2021 FIA Series Race Discussion

[GTWolverine]

The word of the night is "DISAPPOINTMENT"

Slot 1: On my first qualifying lap, I arrived at Spoon to find that the braking cones had been taken out (I can't find a good spot to brake there to save my life without them), so I missed my braking point and ran wide. On my 2nd lap, I was too timid and only set a time good enough for P11. Even if I'd only put together an "OK" lap, I would've started 5th. I immediately made it up to 10 after T1 when someone ran wide. I went back and forth with several more people for the rest of the race before catching a slow BMW on the final lap. They defended for all they were worth and managed to hold me off, so the best I could do was 8th. It was worth 209 points, and I knew I could do better, so I went to Slot 2. I guess that's the good thing about such long races - much less time to have to wait between slots...

Slot 2: This time my first qualifying lap was much better, but I knew I still had several tenths in me, and sure enough I was going 0.3s faster on my 2nd lap, when I cut the corner at 130R in an attempt to avoid running wide on exit while carrying as much speed as I could. I picked up a half-second penalty so my lap was pointless. P10 was my starting spot when once again I could've had P4 and P5.

The dumb🤬 mistakes weren't finished there though, because going into T1 on Lap 1, this time I was the one who ran wide. "Fortunately" I spun back to the inside of the track instead of understeering completely into the runoff, but I immediately lost 3s to the group in front. Also fortunately for me, the car directly behind me screwed it up even more and did run wide into the runoff area, so I didn't lose a spot. I then made up 2 spots the following lap when 2 people spun by themselves at the same time in Spoon. After that, I spent the rest of the first stint on my own just trying (and failing) to avoid losing even more time to the group in front, managing to run wide at 130R twice despite not pushing that hard. After my pit stop on Lap 8 to put on Mediums, I caught up to a Jag who had pitted much earlier and was already suffering from worn tires, who thankfully waved me by on the back straight. I eventually caught up to a Ferrari who'd run wide at 130R, and I did a cutback on him in T1/2, but couldn't complete the move until we got to the esses. A couple laps later I was on the back of a GT-R and was all over his bumper for a lap before braving it around the outside of T1/2 to move up to 6th. With only a couple laps left, and 4th and 5th 3 seconds up the road, I knew I had to rely on them taking each other out to make up any more spots. I did close in to less than 2s behind 5th thanks to them battling on the final lap, but unfortunately 6th was the best I could do. 230 points is decent, but between the stupid qualifying error costing me at least 5 spots on the grid, and losing several more seconds due to my inability to keep the car on track, I threw away an easy 4th place worth over 250 points. Impossible to be happy with this one, even with the awesome overtakes, because I shouldn't have had to make them in the first place...

No slot 3 for me because I almost certainly would've been bumped up a split and pitted against way faster people that I wouldn't be able to keep up with. I'll post a highlight video of Slot 2 if/when my worthless AT&T "I can't believe it's not dialup" internet finishes uploading the video...

 

[D_Dragline]

Dredge's Alt Adventures: Part 2

Got a break in the middle of my work day so was able to adopt my Canadian persona and enter Suzuka in NA slot 2. I have signed with Subaru as this is essentially my real-life affiliation given that I own 2 of them and my eldest son used to work for them.

Found myself with Door 4 in an exclusively D/S 18 point room, starting with 3297 DR.

Qualifying was... interesting... I realized very early on the out lap that I would need a good amount of space to the cars in front but as a result it would be touch and go getting 2 laps in. Started my 1st flying lap about 3 seconds adrift of the car in front with 2:15 on the clock. I then had to navigate virtually an entire lap of cars going off, rejoining in front of me, and swerve blocking to try and stop me getting past. In qualifying. All topped off by being pushed off track through Spoon. My fastest lap of the 2 practice laps I got had been a 2:07.2xx my first qualy lap was a 2:14!!! This had me in provisional 8th. My second flying lap was similar, but I was a bit better prepared and managed to jink around a few blockers. Finished the second lap with a low 2:09 and that was good enough for Q3, just 0.2 off pole.

Started on mediums and just reminded myself to drive smooth and careful. Through T1 successfully and into the esses. At the end of the esses P2 ran wide (we've all done it) and I was on the rear bumper of the WRX in P1 by the Degners. Followed him closely for the rest of the lap without trying to do anything rash or aggressive. T1 lap 2 and he ran off the track and I was suddenly P1. Head down and consistent driving saw me 5 seconds ahead by the end of lap 3.

Fast forward to the pitstop and I entered the pits 46 seconds ahead of P2. Rejoined on hards and proceeded to slowly increase the gap back to 34 seconds with 2 laps to go. P2 then pitted again and I found myself 42 seconds clear of the new P2. The last 2 laps I just kept it neat and conservative to cross the line 46 seconds ahead of P2, who then incurred a 1 minute penalty, as did P3. Finally settled at 57 seconds to P2.

DR is now 6216 and I am looking forward to an interesting outing at Autopolis among the C/S crowd.

 

[Mercia]

Had an underwhelming 8th but knew I could do better here, just pitted from 1st after pole spun out and some absolute ** ** of a **** just shoved me back into the pits

Yeah, so as stated not the best outcome for the evening! I had an 8th place on the back of a M > H tire run and 1 stopper, but I was never comfortable on the hards, span it a couple of times, and just generally had to scrap to get it home in 8th. Solid racing but disappointing for me. Decided to try something out of the box and go S > M > H running the hards for the last 1 or 2 laps depending how long I can make the softs and mediums last. Qualified 4th and was quickly up into 2nd as the pole sitter span at the esses and I jumped the car in front going into degner 1. Jumped in behind 1st and we were building a big gap before he span out and I took the lead. Had a wobble on the softs coming into the chicane on lap 6 so lost some good time to cars behind, figuring I'd pit for the mediums now and do 8/9 laps.

