Gran Turismo 7 Season 5(0) Division 3

i watched the replay of the race today, what an interesting race. I came into it after a bit of practice and knew tyre wear was going to be a key influence. I could get 10 laps just out of the softs and although I never tested it reasoned I could get 11 out of them on the second stint with the lighter fuel load. My hopes of grabbing pole and dominating was quickly crushed by @RBRHoges97 pipping me for pole by .033. I now know he went with RM for the race but never the less set off at a cracking pace, I caught up with him about half way round lap one and was right on his bumper at 130r. He slowed much more than I expected through there and I gave him a tap and with a lift of throttle dropped about 30k on exit speed. That allowed @webnomad to come up beside me heading to the chicane and with him on the right hand side I came off 2nd best and lost exit speed from the chicane. I finished lap 1 a bit behind them and with @Dash_Vanguard and a couple of others filling my mirror. On lap 2 Hoges lost it between the degners and dropped well back in the field. Over the next 2 laps I closed right up on web and put a nice cushion behind me. I was right on his bumper as we went through degner two on lap four and I ran wide on exit and spun across the tack into the inside wall. I regained the track back in 7th behind @Easyprey007 and hoges and just ahead of @fezza.
At he end of that lap I had lost 11 seconds and was about 12 seconds behind the leader. Over the next couple of laps I closed on easy and hoges but then easy pulled to the side and let us pass, taking his desire to keep out of the way to the extreme.
For the next few laps I lost ground to the leader as I caught and found a way past a few cars, I was up to third again when I pitted at the end of lap 10. I came out of the pits back in 8th as many hadn't stopped yet and @Dash_Vanguard had pitted about lap seven well ahead of me and was still well ahead when I came back on track. Over the next 3 laps I made up ground as others pitted or I passed them on track. By lap 13 I had clear track, was about 9 seconds back from web and started to push but lost 3 seconds again straight away running wide at both the exit of spoon and 130r.
I then concentrated as much as I could and put in 5 straight laps in the 2:10s including regaining FL. By lap 17 I had passed dash for 3rd but there was still a gap to web and @ControllaGod.
Contolla helped me out by headbutting the wall at the chicane and I was up to 2nd about 6 seconds behind web with 2 laps to go. On that second last lap we had some spots of rain at spoon and I was able make up more than 4 seconds on that one lap to be just 1.5 - 2 seconds behind heading into the last lap. It took me until the degners to get on web's tail and he defended well. I got a better run out of spoon and was able to slip stream up to him and he moved left to defend his line at 130r. It was win or bust for me as I had nothing to lose really so put it to the outside and hoped for best. He gave me room but I still slipped into the rough stuff a little and lost a little momentum and we went side by side again to the chicane like on lap 1, only with me on the inside this time. I scrambled though for a very narrow victory and was very happy with what had been a very thrilling race for me.
I had pushed on through the climb back up the field having convinced myself I had a tyre wear advantage and that gave me hope, but the replay shows web was easier on his tyres and still had some left at the end. Controlla and I were completely red on the right front at the end. Mine turned completely red at spoon on the last lap.
This race capped off four very happy races for me among this group, all good clean racers. I know I won't be with you all next season. My pace should have me in the 2nd half of div 2 where I thought I belonged from the start of the season. My ear operation and almost complete deafness has seemingly cost me about 1/2 to a second on pace and I have been very prone to errors at some races. My error in this race turned the race into something enjoyable this time.

I noticed web and I both ran 10/11 on RS, he was harder than me in the first stint but easier in the second. I was pushing hard in the second stint to catch up so that makes sense.