Somewhat late but an FIA update
Only doing Manufacturers this season, and quite enjoying it (didn't fancy most of the Nations races so didn't bother)
Interlagos
I love Interlagos and felt the Ferrari could be really strong with the tyre wear, but the fuel was going to be a major issue. Had set out my plan to no stop from the off, knowing the first half of the race would be a grind. Entered alongside
@watto79 and
@Hasnain282 (only just remembered this - it was a week ago!) Put it 2nd on the grid with a 1:38.5 behind a Viper and got caught out by the cold hard tyres so much that the first lap was just about survival, luckily only dropped the one place but then a ridiculous punt on the Viper behind me meant I had to take evasive action at the start of L2 and lost the tow of the car ahead. A Ferrari heavily fuel saving without a tow isn't the quickest thing around Interlagos but an NSX behind had no intention of passing and with my tow helping him down the straights, he wasn't easy to pass himself, but once one got past a couple followed.
A Citroën made a move into T1, while I didn't defend it hard he bumped me wide on T3 and a Mustang that tried to nip into the gap got a (harsh) 3s penalty for pushing by. As I recovered from the contact the NSX from earlier also went past and I was down to 6th but was now at the point I could push a little.
Mustang pitted, I quickly closed on and passed the NSX, who again tried to stay in the tow but the quicker pace was too much for him and with a lap and a half to go had a gap of around 3s to the Citroën that had now closed up to the pole sitting Viper. Citroën got past, I went into the final lap 1.7s behind the Viper but being able to push I was able to close up throughout the lap and just beat him on the line - as he was trying to finish on fumes - for a decent 3rd place and 254 points.
Felt with a cleaner start I could have won, and maybe I should have pushed it for a lap or two early on then fuel save but the race worked out fine in the end
Dragon Trail Gardens II
Hadn't driven it this way around, so it was very much a new track
Entered the final slot of the evening alongside
@T_revisio in what I think was 2nd split. I'd had decent pace in practice (and had spied a few streams on YouTube!) so felt I could get a solid result.
Qualifying was ok in terms of time, 1:29.6 - about 0.3 off what I would have been pleased with but enough to start me well up the grid in 5th, V1_Sherpa taking pole with a 28.6(!) in the VW. In the opening stint his VW had been overtaken by a Supra, and while the Supra was clearing off the rest of the group down to me was building a gap to 6th. I inherited a place when a Spaniard in an Audi got on the dirt on the run to the hairpin and pitted as planned on L7 directly behind a Corvette.
Emerging pretty much as we were (the Audi pitted a lap earlier and undercut), a battle was developing between three cars for 3rd with a fourth car wanting to join in. Then on L12 we went into T1 almost two by two, I had a great run out of T2 though and while the Corvette went inside the Audi, I made it three abreast and moved up the inside into the four apex left hander to jump from 5th to 3rd. Quickly able to open up enough of a gap for breathing space I was able to run the ideal strat for me (7/7/5/1), Sherpa ahead binned it through the chicane promoting me to 2nd and I held pace with the Audi behind to come home 2nd for 271 points
All very pleasing!!
. Least enjoyable Manufacturer i've driven is BMW (with the M6). Really don't like the M4.
