Gran Turismo World Series (Nations Cup Exhibition Season: Jan 22 - Feb 1)

[Nightwing24]

[

Without knowing precisely what the points should have been for that race it's incredibly difficult for any third party to say it's obviously wrong. At DR D, the points available will be very low and very chaotic; in fact I'm not aware of a reason why you couldn't have a GTWS race worth one point for a win at DR D, if everyone in the race was right at rock bottom of the possible ratings*.

All I can say is it's either correctly showing you got five points from your last entry in the day's races because that's what you go, or it's correctly showing you got five points from your last entry in the day's races because you disconnected momentarily at some point between finishing the race and leaving the lobby to register the race as complete.

Short of a video recording from the race's end through to the return to the World Map, nobody can say what's actually happened - but registered race results don't vanish.


*The number of points available is essentially based on the average DR rating score of everyone in the lobby - something like 1/250th of the average score; if everyone's on one point, that lobby is worth a total of 1/250th of a point spread across all finishing positions, although I'm vaguely aware that there is a minimum possible score of one point, which would naturally all go to the winner.

Thanks for that clarification as it illuminates my mistake in assuming that they both are consistent in thier rule making and transparent in communicating it to everyone.

Not out of doubt, but mere incredulity I researched myself to try and find some reassurance it ain’t so and still am dumbfounded to see this is how they manage a racing competition.


Not to derail, but pick your brain based on my own hyperbolic experience of getting disconnected in a race only once before, but it would entirely kick me out of the online race not allowing to save the replay. Isn’t the fact that I was able to save the replay and have it directly uploaded on their server evidence that it did complete and save the race results to the server properly?

Edit: never mind, I see how this is a can of worms depending on both the instance connection is lost and when the game saves info to servers, both of which are data we do not possess nor have access to.. thanks again!

 

[Talon16]

Manufactures on Saturday.
Has anyone done any proper testing for this event? I’ve only done 7 or 8 laps as I’m struggling to find any enjoyment on GT7 at the minute. I assume it’s just a damp track for maybe 6 laps then Hards till the end?

In FP the track dries enough for Hards by Lap 5, and it's 100% dry by Lap 10 or 11 (I only noticed at Lap 11, but it could've been bone dry by Lap 10). There was also no "dry line" formation - the entire track surface dried uniformly.

I've found similar to the above. I am just curious as to how this will translate over to the race. Time will tell.

I like that bit, seeing all the different liveries (before everyone zooms off into the distance).
Makes it more of an event, rather than just a slightly longer Daily.

I like that bit, too. I could do without the intro and music at 160dbs, however.

I second the frustration in quali as well as the solutions; either be first, or let them all go. Funny enough this was true in club racing as well. It was quite a race to get out first. And don't wait too long on short tracks as they'll come around before you get going.

I also like the intro seeing everybody's livery and the build up to a race. I was surprised to learn you could race many times that day. I thought it was one race and one race only. Which was lucky me as I was knocked off in the first race.

Yea, you can race in as many time slots are left. But, keep in mind you only get the points from your last race. Meaning, if you do a race and get 100 points, then do another one and get 70, your points for that race will be 70.

But, if you're like me where the points don't mean too much as I am not trying to compete in the GTWS, then it matters naught.

 

[NekoPufferPPP]

In FP the track dries enough for Hards by Lap 5, and it's 100% dry by Lap 10 or 11 (I only noticed at Lap 11, but it could've been bone dry by Lap 10). There was also no "dry line" formation - the entire track surface dried uniformly.

This is absolutely ridiculous. I noticed it dries out too, so I swapped to hards, parked the car on the track, and went off to get breakfast. After 15 minutes it's bone dry.

 

[Roggers]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I noticed it dries out too, so I swapped to hards, parked the car on the track, and went off to get breakfast. After 15 minutes it's bone dry.

Daft question here but why wouldn’t you practice in the wet? I know a few others that have let the timer tick to 20mins then practice dry running.

I managed to log on last night and run 17 laps in the TT. End of lap 6 you can swap to hard tyres the for the rest of the race its dry. Obviously in the race the track could dry quicker or slower.

Wonder if anyone will risk a dry tyre start? As long as you don’t lose too much time in the wet it will save you a pit stop.

