07-02-2016, 11:20 PM
First race of a season is always exciting, and this race was no exception!
QUALI
My pb was 2:10.7, and to be honest I had expected an improvement of at least 2-3 tenths. But for some reason I could not get it right. In my final laps I was really close though, and my very final lap I had 2,5 tenth improvement in first sector, but lost it. 2:10.8 something. Anyway, it was good enough for pole position
RACE 1
Got a good start even though I started from the dirty side, I was able to steal the racing line from DJ. So I got an exit good enough to keep him behind me the first straight. My first laps were really good, and DJ and Gorka could not stay in the draft. My first stint was pretty much 2:10's and 2:11's only. So I had a nice little gap when I went for my pitstop on the end of lap 7. I though that most guys would pit same lap or one lap earlier, but when I came back on track I found myself behind Cookie who I knew was driving very low downforce. I was not brave enough to overtake him on the slow part of track, and on the straight it was impossible! On the second lap behind him I decided to try anyways... I was extremely close out on the long straight but still I could not overtake him, I tried to outbrake him but as I was on the dirty side it was not possible. Fortunately he pitted same lap, but now DJ was right behind me. I had lost like 6-7 seconds in only two laps. But I managed to build up a gap once again and win the race 8)
RACE 2
Really interesting race.. I decided to use my low downforce setup because of what happened in last race. I knew Cookie and maybe others too with low downforce would start in front of me. I got a good start again, two guys lost control in T1 and I managed to accelerate past one guy on the straight so I was already 5th. Now I was behind Cookie again but this time I knew I had enough speed to overtake him on the next straight. He went wide in the hairpin before the straight, so I overtook him. I thought that maybe I could defend my position, but his topspeed was a bit too good and he passed me, but lost control in the fast right-hander just before the braking zone. He came back and hit me hard and I lost control.. Next second I took Gorka out in extremely high speed, and found myself in the gravel. Sh*t happens.. I decided to pit instantly and got a 29 second stop. I rejoined in last place and thought the race was over. My laptimes was better than I had expected (I thought the low downforce would be much slower), and gained position after postion. Thanks to my topspeed, overtaking was much easier. Suddenly I found myself side-by-side with DJ who came out from the pits on lap 7 or 8 something. I think he was using high downforce so he could not attack me on the straights. But with 10 laps old tires I had expected higher pressure from him, but it never happened. The last guys pitted and I was suddenly in 1st place (??). I was really surprised about that. DJ kept the gap of 2-3 seconds constantly but could not attack me. So I won again :o :o
Thanks Paul for hosting and fixing the server in the last minute
QUALI
My pb was 2:10.7, and to be honest I had expected an improvement of at least 2-3 tenths. But for some reason I could not get it right. In my final laps I was really close though, and my very final lap I had 2,5 tenth improvement in first sector, but lost it. 2:10.8 something. Anyway, it was good enough for pole position
RACE 1
Got a good start even though I started from the dirty side, I was able to steal the racing line from DJ. So I got an exit good enough to keep him behind me the first straight. My first laps were really good, and DJ and Gorka could not stay in the draft. My first stint was pretty much 2:10's and 2:11's only. So I had a nice little gap when I went for my pitstop on the end of lap 7. I though that most guys would pit same lap or one lap earlier, but when I came back on track I found myself behind Cookie who I knew was driving very low downforce. I was not brave enough to overtake him on the slow part of track, and on the straight it was impossible! On the second lap behind him I decided to try anyways... I was extremely close out on the long straight but still I could not overtake him, I tried to outbrake him but as I was on the dirty side it was not possible. Fortunately he pitted same lap, but now DJ was right behind me. I had lost like 6-7 seconds in only two laps. But I managed to build up a gap once again and win the race 8)
RACE 2
Really interesting race.. I decided to use my low downforce setup because of what happened in last race. I knew Cookie and maybe others too with low downforce would start in front of me. I got a good start again, two guys lost control in T1 and I managed to accelerate past one guy on the straight so I was already 5th. Now I was behind Cookie again but this time I knew I had enough speed to overtake him on the next straight. He went wide in the hairpin before the straight, so I overtook him. I thought that maybe I could defend my position, but his topspeed was a bit too good and he passed me, but lost control in the fast right-hander just before the braking zone. He came back and hit me hard and I lost control.. Next second I took Gorka out in extremely high speed, and found myself in the gravel. Sh*t happens.. I decided to pit instantly and got a 29 second stop. I rejoined in last place and thought the race was over. My laptimes was better than I had expected (I thought the low downforce would be much slower), and gained position after postion. Thanks to my topspeed, overtaking was much easier. Suddenly I found myself side-by-side with DJ who came out from the pits on lap 7 or 8 something. I think he was using high downforce so he could not attack me on the straights. But with 10 laps old tires I had expected higher pressure from him, but it never happened. The last guys pitted and I was suddenly in 1st place (??). I was really surprised about that. DJ kept the gap of 2-3 seconds constantly but could not attack me. So I won again :o :o
Thanks Paul for hosting and fixing the server in the last minute