And then..

On the out lap I see a Supra fighting with another car on the main straight. Spotting space on the inside I decided to try and drive past without getting involved and the Supra swung back over I assume to try and block, knocking me enough to where it was headfirst into the pit wall or swing it right into the pits. In hindsight I should have just taken the hit, reversed and carried on but in the moment the instinct to avoid collision kicked in.

I could have switched to hards and went to the end but the thought of 10+ laps on hards again just sapped my motivation. Decided I'd go for the final slot but when it came I was too tired to drive and the better half wanted to sleep so I will have to leave it there.

One of my favourite tracks and a pleasure to drive in the Corvette, smooth and quick (if not as nimble as I'd like in the esses) so I'm gutted with that one.

The word of the night is "DISAPPOINTMENT"

I'l drink to that. (coffee that is it's 7:30 in the morning)

 

[MidnightRun85]

Sat this one out. Still 1st in my area and 81st for Dodge. 🤷‍♂️

 

[GR33N]

Got 3rd place (241 points) in yesterday's race on my 2nd account (dedicated to Manu now), bottled the 1st quali lap going too wide at spoon but put it together in the 2nd lap for a nice 2.05.8xx that gifted me the 2nd position on the grid.

I knew I had to qualify well because the race pace would be kinda slow in the Lancer (but 1 lap pace was excellent on Softs w/o tyrewear). It turned out to be an attrition race and I didn't make any BIG mistake which was enough to get a decent result. 1st place was an RPmotorsport french guy who was running 1s/lap faster than the rest of the field and 2nd place was a bloody OP Toyota (22 Toyotas in the Top100 in EMEA........).

Still 8th for Mitsubishi, the battle for the Top10 continues !

PS: one and done in each of the 3 FIA rounds for now (4th - 2nd - 3rd), it seems like my new approach (less FP, more lobbies) is paying off, my 1st slots used to be catastrophic in the past ! Let's see if I continue to find the necessary time...

 

[RACECAR]

Qualifying went way better, qualified 11th. I was thankfully able to find a practice room about an hour before Slot 4 closed and was able to confirm a 1 stopper was the way to go (Preferably Lap 12 as at least in the case of the GT86, it hardly felt different on the racing hards despite the wear).

 

[Geauxgreddy]

FIA Manu Round 2
Suzuka Group 4
Door 9, A+ / S

Slot 1 NA
Suzuka isnt one of my better tracks, took me almost as long to beat LH here as Big Willow. But, I managed to put in a pretty solid trial time and was finishing at the pointy end of the stick in practice. Hope's were high.

Qualy was ok. Half a second off my trial time and binned in T1 on my 2nd lap around so no 2nd shot. Started in p7 looking at the grid wondering what could've been. Easily couldve been p2 but pole was from another planet.

Started the race and we had 2 in front on Hard tires. That made for some awkward racing at the start. I went through the first half a lap like I was on training wheels and quickly was trying to figure out my way around a Ferrari. A few small mistakes by competitors had me in p3 by lap 3, but that would be as far as I went. Pitted lap 10 and a few got the undercut on me. One more pushed me off at Ascari. It was a good race, though. Finished where I started at p7 for 207 points.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Well after that abomination I thought I'd do some practice for this week and both are short tracks. I don't fancy either of these and the way the driving is getting I think I'll just skip them. Next 2 look OK to me, Interlagos in the SF and then Green Hell in GR4, just a pity can't practice that in arcade.

 

[afc5150]

That was me in the viper. Congrats you were too consistent for me, I’m happy with finishing third, fun race! Apologies again for the slight bump when re-entering from running wide.

I honestly don't even remember any contact, but no worries regardless. You only made that one small mistake and kept me honest the rest of the way.

Thanks again for the clean race. Good to see you out there, and in here as well.

 

[D_Dragline]

Slot 2 Asia, Door 6.

Qualifying went pretty well, a 2:07.000 was enough for Q4. My best lap would have had me Q2. 1&2 were WRXs, 3 was a Ferrari.

Opted to start on mediums. Got off to a relative flyer and the front 4 put a second on 5th by the Degners. Lap 2 and I pulled off my greatest ever overtake in FIA. Hung it around the outside through the final turn of the esses to be .5s in front at Degner 1.

P3, in slip of P2 and pulling over a second a lap on p4, by the end of lap 5 we are 6 seconds in front. Enter Loki, our cat, who jumped onto my lap but missed, sinking claws from 2 paws into my leg. I almost save it, but can’t and lose 7 seconds to a spin. Now p7 and in the middle of the pack.

I get badly held up for quite a few laps but the rest of the race goes as well as I could hope. I pit lap 12 and rejoin in p9. P8 misses turn 1, 1 place back, then p7 spins at Spoon, 1 more back. Finally I get an overtake done with a better run out of Casio to take p6 and hold on to the end of the race.

P6, 153 pts. Realistically the cat cost me 3 places, but it’s still one and done.

Also, the standard of driving was excellent. I didn’t see any dives, punts or swipes. Very unusual but very welcome.

The overtake;



I was particularly happy with how I set it up by feigning to go inside and then making the most of his resulting compromised line. Kudos to the other driver for leaving space.

The “Loki incident”.



See if you can spot the exact point at which claws enter flesh…

 

[GTWolverine]

The word of the night is "DISAPPOINTMENT"

Slot 1: On my first qualifying lap, I arrived at Spoon to find that the braking cones had been taken out (I can't find a good spot to brake there to save my life without them), so I missed my braking point and ran wide. On my 2nd lap, I was too timid and only set a time good enough for P11. Even if I'd only put together an "OK" lap, I would've started 5th. I immediately made it up to 10 after T1 when someone ran wide. I went back and forth with several more people for the rest of the race before catching a slow BMW on the final lap. They defended for all they were worth and managed to hold me off, so the best I could do was 8th. It was worth 209 points, and I knew I could do better, so I went to Slot 2. I guess that's the good thing about such long races - much less time to have to wait between slots...

