2021 FIA Series Race Discussion

[Norrin Radd]

Anyone tried the Viper at BMB yet? I'm interested to know if it gets punished on BOP - never run it on an oval before.

That said, unless the driver tactics in low-mid B tank improve, I'm very unlikely to join in on this one. With the amount of ramming and punting at Nurburgring, I can see this one being FULL of pit maneuvers...

No my viper is in the garage and just checking the schedule it might stay there. Bathurst and Le Manns for Nations are about the only 2 I have any interest in. The rest I either don't like or think will be terrible due to the pen system.

 

[MidnightRun85]

No my viper is in the garage and just checking the schedule it might stay there. Bathurst and Le Manns for Nations are about the only 2 I have any interest in. The rest I either don't like or think will be terrible due to the pen system.

Bathurst in the MX-5 TC would be a laugh for sure.

 

[Zorz]

Anyone tried the Viper at BMB yet? I'm interested to know if it gets punished on BOP - never run it on an oval before.

That said, unless the driver tactics in low-mid B tank improve, I'm very unlikely to join in on this one. With the amount of ramming and punting at Nurburgring, I can see this one being FULL of pit maneuvers...

The Viper's current oval BOP isn't amazing. There are far worse available but it has problems.

I tested most of the Gr.4 cars with their oval BOPs at BMB last night in time trial, accelerating flat out from when control is granted, round turn 3 and down the start/finish straight up until the 100m board. The Gr.4 oval BOPs are completely unbalanced.

The McLaren and Citroen were the clear winners reaching 166-167mph with a little bit of rev headroom left for slipstream. The Viper managed 163mph but was completely maxed out and bouncing hard off the limiter. The worst by far was the Alfa Romeo which only got up to about 153mph...

 

[MidnightRun85]

The Viper's current oval BOP isn't amazing. There are far worse available but it has problems.

I tested most of the Gr.4 cars with their oval BOPs at BMB last night in time trial, accelerating flat out from when control is granted, round turn 3 and down the start/finish straight up until the 100m board. The Gr.4 oval BOPs are completely unbalanced.

The McLaren and Citroen were the clear winners reaching 166-167mph with a little bit of rev headroom left for slipstream. The Viper managed 163mph but was completely maxed out and bouncing hard off the limiter. The worst by far was the Alfa Romeo which only got up to about 153mph...

Nice to see PD have their ducks in a row! Yep, on that note then I'll be sitting this one out without a doubt. Might go do some dailies or time trials instead.

 

[GR33N]

The Viper's current oval BOP isn't amazing. There are far worse available but it has problems.

I tested most of the Gr.4 cars with their oval BOPs at BMB last night in time trial, accelerating flat out from when control is granted, round turn 3 and down the start/finish straight up until the 100m board. The Gr.4 oval BOPs are completely unbalanced.

The McLaren and Citroen were the clear winners reaching 166-167mph with a little bit of rev headroom left for slipstream. The Viper managed 163mph but was completely maxed out and bouncing hard off the limiter. The worst by far was the Alfa Romeo which only got up to about 153mph...

Seems like the Oval BoP for gr.4 is pretty similar to the standard BoP with a few exceptions (some cars get a buff, others a nerf). Should be renamed SoP "Shuffle of Performance"...

 

[D_Dragline]

The Viper's current oval BOP isn't amazing. There are far worse available but it has problems.

I tested most of the Gr.4 cars with their oval BOPs at BMB last night in time trial, accelerating flat out from when control is granted, round turn 3 and down the start/finish straight up until the 100m board. The Gr.4 oval BOPs are completely unbalanced.

The McLaren and Citroen were the clear winners reaching 166-167mph with a little bit of rev headroom left for slipstream. The Viper managed 163mph but was completely maxed out and bouncing hard off the limiter. The worst by far was the Alfa Romeo which only got up to about 153mph...

Ran a lobby and the Corvette and Jag seemed strong as well.

