2021 FIA Series Race Discussion

[pennanton]

So jumped in 2nd slot, wasn't going to bother initially because Mazda 6. Eventually thought whatever racing is fun and points are points. Somehow qualified 3rd, assuming others maybe stifled each other trying to draft up Kemmel, I like to run in totally clean air in Q. Move up to 2nd in the race past a Jag. Thought 'alright alright alright, the tyres will fall off a cliff and if I stay consistent maybe top 5.' That never happened and I extended the gap to 4 sec and was sitting comfy, slightly dozing off tbh.

Then I binned it last lap touching the astroturf of death on the outside of the second Stavelot. Like one wheel on it in a 4WD just yeeted me at the opposite barrier. Fortunately didn't spin and no pen so recovered for 3rd and 213 points.

TL;DR somehow, someway I got great points at Spa in a Mazda 6 gr4.

 

[manion]

Had 2 slots and picked up a 7th worth 157 points in the second I think I'm done I had some be in both races and both qualifying sessions. First race my qualy would have been good for 7th but apparently grabbed to much outside kerb at blanchimont and started 19th was looking at getting into top 10 until I was dive bombed by someone I had just got past and put me off the road ended up I think 12th with 96 points.

Second race some idiot in a McLaren decides to draft me up the kemmel straight and then tries to pit manoeuvre me under brakes and hits me so I end up going through the second part of the corner and still manage a time good enough for 8th think I had a real shot at pole given the pole time was a 28.9 and in practice I was in the low 28s. Get stuck in the pack a bit for the first 2 laps not making up time and not losing any just trying to look after the tyres. The 2 in front of me start going at it on lap 3 which puts me in the slipstream and they both bottle it the corner before blanchimont and I cruise past both get the brake bias forward to brake a bit later and the 86 that I just went past roots his braking point and 86s me from the track.

End up going from 6th to 14th after eventually getting reset to the track. Time to start picking cars off manage to pull off some good moves in suprise spots thanks to seemingly looking after the tyres pretty well doing high 29s low 30s in traffic. Overtook into pouhon twice thanks to being way quicker through the corner with no name than everyone in the mid pack. Another lap I might have picked up 2-3 more spots, little bit annoyed that I could have managed a podium here but I'm going to take the 157 points and run. Really don't like gr4 much prefer gr3 personally.

Just watched the replay. One of the two McLarens had to pit end of Lap 9! Holy smokes! It was running 17th. Dropped to 19th. An NSX that looked battle damaged was 20th. The other McLaren finished 8th with same fuel as the 86s.
NSX and M4 were red flashing, nearly out of fuel.

All the Atenzas and Caymans had too much fuel left over.

The RCf had over a quarter of a tank left I think and I was full gas the entire race

 

[05XR8]

The RCf had over a quarter of a tank left I think and I was full gas the entire race

Just like pennanton mentioned. i thought my race was over at reace entry. No doubt the Atenza was going to suffer. Didn't happen.
When I used to run the RC F, it was pretty good on fuel. Doesn't help when you're trying to run light on worn tyres.

 

[stpatty]

25:28 in my first practice attempt, starting on the entry to the chicane. Looks like I'm donating DR to everyone today.

 

[The_Tullster]

One and done for 5th place and 100 points. Bit of argy bargy on the last couple of laps, otherwise a boring race, I ran in a gap for about seven laps.

Make sure your qualifying lap is clean because you only get one flyer.

 

[manion]

One and done for 5th place and 100 points. Bit of argy bargy on the last couple of laps, otherwise a boring race, I ran in a gap for about seven laps.

Make sure your qualifying lap is clean because you only get one flyer.

Yeah I've been waiting till everyone is gone but thought I would try and sneak 2 laps in. In hindsight I would have laid back and made sure nobody screwed my lap except me.

 

[MCL1974]

was thinking of doing the FIA race at Spa today but just checked on GT Blade how my laptime compares to others and think I am way of pace:

congrats to all my fellow B level drivers who manages 2.17 sec. lap times!!!