Slot 2: This time my first qualifying lap was much better, but I knew I still had several tenths in me, and sure enough I was going 0.3s faster on my 2nd lap, when I cut the corner at 130R in an attempt to avoid running wide on exit while carrying as much speed as I could. I picked up a half-second penalty so my lap was pointless. P10 was my starting spot when once again I could've had P4 and P5.

The dumb🤬 mistakes weren't finished there though, because going into T1 on Lap 1, this time I was the one who ran wide. "Fortunately" I spun back to the inside of the track instead of understeering completely into the runoff, but I immediately lost 3s to the group in front. Also fortunately for me, the car directly behind me screwed it up even more and did run wide into the runoff area, so I didn't lose a spot. I then made up 2 spots the following lap when 2 people spun by themselves at the same time in Spoon. After that, I spent the rest of the first stint on my own just trying (and failing) to avoid losing even more time to the group in front, managing to run wide at 130R twice despite not pushing that hard. After my pit stop on Lap 8 to put on Mediums, I caught up to a Jag who had pitted much earlier and was already suffering from worn tires, who thankfully waved me by on the back straight. I eventually caught up to a Ferrari who'd run wide at 130R, and I did a cutback on him in T1/2, but couldn't complete the move until we got to the esses. A couple laps later I was on the back of a GT-R and was all over his bumper for a lap before braving it around the outside of T1/2 to move up to 6th. With only a couple laps left, and 4th and 5th 3 seconds up the road, I knew I had to rely on them taking each other out to make up any more spots. I did close in to less than 2s behind 5th thanks to them battling on the final lap, but unfortunately 6th was the best I could do. 230 points is decent, but between the stupid qualifying error costing me at least 5 spots on the grid, and losing several more seconds due to my inability to keep the car on track, I threw away an easy 4th place worth over 250 points. Impossible to be happy with this one, even with the awesome overtakes, because I shouldn't have had to make them in the first place...

No slot 3 for me because I almost certainly would've been bumped up a split and pitted against way faster people that I wouldn't be able to keep up with. I'll post a highlight video of Slot 2 if/when my worthless AT&T "I can't believe it's not dialup" internet finishes uploading the video...

The highlights from Slot 2 as promised:

 

[KosmoKazi]

Manufacturer Series 2020/21 Exhibition Series - Round 2
Suzuka Circuit / Gr. 4

Was looking forward to another good early round race at a track and combo that I've enjoyed before. My first ever FIA race, I think, was this car/track combo, and I think I podium'ed in 2nd... was hopeful that another good early result would give me a chance to really step up my FIA standings this season.

Debated waiting til the second slot, as the first one has included some 'challenging' competitors, but instead of a warm-up on the Alt account, I just went with it, without any extra practice before the entry period opened.

Was glad to see some good names on the screen, and a middle of the pack door number 12 assigned to me. @Q8Racer7 and @C_Raccoon23 among others... the three of us have had some good success in prior races when we were matched, so that was a good sign. Might have been the highest rated lobby I've been in, with 210 points available for the win.

Qualified 10th, nothing special, a little too tentative on the second half of the lap. Made the decision about which tires to start on tough, though, and I think in the end I chose wrong with the Mediums. I expected to gain a few at the start, run long on them since the Porsche is really easy on tires, and then maintain the spot over the shorter last stint on Hards.

I did claw up to 6th on merit, in that first stint, after getting past Raccoon (after a short time of some real fun nose-to-tail racing, made possible by my tire advantage, as I know he's a shade faster than me), and went into the pits in 4th after the pit cycle started. But I think I stayed out at least a lap or two too long, because I never saw him after my pit stop, and wound up back in 10th after holding off a faster BMW who may have been on the Mediums over the last 8 laps.

A very clean race, but a disappointing result for me. I am usually able to move up from my qualifying position, and I was targeting more FIA points. But I'm happy at this point in my GT Sport 'career' when a 'bad' day is still positive DR, a clean race bonus, and top-10 finish, while my DR is at an all-time high. So still looking up at potential improvements from here!

#12 / Q10 / R10 / 131 FIA pts / +83 DR at about 43k DR

(temporarily) getting past @C_Raccoon23 thanks to the tire advantage in the first stint... but I wasted the speed fighting in traffic and then was unable to make up any ground when the field spread out over the second stint, on the Hards

 

[Mercia]

Is there anyone on here who was in a TT for this? I noticed I passed a few of these boys seemingly struggling to keep pace, looks like a difficult time out there?

 

[csmirnoff]

Suzuka Manufacturers with the Jag.

Americas Slot 2, door #8, 253-point lobby, all 20 A+ drivers, and for the first time, I was one of them! Best sectors from my two qualy laps combined would have left me 7th on the grid, but I didn't manage to put those sectors together in one lap. Qualified P12. Decided to start on the hard tyres.

Was P10 at the end of the first lap as a guy went off in the first corner on cold tyres and I managed to overtake another guy who made a small mistake. Unfortunately, on lap 2, it was me who made the mistake... Went a cm wide at the exit of Degnar 1, lost the rear of the car. Managed to catch it without spinning but not to brake in time for Degnar 2, so I went wide into the gravel. Lost a few seconds and was down to P14.

From there, it was just a case of trying to save tyres, make good use of the slipstream to tyre save, gain positions from others making mistakes and not make another myself. Did a one stopper, pitting for mediums at the end of lap 6. Was maybe a little bit early, 12 laps on the mediums was a struggle on the front tyres with the F-type, but I managed it just losing P9 at the end to a guy on fresher tyres.

