VGTA Handicap Championship. Mondays, 8:00pm GMT, from 10th Jan 2022.PS4

[Zolon32]

Ladies, gentlemen, and all others... Welcome to the VGTA Handicap Championship, an eight week, sixteen race series, to be held on Monday nights at 8:00pm GMT.​

(Photos courtesy IfandOr )


The race format will go:


Race 1, ten minutes of qualifying, rolling start. For this race there will be no tyre degradation.


Race 2, random grid, rolling start. For this race, tyre degradation shall be set to accelerated and fuel will be burnt. Pit stops are at the driver's discretion. The laps will be set to give a race time of approximately fifty minutes.
Please note that, at the first meeting (Silverstone), due to the fact that some will be changing cars between races, quali for the first race will be reduced to five minutes, and a five minute practice will precede the second race, to allow those who have changed cars to familiarise themselves a little




WEATHER.

There will be NO rain during this series, since these cars are a bit lively in the wet. However, the weather shall alter, and I am considering strategies aimed at bringing about a variation in grip levels. Time will move on during the meetings at the usual lazy rate we Earthlings are familiar with, and weather changes shall be synchronised to the race.








THE HANDICAP SYSTEM.


There are five models of car involved.


1/ Nissan 240Z.

2/ Porsche 911.

3/ Ferrari 365.

4/ Mustang.

5/ E-Type.









For the very first race everyone will be in the Porsche. At that meeting, for the second race, those effected by the handicap will change cars. The drivers who came 1st, 2nd and 3rd will take the Nissan. The driver who came last will be allocated the E-Type, second last, the Mustang, and the two drivers ahead of them (third and fourth last) will get the mental waterbed that is the Ferrari 365 allocated to them.




For the subsequent meetings each driver will have a car allocated to him/her for that particular meeting, the allocation stays the same for both races.




The means by which that car is allocated is... the handicap system. Each driver's average finishing position in all the races they have competed in in the series will be counted.





The three who have the best average results will have the Nissan. Everyone else has a choice of car, from No1 (Nissan) to No5 (E-Type). The number of cars you can choose from will be dictated by your handicap. The one who has the lowest average finishing position can choose cars 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. The next up, with the second lowest average finishing position can choose from cars 1, 2, 3, or 4. Those with the third and fourth lowest averages can have cars 1, 2, or 3. The three clever clogs who have the highest average results will have no choice but to use the Nissan, whilst everyone else can have either the Nissan, or car No2 (the Porsche).





These allocations will take account of everyone who is actively involved in the competition; the full compliment of handicap cars might not take part each race. Therefore, if (for instance) someone who is allocated the Nissan doesn't turn up, that does not mean that another driver has to step up and take that car.



Car allocations can, and will, change from meeting to meeting of course, dictated by average race results.




So, on to the circuits...

Week 1/ Silverstone GP. 8 laps, 20 laps.

For this race, it will be 31st August 2021, in the height of the day; 1:00pm. It'll be clear to start, then hazy, heavy cloud, and back to clear to finish.



Week 2/ Sakitto GP. 10 laps, 24 laps.

The Sakkito meeting will be set one week after the one last week (seemed reasonable) at 7th September 2021, 1:00pm start. Qualifying will be overcast, but the short race will be clear throughout. The longer race will start overcast, move to dark cloud, light cloud, and finish lovely and clear.



Week 3/ Spa Francorchamps. 6 laps, 18 laps, which will be set for 14th September 2021. 13:00hrs

Quali and short race, clear. Long race, Overcast, heavy cloud, light cloud, clear.




Week 4/ Dubai Autodrome GP. 8 laps, 21 laps.



Week 5/Fuji. 10 laps, 26 laps.



Week 6/ Autodrome International Do Algarve. 10 laps, 24 laps.



Week 7/ Bannachbrae. 8 laps, 18 laps.

I decree, in the god-like manner of only the most serious of motor racing organisers, the meeting at Bannokbr... Banichb...Bauunkb... Scotland, will be set for 13:00, 13th July 2021. Phew, watch out for those midgies.


Week 8/ Brno. 8 laps, 21 laps.



By the way folks, ABS and TC are available as you please, and any view point is fine by me. Just enjoy the racing.





Realism is an important point, therefore I would like everyone to pay me £12,000, per meeting, in return for which I will provide transport to the venue, evening meal, and live music at the after race bash.





Additionally, in order to encourage everyone to drive their cars as if they really are having to pay for the dents, performance effecting damage will be activated. So, as they say at the beginning of all the best TV shows, let's be careful out there...


I order to minimise the number of innocent victims regarding this, ghosting will be allowed. By my reckoning this should prevent Rich from smashing his car up in someone else's accident approximately fifteen times across the series

Finally, penalties, yes, penalties will be on. You offenders must be made to pay! None of this liberal namby-pamby behaviour, the guilty must face up to their wrong doings and doings the time.

