- 36,829
- Scotland
- GTP_daan
Car - Mercedes 190 Evo II.
Location - Nürburgring Nordschleife Map, complete with corner names - courtesy of AMG.
Event - Nürburgring 4 hour endurance.
I fitted my 190E 2.5-16 EvoII with some hard sport tyres, and moved the adjustable wings to a halfway position. The car was otherwise unmodified.
My opposition was as follows-
Renault Clio V6 Phase 2
Mazda RX8 Type S
Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
BMW M3
BMW M Coupe
and me, starting from the back
The Clio shot away into the lead. I knew the Clio's pace wouldn't last, and it would spin before pitting for new tyres. I got past the M Coupe along Kottenborn, and the M3 followed (at the 2nd attempt) into the Mutkurve.
Into 4th place, and I was gaining time on the Corvette. Not much, but I was gaining slightly. At the end of the first lap, I was in fourth, 9 seconds behind the leading Clio.
Lap 2 and I was hounding the Corvette. I outbraked him into Aremberg, but he came back past me on the exit. I was all over his blue and white butt through the next few corners, but he pulled away up the slight hill at Kesselchen. I then had to claw him back over the 2nd half of the lap. I managed just get in his draft along Döttinger höhe, but he still pulled away from me. I was now 22 seconds behind the Clio after 2 laps.
Not much happened on lap 3. I held the gap to the RX8 and 'vette in 2nd and 3rd ahead of me, but lost more time to the Clio. 40 seconds down now.
Lap 4, and the Clio was starting to lose it. 1st to fourth, and losing a forty second lead, in a fraction of a lap. At the end of the lap, it was the RX8 in the lead. The Corvette in 2nd, and me in my 190, 3rd, 22 seconds behind the RX8.
Lap 5 saw the RX8 pitting from the lead. I pitted too as my front left was orange and would not have lasted another lap. I filled the tank up to 50 of the 80 units available, and put on a set of hard sports tyres. When we came out of the pits, the Corvette was 40 seconds ahead of me, with the Mazda in between us. The corvette hadn't pitted but was doing an extra lap. His 6 lap strategy would mean that he would need 1 fewer stop than the RX8 and my Mercedes. In my eyes, this made the Corvette favourite, and we had to take time out of him if we were to beat him.
Lap 6 saw the 'vette pitting. He came out still in the lead, but was only 6.8 seconds ahead of me, with the RX8 in between us. The 'vette had cold tyres and was holding the RX8 up which allowed me to close up slightly. The RX8 went past into the lead at Adenaur Forst. At Breidsheid, I was within touching distance of the 'vette, but he was able to use his power and pull away up Kesselchen again.
The replay ended at this point.
Lap 8, and I was trading places with the Corvette. I would go past into a corner, which I did on 2 occasions, and he would come back past on the following straight, which he did on 2 occasions! We were 12 seconds behind the leading RX8.
Lap 9 saw me passing the 'vette at along Kottenborn. I managed to stay ahead for most of the lap, but he just blew by me along the Döttinger höhe. In his draft, I had earlier managed to get up to 150mph, and he was still pulling away. On my own, all I could manage was 137mph, so I was easy meat!
Lap 10 - I got back past the Corvette through Hatzenbach, and made slight gains on the RX8 before we both pitted at the end of the lap. I took on 50 units and changed my tyres. The Corvette now had a 22 second lead over the RX8, with me a further 2 seconds back in third.
Lap 11 saw me doing a lap of 8'20.xxx and in the process, I past the RX8 and gain 2 seconds on him. I didn't note where I got past...
Lap 12 was an in lap for the 'vette. I got his 27 second lead down to 22 as he pitted, as I set a lap of 8'18.7xx. As he pitted, I took the lead for the first time. Yay! The RX8 was only 1.1 seconds behind me. Boo!
Lap 13 saw another fastest lap. 8'17.733 was the new benchmark. The RX8 had dropped to 2 seconds back, with the 'vette about 3 seconds further back.
I got an 8'16.579 on lap 14 and that was ultimately to be my fastest lap of the race. The RX8 was still only 2 seconds behind me however. I just couldn't shake him off.
I pitted from the lead at the end of lap 15, and was followed into the pits by the RX8. The RX8 was having tyre troubles and spun just before entering the pits, losing a few seconds in the process. The Corvette carried on. I came out in 2nd place, 11 seconds behind the Corvette, with the RX8 a few seconds behind me in 3rd.
