Participants: 5+7 Intermediate AI
Qualifying: P7
Race: P5
Objective: Finish 11th or better PASSED
Not a lot to say about this race really, except that I've been away from racing for almost 3 weeks, and I think it played at least a small part in the disaster that was this round of the series for me. I'm also not terribly good at Hockenhiem, to be perfectly honest, and the whole issue with the grip being broken during weather transition ultimately cost me at least one place, the one I figure I deserved, P4, which could have maybe been a P3 if not for an unnecessary incident with a human backmarker. With chance of rain at 45%, I opted to start on primes and set up for wet - neither of which I think were mistakes.
Qualifying:
All sorts of wrong for me. Run 1 I got a decent banker lap of 1:21.921 that was enough for P7. Run 2 My one truly good hot lap got ruined by a slide and crash when I had bettered my banker by around 8 10ths, without enough time to go back out and try again. It would have been good enough for P4 or P5 I figure depending on how good last sector was.
Race:
Lap 1 I find myself in P3 after a very chaotic and out of practice first lap. Lap 4 Finally catch and pass Alonso AI after a lot of mistakes. NOT the kind of pass I would ever try on a real human driver! Lap 7 As expected Giles has battled back after his early difficulties. I can't match his pace and he gets me on the DRS straight. I made a mistake not doing enough to protect the inside as well. Drop to P3. Lap 22 I've been keeping Crafty gun around 30sec behind me. He has closed to around 26sec when I pit from P3. Not confident that options will make it until its time for wet tires, I fit primes and come out still in front of Crafty by about 10sec. Lap 25-26 I lap Benny, but in trying to unlap himself we get into contact. I get sideways, but no damage, and I am back underway still in P3, though a little peeved at what has happened because Crafty is now within 2sec. Lap 29-33 I've been keeping the gap over Crafty to around 3sec. A mistake on the apex of the final turn sends me wide into the gravel, which results in Crafty getting DRS. I make another mistake with not getting over far enough to protect the inside and he gets past, dropping me to P4. I try to chase him down but eventually he starts to pull away in the clean air. The final nail in the coffin was me outbraking myself and getting into the runoff, which allowed him to finally slip away. Lap 35 Rain has started to fall. I decide to stay out for one more lap before asking for wets and pass Crafty while he is pitted to take back P3. Lap 36 Get sideways when I don't use quite enough care turning in on the slippery track. No damage and I'm back underway quickly, pulling into the pits from P3 for wets. Crafty passes me and I'm back down to P4. Lap 37 Throttle mistake out of a turn starts me aquaplaning and I get into the wall, taking off my front wing. Pit for repairs and get back underway still P4. I still have over a minute on Alonso AI. Lap 41-42 Pass Crafty while he is pitted to once again take back P3. Unfortunately I make a braking mistake and get sideways, letting him past. I think he would have gotten me anyway, as his wet pace seemed much better than mine. Back to P4. Lap 44 Spin. Alonso AI is now within 1min behind. Lap 52-53 Another spin in that same turn that's been giving me trouble all during this wet part of the race. Get righted and back under way with no damage. Alonso AI is still about 50sec behind. Unfortunately I lose the rear again when I go a bit off coming out of the final turn, and this time I take my front wing off in the barrier and have to do an entire lap before I can pit for repairs. Alonso AI is now just 7sec behind. Lap 59 Another slide. Alonso AI is now right behind me. Lap 60 Alonso AI bashes into me on the inside sending me sliding. Making matters worse Webber AI drives right into me, pushing me off onto the infield grass and through a sign before backing off. Dropped to P5. Then another slide because my wet tires on a wet track have no grip, even though they SHOULD, because the game has decided only inters have grip. ARGH. Pit for inters at end of lap and come out still P5. Lap 64 Surprised by Benny slowing down right in front of me on racing line, I overreact, not expecting his car to ghost, and crash. Fitting finish 3 laps down. Bleh.
Still and all, it could have been much much worse with my lack of practice, the conditions, and the broken grip during weather transition bug. I was consoled somewhat by meeting my finishing position goal and scoring a solid 10 points. My battle with Crafty over P3 was really really good, too.
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RD F1 2012 Random Fun Series
Starts: 4
Finishes: 3
Best Grid: P2
Best Race: P2
Podiums: 1
Wins: 0
Points: 40
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RD F1 2012 Club Stats
Starts: 7
Finishes: 6
Best Grid: P2
Best Race: P1
Podiums: 2
Wins: 1
Points: 73
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RD Lifetime F1 Games Club Stats
Starts: 20
Finishes: 17
Best Grid: P2
Best Race: P1
Podiums: 7
Wins: 1
Points: 208
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