 

[richroo]

Great i'm in
(if @IfAndOr don't get jealous!)

@Zolon32 add a couple more boxes for info /results!

 

[Zolon32]

List of fine Gentlemen who are to take part...(With their chosen liveries. Duplicates will be inevitable on some cars due to lack of variety, I think).


Half. (Anything, and everything )
Paul. (Nissan, 8. Porsche, 59. Ferrari, 75. Mustang, 3. Jag, 85. Good looking bunch.)
Rich.
Jammy.
Mario. (Nissan, 3. Porsche, 46. He has included others but...)
Reaggee.
Joe. (Nissan, 99. Porsche, 43. He has inclu... you know what I mean.)
Simon. (Porsche, 49.)
Don. (Nissan, 10. Porsche, 63. Ferrari, 58. Mustang, 83. E-Type, 58.)
John.
Max. (Nissan, 84. Porsche, 84. Ferrari, 36. Mussy, 5. Jag, 79.)
Old.
Napalm. (Porsche, 78.)
Xero.
Jocke.
Zolon.

 

[Zolon32]

Added

 

[IfAndOr]

Great i'm in
(if @IfAndOr don't get jealous!)

I'm sure I'll get over it.

 

[Saltyjoe90]

Sounds good Zo, does the Camaro not fit in, too many variables perhaps? Also 40 & 70 mins is long for us lot, I'll bring a thermos of coffee to keep me focused 👀

 

[Napalm_LT]

Sounds good Zo, does the Camaro not fit in, too many variables perhaps? Also 40 & 70 mins is long for us lot, I'll bring a thermos of coffee to keep me focused 👀

Agreed. I am interested, but would do first race only (if it possible). My local time +2 and it is just to late for me.

 

[John Wells]

Interested Zolon, what time will it finish, I can't really race after 22.00.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Count me as interested too, but (even though I do like longer races) I will suggest some, not drastic, shortening of the races (something like 30 and 60 minutes). Will also suggest a tweak regarding tyre degradation (and fuel consumption, I guess). Longer races are more fun - and realistic, therefore immersive - if you need to manage tyres and fuel so I would have tyre degradation set to normal in one race and accelerated in another.

In any case, whatever your final format, this sounds like fun. Also like the track selection, some of my favourites there!

 

[IfAndOr]

Race durations reduced.

Did you perhaps forget to click on save when you did that edit?


@Hun200kmh - I'd imagine the trouble with fuel usage (and to an extent, tyre wear) is that it might interfere with the handicapping system. I've not tried them but for instance the Jag, which is the fastest car for a slower driver, might consume fuel (and tyres) more quickly and require more frequent pit stops. Whereas the Nissan, which is the slowest for a faster driver, I'd imagine to be easier on fuel (and perhaps tyres) so at the end of the race it might be ahead because of less stops. Again, I've not tried this theory out.

 

[Saltyjoe90]

@IfAndOr those are really good points. But I do agree with @Hun200kmh that longer races are more immersive with the elements that make endurance racing interesting and not just driving in circles in greater quantities. There's a lot of variables, which could support or undermine the handicap system. Crikey it's complicated...Are you regretting giving all your spare time away to creating a series yet Zo?

 

[jammy21]

I think I would be apply join this one.
About car collection; there's multiply cars - 240Z, Porche 911 and Mustang - which one are used?
Any tuning allowed or default setup?
Longer races are fine to me.

 

[Zolon32]

Also 40 & 70 mins is long for us lot,

I will suggest some, not drastic, shortening of the races

Did you perhaps forget to click on save when you did that edit?

I can't really race after 22.00.

Good points gentlemen. I thought that I had done an edit on the race lengths, but it would seem that I messed it up. I'll do the proper edit as soon as I've finished this entry. (Spoiler) the races will now be 20 minutes and then 55 minutes. This should see us finishing at or before 9:45, I hope.

I'd imagine the trouble with fuel usage (and to an extent, tyre wear) is that it might interfere with the handicapping system

I'm hoping that it won't Paul. Certainly the Nissan will be the easiest on fuel, but that's because it doesn't have an engine! I will investigate the matter thoroughly before kick-off, and make amendments if necessary. I am, however, really looking forward to the quandary over whether to pit during the long race, and can imagine some trying to dive for the line on clapped out rubber, whilst others come steaming up behind on their slightly less clapped out rubber.

I think I would be apply join this one.
About car collection; there's multiply cars - 240Z, Porche 911 and Mustang - which one are used?
Any tuning allowed or default setup?
Longer races are fine to me.

