Gran Turismo World Series 2024 Thread

[afc5150]

I was in despair after missing starting my qualy lap by 3 seconds, so lined up 14th in slot 1 in America region B/S lobby worth 121 points.

Then the race happened, and all was right in my world again.

 

[PMK]

A few observations from that live stream:

1. In qualifying, a dry line forms for the hot lap. Since the dryness of the line depends on how many cars have driven over it, I expect it would be advantageous to be one of the last cars to go out.
2. It was dark at the start of lap 3. This looks like a time multiplier of 6x, which I tried once when figuring out the weather and time settings.
3. The track is completely dry by the start of lap 4, probably because of the increased time multiplier. Looks like the dry line will only come into play for laps 2 and 3.

First point is a very good observation.

@OJBrit That lobby is actually mad. Some of the best players in the world right there.

edit: @Roggers the second statement was meant towards you instead lol

 

[SupaflyIRL]

despite some less than stellar driving:

Went 3IM 2RM and was glad I did because the third lap on RMs battling with someone would have been super ambitious. Zero chance I survive lap 3 on RMs. didn't get dark until lap 5 for me.

Made more mistakes trying to outdrive the RMs than I did while being cautious on the IMs. Spent lap 3 in 2nd place and pulled ahead by the end and boxed for RMs and the guy got greedy and stayed out for another lap, passed him when he pit at the end of his lap 4. Made enough mistakes on the first lap of RMs that I could see other cars on my track map at the start of lap 5 and stayed close for the first half but I ended up winning by 7-8 seconds.

 

[CMB350]

I’m trying McLaren this time around. Plan on trying to do an afternoon or evening race a little later today.

 

[Moose78]

That was a fun race! A mediocre finish, but still fun.

I ran the first GT2 slot in the Americas (10:00 EST).

For qualifying, I planned to take advantage of the dry line by going out of the pits late, but when I pressed a button to change the multifunction display ten seconds after qualifying began, my car started driving out of the pits. I puttered around on the shoulder of the GP circuit, letting cars pass until I was around P12 or P13. When it came to my hot lap, I cruised along the dry line to qualify in Q2, without much effort.

I didn't really want to be that close to the lead. I wanted to be a few cars back to have a slightly drier track during the rain.

Thankfully, after a little bit of jostling on T1 once the race started, I found myself in P6, right where I wanted to be.

I did a 2IM-3RM strategy. I bounced around in positions throughout the race, as high as P3, as low as P12. Good, clean racing all around. In the end, I finished P8 for 76 points.

Now on to Watkins Glen.

 

[Met Entso]

Managed to finish P2 really happy!!!! And it was my first race in GT1!

 

[OJBrit]

Is this game bugged?

So this is top slit EU, with two streamers in the same race. This is the same corner on the same lap.

People saying that the games brightness values are causing this? But the hud looks the same? I’m going to have test this brightness thing.

My in game settings are this. EV 0.0, Sat 100, Graphics Ray/Resolution

View attachment 1315327

We had it in TPC's recent endurance series. MaxPower I think always had the opposite lighting to the rest of us. So at Le Mans his race started and ended in the dark but everyone else's didn't. It's a strange bug but given PD's record it's not so surprising.

First point is a very good observation.

@OJBrit That lobby is actually mad. Some of the best players in the world right there.

Wasn't me you meant to quote.

I’m trying McLaren this time around. Plan on trying to do an afternoon or evening race a little later today.
View attachment 1315340

Which round are you driving the minibus?

 

[MillerGT]

That was a fun race! A mediocre finish, but still fun.

I ran the first GT2 slot in the Americas (10:00 EST).

For qualifying, I planned to take advantage of the dry line by going out of the pits late, but when I pressed a button to change the multifunction display ten seconds after qualifying began, my car started driving out of the pits. I puttered around on the shoulder of the GP circuit, letting cars pass until I was around P12 or P13. When it came to my hot lap, I cruised along the dry line to qualify in Q2, without much effort.

I didn't really want to be that close to the lead. I wanted to be a few cars back to have a slightly drier track during the rain.

Thankfully, after a little bit of jostling on T1 once the race started, I found myself in P6, right where I wanted to be.

