I'm a bit disappointed that I'm so far ahead(!), while it is currently exciting to chase and lap 3rd place and I'm chasing 2nd place, I could have taken on a faster set of AI opponents. I've improved my knowledge of the track and my lap times during the race despite having done at least one hundred laps in this car in preparation before starting the race. In the first 20 laps of the race my best lap was 7'57 and average 8'09. In the 20 laps after the sun came up (98-118) my best lap improved to 7'53 and average right on 8'00.
There isn't as much passing action due to the long lap, not as fun as the Tsukuba 9 hour where I was constantly passing backmarkers.
It's been a bit of a struggle finding time to do the sessions - each stint is 33 minutes plus time spent writing the descriptions (I pause on Dottinger Hohe to make notes, then again on the pit straight to record the lap time).
This was a good session, new fastest lap and new fastest stint (all stints have been 4 laps). I've now lapped second place, and I'm a bit sad that the race isn't very close. If I had picked a grid with a faster car in it, I'd also be comfortably ahead of all the others except the R8 Race car who would be well be ahead of me.
Lap:133|8'52.628( 52.8s est pit loss)| 55L and RH tyres on, get ready for another stint. As I'm released, two cars are fighting each other along the pit straight, Watts followed by Johanson. I come out right behind them, and I'm able to pass Johanson around the outside of Valvoline, and take Watts up the inside out of Goodyear. Whew! Varis is at least a minute up the road, but he will be pitting at the end of this lap, and if with a clean lap I'll just sail past while he is in the pits. I am a bit wide right under braking into Hohe Acht and do a small amount of lawn mowing to get back on to the track, but otherwise a very clean lap. I was a bit nervous trying not to lose time while passing Watts and Johanson in the GP track, and I'm still feeling it even at the end of the lap 7 minutes later! Need to be calm and get into my rhythm.
Lap:134|7'50.276| As I cross the line, there are two cars in the pits, Varis is one of them. He's soon out of the pits and chasing me, but I'm on a good lap so he has no hope. I get a great exit out of Hocheichen and fly through Flugplatz. Very slightly off line in Adenauer Forst, but nice and smooth and fast through the rest of the lap to set a new fastest lap 7'50.276. Varis is already 20s (+1 lap) behind by the end of the lap. NEW FASTEST LAP
Lap:135|8'4.528| I'm feeling good and going nicely, and after setting a new fastest lap I'm pushing a bit more - can I get under 7'50? Then I mess up my entry into Schwedenkreuz run wide on exit and end up on the grass and then the gravel at Aremberg. I lose time getting back onto the track, but thankfully not enough to allow Varis to catch up. I catch Perez onto Dottinger Hohe, no real drafting benefit, certainly not enough to make up for the off, but also may have lost the chance of a fastest stint too. The gap back to Varis drops back to 16s (+1lap)
Lap:136|8'6.205| Last lap of the stint, I think I've been nice to the tyres, push on without pushing too hard.. I'm doing well again until in a carbon copy of last lap, I'm off onto the grass at Schwedenkreuz. Maybe the better exit from Hocheichen is causing me to arrive at Schwedenkreuz a few km/h faster and at the higher speed I can't just lift and turn in. I'll have to adjust how I take that corner from now on. The rest of the lap ok, one small wheelspin into Brunchen, and I pass Vega in Pflanzagarten. Not the best in lap, but not my worst either. Not even close to my best stint due to the two excursions. 55L used, PIT IN.
Lap:137|9'0.465( 52.8s est pit loss)| 55L RH tyres. Varis goes over the line passing Vega, just 18 seconds behind me, but unlaps himself while I'm stopped in the pits. Ollsen Is also in the pits, leaving before I do, but I soon catch him and pass into Schumacher. I'm more careful at Schwedenkreuz, lifting early and taking a tighter line across the apex, no problems, and I also catch Vega at Kallenhard and pass just before at Spiegelkurve, not too much time lost there. I'm doing well until I get on the grass out of Klostertal and with 2 wheels on the grass can't slow enough for Steilstrecke, wasting another second or so getting back on track. It's a slow out lap, but Varis is still in the pits as I finish the lap, so I've lapped him for good now.
