GTP_WRS-Online : Special VIII - The 3D3 Japanese Grand Prix

[WRP001]

Holy Moly, Epic race. So close!

Was closer than it looks even. I lost momentum on Lap 1 turn 1 trying to not hit Ren and fell from 3rd to 5th. One by one the guys in front made mistakes until it was just Marc about 6 secs up.

It stayed that way until Marc pitted and I stayed out for 4 laps on softs. I came out if pit and had to yield to Marc on exit. Lost about 3 secs on my cold tires. Then we basically jousted splits. I cut it to 2 secs and would get aero push and lose time. Finally I got on his bumper with 2 to go and was setting up a pass later in the lap, but the car was just too difficult to handle that close. Went wide at degner and the chase was over. If I could have held that gap to spoon I had a shot.

Marc deserved it though, no mistakes no matter how much pressure I applied closing in.

Next week should be fun.

 

[GTPorsche]

I'm really looking forward to qualifying. 👍

 

[Hydro]

That was fun, now that the car behaves better
Tim was catching me at the end and was down to a 1 second gap before he went off. I was totally expecting a final 2 lap showdown.
I know it's not the fastest way around the track, but give cockpit view a shot. It's easily the most fun way around the track 👍
The second race was the first race I went start to finish that way.... Although I did change the view on one of the early laps when cars were really close - don't do that changing views was almost a huge disaster.

 

[WRP001]

What was interesting (new bug) is as soon as I got under 2 secs the gaps stopped showing and came back when I fell back above 2

 

[mcfizzle]

Heading in the lounge for a bit.

 

[GTPorsche]

What was interesting (new bug) is as soon as I got under 2 secs the gaps stopped showing and came back when I fell back above 2

I've had that before, but normally it won't show within 3 seconds for me. Today it wasn't showing when I was within slipstream distance of you, which seems to be 1.5 seconds with these cars.

 

[Hydro]

I've had that before, and I had it happen today as well.
You're just too used to being out in front lately Tim so you don't get the chance to see them as often

 

[WRP001]

Gap analysis from the 2nd support race.

I went wide on Degner 1 twice: Lap 5 and Lap 34. Both in dirty air.

The last lap I got collected in a Pekka's crash in front of me when he spun across the track, but the race was already lost at that point and it only cost me about 4 seconds as I limped straight to the line with damage and maintained my place.

I've got to figure out how to get close enough to pass exiting spoon while staying far enough back to get through Degner 1/2 and the S-curves without going wide. Not easy when the guy you are passing is at very close to the same pace without some sort of mistake on his part. Also if you say within 2 seconds for more than a couple laps the tires go really fast and it costs you later.

 

[Ealirendur]

Fun races; wish I could figure out a way to make the full race. The concentration required with that thing is really demanding - I was grateful for the headphones when I had the fambly having breakfast and puttering around me during the second race. I was sweating too, since I had foolishly left a sweatshirt on from the morning session (spring here, but still cool at 4am).

I had a total total brainfade considering whether to take on extra fuel and forgot the tire swap, which cost me any chance of catching Kev in race one. Take heed! But I gather I gained a place that way in race two Crashing off at 130R on R3s on the outlap before pitting again for hards was just idiotic

I've got to learn to be less 2011-Webber-like at my starts. I might try practicing with Kev's gears to see if I can drop any more time. I didn't dare change yesterday.

I had a nice rhythm going following Marc in race two for a while, until I spun out of second yet again (not that I would necessarily have stayed there with Tim and Mohit doing their thing). Gotta stop doing that.

 

[WRP001]

Wow Ren! When did you log a 1'28.0 in practice?

Tell me that was on low fuel, because even with 3/4 tank the best I could ever manage was 1'28.9. My qualifying run for the first support race stands as my best effort so far at 1'28.955, but I haven't submitted any laps done after a pit stop with fresh tires and low fuel.

 

[Ealirendur]

Wow Ren! When did you log a 1'28.0 in practice?

Tell me that was on low fuel, because even with 3/4 tank the best I could ever manage was 1'28.9. My qualifying run for the first support race stands as my best effort so far at 1'28.955, but I haven't submitted any laps done after a pit stop with fresh tires and low fuel.

The night before (about 5-6 hours before the first support race), I did a 1 hour session, because I hadn't practiced online at all after doing my pre and post patch offline test laps a few days back. I spent the first twenty minutes spinning a lot on hards, clocked a low of about 1'29.5-6, and then remembered that ABS was still off after the testing session .

I'm wondering now whether I just managed to mess up the Tire Wear/Fuel option; probably best to delete those laps. I could have sworn I had a little fuel and tire drop (but the laps were early stint ones), but I'll have to try again alone to tell (but finding the motivation will be tough, since I don't get to race again). Then again, I was driving while I was awake at night, not zombiefied at 4am. Braiiins!

Best I managed yesterday was a 1'29.3-4, with more to drop (full fuel, and still multiple mistakes/backoffs). I think I'd gotten a bit timid again; I did manage (barely) a sub-1'30 on hards before switching to softs for quali warmup.

Like Marc, I really love the cockpit view in the F2010 and its older sibling. I think I'm actually faster in it - but not other cockpit views - because seeing the tires and wheel connects a feedback loop or something. Probably something to do with slip angles, especially for the chicane and hairpin - Degner 2 to some extent, too.

I flicked views a few times in-race when alone, but I felt I needed the mirrors when around others. I have very thumbable buttons for L/R and rear*, but I'm not quite comfortable with using those near/after turn-in on this car for some reason

*Like:

Left View        Right View
Lights           Rear View
Reverse          Handbrake

EDIT: Nixed the laps. I'll try to match them at some point.