10th place in the end. Would have been definitely at least 9th without my mistake and maybe in the battle for 6th with the group a few seconds ahead. Points weren't great, but I don't think I could have done a lot better with the Jag either.

 

[NekoPufferPPP]

Here's the race I said I'd upload.



TV Cam:


I made two minor but crucial errors on lap 6, luckily managed to keep the car in a straight line and not get a penalty. Then I nearly murdered a Mustang on lap 17 at the chicane after missing my braking point...I managed to avoid him and stop just in time, only a few hairs off colliding with him. No contact at all.

The Jaguar driver was very kind to let me pass on the back straight on lap 3. I was on him the whole time.

Started on meds, pit on lap 12 for hards.

 

[KosmoKazi]

By the way, I ran another race at Suzuka on my new Alt-Alt (which I am going to maintain at a lower level to race with friends)... and while I expected to be able to run away with a win, at B/S rating (14k DR), it turned out to be the most challenging race I've enjoyed in a long while. Probably another 'liar' in the lobby, who was able to beat me and another out pole (I had considered not even qualifying and trying to run up from the back, but there were a few real clowns in terms of pace in the lobby that game me pause).

But what was great was, after I made an error in my Ferrari on the first lap, at Spoon 2 (causing me to run wide off the track from the marbles... avoided the gravel but it was close! Ferrari handles surprisingly different than my usual Porsche, in that sequence... muscle memory betrayed me on that opening lap)... but after that setback, which put me about 8 sec behind the leader in 5th place, I clawed my way back to 2nd and then had the most INCREDIBLE battle in terms of pace, I've had in any FIA race. Interesting to me was that he was in a Cayman, which is my 'usual' ride on the main account, which I had just raced.

Neither of us put a wheel wrong, for 17.5 laps, and ran within 0.1 of each other in every sector... lap after lap after lap. I whittled the lead down to 3.4 seconds at the end, but for the 17 laps we dueled, it never varied more than 0.1 at a time. I was slightly faster on the Hards, but still never could reel him in. I kept hoping he'd bobble, while trying not to myself while driving at 10/10 over the whole race distance, but neither of us flinched.

It was really fun and it was clear he was also on the edge in terms of his pace, because we'd exchange those tenths every sector. It was a lot of fun, and as close to a 'real' feeling race as I've had. Wanted to shake his hand after, for a job well done.

I was a little slower in the Ferrari than the Porsche I raced on my main. I'm convinced the ClubSport is just a tick faster than the Ferrari, as my lap times in both races were really consistent but slightly slower in the Alt race when riding the 'other' prancing horse.

Just goes to show that there is good racing to be found everywhere.

Scuderia Porsche!

 

[Geauxgreddy]

Where do you find th

Manufacturer Series 2020/21 Exhibition Series - Round 2
Suzuka Circuit / Gr. 4

Was looking forward to another good early round race at a track and combo that I've enjoyed before. My first ever FIA race, I think, was this car/track combo, and I think I podium'ed in 2nd... was hopeful that another good early result would give me a chance to really step up my FIA standings this season.

Debated waiting til the second slot, as the first one has included some 'challenging' competitors, but instead of a warm-up on the Alt account, I just went with it, without any extra practice before the entry period opened.

Was glad to see some good names on the screen, and a middle of the pack door number 12 assigned to me. @Q8Racer7 and @C_Raccoon23 among others... the three of us have had some good success in prior races when we were matched, so that was a good sign. Might have been the highest rated lobby I've been in, with 210 points available for the win.

Qualified 10th, nothing special, a little too tentative on the second half of the lap. Made the decision about which tires to start on tough, though, and I think in the end I chose wrong with the Mediums. I expected to gain a few at the start, run long on them since the Porsche is really easy on tires, and then maintain the spot over the shorter last stint on Hards.

I did claw up to 6th on merit, in that first stint, after getting past Raccoon (after a short time of some real fun nose-to-tail racing, made possible by my tire advantage, as I know he's a shade faster than me), and went into the pits in 4th after the pit cycle started. But I think I stayed out at least a lap or two too long, because I never saw him after my pit stop, and wound up back in 10th after holding off a faster BMW who may have been on the Mediums over the last 8 laps.

A very clean race, but a disappointing result for me. I am usually able to move up from my qualifying position, and I was targeting more FIA points. But I'm happy at this point in my GT Sport 'career' when a 'bad' day is still positive DR, a clean race bonus, and top-10 finish, while my DR is at an all-time high. So still looking up at potential improvements from here!

#12 / Q10 / R10 / 131 FIA pts / +83 DR at about 43k DR

(temporarily) getting past @C_Raccoon23 thanks to the tire advantage in the first stint... but I wasted the speed fighting in traffic and then was unable to make up any ground when the field spread out over the second stint, on the Hards

View attachment 1090338

Where do you get those results? Good job on the p10, but word is p7 is where the kool kids are finishing

 

[GTWolverine]

Where do you find th

Where do you get those results? Good job on the p10, but word is p7 is where the kool kids are finishing

The website is the 2nd result that pops up when you google "GT Sport Statistics." Search your name, then once you find your profile, click the expand down arrow and click on "Latest Races". Sometimes it doesn't update though.

 

[KosmoKazi]

Where do you find th

Where do you get those results? Good job on the p10, but word is p7 is where the kool kids are finishing

Ha! I SHOULD have had 7th, but didn't earn it. It was there for the taking...

That results table is found when hitting the 'latest races' option after you hit the yellow down arrows on the main page of this one:

geauxgreddy - GT Sport Statistics

GT Sport player statistics and data analysis

gtsport.r1s3.net

The page name is too generic to be helpful... so that's why I call it 'the Other One'.

When combined with Kudosprime is really an awesome reference. (PS: I found you all via Kudosprime... always grateful for @Milouse for that!).

