks to all the retirees , kissed madam death in the haybales a few times but manage to extracate myself unscathed each time (except for the mouthfull of straw )

Grats again to Ronnie and commiserations again to Martryin , felt real pain being lapped but was no where near the leaders pace so didnt see the point of pushing things and risking all which sort of paid off in the end 

[vosblod]

Then there's some inconsistency with wording the announcements - it should be Graduates, not Works. 

God H you are a stickler for consistency
I forgot to change the default header but, as discussed, both 67 races are currently under one thread.

[fpolicardi]

An oddity of this track that I've just noticed is that the driver on pole can't see the start flag with a normal forward view. Not that I'm likely to find this troubling.

The grid on servers was fixed for online races, I hope it worked.
Ciao

[fpolicardi]

I joined very late cause another previous committment, 7 laps at Ring with '71 rFactor Mod. , so couldn't set a decent time, but was confortable to start at the back anyway. Unlukily I saw the green flag rising, but moved before it went down so I got a BF. While triying to find out where to slow down to nail my pitbox, at 3rd lap I got freezed
Ciao

[maddog]

[The grid on servers was fixed for online races, I hope it worked.
Ciao

Thanks Fulvio - T7 had pole man set back, with starter in full view.

[Rick Nauman]

Another disappointing effort.  Qualified 5th.  One of my 95% laps could have gotten me 3rd but I don't sweat qualifying.  My results are never a function of my start position... except that being farther back does make one more vulnerable to lap 1 pile ups.

I don't have a replay to review since I got discoed about 2/3 way through the race but this was totally a local problem.  We had a major lightning storm happen just before the race began.  One close lightning KA-BLAM made my modem black out.  Luckily it came back up when restarted.  Also I don't seem to be able to download the replay at this time.   My browser says it can't get any data from the other end.

So from memory.  OK start.  Had one loose moment (I think at the stone wall left hander) but held it together and the guy behind me didn't bump me or get past.  Thanks to whomever that was!  A few seconds later, as I crested the hill approaching the tunnel there was a white car sideways and out of control.  I was not able to avoid crashing into him and ended up going up the hill and into the boundary of the model.  Backed down and got back on the track but of course this meant any hope of racing with anyone was gone.  I tooled along alone for many laps watching my position improve to 4th without ever seeing let alone passing anyone.  I had a few bobbles here and there but nothing major until at the stonewall left hander I again got loose but his time there was a red car stopped along the same wall that I was scraping along.  I could not avoid crunching his ass and I think he punched out of the race immediately after that.  Sorry to whomever that was.  Had I been in control we would not have collided and your race could have continued.  What's more we might even have been able to race each other!  That would certainly have made my day a lot more fun and exciting.  After several more laps of racing myself the lightning took me out of my misery.  And I'm not making that up... I really did take a lightning hit!

[paulwbird]

First race with UKGPL for a few years and really enjoyed it although the new Fundoshi that Hiki Waza are using this season chafe a bit.

Qually went OK, was always going to be challenging to get a clear lap but got 5th on grid with 10 minutes to go so changed to race setup just to get the feel of things and managed to move up to 3rd on grid with final flying lap.

Race was hard, forgotten how much concentration is needed especially for 31 laps around somewhere like this.  Made a reasonable start, retaining 3rd, couple of laps in car behind disappears leaving me and 1st and 2nd on our own.  Lap 4 Martin spins on exit of 1st corner letting first Ronnie and me by.  Up to 2nd but with a very quick Cooper behind, I knew that as long as I get a clean exit onto the main straight and pit straight the grunt of the Honda should keep him back and this works well until lap 7 when we both catch a couple of back markers at the chicane before the main straight.  I went to the right expecting the backmarker to stay on the racing line, drifts to the middle sees me and stays there allowing Martin up the left.  I had lifted to see where he would go so Martin outdrags me down the straight.  We come to the chicane but unfortunately the backmarker in the Honda outbrakes himself shunting me into the bales.  I take my shift R and then immediately stop and go.  Surprised to find myself still in 3rd so start to reel off the laps.  Lap 14 I am up to 2nd, saw no stricken Cooper so no idea what happened to him.  Remainder of race steady lapping as gap to Ronnie well over 50 seconds, missing various accidents and lapping the odd car.  Was very pleased to see the chequered flag.  Well done all, excellent way to finish a weekend.

Happy with 2nd, roll on Silverstone, a very different challenge.

Diki Waza

[maddog]

I had  a dream setup sorted - mild mannered, responsive, fast!  A great car for a great track.  But then, I saw it - someone had stuck a number 13 on the side of my car!  It could've been anyone.  So I set about getting pole as quickly as possible, and hoped for the best.  Had I seen any rabbits, I might've grabbed a foot, I suppose.

It's rather hard driving with your fingers crossed,  but I still managed to pull a lead, while fighting the strangest of problems - I just could'nt get comfortable!  F1 drivers have form fitting seats, but I had an Elephants foot umbrella stand to sit on.  This unexpected distraction culminated, in a clipped curb, and a calamitous 180!  By the time I was facing forwards, I'd dropped to 3rd.  

I forgot my discomfort, and soon managed to pull a Hakkinen/Schumacker move, on a fast Honda for 2nd, as we split a surprised backmarker.  This left only Ronnie in front, who I'd hoped to wear down, as the laps whizzed past.  Sooner than expected, he was only just in front.  So naturally, this is the moment the gods chose, to disconnect me!

[bernie]

So naturally, this is the moment the gods chose, to disconnect me! 

