Smallhorses
Staff Emeritus
- 7,260
Health Warning!
This is a long but extremely thrilling post, and not recommended for those of a nervous disposition or people with heart conditions.
(A small amount of insanity is fine though, and probably a good thing, given what you're about to read! )
This is a long but extremely thrilling post, and not recommended for those of a nervous disposition or people with heart conditions.
(A small amount of insanity is fine though, and probably a good thing, given what you're about to read! )
This race has been in progress since Saturday January 13th.....
I've been keeping track of things, and considering posting a thread here, but I've been a little nervous about it, since it seems that everytime we see a "24hr race in progress" type of thread, they invariably get ended by a powercut or some other such misfortune!
But what the hell, I'm going to risk it. My ride for this challenge, with an eye on a submission for the stock car race thread I'm so fond of, and a maximum haul of A-spec points is:-
Toyota GT-One Race Car (TS020) '99 (Black used, no chassis refresh, no oil) / MR / R1 Tyres all round, Downforce 47/64 (F/R)
I've taken the spot at the back of the grid, versus the second lineup after a console reset, and having tweaked the downforce to give a full 200 points, the field looks like this:-
1st Nissan R92CP Race Car '92 (Pits every 7 laps.)
2nd Nissan R89C Race Car '89 (Pits every 7-8 laps.)
3rd Sauber Mercedes C 9 Race Car '89 (Pits every 7 laps.)
4th (Red / White) Toyota GT-One Race Car (TS020) '99 (Pits every 8 laps.)
5th Mazda 787B Race Car '91 (Pits every 8 laps.)
6th (Black) Toyota GT-One Race Car (TS020) '99 (Pits every 9-10 laps.)
Circuit Map:
Hour 1.
Pass Mazda and the other Toyota before L'Arche chicane on lap 1, and out of the chicane I'm creeping nearer to the battle for 2nd place which is currently raging between Sauber and R89C. Able to draft them out of La Florendiere chicane down to Mulsanne hairpin, but they accelerate away too quickly from it, and pull away towards Indianapolis. Catch them again through the Ford chicanes, and out into lap 2. The Sauber had passed the R89C now, and I'm swarming all over the Nissan's tail. Get ahead of it between the mainstraight chicanes, but it dives through into 3rd place again nudging me off to the side at the Mulsanne hairpin
, putting himself back in the Sauber's slipstream. I catch them again through the Dunlop chicane, and ride the R89C's slipstream all the way down the straight, until the exit of the 2nd chicane, to save fuel. Having passed him I'm close to the Sauber going into Mulsanne and hope to stay in his draft out of it. That's the plan anyway. It's scuppered by the R89C who's braked way too late 
, ploughing into me, 
and me in turn into the Sauber, pushing him into the sand trap outside the hairpin. The R89C barges past me, and I tail him down to Indianapolis leaving a surely fuming Sauber driver in our wake. 
By lap 5 the Sauber is back with us, and I let him by to make use of the draft, and fuel savings. The R92CP is out in front, and the Sauber goes after him, leaving me in 3rd place, and the R89C in 4th after I've passed him on the straight again. The R92CP and Sauber pit from around 10s lead on lap 7, and at the time I'm now tailing the R89C around which has come back past on the back-road blast from Mulsanne to Indianapolis. He doesn't stop like his Group C peers though and allows me another lap of saving fuel in his wake. 
We passed the leaders in the pits, taking over first and second spots ourselves. The R89C pits ending lap 8, as does the Mazda and the other Toyota who is some distance back. I go into the lead and into lap 9 with about 30s lead over R92CP. That grows as their tyres are cold, to 35s by Mulsanne before dropping to 33s at the Porsche Curve checkpoint on lap 10, as I head into the pits for my own stop. Fatest lap so far is a draft-assisted 3'27.880. Exit pits in 3rd place as the Sauber screams past, and can't get close enough to hitch a ride on his slipstream. I'm 9.8s behind them at the end of my outlap, but that gap grows as I'm running in clear air by myself and by the time they pit again ending lap 14, they're 17s ahead. I pass them in the pits, leaving me leading by just over 3s from the R89C. Sadly since I've been running without drafting this time, I doubt 10 laps will be possible without running out of fuel and may have to take an earlier stop. The R89C pits a lap earlier this time, going in ending lap 15 and allowing the Mazda through into 2nd place, although he pits himself ending lap 16, from just under 10s behind, and is followed some time later by the other Toyota's 2nd stop. Hour mark passes 3'21 into lap 17, in 1st place, 23s ahead of R92CP.
Hour 2.
Pit in myself ending lap 19, and show 7 fuel units remaining. Phew. It's the right decision, no way would I have made another full lap on that much fuel!
The R92CP and Sauber who were around 18s behind me when I enter the pits, pass me while I'm stopped. They pull away to around 30s in front before stopping in formation at the end of lap 21, as expected, and I pass them both in the pits. The R89C takes over 2nd place, around 8s back, but stops ending lap 22 and at the end of the other Group C's outlap, the R92CP is back into 2nd place, about 11s behind me. They gain over the next 2 laps, but somewhere between Mulsanne and Indianapolis checkpoints on lap 24, the Mazda manages to slip into 2nd place, gaining to within 5s before he makes his 3rd pitstop ending lap 24. By the beginning of lap 26, the gap is down to under 2s, and the R92CP passes me for 1st place between Arnage and Porsche Curve. This seems awful, but in fact, what they don't realise is that this works totally to my advantage. 
They're being abused, and like someone on a good dose of Rohypnol, they don't even realise it! 
I know they'll stop on lap 28. So must I. Unless, I can save some fuel over the next 2 laps by drafting them, in which case I get to stay out another lap, going in on lap 29! 💡 Cunning huh? Anyway, through Maison Blanche the Sauber makes me aware he's behind by nudging my back end repeatedly! 
Git. Worse is to come. Follow the R92CP through lap 27 making the most of drafting him down the straight and chicanes, only for the Sauber who has learnt from his previous experience, rear-ending me into the Mulsanne hairpin, and in turn shunting the innocent R92CP into the sand. 
The Sauber takes off like nothing has happened with me trying to hang onto the hole he's left in the air, and the R92CP with his bucket & spade out digging his path from the sandtrap. This isn't what I'd wanted. I know the Sauber overall is quicker than the R92CP and was relying on the fact that he's behind it to keep him occupied for a while. No matter though, what's done is done, and though it involved me, there was no intention on my part to be involved. 