I did a 2IM-3RM strategy. I bounced around in positions throughout the race, as high as P3, as low as P12. Good, clean racing all around. In the end, I finished P8 for 76 points.

Now on to Watkins Glen.

2IM-3RM was the strategy for the brave, with that dry line for the third lap any small error onto the wet was a high risk.

I felt the the slipstream really helped you keep everyone close.

 

[PMK]

We had it in TPC's recent endurance series. MaxPower I think always had the opposite lighting to the rest of us. So at Le Mans his race started and ended in the dark but everyone else's didn't. It's a strange bug but given PD's record it's not so surprising.

Wasn't me you meant to quote.

Which round are you driving the minibus?

Wow you're right. What the hell, i could've sworn you posted that message but it was @Roggers instead. Wow, mandela effect moment right there, i'm confused haha.

 

[SupaflyIRL]

2IM-3RM was the strategy for the brave, with that dry line for the third lap any small error onto the wet was a high risk.

I felt the the slipstream really helped you keep everyone close.

I was not brave and made American noises at myself when I barriered it on the RMs on lap 4 anyway.

P5 in my race no stopped the IMs like a madman.

 

[Zorz]

Two attempts for me today in my self-inflicted torture season. Since it's just a short season, I'm trying to see how high up a manufacturer's rankings I can go if I take an unpopular one. Ended up going with Hyundai after looking at the rankings from the previous season.

Kind of makes me sad since I had a great run with Hyundai last time I took them back in GT Sport, but times change I guess. The Group 3 is a lot, lot worse than I remember it being.

The first attempt was cursed. I wound up stuck behind a Porsche in qualifying who really, really slowed me down on the flying lap. I ended up qualifying P4 (would never had had pole) which I was still very happy with, but it set up the next phase of the curse. I was to start behind a slightly laggy BMW who really, really struggled to keep the car in a straight line on corner exits.

I was up into P3 by Fuchsröhre after the Supra in P2 made a mistake at Aremberg, but the BMW cost me dearly soon after. He almost dropped coming out of the hairpin after Wehrseifen and then did it again at Ex-Mühle, with the car almost getting sideways both times. Taking avoiding action from the second one took away all my momentum and dropped me right back down to P7. I got back up into P6 heading up to the first carousel, only to get rear-ended going round it. Pinball physics kicked in, I got a huge jolt into the Mazda in front of me and I came away with damage.

I lost my cool, ended up bumping a Nissan at Wippermann and then waiting whilst he recovered, dropping down to P12 where things never got any better. I'd forgotten to set up a fan before starting and that also meant I had literally lost my cool. I don't know about anyone else, but as much as I love the PSVR2, doing any kind of serious racing in it gets very hot and uncomfortable. Stupid mistakes set in, I ended up finishing P11. Not really what I had in mind...

The second attempt went much better in a lobby with @Talon16. Apologies for not saying hello, I didn't register your name until after the race had started. 🥴

I qualified P4 again, but the fighting was much more intense this time around. Between that and getting some horrendous oversteer coming out of turn 2 I was down in P7 in pretty quick order... and behind the BMW from the first attempt again. No death and destruction in the middle of the pack this time at least, but I did make some minor mistakes along the way.

The Hyundai Genesis is painfully bad down the Dottinger. Laps 1 and 2 felt like torture when we reached there as suddenly everyone would sail straight past. I lost out on lap 1, and only just about managed to hold a gap to the car behind thanks to being in Talon's tow on lap 2, where we both dived in for slicks. The Porsche in P4 stayed out for a third lap on the Inters, so the race was on to see if the high risk, high reward strategy would pay off.

After binning it coming out of the pits at the 10 lap marathon last season, I was incredibly gentle this time around. Possibly too cautious as some mad McLaren went through me at turn 2 which definitely caught me off guard, but I can live with losing a position if it means staying alive. There was a Supra quite close behind me through the GP circuit, but he started to fall away. I definitely needed that so I could stop looking in the rear view mirror and start focusing on chasing Talon.