It's also really helpful when you need a 'reminder' who that 🤬 was who messed up your race, since some of those PSN are hard to memorize, especially 'in the red mist'!

(looks like I missed a chance to race with you again, as you've punched up to 60k! Even on my A+ alt, I wouldn't get matched with you... shame, would be fun!)

 

[Q8Racer7]

Manufacturer Series 2020/21 Exhibition Series - Round 2
Suzuka Circuit / Gr. 4

Was looking forward to another good early round race at a track and combo that I've enjoyed before. My first ever FIA race, I think, was this car/track combo, and I think I podium'ed in 2nd... was hopeful that another good early result would give me a chance to really step up my FIA standings this season.

Debated waiting til the second slot, as the first one has included some 'challenging' competitors, but instead of a warm-up on the Alt account, I just went with it, without any extra practice before the entry period opened.

Was glad to see some good names on the screen, and a middle of the pack door number 12 assigned to me. @Q8Racer7 and @C_Raccoon23 among others... the three of us have had some good success in prior races when we were matched, so that was a good sign. Might have been the highest rated lobby I've been in, with 210 points available for the win.

Qualified 10th, nothing special, a little too tentative on the second half of the lap. Made the decision about which tires to start on tough, though, and I think in the end I chose wrong with the Mediums. I expected to gain a few at the start, run long on them since the Porsche is really easy on tires, and then maintain the spot over the shorter last stint on Hards.

I did claw up to 6th on merit, in that first stint, after getting past Raccoon (after a short time of some real fun nose-to-tail racing, made possible by my tire advantage, as I know he's a shade faster than me), and went into the pits in 4th after the pit cycle started. But I think I stayed out at least a lap or two too long, because I never saw him after my pit stop, and wound up back in 10th after holding off a faster BMW who may have been on the Mediums over the last 8 laps.

A very clean race, but a disappointing result for me. I am usually able to move up from my qualifying position, and I was targeting more FIA points. But I'm happy at this point in my GT Sport 'career' when a 'bad' day is still positive DR, a clean race bonus, and top-10 finish, while my DR is at an all-time high. So still looking up at potential improvements from here!

#12 / Q10 / R10 / 131 FIA pts / +83 DR at about 43k DR

(temporarily) getting past @C_Raccoon23 thanks to the tire advantage in the first stint... but I wasted the speed fighting in traffic and then was unable to make up any ground when the field spread out over the second stint, on the Hards

View attachment 1090338

Great racing bud, I was surprised you started on the mediums from P10 especially since that would make you very vulnerable to undercuts 😅. Good effort though and nice clean racing. I made a couple of mistakes here and there and ultimately ended in the barriers on the final laps after some intense battles .

 

[csmirnoff]

Grocery Gang! Shoutout to @afc5150. Also RIP to those who died.

View attachment 1088589

@Trone_Colby Have a look at 3:48.

 

[Yard_Sale]

That round was one of the times where PD got the car/track/multipliers combo just right to where it was a race that required just enough variables for a variety of strategies…. But it was a dogfight till the end!

Plus! Just under 40 minutes of race time??? This was my kind of event!

Suzuka is a track I really like. Technical without being over the top. Im not particularly good at it, but I’m not particularly bad either. It’s a race car driver’s track.

The way my day time schedules have been going, my best shot at doing FIA races are on the Euro Alt. Plus I’ve been spending most my time on that acct as of late because I’m still trying to build it. At any rate, I got 3 slots in before the wife came home from work. Before I jumped into qualifying, I got my typical 5 minutes of FP before we got matched. Just before I jumped in, I checked the leader boards and saw the real fast guys were circulating in the 2:04’s. That means I need to be in the 2:06’s somewhere. I’ll get there eventually.


Slot 2, door 10, qualified 7th

Was suuuuuper cautious on my first qualifying lap. Clocked a 2:07.5 or some crap like that. Went for a heater on the second lap and got hung up at the esses. Whatevs’

Start on hards. Green flag flies and we’re off. I warm up my tires down the home straight and watch in awe as P2-5 all wreck each other going into turn 1. Great for me!!! As I take a conservative braking point myself, I hear the all to familiar sound followed by a stiff jolt of my wheel….and off I go as I receive my punt from P8. The next few laps were absolutely atrocious as I went off several times due to my own, and other’s mistakes. I pit at lap 5 for mediums in DFL and decide to just treat this race as a practice session to see how long I could go on mediums if pushing them hard…and to see how the leaders different race strategies panned out.

Towards the end, I make up positions as others go off on their worn tires and/or rage-quit. I baby it in on shredded tires for 11th. No good

Slot 3, door 15. Qualified 2nd.

After about 10 minutes of FP after slot 2, I finally worked out my braking points enough to where I could consistently hot lap in the mid-2:06’s. I knew I would get there….

The esses tho, were another story. I was hemorrhaging time there but I couldn’t quite work out the optimal line.

Qualifying starts, and as the first lap times come through, I take inventory of who I got beat for sure. I then see a 2:05.7 come across and I knew we had a ringer in the room. I click off a good enough lap on my first try for a 2:06.7 and second place on the ticker. I go for a heater on my second lap just to see what I could do. Was in pace for a low 2:06 but I went a touch too wide at 130R and did cartwheels all the way to Casio Triangle. In the post qually chat, I see @Norrin Radd call out the P1 qualifier. Figured there was some drama as @Norrin Radd was buried deep in the pack after qually, and this dude was up front.

If there was anything I learned in the first race, was that these B/S lobbies are destruction derbies, and that this was a tire saving round. Despite my better judgement, I start on hards. I rationalized that there was a real good chance I was going to get punted in turn 1….so I didn’t want to waste my medium stint having to battle my way back through the pack.

Green flag flies, and as I take my conservative braking point at the cones provided to us by the fine track workers of Suzuka, I brace myself for impact…..