Or it could have been a well aimed soggie bottom remote control 

[vosblod]

Results uploaded, any Incident Reports by close of play Friday please. A provisional review of the Privateers shows, apart from the double reset mentioned earlier, all complied with the stop and go rules.

[Rick Nauman]

I had a few bobbles here and there but nothing major until at the stonewall left hander I again got loose but his time there was a red car stopped along the same wall that I was scraping along.  I could not avoid crunching his ass and I think he punched out of the race immediately after that.  Sorry to whomever that was.  Had I been in control we would not have collided and your race could have continued.

I've downloaded the replay now.  I actually crunched the red car (Arf Arf Arf) on lap 3 and was not out of control as I remembered.  I went into a skid trying to tighten my turn to avoid the parked car.  Luckily it wasn't disastrous to my already crappy race but it could have been worse.  Arf, you might want to think about punching out a little quicker when you're motionless on the racing line on a blind curve.  The flagman was worthless, being himself hidden and only 50ft ahead of your car.

[FullMetalGasket]

An unexpectedly good outing for me - Downloaded the track about an hour before the race and set about practicing.
As luck would have it my (Already good) Monaco setup worked beautifully here, requiring only minor tweeks to the right hand wheel geometrys - everything else was perfect.

Qually started well with me going straight to number one and staying there for 5-10 minutes, then everyone else started playing catchup and I couldn't put in clean enough laps to lift my self off the last row of the grid 

Gave up with 10 mins to go and decided to concentrate on practicing on full tanks as attrition was bound to lift me higher than any qualifying effort. 4 laps later I descovered this was one of 'those' tracks - meaning a circuit where I could go faster on full tanks than with my qualifying setup 
This elevated me to the far loftier region of 4th where I stayed till race start.

Arf Arf Arf (I really could do wit a real name here - feels silly typing that  ) got a horrendous start and left me with the problem of deciding between a dive to the left or hanging back. I choose to hang back and was lucky that Clive hadn't taken that as a cue to mug me for the inside line into T1/2.
So, still in 4th I hooked up behind the leaders on the charge down towards the braking zone for Borgo Medioevale where I fully expected someone to make a mistake.
Imagine my suprise when no-one did! 
The suprise was then amplified when exactly 1.34 corners laters I drove through a cloud of car components and witnessed a stricken whale careening across the track and into the tunnel wall. I backed off as did who ever was infront and moved right just intime to avoid the last dying spasms of the whale as it hurled itself back across the track at me! 

This now put me upto a fairly safe 3rd with the 2 leaders well within my grasp, so I decided to follow Arf for a lap or 3 and then, once I worked out his lines to commence laying on the pressure - amazingly only a few corners after H's dismemberment Baab also made a mistake and ran wide onto the main straight letting both myself and Arf through - 2nd just intime for lap 2! 

Still not really trying to push him I settled behind Arf intending to bide my time, he simplified things for me after only another lap or two by having a moment - not being one to miss an opportunity presented to me on a plate along with silverware,a cloth napkin, an wine I had lunch took the opportunity and went around him.

After the next corner I discovered I already had a lead of over 100yds on prib so concentrated on maintaining a good fast, but safe speed to keep him there.
A short while later Arf retired himself permanently leaving me with a healthy gap back to Sam (now in 2nd) so my main challenge was soon to become mearly concentrating on over 30 minutes of racing by myself. Some 10 minutes in and 2 near misses with the banking near the tunnel (thinking about a film I watched earlier in the day  ) and I finally managed to stop my mind wondering and put in some very solid and consistent laptimes - before then deciding to do a spot of economy running just to be safe, this also served to force me to pay attention to the circuit so possibly helped avoid further offs.

With 3 to go I decided I had more than enough fuel so lit the blue touch paper and held on for good measure - laptimes rapidly started dropping and I finally managed my fastest lap while taking the flag, still nearly a second slower than H's qually time  :'(

That said I always knew H could out lap me here, both chicanes on either side of the bridge suit someone who left foot brakes - which I can't - so I knew that even with the Waza he'd have a large advantage over me. Thanks go to Turins glass wall manufacturers I guess 

Well done to Clive for finishing and to Sam for his determination to finish 
Bad luck to all the retirees 

[bernie]

Arf Arf Arf (I really could do wit a real name here - feels silly typing that  )

Real name rumoured to be Arthur Brick  a builder from Birmingum

Has a terrible stammer 

[Ronniepeterson]

After the mayhem of qualifying where everyone, including myself, seemed determined to ignore other peoples fast lap attempts I found myself 2nd behind Martin.

When the race started I knew Martin would be setting a hot pace from the off so I endeavoured to keep up. The distance between us seemed more to do with who made the fewest errors and on lap four my chance came when Martin spun. I think we touched but I managed to squeeze through into the lead. But I knew he would be chasing me down as soon as he recovered. It took him a few laps to get by Diki but sure enough Prib told me he was back in second. Stepping up the pace a little I was just about holding my own when I decided to wrap the Brabham round a lamppost. Amazingly the car survived intact but Martin was now large in my mirrors. As I prepared for a battle royal no sooner had he appeared than he disappeared??? I now know why. Tough break Martin. After this the race was quite calm and serene, driving at a steady pace to avoid any Porsche like blown engines. Even with Martin out of the race I swear he jumped out at turn one causing me to a spin late on. For sure I was relieved to see the chequered flag.

Congrats to Diki and Bernie plus everyone else who finished. Commiseration again to Martin and anyone else who fell by the wayside particularly if it was through no fault of their own. Notwithstanding the discos, I really enjoyed this track so thanks again to the mods for the track selection. Last but not least, the behaviour of any backmarkers I encountered during the race was impeccable. See you all at Silverstone.