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

[John Wells]

Yeah those lads not played any other game than GT, looks lovely though. Will the game play better, than it is now, hardest car, in Sport is the Camaro.
Other games had cockpit view, back in their day, Codemasters, being one them.

 

[IfAndOr]

I can't say I noticed a rant. Just a bit of discussion of our likes and dislikes. ☺

 

[Don Mejillone]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGm1kmyZ3sUw2Gw96g6AzmQ

Video stream race....

 

[half_sourly]

Results from Autódromo Internacional do Algarve

Race 1:

Race 2:

Standings:

 

[Zolon32]

So fellas... race 1, couldn't believe my qualification position, and was chuffed to see Ferrari, Porsche and Nissan up at the front. The race itself didn't go too well from about 20 seconds onwards, so I'll skip over that

Race 2... Lucked into a good grid slot, and had a belting few laps sandwiched between Napalm and Mario, until I picked up a "Slow the **** down!" warning for pinching too much kerb. Mario nipped past and, quite honestly, began to pull a gap. So I pushed a bit harder, and made two of the most stupid mistakes I've made during the million laps of Algarve I've done in practice. I even let that loser Jammy past

Anyway, the sum of it all means that there's just one point between Salty and I as we head for Bannakr... Bunnybre... Baarnikl... Scotland, and we're both in the Porsche. Which is, I've just discovered, utterly brilliant up there. Woohoo!


@jammy21 @Napalm_LT @Hun200kmh @xeronima @Saltyjoe90 @Pantheons @JockeP22 @half_sourly @beachboy6658 @richroo @Maxmusmonster @Don Mejillone @Oldbass47 @IfAndOr

And now for the weather forecast... Fog/light cloud/clear/overcast.

Onwards and upwards chaps...

 

[Saltyjoe90]

Really enjoyed yesterday's races, and looking forward to Scotland, which is a brilliant track. It feels more appropriate as a cycling stage than a race track...perfect for Jammy to don the yellow jersey on the bicycle to level the playing field a bit?!

The 'Average Finish' is proving to be an illuminating and cruel metric - not only do Mario and Napalm have to catch up points from missed races, but they have to do so with a car disadvantage! I feel like an imposter in the top three given my average finish, but its an enticing battle to see if I can make up that point on you, Zo; hope you don't have any more screen mishaps and we can have some more toe to toe battles like at Dubai 😀

 

[Hun200kmh]

Good races yesterday!

Race 1 I made a poor qualifying but not a bad start, soon I settled in 5th, behind @Saltyjoe90 and @beachboy6658. No matter what I tried I just couldn't get past any of them or make any move stick. Us 3 did all race pretty close to the duo up front (@jammy21 and @Napalm_LT ) but apart from @Saltyjoe90 managing to get past @beachboy6658, nothing much happened. Was intense and close though, so good fun.

Race 2 I glued myself to @Zolon32 for a couple of laps, then @Napalm_LT caught us both and got to the lead. Then @Zolon32 had a penalty warning and when he slowed I moved up to 2nd. Benefitting for some rare mistakes from Napalm I got to get close to him and after that it was a question of trying to keep my car in the slipstream, which I did for the entire race, and that probably saved me from @Saltyjoe90 's charge during the 2nd half of the race, his green Porsche getting bigger and bigger in my rear view mirror.

With two laps to go Napalm pitted and I probably should've followed him into the pis but decided to stay out another lap. That could've cost me 2nd place because suddenly my litle Nissan was punching through the air without a car in front and the second part of that penultimate lap I almost lost the place to Joe. Almost by miracle I managed to enter pitlane in front of him, and that effectively put an end to his (well founded) hopes of overtaking me (as you all know if two cars enter pitlane together the second car will be slowed down from the 60km/h limit when the car in front moves into the picrew. It's costly).

So I got out of the pitlane again behind Napalm, and that was it, he had a 1 sec penalty but I finished 1,3 secs behind so his was this victory, and deservedly so. Welcome back to the Nissan pack Napalm, hope you enjoyed the Porsche while you had it!

 

[IfAndOr]

Fog at Banitbro! Heck he's bordering on some of my weather settings. 😀

Race 1 - OK. I was going pretty well and was closely following Zo until I caught a kerb and spun. I nearly missed a barrier, but didn't! The slight damage meant the Porsche wasn't quite the same afterwards so couldn't catch up.