I'm close enough to the Sauber braking for the Mulsanne on lap 28 to contemplate giving him a taste of his own nasty medicine, but I'm a racer, not a bludgeoner, and the thought quickly passes. I'd love to hand the R92CP his lead back though. The Sauber and R92CP pit at the end of lap 28, although not in the order I'd've preferred them to, the Sauber being about 2s ahead of me going in, and the R92CP being about 5s behind. I take over the lead and thanks to the fuel saving from the drafting, go into my 29th lap, and 10th on this tank of petrol and set of tyres. Pit from 33s lead over Sauber ending this lap. I exit in 1st place still, showing just 1s lead by Tertre Rouge checkpoint, and the Sauber goes past between the chicanes on the straight. Draft him to Mulsanne and exit the turn side by side which allows me to draft all the way down to Indianapolis. He's too quick out of there to stay with, and pulled away, though I caught him at the Ford chicanes to finish my outlap under a second behind him. His tyres are warm though and the way he extends the lead in laps 31 & 32 is scary! The R92CP passes me for 2nd place at Porsche curve ending lap 32, and the Mazda pits from just behind us in 4th at the end of this lap. Unfettered, the Sauber is charging, pulling out to a 19s lead in just 3 clear laps. 👎 Hour mark passes 2'22 into lap 33, in 3rd place, 19s behind Sauber.
Hour 3.
Pass back into the lead when the Sauber pits from 23s lead on lap 35, followed in by the R92CP. Catch the Toyota and used him to save fuel behind throughout lap 36, and the Sauber is only 13s behind ending his outlap. Go past the Toyota ending lap 36, and pull away a bit, the gap ending lap 37 being 14s over the Sauber as he warms the tyres, and reassuringly I've got a backmarker between us. That doesn't do too much for me though, and I stop from just under 10s ahead ending lap 39, leaving the Sauber to take the lead again, and R92CP to 2nd place. At the first checkpoint after I exit, the Sauber is 31s in front, but by the end of the lap it's 37s, and the gap grows rapidly to 50s before he pits ending lap 42, followed in, as ever, by the R92CP. During this period, I caught a brief draft from the Mazda who slipped into 3rd place exiting Mulsanne hairpin on lap 40, but pitted and gave me my place back at the end of the lap. The Sauber is 15s ahead at the Tertre Rouge checkpoint when he exits the pits, and I'm in 2nd having passed the R92CP in the pits. Over the next few laps I'm in a rut, but thankfully it's a fast lapping rut,
and I drop the gap as low as 7.5s at the L'Arche chicane checkpoint on lap 45. Sadly that's bound to be as close as I get, and I've not had the benefit of any drafting, so fuel will become a factor in deciding when I pit. The Sauber on warmed tyres begins lap 46 with an 11s headstart, and finishes with 15s lead. The Mazda pits from 4th place ending his 48th lap. I decide to go for broke and enter lap 49 with one fuel bar remaining, and sort of hoping that the R92CP might close up to me enough that I can draft him for some of the lap. He doesn't get close enough, but by the time the fuel bar flickers off, I've reached the entry to Mulsanne hairpin, and the little fuel that's left should just about see me into the pits. The Sauber goes in from a 22s lead at the Porsche Curve checkpoint, and as he pull off his jacks, I'm passing him in the pitlane, so he hits the back of my Toyota! The R92CP has followed us in to, from just a fraction of a second behind me. The gap is 25s to the leader by the time we complete our outlaps and not long after this the hour mark ticks by unnoticed!Hour mark passed at unknown time
into lap 51, probably towards the end and ~27s behind the Sauber in 2nd place.Hour 4.
The Sauber's lead has grown to 31s entering lap 53, and the R92CP took 2nd place off me in the Porsche Curves ending lap 52, but this means I'm able to follow him through lap 53, and post a new fast lap of 3'26.573 on lap 54, whilst maintaining the 31s gap to the Sauber at the same time, and saving precious fuel! Same goes for laps 55 and 56, where the Sauber pulled away a little to 34s, but some good "teamwork" between my Toyota and the Nissan R92CP sees us pull back to 29s back at Porsche Curve checkpoint on lap 56 when the Sauber pits, I complete the lap as the R92CP also goes in, taking back the lead and also posting another new fastest lap at 3'26.433. At the end of the Sauber's outlap he's 11s behind, and I'm able to take advantage of my lightening fuel load and his warming tyres to pull away a little stretching the lead to 17s at L'Arche chicane checkpoint on lap 59, before he drops that to 15s at Porsche Curve checkpoint before I pit in. Surrender the lead to him while pitted, but not 2nd place. 👍 He's 27s ahead of me at the end of my outlap, and by lap 63 when he pits the gap is 35s even though I've had the benefit of drafting the R92CP through most of the last lap and a half. The R92CP also pits, and the Sauber gets away from the pitlane as I'm haring up the straight. Followed closely through Dunlop chicane and put a clean outbraking manouever on him into Tertre Rouge Esses.
He's not close enough out of Tertre Rouge to attempt a pass before L'Arche and doesn't really catch up until the backroads between Mulsanne and Indianapolis. Although he puts a nose ahead for a split second before we brake for the gentler right before the sharp left on Indianapolis, his tyres are colder and he yields to let me into the bend first, catching up again between Arnage and Porsche Curve. I've held the straight racing linethrough the shallow twists before the Porsche Curves and the Sauber is itching to find a way by, frustration gets the better of him though as he trys an ill-fated late braking manouever around the outside into the first of the Porsche Curves, missing my back end by inches and he understeers off into the sandtrap, and finishes his outlap 15s behind because of this! 
The Mazda who has consolidated his 4th place now, pits ending lap 64, having previously pitted unrecorded on lap 56 too. The Sauber has caught to within 9s by Mulsanne hairpin on lap 68 by the time the hour mark passes, but I'm so concentrated on keeping ahead and not making a mistake that I fail, once again, to note the exact time at which the hour passes. Hour mark passes at unknown time into lap 68, somewhere between Mulsanne & Indianapolis and in 1st place, 9s ahead of Sauber.
Hour 5.
Starts disasterously with my first balls-up of the race, braking for Indianapolis on lap 68, I touched 2 outside wheels in the sand, and round I go!
Well, halfway at least, stopping just short of a head-on with the barrier! 