Lap:138|7'55.058| The track is now clear ahead of me. I'm still working on finding little improvements every time I go around, but this time I try to take Mutkurve just a little too fast and do a bit of grass cutting, losing some time as this is a very fast part of the track. It's hard to judge the braking, I'm arriving at Mutkurve at about 320 km/h, and can take the corner at about 230-240 if I get it right. The rest of the lap is quite good though, a quite respectable lap time and the gap opens up to 37s (+1lap)
Lap:139|7'59.133| Another lap under way, I'm pretty quick through the GP circuit, I'm using all the track again at Hocheichen, but run out of exit kerb under power and lose the rear, do a 360 but then save the spin to keep going straight ahead with very little time loss. The rest of the lap is uneventful, although not as tidy as I would have liked.
Lap:140|8'0.832| Last lap of the stint, tyres seem ok although a few little slides here and there. I'm too tight at the first part of Flugplatz and end up on the grass after the second part, slowed a bit while recovering, but no spin. I catch Johanson in Galgenkopf, but he gives me no help onto the straight, in fact he's so slow out of the corner I have to go past up the inside on the exit and can't use the whole track, slowing me onto Dottinger. A reasonable out lap considered. 54L used. PIT IN
Lap:141|8'47.21( 52.2s est pit loss)| 54L, RH tyres, off we go again with 4.5 hours to go. The Sun is high now, but the sky is still quite hazy. Johanson has gone past again, but the real question is how far back to Varis? If it is close, I might have a chance of catching him on this lap while he is on old tyres and I have fresh ones. He comes across the line 42s behind me, and my pit stop loss after the S/F line is about 50.5s, so the gap to make up on the lap will be about 8.5s, which is quite doable... I know Johanson is not far ahead, might be helpful to block Varis a bit, but suddenly in Kottenborn I spot Varis up ahead! I'm gaining with every corner and come up behind at Speigelkurve. I'm patient and bide my time, then pounce under brakes into Breidscheid, taking the inside line away and then I'm off through Exmuhle. He's still not far behind me, and Johanson is just ahead, can't relax yet... I time it perfectly and fly past Johanson just after Kesselchen, but Varis isn't so lucky and gets caught behind at Klostertal, Steilstrecke and the Karrussell. Now I have some breathing space, I'm 10s ahead at the start of Dottinger Hohe, although Varis is going to pit very shortly anyway so that gap will blow out to over a minute... It's a great out lap, second best of the race so far.
Lap:142|7'58.191| Feeling good now, fast through the GP circuit. I catch up to Ota at Exmuhle but it's an easy pass before Lauda Links. I am a bit keen on the power out of Hohe Acht and get a bit sideways, not a bad one, but lose extra time being slow into and through Wippermann. Still a good time, but could have been better, gap to Varis is 1'13 now.
