Hey, I thought I would share my experience in this event with you and perhaps it might also clear some things that were discussed before in this thread.
Nations qualifier
Car: Red Bull X2014 Junior
Track: Nurburgring GP
Grid position: 1st
Final position: 3rd
Edward (force_ewerby) was able to make a better start than me and covered the inside of the 1st corner, so I thought to follow him and not risk anything until the last laps. After some laps, I did a huge mistake by cutting the 1st corner so much. I was to eager there because Edward was already very close to the curb and I thought he went wide... So, I got a penalty and served before the last corner in the same lap (because it was mandatory to serve on the same lap or in the next one, otherwise it would be at the end as always in online races). After serving the penalty, I was in 4th position. My chances were pretty much doomed, so I risked everything to get the top 3 and get to the final. Started to the best laps and as soon as I caught Manuel (TRL_MANURODRY) he spun alone (probably due to the pressure but he did very well until that point) and then I caught the top 2 and stayed there cautiously because I didn't want to do anything silly... with 3rd place I was already in the final.
Manufactures final
1st race:
Track: Monza
Grid position: 5th
Final position: 8th
I was paired with Michael (Michi_Jay) and Fabian (fab99gd) and was the team lead (because of the RedBull overall lap times). We were the 5th team to pick the car and we decided to pick the Porsche (not good for Monza but average in the Nordschleife we thought). Putting it simple, the team couldn't do any better very hard to keep up the speed with Porsche in this track (nothing we didn't know).
2nd race:
Track: Nurburgring 24h
Grid position: 8th
Final position: 5th
Same teams and starting with the result from the previous race. We decided that I would start the race and do 3laps, then Michael would be the 2nd driver with 2 laps and Fabian 3rd driver with 2 laps too, so 3.2.2. Everything went upside down, we did 2.1.2.2. I was saving fuel but I felt the tyres wouldn't last for the 3rd lap and as I didn't want to ruin my team mates race, I decided to change to the second driver after the second lap and I was planing to do a 2.2.2.1strategy as we did in the morning. But guess what, somehow, with the pressure of changing drivers quickly, I think we pressed the stop refuel button by mistake... Michael looked to me and pointed to the remaining fuel........ (we were so mad), luckily I saved 1 lap of fuel otherwise it could be our end there. Me and Fabian talked about what to do to compensate that we decided that I would do more 2 laps and he would finish the race. We managed to reach 2nd position before the pit stop but we knew some teams weren't pitting anymore. So at the end we lost some positions there and ended 5th, not bad after all.
Thanks to my team mates because they've driven very well, not big mistakes, and very clean driving.
Apologies to Uros (IRT_NissmanR32) for the huge accident between us but me and the Ferrari driver couldn't see him rejoining the track over the crest and we're full throttle there, we braked when we realised there's a car in the track... we had not enough time to avoid that. I wish they had the flags system enabled.
Apologies to another moment with the McLaren and the Toyota because seamed that the tyres in the McLaren in front of us were gone and Joost (Spark_43) was struggling to hold the car and at some point he was going in Ss and me and Toyota (Pierre - RC_Snake91) braked to not hit him but we touched each other. I should have given the place back to Pierre because it wasn't his fault neither mine, but now with cold thinking I should have done that, sorry Pierre.
Final results Manufactures:
1. BMW - RC_Atho/blabla_/mthomas_95
2. Nissan - Zkippe/cubertom/matuu79
3. Toyota - RC_Snake91/VP_Patohm/besteo88
4. Renault - PhAnToM-Taky/TRL_AUGH/mclaren6
5. Porsche - PUMPUNKU/Michi_Jay/fab99gd
6. Mercedes - TRL_Fuvaros/puupke/IRT_NissmanR32
7. McLaren - Georgio_/GTA_Tidgney/Spark_43
8. Subaru - force_ewerby/TRL_MANURODRY/RoKKoGSXR
9. Audi - desmania25081972/VP_bellof956/xqwYLOw82hGC
10. Ferrari - inseeekk/Benito-Raul/ART_ADRIAN21
Nations final
1st race:
Car: Audi TT Cup GR.4
Track: Nurburgring GP
Grid Position: 10th
Final Position: 2nd
I managed to do the 4th best time of the qualified top 10 (Nurburgring redbull race) so I was able to pick average cars to the final races.