Recovering the mistake allows the Sauber to dive back into the lead, and I finish the lap 5s behind him, head for the pits from 9s behind ending lap 69. Damnit. R92CP takes 2nd while I'm pitted. The leader pits from just under 50s ahead ending lap 70, followed in as ever by the R92CP. I take 2nd from the Nissan, but the Sauber gets away, about 15s ahead of me crossing the line. The gap falls until beginning lap 73 it is down to a hair under 10s. The Sauber's tyres are warm now, and I've not had any drafting to save my fuel this time, so I expect him to pull away for 4 laps now and expect me to have to pit after 9 laps instead of the usual 10. I start to lap consistently under 3'30 without any sort of draft assistance, and it doesn't afford the Sauber too much of a gain. By the time we both lap the Toyota a second time while he's pitted, the gap beginning lap 76 is only up to 13.5s. It grows to 18s by the time the Sauber pits ending lap 77, and I take back the lead. Pit in myself from a 19s lead ending lap 78, a decision to pit a lap earlier as mentioned before paying off, as there's only 7 fuel units left, which would've meant a decision to push for another lap would have proved catastrophic by running out of petrol! The end of my outlap in 2nd place is 20s behind the Sauber, and I'm trying to re-lap the Toyota, whilst also trying to encourage him to pick up his pace a little and trade drafts with me to save a little fuel! It works for a while but he's too slow in certain areas and I have no choice but to pass him or lose too much ground to the Sauber. Entering lap 83, the leader is 29s ahead, and going into the pits ending lap 84, he's 34s ahead. He's caught again exiting the pits, as the R92CP goes in for his stop and the Sauber is passed in a very similar fashion to before, cleanly entering Tertre Rouge Esses, a fraction of a second before the end of the hour. 
Hour mark passes 41s into lap 85, in 1st place ~1s ahead of Sauber.
Hour 6.
We battle round lap 85, and I'm kind of hoping he'll repeat his error of trying to pass into Porsche Curves again, but no such luck, he's learned his lesson and backs down this time without trying anything silly!
I pull the gap out to about 7s with a series of storming laps while his tyres warm up, but by the time I pit on lap 88, he's just under 2s behind. Exit pit still in 2nd place, ahead of the R92CP. The Sauber is over 40s distant by now, and during lap 90 the R92CP goes past me between Arnage and Porsche Curve, we draft-assist each other through lap 91, again my precious fuel savings, before he pits ending lap 91, as the Sauber has done from 51s lead at the Porsche Curve checkpoint. The Sauber gets away still in the lead, while the R92CP is passed in the pit entry. The gap at the end of the Sauber's outlap is 11.5s after a gorgeous lap with no slipstream assist that registers 3'27.673! Nice. A succession of 3'27s follow, unassisted still, lap 95 coming in at 3'27.173 and the gap going into lap 96 is down to under 8s. I have got the hang of this car and track combo, but make no mistake about it, I'm literally driving the wheels off of this thing and it's taking every ounce of concentration to do it! 
The gap is a little under 10s going into lap 98, which'll be a pit-in lap for the 1-2-3 cars. As you'll have noticed the other 3 cars are not being monitored anymore, although I can tell you that the Mazda seems to be holding 4th place and is still on the lead lap, as is the 5th placed R89C, while the Toyota is 2 laps down. The Sauber catches a backmarker during the inlap, and I can't tell if he passes it or not, before heading for the pitlane from 10.8s lead according to the split timer at Porsche Curves. I pass him having his tyres changed in the pits, and he passes me back exiting the pits first. The R92CP comes in behind us just as I'm pulling away. I must admit that I'm still banking on the Sauber having difficulty later on when his oil and chassis go bad in order to pull off the win here, and I'm at an advantage in that I started the race with worn oil and a bent chassis, so I've got nothing unexpected to come! At the end of our respective outlaps, the Sauber holds a 12.4s lead, which drops to 11s ending lap 100, and grows to 14s by the time we come to the end of the hour.Hour mark passes 3'27 into lap 101, exiting the 2nd Ford Chicane, in 2nd place ~14s behind the Sauber.
Hour 7.
The R89C which pitted roughly as we were between Arnage and Porsche Curves gets out of the pits in front of the Sauber at the beginning of lap 102. It actually works to his advantage as he drafts away and opens up the gap, passing the R89C towards the end of the lap. Couple this with my shocker 3'34 lap on lap 103, after I'd got all 4 wheels sandy outside Tertre Rouge, and cost myself a whole lot of momentum,
the gap beginning lap 104 is 27s. Bummer. The Sauber pits ending lap 105 from 31s lead recorded at Porsche Curve checkpoint. I get past him while he's pitted, and he shows 5.4s behind at Tertre Rouge checkpoint, and again I make an error, dipping 2 wheels in the sand and costing myself a ton of speed. I'm expecting to have the Sauber whip by at high speed any second before L'Arche chicane, but it doesn't happen, and I'm surprised that it takes so long for a split to register, and when it does the Sauber has dropped to 9.4s back despite my mistake! Weird, but I'm grateful for the breather nonetheless. This has been a draftless stint as well, so it looks like a 9th lap stop will bring me in ending lap 107 and I'll take as much lead as I can muster, thank you very much! It's an 8.6s gap when I do eventually reach the end of 107, and I obviously lose the lead while I'm stopped. The gap is 31s at the end of my outlap, and there's now 2 backmarkers between us, the Toyota and the R89C by the time he pits ending lap 112 from a 45s lead. The leading margin is down to 6s by the end of his outlap. It's 4s beginning lap 115, and about the same at Tertre Rouge split, but all of a sudden there's a very slow Sauber in the middle of the track before L'Arche chicane, and while I've no idea why, I'm not stopping to ask either, screaming past in excess of 200mph! He recovers to take back his place in lap 116, and I'm able to save some fuel in his draft for the next lap and a bit, meaning I can pit on my 10th lap, ending lap 117, by which time I'm about 5s behind. Get out in 2nd place still ahead of the R92CP, but have the 2 backmarkers, Toyota and R89C between me and the Sauber. The gap is way up now, as the hour mark passes during my outlap.Hour mark passes 3'13 into lap 118, in 2nd place, 48s behind Sauber.
Hour 8.