Lap 16 was an 8'20.xxx. The Corvette was 17 seconds in the lead.
I didn't gain anytime on the Corvette during lap 17, and I could also see the RX8 in my mirror as I went down Döttinger höhe. The RX8 and Corvette both took about 3 seconds from me on that straight alone!
The end of lap 18 saw the Corvette pit, sticking to his 6 lap pit strategy. He lost some time on his in lap and was only 10 seconds ahead when he entered the pitlane. This left me in the lead, with the RX8 only 2.4 seconds behind me.
This was going to be close!
The RX8 gained more time on me during lap 19, ending it only 1.8 seconds behind me.
Lap 20 was an in lap for both the RX8 and me. The RX8 blew past me on the straight, only to spin again just before he pitted, so I led into the pits. 50/80 fuel and new boots fitted. While I was stationary, the Corvette came past.
The 6 stop strategy of the 'vette meant he was due to stop again on lap 24. The RX8 and myself were due to stop on lap 25. The race was looking like it was going to be over 29 laps, so all 3 of us had 1 stop left, and we were all covered by about 7 seconds! It was a tad close!
After my stop, I was behind the Corvette and managed to get past into Breidsheid. Going up Kesselchen, the 'vette gained time on me, but he ran into the back of me instead of going round. I didn't move to block him. I finished lap 21, 1.4 seconds ahead of the Chevrolet, and about 7 secs ahead of the Mazda.
I completed lap 22 in 8'18.9xx, but the Corvette had closed to be only 1.0 second behind. The RX8 also gained time and was only about 5 seconds down.
I managed to pick up my pace a bit on lap 23 by doing a 8'16.7xx, and pulled away from the 'vette. The gap between me in the lead and the 'vette in 2nd was now 2.2 secs, but the RX8 gained to within 4!
Lap 24 and the 'vette was dropping back due to his tyres going off. The RX8 was caught behind him and dropped back too. By T10, the gap was 8.7 seconds, but then the RX8 got past and immediately brought it back to 5.7 seconds by T11!
The 'vette made his last pitstop and, a lap later, my Evo and the RX8 made our last stops too. The Rx8 did his usual spin, and I was 12 seconds in the lead. This was by far the biggest lead I had during the whole race. All I had to do was to hold onto it. Easy...
On lap 26, the RX8 closed the gap down to 10.8 seconds, with the Corvette a further 2 seconds back.
I had a nightmare on lap 27. I completed a scrappy lap in 8'25.xxx. The RX8 was now only 2.5 seconds behind, and was dragging the 'vette along with him.
I picked myself back up a bit on lap 28, the 2nd last lap, but the RX8 used his superior power to get past along Döttinger höhe. I finished the lap in 2nd place, and started the last lap 0.403 behind the leading RX8.
Lap 29. This was it. I had to get past the RX8 and build up a gap so he couldn't just breeze past me on the straight again. I shadowed him through Hatzenbach, got a gap, and slipped past into Hocheichen. Into first again. Now to get a gap. Flat through Flugplatz, late braking into Aremburg, down the hill and up into Adenaur Forst. Through the split just after and the gap was 1.733 seconds. So far, so good. I drove well through the next few corners, but the gap didn't increase. Through Bergwerk and up the hill, the RX8 gained on me, and brought the gap down to 0.683. At this point I have no idea of any gaps. I just tried to drive the rest of the lap as best I could, and hope I rebuilt a gap to that bloomin' RX8. Out onto Döttinger höhe for the last time. Under the bridge. Glanced up at the T time and saw 2 point something. Was that going to be enough? It would be close. I didn't want to look back... Under the 2nd bridge at Antoniusbuche, and he was filling my mirror! This was 1 lap short of a pit-in lap, so he wouldn't spin this time... Flat through Tiergarten, brake late for Hohenrain. Into the last corner, and I had him. He wasn't getting past me now...
WIN!!! Yay!
Me and my Merc had done it! I had won by 1.377 seconds. After 4 hours!
The Corvette also closed up behind us and finished 2.009 seconds behind me. 2 seconds covering the first 3 after 4 hours of racing!
Result
Location - Nürburgring Nordschleife Map, complete with corner names - courtesy of AMG.
Event - Nürburgring 4 hour endurance.