Talon's pace at the N24 is just better than mine and the gap between us slowly got bigger and bigger over the course of the race. Taking the risk and pitting for Mediums at the end of lap 2 also paid off as the Porsche went on to finish 22 seconds behind me.

202 points for Hyundai, I'm stopping there. That's got to be a good haul after dragging that 💩-box around!



Time to go make some dinner, I'm absolutely done in after that.

As a sidenote... add me to the list of people who got variable time of day. On my first race it was the middle of the night by the end. On the second go, it was still sunset at the end.

EDIT - Turns out there are only three Hyundai in EMEA GT1, and I'm the only one that actually got points.

 

[kjeldsen]

delete

 

[Moose78]

2IM-3RM was the strategy for the brave, with that dry line for the third lap any small error onto the wet was a high risk.

To be honest, I'd done so many practice races where the track never fully dries out that it felt a bit disorienting to be missing the dry line as guide for the last two laps of the race. I almost wish it had stuck around. Almost.

Clearly PD used some hidden settings for track drying because no matter what settings I tried in my custom races, the edges stayed wet the entire race.

 

[Hdbd04]

Having not been playing online for quite a while, I was worried that I would do more bashing than overtaking. Thankfully it wasn't the case. The lobby I joined was all DR A with Grove Street Racing (GSR) and SonnyKazu (TGR GT Cup Malaysia 2023 finalist) appearing in the grid.

I decided to pick Subaru with the BRZ GT300. Not because it would handle like a dream past the Karussell, but because of the stale humor of my livery creation. When I looked at this thread and not see anything Subaru related, I was worried about my choice lol. But the good news is that I've managed to sit at 9th with a 9:10 lap time, despite having the last place Genesis hinder my run.

Lap 1 - Starting the race with TCS set to 2 because god forbid going any less than that on a surface that's wet. As with all first laps, it was filled with a few incidents. Mostly just cars going off track. I would say that my draft overtake from 6th to 2nd at the final straight was nice. GSR decided to pit in after the lap.

Lap 2 - It was mostly incident free until the pit in. By then I knew that the pit exit would be wet, but for some reason I ignored that and immediately spun. Receiving a 3 sec. penalty as a result, along with SonnyKazu's Lexus doing the same by accident.

Lap 3 - Later in the lap, the Lexus of SonnyKazu kinda slid off at the corner, giving me P2. Then later on the GR Supra in the lead (by which I found out they were playing in VR, and was running with IM due to a lack of strategy) slowed down to give me the lead.

Lap 4 - It was quiet until the GT-R in 2nd started to catch up. Around the "YT corner" I got a little to quick and nearly spun out if it wasn't for me sticking to TCS 2 weirdly enough. The GT-R was near and managed to avoid contact, unfortunately it spun in a corner shortly after. During the race, I was thinking I was responsible for that (maybe it is?)

The race ended with a 15 sec. gap from P2 and I was surprised overall. It was actually a nice combo and fun to drive around in the BRZ. and having to use the dry line in the dark was really fun too! 224 points was earned.

Spoiler: Race images but it's just the BRZ :s

 

[WolfpackS2k]

I'm convinced that the time multiplier varies by race. I was going to do 2 IM 3 RMs (for the 12pm EST race) but a buddy that did the 10am said TRUST ME, stick with IMs for 3 laps. So I did that, despite the track looking rather dry mid-way through second lap. I also had the darkness come much earlier for me (than him). He had 1 lap in full darkness I had 3 laps total darkness.

I'm about to do the next race, and will trust my gut (and readouts) about when to pit this time.

 

[SupaflyIRL]

I'm convinced that the time multiplier varies by race. I was going to do 2 IM 3 RMs (for the 12pm EST race) but a buddy that did the 10am said TRUST ME, stick with IMs for 3 laps. So I did that, despite the track looking rather dry mid-way through second lap. I also had the darkness come much earlier for me (than him). He had 1 lap in full darkness I had 3 laps total darkness.