 

[NekoPufferPPP]

Daft question here but why wouldn’t you practice in the wet? I know a few others that have let the timer tick to 20mins then practice dry running.

I managed to log on last night and run 17 laps in the TT. End of lap 6 you can swap to hard tyres the for the rest of the race its dry. Obviously in the race the track could dry quicker or slower.

Wonder if anyone will risk a dry tyre start? As long as you don’t lose too much time in the wet it will save you a pit stop.

My guess is the track will probably be wet for the majority of the race, if it rains at all. If not, a dry line will form after 1 or 2 laps. I have already done some practice in the wet on inters, so in case it doesn't rain, focusing more on dry practice sounds like a good idea. Who knows?

To be honest I've never tried to change tires in the pits during practice, so I don't even know if it could be done.

I haven't entered many wet races, so I don't know how I can see what the track will be like just before the race starts, if anyone's got any tips I'd appreciate it.

 

[MCL1974]

To be honest I've never tried to change tires in the pits during practice, so I don't even know if it could be done.

you can change tyres during free practice. I know as I also usually practice in entering and leaving the pits....

 

[Roggers]

My guess is the track will probably be wet for the majority of the race, if it rains at all. If not, a dry line will form after 1 or 2 laps. I have already done some practice in the wet on inters, so in case it doesn't rain, focusing more on dry practice sounds like a good idea. Who knows?

To be honest I've never tried to change tires in the pits during practice, so I don't even know if it could be done.

My understanding is that it doesn’t rain from what seen people say. I think the only thing we need to worry about is how quick the track drys and when the optimal time to switch to hards would be. From my test 75% of the race was on dry so yeah can understand maybe doing more dry testing, but I’ve been running proper race tests with pit stops.
Yeah in practice you can pit stop, so it’s worth practicing that switch over point.

I haven't entered many wet races, so I don't know how I can see what the track will be like just before the race starts, if anyone's got any tips I'd appreciate it.

In the lobby menu when you join they is an indicator telling you the surface water on the track. I’m sure this race will be Inter start.

 

[SPL170db]

If the race is anything like practice session the track will be dry enough to change off IM to RH at the end of the 5th lap. By about lap 10-11 the track is almost completely dry. My best wet and dry laps were about 7.5 seconds apart.

Although in the race there will be 16 cars circulating the track drying it out faster than the 1 car driving around in practice. So perhaps the track will be dry enough to pit for RH's after 3 or 4 laps. Will have to keep any eye on the wetness indicator to see how it advances.

 

[Fezzik]

At the end of the qualification period it gets dry enough to switch to hards. Probably best to get a banker in first on the inters.

I quit out of the first round. Was going nicely until I encountered a FT1 that refused to be passed under any circumstances. Weaving in the brake zones, swerving on the straight and trying to put people into the wall, immediate divebomb punt when I did squeeze past. Once they started messing up the race of another couple of people as well, I went full Grid Legends Nemesis on their ass. Full speed ram at the end of the straight. I’m not sorry at all.

 

[NekoPufferPPP]

The track becomes dry enough to pit at the end of lap 3, but you'll have to stay firmly on the dry line for the next two laps. It's still faster than staying on inters though. A few people started on hards and...spun out on the straight.

 

[OJBrit]

Managed to get into the 9am slot.
It was a good race.
With 10 mins of qualy you need to switch to hards for the last few mins. I realised too late. Still grabbed a P11 on the grid.
Always felt like the start was going to be nasty. However it was a nice clean start from everyone involved. I got past a (new) Nissan pretty much within the first 100m and TGR was squeaky clean.

Someone span at Coca Cola and I overtook another through the last sector. The Lambo certainly enjoyed the wet to dry conditions.
Lap 4 I was going to come into the pits and hopefully get a jump on those ahead. However I just ran wide through turn 13, and I mean just:

It was enough to send me to the barrier. I got going well enough but I had lost to the pack and only 2 poor souls were left behind me. I pitted and made up time to those who stayed out too long. When the stops shook out I was P11 and on the back of a fight for P8. We had a great battle for the rest of the race. Sometimes I was in 9th and others back to 11th. All clean and respectful. Great fun too.
Eventually I grabbed p10 as the Lexus ahead was too slow through 100R and I outbroke them into Advan.

