Much better race this week despite the result which was a combination of my own impatience i.e too much loud pedal at the wrong moment, and a bump from new racer Scott who was lag jinking and caught me despite me giving him room. He did apologise afterwards and given it was his first race with us no big deal. Thanks again to the coaching from @xlxy90 I was able to qualify third and then keep up with the pack. A big shunt at turn 2 lap 1 messed thins up for small while but normal service was resumed after a few laps. Had I not been sent to the infield by Scott's bump at turn 4 my strategy may have paid off as I was coming home with a wet sail on RSS tyres. Even if Scott has redressed, by the time we'd both been back at full speed I'd run out of laps.
Thanks everyone for a great race! Certainly my best result, and a surprise. Big thanks to emmo46 for the advice during the week, certainly made a difference last night! Apologies for the guys I messed up off the start line. Yet again I messed it up, this time jumping the gun. That is 2 weeks in a row I have had starting issues Any advice on how you guys practice and get it right would be greatly appreciated.
Had a good race...but plagued by lack of practise. Actually starting to like this track. After a bit of coaching from @xlxy90, I found over a second in the first sector, mostly by using a bit more track...something I know in theory, but after being told to get over a few times it finally started to sink in...and magically my times improved. Being told I had a second to improve on my first corner and my second corner was already close to limits helped heaps too - because I would try and push equally harder into both and come unstuck somewhere...then back off both. I didn't spend any time thinking about tyre strategy - and got team advice to try softs late in race. I had been thinking about trying for a no-stop, surprised more (anybody?) people didn't. Now I am left wondering what if I had done something different? I knew the fuel would last easily, and I could still drive well enough after 40 laps on RH. I did some prerace practise on softs, and was getting a second better per lap - but hardly enough to justify a pit. Vardz (i think?) mentioned I was losing a second on that first time - something xl had said too - I was slowing down too much. I couldn't see pitting being worth it... After being happy with qualifying 4th, I got away to a good start - amid plenty of ghosting as people came diving down through the first corner. Settled into 3rd after the first couple of laps, then 2nd...then @VARDZ started to pull away in front, even as I was growing the gap behind me. Vardz pitted early for softs - I wondered if he was trying for a 1 or 2 stop - as I was so surprised softs would last the distance. I ran first for a while...pulling away from everyone thinking how great a no stop will be - but that I am 2nd at best, as Vardz would have that pit planned to make up more than he lost. @Dazza83 eventually caught up to me and overtook...with such pace that I knew I wouldn't be catching him on pace. @fezza and @Macca87AUS both caught up, but I was able to slowly build on the gap. Then I came unstuck on my good corner, turn 2. Let myself off the pressure..same mistake as Willow, when will I learn. Lost 7 seconds, Macca and Fezza both overtook me. I caught back up, Macca pitted, Fezza let me through - dunno if this was my good fortune or if he hadn't got a good rhythm at the time? To my surprise I saw Fezza pit - which threw me, he is better on tyres than me. I was back in 3rd, jkept circling, knowing I was getting close to point of no return - needed at least 8 laps or so on softs to make it worth a stop. I saw Macca creeping back up on me, @T F Eccles was closing as well, I knew he was on softs. I ended up biting the bullett and putting on softs at lap 19-20. I was back to 6th. Saw I had 8 laps to catch @COME_AND_GET_ME7/ Fezza/ Macca - and 17 seconds to do it. Thought I just wasted a pit - surely I won't make 2 seconds per lap on them. Turns out I was catching them every lap by the 2 seconds target - but was still 1 second behind the final target. I wasn't consistant with first and last corner - when I nailed it I closed the gap by over a second on those two corners, but would occasionaly let it slip by 0.2 on one or both of them. I started pushing, and the tyres just kept holding. Still thought I was too far away. I was 3 seconds away at the start of the 2nd last lap - too good to be true...but still looking like I won't get there. Their tyres must have been wearing too, I was right on their tail at turn 2 of the last lap. I felt sorry in advance for any last minute rush I had to do...perhaps justifiably given the rate I had caught them - as they had ostensibly been very patient with each other, though I did see them change positions a few times. Them CAGM went off on turn 3 - I tried to go around but went straight through the ghost - glad he didn't unghost like @Matthyus at Dragon! I pushed as hard as I dared to catch the others - but were just out of reach. Hopefully I learn this weeks lesson...to practise. And more than once! Good ol nurb24 generally makes mince of any risky strategy - but I guess practise applies here as much as anywhere. Endurance here we come! PS There was only 11 racers @T F Eccles. Or do you mean another image for pole? PPS I did see you jump the gun Macca - Patience is key i think...do you use handbrake? Wait until you see the lights out to go, instead of preempting it?
My technique to is set TCS to 2, hold foot on brake, rev to approx 75% revs. When lights out, off brake, full throttle, turn TCS off, switch to radar. I've also heard of others using the handbrake to achieve the same. My best start was an accident last year in Season 5 at St Croix. Wasn't paying attention with no feet on pedals. The start lights came up I panicked and went for the brake pedal, foot slipped off. By the time I recovered myself the light went out so straight on the gas at exactly the right moment. 5th to 1st before the first bend after the start/finish straight. Haven't been able to repeat it though.
At that stage when I was closing in on you and had worked the ~10sec gap down to 1.1sec I was still on hards. I mean the second image with the pole times etc.
I usualy hold ful throttle wit TCS 1 and brake on. Just release brake when light goes out. I f@#cked the start last night though. In the first start the car in front was stuck on the grid and I clipped it trying to get past. We had a restart and I was so distracted concentrating whether to go left or right I forgot the brake and got a jump start penalty.
I did see you get close - its nice to have a replay in front of me when i write these epistles for reference...i didn't realise you were gaining that quick! I think I meant macca was on softs cause I remember cagm telling me macca pitted before him. I didn't realise you pitted that late! Did you pit before me? I thought you did? for all the what ifs...i took the team advice and went with it - it hurts when a strat doesn't work out perfectly...usually its something im great at, didn't put enough practise time in to get consistant enough to make a good strategy. Even by race end that first and last corner was at best 75/25 good/bad. Second image was failed attempt at first image, used view link instead of embed link.