I'm about to do the next race, and will trust my gut (and readouts) about when to pit this time.

i had 3 laps where IMs were the correct choice (except for maybe an alien), as even the center of the "dry" line was just under the first third on the wet meter at the end of lap 2. there was still some light left at the beginning of lap 5 but didnt totally get dark until in lap 5

 

[Met Entso]

I'm convinced that the time multiplier varies by race. I was going to do 2 IM 3 RMs (for the 12pm EST race) but a buddy that did the 10am said TRUST ME, stick with IMs for 3 laps. So I did that, despite the track looking rather dry mid-way through second lap. I also had the darkness come much earlier for me (than him). He had 1 lap in full darkness I had 3 laps total darkness.

I'm about to do the next race, and will trust my gut (and readouts) about when to pit this time.

I agree, in my race lap 3 was drier than normal and got dark later.

 

[GlockPants]

Decent enough result today.

GT2 - B/S Lobby

Qualified P15 because I felt the call of nature in an urgent way right as soon as I entered qualifying and I was unable to set a lap in time. Oh well, if there was one race this season starting position mattered the least, it's this one.

Race started about as you'd expect. I had made it up to about P10 by the time the pack made it to the North Loop. I was making a pass as another driver went off into the dirt a bit but when they reentered the track, bumped me and I spun, back to P15.

I caught up to the pack again not long after, but just before the Carousel, another driver went off and as I avoided them, caused me to lose it in the barrier. Not bad, but halted my momentum quite a bit.

It seemed the rest of the field was pretty slow, so my excursions were not too detrimental. I had caught up again before Lap 2.

But from here, I made no mistakes. I decided to extend my IM stint to Lap 3, I didn't want to be in traffic while the track continued to dry. After all, most of my issues seemed to arise from everyone else around me. So, some clean air was going to be nice. Only one other driver ahead did the same.

Two cars on the RM catch up and pass toward the end of Lap 3, but that would be all. Playing in VR, you only know the gap ahead or behind when you're in the pits. Enter P4, 25 seconds to P5. I'd exit with no change.

Luckily I was able to hold that place to the end for 82 points, not bad considering P1 was only worth 94. I guess I'll have to get used to the low points since I don't to the dailies to rank up.

This race was amazing in VR.

 

[Andy Lapi]

Heavy damage is a pain in GT1…I was hit everywhere then the race is finished you lose 20 S at least per lap you are so slow in the straights…

 

[bliprunner]

Anybody in my 6pm GT1 EMEA race able to share a replay? Winner was a Spanish driver, second a Frenchman I think, I came third with a charge from the back (bliprunner / blip) !

First race with Ford, the GT3 seems really stable and was quick enough to get within sights of a win from 15th. I went in the 4pm race as well but any chance ended lap one with someone slowing for a penalty in the middle of a pack and of course I went ploughing into them as they unghosted. Decided to roll the dice and pit for mediums... total disaster.

Race two I was hit in qualifying at T1 by a Finnish driver, they apologised though and wasn't too bothered. I love this game when people are polite.

Start 15th and up into the top ten by the end of the lap using TC3. Solid second lap with some respectful close racing, think I was about 7th for the pit stop, and for once I didn't spin coming out!

Bit too tentative for the first lap on mediums, braking way too early, but got into the flow and caught the leaders. I was in 2nd for a short while but a mistake set me back and then on the final lap I spun trying to bring down the lead of third. Luckily I had 20+ secs on fourth.

Epic stuff and was gutted not to have saved the replay, watching that is half the fun!

 

[dazdilly75]

Hi to everyone in this thread, you guys have given me so much help over the last few days, I can only give a massive thank you for all your inputs and help with refining a good race strategy. I signed with Toyota, but decided to throw a curve ball and use the 97 Supra. I can't explain how much I love this car. In the wet, it was super stable and even though it lacks the acceleration of the 18 Supra, it's got great traction out of turns and has some seriously long legs when you hit Dottenger. I qualified 5th with a measly 8:59 in quali after suffering damage on the hot lap, but I was quickly into my driving with a break away group of about 6 drivers. I was overtaken by a Genesis and an AMG, after the track dried on lap 4, but just like the Manu final race, there was carnage at the end of Dottenger and I literally stole 2nd place from the jaws of the poor Finnish driver in a Supra 18, who was taken out by a Spaniard in an AMG...I finished in 2nd place and 256 pts. Not a bad nights work! ☺️
My race, if anyone is interested.

