My internet provider decided to blow up their DNS servers and not supply me any broadband for the last couple of days, so I took this as a sign to get back into some offline endurance races.
This was my first run to test out the new
v2.08 tyre model and also a good opportunity to run an Elise for the first time - thanks to
Dotini for his unerring faith in them which helped make my mind up to give it a go.
I chose the premium Elise '96 and added my usual 80Kg ballast and an upgraded exhaust to bring it back to near it's standard 404PP. I added a front end brake bias to help with stability and then slapped on some sports soft tyres as I was confident in just the one pitstop.
Car: Lotus Elise '96
HP: 135
PP: 405
Weight: 835Kg
Mods: Sports exhaust manifold, Sports cat, Racing exhaust.
Power Level: 100%
Top Speed Setting: Stock.
Tyres: SS
All aids off. ABS 1. DFGT wheel.
Set Up:
Suspension and trans all stock.
Brake Balance: 7/5
Weight Adjustment: Ballast 80Kg @ position -50 (46/54 split)
Grid:
1. Impreza Sedan WRX STi '94
2. Impreza WRX STi '07
3. Fairlady Z 300ZX Ver.S TT 2seater (Z32) '98
4. Lancer Evolution GSR '92
5. Legacy B4 2.0GT spec.B '03
6. Aristo V300 '00
7. Me
8. Accord Coupe EX '03
9. Celica GT-Four RC (ST185) '91
10. Supra RZ '97
11. Skyline GT-R V-spec (R33) '95
12. Celica GT-Four (ST205) '98
As you will see from the outcome of the race there's a reason I've only noted the major incidents and key moments. So here we go, no testing just straight in…
Lap times as follows (time at end of lap):
Lap 1: 2:19.444 - Dropped to 9th at start - ended lap -9 secs to WRX STi '07 in 6th. Plenty of jostling in the pack.
Lap 2: 2:16.765 - 5th place -10 secs.
Lap 3: 2:16.012 - 4th place -10.5 secs and just about matching leading pace. WRX STi '07 is off on his own.
Lap 4: 2:16.187 - Holding 4th but making 0.5 sec gains.
Lap 5: 2:15.674 - Take 3rd from 300ZX. -9 secs to leader.
Lap 6: 2:16.425 - Take 2nd from WRX STi '94. -9 secs to leader.
Lap 7: 2:15.085 - -8 secs.
Lap 8: 2:14.917 - Finding my feet with the Elise now. -6 secs to leader.
Lap 9: 2:15.263 - -4.5 secs.
Lap 10: 2:14.713 - -2 secs. Homing in nicely.
Lap 11: 2:14.705 - Take 1st place through the long tunnel - sooooo much more grip and apex speed than the AI cars.
Lap 12: 2:14.259
Lap 13: 2:14.967
Lap 14: 2:14.282
Lap 15: 2:14.086 - Fastest lap
Lap 16: 2:14.152
Lap 17: 2:15.024
Lap 18: 2:14.384
Lap 19: 2:14.374
Lap 20: 2:15.473 - Lapping first backmarkers (Lancer Evo GSR '92 & Celica (ST185)) costs me a second.
Lap 21: 2:15.720
Lap 22: 2:14.499 - Lap the Celica (ST220)
Lap 23: 2:14.495
Lap 24: 2:14.646
Lap 25: 2:14.895 - Lap the Accord Coupe
Lap 26: 2:15.259 - Lap Aristo V300 and GT-R R33
Lap 27: 2:14.939
Lap 28: 2:14.923 - This car is so consistent. Lap Supra RZ.
Lap 29: 2:15.300
Lap 30: 2:14.939 - Half way and all tyres still strong at 75% with only slightly more wear to the left rear. Lap the 300ZX and Legacy B4. No sign of anyone pitting yet. Only used a quarter of a tank of fuel.