……. It never came. Everyone takes a nice braking point into turn 1 and we all make it though unscathed. At the top of Dunlop Curve, I glance up to the splits to confirm what my eyes are telling me…that the leader already has a building gap on me. I check my rear view mirror to confirm what I already knew….that the natives behind me on mediums are getting restless. I contemplate pulling to the side to let them through, but I think better of it. At worst, I’m going to get barge-passed. At best, they take each other out. By the end of lap 2, both scenarios had manifested. I had been barge-passed to about 5th or 6th….. but there were some casualties behind me in the way of punts and shredded tires.

To be honest, I don’t blame them for barge-passing me. Not in B/S lobbies at least. Although I was kinda bummed I went from 2nd to 6th in 2 laps… as far as I could tell, everyone was on mediums. I considered these lost positions “body punches” to the competition that would pay dividends later in the contest

By the end of lap 5, P2-3 had wrecked themselves. End of lap 6 (the now new P2 and 3) went into the pits, both on Softs. SMH. First place was checked out. I had gotten myself back up to my starting position while still on hards, so I was happy again. I had also brought along a guy in a Mercedes who had stuck to me like glue for the past 5 laps. I made an almost race ending mistake in turn 1, going a shade too wide, but was able to reel it back in before I had a tank slapper. However the Mercedes was able to slip underneath me and gain 2nd position. I then followed him for half a lap until he flashed his hazards exiting hairpin. Even though I was on his tail. I wasn’t trying to dive him as I did my best to make that apparent after he passed me. Since we were racing each other cleanly, I assumed the hazards translated to “team work” so I went around the outside of him at 200R with no drama. He then followed me closely and I let him repass me down the shine straight. I followed him through the esses, and got a hunch that he might be on hards, but judging by how his now 8-lap-old tires were handling….in a Mercedes….my gut told me he was on mediums. He lets me back past him at Dunlop and we do one more lap of position-trading before he goes in at the end of 9 on mediums. I stay out two more and go in from my hard stint at the end of 11.

I had 7 laps on these mediums, almost a 10 second lead on 3rd….and I knew I was going to do the next slot. I decided to go full time-trial on these mediums to see how many laps they could go at full-tilt before they fell off or I ran out of talent. About 5 laps. End of lap 16 I have a big spin coming out of 130R. My buddy in his Mercedes is now 10 seconds behind be. Lap 17 I have another tank slapper followed by a big spin coming out of Dunlop. My friend in the Mercedes gets by. I follow him closely and make the pass coming out of spoon. He gets firmly in my Tow but overcooks it’s at 130R. Last lap I baby it in for a second place finish….a full 30 seconds behind 1st. My Mercedes friend and I thank each other for the clean racing.

Final Euro Slot, Door 12, qualified 3rd.

Had an alright (for me) first lap of a 2:06.9. Was on a good second lap but there’s trouble brewing in front of me. That trouble was clearly in the form of a much slower driver who was going to hold me up. Coming through the esses, I gave him a chance to let me through…but either he didn’t have his radar on, didn’t see me, or didn’t care. He wasn’t going to let me through. By Degner 2 I had enough and I gave him a forearm shiver over the boards and into the player’s box. I felt bad, but sometimes you’ve got to force-feed proper Racing etiquette to someone. My first lap stands and is good enough for 3rd. No big deal though as P1 and P2 were a 2:05.9 and 2:06.1 respectively. I had nothing for those guys.

Race time:

If there was anything I learned from the previous 2 races…was that staying out for as long as you could on Mediums was paramount. You didn’t have to tiptoe around the track by any means tho. Taking the Gran Turismo recommended braking points was good enough to save your tires….. At least for the handling cars of the Group 4 category. The Scirroco that walloped everyone last race stayed out for 14 laps on mediums. I don’t have his talent, so 12 laps should be reasonable.

Learning from my mistake last race, I started on Mediums and vowed to just take care of them best I could. Green flag waves, and my jaw drops as P1 overcooks turn 1 and P2 follows him right into the gravel! I slip into first and concentrate on hitting my lines and setting the standard for the first 2 laps. By end of lap 2 I have a 4 second gap over second. Something must’ve happened during the 3rd lap, because I remember looking up at the splits and seeing I had an 8 second gap over second place. The next 8 laps I just made sure to stay as consistent as possible as I watched car after car go in to the pits to fulfill the second stint of their strategies. I paid attention to my lap times and told myself that as soon as I get into the high 2:10’s, I’m going in. Lap 11 I hit a 2:10.75. Lap 12 I hit a 2:10.5, but I could feel in my FFB that the fronts were getting a little skatey. Plus I told myself that I was gonna go in at the end of 12…. I had a 15 second gap over second….so I figured it wasn’t worth staying out another lap on my worn mediums.

I put at the end of 12, and when I came back on the track with fresh hards,I could tell immediately through my FFB getting heavier, that my front end was getting grip again. However, I never did get below a 2:11 on hards. In fact, I was in the mid 2:11’s by lap 15. Soon after that, the grip really started going away even worse than my way more tattered mediums….despite me taking my same conservative braking points during the entire Hards stint. I cruised into the checkers with a 12 second gap over second place, in what was a pretty lonely race. I don’t think I even had 1 battle the entire contest.

I think I could have stretched my mediums to lap 14 pretty easily if I tried. It’s amazing the difference of mediums and hards; when the “hards” get just a little wear on them. It’s like ice.

Contemplated logging onto the Mainto see what the A lobbies were like, but I ran out of time doing grownup stuff when the wife got home.

It’s been a while since I’ve won an FIA event. I like how they changed the victory sequence somewhere along the line 👍🏼

 

[RACECAR]

That round was one of the times where PD got the car/track/multipliers combo just right to where it was a race that required just enough variables for a variety of strategies…. But it was a dogfight till the end!

