Dijon GP thread

[FourWheelDrift]

FourWheelDrift said:

Can we also start prompt as well please - www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=241544&f=141&h=0

Reminder, new series of Top Gear kicks off at 9:10 BBC2 Sunday evening

[UncleDave]

Oh Bull..

Half an hour qualy will start DEAD ON 8pm then straight to race in that case.. this will be by the speaking clock!!


Dave.

[IanParker]

UncleDave said:

Oh Bull.. Half an hour qualy will start DEAD ON 8pm then straight to race in that case.. this will be by the speaking clock!! Dave.

I thought we did 15 mins prac followed by 15 mins qual.
I'd rather just have half hour qual though to be honest

[pvapour]

we could just do 15 mins qualy? most people have practiced this track a fair bit anyway (this one in particular due to it being on the demo)

or maybe change the timing for the rest of the league to start at 7pm, I know this would suit me better..... anyone else?

[UncleDave]

I don't care about the time to be honest but 8pm qualy is pretty much as late is I would like it to get.

We might aswell just have 30mins qualy as Practice isn't needed and is pretty pointless, it would be better if someone could change the sticky league thread to say 25mins qualy, instead of the two 15min sessions.

Dave.

[pvapour]

UncleDave said:

I don't care about the time to be honest but 8pm qualy is pretty much as late is I would like it to get. We might aswell just have 30mins qualy as Practice isn't needed and is pretty pointless, it would be better if someone could change the sticky league thread to say 25mins qualy, instead of the two 15min sessions. Dave.

I was thinking earlier not later Dave

[UncleDave]

Yeah maybe that wasn't right wording...?
I am ok for any time 8pm or earlier

Cya all later
Dave.

[Holst]

My full game has yet to arrive

Its a shame as im down to 1.33.8 fastest lap on the demo.

Have a good race guys.

>> Edited by Holst on Sunday 12th February 18:16

[FourWheelDrift]

My race report:

Well, decided on my strategy fuel it up pit on lap 19 for a final sprint to the end on low fuel and new tyres with the aim to go for the win and fastest lap. Race progressed ok, tyres seems ok and I could lap in the 1m27-1m28 range but Ian was pulling ahead, but I think passing some of the 65 cars slowed us both up as the 8-10s lead Ian had built up dropped down to 3s second when he pitted. Ian pitted at the start of lap 18, I knew I had to push hard as he was obviously on a similar strategy to me. Then as I started lap 18 it all went a bit pear shaped. I touched the kerb on the right on the approach to the tight turn 4 hairpin and spun off and into the barrier, then as I pulled away trying to not lose too much time to Ian I spun again. Tyres were definatetly finished (I had been having a few slides for the last few laps) so I decided to pit at the end of the lap. Pulled in stopped at my box sorted fuel and tyres but forgot to turn off the damage repair so instead of a 1min total pitstop (including driving in) I was stationary for 2mins 42s So I left the pits (eventually) in 9th place and floored it to the finish, did 2 1m26s laps to get fastest lap and managed to pickup 13s over the cars in front pushing Diver over the line to finish 8th.

Conclusion : Arse.

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Sunday 12th February 21:31

[diver944]

My race report:

I decided to fuel up to the end and pit on lap 21. After the first lap I think I was about 7th and gradually watched Lockstock and Mark Johnson pull away over a few laps. Then Davyboy caught and passed me just before half distance, but after a few laps I saw him in the pits so got the place back again. Then gradually one by one all the front runners made their stops and by lap 21 I was up to 2nd place

I took my pitstop and watched 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th all come past me. The last two passing me on the pit exit - but they were Andy and PVA in 65 cars. PVA and I diced all lap and I knew I had to get passed him and make a small gap before the straight or he'd get me back again. LUckily I did and finished 6th, but it looks like he got DQ'd anyway I have no idea where FWD came from, I think I was jumping up and down at that point because I was in front of PVA

Conclusion: HURRAH

>> Edited by diver944 on Sunday 12th February 21:37

[davyboy]

Stupid game!

Qualified in 3rd.

Crappy start and spun while in 4th place, and dropped to ninth.

My pit stop was erm.....well, just a stop, no tyres, and no fuel.

On the last lap I had worked myself up to an easy 2nd....although my heart was beting like a good un as 3rd and 4th were behind me! Then like a complete novice I span for about the 4th time..and was down to 4th. What a plum!

Still fantastic entertainment, and great driving. There was a bit of rubbing but no spinning.

Dave

[D_Mike]

GARRRGGHHHHH

sums up my race pretty well.

I had ping problems, I span at the 2nd corner on the first lap, was sideways across the track so I waited for the field to come past. They almost all had but then I got hit by a car which flipped me into the air and I did 2 barrel rolls. I landed on my side and then my car was dead.

