11-11-2013, 01:02 AM
Yes, great turnout once again 
Bring on the race reports! I enjoy reading them.
QUALI
I knew this was going to be really tight. I knew Marcel had an small advantage, based on laptimes we did earlier this week, because he was the only one below 1:41. Cruickshank, my brother and I were all in the low 1:41's. I knew Gorka is always quick too, but had no idea if he had done any practicing. So the quali started and I was among the first to leave pits. My first lap was just as good as I could wish, 1:41:1. So now I had time to try to improve. The first 15 minutes of the quali, I was driving with 20L fuel because I had set my best laptimes with a heavier car. The other half, I took 10L out. The car felt more unstable with less grip, but soon I realised I was still faster. To my surprise, I soon did 1:40:8 and for the first time I was in the 1.40's. Still there was at least 10 minutes left of the quali so I had time left to improve. Because the lap was far from perfect as I got a big slide in the last corners. The following laps I was probably overdriving and could not improve. With only a few minutes left Marcel took over the lead. My very last lap was going to be my best, but still 0,025 behind
So, 2nd place on grid just like Monaco. But here I had no advantage because I had no rubber at all on the right side of the track.
RACE 1
Started on the dirty side of the track, but still I did a good start. Djc was also really quick off the line and I had him on my left at T1. But I had the inside so no problem to hold him off. Marcel was really quick the first laps and set fastest lap of the race with 40.9. My race pace was not that good, but I managed to create a gap to djc and Robert. Soon djc disappeared and I don't know if he made a mistake or entered pit very early in the race (?). Eventually, I begun to gain some time on Marcel, and at the end of lap 9 I was breathing down his neck. It seemed he had no grip at all, and he pitted at the end of that lap. I continued one more lap. I hoped that Marcel would get a slow pitstop or join with traffic. But he didn't, and when I joined track after my 48 sec pitstop, he was right in front of me again. And once again he opened up a gap in the beginning. But towards the end of the race, once again his tires were finished, and I could easily catch him. The very last lap I tried to find a way past him, because I was so much faster through the slow corners. I tried in the very last corner but missed the braking point slightly, and Marcel got past me again to win the race. Well done Marcel ;D
And... Somewhere in the middle of the second stint, Marcel and I had was going to lap a few drivers. And after the long straight we catched up with Rick Nauman who obviously missed the blue flag and blocked us both through the long right hander. I was trying to draw his attention by honking at him. But no way he was going to let us past. Down the hill and in the braking zone Marcel eventually got past him, finally, but I was still behind. He was still unaware about the blue flag, and through the slow corner I was still honking at him. His slow speed surprised me through that corner and we made gentle contact a few times until he spun off. Sorry but it must have been obvious we were about to lap you Rick.
RACE 2
Exciting as always, the reversed grid
I took it really easy in the start and left plenty of room to the cars ahead of me. And like always, many cars crashed at first corner 
The guys on the inside (Marcel, DJC, Marcel) were lucky to avoid it but I lost a few seconds. Anyway I avoided contact, and down the long straight for the first time I found my self behind Gorka and Marcel. All of a sudden, a car was flying through the air in front of me and another sliding over the track, through the grass, and bouncing at the guardrails back on track. I managed to avoid a disaster but once again I lost a few seconds to Gorka in front of me. But no problem for me catch them before the end of the lap as they were held up by slower drivers. In the last corners I found djc on the grass and got past him. At this time, I was right behind Gorka and I was faster than him. But no way he was going to give up his position too easily 8) After a few tries without succes, I finally got past him on lap 4, by tricking him into talking the inside through the long corner 3 right hander. He carried too much speed and slided to the outside, while I got past him on the inside 8) Now I was right behind Marcel and to my surprise I was much quicker. Probably he tried to save his tires so I tried to overtake him in the braking for turn 4 (my favourite overtaking spot in race 2 btw). He did not left much room for me actually and we made contact. None of us lost any time by that gentle contact but I was still behind him. But now he was driving faster and built up a small gap. But just like race 1, I catched him at the end of his stint. And just like race 1, he pitted at the end of lap 9, and this time I did too. Really bad stop this time, 54 seconds.... Marcel probably had same bad luck, but Gorka who had also pitted, must have had a better stop, because he got past me in the pit! And once again he was in front of me >
I was a bit nervous, and at the esses on my first lap, disaster struck... I lost control and hit the wall HARD. But I managed to crash the car against the wall with the nose first. And I had no damage at all ;D I continued but now I was really far behind. I gave it all and managed to set fastest lap of the race but no chance I could catch Gorka and Marcel again... Or? lol. At turn 4 a few laps later, all three (Djc, Marcel and Gorka) had crashed themselves out ;D I got past both Gorka and Marcel, but with Djc still in front of me. Probably he had some damage because I was much faster. After 2 laps or so, I managed to overtake him in the braking for turn 4, and could quickly build up a gap. No chance to catch the guys ahead of me so I was driving alone the remaining laps. Finished 2nd behind brother Robert Galaga finished 1st but he had not done his pitstop so I guess he is dq.
Overall, I'm very happy for my two 2nd places And my brother won his first SR4L race, congratulations ;D
Very entertaining battles in this race... Thank you very much guys!