I fitted my 190E 2.5-16 EvoII with some hard sport tyres, and moved the adjustable wings to a halfway position. The car was otherwise unmodified.
My opposition was as follows-
Renault Clio V6 Phase 2
Mazda RX8 Type S
Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
BMW M3
BMW M Coupe
and me, starting from the back
The Clio shot away into the lead. I knew the Clio's pace wouldn't last, and it would spin before pitting for new tyres. I got past the M Coupe along Kottenborn, and the M3 followed (at the 2nd attempt) into the Mutkurve.
Into 4th place, and I was gaining time on the Corvette. Not much, but I was gaining slightly. At the end of the first lap, I was in fourth, 9 seconds behind the leading Clio.
Lap 2 and I was hounding the Corvette. I outbraked him into Aremberg, but he came back past me on the exit. I was all over his blue and white butt through the next few corners, but he pulled away up the slight hill at Kesselchen. I then had to claw him back over the 2nd half of the lap. I managed just get in his draft along Döttinger höhe, but he still pulled away from me. I was now 22 seconds behind the Clio after 2 laps.
Not much happened on lap 3. I held the gap to the RX8 and 'vette in 2nd and 3rd ahead of me, but lost more time to the Clio. 40 seconds down now.
Lap 4, and the Clio was starting to lose it. 1st to fourth, and losing a forty second lead, in a fraction of a lap. At the end of the lap, it was the RX8 in the lead. The Corvette in 2nd, and me in my 190, 3rd, 22 seconds behind the RX8.
Lap 5 saw the RX8 pitting from the lead. I pitted too as my front left was orange and would not have lasted another lap. I filled the tank up to 50 of the 80 units available, and put on a set of hard sports tyres. When we came out of the pits, the Corvette was 40 seconds ahead of me, with the Mazda in between us. The corvette hadn't pitted but was doing an extra lap. His 6 lap strategy would mean that he would need 1 fewer stop than the RX8 and my Mercedes. In my eyes, this made the Corvette favourite, and we had to take time out of him if we were to beat him.
Lap 6 saw the 'vette pitting. He came out still in the lead, but was only 6.8 seconds ahead of me, with the RX8 in between us. The 'vette had cold tyres and was holding the RX8 up which allowed me to close up slightly. The RX8 went past into the lead at Adenaur Forst. At Breidsheid, I was within touching distance of the 'vette, but he was able to use his power and pull away up Kesselchen again.
The replay ended at this point.
Lap 8, and I was trading places with the Corvette. I would go past into a corner, which I did on 2 occasions, and he would come back past on the following straight, which he did on 2 occasions! We were 12 seconds behind the leading RX8.
Lap 9 saw me passing the 'vette at along Kottenborn. I managed to stay ahead for most of the lap, but he just blew by me along the Döttinger höhe. In his draft, I had earlier managed to get up to 150mph, and he was still pulling away. On my own, all I could manage was 137mph, so I was easy meat!
Lap 10 - I got back past the Corvette through Hatzenbach, and made slight gains on the RX8 before we both pitted at the end of the lap. I took on 50 units and changed my tyres. The Corvette now had a 22 second lead over the RX8, with me a further 2 seconds back in third.
Lap 11 saw me doing a lap of 8'20.xxx and in the process, I past the RX8 and gain 2 seconds on him. I didn't note where I got past...
Lap 12 was an in lap for the 'vette. I got his 27 second lead down to 22 as he pitted, as I set a lap of 8'18.7xx. As he pitted, I took the lead for the first time. Yay! The RX8 was only 1.1 seconds behind me. Boo!
Lap 13 saw another fastest lap. 8'17.733 was the new benchmark. The RX8 had dropped to 2 seconds back, with the 'vette about 3 seconds further back.
I got an 8'16.579 on lap 14 and that was ultimately to be my fastest lap of the race. The RX8 was still only 2 seconds behind me however. I just couldn't shake him off.
I pitted from the lead at the end of lap 15, and was followed into the pits by the RX8. The RX8 was having tyre troubles and spun just before entering the pits, losing a few seconds in the process. The Corvette carried on. I came out in 2nd place, 11 seconds behind the Corvette, with the RX8 a few seconds behind me in 3rd.
Lap 16 was an 8'20.xxx. The Corvette was 17 seconds in the lead.
I didn't gain anytime on the Corvette during lap 17, and I could also see the RX8 in my mirror as I went down Döttinger höhe. The RX8 and Corvette both took about 3 seconds from me on that straight alone!