Lap the Toyota for a 3rd time beginning lap 119 as he's pitted, leaving only the R89C between me and the distant Sauber. The Sauber pits ending lap 119, as I'm exiting Arnage, some 55s behind him, and obviously he's able to get away still in the lead. The gap is a little over 13s by the time he finishes his outlap. It comes down to 11s by the time we go into lap 123, while I lap the R89C who pits from his track position between the race leaders. The gap goes up to 25s at the Porsche Curve checkpoint on lap 126 when the Sauber pits from the lead, and I should also be pitting, being as I've not had any drafting time this stint. However, I've been keeping a close eye on the fuel gauge, and I must have been more lenient than usual and it looks as though I've enough for an extra lap. Make it round safely, and pit from 9s lead over Sauber ending lap 127. Its a 30s lead for the Sauber ending my outlap, and that's up to 33s going into lap 130. An awful couple of laps follow, once again getting 4 tyres sandy outside Tertre Rouge on lap 131,
and following that with a 3'40 lap after compounding the previous error by not just getting the tyres sandy, but actually spinning out. This gives the Sauber a huge cushion, of a little over a minute by the time he makes his next stop ending lap 133. He's 20s ahead at the end of his outlap, which I must admit is a tad demoralising. Hour mark passes 2'12 into lap 135, in 2nd place, 19s behind Sauber.
Hour 9.
The gap is back to 20s when I pit ending lap 137, having dropped a little while the Sauber's tyres warm up. Sadly for me, there's no sign of the AI ineptitude which happened in FLK's recent attempt which was ended prematurely by an unfortunate act of electrickery. I'd love it to show up, to give me a chance! It's a 57s gap ending my outlap, and 1'09 by the time the Sauber pits again ending lap 140. By the end of his outlap I'm 29s in arrears, and getting the feeling that this race is slowly working its way out of my grasp.
Towards the end of our 145th lap, while I'm approaching Indianapolis and the Sauber has exited Arnage, the Mazda and the other Toyota pit together, exiting just ahead of the Sauber. I go into my 146th lap with a close eye on the fuel gauge to see if this'll be a 9 or 10 lap stint. The second to last fuel bar blinks out between La Florendiere chicane and Mulsanne Hairpin, meaning that I'll have to make it 9 laps, and I pitted from 33s behind Sauber at Porsche Curve checkpoint. Meanwhile, the Sauber has made light work of the Toyota, and is right with the Mazda, although hopefully the quicker car will hold him up a little. We can hope! He pits ending lap 147, and at the end of his outlap he is still 33s distant. The gap drops a little over the next few laps, as his tyres are warming, and he catches back up to the other Toyota which had unlapped itself while he was pitted. He goes past during lap 151, and I start lap 152 with a 34s gap.Hour mark passes 1'38 into lap 152, in 2nd place, 33s behind Sauber.
Hour 10.
The Sauber pits ending lap 154 from a shade over 40s in front, exiting the pits a little over 6s ahead of me, I can't catch up to him though, and yet another draftless stint will result in a 9th lap stop at the end of lap 55.
This leaves me no time to take advantage of the Sauber's cold tyres either, and I have to go in from 5.7s behind him at Porsche Curve checkpoint. My outlap ends 40s behind the Sauber, and hot on the tail of the other Toyota who is lapped again during lap 157. The Mazda, which the Sauber has been catching pits ending his 160th lap, ahead of the Sauber who pits ending his 161st lap. This means the Mazda on cold tyres will stay ahead of the Sauber on cold tyres and hopefully slow him down a little! I'm 11.7s behind going into lap 163 after the Sauber's outlap. Pitted once again from about 8s behind the Sauber after another draftless 9 lap stint. Finish my outlap 51s behind the Sauber, who is now right with the Mazda, but going into lap 166, I make a right hash of the exit if Tertre Rouge Esses after touching the grass, and the resultant spin costs me more time. Idiot. It gifts the Sauber 10s gain on this lap, and by the time he stops again ending lap 168, he's 1'09 clear and easily able to exit the pits still in 1st place.Hour mark passes 51s into lap 169, in 2nd place, 30s behind Sauber.
Hour 11.
Still no sign of erractic behaviour from the Sauber, and I'm beginning to get worried that it might not happen at all.
I'm 28.7s behind as he completes his outlap, and the Mazda which has pitted from the end of his 168th lap is able to get out of the pits ahead of the Sauber, and will hopefully block him some more! It works for a while, the gap dropping to 23s, but during lap 171 the Sauber passed the Mazda and begins to extend his lead again. By the time I'm ready for another 9th lap stop ending lap 173, the Sauber's lead is back to 27s according to the timer at Porsche Curve. I make my exit from the pits and finish the outlap 1'06 behind the Sauber, who continues to pull away for another lap, pitting ending his 175th lap from a 1'11 lead. I'm back to 30s behind him by the time his outlap is completed, and in the meantime the Mazda who has pitted from a lap behind the Sauber now, has exited the pits between us. I catch right up to him on lap 180, having dropped the gap to the Sauber as low as 23s, with some 3'27 laps, but he's pulling away again now, and I'll have to make use of the fuel saving draft of the Mazda while it's available to allow me a 10 lap stint again. Follow him round lap 181 and 182, and he nearly costs me at Mulsanne Hairpin, only quick feet & hands save me from a long sojourn in the sand after he nudges me under braking for the turn. 🤬 The Sauber pits ending lap 182, from a 36s lead, exiting the pits only just ahead of the Mazda and me. He barges past the Mazda under braking for Dunlop Chicane, and I pass the Mazda on the exit cleanly, before diving through cleanly past the Sauber in time-honoured fashion under braking for the Tertre Rouge Esses. Lead them down through Mulsanne hairpin where they both catch up, the Sauber trying to bully me off into the sandtrap, but I'm having none of it. As he backs off approaching my rear end, the Mazda gets alongside him and I'd've been quite prepared to let the Mazda go. The Sauber's bullish attitude isn't just directed at me though, and with the Mazda right alongside him, he tries to drive it out onto the grass! 
By some minor miracle all 3 of us negotiate the turn before Indianapolis, Indianapolis itself and Arnage without incident or contact, but it's the Sauber that leads us through there, with me sneaking past the Mazda again under braking for Arnage, but it doesn't last long as the Mazda's power takes him back past before Porsche Curve. I pit ending lap 183 from under a second behind the Sauber, hoping that the Mazda on warm tyres will hang with and obstruct the Sauber a little more. I'm 36s behind at the end of my outlap, but the Sauber has the Mazda to deal with and they're approaching another backmarker too. The Mazda pits ending his 184th lap, as I'm coming round to the end of my 185th, letting the Sauber through, but escaping the pitlane ahead of me. No bother, it's fuel-saving time again! Hour mark passes 24s into lap 186, in 2nd place, 38s behind Sauber.
Hour 12.