 

[PMK]

Went with Porsche this season after driving with Dodge, Toyota & AMG earlier this year. Haven't raced in GT7 since the last GTWS Exhibition Cup so i was kinda nervous. Things have been tough in my personal life lately so i haven't been on the game or GTPlanet recently. Second season in GT1 & the last slot. First online race on the PS5 though!

Thanks to @Moose78 i was one of the last to leave the pits during quali. This did indeed gave everyone in the back a massive advantage over those in front. One of the TCR guys was in my lobby in a Supra. Had great pace but smashed my rear into the wall after braking too late at Ex Mühle. Damage meant i had to settle on 7th place at the grid start.

Race start went great. 2 guys crashed out so i got to 5th when we left the GP Track. The first lap saw a fierce but clean battle between me and a 650S. Ultimately i came out on top and grabbed another position aswell because the TCR guy crashed out just before exiting the GP track on the second lap. This meant i was in 3rd for the whole 2nd lap. Everyone pitted except for a lone Lexus that started dead last.

Even though everyone said not to floor it after leaving the pits (and having experienced this aswell in last season where atleast 6 of us went round and round and round after leaving the pit) i still did it. Didn't spin but did get a 3s penalty. Lost a position to a Peugeot aswell. No problem as 3 guys behind me weren't on the raceline and just got sent forward into the gravel at the first corner of the GP Track. Even though i was battling with an AMG for the whole 3rd lap i ultimately started the 4th lap in 4th. It was already almost completely dark by this time. Stupid me didn't lift off at Flugplatz and lost the rear on the grass. This spun me around and gave me massive damage and lost me 2 positions to a Beetle and the Lexus who had now pitted. 6th.

I again smashed into the wall at Ex Mühle and lost another position to the AMG but it was clear to me they had damage too. Beetle just took off this lap but the Lexus also lost it just before Carousel. As they and the AMG were fighting i managed to do a double pass and got back in 5th. The Lexus and AMG both crashed while battling and I think the Lexus left at this point lol. So it was just me at that moment. Decided not to pit even with the heavy damage.

I wish i could say I kept it clean and consistent the final lap but with the 650S and AMG on my tail I managed to mess up at Carousel. Back to 7th. A few corners later the AMG lost it again and made such eratic movements I couldn't react in time which caused me to bump into his rear and he spun because of that. Passed the finish line in 6th eventually.

Not bad at all, but wish i stayed consistent and clean. Messaged the AMG driver in the chat and told him sorry but he said it wasn't a problem and they had made many mistakes this race too. Ended with the McLaren & AMG driver and me congratulating eachother for a fun race.

Like everybody said, this race was fantastic. Loved the rain and racing in the dark.

Enjoy some pics of my Manthey Porsche in scapes as like always i forget to save the replay.
This result goes out to my cat Pamuk who passed away last week. Her name might give you an idea where my PSN/GT7/GTP username comes from. Thanks everybody for the help in preparation for this race.

 

[icycls]

yeah, starting to qualy at the back is, I think, a good choice. I waited until 11:00 on countdown and when I crossed the line I was P1. Fell to P3 by two drivers who started behind me.

In principle, I don't have a problem with the heavy damage. But...... I first take a slight bump on T2 (by the guy who warned everyone about 'heavy damage', no less!). Then, halfway through the lap 1, running up the hill to the carousel, I get shoved into the wall. Aer+Susp on both bumpers. Now I'm a sitting duck on the straights, mustering a measly 155 on the back straight. Drop to P10 by the time I pit for Rms. (2IM/3RM). Finish P9. Sigh.

Nice to see @A_Higher_Place , finished a bit ahead of me.

Almost certainly, I'll try another run.

 

[SPL170db]

Well, first slot didn't go according to plan. Started out well enough on pole. First lap turned into a disaster, got damage and run off the track a couple times. Car damaged front and back. Dipped into the pits to fix the car at the end of the first lap. Came out in last place about 10 seconds behind the next to last guy. By the end of the GP track I had chewed that gap all the way up as I was much quicker but he had it in his head that I wasn't going by him. Rams me off the track, I spin, get back on, catch up from 7 seconds back and he does it again. I don't know how to you can have an A/S rank and drive like that.

