I have been trying to win a 66 race with the 3 litre Eagle ever since the mod was released. There have been a few "alomost" moments but usually Hristo thwarts my plans by driving his ultra quick Mclaren on to the top step of the podium.
When qualli started for the 1st race there was no sign of Hristo and I knew that I had a pretty quick setup in my Eagle, so maybe this would be the race where the Eagle triumphed
Sam and Goran posted some quick lap times but I felt quite comfy on race fuel and was able to take pole position without running a qualifying setup. It was then that I noticed Hristo's name at the back of the grid!!
Hristo was , I knew from previous experience, able to run sub 1:50 laps around Mexico and my best was a low 1:51 so I knew he would be catching me as the race progressed. But in my favour he would have to pass the entire field to get to me and it was a short race
Things did not go quite so well at the start and I was jumped on the run down to T1...not part of my plan!! I think it was Goran who had launched himself into the lead and I had to follow him for the 1st lap. This was probably a good thing as I was able to let my tyres warm up before pushing hard. Once past Goran I put in a banzai lap to try and break the slipstream before the long straight and managed to get just far enough in front. Another lap and the gap behind had grown and I was able to concentrate on keeping a fast pace whilst watching Prib for early signs of Hristo and his Mclaren.
I think Hristo's name showed when the race was at half way and he had made up quite a bit of ground but was still approx half a lap down , that should be enough I thought. Goran and Sam were still keeping a good pace behind and one big mistake would have them right on my tail pipes again, so I had to keep things fast but safe. In the end I was able to ease off on the last lap and follow Billy across the line rather than try and lap him on the final bend, which would have been risky
The second race was sure to be different as I now had to drive the Mclaren which I have hardly used in the past, but Hristo had the Eagle, a car which I know is not his favourite. This was going to be interesting.
In a sly move to handicap Hristo I offered him my race 1 Eagle setup..(.hehehehe he'll never be able to drive that
) and he didn't, he changed it!!
I don't know about you guys but I found an immense difference between the Eagle and the Mclaren. The Eagle seems to have more power but I find I have to force the rear to break away slightly in bends to get the nose in and then balance on the gas until I can nail the exit. Whereas the Mclaren seems more docile, but turns in easier and can be held in a controlled drift through the corners and actually carry slightly more speed through the apex.
I was pipped for pole in the 2nd race by a last gasp effort from guess who!!?? Not unexpected but it did not do my chances of a 2nd win any great favours.
At the start Hristo got the Eagle well and truly bogged down and I discovered very quickly how ruddy useless the mirrors are on the Mclaren!! Once I had passed Hristo I just spotted a car move up alongside my left wheels on the run to T1 a quick glance at Prib showed Natan was within 5 metres on my right!! I could hear both cars but could not see either of them!! as we entered T1
On cold tyres and full fuel I was fully expecting contact with someone or something!! I tried to keep my car as close to the middle line as I could. There were engine noises all around but I could see no-one. T1 was OK but now we were approaching those tight Esses!! and there is no way you can go 3 abreast through there!! Once again I tried to keep a central line, held my breath and hoped.
The track opened up and I was still untouched and in 1st place...Phew!!
but now I could see cars in both mirrors and with that someone dived up the inside to T3.. Rats!!.
I think it was Sam who had pounced so I had to follow him for the lap until I was able to use the slipstream on the straight and draft past into a much less congested T1 on lap 2. Hristo was held up for a while behind Sam and Goran and I tried to put some daylight between us. But he was soon past and chasing me down. The gap close even more when I made a small mistake at the hairpin and brushed the armco. As a result Hristo was in my slipstream as we reached the straight and comfortably drafted past. Watching the replay shows him waving and looking at me as he went past!!
( ruddy showoff!!) but then my disappointment turned to chuckles as H outbraked himself into T1 and ran wide and up against the armco.
.
I held a tight line and shot through. Now the problem was that once again I could HEAR an Eagle, but I could not SEE an Eagle.
Had Hristo recovered quickly from his scrape of the armco?? was he alongside me??? So I tried, as much as possible, to hold my drifting Mclaren tight to the right of the Esses and leave him room. That meant that my exit onto the next straight was totally screwed and where I was normally feeding on the gas as I took turned into the last left hander so that by the time the engine got into the power band I was on to the straight, now I could not put my foot down because I was running well wide of that apex and the corner was just too tight.
When I did nail the gas, the lag in power seemed to take forever before I got any acceleration and I then caught a flash of Hristo's Eagle in my mirror as he disappeared again to my leaft and thought he was going for a pass up the inside into the next left. Instead his engine note died and a quick glance at Prib showed a gap that was growing??? Had he blown his engine?? I was so distracted that I almost did not make the next laft right and just kept it on the tarmac.
From then on I had a comfy lead and could monitor the chasing cars as I rounded the hairpin and saw them on the approach. Hristo recovered from what was apparently a spin to avoid my slow Mclaren but never got close enough again to challenge.
2 races..2 wins and a race win for the 66 Eagle at last !!
well chuffed!!
Grats to the podium guys and now I have to brace myself for Hristo's revenge at the next race.