Some few announcements before this weekend's race.
First, all full-time drivers have confirmed their attendance. Sadly, this means the reserves that have confirmed (@LANAtron and @Hygrade B) do not get to race unless we have a situation like last round where a full-time driver suddenly becomes unable to drive.
Second, and probably the more important one for this weekend, is that there will be a change to the start procedure that applies specifically to this race only.
You may be aware that using the Rolling Start at Spa-Francorchamps put drivers on the lower half of the grid at the bus stop, with the tail end of the field placed around the exit of Blanchimont, all due to how the game puts a fixed interval between each car. This causes the top half of the field to have a huge advantage as the countdown timer to the start ends for them at the start/finish straight, where as the lower half will start the race before, or right in the middle of the bus stop chicane.
Due to this, for this race at Spa-Francorchamps, the following start procedure will be observed:
Once the start countdown timer ends, the field will not accelerate to racing speed. Instead, the field will maintain rolling start speed to allow the all drivers in the back half of the field to get past the bus stop chicane and catch up.
All drivers must stay on the side of the road where the game puts them for the start, this means the race leader does not get to choose their starting side.
The entire field will drive past La Source (T1), bunch up and maintain formation until the race leader crosses the secondary start/finish line, at which point the race begins.
BlueXephos22 - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 4/22): 30s Time Penalty
herimopp89 - 30s Time Penalty + Warning
- Causing a Collision with car #12 (Lap 6/34): Warning
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 7/22): 30s Time Penalty
Note: The #55 drove deep out of Bruxelles and lost control, hitting the #12 off track. Warning is given due to the #55 giving the position back to the #12 at the soonest moment after the crash.
theLANAtron - 10s Time Penalty
- Causing a Collision with cars #17 and #11 (Rolling Start): 10s Time Penalty
Note: Despite having sufficient space to the #32 in front, the #88 braked hard out of La Source while trying to form up, effectively brake checking the #17 behind, causing a concertina effect with the #11 that was behind the #17.
Fred_dude - Warning
- Causing a Collision with cars #97 and #13 (Lap 4/22): Warning
Note: The #11 had a misjudgment of braking for the Bus Stop chicane, causing light contact with #97 in front with no damage to either car. The incident itself was aggravated by lag causing the #13 to hit the #11 car after the aforementioned light contact, sending it back into the #97, causing mechanical damage for all involved.
A very dramatic race all throughout, qualifying position and tire strategy proved to be the deciding factor in the end. Qualifying was yet another close affair with a lot of tactics revolving around getting slipstream on display, and considering the length of the track, this can still be considered a very close session, with Noir beating Affliction by just 0.24, marking the former's second consecutive pole position! Unlike Interlagos, everyone preferred to do the entire qualifying session with the RM tires, realizing the pace that the RS tires would benefit them more in the race.
Early on in the race, the pack was close yet several isolated incidents within the first 10 laps saw a few cars running within their own group. Filo and Affliction, who both started on RS tires gradually began pulling out a gap to the cars behind them, despite trading positions several times as they went. This tactic on starting on the faster tire eventually paid out, as they eventually pulled out enough of a gap to cover the cars behind during their stop to switch to the slower tire. Bambi and Noir, running 3rd and 4th, were pulling each other with slipstream to try and soften the blow that the RS tires of the leading duo would deal. Hedging their bets on being on the faster tire in the end, the pair began pushing hard in the last 15 laps, closing the gap to Affliction and Filo bit by bit every lap.
Drama came on the last two laps. Bambi had been running strong and closing the gap to the two cars in front, but on the penultimate lap went wide out of Pouhon. He managed to keep the car running over the kerbs but lost a considerable amount of time. The drama reached its peak however, as when Affliction and Filo rounded the Bus Stop chicane to start the final lap, Filo's car started to suddenly slow down before disappearing off track a few seconds later: an abrupt disconnection. Affliction held on to the lead for the final lap to score his first win of the season after starting from 2nd.
Incidents were quite numerous, yet some were unfortunately aggravated once again by lag, where a car making light contact with a car in front suddenly appeared to have come to a dead stop to the car behind them, causing a sudden concertina effect. While the initial contact was an avoidable collision, the domino effect that followed was mostly from lag, hence the warning issued to the car that originally caused the first contact.