To make a long story short I worked back up to 6th with a damaged car the entire time. So first to last to 6th. Without all that insanity I'm pretty sure that could have been a win, certainly a podium. Gonna have to try again in 20 minutes.




EDIT: Came back for 2nd slot. Q'd 2nd this time. Fell back a few spots and then worked my way back onto the podium. Much cleaner race in general this one 👍

 

[A_Higher_Place]

yeah, starting to qualy at the back is, I think, a good choice. I waited until 11:00 on countdown and when I crossed the line I was P1. Fell to P3 by two drivers who started behind me.

In principle, I don't have a problem with the heavy damage. But...... I first take a slight bump on T2 (by the guy who warned everyone about 'heavy damage', no less!). Then, halfway through the lap 1, running up the hill to the carousel, I get shoved into the wall. Aer+Susp on both bumpers. Now I'm a sitting duck on the straights, mustering a measly 155 on the back straight. Drop to P10 by the time I pit for Rms. (2IM/3RM). Finish P9. Sigh.

Nice to see @A_Higher_Place , finished a bit ahead of me.

Almost certainly, I'll try another run.

Gutted with that whole race tbh. From a bummed quali due to being shunted to my own mistake and getting damage on lap four. That was a shoulda-been-a-podium race. In a DR A lobby to boot!

Fun seeing you out there!

2 IM and 3 RM worked alright.

 

[Egghaus88]

I haven't been racing much lately, but this new season has got me back in. I signed with Chevrolet again since I'm a die hard and I don't have to deal with the slow Gr.4 car this season. This race seemed like a perfect combination of everything this game has to offer. I entered the 5:00pm NA GT1 slot, took to the track in qualifying and only managed 10th in this high DR A lobby. I took it easy at the start and lost a few positions, but made them back rather quickly as other drivers slid off track. It was mostly close clean racing in the wet, and I came in my with group at the end of lap two to switch to slicks. The track seemed quite dry to me, but some drivers still had trouble. I had some close racing with an NSX, a Genesis, and another Corvette, and I had finally cleared the NSX for P6 going into the final lap. Of course with zero pressure I choked and brakes too late entering Dunlop on the GP section and slid off losing two positions. Trying to claw my way back, I had gotten back along the left side of P7 entering Schwedenkreuz, but I hit a bump and lost control sliding off into the guard rail, completely throwing my race away. I limped the damaged car home in P8 for 154 points.

Despite my result I enjoyed this race immensely in VR. The intensity of this this track, with the rain, and day to night transition is simply unmatched by anything IMO. I recorded the entire race in VR and will try to upload it. If anyone is on the fence about VR it should change your mind.

 

[Yard_Sale]

Argh…

Well, after a very fun race in slot 1 of the oceanic region, I went to bed for a few hours and woke up for the last slot of EMEA. No pictures, because it was a very lack luster result. Mid-A lobby, paired with a bunch of Spaniards. I’ll let you fill in the blanks how that went…








Slot 1 N/A region.

268 point lobby. 3 other Americans, myself, the rest Brazilian. Had an ok qually lap that was good enough for 5th. Come lap 1, T1…I got ping-ponged in the chicane that resulted me getting pushed into someone who spun out and went off. I got front and rear aero damage as well as left rear wheel damage…..and a 5 second PD penalty to boot. Got up to 2nd by the second carousel before the long straight, and then watched everyone go by me as I served the penalty. Worked my way back up to the main pack by the end of lap 2 and took mediums and repaired damage. Exiting the pits, a guy next to me started fish tailing going into T1 and I got knocked out of the pit lane exit….3 second penalty 😑

Throughout lap 3, I actually made up a lot of ground and cut my way through the pack, but true to form…many of the “other” drivers had plans of just crashing people out instead. Got rear ended into a fellow American. Front and rear aero damage for me and the poor sap who I hit race’ was essentially over.

The rest of that race was spent mostly trying to survive the “tropical melee” and getting passed - as I had zero top end speed.