Race 2 - OK. While chasing Joe I pitted quite early, which was a sort of mistake because I came out with no one to chase and Jammy behind me! As usual my concentration went on the longer race which was combined with a couple of technical difficulties (headphone cable caught in my seat, fan heater stuck on). Errors crept in and lap times came down.

 

[jammy21]

About Bannachbrae:

• Pitstop entry/exit; stay on left lane and those driving past pit stay on right lane if someone is pitting or exiting.
• It might be good idea to allow "Reset to track" button as track is so narrow that it's very hard to turn your car around safely if you get pinned.

Just my thoughts...

 

[half_sourly]

Reset to track

Good ideas Jammy. I think reset is already active. Someone materialised in the middle of the track ahead of me last night; can only assume that was because they used that button.

 

[IfAndOr]

I think reset is already active.

You can't disable its use in the race settings so it's always available. It's a sensible option to use when it's sensible to do so and at Banochbrae it would indeed be... sensible.

 

[Hun200kmh]

I just used a bit of leisure time to do this (I really should go out more ... )

These refer to car allocation to drivers according to the championship rules, irrespective of driver showing up or missing the race (example, I missed Fuji but if I had shown up I'd be using the Nissan)

As it stands only 4 drivers never changed car (meaning they used the Porsche in every race they entered): Pantheons, raeggee, xeronima and JockeP22

Nobody used all 5 cars. Top is 4 cars (Zolon, Olbass and Maximusmonster)

Curious fact: Zolon is the only driver (so far) that in the course of this championship has already used cars #1 and #5

 

[half_sourly]

I did a few laps of "The Scottish Track" last night. Some findings:

• It took five laps in the Porsche and 8 laps in the Nissan before I registered a time.
• I found the Nissan more stable than the Porsche; the latter wiggles about all the time even in stable mode.
• With damage on, there are going to be tears. Without earlier than usual braking, it was difficult enough not hitting things on my own (rarely succeeded), never mind with others around, or coming across someone else's accident at speed.
• Without slowing down, sticking to track limits past the pub is not easy.
• Without slowing down a lot, pointing forward through the uphill after the dip, toward the end just before the bridge (this track needs corner names!), is not easy.

Upshot:

• I'll be using the Nissan - think that is allowed in the rules.
• I'll be going even slower than usual slowness in an attempt to stay on track, so please keep this in mind when you're behind me.

 

[IfAndOr]

this track needs corner names!

They are...

Angus
Cameron complex
Duncan
Douglas
Blair bridge
Fraser
Skye
Bruce
Logan
Malcolm
Brodie Bank
Gordon
James
Clyde kink
Alastair
Fiona
Campbell
Brodie Bridge
McWiggle
Bonnie
Archie
Saltire Straight​

OK I've made them up but they are as good as any. 😀

 

[Zolon32]

I did a few laps of "The Scottish Track" last night. Some findings:

• It took five laps in the Porsche and 8 laps in the Nissan before I registered a time.
• I found the Nissan more stable than the Porsche; the latter wiggles about all the time even in stable mode.
• With damage on, there are going to be tears. Without earlier than usual braking, it was difficult enough not hitting things on my own (rarely succeeded), never mind with others around, or coming across someone else's accident at speed.
• Without slowing down, sticking to track limits past the pub is not easy.
• Without slowing down a lot, pointing forward through the uphill after the dip, toward the end just before the bridge (this track needs corner names!), is not easy.

Upshot:

• I'll be using the Nissan - think that is allowed in the rules.
• I'll be going even slower than usual slowness in an attempt to stay on track, so please keep this in mind when you're behind me.

I can confirm that it is allowed Half.

And I think that you have defined the essence of driving a racing car very well with your summary of events at the Scottish Play, er I mean track. To steal from the very greatest motor racing driver that ever has, or ever will, live, John Young Stewart (whilst not directly quoting him) "You race as slow as you absolutely have to." As evidence of his greatness I site the fact that he lapped the entire field twice at Monza in 1969, and as evidence of the efficacy of his philosophy I site the fact that he's still alive and well, despite racing at the very top of the tree through F1's most dangerous era.

So folks, heed both Half's and my mate Jackie's words, drive your cars at a pace where you can keep effective control of them over this demanding and utterly brilliantly exciting course. And laugh at me as I limp back to the pits with my destroyed motor, because I just couldn't resist the temptation to try and shave an extra tenth off my lap time

 

[half_sourly]

OK I've made them up but they are as good as any

Where is McVitie!?