[neil_cardiff]

A solid Qualifying session plonked me 5th, with a pb laptime. Felt happy to lap at 1:29.5 all day, so was hopeful of a good race.

On the start line, I was once again lucky to get a great start, snicked up the middle right behind Ian. FWD was chasing behind, but we all took it steady for the first lap - the porsche seeming to be on top in the corners.

After the second lap, Ian pissed off into the distance - still in touch, but not worth falling off over. Meanwhile, FWD was breathing down my neck. He nipped past on the start of the third lap, but I knew I could outbrake and outcorner the De Tomaso. Sure enough I nipped past and we started all over again, him coming past on the long pit straight (and very nearly colliding but I managed to keep it clean). But I couldn't claw him back as he'd got too much on me down there, and I looked to keep a fast but steady pace. I could see Daveyboy in my mirrors, but not enough to get worried over.

Lapped Clemento on about lap 13, which was my signal to pit in - the traffic should be much lighter in this case - and I had a plan...

Quickly did a simple stop, and got back out - behind PV and Adam, who were bumming eachother in the GT40's. Snicked past the both of them easily, enjoying a rather neat passs on the inside past PV - which must have annoyed him . I disappeared off for a lap, to promptly spin. Arse.

I was then passed again by Adam and PV, and I was a man on fire... Passed them after about two laps, and set on trying to claw my way back. I knew that several people in front of me had to pit, and lapped watching the positions tumble. I got to 3rd, right behind Diver, who I decided to hunt down - pushing rather a little stupidly hard - which bit me in the form of a spin. I didn't know whether Diver had pitted yet, but to my delight I noticed he hadn't as I whizzed past the pits. Yay!!!

Arse. Span in a stupid spot, and of course Daveyboy was waiting there to take my second. Hmm. Can I catch him in 1 lap? Well, I didn't need to, as on the second from last lap he sapn, and all I had to do was make it home to take 2nd. However, I still had Mark behind me in a Pantera, which is always nerve racking but I had enough distance to ensure a neat last corner exit would give me a well deserved 2nd (if I don't say so myself)...


>> Edited by neil_cardiff on Sunday 12th February 22:48

[_dobbo_]

Pretty uneventful race for me. I took a knock in turn one which spun me and put me into last place, down from about 9th.

Saw D_Mike spinning through the air and out of the race, and decided to take it steady. Despite being (i felt) comfortably faster than tony I threw the car off so many times that he spent most of the race just behind me.

Think I finished 11th, and 3rd of the 65 cars. Happy enough, but I think I need to work on being consistent, 7 or 8 spins is not likely to win me a championship!

[FourWheelDrift]

Wasn't Diver swerving in front of me at the end (sorry chap) but one of the GT40's that I was lapping. I thought it was Diver because he finished 7th, me 8th but just noticed you were in a 906.

Anyway race results here - www.mercia.biz/GTL/GPDijon_PH.htm

And by the looks of things if you cut the track 3 times you get a DQ, PV?


And for some reason D_Mike doesn't appear on the results but I managed to get some details below from another file.
Qualifying - 13th Dangerous Mike[PH] 1:31.374

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Sunday 12th February 23:15

[AJLintern]

Did a qualifying lap, placing me 3rd - then had my dinner, returning to find myself 8th Anyway starting with 25 laps of fuel, I got a rather poor start getting bogged down with GT40's pissing past me, but managed to avoid a bunch of them spinning into T1. Then kept it steady on cold tyres before pitting on 1st lap for a nice quick 7.5sec stop
Exited the pitlane to a nice clear circuit, where I settled down to a pretty uneventful, but consistant race. Started catching the back markers and moving back up the positions. Ian passed me quite early on, don't think he'd stopped by then though, then FWD passed as I went a bit wide into T1, just keeping it out of the gravel
Passed a few more taking their pit stops and managed to get up to a reasonable, if rather David Coulthard like 5th
Good race!

[UK952]

Made a good start picked my way through the damage avoiding it all, though strangely a car appeared inside mine briefly but with no effect. A few faster cars passed as they recovered from the start accidents. I then spent a lot of the race just behind Dobbo but a little slower letting him ever so slowly pull away, when he got out of sight he spun and then popped back into sight just out of reach!, I think at the end my tyres were better and I was closing but got ragged, and slowed again to avoid a spin, saw Diver pit from second just behind me, then a porsche appeared I thought in 2nd so I gave him loads of room, as he passed realised it was 12 doh! I gave away a place on the last lap again, at least it was a 76 car I suppose.
Tony

[IanParker]

FourWheelDrift said:

My race report: Well, decided on my strategy fuel it up pit on lap 19 for a final sprint to the end on low fuel and new tyres with the aim to go for the win and fastest lap. Race progressed ok, tyres seems ok and I could lap in the 1m27-1m28 range but Ian was pulling ahead, but I think passing some of the 65 cars slowed us both up as the 8-10s lead Ian had built up dropped down to 3s second when he pitted. Ian pitted at the start of lap 18, I knew I had to push hard as he was obviously on a similar strategy to me. Then as I started lap 18 it all went a bit pear shaped. I touched the kerb on the right on the approach to the tight turn 4 hairpin and spun off and into the barrier, then as I pulled away trying to not lose too much time to Ian I spun again. Tyres were definatetly finished (I had been having a few slides for the last few laps) so I decided to pit at the end of the lap. Pulled in stopped at my box sorted fuel and tyres but forgot to turn off the damage repair so instead of a 1min total pitstop (including driving in) I was stationary for 2mins 42s So I left the pits (eventually) in 9th place and floored it to the finish, did 2 1m26s laps to get fastest lap and managed to pickup 13s over the cars in front pushing Diver over the line to finish 8th. Conclusion : Arse. >> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Sunday 12th February 21:31

I'd had a pretty uneventful race until it came to my pitstop.
I'd pulled out about 12 seconds and decided to pit on lap 17 (I think), I pulled into the deceleration lane to pit and slowed way too early, so I accelerated again, missing the braking point and pit entrance so I had to continue another lap.
At this time you were within a few seconds of me and past me when I pitted on the next lap. Another lap later I was sure I saw you just in front and assumed you had made your stop so I pushed like crazy to try and recatch you, spinning out of the right hand uphill bend with the dip. My tyres were also shot and I was running about 1.5 to 2 seconds slower than my best lap from about lap 15.
At that point I was going to settle for 2nd but then noticed I was in 1st place with a 30ish second lead and 2 laps to go. (You obviously hadn't pitted when I thought you had, (you couldn't have because you passed me on track when I pitted ) I then just took a steady run to the end.


Edited to add: I didn't change tyres or add fuel when I pitted. I pitted because I thought I'd get some clear air. It may have worked if I'd done it on the 1st attempt. As it was I came out directly behind 3 cars together on track.

>> Edited by IanParker on Sunday 12th February 23:41

[pvapour]

FourWheelDrift said:

Wasn't Diver swerving in front of me at the end (sorry chap) but one of the GT40's that I was lapping. I thought it was Diver because he finished 7th, me 8th but just noticed you were in a 906. Anyway race results here - www.mercia.biz/GTL/GPDijon_PH.htm And by the looks of things if you cut the track 3 times you get a DQ, PV? And for some reason D_Mike doesn't appear on the results but I managed to get some details below from another file. Qualifying - 13th Dangerous Mike[PH] 1:31.374 >> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Sunday 12th February 23:15

but as I had a great race anyway.

start was a goodun for me, managed to take Adam in the leading 65 car (he was being very mindfull of others) and a couple of others who was also being very carefull, I knew the 65s had to make a break for it to stand any chance managed to stay behind Ian & Mark for a while in 7th then as their tyres warmed they buggered off & left me all alone until Tony caught me up, was'nt going to fight the 76 cars knowing that had to pit anyway and I'd slow myself up trying to hold them off, so let any that caught me, past (except Diver gave him a hard time for a lap)

but on lap 7 a bloody GT40 bonnet apeared in my mirror GGGRRRR it was Adam and he was gaing fast i'd dropped off my pace to be safe & had to pick it up again trouble is he just stayed there for the whole race, I even typed in 'Go away' at one stage lap by lap graph is interesting (nice one Adam) did your tyres go off eventualy as you started to drop back........

but you were replaced on the last lap by Diver pulling out from pits. i was coming down the straight when I saw your banner I'll hav him I thought as long as I got you behind me i thought I could keep you there with somme deffensive driving, slowed right down and hugged the line at teh hairpin as i saw you taking a wide entry with an attempt to cut back in on the inside thinking I would drift out stopped you there but you outbraked me at the next corner, but you whent wide tried to cut in and outdrag you but tyres were to shagged and we were side by side with you on the inside had to let it go onto the finish straight & I was now joined by FWD up my chuff, all i could do was block all in the name of racing mind

Top race everyone, even though I was DQ'd for cutting (never saw teh stop n go) I still had a blast, shame you had probs Mike, next week eh

[diver944]

pvapour said:

let any that caught me, past (except Diver gave him a hard time for a lap)

Rubbish you were easy meat (in fact I think I was eating my Donner and quaffing ale as I wafted past)

I was totally beside myself when I came out the pit exit and saw you and Andy just passing me I knew I'd never hear the end of it if you beat me in your nancy little 65 car, so we had a superb fight all the way round that lap Shame you were DQ'd and it meant nothing, in fact you probably held me up and stopped me catching Andy. You swine