Moderator's Report
A popular circuit last season for the Novices makes a welcome return.
Cookie makes a good getaway as Karliss spins his tyres too much off the line allowing Cookie to just about dive into T1 ahead of him.
Karliss did well to avoid a collision and the brave move could have ended in disaster.
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Fran Molteni tries to follow Blito past Norbert into Double Droite. A combination of a slipstream from Fabio, who he has just overtaken, and cautious braking from Norbert (understandable on lap one), means that Fran closes very quickly on Norbert who has little chance to react and make room. As a result Norbert turns in and the two collide.
Fran was very hard and late on the brakes especially as this was Lap 1 when we always advise drivers to take extra care, and that is the reason that the race post had this:
"As always I would remind you to take care on Lap 1 through the intitial section at Courbe Armand Brouzes and again under braking for Double Droite de l’Aerodrome where the field is likely to get compressed again."
I think Fran would have made the corner had he not hit Norbert, but drivers really do need to learn to take care on Lap1 when a race is seldom won but often lost.
We don't want to discourage overtaking but this was a crazy move with little chance of success.
As Fran rejoins following his off, he almost collects Fabio and pulls right across the front of Al Baldwin.
This rejoin could easily have incurred further penalties, again given that the race post mentions the field getting compressed at this part of the track on lap 1.
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This incident really begins in the confusion at Double Droite with cars jostling for position on and off the track.
Through DD Al can see Jonny on his inside and gives him room.
As the two of them exit DD and approach the kink Jonny is gaining on Al and moving alongside in a valid passing attempt.
Al seems to be unaware of him at this point and has not seen him in the mirrors since DD so he must assume that Jonny is alongside but he turns in on him.
Jonny saw the contact developing and tightened his line but Al hits him and ends up cartwheeling down the track in tuck position with a double twist.
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BadBlood and Hendy contest T1 and approach it side by side.
Paul is expecting Hendy to concede the corner which he does not and Paul suffers a warp contact as he takes too tight a line.
Only Paul is affected.
Warp Incident.
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DU Fossa is hit by a recovering JonnyO who is out of control as his car moves back on to the track.
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Hendy Nichols is chasing JonnyO and as they brake for Virage du Parc, Hendy is normally later on the brakes than Jonny which catches him out.
Hendy tries to avoid the inevitable by turning inside Jonny who takes the racing line before being taken out by Hendy.
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Economia is last in a train of battling cars approaching the final corner and takes a tighter line to the right of the usual racing line.
Billy is on the normal line and closes on him under braking, veering to to the right before making light contact.
Both cars go off left onto the grass.
Server replay time: 0h11m40s
Fabio and Jason head towards a shared fate at Double Droite side by side with Fabio on the outside.
Neither driver blinks as their feet hover over the brake pedal.
Unfortunately Jason should have pressed his a little earlier as what should have been a tighter inside line turns into a slide outwards towards Fabio and the two make contact.
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Fran chases Axel towards Double Droite and is much harder and later on the brakes than Axel and he closes up quickly under braking.
Axel goes to cover the inside line as he senses a move coming but that is the line that Fran has picked and the two collide.
There are a few coincidences that contribute to this incident and all have to be considered.
(1) A few seconds earlier Fabio is off the circuit and the yellow flags are waving.
(2) Axel sees the yellow and moves to the inside while slowing more than usual to give Fabio room.
(3) Fran only sees the yellow flags at the last minute, if at all, and does not expect Axel to move over under braking.
(4) Fran is committed to the inside line and stays on the brakes to try and avoid Axel.
At first this appears to be a block by Axel who sees a passing attempt coming but I have to give both drivers the benefit of the doubt, Axel for slowing under yellows and Fran for not being able to clearly see the yellows.
Server replay time: 0h25m42s
Al Baldwin spins at Double Droite and attempts to spin around before continuing.
Unfortunately his spin puts him facing the racing line and he drives onto the racing line as he sets off again.
Unfortunately Bill chose this precise moment to arrive on the scene and has to take avoiding action to miss Al.
As Al sat facing the wrong way he could neither see nor hear Billy approaching, but to spin in such a way was a risk and he could have simply driven toward the outside of the corner and continued while avoiding the racing line.
Server replay time: 0h27m43s
Fabio and Blito collide at DD for a second time, this time on the exit.
Fabio has passed Blito on the entry and Blito responds at the exit by trying to retake the position but strays too far towards Fabio who suffers a warp contact and spins.
Blito sees he is straying over and tries to correct to the right but leaves it too late.
Blito could have avoided this incident by keeping to his own side of the track but the only contact was a warp contact otherwise the two would have been able to continue.
Warp Incident