Even when you maintain superior speed through turns 1 and 3, the Cayman can’t stay in the slipstream. There’s a good chance I’ll sit this out as well.

 

[stpatty]

Even though it seems like the Gr.4 cars that are good on the oval are going to be unassailable, there's not going to be that many of them in races. At lower levels it might be more spread out but the higher up you go there's usually a good variety of cars. Unless lots of people sit out there might only be 2 or 3 OP cars in a particular race, so it might be interesting to see if lots of slower cars can work together to catch/stay with/beat a few faster cars.

 

[GTWolverine]

Even though it seems like the Gr.4 cars that are good on the oval are going to be unassailable, there's not going to be that many of them in races. At lower levels it might be more spread out but the higher up you go there's usually a good variety of cars. Unless lots of people sit out there might only be 2 or 3 OP cars in a particular race, so it might be interesting to see if lots of slower cars can work together to catch/stay with/beat a few faster cars.

The Corvette seems to be the most popular among the good cars, so I'd expect to see several of them, maybe a couple McLarens, and only 1 Citroen if any - that's if we get normal participation.

 

[Zorz]

I got bored, so I made a video comparison showing each Gr.4 car under their current oval BOP. Assuming PD don't realise there's such a huge difference and do something about it before the round starts, hopefully this will help anyone who's curious know what to expect. There are timestamps for each car in the description (and yes, I did almost forget Mazda when going through in alphabetical order 😅).

 

[GTWolverine]

I got bored, so I made a video comparison showing each Gr.4 car under their current oval BOP. Assuming PD don't realise there's such a huge difference and do something about it before the round starts, hopefully this will help anyone who's curious know what to expect. There are timestamps for each car in the description (and yes, I did almost forget Mazda when going through in alphabetical order 😅).

319 hp for the Alfa??? I'd heard it was the worst car for this, but...wow. How did anyone think having over 150 hp between the most and least powerful cars IN THE SAME CLASS was a good BoP??

 

[SpeedStarGTS]

- Question : does the BoP not have special settings for Oval races ? I heard a while ago that in Gr.3 the Lancer was surprisingly good in an Oval, which made me hopeful for the upcoming race (then I realised it was gr.4 )

Yeah Oval does have its own Bop, and Lancer was the meta for oval but there been so many bop changes i am not sure if that is still the case

 

[D_Dragline]

Spa always brings out the worst drivers. Always.

 

[Mercia]

I'm a bit confused over the available cars for this one

I have far more Gr. 3's than this, including German cars if that is the restriction, not only more BMW's but Merc as well. Am I missing something here?

Spa always brings out the worst drivers. Always.

While true, I find that they've mostly knacked themselves by Pouhon, lap 1 at the latest, so if you can keep it tidy and out of trouble until then the race opens up fine.

EDIT: though I did forget the divebombing into the chicane which even from their view never looks possible to me but they always try it.

 

[D_Dragline]

While true, I find that they've mostly knacked themselves by Pouhon, lap 1 at the latest, so if you can keep it tidy and out of trouble until then the race opens up fine.

EDIT: though I did forget the divebombing into the chicane which even from their view never looks possible to me but they always try it.

I will post some video once I get a chance. Same junk 2 races in a row. It’s war out there. @LeGeNd-1 will attest.

 

[Seth_Logan]

I got bored, so I made a video comparison showing each Gr.4 car under their current oval BOP. Assuming PD don't realise there's such a huge difference and do something about it before the round starts, hopefully this will help anyone who's curious know what to expect. There are timestamps for each car in the description (and yes, I did almost forget Mazda when going through in alphabetical order 😅).

Could you publish the list here?

 

[Hoani Tuati]

I'm a bit confused over the available cars for this one

View attachment 1093446

I have far more Gr. 3's than this, including German cars if that is the restriction, not only more BMW's but Merc as well. Am I missing something here?

In my race there were those plus a couple of AMG's as well.