Even if I cam first I wouldn't have beaten my current highest points. So a top 10 and a great race will be suffice for today.
Glad that the Lambo behaved a lot better than my last race here in her in GTS.
Good luck to all left to go.

 

[samppa_944]

Yeah, a very scruffy quali and race overall. Messed up the quali when I spun when the track was getting drier, and then exit and changed to hards. In hindsight I should have just stayed on the inters, since there were a few wet spots, where the hards had just no grip, so you lost too much time in those. In the end P11, but I felt like P5-7 was possible, given how good the McLaren felt in the damp conditions.

Race then, a bit of battling early in the race and even more so when the track was getting drier, this cost me way too much time. In the end a hard fought P11, just not good enough. I did notice however that my pace with intermediates was pretty decent compared to the leader. But my pace fell of the cliff on the dry.

This has been a trend for me these both manufacturers series exhibition series this year (I suppose the 1st one started in December last year but anyways). I just don't have the pace to fight for anything else than bottom half positions, usually last 3-4 positions. Meta (Nissan) or not (McLaren). And in all of these races I have been way off the TOP5-6 too. I feel like the manufacturer series has become way more competitive than in GTS, or maybe I am just not good enough with gr3 and gr4 physics, I don't know.

I still do just fine in Nations Cup, strangely enough, but there are much more than just gr3 & gr4 cars so maybe that is why. But I've decided to take a break from the manufacturer series this year. Maybe I try out the exhibition series at the end of the year, if they have one, to see if anything has changed. I just can't find the motivation to race in the bottom. And I see no need to drop my DR either, because in Nations Cup I can still keep up. I did this in GTS too interestingly enough, and later on in the game's cycle I came back to the manufacturer series, as a quicker driver.

 

[SPL170db]

At the end of the qualification period it gets dry enough to switch to hards. Probably best to get a banker in first on the inters.

I quit out of the first round. Was going nicely until I encountered a FT1 that refused to be passed under any circumstances. Weaving in the brake zones, swerving on the straight and trying to put people into the wall, immediate divebomb punt when I did squeeze past. Once they started messing up the race of another couple of people as well, I went full Grid Legends Nemesis on their ass. Full speed ram at the end of the straight. I’m not sorry at all.

👍

 

[Fezzik]

👍

My thinking at the time, in the words of a great Captain - “The line must be drawn here, this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they’ve done!”

I know I should turn the other cheek and trust in karma, but sometimes the Borg rammers need to have their own race ruined.

 

[MCL1974]

I really like Fuji so figured i gave it a go!

Had not done a lot of practice but the little practice i had showed promise, my laptimes were pretty good. Besided that, I really like the Mustand wearing my 'Valk' livery and wanted to put it to good use.

qualifying was fun, i went out later then the pack and got into a battle with a German Porsche and a French GT-R driving ahead of me. Each time one of them set the fastest time i managed to get a better time about halve a minute later. My final lap gave me fastest time again but i miscalculated the time i got out of the pits and they had a lap more then me to set a time in the end and both went faster then me.

So started in third and the start went okay, except for an Englishman in an AMG who decided to see what happened if he braked a second later then the rest and tried to bowl the GT-R in second off track. He did not succeed and spinned himself. The Porsche in first got away and the GT-R and me battled for second place. He defended hard, tried to push me off a bit when i got alongside so I desided not the risk all in lap 1 and settled in third and see what's coming.

The next few laps all stayed the same, the Porsche about +3 seconds in first, the GT-R in second and me in third. I thought that just following them would not increase my chances of a win so i pitted lap 4 when they decided to proceed on the IM's. Got out on hards, had to battle a bit with backmarkers that were still on the IM's, but immideately felt faster on the hards.

Only at lap six the top 2 pitted for the hards and when the Porsche came out of the pits I had taken full advantage of the earlier switch to hards and I was in front by about 1.1 second.

From that moment i focussed on doing steady laps and every lap I was a bit faster then the Porsche behind me. Starting lap 16 I had a lead of almost 9 seconds so i decided to try and get the fastest lap. Big mistake, messed up the Dunlop and wobbled through the grass to get back on track. Guess i got a bit cocky.