Wanted to finish at least 8th so I wouldn’t lose DR, but the jerk in front of me rammed me into the wall just before the finish line after he messed up the last series of corners before the GP course and sustained significant damage. He’s now on my craplist

Slot 2 N/A region. Middle of the road A+ lobby. Got paired with a GTP friendly @D_Dragline 👍🏼

Pretty much Barney’d qualifying, and landed 11th or something like that. Survived turn 1, and found myself towards the front halfway through the first lap. Then as was standard of my previous 2 races, myself and others fell victim to people who were opportunistic of the conditions and short race, and got shoved aside and into walls, sustaining aero damage once again. Pitted at end of L2 for repairs and tires, and then got mugged again and had to do my best to survive with aero damage for the remainder of the race. Salvaged a “points paying” finish, but was honestly pretty bummed as it was very easy to get your race ruined by jerks.

Looks like Dragline got rat-****ed worse than me.





Couple thoughts:


I really, REALLY liked this race. The ring’, the weather transitions, nightfall with the campfires, rave music and lights….it was friggin rad!!!

BUT…

In GT1, the race was too short with very little in the way of strategy. Sure, the rain was an equalizer and allowed you to recover from mistakes and catch back up. But a viable strategy started to develop throughout the day to compensate for the short race and general lack of clean passing opportunities….and that entailed ramming your way through and knocking people off the track - with little in the way of penalties given. It was a win-win for the perpetrator. You got a position, and the victim gets damage and effectively gets their race ruined.

This race needed at least 3 more laps, and either an additional weather cycle and/or multiplier tweak that brought a possible 2-stop into the fold. Heavy damage IMO, is a good thing, but a shorter rain-race at the ring makes it tough. It almost feels like this race’s TOD/weather cycle was a continuation of what would have happened towards the end of last season’s NBG race when we saw a storm starting to show on the radar at the end of lap 10 🧐

…can we please have a 15-lap version of this race PD? Pretty please 😎

Night races are fun. We need more of them.

X2 tire multiplier is a god-send for those of us who like twitchy MR cars. I knew my 458 was one of the least-suited cars for this track, or any race that has significant tire multipliers, really, However, with this track/multiplier combo… I never really felt like I was at a disadvantage, even on a dry track.

 

[Spider-Racer]

P2 for 311 points! Did this on my Spider-Punk alt (66.5k DR) because I want to save my main for the official season. It was nice to see my pal @GTWolverine in the lobby after so long.

Tough race to manage, but somehow I survived this wet-to-dry nightmare and had a relatively smooth run from starting in Q3. My pace was decent in wet conditions and I even led most of lap 1, but as soon as the track started to dry, I lost ground to those behind. Got overtaken in the long straight by two cars, then lost one more position by being extra careful on the pit exit. However, two people binned it ahead and I eventually crossed the line P2 with an R8 right behind putting a lot of pressure but not being able to overtake.

My livery is an adaptation from one by @Racerx_34 (thanks!) to make use of those hideous sport mode number plates.
Looking forward to a very very dry Watkins Glen 😂

 

[D_Dragline]

Argh…

Well, after a very fun race in slot 1 of the oceanic region, I went to bed for a few hours and woke up for the last slot of EMEA. No pictures, because it was a very lack luster result. Mid-A lobby, paired with a bunch of Spaniards. I’ll let you fill in the blanks how that went…








Slot 1 N/A region.

268 point lobby. 3 other Americans, myself, the rest Brazilian. Had an ok qually lap that was good enough for 5th. Come lap 1, T1…I got ping-ponged in the chicane that resulted me getting pushed into someone who spun out and went off. I got front and rear aero damage as well as left rear wheel damage…..and a 5 second PD penalty to boot. Got up to 2nd by the second carousel before the long straight, and then watched everyone go by me as I served the penalty. Worked my way back up to the main pack by the end of lap 2 and took mediums and repaired damage. Exiting the pits, a guy next to me started fish tailing going into T1 and I got knocked out of the pit lane exit….3 second penalty 😑

Throughout lap 3, I actually made up a lot of ground and cut my way through the pack, but true to form…many of the “other” drivers had plans of just crashing people out instead. Got rear ended into a fellow American. Front and rear aero damage for me and the poor sap who I hit race’ was essentially over.