Bring on the race reports! I enjoy reading them.QUALI
I knew this was going to be really tight. I knew Marcel had an small advantage, based on laptimes we did earlier this week, because he was the only one below 1:41. Cruickshank, my brother and I were all in the low 1:41's. I knew Gorka is always quick too, but had no idea if he had done any practicing. So the quali started and I was among the first to leave pits. My first lap was just as good as I could wish, 1:41:1. So now I had time to try to improve. The first 15 minutes of the quali, I was driving with 20L fuel because I had set my best laptimes with a heavier car. The other half, I took 10L out. The car felt more unstable with less grip, but soon I realised I was still faster. To my surprise, I soon did 1:40:8 and for the first time I was in the 1.40's. Still there was at least 10 minutes left of the quali so I had time left to improve. Because the lap was far from perfect as I got a big slide in the last corners. The following laps I was probably overdriving and could not improve. With only a few minutes left Marcel took over the lead. My very last lap was going to be my best, but still 0,025 behind
So, 2nd place on grid just like Monaco. But here I had no advantage because I had no rubber at all on the right side of the track.RACE 1
Started on the dirty side of the track, but still I did a good start. Djc was also really quick off the line and I had him on my left at T1. But I had the inside so no problem to hold him off. Marcel was really quick the first laps and set fastest lap of the race with 40.9. My race pace was not that good, but I managed to create a gap to djc and Robert. Soon djc disappeared and I don't know if he made a mistake or entered pit very early in the race (?). Eventually, I begun to gain some time on Marcel, and at the end of lap 9 I was breathing down his neck. It seemed he had no grip at all, and he pitted at the end of that lap. I continued one more lap. I hoped that Marcel would get a slow pitstop or join with traffic. But he didn't, and when I joined track after my 48 sec pitstop, he was right in front of me again. And once again he opened up a gap in the beginning. But towards the end of the race, once again his tires were finished, and I could easily catch him. The very last lap I tried to find a way past him, because I was so much faster through the slow corners. I tried in the very last corner but missed the braking point slightly, and Marcel got past me again to win the race. Well done Marcel ;D
And... Somewhere in the middle of the second stint, Marcel and I had was going to lap a few drivers. And after the long straight we catched up with Rick Nauman who obviously missed the blue flag and blocked us both through the long right hander. I was trying to draw his attention by honking at him. But no way he was going to let us past. Down the hill and in the braking zone Marcel eventually got past him, finally, but I was still behind. He was still unaware about the blue flag, and through the slow corner I was still honking at him. His slow speed surprised me through that corner and we made gentle contact a few times until he spun off. Sorry but it must have been obvious we were about to lap you Rick.
RACE 2
Exciting as always, the reversed grid
I took it really easy in the start and left plenty of room to the cars ahead of me. And like always, many cars crashed at first corner The guys on the inside (Marcel, DJC, Marcel) were lucky to avoid it but I lost a few seconds. Anyway I avoided contact, and down the long straight for the first time I found my self behind Gorka and Marcel. All of a sudden, a car was flying through the air in front of me and another sliding over the track, through the grass, and bouncing at the guardrails back on track. I managed to avoid a disaster but once again I lost a few seconds to Gorka in front of me. But no problem for me catch them before the end of the lap as they were held up by slower drivers. In the last corners I found djc on the grass and got past him. At this time, I was right behind Gorka and I was faster than him. But no way he was going to give up his position too easily 8) After a few tries without succes, I finally got past him on lap 4, by tricking him into talking the inside through the long corner 3 right hander. He carried too much speed and slided to the outside, while I got past him on the inside 8) Now I was right behind Marcel and to my surprise I was much quicker. Probably he tried to save his tires so I tried to overtake him in the braking for turn 4 (my favourite overtaking spot in race 2 btw). He did not left much room for me actually and we made contact. None of us lost any time by that gentle contact but I was still behind him. But now he was driving faster and built up a small gap. But just like race 1, I catched him at the end of his stint. And just like race 1, he pitted at the end of lap 9, and this time I did too. Really bad stop this time, 54 seconds.... Marcel probably had same bad luck, but Gorka who had also pitted, must have had a better stop, because he got past me in the pit! And once again he was in front of me > I was a bit nervous, and at the esses on my first lap, disaster struck... I lost control and hit the wall HARD. But I managed to crash the car against the wall with the nose first. And I had no damage at all ;D I continued but now I was really far behind. I gave it all and managed to set fastest lap of the race but no chance I could catch Gorka and Marcel again... Or? lol. At turn 4 a few laps later, all three (Djc, Marcel and Gorka) had crashed themselves out ;D I got past both Gorka and Marcel, but with Djc still in front of me. Probably he had some damage because I was much faster. After 2 laps or so, I managed to overtake him in the braking for turn 4, and could quickly build up a gap. No chance to catch the guys ahead of me so I was driving alone the remaining laps. Finished 2nd behind brother Robert Galaga finished 1st but he had not done his pitstop so I guess he is dq.Overall, I'm very happy for my two 2nd places
And my brother won his first SR4L race, congratulations ;DVery entertaining battles in this race... Thank you very much guys!