06-04-2014, 10:26 PM
Already looking forward to next season, whatever we will drive!
For this finale I had not much practice. I started practice yesterday and I was using my Spa setup, which worked good enough. Tried to find some consistency but it was hard. I did not take long before I was in the 2:02's and then 2:01's. But I checked hotlaps and saw that Marcel had done 2:00 and I never thought I would be able to beat him this time...
QUALIFY
I didn't want to end my 8 events long pole streak, but I knew it was going to be really hard this time... It was not a perfect start on the quali but I managed a 2:01.7 and later improved to 2:01 flat. A top starting position already guaranteed. Then I managed to get into the 00s with a 2:00.8 and I was really happy with that (but the lap felt really bad and slow). Tried to improve multiple times but couldn't... Pole with extremely small margins. 9 in a row 8) ;D
RACE 1
Not a perfect start but I was in front when heading down the hill towards the viaduct... Cold brakes but I managed to slow the car down enough. Marcel right behind me the first two laps and thanks to some small mistakes from me he got a tow on me and slipstreamed past me at the "flying mile" on lap 2. Eventually I 'missed' my braking point slightly and I was sure I was going to overshoot the corner, but somehow it turned out to be perfect and I overtook Marcel again. I hit the tire stack on the inside of the final corner which slowed me down a little, but it also ruined Marcel's corner exit and I actually got a small gap instead ;D I kept that small gap of 2-3 seconds until it was time for my pitstop, lap 8. Of some reason my pitcrew gave me a 50 sec stop and I feared that Marcel and Hector would overtake me. But I never saw Marcel again.. and 2 laps later I saw Hector exiting the pits and I had a gap of a few seconds. The first laps I took it easy and tried to drive safe, but I noticed that Hector was really quick and I had to reply... I managed to do so and with 1 lap to go he made a mistake in the final corner I think... and I could relax 8)
RACE 2
I was very careful not to crash in the start. I saw several crashes during the first laps... Suddenly I was 3rd with only Hector and DJ in front of me, but I made a mistake in the braking zone for "Longford corner" and lost a few positions. The cars in front of me crashed on the bridge the same lap and I couldn't avoid one of them completely... got light suspension damage and decided to drive safe to finish in the final race of the season. I was actually back in 3rd again and no one behind me. I was driving alone for the remaining 11 laps and it was not much fun. I recieved a drive through penalty for speeding which I failed to serve for 3 or 4 laps in a row... Finished 1:30 behind the winner in this race, but I was happy to finish 8)
Btw, 50 sec pitstop also in race 2... I don't know why I've had so many slow stops lately?? At Zolder I had 50 sec stops too. I request pit so that "pit crew is ready" right before I enter pit, and I stop the car perfect in the pitspot, with no wheels outside the box??
For this finale I had not much practice. I started practice yesterday and I was using my Spa setup, which worked good enough. Tried to find some consistency but it was hard. I did not take long before I was in the 2:02's and then 2:01's. But I checked hotlaps and saw that Marcel had done 2:00 and I never thought I would be able to beat him this time...
QUALIFY
I didn't want to end my 8 events long pole streak, but I knew it was going to be really hard this time... It was not a perfect start on the quali but I managed a 2:01.7 and later improved to 2:01 flat. A top starting position already guaranteed. Then I managed to get into the 00s with a 2:00.8 and I was really happy with that (but the lap felt really bad and slow). Tried to improve multiple times but couldn't... Pole with extremely small margins. 9 in a row 8) ;D
RACE 1
Not a perfect start but I was in front when heading down the hill towards the viaduct... Cold brakes but I managed to slow the car down enough. Marcel right behind me the first two laps and thanks to some small mistakes from me he got a tow on me and slipstreamed past me at the "flying mile" on lap 2. Eventually I 'missed' my braking point slightly and I was sure I was going to overshoot the corner, but somehow it turned out to be perfect and I overtook Marcel again. I hit the tire stack on the inside of the final corner which slowed me down a little, but it also ruined Marcel's corner exit and I actually got a small gap instead ;D I kept that small gap of 2-3 seconds until it was time for my pitstop, lap 8. Of some reason my pitcrew gave me a 50 sec stop and I feared that Marcel and Hector would overtake me. But I never saw Marcel again.. and 2 laps later I saw Hector exiting the pits and I had a gap of a few seconds. The first laps I took it easy and tried to drive safe, but I noticed that Hector was really quick and I had to reply... I managed to do so and with 1 lap to go he made a mistake in the final corner I think... and I could relax 8)
RACE 2
I was very careful not to crash in the start. I saw several crashes during the first laps... Suddenly I was 3rd with only Hector and DJ in front of me, but I made a mistake in the braking zone for "Longford corner" and lost a few positions. The cars in front of me crashed on the bridge the same lap and I couldn't avoid one of them completely... got light suspension damage and decided to drive safe to finish in the final race of the season. I was actually back in 3rd again and no one behind me. I was driving alone for the remaining 11 laps and it was not much fun. I recieved a drive through penalty for speeding which I failed to serve for 3 or 4 laps in a row... Finished 1:30 behind the winner in this race, but I was happy to finish 8)
Btw, 50 sec pitstop also in race 2... I don't know why I've had so many slow stops lately?? At Zolder I had 50 sec stops too. I request pit so that "pit crew is ready" right before I enter pit, and I stop the car perfect in the pitspot, with no wheels outside the box??