Plus! Just under 40 minutes of race time??? This was my kind of event!

Suzuka is a track I really like. Technical without being over the top. Im not particularly good at it, but I’m not particularly bad either. It’s a race car driver’s track.

The way my day time schedules have been going, my best shot at doing FIA races are on the Euro Alt. Plus I’ve been spending most my time on that acct as of late because I’m still trying to build it. At any rate, I got 3 slots in before the wife came home from work. Before I jumped into qualifying, I got my typical 5 minutes of FP before we got matched. Just before I jumped in, I checked the leader boards and saw the real fast guys were circulating in the 2:04’s. That means I need to be in the 2:06’s somewhere. I’ll get there eventually.


Slot 2, door 10, qualified 7th

Was suuuuuper cautious on my first qualifying lap. Clocked a 2:07.5 or some crap like that. Went for a heater on the second lap and got hung up at the esses. Whatevs’

Start on hards. Green flag flies and we’re off. I warm up my tires down the home straight and watch in awe as P2-5 all wreck each other going into turn 1. Great for me!!! As I take a conservative braking point myself, I hear the all to familiar sound followed by a stiff jolt of my wheel….and off I go as I receive my punt from P8. The next few laps were absolutely atrocious as I went off several times due to my own, and other’s mistakes. I pit at lap 5 for mediums in DFL and decide to just treat this race as a practice session to see how long I could go on mediums if pushing them hard…and to see how the leaders different race strategies panned out.

Towards the end, I make up positions as others go off on their worn tires and/or rage-quit. I baby it in on shredded tires for 11th. No good

View attachment 1090417



Slot 3, door 15. Qualified 2nd.

After about 10 minutes of FP after slot 2, I finally worked out my braking points enough to where I could consistently hot lap in the mid-2:06’s. I knew I would get there….

The esses tho, were another story. I was hemorrhaging time there but I couldn’t quite work out the optimal line.

Qualifying starts, and as the first lap times come through, I take inventory of who I got beat for sure. I then see a 2:05.7 come across and I knew we had a ringer in the room. I click off a good enough lap on my first try for a 2:06.7 and second place on the ticker. I go for a heater on my second lap just to see what I could do. Was in pace for a low 2:06 but I went a touch too wide at 130R and did cartwheels all the way to Casio Triangle. In the post qually chat, I see @Norrin Radd call out the P1 qualifier. Figured there was some drama as @Norrin Radd was buried deep in the pack after qually, and this dude was up front.

If there was anything I learned in the first race, was that these B/S lobbies are destruction derbies, and that this was a tire saving round. Despite my better judgement, I start on hards. I rationalized that there was a real good chance I was going to get punted in turn 1….so I didn’t want to waste my medium stint having to battle my way back through the pack.

Green flag flies, and as I take my conservative braking point at the cones provided to us by the fine track workers of Suzuka, I brace myself for impact…..

……. It never came. Everyone takes a nice braking point into turn 1 and we all make it though unscathed. At the top of Dunlop Curve, I glance up to the splits to confirm what my eyes are telling me…that the leader already has a building gap on me. I check my rear view mirror to confirm what I already knew….that the natives behind me on mediums are getting restless. I contemplate pulling to the side to let them through, but I think better of it. At worst, I’m going to get barge-passed. At best, they take each other out. By the end of lap 2, both scenarios had manifested. I had been barge-passed to about 5th or 6th….. but there were some casualties behind me in the way of punts and shredded tires.

To be honest, I don’t blame them for barge-passing me. Not in B/S lobbies at least. Although I was kinda bummed I went from 2nd to 6th in 2 laps… as far as I could tell, everyone was on mediums. I considered these lost positions “body punches” to the competition that would pay dividends later in the contest

By the end of lap 5, P2-3 had wrecked themselves. End of lap 6 (the now new P2 and 3) went into the pits, both on Softs. SMH. First place was checked out. I had gotten myself back up to my starting position while still on hards, so I was happy again. I had also brought along a guy in a Mercedes who had stuck to me like glue for the past 5 laps. I made an almost race ending mistake in turn 1, going a shade too wide, but was able to reel it back in before I had a tank slapper. However the Mercedes was able to slip underneath me and gain 2nd position. I then followed him for half a lap until he flashed his hazards exiting hairpin. Even though I was on his tail. I wasn’t trying to dive him as I did my best to make that apparent after he passed me. Since we were racing each other cleanly, I assumed the hazards translated to “team work” so I went around the outside of him at 200R with no drama. He then followed me closely and I let him repass me down the shine straight. I followed him through the esses, and got a hunch that he might be on hards, but judging by how his now 8-lap-old tires were handling….in a Mercedes….my gut told me he was on mediums. He lets me back past him at Dunlop and we do one more lap of position-trading before he goes in at the end of 9 on mediums. I stay out two more and go in from my hard stint at the end of 11.

I had 7 laps on these mediums, almost a 10 second lead on 3rd….and I knew I was going to do the next slot. I decided to go full time-trial on these mediums to see how many laps they could go at full-tilt before they fell off or I ran out of talent. About 5 laps. End of lap 16 I have a big spin coming out of 130R. My buddy in his Mercedes is now 10 seconds behind be. Lap 17 I have another tank slapper followed by a big spin coming out of Dunlop. My friend in the Mercedes gets by. I follow him closely and make the pass coming out of spoon. He gets firmly in my Tow but overcooks it’s at 130R. Last lap I baby it in for a second place finish….a full 30 seconds behind 1st. My Mercedes friend and I thank each other for the clean racing.

View attachment 1090427



Final Euro Slot, Door 12, qualified 3rd.