Lap:143|8'3.302| New lap, I need to be careful of the tyres. It's going ok until I ride up the kerb under braking out of the Fuchsrohre, and get the car backwards. Then I take a poor line through Speigelkurve and I'm slow through Miss-hit-miss. The rest of the lap is a bit untidy in places. I catch Ollsen and pass him just after Stefan-Bellof - just missing him as I whiz past up the inside before the braking zone. I catch and pass Vega just onto Dottinger Hohe, and over the line. Not the best lap, but still ok, the gap back to Varis has stayed the same at 1'13
Lap:144|8'6.379| Final lap of the stint, must be careful of the tyres. There are a couple of cars about 15-20s ahead to negotiate. I quickly catch Watts, flying past at Kottenborn, he gives me room this time… I'm chasing the next one, but the tyres get a bit unhappy after Hohe Acht so I have to nurse the car through the rest of the lap and into the pits. 54L used. The gap back to Varis has blown out to 1'19 (+1 lap) - he must be losing time in the traffic that I passed recently. PIT IN
Lap:145|8'52.224( 52.8s est pit loss)| 54L RH tyres, roll out, keep it smooth. The last stint was fairly consistent, but I need to remember to look after the tyres so they don't go off on the 4th lap. Watts goes past while I’m in the pits, so I'll have to re-pass him again… It's pretty clean all the way around, I catch Watts under brakes after Stefan-Bellof and finish off a pretty good out lap. The clock has hit the 20 hour mark, so less than 4 hours to go, we are really on the home stretch now
Lap:146|7'53.282| Varis pits behind me, so the gap will open up even more, but there is sure to be something ahead to slow me down. Right on cue I catch up to Perez in the Jag, but he moves over at the exit of Exmuhle and it's an easy pass. Then I see Sosa ahead as I head towards the Dottinger Hohe, but I'm not quite close enough for any aero benefit, and he heads straight into the pits so I don't even get any tow up the pit straight. It's a good fast lap. Varis must have had some sort of problem with his out lap, as the gap has blown out to 1'49
Lap:147|7'52.702| Track is clear ahead of me, but no time to relax. This one is pretty uneventful, a couple of untidy corners, but pretty fast in the end. This stint has a real chance of being the fastest so far, need to hold it together for one more lap…
Lap:148|7'56.193| As I hit the pit straight, there is a car at the other end, so it won't be long until I catch traffic. It's Johanson again, and I slide past him under brakes into Hatzenbach - I don't think he was expecting that, but it was a clean pass with no contact. The lap is good and fast, the tyres just start to get unhappy towards the end, but good amounts of time has already been gained and it's my best in lap by far, and my best stint as well at 32min34s. Pit in, 55L used. FASTEST STINT
Lap:149|8'52.715( 52.8s est pit loss)| 55L of diesel, four more RH tyres and less than 3.5 hours to go. The problem with improving my lines and getting faster is that now I project that I'll complete 174 laps before the clock stops at 24 hours and go on to do a 175th lap. As I'm released Johanson is on the pit straight, but luckily I get to the first corner just before him, so I don't have to waste time getting past him. I swear I'm not trying to be slower to avoid the extra lap, but I make at least 3 major mistakes, running wide on kerbs or onto the grass, but I save them all and not much time is lost.
Lap:150|7'56.927| I push on, still clear ahead. The lap unfolds nicely, smooth, fast, and then I catch Vega at Stefan-Bellof, but before I get there he's already braking and blocking the apex of the next corner, so I have to wait until Schwalbenschwanz to pass. Ollsen is just ahead and is dispatched on the exit onto Dottinger Hohe. The sky is looking a bit grey, but it doesn't look like rain will come. Another good lap. The gap back to Varis is still rising, 2'31 now.
Lap:151|7'57.006| Next lap starts and I've been regularly braking too early for Goodyear, so I try braking what seems like 5m later. It's too far and I overshoot the corner and lose a second or two getting out of the gravel… Curses.. This time the GP track sector is a 1'38 when I can usually manage 1'34 or even 1'33. Nothing for it but to push on. The rest of the lap is pretty clean, so the total time is still good.
Lap:152|8'10.76| 4th lap of the stint, some traffic ahead, hopefully I've been sufficiently kind to the tyres? Maybe not, I get into a power slide on the way out of Warsteiner which is unusual. Even though I'm being careful, I quickly catch Ota at Speigelkurve, pass him up the inside of miss #2 of Miss-hit-miss. He late brakes up the inside into Wehrseifen and shoves me out of the way to get back in front, but I easily out accelerate him out of the corner and I'm past. The tyres are unhappy, I have a small slide out of Schwabenschwantz, but it's ok for an in lap. 55L used. PIT IN.