The rest of that race was spent mostly trying to survive the “tropical melee” and getting passed - as I had zero top end speed.

Wanted to finish at least 8th so I wouldn’t lose DR, but the jerk in front of me rammed me into the wall just before the finish line after he messed up the last series of corners before the GP course and sustained significant damage. He’s now on my craplist

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Slot 2 N/A region. Middle of the road A+ lobby. Got paired with a GTP friendly @D_Dragline 👍🏼

Pretty much Barney’d qualifying, and landed 11th or something like that. Survived turn 1, and found myself towards the front halfway through the first lap. Then as was standard of my previous 2 races, myself and others fell victim to people who were opportunistic of the conditions and short race, and got shoved aside and into walls, sustaining aero damage once again. Pitted at end of L2 for repairs and tires, and then got mugged again and had to do my best to survive with aero damage for the remainder of the race. Salvaged a “points paying” finish, but was honestly pretty bummed as it was very easy to get your race ruined by jerks.



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Looks like Dragline got rat-****ed worse than me.





Couple thoughts:


I really, REALLY liked this race. The ring’, the weather transitions, nightfall with the campfires, rave music and lights….it was friggin rad!!!

BUT…

In GT1, the race was too short with very little in the way of strategy. Sure, the rain was an equalizer and allowed you to recover from mistakes and catch back up. But a viable strategy started to develop throughout the day to compensate for the short race and general lack of clean passing opportunities….and that entailed ramming your way through and knocking people off the track - with little in the way of penalties given. It was a win-win for the perpetrator. You got a position, and the victim gets damage and effectively gets their race ruined.

This race needed at least 3 more laps, and either an additional weather cycle and/or multiplier tweak that brought a possible 2-stop into the fold. Heavy damage IMO, is a good thing, but a shorter rain-race at the ring makes it tough. It almost feels like this race’s TOD/weather cycle was a continuation of what would have happened towards the end of last season’s NBG race when we saw a storm starting to show on the radar at the end of lap 10 🧐

…can we please have a 15-lap version of this race PD? Pretty please 😎

Night races are fun. We need more of them.

X2 tire multiplier is a god-send for those of us who like twitchy MR cars. I knew my 458 was one of the least-suited cars for this track, or any race that has significant tire multipliers, really, However, with this track/multiplier combo… I never really felt like I was at a disadvantage, even on a dry track.

Great to share the track with you in what was an immensely frustrating race.

Both of my races (slot 2 Asia and Slot 2 Americas) were virtually identical.

Went out late for qualifying, got shunted on my flying lap and qualified mid-field.

Then got killed in turn 1 in both races, fought my way back to mid-field only to have impatient/stupid/dirty drivers push me off track and into barriers for damage.

The observation about heavy damage and race length is spot on. There was literally no consequence for simply putting cars into the barriers to get through the field. In my Asia race the winner did exactly that from last to first.

Also, a special mention for the way heavy damage works when you get rear ended into a car in front because the clown behind didn’t brake early enough for T1. You get damage to front and rear (and possibly wheels) they may or may not get any damage at all.

It should have been one of the best races of the year, instead it was a farcical mess. Twice.

 

[icycls]

well that was weird. And Phooey.

Ran a second time in the last slot, waited again in the pit. Crossed the line, again, in Q1. Again, dropped to P3 by two drivers behind me.

This time, however, the racing was really clean by everyone around me. It was a joy. Lots of back and forth. I ran the IM two-lap stint pretty flawlessly, finish lap 1 in P2, pit lap 2 in P3. Then just got sloppy. Nothing too bad, mostly just fell off pace on the RMs. Got some slight bumper damage when someone spun out right in front of me and I just grazed them before they ghosted. No one's fault, really. Still, directly cost me a position on the straight.

Gave up two positions with a slight slip entering the Nord for the last lap. Finish P9.... Again! Arghhh!

P6-9 finished within four seconds of each other, it was that tight (for most of the race). But despite what could have been, a real shoutout to the other drivers, everyone was taking care but still racing hard.