Had an alright (for me) first lap of a 2:06.9. Was on a good second lap but there’s trouble brewing in front of me. That trouble was clearly in the form of a much slower driver who was going to hold me up. Coming through the esses, I gave him a chance to let me through…but either he didn’t have his radar on, didn’t see me, or didn’t care. He wasn’t going to let me through. By Degner 2 I had enough and I gave him a forearm shiver over the boards and into the player’s box. I felt bad, but sometimes you’ve got to force-feed proper Racing etiquette to someone. My first lap stands and is good enough for 3rd. No big deal though as P1 and P2 were a 2:05.9 and 2:06.1 respectively. I had nothing for those guys.

Race time:

If there was anything I learned from the previous 2 races…was that staying out for as long as you could on Mediums was paramount. You didn’t have to tiptoe around the track by any means tho. Taking the Gran Turismo recommended braking points was good enough to save your tires….. At least for the handling cars of the Group 4 category. The Scirroco that walloped everyone last race stayed out for 14 laps on mediums. I don’t have his talent, so 12 laps should be reasonable.

Learning from my mistake last race, I started on Mediums and vowed to just take care of them best I could. Green flag waves, and my jaw drops as P1 overcooks turn 1 and P2 follows him right into the gravel! I slip into first and concentrate on hitting my lines and setting the standard for the first 2 laps. By end of lap 2 I have a 4 second gap over second. Something must’ve happened during the 3rd lap, because I remember looking up at the splits and seeing I had an 8 second gap over second place. The next 8 laps I just made sure to stay as consistent as possible as I watched car after car go in to the pits to fulfill the second stint of their strategies. I paid attention to my lap times and told myself that as soon as I get into the high 2:10’s, I’m going in. Lap 11 I hit a 2:10.75. Lap 12 I hit a 2:10.5, but I could feel in my FFB that the fronts were getting a little skatey. Plus I told myself that I was gonna go in at the end of 12…. I had a 15 second gap over second….so I figured it wasn’t worth staying out another lap on my worn mediums.

I put at the end of 12, and when I came back on the track with fresh hards,I could tell immediately through my FFB getting heavier, that my front end was getting grip again. However, I never did get below a 2:11 on hards. In fact, I was in the mid 2:11’s by lap 15. Soon after that, the grip really started going away even worse than my way more tattered mediums….despite me taking my same conservative braking points during the entire Hards stint. I cruised into the checkers with a 12 second gap over second place, in what was a pretty lonely race. I don’t think I even had 1 battle the entire contest.

I think I could have stretched my mediums to lap 14 pretty easily if I tried. It’s amazing the difference of mediums and hards; when the “hards” get just a little wear on them. It’s like ice.

Contemplated logging onto the Mainto see what the A lobbies were like, but I ran out of time doing grownup stuff when the wife got home.

It’s been a while since I’ve won an FIA event. I like how they changed the victory sequence somewhere along the line 👍🏼

View attachment 1090435

Interesting to read because from what I saw with people doing the Medium-Hard strats, they struggled far more on the hards (The pole sitter of my race made a big mistake going into turn 1 a lap after I pitted and then made another mistake on the last lap, giving me 2nd). I went until lap 12 on the Hards because my car hardly felt different despite there being lap time falloff and that had me thinking Mediums would be a good idea for the final 6 laps. I certainly looked like a genius by the end of the lap because I wasn't gonna be shattering any lap records anytime soon

 

[Yard_Sale]

Interesting to read because from what I saw with people doing the Medium-Hard strats, they struggled far more on the hards (The pole sitter of my race made a big mistake going into turn 1 a lap after I pitted and then made another mistake on the last lap, giving me 2nd). I went until lap 12 on the Hards because my car hardly felt different despite there being lap time falloff and that had me thinking Mediums would be a good idea for the final 6 laps. I certainly looked like a genius by the end of the lap because I wasn't gonna be shattering any lap records anytime soon

I think it’s a car by car basis. I could imagine the 86 or Slophy feeling good no matter what shoes it was wearing. To be fair, the Ferrari only felt skatey a bout 2ish laps into the hards stint, just as they were starting to show a tad of red. I could imagine the FF and AWD’s being even worse!

 

[Ashthebash]

I seem to have a bad habit of getting anxious shakes in my legs during FIA races which sometimes screws up my trailbraking and unfortunately it got me a bit tonight. Lots of sliding through Degner 2.

It'll go... eventually!! I used to get really shaky legs in FIA races, especially if I'd managed to qualify well, and it'd really affect my driving in the race. Now I still get nervy, and might feel a bit shaky, but it doesn't transmit to my driving anymore and I'm usually 'on it' during the race

 

[RacingGrandpa]

The highlights from Slot 2 as promised:

My braking point at Spoon is the pathway on the right.

 

[e30318is]

Can someone please explain to me how I change slots? I am racing againstg uys that are 6-8secs a lap quicker than me. I need to drop a slot I think. Cheers

 

[Norrin Radd]

Can someone please explain to me how I change slots? I am racing againstg uys that are 6-8secs a lap quicker than me. I need to drop a slot I think. Cheers

You shouldn't really be getting this unless your SR is low, I am generally in races with somewhere around 2-4 secs between 1st and last. Sometimes you get an A guy who's been demoted or someone who plays for wins keeping their ratings low.

Yeah and your in OZ where the numbers are lower, you really need your SR at 99 to have any chance of racing people of your level.

 

[e30318is]

You shouldn't really be getting this unless your SR is low, I am generally in races with somewhere around 2-4 secs between 1st and last. Sometimes you get an A guy who's been demoted or someone who plays for wins keeping their ratings low.

Hahaha yeah right? It seems petty consistently like this. How do you change slots?

 

[Norrin Radd]

Hahaha yeah right? It seems petty consistently like this. How do you change slots?

You need your SR at 99 and where you are even then you won't always get tight matches. Less people play so you get a wider spread and add your low SR you've no chance of a tight game.