Linger behind the Mazda for a few laps and the Sauber extends his lead to 52s by the time he goes in again ending lap 189.He gets away still in 1st place, and I take the opportunity to get out from behind the Mazda, who has been saving me fuel, but slowing me down in the process, outbraking him into Tertre Rouge Esses. By the end of lap 190, the Sauber's outlap, I'm only 14.8s behind, with enough fuel for a 10 lap stint. I go in from about 18s behind ending lap 193, and the other Toyota briefly steals back his last lap. At the end of my outlap, the Sauber has a 56s advantage and I'm right on the tail of the other Toyota, who is lapped again before L'Arche, but hangs round to bump me into the chicane, and La Florendiere chicane too! 👎 The Sauber pits from 1'04 lead ending lap 196, a gap which is reduced to a touch over 24s by the time his outlap is complete. The gap to the Sauber is dropped to under 20s, but the extends again, and just when it looks like I'm going to have to resign myself to a draftless 9 lap stint, the R89C which has exited the pits between me and the Sauber comes to my rescue as he's caught during lap 202, to give me enough of a fuel saving to go another lap, with any luck. 💡
Hour mark passes just after the start of lap 203, in 2nd place, 29s behind Sauber.
Hour 13.
Followed right in the draft of the R89C all the way round lap 203, which allows the Sauber to pull away a little, but he's due to stop ending this lap too, and then again on lap 210, whereas all being well I should make lap 212 or 213 before I need to go in, which should hand me the lead again for a few laps, if I can eat into his leading margin by a few second now while we're both on cold tyres. Going into lap 209, the gap which was only 33s ending our respective outlaps, is up to 39s, but during lap 208 I've caught up to the R89C again which has conveniently pitted and got back out ahead of me, albeit almost 2 laps down, and allows me the fuel saving luxury of playing around in his slipstream, and now means I can definitely hold out until lap 213 for my next stop, 👍 while the Sauber only has this lap and the next before his fuel level means he'll be pitbound. Sure enough, in he goes, and with the bit between my teeth I'm charging, ending his outlap which he's slow on, due to his full fuel-tank and cold tyres, I come in with an unbelievable un-draft assisted 3'26.723 lap
leaving me just 4.7s behind. Catch and pass him before L'Arche chicane on lap 213, ending the lap with my own pitstop, and crucially, a 1s lead over the Sauber, who of course steals back 1st place before I even make it to my pit bay! I finish my outlap 41s behind him, and the R89C is too far back by now to pass me as well, so there'll be no beneficial drafting to be done this session, unless I can catch the Sauber after his next stop. He pulls away for the next few laps, stopping from 52s ahead on lap 217. What a Tool. 
A schoolboy error going into lap 218 costs me any gains I could have had on the Sauber, as I overcook the exit of the 2nd Ford Chicane in my eagerness to pursue the Sauber. 2 tyres in sand = spin into barrier across the line. Very undignified in front of the Grandstands. D'oh. Sauber is thus able to end his outlap 20s ahead of me, and I'll be having a 9 lap stint since there's not been a fuel saving to be had.Hour mark passes 2'59 into lap 219, in 2nd place, 18s behind Sauber.
Hour 14.
Pit in from 22s behind Sauber ending lap 222, after 9 unslipstreaming laps, and finish my outlap 1'04 behind the Sauber, a gap which grows to 1'08 when he pits ending lap 224. We should both be on course for a lap 231 stop so I need to rape him for as much time as possible while his tyres are cold, in order to give myself any chance of regaining the lead any time soon! He's 30s distant ending his outlap, a gap which is dropped to a whisker over 24s by the beginning of lap 229. 2 laps on warm tyres is all it takes him to stretch that gap to 30s at Porsche Curve checkpoint by the time we both pit again ending lap 231. He gets away first, obviously, and I get an unexpected bonus, in that the other Toyota which I thought we'd lapped again for good, screams by me as I exit the pits and start to line up for the Dunlop chicane. I save petrol in his draft all the way around my outlap, and still only lose a second to the Sauber, finishing 31s behind his outlap.
But I've now bought myself that all important 10th lap, and with that in mind, I'm ready to dispatch the other Toyota and start carving into the Sauber's cold tyre laptimes before he motors away again. I'm able to claw it down just below 27s before he warms up, lightens the fuel-load and pulls away towards the end of the hour.Hour mark passes 2'29 into lap 236, in 2nd place, 32s behind Sauber.
Hour 15.
He pits ending lap 238, from a 39s lead, getting away from the pits still barely clinging to his advantage as I bear down on him towards Dunlop Chicane. He's passed between the mainstraight chicanes, but goes by again at Mulsanne as I get out of his way under braking to avoid a Silver-Arrow induced sandbath!
Follow him round the rest of the lap until I outbraked him into the first Ford Chicane, and set about putting some distance between us. The gap gets a big as 6s (if you can call that big! ) before dropping to 2.5s according the Porsche Curve timekeepers, when I pitted ending lap 241. The Sauber resumes his lead, and I'm worried that my AI are reading a different script to everyone elses. From all the other reports I've read it seems that the AI is able to race pretty well for a while, then about halfway through the race, starts to do strange and untoward things such as crashing into barriers on straights, and the like. I'm over 14 hours in, and my AI haven't done anything of the sort bar the odd slow-Sauber event during lap 115 in the 7th hour. Seems like this is going to be harder than trying to get money back from an insurance company! I'm 40s behind at the end of my outlap, and some skin-of-the-teeth laps follow, right on the ragged edge to stop the Sauber edging away too much before his next stop. He's 45s ahead when he makes another stop ending lap 245, getting away in the lead. A beautiful lap on my part following him around as he's just barely visible in the distance allows me to catch up a little, especially through the Ford Chicanes ending the lap, and he's just 4.022s ahead going into lap 247. As long as I can catch him and draft for a while, I can ensure I will stop on lap 251, just 1 lap before he's due again, so I must try to stay as close as possible. It turns out to be fairly easy to stay with him, just 2s behind going into lap 248 means I catch him out of Tertre Rouge, and enjoy hanging around in his slipstream, until he pulls away again out of Mulsanne Hairpin. Catch him again at the end of the lap, through the Ford Chicanes, and go into lap 249 only 0.328s behind. Play the slipstreaming game with him throughout lap 249, although he pulls out a bit of a gap going into lap 250. Fortunately I'm far quicker than he is through Dunlop Chicane, Tertre Rouge Esses and Tertre Rouge, which allows me to drop right back into his hole-in-the-air by the time we exit L'Arche Chicane. Complete the rest of the lap without him pulling away too much, finishing 0.554s behind after a staggering new fastest lap of 3'24.784. 