So focussed on just finishing the race and still got first place by about 5 seconds iahead of the Porsche. Other Porsches were third till fifth place, so guess that is a good car at this track under these conditions.

This was a really good win in the end and expected to be back in B after this race but found myself still in C, but almost in B.
Guess the progress is not that fast in the World Series compared to the Dailys?

anyway, 'betted' with my wife for 2 EUR per position better then 16th, so will donate those winnings to the Red Cross for aid to Turkey and Syria. Hope others here can find it in their hearts to donate a bit too, if you can miss it off course and not done already.

Now waiting for a proper, lenghty season....

 

[Roggers]

Good race to end the season.

Felt ok heading i to this round that I can get a good result.

Race 1
Quali - so did a few laps on the inters and then boxed with 2.30 left to switch onto the hards for a final lap. Crossed the line with 10 seconds to go and in S3 I went an binned it. I was on for a pole lap of around 1.43. In the end had to settle for P11.
Race - on the start I got away ok but a Porsche spun on its own and this caused the car ahead of me to swerve infront of me which caused me to slam on and lose all my speed. Ended up P15. Gained 4 positions though on L1 due to people going off, and one of these car rejoined and cut straight infront of me in the braking zone and i punted them as I couldn’t stop in time. 2 second penalty. On the dry tyres I got myself up P9 but then spun. Finished P11

Race 2
Quali - again same plan, few laps on inters and then a last lap on hards. Again on for a good lap and the same corner I spun. P12 start. Not sure if inters or hards are best for the final lap, but you just need to be the last over the line for the best lap.
Race - got a good start. Made a few places and then just settled into rhythm. L3 I made a move on the car ahead for P8, and I think it’s board line on a push to pass. In the race it didn’t feel like a push to pass, but on the replay after maybe it was? Pit end of L4 and after the round of pitstops I’m up to P7. I have a great battle with Subaru for 3/4 laps. Subaru quick on the straights but I was quicker in the corners. L9 I make an outrageous overtake into the chicane. I get a great exit and I can see they go to defend the right hander into the chicane, so I pull left knowing if I can get my nose ahead I then have the inside for left hander. Managed to make my move stick without hitting each other. Great driving from the Subaru there. L10 I get on the power too quickly on the final turn and spin. Drop down to P10. P9 drops it on T1 and then is P8 & P7 are having a squabble and I knew at some point both drivers would take each other out. L13 the inevitable happens and both go crashing out at T1. Up to P7 and that is were I finished.

Happy with my result so I left it at that. 86 points, but I needed over 100 points to beat my Round 2 result. I don’t think I would have beaten those 100 points carrying in today.

Race


Overtake

 

[MCL1974]

Overtake

really good overtake! Well done!!

 

[Roggers]

This was a really good win in the end and expected to be back in B after this race but found myself still in C, but almost in B.
Guess the progress is not that fast in the World Series compared to the Dailys?

anyway, 'betted' with my wife for 2 EUR per position better then 16th, so will donate those winnings to the Red Cross for aid to Turkey and Syria. Hope others here can find it in their hearts to donate a bit too, if you can miss it off course and not done already.

Now waiting for a proper, lenghty season....

View attachment 1229924

Congrats on the win! Always nice to get win in these events.


As for the DR progress in the GTWS you either gain very little or gain a lot I find. It all depends on what time slot you pick and how many players are doing the race.
As more players like to compete in the GTWS you will find the DR points match making is a lot closer than daily races. As the points between you all is closer, you only gain or lose little DR points. The last 2 slots as players disappeared, the DR points match making gaps then get bigger. This is when you can gain a lot or DR points if you beat more people with higher DR.
Nations Cup at Daytona the other week I was paired up in DR A & B lobby. As I’m DR B, any DR A driver that I beat I will take more points then DR B drivers that have similar points to me. I ended up in P3 in that race and beat like 6 DR A drivers so I took away big DR points.

In daily races the DR match making points can be a bit all over place so that’s why you might think you gain more in Daily Races then GTWS.

 

[NekoPufferPPP]

I was faster while the track was still damp! Well, If I hadn't made a mistake at T1 after switching to hards, I might've taken 3rd in this race. Qualified in P9, got all the way up to 3rd, but the pressure started getting to me and I eventually fell off to 5th, but only just. (0.026s behind 4th) The Porsches were faster. Fuji's a fun track, the corners are long and wide, which makes for some fun overtaking maneuvers. 260 points, a marginal improvement over my first round...the competition is fierce in manu.