Good to hear from you Jammy. All the cars will be in use for each race, with the quicker drivers in the slower cars, and (drivers who haven't had such good results) in the quicker cars. It's like the Supercar Handicap Trophy we had a few years ago in GT. I seem to recall you managing to bring the super slow Maserati GT home in first place in one of those races. I'm sure you'll get on fine with the Nissan

Cheers, Zo.

 

[jammy21]

I mean there is for example 7 different Ford Mustang models, etc. Which one of Mustang is used?

Good to hear from you Jammy. All the cars will be in use for each race, with the quicker drivers in the slower cars, and (drivers who haven't had such good results) in the quicker cars. It's like the Supercar Handicap Trophy we had a few years ago in GT. I seem to recall you managing to bring the super slow Maserati GT home in first place in one of those races. I'm sure you'll get on fine with the Nissan

Cheers, Zo.

 

[Zolon32]

I mean there is for example 7 different Ford Mustang models, etc. Which one of Mustang is used?

Ah! I see.. they're all in the vintage touring car category, I think. It's the VGTA class of racer. The 240Z is the only Nissan in the class, so if you find that, you're there.

Cheers, Zo.

 

[IfAndOr]

Yep all the cars in Zo's championship are from the Vintage Touring Car, class A section @jammy21. There's just the 1 Mustang amongst those.

 

[John Wells]

Yes Mustang or Camro don't have head lamps, so can't race in the dark.

 

[jammy21]

Thanks, I got it

 

[Zolon32]

does the Camaro not fit in

Sorry for missing this earlier Joe. I didn't include it because its performance was very close to that of the Mustang in my testing, and I was looking for layers of ability for the handicapping system.

Any tuning allowed or default setup?

It'll be default setup Jammy, with the options of loose or stable.

Mustang or Camro don't have head lamps, so can't race in the dark

Believe me John, there shall be no weirdo lighting effects in this series. Perfect daytime will be the order of the day. Paul's love of the, blackness.. foggy.. DAZZLING!.. dim.. sunny lighting is a mystery to me


So, I had a little bimble around Bannachbrae (I think I'll probably spell that differently each time it gets mentioned) this morning, and discovered a minor problem. The tyres on these cars are the ones the cockroaches will use once we've destroyed the planet. They will not wear out, to any significant degree.

I really do want some level of variability in grip, to try and induce a degree of strategy. Therefore, @IfAndOr @jammy21 @John Wells @Saltyjoe90 @Hun200kmh @Napalm_LT @richroo @Pantheons and anyone else my cheese-like brain hasn't come up with, can I ask you to give these cars a run in light rain, and give your feedback as to whether you think that we can have a wet section during the long race. I will make sure that, if we do have rain, it is light, lasts for only one quarter of the race, and is followed by clear weather, to dry the track.

Looking forward to your input. Cheers, Zo.

 

[jammy21]

I'll test the cars as I don't have run any of these before - if I remember right (track are familiar) and try weather settings in some time in future mainly weekends starting begin of December. At moment I'm too busy to do testing.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Will test as soon as possible (that's probably during the weekend). Light rain shouldn't be a problem, unless rain tyres aren't available for these cars. Wet racing in PC2 is only a problem when you get puddles, for some reason this game thinks aquaplanning means not only loss of contact between tyre and tarmac, but also car suddenly turning either left or right. I'd be dead many times over if that was the case in real life.

 

[IfAndOr]

Paul's love of the, blackness.. foggy.. DAZZLING!.. dim.. sunny lighting is a mystery to me

If there's an option for some type of weather or lighting condition, I'll use it. It all adds to the experience.

And speaking of that, There is my weather generation system if you need it.

Spoiler: Weather

For both 20 and 55 minute races I can offer you the use of the system I used in the BMW series which seemed to be quite successful. It'd give a varied selection of realistic weather options that are specifically designed to be not too extreme - the track hopefully shouldn't get quickly saturated. I can also generate them randomly if needed so nobody* would know what to expect - each race would probably be different, some dry some not, so strategy would change.

*I have to know because I generate the settings, but due to the built in randomness I wouldn't entirely know when the weather would change.

Spoiler: Random weather examples

20 mins
2 slots / Sync = 2 patterns approximately 10 minute intervals. Rain best in 1st slot.
3 slots / Sync = 3 patterns. Group 2 dry for a 13 minute period. Rain best 1st.
4 slots / x 10 = 3 patterns with probable 4th. Similar to above but with the extra slot.
3 slots / x5 = 2 patterns, change at approx 12 minutes Slight chance of a 3nd.

55 mins
2 slots / Sync = 2 patterns with changes at approximately 27½ minute intervals.
3 slots / Sync = 3 patterns with changes at approximately 18 minute intervals.
3 slots / x2 = 2 patterns changing at approach 30 minutes with possibly a 3rd.
4 slots / Sync = 4 patterns with changes at approximately 14 minute intervals.
4 slots / x5 = 5 patterns at approx 12 mins (group?). 1x rollover. Probable 6th.