Fuel gauge says I'll have to stop at the end of this one, so I'm tempted to pass him on the straight and try to put a little distance between us. Easier said than done, but I hang with him, only 0.5s back at Indianapolis checkpoint. He pulls away to Porsche Curve, and damnit! I touch the grass under braking, and spend a while digging myself out of the sandtrap, logging a 13s gap at the Porsche Curve checkpoint. Fool. 
Best opportunity yet to steal the lead for a while, and I've blown it! Crawl into the pits for my stop a lot further behind the leader than I ought to be. He stops as predicted ending lap 252, and instead of being passed in the pits as he should have been, he gets away with the lead, and me trailing by about 26s! Hour mark passes 1'47 into lap 253, in 2nd place, 24s behind Sauber.
Hour 16.
Some anger-at-myself fuelled laps after my stupid, stupid mistake mean that I'm able to drop the gap as low as 19s, 👍 before the Sauber manages to claw it back up to 27s, 👎 mostly during his last 2 laps before his pitstop ending lap 259. I pass him while he's still pitted, but since I've had no fuel savings this stint, I'll have to pit myself ending lap 260. Which I do, going in from almost 12s ahead according to the Porsche Curve clockwatchers, and of course I lose the lead in the process. I finish my outlap, during which I took a brief trip into the sandtrap outside Mulsanne Hairpin, 29s behind the leading Sauber, knowing he's got his tyres up to temperature and his best laps to come. Bugger.
He's able to grow that gap to 43s by the time he goes in ending lap 266, a lap during which I lapped the other Toyota again. Close on the Sauber throughout his outlap, and end it just over a second behind him. Perfect. I'd've had to pit ending lap 269 otherwise, but now I can ride the Sauber's slipstream for a couple of laps, save some petrol and dive in ending lap 270. Nice. That's what happens, riding his wake through laps 268, 269 and although he pulled away a little between Indianapolis and Porsche Curves, to post a 2s lead going into my inlap on 270, by the time the hour mark passes as we approach the braking area for Mulsanne Hairpin, I'm only inches behind him, having passed through the previous checkpoint at the exit of La Florendiere chicane registering a 0.358s gap. Hour mark passes 1'46 into lap 270, in 2nd place, under 1s behind Sauber.
Hour 17.
Make my next stop ending lap 270 as expected, from under 2s behind the leader. Have a bloody awful outlap though, repeating my earlier mistake at Porsche Curve, and spending a while with the bucket-and-spade digging my way out of the sand.
Finished the lap 56s behind the Sauber, instead of what should have been about 45s. I really am unconsciously determined to make this difficult for myself, aren't I? The leader pits from a 1'05 lead ending lap 273, and gets away cleanly still holding 1st place. I come round after his outlap showing 24s behind him, when really I should have been a lap away from catching his slipstream and following him round closely so we could pit almost together ending lap 280. That won't happen now. There's a lot of clear, fuel sucking, air between him & me, and I'll now have to stop ending lap 279. Hopefully if I'm careful I can stop him pulling out too much of a lead in those final few laps before his own stop. I have resolved not to speak to myself for a while after that last error since I'm so angry at me for making it , so concentration should be easier! Ok, so that doesn't work too well. Approaching Indianapolis on lap 276, with the gap down to 22s, I go into the bend way too hard, and have another time-consuming incident that results in a 3'43 laptime and a 37s gap at the end of it. There's no other option, I'm divorcing my brain for a while. 💡 Which is fine, apparently and he immediately goes off to find something, less mundane than lapping Sarthe for hours on end, to do! Come through the first brainless lap OK, and the second, at 3'26.681, without any kind of assistance it the fastest unassisted lap of the race so far! Who needs brains anyway! 
This has reduced my gap to the leader to 34s going into lap 279 which'll definitely be my next pit-in lap, as he's been dealing with a backmarker for the last few laps. Stop from 34s behind, confirmed by the timer at Porsche Curve, and get on my way again, noting with horror that the Sauber pits from 1'15 ahead ending his 280th lap, the biggest lead anyone has had in this race yet, after all that hard work over the last few hours had put me back within touching distance of him. More hard work anyone?!!! D'oh. I've got a 35s mountain to climb, to get anywhere near him, as he ends his outlap. I'm handed a little good fortune though, during lap 283, the Sauber catches a backmarker again, which I believe to be the R92CP, and it takes him until lap 286 to go past. This means I'm able to maintain the gap at around 34s, until the beginning of lap 287, on which the Sauber is due to stop, when his dash in clean air through the latter part of lap 286 has extended his lead by a few seconds.Hour mark passes 45s into lap 187, in 2nd place, 38s behind Sauber.
Hour 18.
Sauber stops from 40s lead on lap 287, and I catch up to him during his outlap at Mulsanne Hairpin. Can't stay with him though, and this is technically my inlap. I'm 2s behind at Porsche Curve checkpoint, and though I could've risked staying out another lap and riding in the Sauber's wake, I know that if I made the slightest error and lost his draft during the lap I'd be limping back to the pits with an empty fuel tank.
For safety's sake, I pit in ending lap 288. He'll have the R92CP to deal with again for a few laps this stint, which should help me out a little. Finished my outlap coming up 37s short of the Sauber, who seems to have made light work of the R92CP this time. I have a new mantra that I'm repeating now. "One more spin and you can't win!" Nothing like keeping the pressure on yourself is there? Sauber pits from 45s lead on lap 294, with the lapped R89C going in close behind him. During their outlap I'm able to hook up with the R89C for a little fuel saving, and pass him briefly for 3 laps down over the finish line, as he's slow out of the second Ford Chicane. The gap to the leading Sauber is 5s, and if I can save petrol in his or the R89C's wake for a lap or 2, I'll be able to go for a 10 lap stint ending on lap 298. The R89C goes back past before we pass the pit exit, where the R92CP emerges, just behind us, now a lap down himself. Follow the R89C out onto the straight and pass him between the chicanes, hoping he'll slingshot by again and give us both a small advantage, but he doesn't. The Nissans do close up before Mulsanne, and since they're both on relatively cold tyres, I don't want to get shunted, so I move left and brake early for the hairpin allowing them both by. Get between them for the run to Indianapolis, the R92CP having moved ahead of the R89C, and negotiate the turn there OK, but just as I'm lining up the turn at Arnage to stay in the R92CP's wake on the exit, the R89C runs in the back of me, and I'm left to trail them by a few seconds to the end of the lap, catching them again in the final chicanes, and then passing the R89C out of the Dunlop Curve. Stay with the R92CP throughout lap 297 and most of 298, only losing his slipstream as he motors away out of Indianapolis and Arnage, and I pit ending this lap from 14s behind the leading Sauber, the fuel saving game with the Nissans having allowed him to pull away a little. No bother though, a short term gain through a few laps is nothing compared to being able to run an extra lap. 👍 Extra laps mean less pitstops, 💡 and at ~40s per stop, pitstops are costly here. The Sauber goes in from a 59s lead ending lap 301, and after his outlap his lead is down to 23s, while in the meantime, the other Toyota and both Nissans have pitted on the track between us. It should mean that they get out of the pits just ahead of me, and allow another fuel saving session, at the expense of a couple of seconds lost to the Sauber. That's exactly what happens, I hook up with the R89C in Dunlop Curve, and follow him through the lap, until I pass him under braking for the first Ford Chicane with all the fuel saving I need done. Hour mark passes 3'27 into lap 303, in 2nd place, 23s behind Sauber.