BlueXephos22 - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 4/22): 30s Time Penalty
herimopp89 - 30s Time Penalty + Warning
- Causing a Collision with car #12 (Lap 6/34): Warning
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 7/22): 30s Time Penalty
Note: The #55 drove deep out of Bruxelles and lost control, hitting the #12 off track. Warning is given due to the #55 giving the position back to the #12 at the soonest moment after the crash.
theLANAtron - 10s Time Penalty
- Causing a Collision with cars #17 and #11 (Rolling Start): 10s Time Penalty
Note: Despite having sufficient space to the #32 in front, the #88 braked hard out of La Source while trying to form up, effectively brake checking the #17 behind, causing a concertina effect with the #11 that was behind the #17.
Fred_dude - Warning
- Causing a Collision with cars #97 and #13 (Lap 4/22): Warning
Note: The #11 had a misjudgment of braking for the Bus Stop chicane, causing light contact with #97 in front with no damage to either car. The incident itself was aggravated by lag causing the #13 to hit the #11 car after the aforementioned light contact, sending it back into the #97, causing mechanical damage for all involved.
A very dramatic race all throughout, qualifying position and tire strategy proved to be the deciding factor in the end. Qualifying was yet another close affair with a lot of tactics revolving around getting slipstream on display, and considering the length of the track, this can still be considered a very close session, with Noir beating Affliction by just 0.24, marking the former's second consecutive pole position! Unlike Interlagos, everyone preferred to do the entire qualifying session with the RM tires, realizing the pace that the RS tires would benefit them more in the race.
Early on in the race, the pack was close yet several isolated incidents within the first 10 laps saw a few cars running within their own group. Filo and Affliction, who both started on RS tires gradually began pulling out a gap to the cars behind them, despite trading positions several times as they went. This tactic on starting on the faster tire eventually paid out, as they eventually pulled out enough of a gap to cover the cars behind during their stop to switch to the slower tire. Bambi and Noir, running 3rd and 4th, were pulling each other with slipstream to try and soften the blow that the RS tires of the leading duo would deal. Hedging their bets on being on the faster tire in the end, the pair began pushing hard in the last 15 laps, closing the gap to Affliction and Filo bit by bit every lap.
Drama came on the last two laps. Bambi had been running strong and closing the gap to the two cars in front, but on the penultimate lap went wide out of Pouhon. He managed to keep the car running over the kerbs but lost a considerable amount of time. The drama reached its peak however, as when Affliction and Filo rounded the Bus Stop chicane to start the final lap, Filo's car started to suddenly slow down before disappearing off track a few seconds later: an abrupt disconnection. Affliction held on to the lead for the final lap to score his first win of the season after starting from 2nd.
Incidents were quite numerous, yet some were unfortunately aggravated once again by lag, where a car making light contact with a car in front suddenly appeared to have come to a dead stop to the car behind them, causing a sudden concertina effect. While the initial contact was an avoidable collision, the domino effect that followed was mostly from lag, hence the warning issued to the car that originally caused the first contact.
After that dramatic race at Spa, we now move to Kyoto Driving Park - Yamagiwa, a very fast flowing circuit that provides a lot of chances to be in the slipstream. Having a train of cars is to be expected in the race but so too does dealing with dirty air for several laps. It'll be interesting to see how everyone plans to take on qualifying, with the track presenting more chances to benefit from slipstream than Spa.
Also, with @TetsuKobura's entry being relegated to a Reserve entry, @LANAtron is hereby promoted to a full-time entry by virtue of having the most starts out of the reserve driver pool.
For all the drivers involved, please confirm your attendance using this form. NOTE 1: ONLY CONFIRMATIONS THRU THE ENTRY FORM WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. NOTE 2: Full-time drivers confirming attendance take priority. In the case of a full-time driver confirming absence, their spot is given to whichever Reserve driver confirms the earliest.