Don't worry, it all makes sense to me. Sort of.

I wouldn't recommend rain at Silverstone, it's notoriously aquaplaney there!

Are you allowing TC and ABS for your series? It'll make a difference in any wet weather testing. Also views, is it interior only or unrestricted? (I know some like to use other views)


I've tried a few of the cars, without aids. The Jag is (surprisingly) pretty good in the wet, the Nissan a bit loose because it's quite light and the Porsche... well lets say you can tell the weight of the engine is behind the rear wheels!

to try and induce a degree of strategy.

You could always add a compulsory pit stop then a tyre change would be up to the driver (or the pit crew). If you're using laps (instead of time) the game will make sure everyone has stopped - or penalise them.

 

[Zolon32]

I wouldn't recommend rain at Silverstone, it's notoriously aquaplaney there!

Now you mention it, I recall that is the case. I'll have to rely on temperature to mess things about a bit, if that's possible. Got to leave Silverstone in, it produced good racing in the test we did.

Are you allowing TC and ABS for your series? It'll make a difference in any wet weather testing. Also views, is it interior only or unrestricted? (I know some like to use other views)

Yeah, TC and ABS, as people please, and they can view it through their aunty's knickers if they want

I've tried a few of the cars, without aids. The Jag is (surprisingly) pretty good in the wet, the Nissan a bit loose because it's quite light and the Porsche... well lets say you can tell the weight of the engine is behind the rear wheels!

My first serious bit of testing threw up a most unexpected fact. The E-Type, Mustang and Ferrari all come equipped with "track" tyres, which suffice for both wet and dry conditions. The 240Z and 911 both make use of the more expected Wet and Slick tyres. Very interesting, and of some importance for the handicapping system. Those in the mid field and at the front are going to have to work even harder. Splendid!

On the matter of wet weather, it has occurred to me that setting light rain for only the final quarter will perhaps be the way to go. The surface will be hot as the rain begins to fall, and it'll have an effect for a smaller portion of the race, because there will not be any drying out phase to go through.

Onwards to more testing methinks.

 

[IfAndOr]

I'll have to rely on temperature to mess things about a bit, if that's possible.

It is, well to a certain extent anyway. Although it might not be best to tweak it too much, what with it being the first race and everyone settling into the cars and format etc.

I didn't spot the track tyres being equipped, probably because I only tested the 1 car with them fitted. Yes that'll work quite nicely with your handicapping.

they can view it through their aunty's knickers if they want

Mine has been dead for a good few years so I'm sure her undergarments wouldn't be too much of an hindrance to vision by now!

 

[Hun200kmh]

Here are my findings. Skip to the last moments if you dont want to be bothered with poor driving

 

[IfAndOr]

@Hun200kmh Zolon said...

Yeah, TC and ABS, as people please,

So you could have had aids if needed.

You didn't get wets fitted initially because you created the strategy with the tyres set to recommended not "All", that forces a change. Recommended leaves it up to the "pit crew" which as you found out isn't recommended!

 

[Hun200kmh]

Paul I agree, I did a few tests after and all went smoothly. However, my troublesome findings aren't related to pit crew problems. I thought I had explained them at the end but didn't (only checked and confirmed all Porsches finished at the back). My true relevant findings are voiced in the video segment starting at 30:20. That's when I realize what's going on and why the Porsches can't compete with the other cars in a race with mixed weather.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Edit - about TCS and ABS, I know they will be allowed, however I felt the authenticity of the experience would be lacking while using them (that's also why I used clutch and shifter). Have to say I didn't have much problems with the lack of ABS and even traction control was manageable despite all the hairy moments in the wet

 

[Zolon32]

However, my troublesome findings aren't related to pit crew problems.

Yeah, I agree Mario. The Nissan is a real handful in the wet also, so I am going to have to keep the races completely dry. The question of rain only came into the mix once I had discovered that the tyres didn't wear out enough to cause people to contemplate having to pit during the long race. However, the Nissan and Porsche become so difficult to drive in the wet that good racing with them would be nearly impossible for most people.

If we find that the field becomes too spread out during the long races, and the last quarter of an hour is spent simply finishing in the place drivers have held for the previous ten minutes, everyone just becoming further and further apart, I will look at the possibility of putting in more races of shorter duration. Racing, close and hard (but not too hard) is what it's all about.

Maybe having a rule forcing people to use "all terrain" tyres for at least five laps might bring the variability of grip I'm seeking...

More testing required.

Cheers, Zo.

 

[IfAndOr]

@Zolon32 - you've got Sakitto International on your track list. That's the reverse layout with the downhill drop on it that sometimes causes problems (fun though). Just checking that's the one you mean.

I couldn't find Sanoma, will Sonoma do?