Couldn't put a clean lap in the qualifier and only did the 9th best time (In the morning did 4th best time in practicing session, so I knew I had some pace). Strangely started from 10th position but the race wasn't cancelled... I wonder why!? because they did that in the 2nd race! Anyway, I didn't complaint... so everyone ignored it
. I though the only thing I could do was a non pit stop race and try to climb some positions with that. I didn't pushed to much exiting corners so that I wouldn't lose my front wheels at the end of the race and fortunately I managed that pretty well and fuel too and I was able to overtake Tarek (PhAnToM_Taky) at the end.
2nd race:
Car: BMW M3 Sport Evolution
Track: Interlagos
Grid Position: 2nd
Final Position: 8th
Never got a good start in this car, 1/4 of throttle and still spinning and then changing gears took too much time and wen't to 9th position before the 1st corner. In the morning I didn't pit but the tyres weren't manageable so I thought to pit in the real session (wrong decision). Anyway, lap 5 and I was 5th and organisers decided to stop the race because the positions were wrong again in the beginning
........ On the second try I only managed 8th! So frustrating, because my chances to make a podium decreased quite a bit with that. Every race had influence on the next one.
3rd race:
Car: Mazda GR.1
Track: Monza
Grid Position: 8th
Final Position: 6th
Started the race well in the straight but in the first chicane there were too many cars side by side and we touched each other so I backed off to show the staff that I didn't gain anything with that and therefore tried to not get a penalty, lucky me that Angelo (desmania25081972) didn't lost positions too and we're under investigation but went through without any penalty. Before Ascari I braked at the end of the straight and the cars in front were going slow again so I turned into the grass there to not hit anyone 💡. After that I've put the knife between my teeth and went "all in". .. started to do the best laps of the race until the first pitstop and I was able to catch the guys again.. after that it was just managing the tyres and gain a bit in the pits, climbed 2 positions, so I was happy after all that happened in that race.
4th race:
Car: Nissan GT-R GR.3
Track:
Lake Maggiore
Grid Position: 6th
Final Position: 7th
This race I knew I couldn't do anything special because the car wasn't competitive on this track. Too much understeer on fast corners and no tyres after the 6th lap (I should have pitted twice). I still blaming myself for the car choice, I had the chance to pick a better one! Edward managed to pass me with the BMW and I kept with him until the 6th lap and then he's gone. Patrik Blazan (TRL_Fuvaros) ended up behind me due to the crash he had and he said to me afterwards that he was struggling to pass me due to my straight speed, so I opened the door so that he could fight for the title, I followed him for a while and then I couldn't keep his pace (Mercedes was the best car there and he was also a super super driver). Later, Anthony (RC_Atho) who was fighting for the title too had a penalty and ended up with me, I did pretty much the same, didn't blocked him for too long and followed him because that wasn't my fight. To the end of the race I lost the tyres again and Martin (GTA_Tidgney) who pitted twice in the lambo managed to get on my back and it was a good fight until the end. One more lap and he would be able to overtake me for sure.
F
inal results:
1. Giorgio_57
2. TRL_Fuvaros
3. RC_Atho
4. desmania25081972
5. Zkippe
6. PUMPUNKU
7. PhAnToM_Taky
8. GTA_Tidgney
9. force_ewerby
10. VP_Bellof956
Final thoughts:
Thanks to Sony/PD for inviting me to this, it was an amazing event, best racing I've ever had and very well organised and it was live which is even more exciting. We did some good friends there, we drank some good beers together and laugh so much, it was such an amazing experience with everyone, event organisers, PD staff, race director(s), players, commentators, hotel waiters, etc.... Brilliant! Not to forget the 24h race which was so cool to see from the stand in the main straight
A special word to all the players who behaved very very well in the track. I know there were some contacts here and there, but everyone tried so hard to be fast, clean and make a good show for everyone. We can't blame any rough moment in any race because if it happened I'm sure it was against anyone's will. Penalties were most of the times very well applied, there's always room for discussion but... this is racing it happens in real life.
Ah... you gonna love the new tyre model. That's one of the reasons we were slower compared to normal times in the actual game, it was a different game.
Apologies if I miss spelled someone's names/PSNs... too many people to remember in such a short amount of time.
ps: for those who played GT5, you might know me as meagainstyou
Thanks for the tidy up