 

[RacingGrandpa]

I'm a bit confused over the available cars for this one

View attachment 1093446

I have far more Gr. 3's than this, including German cars if that is the restriction, not only more BMW's but Merc as well. Am I missing something here?

You are missing one car, the MB AMG. Those 4 cars are the only ones available this round.

 

[RX8 Racer]

A reminder to everyone doing the Spa race - You might only have one chance to set a flying lap in qualifying, so don’t screw it up like this guy :

He started second to last because someone else got a track penalty for his only flying lap.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

I will post some video once I get a chance. Same junk 2 races in a row. It’s war out there. @LeGeNd-1 will attest.

There's this problematic driver that I mentioned in the post race chat.

1st incident: I was coming up alongside into Bruxelles, and he cut me off. I had to jam on the brakes to avoid getting on the grass.

2nd incident: next lap I again pulled up alongside on the short straight before Pouhon. Again he cut me off and I had to brake to avoid PIT maneuvering him.

3rd incident: next lap he again got a bad exit going into Pouhon (funny how they always mess up the same corner). This time I had enough, so I held my line and sure enough he turned in on me and went off thanks to the ping pong collision fizzix.

Unfortunately, I got held up by some cars ahead and he caught back up again, and shoved me wide at the chicane. It's useless fighting this guy, so time for big brain strategy I let a car behind me pass (let's say driver B), and working together by bump drafting we caught him. Sure enough, driver A again messed up the exit going into Pouhon, and in an effort to block driver B he lost control and spun out. Predictably he rage quit

Anyway, it is what it is. Not really surprised anymore these days. Next week we have double trouble oval + rally races. It will be a miracle if my SR stays intact

 

[D_Dragline]

There's this problematic driver that I mentioned in the post race chat.

1st incident: I was coming up alongside into Bruxelles, and he cut me off. I had to jam on the brakes to avoid getting on the grass.

2nd incident: next lap I again pulled up alongside on the short straight before Pouhon. Again he cut me off and I had to brake to avoid PIT maneuvering him.

3rd incident: next lap he again got a bad exit going into Pouhon (funny how they always mess up the same corner). This time I had enough, so I held my line and sure enough he turned in on me and went off thanks to the ping pong collision fizzix.

Unfortunately, I got held up by some cars ahead and he caught back up again, and shoved me wide at the chicane. It's useless fighting this guy, so time for big brain strategy I let a car behind me pass (let's say driver B), and working together by bump drafting we caught him. Sure enough, driver A again messed up the exit going into Pouhon, and in an effort to block driver B he lost control and spun out. Predictably he rage quit

Anyway, it is what it is. Not really surprised anymore these days. Next week we have double trouble oval + rally races. It will be a miracle if my SR stays intact

Same driver ruined my race in slot 1. He went waaay too deep into the bus stop and I got clean through only for him to simply t-bone me at the second apex. I was VERY happy when I saw him facing the wrong way in the second slot.

Unfortunately there were at least 3 other morons in that race who created carnage. Including a guy who finished 5th after wiping out half the field at the end of Kemmel on lap 1.

 

[Geauxgreddy]

Struggling on which car to take. Merc isn't quite as fast as the Audi around the track but you can afford a couple errors. Porsche and BMW are turds on the start. Both you have take TC off for a chance. Porsche I can run the same lap time over and over like a machine. Are the lobbies looking like Audi single make races?

 

[Mercia]

Struggling on which car to take. Merc isn't quite as fast as the Audi around the track but you can afford a couple errors. Porsche and BMW are turds on the start. Both you have take TC off for a chance. Porsche I can run the same lap time over and over like a machine. Are the lobbies looking like Audi single make races?

After running laps with the options, felt the best in the Audi so am going with it. Lobby is about 50/50 split with the 911 though, an M6 here and there. At least in B ranked.