The end of lap 18 saw the Corvette pit, sticking to his 6 lap pit strategy. He lost some time on his in lap and was only 10 seconds ahead when he entered the pitlane. This left me in the lead, with the RX8 only 2.4 seconds behind me.
This was going to be close!
The RX8 gained more time on me during lap 19, ending it only 1.8 seconds behind me.
Lap 20 was an in lap for both the RX8 and me. The RX8 blew past me on the straight, only to spin again just before he pitted, so I led into the pits. 50/80 fuel and new boots fitted. While I was stationary, the Corvette came past.
The 6 stop strategy of the 'vette meant he was due to stop again on lap 24. The RX8 and myself were due to stop on lap 25. The race was looking like it was going to be over 29 laps, so all 3 of us had 1 stop left, and we were all covered by about 7 seconds! It was a tad close!
After my stop, I was behind the Corvette and managed to get past into Breidsheid. Going up Kesselchen, the 'vette gained time on me, but he ran into the back of me instead of going round. I didn't move to block him. I finished lap 21, 1.4 seconds ahead of the Chevrolet, and about 7 secs ahead of the Mazda.
I completed lap 22 in 8'18.9xx, but the Corvette had closed to be only 1.0 second behind. The RX8 also gained time and was only about 5 seconds down.
I managed to pick up my pace a bit on lap 23 by doing a 8'16.7xx, and pulled away from the 'vette. The gap between me in the lead and the 'vette in 2nd was now 2.2 secs, but the RX8 gained to within 4!
Lap 24 and the 'vette was dropping back due to his tyres going off. The RX8 was caught behind him and dropped back too. By T10, the gap was 8.7 seconds, but then the RX8 got past and immediately brought it back to 5.7 seconds by T11!
The 'vette made his last pitstop and, a lap later, my Evo and the RX8 made our last stops too. The Rx8 did his usual spin, and I was 12 seconds in the lead. This was by far the biggest lead I had during the whole race. All I had to do was to hold onto it. Easy...
On lap 26, the RX8 closed the gap down to 10.8 seconds, with the Corvette a further 2 seconds back.
I had a nightmare on lap 27. I completed a scrappy lap in 8'25.xxx. The RX8 was now only 2.5 seconds behind, and was dragging the 'vette along with him.
I picked myself back up a bit on lap 28, the 2nd last lap, but the RX8 used his superior power to get past along Döttinger höhe. I finished the lap in 2nd place, and started the last lap 0.403 behind the leading RX8.
Lap 29. This was it. I had to get past the RX8 and build up a gap so he couldn't just breeze past me on the straight again. I shadowed him through Hatzenbach, got a gap, and slipped past into Hocheichen. Into first again. Now to get a gap. Flat through Flugplatz, late braking into Aremburg, down the hill and up into Adenaur Forst. Through the split just after and the gap was 1.733 seconds. So far, so good. I drove well through the next few corners, but the gap didn't increase. Through Bergwerk and up the hill, the RX8 gained on me, and brought the gap down to 0.683. At this point I have no idea of any gaps. I just tried to drive the rest of the lap as best I could, and hope I rebuilt a gap to that bloomin' RX8. Out onto Döttinger höhe for the last time. Under the bridge. Glanced up at the T time and saw 2 point something. Was that going to be enough? It would be close. I didn't want to look back... Under the 2nd bridge at Antoniusbuche, and he was filling my mirror! This was 1 lap short of a pit-in lap, so he wouldn't spin this time... Flat through Tiergarten, brake late for Hohenrain. Into the last corner, and I had him. He wasn't getting past me now...
WIN!!! Yay!
Me and my Merc had done it! I had won by 1.377 seconds. After 4 hours!
The Corvette also closed up behind us and finished 2.009 seconds behind me. 2 seconds covering the first 3 after 4 hours of racing!
Result
Code:
190E 2.5-16 EvoII 4:04'12.190
Mazda RX8 Type S 4:04'13.567
Corvette Grand Sport 4:04'14.199
BMW M3 unknown
Clio V6 unknown
BMW M Coupe unknown
👍
and difficult to hang with when you're in a slower car.
which has no bearing on A-spec points. The reason the Corvette appears faster is because he has a much more sane pit strategy over the course of 29 laps (give or take a lap or 2) and doesn't lose over a minute every 4th lap like the Clio does.