 

[WRP001]

Sorry you can't make it Sunday Ren. We've got to put some of these special events on Saturday so you can participate! Are you going to make knockout qualifying on Saturday?

That first quali session should produce some pretty good times at the end with about 1/2 to 2/3 tanks of fuel. Ironically, the slowest times will be in Q3 where we have to run with full fuel.

 

[Ealirendur]

Sorry you can't make it Sunday Ren. We've got to put some of these special events on Saturday so you can participate! Are you going to make knockout qualifying on Saturday?

That first quali session should produce some pretty good times at the end with about 1/2 to 2/3 tanks of fuel. Ironically, the slowest times will be in Q3 where we have to run with full fuel.

I'll try to give it a whirl. I will, of course, have a massive gearbox issue, KERS failure, or crash so badly I can't race!

 

[mohitraina91]

I'll try to give it a whirl. I will, of course, have a massive gearbox issue, KERS failure, or crash so badly I can't race!

Or you could get taken out in the first lap, Grosjean-style

 

[Ealirendur]

Er... it's that I'm making fictional excuses in advance for not, y'know, being there.

 

[mcfizzle]

Canceled my registration. My school shop class has my center post for my Playseat to drill a hole/remove broken screw and I won't be getting it back until Monday. Can't race without the pedals attached to the seat.:sad:

 

[Gravitron]

I'll be joining the lounge in about 30-40min for some much needed practice.

Sorry to hear about the cancel Scott.

 

[mcfizzle]

I'll be joining the lounge in about 30-40min for some much needed practice.

Sorry to hear about the cancel Scott.

Lucas it feels like ages since we were able to race against each other, going back to Laguna it seems. I guess we did race the Le Mans support race but only saw each other on the last few corners.

 

[Gravitron]

Miss you too, man! :tears:

I'm out of the lounge now, 1'31.316 was my best, only trying the hard tires out, for now.
Started on Marc's tune, but migrated to Kevin's, which I liked quite a bit. 👍

I'll be back for more tomorrow.

 

[WRP001]

Sorry, couldn't drive at all tonight. All kinds of stuff came up. Hope to be there tomorrow because I'm out of practice since last week end.

I'm going to be cutting it close Saturday... Hopefully I won't be late... Definitely won't get much warm up before quali starts.

 

[Gravitron]

I most likely will miss the knock-out quali on Sat. I'll probably request a steward to watch my single quali 4lapper tonight, around 8-9pm PT.

 

[WRP001]

I most likely will miss the knock-out quali on Sat. I'll probably request a steward to watch my single quali 4lapper tonight, around 8-9pm PT.

I should be around to watch you tonight. 👍

I will probably have you watch me do a quali run as well, just in case I run late tomorrow. Turns out my kids have team photos *after* their soccer games tomorrow which I wasn't aware of until yesterday. As long as everything goes as scheduled I'll be on time, but if the photographers get behind, there's no telling how long I'll have to wait.

I'll run a pre-quali session just in case and that lap will be tossed as soon as [if] I make my first lap on Saturday. I really don't want to miss qualifying... it's one of the bigger attractions of the event for me.

 

[GTPorsche]

I can be around for pre-qualifying if needed. I've never done that before, but I assume I could figure it out. I've seen the appropriate tab in the doc for it.

 

[Hydro]

I might be online then too guys 👍
Time is really tight for me now with this event (thanksgiving day plans are all a mess now due to family time stuff being shuffled around - it will be a quick finish and exit on Sunday ) and I've had zero practice other than the support races so hopefully I can squeeze in some extra practice before the quali.

 

[EDK]

I might be online then too guys 👍
Time is really tight for me now with this event (thanksgiving day plans are all a mess now due to family time stuff being shuffled around - it will be a quick finish and exit on Sunday ) and I've had zero practice other than the support races so hopefully I can squeeze in some extra practice before the quali.

I might also be on, although I probably will not be driving the car tonight, I could observe if needed.

 

[WRP001]

Setting up the lounge. I'll be on for about 15-20 mins and then I'll be back later (I hope). I'll leave the lounge setup while I'm away.

PS. Got booted earlier with a "disconnected from lobby server" message.

EDIT: I'm out for a bit... lounge is still setup but I'm AFK.

 

[Gravitron]

I'll be on 8:30-9pm PT.

 

[GTPorsche]

I guess Tim got disconnected from the lounge. I was on my way to it anyway so I'll set it back up again.

 

[GTPorsche]

That has to be the weirdest glitch I've encountered.

I was just in the main 3D3 lounge with Kev, Tim and Lucas. I got black screen'd and when I come back, it still shows them in a room, because I'm getting the yellow icon next to each of their coffee cups.

BUT.... when I check the main 3D3 lounge itself.... Ren and Dale are in there instead of the 3 previously mentioned guys.

I don't know how it happened but somehow there were two separate groups in the main lounge.

 

[Ealirendur]

That has to be the weirdest glitch I've encountered.

I was just in the main 3D3 lounge with Kev, Tim and Lucas. I got black screen'd and when I come back, it still shows them in a room, because I'm getting the yellow icon next to each of their coffee cups.

BUT.... when I check the main 3D3 lounge itself.... Ren and Dale are in there instead of the 3 previously mentioned guys.

I don't know how it happened but somehow there were two separate groups in the main lounge.

Weird. I tried to follow you in before, and I got a [280] room not found error, no one showing in the main lounge, so I started it up. I'll see if I can get Dale across.