 

[OJBrit]

I think what I find so infuriating is that seemingly the same brake point, same line, same turn in on 2 consecutive laps has very different outcomes. Take Campus for example. I think I get that right about every 3rd lap, but I cannot work out what I’m doing differently on the other two laps. In replay everything looks the same and yet…

This is me for every race no matter the track or car.

 

[ShiftingGears]

@05XR8 flogged me. Finished 7th after starting 6th, races at Spa are very processional

 

[05XR8]

@05XR8 flogged me. Finished 7th after starting 6th, races at Spa are very processional

When I saw the point tally in the room, that's why I typed i'd be last. 400+ points for the other Atenzas.

For sure thought everyone in the MRs would be gone in qualy.

 

[crusselz]

was thinking of doing the FIA race at Spa today but just checked on GT Blade how my laptime compares to others and think I am way of pace:

View attachment 1018281

congrats to all my fellow B level drivers who manages 2.17 sec. lap times!!!

Pretty similar. With a 2:28.5 GT blade has me #5850 or lower. Furthest down i think I've ever been.

 

[Tidgney]

Well, my car is apparently not very good here... I am majorly regretting picking Aston at the moment!

 

[D_Dragline]

Well, my car is apparently not very good here... I am majorly regretting picking Aston at the moment!

Thank god it’s not just me. The damn thing just will not turn.

Jumped into Asian slot 4. Door 2. Qualy was going ok until I had to overtake out of no name. Still could have been tracking for top 5 until I completely botched the Bus Stop and lost about half a second. Q12.

Race was incredibly tedious in the end. I got as high as P10 after a couple ahead served penalties or binned it. I then got a track limits penalty coming out of Malmedy. (Never done that before.) and dropped a spot serving the penalty on the next lap. Then just drove alone to the end to finish p11. Not great, but not the humiliation I feared. Points won’t count and I would be happy to never see this bloody track again.

 

[SUPRASTAR0003]

Today, I had a win in Belgium with the Aston Martin scoring 269 pts. As the old Murray Walker would say, “FANTASTIC!!!”

 

[stpatty]

Started 7th with a pretty bad lap. Went up to 6th. Made a mistake at the chicane and went down to 8th, then 9th. Made it back to 7th on the final corner. Could have been a bit better, could also have been a lot worse. Bring on Sardegna.

Winning time was 25:07 in a 210-something lobby.

 

[crusselz]

Decided to give the race a shot.

Going in with no practice, wasn't too sure what to expect, not too keen on Spa.

Quali was a disaster of my own making. Q13

Had our Portuguese/American friend right behind me. I didn't survive turn 1.

Finished P13. Points don't count for much.

Might go again, had the pace to be competitive, but not much more than that.

 

[Famine]

Wait, can the Atenza Gr.4 do well here somehow?

 

[cactus0]

Slot 1 - qualified 12th, was running 10th when 9th went wide at Pouhon, went wide again at first Les Fanges so I got past, and then span me out at second Les Fanges , finished 14th.

I'll go again...

Edit - second slot was worse...

 

[Benay79]

So close but will take 2nd and run!
Qualified 6th which started me bang in the middle of the chicane facing away from the track. Got round ok but was 1.3 seconds behind by the start line. Pole sitter picked up a pen on lap 1, served it lap 2 and fell back just in front of me. Spent the next 7 laps stuck right behind him. I was faster but I just couldn’t get past. Lap 7, race changed massively. I finally got past him at La Source and then 2 cars up ahead had pens. I was into 3rd by Les Combes. Soon moved into 2nd and then was right on the rear of the leader for remaining laps. Again I was faster but I just couldn’t get past. Last lap, I took the lead at Pouhon and pulled away. As I took the last right hander to head towards Blanchimont, I clipped those little springy cone things on the inside of the kerb and it scrubbed a bit of speed off. The Aston caught me down the straight and got me at the chicane to steal the win back. From what was a frustrating race it suddenly turned into a brilliant finish for last few laps.

