New season, (slightly) new qualifying format, same old Ferrari!
In the minority I know, I'm really not a fan of Dragon Trail Seaside, I mean, it's alright, but I don't get the love for it.
Anyway, entered the race and amazingly not a single Supra, I saw this as a great opportunity if I could nail qualy, a 24:47 practice race time suggested there could be some very big points on offer. To be honest though I was worried about the new qualy system, I prefer tyre wear on and have never been someone who does exceptionally quick FP times. Target was a mid-35 in clean air, but two clips with the barrier ensured I could only manage a 1:35.9 which put me 13th on the grid
Started the race incident free but as per usual struggled on the cold tyres for a lap, this is SO evident in the replay! Got overtaken into the esses as I ran deep then only managed to hold 15th off thanks to staying in the tow of the Porsche that had got past me. A lap later, tyres up to temperature, I got straight up to the back of the Porsche and back past, then hunted down an Evo and again made the pass. Now on L5 I had around 1.5s to a trio of cars ahead and a decision to make.
I'd wanted to test a nine lap stint on softs pre race - but crashed on L6 of it! Nine is too many really, but going around L6 I'd closed in to just over 1s behind the trio in front and a fellow Ferrari that had started the race on softs had moved within half a second behind so I pulled the trigger and pitted at the end of L6.
Completing L7, the three cars that were ahead of me all exited the pits as I went past, on L8 I jumped two more that had chosen to go longer on their first stint. FIVE cars overtaken with the undercut! (THAT'S why I try these strats
@kungtotte_ 
, not to be a bloody 'hipster'!). Had I run the extra lap I'd have pitted at the same time as the trio I was behind, it's so much easier to pass them if they're sat stationary in the pits!
Closing in on another Ferrari that still hadn't pitted and under pressure from a Renault on brand spanking new tyres, we reeled in the Ferrari through the first half of the lap and I lined him up through the esses getting a run down the left hand side, but I half expected the Renault to make a dive up the inside into the hairpin - which he did - too late however and he ran very deep. I tried to get the cut back but as I tried to turn in a Citroën behind that I'd also undercut tapped me up the back and rather than turning in behind the Renault I turned into the rear of it and ended up being very wide myself, losing two places while the Citroën gained two. Two laps later a little karma, as the Citroën clouted the barrier out of the chicane and the Renault and I went back past along with a Jag in pursuit.
Extremely mindful of how much tyre pain I was likely to be in at the end of the race, I didn't defend against the Jag when he had a run down the straight and I went down to 9th. I just wanted to look after the tyres and maintain the gap to the cars behind if possible. I was actually faster than the Jag between L10 and L12 but turned down a couple of opportunities to overtake because any fighting could drop me into the clutches of the Citroën and Porsche around 1s behind. On L13 though I'd opened up the gap behind and had the idea that I'd try to take the next opportunity to get past the Jag, so naturally, immediately clipped the barrier out of the chicane, fell back and that was that!
Finished 9th for 230 pts, I think without the bump off the Citroën I could have taken 7th, but despite a solid drive in the race it was all lost in qualy really, I should have been starting in the top eight. Really wanted to go again but was desperate for some sleep! Real life is going to get in the way a lot for me this season, next week though I have the scope for multiple attempts so hopefully can rake in a good score at Suzuka
(No pictures, sorry! Forgot to take screenshots - but might do a video of the replay)
www.gran-turismo.com