 

[Hun200kmh]

Thanks for sharing your findings. And I agree with naming this track's corners/features but I wouldn't go with generic scottish names, I vote we call "half" the crest leading to the "sour" bridge. Oh and the IfAndOr chicane is very tricky indeed.

 

[Zolon32]

I just used a bit of leisure time to do this (I really should go out more ... )

That's a nice graphic Mario. I'm quite pleased to see the way the cars have settled as the series rolled on. I'll be honest, and say that I feel that I rather jumped in with both feet with the VGTA cars. I think that there are combinations that would give more satisfactory results, in that the faster cars would be easier to drive. Maybe something for the future...

Congratulations on being the only driver to have the Nissan for every race possible so far, by the way, a sort of victory of its own

OK I've made them up but they are as good as any. 😀

I can't resist this, "Cornie McCornerface?"

 

[IfAndOr]

Where is McVitie!?

I eat that one. It went with a coffee, a shortbread of course.

 

[Zolon32]

even in stable mode

Have you given Loose mode much of a try Half? I find it to be much more predictable than Stable around the highland roads. Stable feels excellent 99% of the time, but then, at the most inopportune times I find, it suddenly hurls the car sideways. I've only done one long race in Stable, but got three doses of damage, two of which were severe. In Loose my ultimate lap times aren't as quick, but the car feels much more... stable . Crashes are far less common, and even "Gosh, I've stepped over the mark" moments, which so often turn into catastrophe in Stable, can usually be caught with only a minor expense in time lost.

And the Porsche has heated seats. Lovely.

 

[IfAndOr]

And the Porsche has heated seats.

I hope they are brown ready for those

"Gosh, I've stepped over the mark" moments.

 

[John Wells]

I did a few laps of "The Scottish Track" last night. Some findings:

• It took five laps in the Porsche and 8 laps in the Nissan before I registered a time.
• I found the Nissan more stable than the Porsche; the latter wiggles about all the time even in stable mode.

Could all ways do 6 laps of TT course Half.

 

[half_sourly]

Have you given Loose mode much of a try Half?

In the Porsche, yes. Once I stopped bouncing off fences and walls, my predominant thought was blunt false teeth without Fixadent having a go at a particularly springy marshmallow.

Don't think I tried loose in the Nissan - will have a go this evening. I've no idea if my lap times are any good, but expect people like you and Jammy and Napalm will be several seconds quicker.

Could all ways do 6 laps of TT course Half.

Indeed, John. Two wheels may be the way to go!

 

[Zolon32]

One last point. One of the problems I had in Stable mode was getting in and out of the car. It was as if the top and bottom of the doors were acting independently of each other. Strange.

 

[Pantheons]

Going to have a play on Brannochbray tonight if anyones around. Just in case Storm thingy-ma-bob takes out my internet for a few days tomorrow morning, and only comes back on at 8pm Monday.

 

[Napalm_LT]

I opened private room with 20 min of practice and 3 laps race. Invites sent

 

[Hun200kmh]

I missed your practise time but later did one 4-lap race (with 10 mins practise and 10 mins quali) with @half_sourly , and I guess he is right, the Nissan is a safe car to take for that particular track. My best lap was 3 secs slower than what I remember doing with the Porsche but the amount of ...

"Gosh, I've stepped over the mark" moments

... was kept to a minimum

 

[Napalm_LT]

My best lap was 3 secs slower than what I remember doing with the Porsche but the amount of .

Can yoy share time?
My best lap was 2.33, but an clear track, clear sky and empty tank.

@Zolon32 what date will be used? I tried Oct 6 and needed fiew laps to warm tyres even with clear sky, so we probably will have some troubles with fog on this track ( if date will be in the autumn).

 

[Hun200kmh]

Same here Napalm, my best valid time was 2.33,8xx, then I pushed and I guess I was going for a 2.32 lap but brushed a bridge wall, lost time and in the end made 2.33,5xx (but not valid).

There's a lesson in this,, you really need to keep your head cool in this track. FL is worthless if going for it makes you spend 1 minute in the pits

 

[half_sourly]

spend 1 minute

I can confirm the long pitstop after an incident... Got it wrong through the McVitie dip, ended up in a wall with 22 damage in the front, nil in the rear, and it cost 1:04 in standing time in the pits.

By the way, if the mortals among us want a reference, I think I did 1:37 in practice and 1:35 in the race, in the Nissan on loose set-up.

By the by the way, thanks for suggesting the loose set-up, @Zolon32, it is indeed better (in the Nissan anyway).