TNR_FILO - 30s Time Penalty
- Pit Lane Entry/Exit Line Violation (Lap 29/32): 30s Time Penalty
CWM_StormPacer - 10s Time Penalty - Causing a Collision with car #58 (Lap 30/34): 10s Time Penalty
Note: During the FCY period, the #17 maintained a fast pace despite its close proximity to the #58 in front, and failed to slow down in time when the #58 had caught up to the #65, hitting it in the rear and causing damage. Regardless if lag had been involved in the contact, the #17 had been travelling at a dangerous pace even when they had caught up to the pack. Note 2: After an appeal was submitted and additional video evidence was reviewed, it was deemed that there was a more serious instance of lag in both parties viewpoints than the one used by the stewards in the initial review. Both parties, and the stewards have agreed that the incident was heavily, if not fully influenced by lag, and as such, the penalty for the #17 has been rescinded.
Easily the most dramatic race of the season (probably said that for nearly every race report now ) that could easily have been the most one-sided race if not for the twist at the end. Qualifying was yet another cooperative effort from most of the field as they towed each other around the track in pursuit of the fastest speeds around the high speed corners with the help of slipstream. Clockwork Motorsport played the team game as they did in Spa and with the help of Racing Soft tires, Storm managed to get pole position while Noir came in 2nd, keeping his set of Softs in reserve for the race.
The start was quite messy, for the most part, as the ABS glitch affected Storm in the lead and resulted in very awkward moments with his teammate on the first lap. Noir, meanwhile was the victim of lag with Affliction's AMG, leaving him with rear damage and the latter unscathed. With the rest of the field fighting close on Medium tires, and the Clockwork duo stricken with damage, Affliction, who started on Softs, had clear road that he took advantage of, steadily building up a strong lead in the early parts of the race.
Incidents weren't far away, however, as on lap 3 Weather attempted to pass Fred out of the chicane, driving side by side up the hill, but with little room left for him on the inside, he went for the pass going over the kerb, unsettling his car into the BMW, sending it into the wall. While the pass was made on the run up the hill, Weather had effectively been squeezed on the inside, making this a racing incident.
The drama reached its peak in the final 3 laps, when three separate incidents occurred across the track: Noir crashed out of T1 after he ran out of room trying to defend against the overtaking Filo, Kross spun out into the wall, and Filo had a lag-induced crash with Fred that wrecked his car near the final corner. This resulted in the first FCY of the season, leaving the field bunched up for the final lap of the race. Neutty had a strong go at Affliction but the AMG driver held on strong to win his 2nd race in a row.
We're now heading into the final off-week, after which is the final two rounds of the series, back-to-back races at Bathurst and Suzuka! And with the championships being this close, it's still anyone's championship to win!
Before we get on the pre-race post for Bathurst, I'd like to make an adjustment known to the results of Round 4.
With regards to the incident between the #17 and #58 under the Caution period, after an appeal was submitted and additional evidence was reviewed, it was deemed that there was a more serious instance of lag in both parties' viewpoints than the one used by the stewards in the initial review. Both parties, and the stewards have agreed that the incident was heavily, if not fully influenced by lag, and as such, the penalty for the #17 has been rescinded. This promotes the #17 to their original finishing position of 9th and moves Clockwork Motorsport to the top of the Teams Standings.
- - - - -
Right, with that out of the way, we are now two races away from the end of the inaugural season of the Vertex GT Sprint Series! And to think the championships are still really close, it's definitely anyone's game. Now, while Bathurst is one of the best technical circuits in the world, it's also one of the most punishing for mistakes. One mistake from a car up front and they have the potential to take everyone else with them.
For the final two races, we will be introducing a change in the rules for calling out damage. The change being that drivers will now only allowed to type out "D" or any derivatives to indicate damage when they are involved with an accident with another car. Cars that call out "D" after a single car accident will be subject to review and possible penalties. The rules surrounding the start of an FCY remain unchanged, requiring at least 3 cars to have called out damage.
For all the drivers involved, please confirm your attendance using this form. NOTE 1: ONLY CONFIRMATIONS THRU THE ENTRY FORM WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. NOTE 2: Full-time drivers confirming attendance take priority. In the case of a full-time driver confirming absence, their spot is given to whichever Reserve driver confirms the earliest.
8pm EST is 1am in the UK.
If I don't make it this week then I am pulling out.
I don't want to hold a spot I cannot attend & that someone can fill in USA can easy fill.