 

[barak181]

Being out of town for the last week for work I haven't been able to log into GT7 for a bit now. But heck, I like this combo so why not? BTW, massive shoutout to @Mistah_MCA for his lap guide because I would've gone in completely ignorant about the track conditions if I hadn't thought to watch his video before logging in this morning.

The first race I was predictably slow. I had to jump out/jump in twice during during qualy - once during traffic, the other after getting punted. I started P13. I decided what the heck, let's go for the no-stop and start on RH. I'm at the back and the track's drying up, why not do something different? Well, because at the start of the race the track is still wet enough that there's a couple of corners that are a real bad idea on slicks. By the end of L1 me and this other fool that started on hards are a good 30 sec off the pace.

I am able to make up some places as some people go long on the Inters and the obligatory drop outs. Then it turns out my dry pace is actually better than a fair amount of the mid-field. When all is said and done, I finish P9.

Now with some practice under my belt, I go into race 2. The overall lobby is slower and worth almost 10 pts less than my previous race. I wait close to a minute in the pits to get some open track around me and head out to qualify. My pace is immediately better and I end up in P6.

My goal is to get through L1 safely and to pit on L2 for open air. Just about everyone goes wide on T1 and I'm able to slide up the inside for my first overtake. I hang with the leaders, keep it clean and put some distance between us and the midfield.

Sector 3 is still a bit too slippery at the end of L2 and I decide to go one more lap before pitting in for slicks. Only one other driver pits in with me at L3 but we still come out in some open air around P10. He has some problems with the wet spots on the track and I'm able to get in front of him and pull some distance. Most of the rest of the field goes to at least L5 before pitting, if not later. The eventual leader pulls ahead of me on L5, as he almost 1sec a lap faster than me. When the last of the late pitters come out on L7 he's ahead of them put I end up behind the first guy to come out of the pits. It takes me until the hairpin to get around him but I pull away from him and ultimately create about a 1.5 sec gap. For most of the last half of the race, I'm lapping alone in P2.

By L15 I'm starting to get just a little bit of tire wear, just enough for P3 to close in on me. L16 I go full defensive and fend him off. L17 I stay defensive a pull a little bit of a gap after T1. Then in the hairpin he goes full divebomb and T-bones me in the hairpin. I go sliding off track, as both he and the guy behind him go past me. He does get a measely 2 sec penalty but in my opinion it should've been 5, at the least. It is enough for me to regain a position from him but I only get P3 as the guy behind him was able to take advantage of the collision and the ensuing penalty to move up to P2. Good final lap for him, I guess.

But hey, it's my first Sports mode podium since I haven't been able to play much for the last several months. I'll take the P3. It's just that the divebomb really ruined most of the fun of the race for me.

 

[pennanton]

Was actually a decent combo last night. Racing in changeable weather is a strong suit because bizarrely enough there’s actually some consistency in the wet weather handling.

Finished 3rd at most and got 230-odd points in my splits, all and and all was pretty fun. I enjoyed the quali shakeup the weather provided, and seeing different ability levels as the conditions changed.

Only thing is I just wished the weather transition time was random in each slot so we didn’t have the usual robotic everyone-pits-on-the-same-lap situation.

Big improvement over last manu’s proper disaster of a combo. I’d offer a more positive reception but we all know PD throws anything out there and expects us to race it. Broken clock is right once a day etc etc.

 

[GTWolverine]

Slot 3: Missed registration by less than a minute because I was an idiot and thought I'd take care of an unimportant errand before the race, only to miss it entirely...

Slot 4: Failed miserably at making the Hards work at the end of qualifying, started P11, finished P7 after making a bunch of tiny stupid mistakes that probably cost me another 1 or 2 positions.

Slot 5: Continuing the theme of being an utter 💩head, I managed to get a penalty on all of my hot laps and started P13 of 14. In spite of doing my best to throw it away, I managed to luck my way up to P7, which should've been P5 except I somehow got a track limits penalty at the exit of the middle sector hairpin on Lap 15, despite doing nothing different than I'd done previously.

