SR4L F1 League Race Reports Rnd 14 Longford

[Lecram]

The Grande Finale!

I think I can safely say grats to Dj for winning the championship, Rikard Hedlund ending in 2nd place and yours truly for 3rd. Well deserved all! 8)


A great season it has been, from the first race to the last. SR4L thanks you for participating and we hope to see you all back for our next season in a couple of months.

We will set up some funraces in the meantime so keep an eye on the news!


Last round's race reports here please

[Hedlund]

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??

[edwin]

I wanted to catch John in the championship so i realy made a point of practise as much as i could last two weeks.

Quali,

Didn't even come close to my pb but i decided to start a bit back at the grid and didn't want to spoil the runners for championship race. than again i had to keep my eye on John.

Race 1:

With Mel in front of me at start i was pretty confident that i could "take" him at the start. How wrong i was
christoph was in front of Mel and didn't seem to get some speed after the start so Mel went to the right to avoid colliding him, but O_O there i was, so Mel put me into the fence where i lost my front left wheel. I caramboled back on track and i think got hit by George....Sorry George :-\ that put me into the farmers country with no front wheels at all....so much for my first race....we call that anti climax but i don't know if that is good English. At that point i thought that i would be 5th in the championship knowing that John was staggering fast out here.

Race 2:

Started at the back of the grid and decided to take it easy the first few laps. Saw collisions all over the place and after two laps i found myself in 3rd and thinking omg :o is this for real ???
At some moment there was somebody at my back who i thought was Jesus but he was so much faster than me and i decided to let him pass right after the pub.....turned out it was Rikard.
So there i was in 4th....nobody in front and nobody to take care of behind, that is till my stop. Rejoined and found myself in 7th right behind Juraj. The fight with him was the best i had this season and seemed to go on for hours ;D Juraj making a small mistake leaving me in his tailpipes than i made a mistake giving him air to breath......well great fun. We ended 4th and 5th if only i had managed to get passed him i had ended up 4th alone in the championship. But now it is 4th together with John and i think it's good this way.

Really had a great championship, was fun to race you all and made some great new friends.

SR4L thank you very much. Marcel and DJ for all your efforts and spare time........really appreciate that. And of course Paul (glad to have you back in again)

See you all next event.....fun or league.... 8)

[edwin]

I also want to thank VVV racing team for putting so much trust in me and giving me a car that suited as much as it did this year. Also thanks to my team8 who helped me getting better and better.

If the money is good i will be member again next season

[Txus]

First of all congratulations to DJ , Rik and Marcel. Also to Edwin, who did an amazing championship.
Well deserved all.
You are not only fast and consistent racers also an example of great sportsmanship
Ok, everyone else too

This is a really nice community and I am looking forward to participate in the next season, despite my bad performance in the last races :-\

I started the season really strong but I have not able to keep concentration in the last races, longford was one of this.
Qualy: I did close to my PB really soon, 8th on the grid, I was about to get the 7th in my last try but I missed my braking point before last corner.

Race 1: After the start I was driving alone all the race, something happened behind and no one seemed to chase me, John was ahead to fast to catch. In the 12th lap, being 7th, I lost concentration, hit a barrier, lost a wheel, end of my race.

Race 2: I started at the pole and did a good 1rst lap, but my brain was somewhere else, I missed my braking point again in the last corner at the end of the first lap (what I also did in the warmup between races).
Worst of all I tried to go back to track touching someone, sorry about that. :-[
I decided to pit right away, to see if I was able to breath and recover my concentration. At the end of second lap I hit something in the middle of the track and ended flying over a barrier, my car got stuck there so my race finished again :-\

Lately I didn't have much time for sim racing but I really hope to see you all soon on any fun event

Thanks everyone at SR4L who made this great season possible.

[gorgias1976]

Congratulations Dj for such a deserved championship, driving fast and without mistakes

[1959nikos]

What a Season!!

DJ managed his 2nd championship out of three, at the moment we all thought Marcel was unbeatable.
Next Season will be tougher it seems, as new fast kids have joined, Hector and bullet fast Rikard.
New guy Christoph looks very promosing too.

But the big surprise came from John and Edwin sharing 4th place, the latter easily taking the Rookie of the year tag

Impressive performance from the other two Rookies too, Juraj and Cosimo who easily beat us old dogs Vittorio, Jesus and myself.

As for me, not only I defended my middlefield status, I also went 2 places up, 11th against 13th last season, but most importandly, finishing ahead of Vittorio, as I did at F3 season, and that makes me a winner in our contest by 2-1 as till now.