 

[Cherryturbo]

1st slot Euro server.
Q8 after a poor run.
Ran in line for 3 laps but missed apex at Bruxelles. Dropped to 12th then ran in-line again up to the final lap. Seriously tedious procession.
Fuel warning at the bus stop on the penultimate lap. 1.4 laps of fuel left.
Bingo fuel at Malmedy …..

If you are running a 650S , be careful.

F18 …… seriously peeved 🤬

 

[stpatty]

Wait, can the Atenza Gr.4 do well here somehow?

There was one in 4th in my race. The GT-R seemed to be really strong from the end of the straight through no-name, then from Fagnes through the run up to Blanchimont, so I imagine you'd do well there.

 

[crusselz]

Wait, can the Atenza Gr.4 do well here somehow?

Seems It can. The usual story of qualify well, and you should be ok.

 

[DK]

One and done...because I won and landed 176pts for my troubles! And yes, I do mean "troubles" considering that 6th gear is nearly useless in the Slophy. I only needed (as opposed to selecting it out of muscle memory halfway down the Kemmel Straight) it once when I got bump-drafted on lap 7 by an Aston.

I was surprised that I managed to qualify 3rd and within 3 tenths of pole, after a Peugeot decided to pull his handbrake on the run up to Blanchimont during the outlap rather than give me a tow, and a penalised Mazda with nothing to play for botched his approach at the Bus Stop. I decided to just take that corner normally, assuming that I'd just get mired in the midfield anyway due to the Slophy's straight line struggles, so yeah, I was shocked to see my name at the top of the standings and only drop down to 3rd!

Thanks to the bizarre rolling start formation, I had about 1.5 seconds of daylight to 4th as we assumed control at the start. The pole-sitting Spanish Peugeot moved over for a Polish Porsche rather than try to run 2 wide through Eau Rouge, and I just tried my best to stay in their slipstream. I was able to make up so time under braking and in the mid-speed corners. The most worrying moment for me was on lap 3, when I ended up being the Zonta to the Polish Porsche's Hakkinen and an Aston's Schumacher. That Aston ended up blowing his chance at the win after missing his braking point for the Bus Stop a lap later. On that same lap, I ended up getting a run on that Polish Porsche...out of Bruxelles into No Name/Ickx. I held it around the outside there, but with the Slophy's aforementioned lack of straight line speed, we were neck-and-neck approaching Pouhon...and he gave up!

From lap 7 onwards, I managed to break the slipstream on the Porsche and Aston, and started reeling in the leading Peugeot. At the end of lap 7, having taken a second out of his original 4 second advantage, I realised his tyres were screaming for help. 3 seconds became 2, then 1, and then finally at the end of lap 9, I got into his slipstream at the exit of Stavelot/Paul Frere. I could smell the win, I was picturing being able to out-brake him into Les Combes...and then he ran wide at Blanchimont and handed the win to me. I had to keep one eye on my radar on the final run down the Kemmel Straight, but after that, I was home and dry, and even allowed myself a little celebratory wiggle when exiting the Bus Stop. I guess I'll be having some Belgian beer tonight.

 

[Tidgney]

Thank god it’s not just me. The damn thing just will not turn.

Jumped into Asian slot 4. Door 2. Qualy was going ok until I had to overtake out of no name. Still could have been tracking for top 5 until I completely botched the Bus Stop and lost about half a second. Q12.

Race was incredibly tedious in the end. I got as high as P10 after a couple ahead served penalties or binned it. I then got a track limits penalty coming out of Malmedy. (Never done that before.) and dropped a spot serving the penalty on the next lap. Then just drove alone to the end to finish p11. Not great, but not the humiliation I feared. Points won’t count and I would be happy to never see this bloody track again.

I just feel like the Jaguar is a teeny tiny bit better than the Aston even though it's the same, same for Gr.3 variation. But I'm definitely an MR guy in GT Sport I've decided hahaha !