Gonna have to give the evening slots a go now and hope I don't waste the rest of the day driving like an idiot...

 

[Bullwinkle]

I tried two races today. The first one I didn’t switch to RH soon enough on qualifying, so started and finished around P9.

I stupidly decided to try to do better, so the next try I got the hards on in time but got run off by one of the faster guys in the lobby. I guess I was in his way, so he decided to ruin both of our qualifying sessions. Whatever. I start dead last and hope to undercut the lobby and make up some positions. The same entitled ***** punted me off the track again as he came out of the pits. My race was over on T1 of lap 4. So I was left with 14 incredibly boring laps so that I didn’t lose any “sportsmanship” points.

I’d do a third, but for some stupid reason PD puts a two hour break in the middle of things. Oh well. Good riddance, Manufacturers Cup. Lack of penalties for lack of sportsmanship are making me hate all of the online events.

PS someone from here said hi to me before the race but my wheel was frozen so I wasn’t able to respond. I don’t remember who it was no, but “Hi” back to you!

Edit: I’m done racing this event, but can someone explain the timing involved in changing tires during the qualifying phase? I thought I had it, but I forgot about the pit in/pit out laps that don’t count. So first lap doesn’t count, maybe do a second lap on Inters, then in third lap pit, out on hards, and run two more, with the last one setting the (hopefully) better time? Maybe I had it right but just got unlucky when I got rammed?

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

This was a really fun race, much better than I expected because the different strategy options seemed so even, in qualifying it was risky but just about quicker to go for slicks if you stuck to the dry line and started a lap just before the timer hit 0.

There actually wasn't much difference between starting on slicks and 0 stopping (again risky with other cars around with much better grip) or pitting after 3 laps for inters, I had a really fun race with another 911 where we could both take the lead but neither one of us hold it for more than a couple of corners.

Edit: I’m done racing this event, but can someone explain the timing involved in changing tires during the qualifying phase? I thought I had it, but I forgot about the pit in/pit out laps that don’t count. So first lap doesn’t count, maybe do a second lap on Inters, then in third lap pit, out on hards, and run two more, with the last one setting the (hopefully) better time? Maybe I had it right but just got unlucky when I got rammed?

The slicks were only quicker right at the very end (and you had to stay on the dry line which is a bit funky in a couple of places). I found that leaving the pits with just over 4 minutes left was enough to get 2 laps in, it's a good idea to do more than 1 in my opinion just to get your eye in before the important lap.

 

[afc5150]

PS someone from here said hi to me before the race but my wheel was frozen so I wasn’t able to respond. I don’t remember who it was no, but “Hi” back to you!

'Twas me on my alt. "GTP!" Sorry to see you taken out as I came out of the pits.




*edit - did Americas slot 3 on my main account and had a decent Q6 to P3 run, but only for 150 points (that count) in my B/S A/S GT2 lobby. Tempted to go again as I like the combo but not sure if I want to risk it...

 

[SPL170db]

My thinking at the time, in the words of a great Captain - “The line must be drawn here, this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they’ve done!”

I know I should turn the other cheek and trust in karma, but sometimes the Borg rammers need to have their own race ruined.

I had to do the same recently and it made it onto Devon's wall of shame lol. Comes in @ 6:25....this guy is well known since the GTS days. He pulls the same crap on his EU account as well.

 

[Dep Fishtail]

Did a race on each account in GT1 and had a great time in both.

Race 1 I went a few laps on intermediate and then tried hards which was a mistake so I went back to the pit and waited it out while only realizing I would have had time for a few more laps on intermediate which would have helped my start. P16 on the grid and had lots of time to make up. Pitted after lap 5 and made a few more positions on the hards which helped to bring home p8 to finish.
First in this lobby was worth only 155.



Race 2 still A/S rating in as neither account is even mid level but this one had 167 for the first place target so must have been a slightly higher group.

In qualifying I stayed on intermediates the whole time and still managed a p6 starting on the grid. Lots of bunching on the first couple of wet laps but overall clean racing. Pitted after lap 4 and came out with place to make up since I was in p8 after the pit. Had very solid laps for my abilities and turned low 1:40 for the remainder of the race. Moved up to p3 as the pit stops continued and couldn’t quite get pressure on p2 or p1 as they kept about 1-3 seconds between us and I managed to keep the gap behind me at 4-5 seconds.
My best finish yet in A’s and nice to have the podium for p3 in this type of series.