Lap 31: 2:15.460
Lap 32: 2:15.742
Lap 33: 2:15.469
Lap 34: 2:22.147 - OK, that's not nice. Went cleanly up the inside of the WRX Sti '94 at the second hairpin to lap him and he tank slaps me on to the grass in the braking zone. Where were the blue flags… or even a black one?!
Lap 35: 2:15.804 - Lap the WRX STi '94 at the same corner but keep well clear of his weaving this time.
Lap 36: 2:22.723 - And again! This time I lap the 2nd place WRX STi '07 at the final tight turns and he decides to unlap himself in the braking zone at the first corner. Punts me into the gravel as he weaves about all over the track (tyres must be wearing). Two offs, neither my fault!
Lap 37: 2:15.415
Lap 38: 2:15.406
Lap 39: 2:16.358 - Aristo V300 is the first to blink and pits.
Lap 40: 2:16.032 - 300 ZX and Accord Coupe pit.
Lap 41: 2:16.005 - Supra RZ pits. My lap times are now in the low 2:16.xxxs, still quicker than 2nd place.
Lap 42: 2:16.335
Lap 43: 2:15.878
Lap 44: 2:15.866
Lap 45: 2:15.922
Lap 46: 2:15.947 - WRX STi '07 pits.
Lap 47: 2:16.789 - GT-R R33 pits.
Lap 48: 2:16.775
Lap 49: 2:16.919
Lap 50: 2:16.146 - Celica (ST185), Celica (ST220) and WRX STi '94 pit.
Lap 51: 2:16.117 - Legacy B4 pits. I've twice lapped everyone up to the WRX STi '07 in second. I can just start to feel the back end lose grip now. Lap times still good though.
Lap 52: 2:16.812
Lap 53: 2:16.802
Lap 54: 2:16.540
Lap 55: 2:17.949 - Lancer Evo pits. OK, tyres have hit a wall at last but I'm OK to finish.
Lap 56: 2:17.180
Lap 57: 2:18.592
Lap 58: 2:18.577
Lap 59: 2:17.719
Lap 60: 2:19.476 - I can see the 2nd placed WRX STi '07 up ahead but I've run out of time to double-lap him. Tyres are shot which meant plenty of opposite lock on the final lap. Even so a sub-2:20.xxx is pretty good after 60 laps.
Finishing time was 2:16:17.403 with a winning margin of almost 2 laps over the second place Impreza WRX STi '07 and the WRX STi '94 was a very distant 3rd.
Fastest lap was on lap 15: 2:14.086.
Subaru WRX STi '07 - Best lap 2:15.662
Subaru WRX STi '94 - Best lap 2:17.505
Conclusion:
No pit stops! I wasn't expecting that - in a way it spoilt the race a little by taking that tactical part away. At the half way point my lap times hadn't changed and the tyres were still at 75%. I only felt any change in grip at around lap 34, but it was hardly anything. From that point on the grip has a consistent and slow decline, but it's very slight. Lap 50 was the moment that the grip started to drop off faster but I could still maintain decent lap times and still be flat out throughout the essess before the second hairpin. For reference, this basically happens at 25-30% wear on these tyres. And for the record, look how much later the AI pit now. The Lancer Evo on lap 55!
There wasn't really much of a race - that ended on lap 11 when I took the lead. It was clear as soon as the Subaru's tyres started to wear I was going to be long gone. The new tyre model also helped out here. I can now see why the Elise is so good for the low PP runs - might even have a go at breaking the record.
Really enjoyed driving her and she might, just might, take over as a favourite over my beloved S2000s.
So, the burning question here is whether not pitting is quicker than taking a pitstop? Do you lose more time on worn tyres than getting a fresh set half way and banging in the lap times? Well, based on my previous runs, I estimate the average pitstop without fuel loses you about 31 seconds and by my rough calculations I lost about 50 seconds from lap 30 (half way) over a 2:14.xxx lap on good tyres. Therefore, my conclusion is that a mid-point pitstop would make your race around 20 seconds faster than not pitting (with an Elise on SS tyres anyway).