 

[MCL1974]

I never raced at Spa much, so had to do some practice to get comfortable with it....also made a new livery that I wanted to use so decided to go for it, although I am not really good with hard tyre sprint races.

door 6, Q7, F7, midd B/S lobby

Qualifying went okay, only 2 tenths slower then my best qualifying lap I did in practice, and the start went also okay, although I picked up a 0.5 sec. track limit penalty, which i served the next lap. Top 6 ran away but I was still 7th after serving the penalty.
A Spanish Nissan caught up with me quickly. I saw he had fastest lap already, and he seemed much faster then me so I decided to let him go past me on the first straight and not loose time fighting him. He was impatient though and forced his way through with a bit of a dick move at La Source.

I could not keep up with him so concentrated on the cars behind me and tried to open a gap. Meanwhile a top 5 car crashed out and the driver quit, so I was back in seventh.

After some laps I was about 4.5 seconds behind car number 6 and about 6 seconds in front of car number 8 so took it easy and focussed on doing steady laps and avoiding track limit penalties.

Then car 5, a Dutch Sircocco and car 6, the Spanish GTR got in a battle together, allowing me to get right back behind them. (I really do think it is wiser to avoid battling with other cars in most cases, it is costing so much time and only allows the cars behind to catch up!)

by lap 7 the Spanish GTR got ahead of the Sirocco and got away and I was still several seconds in front of car number 8 so I could start to attack and try to get sixth place. I overtook the Sirocco at the start of lap 8 as he missed his corner a bit but he was right behind me in Eau Rouge and overtook me again at the end of Camel straight with the help of the slipstream.

There was bit of contact, but nothing dirty. I stayed behind him, waiting for a next chance and that came at the final part of lap ten. I was at his tail after he missed his breaking point ever so slightly at Stavelot but I ran a little wide in Blachimont while at full speed, so had to make sure not to go aff track and crash. So steered slowly back on track while staying right on his bumper, he defended well and he was in the busstop first.
I had a good run out of the busstop and tried to overtake him but the finishline was already there. So close!!!

We thanked each other after the race, it was really a fun fight with my fellow countryman. Hard, but never unfair. no intent from either to get dirty....

In the end another good result and happy with 7th at this track! and I really like my new livery design.

 

[KosmoKazi]

When I did that, I got run over by people going much faster and who had enough to finish the race ahead of me. There's a lot more to it than that. I like a lot of throttle mid-turn, so my speed-carry through the corner is different (and sure, sometimes less effective, no doubt). In order to keep up, I had to keep the fuel map at 2 or 3 selectively, and 6 once in the draft and top speed on the main straight.

was thinking of doing the FIA race at Spa today but just checked on GT Blade how my laptime compares to others and think I am way of pace:

View attachment 1018281

congrats to all my fellow B level drivers who manages 2.17 sec. lap times!!!

i didn’t realize that site worked for FIA events too! That’s a big help!

 

[cactus0]

i didn’t realize that site worked for FIA events too! That’s a big help!

I think you have to set a daily race time, but if you do it shows your FIA as well (I could be wrong)

 

[cactus0]

Well I've encountered some absolute filth tonight, last race was 18th (ran about 3mm too wide at Blanchemont on my qualification lap) to 11th, would have been 8th or 9th but for being punted at the bus stop.

If I get a chance I'll put some video together, it was like the wild west for some reason!

Also, I ran some custom races for next week earlier, some early notes:
It's early, so it's pretty dark!
I had about a quarter tank of fuel left (Lexus) so I don't think that will be an issue for anyone (?)
Soft tyres fell off a cliff on lap 9, so I will probably look at a 8s/7m (or 7m/8s) tyre strategy, though my lap times on the mediums weren't far off the softs.

 

[GR33N]

Having a bad day in terms of results in the Mustang but essentially due to poor Qualy. - 2000 DR for now!

That being said, I'm having tons of fun racing at the back, where you can still have good battles and witness some crazy shenaningans. In slot 4, I laughed so hard at what was unfolding before me approaching the chicane that I forgot to brake and crashed with the 4 other cars

Let's hope for a good race in the last slot and maybe a decent result (I'm not doing Manu too seriously anyway).

Oh btw, congrats @VulcanSpirit on your 2nd place in slot 1, in the WRX!!

 

[Hasnain282]

Been a while since I've entered a last slot, pace isn't looking great so not expecting anything out of this one