Just 2 hours to go at the end of this session. I'm well ahead, but I have no real chance of catching Varis again to take another lap. I'm pushing to try to complete 174 laps before the 24 hour limit (175 total laps), which means my average lap time (less pit time) needs to be under 8'01 for the remaining 14 laps - doable but not certain.
Lap:153|8'58.145( 52.8s est pit loss)| 55L and RH tyres, off we go again. Watanabe is in the pit too, and leaves before me, coming out behind Ota who goes past while I'm stationary. I'm a bit hesitant into Schumacher and end up on the inside kerb, no spin but a bit of time loss. I'm warming into the lap and catch Ota who has just been passed by Watanabe at Bergwerk. I'm much faster out of the corner and I have to choose left or right to go past - I choose left and then Ota moves across to the left, forcing me to put two wheels on the grass to get past. Watanabe is much more polite, moving over after Kesselchen to let me go past. The sky is now very overcast, no blue anywhere - could we get a spot of rain in the last 3 hours? Not the fastest out lap, but ok
Lap:154|7'55.489| Next lap, I'm feeling a bit jerky, not smooth, but hopefully it will come back to me again. It turns out to be a pretty quick lap but probably not great for the tyres.
Lap:155|7'58.523| Still not feeling smooth, and I seem to have forgotten how to take the Schumacher Ess, the last 3 laps I've made a hash of it, although not enough to cause a spin. I catch Perez at Hohe Acht, and he's sliding all over the road at Hedgwigshohe, there is no way to safely get past, but then he helpfully slides right off the track out of Wipperman and I cruise by. The grey sky is intensifying, the Castle is all hazy up on the hill. Another ok lap.
Lap:156|8'12.671| From the start this lap is terrible, the front has no grip, no turn in at Ford, Schumacher, Michelin, or the chicane, brakes no good at Goodyear. I adjust to whatever is the problem during the lap, but something is up, did I kill the front tyres during this stint? The rear is still pretty well behaved. I guess I'll see once I put fresh tyres on. Pit in, 54L used, not my best stint but ok.
Lap:157|8'49.858( 52.2s est pit loss)| 54L, RH tyres. Huang goes past while I'm in the pits, but I leave the pits ahead of someone else that I don't get a good look at in the mirror before they vanish. I get Schumacher right this time, maybe I was approaching at a higher speed as I've refined my Goodyear line/exit a bit? Much nicer and smoother this time around. I catch Huang at Exmuhle and go past him into Bergwerk. There is a whole gaggle of cars ahead of me now, the next is at the Karrussell as I approach, it's Ollsen and I pass him at the exit of Hohe Acht. I soon catch Johanson and he holds me up a bit at the Kleine Karrussell, but I'm past before Galgenkopf. The sky is looking greyer all the time, and it's a good out lap.
Lap:158|8'3.031| One of the cars that was just ahead has pitted, but the other is at turn one. It doesn't take me long to catch up to see it is Watts and I fly past him after Kottenborn with no problems. The lap is very smooth and fast and I'm even thinking that it could be a new best lap when I push just a little hard in Galgenkopf, catch the grass on the outside and spin. Bah! I have lost heaps of time with a very slow entry onto Dottinger Hohe.
Lap:159|7'54.025| Just need to push on and look after the tyres. At least at seem I have Schumacher sorted again. I do a good run through the GP track, 1'33 to the NS entry. The rest of the lap is also good, a couple of places not quite as smooth as I wanted, but another good time. The gap to Varis is now 3'23 (+1 lap).
Lap:160|7'54.591| Let's see how the tyres are feeling after all that work. Hopefully I was a bit nicer to them and they will reward me. They seem ok in the GP track, another 1'33. Maybe just a touch of understeer as I fly through the section after Speigelkurve? Just a little oversteer out of the Kleine Karrussell, but it's a great in lap and a great stint, without the stupid spin on lap 158 it would have easily been my fastest stint. The clock ticks over 22 hours during this lap. Pit in with 55L used.