 

[Dave_H_87]

Struggling on which car to take. Merc isn't quite as fast as the Audi around the track but you can afford a couple errors. Porsche and BMW are turds on the start. Both you have take TC off for a chance. Porsche I can run the same lap time over and over like a machine. Are the lobbies looking like Audi single make races

Lots of variety in my EMEA B DR race. 3 Mercs and 2 Audis in the top 5 at the end.
Audi seems to be the popular choice for the higher splits, seems to have better overall lap time but a tendency to spin out judging by the lobby I was in before racing!

 

[Mercia]

Lots of variety in my EMEA B DR race. 3 Mercs and 2 Audis in the top 5 at the end.
Audi seems to be the popular choice for the higher splits, seems to have better overall lap time but a tendency to spin out judging by the lobby I was in before racing!

I could barely drive it by the end on those tires I was down near the back after starting 6th, actually put some good laps in the 911 so I'm going to try with that, seems like it will suit my penchant for consistency better than the R8.

Flick of the wheel and it was wanting to turn around, I looked and it was lap 6 I just knew it was not going to finish well

 

[Adam Barber]

I started well in qualifying with a decent lap. Q7 overall in the 911. Made it up to 3rd as others made small mistakes on lap 1. Had some really good racing all race apart from the last lap when a Frenchman didn't leave me any space and wan me wide, I know that was deliberate as we did in the same thing a that corner lap 5 without issue. P7 - P7 for me. I'm leaving that and one and done for me, good luck everyone else.

17d19cc919768-screenshotUrl.jpg

• Adam Barber
• Nov 13, 2021

 

[Zorz]

So many dirty drivers, I'm kind of regretting coming back for this last season a little. I just had another run in with the Italian who almost ended my race at Autopolis at turn 1 and tried pushing me off at the start of Sardegna. It's so frustrating trying to race clean against people who give absolutely no thought to reciprocating it.

I started P10, survived the turn 1 melee moving up to P6 but understeered heavily through Eau Rouge/Raidillon in the Mercedes (along with P2, P3, P4 and P5...). The Italian pushes past into Les Combes and I leave space. Fast forward onto lap 2 and we're now all serving our penalties. I get completely alongside the Italian at the end of the Kemmel Straight and with the roles reversed, he/she tries pushing me off at the apex. Having to catch the car cost me a couple of positions so now down to P8.

On lap 3, I got punted off the end of the Kemmel Straight by a Porsche who wouldn't have made the turn if I hadn't served as their brakes and from there it was just torture. With dirty tyres trying to get back onto the track I drop all the way down to P15 whilst trying to stay off the racing line as best I can since I know I'm an obstacle until the grip comes back. An Audi (who I've had no interaction with whatsoever) then attempts to sideswipe me off heading towards Bruxelles before divebombing into No Name and going airborne on my screen from the bollards. Karma was quick though since that little move caused the Audi to go deep onto the exit kerb and spin out.

Between Audis spinning out, some rage quits ahead and stealing a position at the Bus Stop on the final lap because a Porsche had to catch an oversteer and almost went into the pit lane I ended P11. I'm just going to leave that there, I don't fancy two days of stressful races back to back after the Nordschleife.

 

[Stoobert]

So when I had my hiatus, and came back expecting a bloodbath because the penalties were turned off, I was wrong... UNTIL NOW.

Qualified 8th. For some reason my Fanatec recently has been weird when switching lobbies where the car doesn't feel the same, but eh, a bit too hot here, a bit too early on the brakes there so I knew I could go faster. The top 4 were all Audi's, the next 4 of us were in the Porsche with a mix of Mercs and Audis behind.

Race time. Turn 1 was inevitably carnage. Us in the Porsches bogged down off the line leaving it 5 wide braking in to la source. I noticed a Merc on my inside so stayed wide for the turn. Obviously different cars with different characteristics meant people were braking in rather different positions for a bit of paint swapping and an opportunist Audi decided to attempt a bowling strike with zero braking in to the turn, looking for a hapless Porsche or 2. The Audi messed up and ended up only clipping a single car, sending himself in to the barrier. Lots of pushing and shoving all around, but I managed to survive and headed down to Eau Rouge intact. Eau Rouge and Radillon were a bit of a mare for most drivers, either no braking and running well wide, or being caught in fights and just fudging it up. (Insert Oprah "YOU GET A PENALTY" meme here)

After the shuffling in to les combes I emerged in 6th place and a nice train emerged and it settled down. At the start of lap 2, a Mercedes in front had a penalty which was duely served bringing me up to 5th. Then it started... Lap 3.