WHO IS THE BOSS NOW VITTORIO

[Lecram]

Not my favorite track this, I was happy to qualify 2nd after traffic about every flying lap. Amazed at Hector's sudden speed. I wont ever give away setups from now on

Race 1 I was able to match Rik's times until at lap 6 I made a little mistake and Hector passed me. I pitted immedtiately and got back on track and next time by I had Rik in front, about 3 secs ahead. Trying to reel him in I met some suspension parts from a crashed driver right at the braking zone of a corner . Front wheel locked and I went straight, missing the corner completely and I just barely kept it out of the fence. Then Dj passed while I was recovering. Made some other little mistake and got some damage but managed to finish in fourth. Could have been so nice :

Then race 2, good start, after some corners right behind leader John Cook. I passed him but next time by I cooked it under the bridge, too fast entry. I then over corrected my slide which was sending me into the bushes anyway. John following close, wasn't able to avoid me and gave me the final push but unfortunately, spun himself around. So sorry about that :-[ I tried to get back on track but damage was so big, it didn't make sense to even try.

So that sums up my season I guess First part was great, some very good races when Hedlund arrived, although that doesn't show in the results. He sure made me work hard to match him, sometimes I did but in return, it cost me consistency. Latter part was a mix of some good races but also bad luck and errors in my right foot. ;D

Again congrats to Dj and Rik, very well done and thanks for racing you all

Cheers,

Marcel.

[DJCruicky]

Love this track. It's unforgiven but, high price to pay for the smallest mistake.
I knew I just had to avoid them dreaded DNF in both races and I would be champ. High pressure with a track like this.

Race 1
Started in 4th place, had a good battle with Hector. He was slow to begin with, I had a few goes at getting passed him, but failed. Had to be over careful so did not rick my championship anymore and just concentrate on finishing.
Later gained a place with Marcels mistake ;D, then with 1 lap to go, could not believe it, found Hector recovering from a mistake too and I overtook him putting me into 2nd. That would give me the championship just there. But with 1 corner to go, Hector manages to get that place back, so I finished the race in a very nice 3rd.

People were already congratulating me as Champ, but it was still possible for Rik to still win. If I got a DNF and if Rik was to win race, then he would be champ by 2 points.

Race 2
Reverse grid, just have to finish. Race started and out of no where Mels car appears right in front of me, out of sync or something? or lagging? Lucky for me I drive right through him as if he was a ghost, phew. Unlucky for all behind me Mels car much have become solid as I passed and all manor of crashes were going on in my mirrors.
Lap later saw the Marcel and John crash. Hector and I just managed to stop our cars in time to avoid them. Looked my position, 1st place, wow. Could this be my 1st win this season? Leading the championship and still no win. I just had to fend off Hector who was on my tail. Then bad luck, I could not slow my car down enough for a corner and hit a fence, damaging my car. I could still drive it but just had to watch Hector nick off with the win. Luckily everyone else (apart from Hector) all had damage too, so I finished race in a great 2nd place .

Thanks all for all the congrads.
CU on track soon.

DJC

[Paul Swire]

Thanks all for all the congrads.
CU on track soon.

DJC

Well deserved mate. Mr consistent

[Hedlund]

Yes, great job DJ. Well deserved. And you are fast, so I find it strange that you haven't won a single race this season. Me and Marcel stole them all, it seems : We also did a few bad races, but not at the same time... lol.

So...bring the trophies ;D

[mel1c]

DJC: "Race started and out of no where Mel's car appears right in front of me, out of sync or something? or lagging? Lucky for me I drive right through him as if he was a ghost, phew."

I don't know what that was. For me, at the green flag my car just froze :-[. In a few seconds my car and others were bouncing and flying all over. In the replay those few seconds are missing.

Someone (Christoph?) mentioned that it happened to him in R1. Anyway, in R1, a car appeared in front of me just after start and I reacted to miss, hitting poor Edwin and sending him to fence. My car was damaged but I was able to get it repaired and finish at least.

Kind of reminds me of Brianza early in the season where several of us suffered massive lag at the start.

[c.pucher]

Hey, jep that was me mel1c.

As you said, it happend in race 1. First one or two seconds everything seemed ok, then the cars infront of me just stopped and I moved right through one of them. Then all cars disappeared and as they appeared again I saw two cars lying outside the track.

Can't remember something like that happen since the early days of rf2.

[DJCruicky]

I watched a bit more of the replays. Some people had some serious bad luck. A chain reaction of crashes.
Saw GM crashed and blocking the bridge, then gets hit, launches through the air and lands down below. Tries get going, but that is not so easy when you don't have no front wheels. lol.

[Fergy]

Congrats Mr C