Hour 19.
Catch the other Toyota at Mulsanne Hairpin on lap 304, and draft him through most of the rest of the lap, before he's passed just after Maison Blanche, being as he's holding me up too much.
Gap remains almost unchanged for a few laps, growing only slightly to 27s by the time the Sauber pits from the lead on lap 308. I follow him in, needing a fuel stop myself. The lead margin is 26s at the end of our respective outlaps, and stays that way on lap 310 too. Catch the other Toyota again exiting L'Arche Chicane on lap 311, and follow him round to the end of the lap, much of it at half-throttle to conserve petrol, 👍 before he dives into the pits for a stop of his own. The Sauber pulls away a bit, until according to our friends in the Porsche Curve timing booth, he's 35s ahead when he stops ending lap 315. He exits the pits just as I'm passing, and I back off a little to avoid a potential confrontation into the Dunlop Chicane, also keeping an eye on the fuel situation, and figuring that a lap spent following him now, will let me pit ending lap 318, after I've been able to pull away while his tyres warm up. He ends his outlap with me in close attendance, just 0.5s behind him, and being as my fuel gauge didn't drop it's last blue bar into the red until I was between Indianapolis and Arnage during the last lap I'm now safe in the knowledge that I'll easily get my 10 laps in, so I can pass the Sauber at will, and spend the remainder of the 2 laps before stopping building as big a cushion as I can. Passing and pulling away from a Sauber isn't as easy as I thought, he's passed under braking for Tertre Rouge Esses, but screams by again before L'Arche. Passed between the chicanes, he passes back at Mulsanne Hairpin, as I don't want an accident. Finish the lap just 0.151s behind! Pass again at Tertre Rouge Esses, and this time I get away cleaner, opening the gap to 2.5s at Mulsanne before it's dropped to under as second again by the time I pit in. The psychological advantage of leading into the pits again does wonders for my lack-of-mental state, (divorced my brain, remember?!!! ) and with the end of the hour fast approaching, I'm back on the right course again. 
End my outlap more-or-less exactly 44s behind the leader, a gap which grows ever so slightly before the end of the hour. Hour mark passes 2'41 into lap 320, in 2nd place, 46s behind Sauber.
Hour 20.
Sauber's lead was 54s going into the pits on lap 322, but the Mazda pits and gets away ahead of him, and the R92CP who is a lap behind him gets between him and the Mazda as he exits the pits. The combination of dealing with 2 backmarkers on his outlap means I'm able to finish the lap 14s behind him, although the R92CP pits, taking him out of the equation, but meaning that I also lap him while he's stopped. The Sauber escapes from behind the Mazda during lap 326, meaning he's able to build his lead to 17s by the time I have to pit on lap 327, a 9 lap stint. I'm 56s behind ending my outlap, and 1'05 behind when the leader stops ending lap 329. Was 26s back after the Sauber's outlap, and maintain more-or-less the same gap, whilst in turn gaining on the Mazda for the next 7 laps. Was hoping to ride the Mazda's slipstream for a couple of laps after I caught him on lap 336, but he touches the sand coming out of L'Arche, skewing wildly across the track and nearly takes me with him! Although he catches up again by Mulsanne Hairpin, I'm not confident enough now that there's enough fuel saving to be had even if I remain glued to his bumper for the rest of this lap and all of the next, and since I'm due a pitstop, and I'm only 27s behind the leader, I elect not to take an unnecessary risk and throw away the race by running out of petrol at this late stage! Get away from the pits after the R92CP manages to sneak by and unlap himself again and set off in what's seeming to be a perpetual pursuit of the Sauber, who'd also pitted ending his 336th lap.
Hour mark passes 2'37 into lap 337, in 2nd place, 26s behind Sauber.
Hour 21.
The Sauber & I finish our respective outlaps separated by 26s, though sadly still in his favour. I'm able to close that down slightly during lap 338, and get a wonderful break in lap 339 when the Madza, who has pitted from almost 2 laps back gets away just as I cross the line. He's caught by the exit of Tertre Rouge, and used as a fuel saving air-dam for the rest of the lap, until he's passed going into the first Ford Chicane, job done and a wave of thanks as I go by! I'm back onto a 10 lap window, and need to keep the Sauber's lead to a minimum for the next 3 laps, so that I stand a chance of passing him in the pits when he's due to stop on lap 343. I caught the other Toyota during lap 340, and put him another lap down crossing the start/finish line going into lap 341. The Sauber creeps the leading margin up to 33s by the time he stops, but this time it's not enough to prevent me passing him before he's had chance to exit the pitlane. I make use of my warmer tyres, lighter fuel load and pull away from him as he gets up to racing speed again, finishing his outlap 8s behind me. The lead is strung out to a little under 13s by the time I stop ending lap 346, and the Sauber resumes 1st place. He's 32s clear by the time I end my outlap, and has another few quick laps in him before he's due another stop. Humph. He draws away by a little, seeing the Porsche Curve clock register a 41s lead when he makes his 350th lap stop. This time I'm not close enough to pass him in the pits, but I edge closer and closer throughout his outlap, ending it just 0.955s behind him. There's fuel saving to be done here, for tactical reasons, he'll go in again ending lap 357, I'd have to pit ending 355 unless I hang with him for a couple of laps, which'll leave me able to go for a stop ending lap 356, and meaning the Sauber will stop twice during my next stint. That's what I do, riding around most of the next few laps at 2/3 throttle only 1/10ths of a second behind the Sauber. Although he's passed a few times on the straight, he's always able to gain back before Mulsanne Hairpin, and I'm wise to the fact that if I'm in his way he'll not hesitate to put me in the sand and end my threat to his victory.