The AMG was strong on this combo and that helped make it fun by being competitive for once.

 

[Talon16]

Had kinda busy day today so was only able to potentially get a race in early and later.

First one was on the Euro account so I could do it at 9:00 AM here (first slot in the US was at 10:00). I was in the Viper, which isn't bad at Fuji IMO. Regardless, that was a shrimp show. Qualified in 5th. I got hit so many times on the first lap I got pushed down to 9th. There was one guy in a white GTR that every time I would pass him, he'd bump/hit me at the very next braking point. Eventually got away from him but after getting hit so many times and being held up by the white GTR the race was basically lost. Spent the rest of the race making my way back up to P6. I want that 45 mins of my life back.

Second one was in the evening on the US side. Qualified P6 in the Ford GT LM (I love this damn car). After some fighting on the first lap I emerged in P5; 2x Porsches and 2x BRZs ahead. This Ford is a beast on the straights and I was able to drive by the first BRZ like it wasn't even trying. The next couple of laps the top four of us were in a holding pattern. Lap four the leader pits, but P2 & P3 stay out; I also pit. This proved to be a mistake by P2 & P3 as I undercut them with car lengths to spare.

I got kinda lucky because the leader came out in some traffic. He was behind a very stubborn BRZ who had not yet pit, and was fighting like it was for position (I mean, technically it was but you know what I mean). This fighting held up the leader and I cut into the lead, going from ~5 seconds to ~1.5 seconds. A lap or so later I was on him good and thanks to the top end of the Ford vs the Porsche, I was able to make the pass on the straight quite easily. From there it was just hold the gap, which bounced between one and two seconds. On the last lap I took it a little easy - which I actually have a bad habit of doing - and let the lead drop to under a second, but it mattered naught; brought her home in P1.

This race was pretty fun. But I have to complain about the qualifying again. They gave us 10 mins, which seems like a big step in the right direction. But the only bit of it that even mattered was the last two-ish where we put slicks on. Of course, everyone had this same strat in mind and it ended up becoming a cluster again. Everyone's out there at once at the last second to try and get in the best lap... some on RH, some on IM. PD just needs to make everyone a ghost and be done with it.

 

[kowalski__1]

Did my only race in Manufacturers GT2, Qual 3rd, grabbed the lead on lap 2,pit after 7 laps with about a 10 sec lead,came out 2.5 ahead,won by 8.5,fun race

 

[GTWolverine]

Slot 3: Missed registration by less than a minute because I was an idiot and thought I'd take care of an unimportant errand before the race, only to miss it entirely...

Slot 4: Failed miserably at making the Hards work at the end of qualifying, started P11, finished P7 after making a bunch of tiny stupid mistakes that probably cost me another 1 or 2 positions.

Slot 5: Continuing the theme of being an utter 💩head, I managed to get a penalty on all of my hot laps and started P13 of 14. In spite of doing my best to throw it away, I managed to luck my way up to P7, which should've been P5 except I somehow got a track limits penalty at the exit of the middle sector hairpin on Lap 15, despite doing nothing different than I'd done previously.

Gonna have to give the evening slots a go now and hope I don't waste the rest of the day driving like an idiot...

Slots 6-9: Qualified and finished outside the Top 10 in all of them, including DFL in one after being punted multiple times, then spun by an impatient GT-R at the chicane on the opening lap.

Slot 10: Finally qualified in the Top 10 in P8. I fell back to P10 at the start of Lap 2 when someone behind me torpedoed one of the front runners, then spun himself directly in front of me causing me to t-bone him. I eventually caught and passed a couple cars that were slower than me on the Hards that had pulled away from me on the opening wet laps, moving back up to P8. P6, a well-known dirty US driver, kept swerve-blocking the much faster P7 down the main straight for several laps, slowing both of them down and allowing me to catch up. P6 then shoved P7 into the grass before T1 and allowed me to steal the spot. He also picked up a track limits penalty which he served the next lap, allowing me to pass without having to fight him, and giving me P6, where I would finish. It was worth 266 points, which is decent. I just wish it didn't take me literally all day for it...