One ot the rear runners who had made their way forward punted a Porsche in to me at La source, then put their foot in and used us as a barrier. I came off the worst with a spin putting me back down to 12th.

I then recomposed to go down the kemmel straight to find that another Mercedes and Porsche that were fighting missed their braking point and voila, punted me over les combes. Now down to 15th.

The rest of the race was just paint scraping with slower drivers, getting punted wide or sliding from dirty air + now shredded tyres.

I have a feeling every other lobby will be the same so I am going to 1 and done this after finishing 10th from the inevitable Audi deaths.

 

[Mercia]

After a second attempt in the Porsche that I ended up quitting out of due to being rammed, shoved, punted all over the place in lap 1 and honestly just lost my temper having ended up spun out at the back, I took a good break from it, had a Jacky D and started my third attempt in 9th.

Making it through the first lap, which is absolutely key here, as cars went off left and right, I had not knacked my tires spinning or going off track and having bumped up TC to 2 I was feeling a lot more stable and comfortable in the Porsche, found myself running in 5th place. Sat there for the rest of the race as the guy in front, despite having his hazards on which I read as he wouldn't challenge an overtake (it's how I use them at least), would close the door every time I attempted to go past.. I decided to settle as there was a 15 second gap behind and killing my race for 4th place was not really worth it.

I'm sure it will change but the game let me know I'm the fastest in the United Kingdom which is a first for me and a lot of fun to see!

Shout out to whoever wiped out the braking boards going into Pouhon, just lovely, thanks a lot

Got to run the Team Northumbria Uni livery as well so all in all, crazy lap 1, very frustrating race if you get stuck in the madness, but happy with the result.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

3rd and final attempt at Spa, my pace was bad, my start was good!

 

[OJBrit]

Had a good race and my stupidity didn't cost me for once.

Went for the Merc as it had the speed and the stability. So long as a Dutchman stayed away from my rear wing I should be fine.

Qualified 7th with a lap around 0.4 seconds slower than my practice time.
Got a great start. The Merc in front forgot TC and squirmed. The Audi ahead of them seemed to have barely moved from it's grid box. They also tried to grass me. This put me off a little as I was hastily switching menus to the radar. I went deep (also thanks to the shallow angle) I kept her facing the right way and rejoined in 4th with 5th right by my quarter panel. Heading towards Eu Rouge they decided not to back off. I gave space but predictably they barged me sideways. I took the safe option out and gunned straight. In for a penny in for a pound. I only got a 1 second penalty but it kept me safe. (Not that it was my fault really) This also allowed be to gun past the 911 in 3rd as if they were standing still. I squirmed around the rest of the lap and served my penalty along the Kemmel. This put me back down to 6th behind an AMG, R9 and the 911 who were battling. The R8 escaped and I had a box seat for the great, fair and clean battle between the AMG and 911. A couple of laps later and the R8 which was in 2nd spun into Pouhon. The yellow flag almost put me off. Thanks to the dirty tyres they spun again into the last part of Fagne and I was past. I concentrated on getting around after a further stupid penalty running wide through Blanchimont. Eventually on lap 6 the 911 pulled away as the AMG started to make mistakes and allowed me to pounce. I misjudged my braking into Les Combes and made sure to give the place back. We had a good battle into the final corner too. But I got alongside on the pit straight and made the move stick. They also had a penalty from running wide out of Pouhon. That combined with the move made my now 4th secure.

First triple score in either competition. Very pleased with the result in what must have been the highest lobby I have ever been in by the points on offer.

Also finished just in time to settle in and watch the rugby.🌹