Hour mark passes 1'54 into lap 354, in 2nd place, under a second behind the Sauber.
Hour 22.
He's clung to like a limpet through lap 355, but towards the latter part of lap 356 he edges away just a little, although the gap is under 3s when I take to the pitlane at the end of the lap. My outlap is his inlap, and he stops from 43s ahead having made a bit of time through that last lap. He's able to get away from the pits with the lead intact, completing his outlap 6.8s ahead of me, and while I'm able to drop the gap down to 2s out of Mulsanne Hairpin on lap 360, he's able to pull steadily away without me ever getting close enough to take advantage of his slipstream. He pits from 15s lead ending lap 364 and in an inverse situation from before, his outlap becomes my inlap as I have to go in after 9 laps this time, pitting from 24s lead ending lap 365. By the end of my outlap he's a shade over 8s in front and I have 3 very wiggly and potentially race ending moments during lap 369, which thankfully I'm able to recover from, but it hands the Sauber 8s of extra lead in the process. Going into his next inlap on lap 371, I'm lagging about 23s back.
Hour mark passes 1'26 into lap 371, in 2nd place, 21s behind the Sauber.
Hour 23.
He pits from just over 24s lead ending lap 371, and I take over the lead while he's stopped. Ending his outlap he's 15s back and I make a run for it, dragging the gap out to just over 20s by the time I'm forced in again on lap 374 after another 9-lap unassisted period. My outlap finishes around 24s behind the leader, and he's once again got the warmer tyres and light fuel load on his side for the next few laps, putting it to good use and pulling away to open a 37s gap by the time he goes in ending lap 378. This is largely thanks to the fact that I caught the other Toyota beginning lap 378 and decided to make a little fuel saving for the first part of the lap, when it became clear I'd given away 4s to the Sauber by L'Arche Chicane, I went past, safe in the knowledge that I'd saved a little fuel, and that the Sauber's lead was just about right to have him go into the pits and out again just in front of me, giving me chance to save fuel behind him throughout his outlap, and then trying to open as much of a gap as possible before my next stop, 10 laps after my last one. It works beautifully, dropping into his wake exiting Dunlop Curve and hanging right with him all the way to the first Ford Chicane, where he's neatly and cleanly outbraked, ending his outlap 1.425s behind me. It's a gap that grows as big as 8s, before he's able to reel me back in, being just 3.5s behind me when I stop ending lap 384. Once again my outlap is his inlap, and I need to make sure I'm hot on his heels when he gets away from his own pitstop. It's a plan that's perfect in conception and inception, he gets away just ahead of me and I'm able to ride in his slipstream out of Tertre Rouge, passing L'Arche Chicane checkpoint just 0.3s behind, and La Florendiere Chicane checkpoint at 0.198s behind! Stick with him right through the end of his outlap and the gap at the line shows he has just 0.082s of a lead! Pass him with a wonderful clean and incisive move going into Tertre Rouge Esses, and set about showing him a clean pair of heels for as long as possible!
Hour mark passes 46s into lap 388, in 1st place, 3.5s ahead of Sauber.
Hour 24.
It works like clockwork, the gap growing to 6s before he axes it down to 2s again, and thanks to some in-form laps it stays around that until the end of lap 392 when the Sauber makes his next stop! He's 42s behind ending his outlap, and that is extended to 46s at Porsche Curve checkpoint by the time I pit ending lap 394, thanks in part to catching the R89C again during my inlap. The R89C pits just ahead of me though, and is tremendously slow negotiating the pit entrance, my autodrive giving him numerous "Get out of my F'in way!" shoves! The R89C gets out just ahead of me and I'm able to use his draft from L'Arche Chicane onwards. The Sauber gains and gains throughout the lap, ending it just 4.5s behind. I'm still with the R89C and he's a little too quick to pass down the straight. The Sauber blows by under braking for La Florendiere Chicane, but he gets stuck with the R89C in front of him out of Mulsanne, so I'm able to stay close-ish. He bullies by the R89C through Porsche Curve, and begins to pull away, making a 9.7s gap before he pits ending lap 399. I'm trying to work out whether I'll need a splash and dash stop before the end, and it breaks my concentration out of Maison Blanche.
That final, fatal spin.
The Sauber is 22s behind ending his outlap, and I've followed the R89C round a couple of laps in the vain hope that I'll have enough fuel to see me through to the end. The Sauber is 24s back towards the end of lap 402 and I'm approaching the pit entry with 8 minutes of race to go, and enough fuel for 2 x 3.5 minute laps. It's clear the race is going to run to 405 laps and I either run out of fuel during this last lap and lose or I have to gamble on a splash & dash putting me out ahead of the Sauber and blocking him to the end of the race. Sadly the R89C pits too, and I have the slow roadblock going in. In my panic, I forget to select no tyre change, and I'm then forced to endure a full set of tyres coming off and going on, and I'm gutted to see the Sauber go by. There's no catching him. I'm 10s behind at Tertre Rouge checkpoint, with 3 laps to go and cold tyres. I've choked. The biggest race of them all, and I've blown it. He finishes in 24:03'04.009 with me just 14 bloody seconds behind him.
Result:-
1st Sauber Mercedes C 9 Race Car '89 24:03'04.009
2nd (Black) Toyota GT-One Race Car (TS020) '99
+14.5s3rd Nissan R92CP Race Car '92 +1 Lap
4th Mazda 787B Race Car '91 +2 Laps
5th Nissan R89C Race Car '89 +3 Laps
6th (Red / White) Toyota GT-One Race Car (TS020) '99 ? (+6 Laps?)
At this point I should vow never to race here again, to leave GT4 be. But I can't. You just know I'll have to come back here and try this again sometime. And I'll win! There were too many "what if?"s here, I made too many mistakes, I have the one copy of GT4 where Peter Perfect drives the Sauber, not the AI idiots that crash into the Armco on the straights that everyone else gets. 1, just 1 of those from him and the race would've been mine. It hurts a lot. More so than having the race terminated by an act of dog / sibling / spouse / electric company or freak weather incident. I can't bear the thought of saving my game with this shame on my hands, so the PS2 gets a well deserved rest, and 24hrs go down the drain. I can't even bring myself to add smileys to the last 5 hours. I need a beer.
In my disappointment, I also forgot to save the replay before I powered off, so there'll be no graphical embellishment of this catalogue of disaster!
I just knew it. I shouldn't have pressured myself by adding a "work in progress" thread here. Next time I'll keep the report private until those hard fought 200 A-spec points are in the bag!
