Playing a bit of catch-up here, these are my weekend reports:
[Sorry, I unintentionally broke forum rules with the way I posted this first time.]
Put the kettle on, it's a long one...
This was one of those weekends where I wonder why I bothered firing up GT Sport. Well, until my last race tonight...
B/S driver in a largely B/S lobby.
On Saturday, my G29 wheel was randomly sending me to the PS4 desktop. Long story short, I'd had to dismantle it to tighten the steering column (and discovering the two screws weren't loose, they were tight in their posts which had snapped of of the main body of the base, making super glue the only possible repair!). Each race, I was 'desktopped' 8-10 times allowing cars to pass or accidentally hit me into the wall in one case. Races ruined. Dismantled and checked connections for Sunday and so far, so good.
Nations: First race was a disaster, from wheel issues and dirty driving aound me, resulting in penalties for contact caused by the other party. Qualified
P16.
P9 approaching the final double left but rammed by someone already with a 2s penalty. Nothing added and he is now P7!
P11 for me. The P12 driver then puts me in the gravel to
P18. No penalty for him despite having all 4 wheels over the white line at the corner immediately before hitting me! Someone then barges past me later, putting me off track for no penalty.
P13 to
P14. Shortly after, on the way to the double left, someone muscles past and receives nothing for being 4 wheels over the line. Me? I get 7 (seven) seconds for the resulting contact!!! That drops me to
P18, especially when the someone mentioned above forces me off track and into the barrier.
P20. No penalty for him. And that's how I finished.
Race 2: Qualified
P6 in the Toyota Hybrid TS050, up to
P3 in the first 15 seconds. P2 driver misjudged the tight hairpin at the bottom of the hill.
P2. Start of Lap 4, I pass up the inside into
P1. Another car promptly pushes him off into the Armco and P4.
By Lap 6/18, I had over 2s lead that car, which pitted end of Lap 7. I came in the following lap, changing from S to M and down to
P2. The 'desktopping' really started to take effect, and someone was on my tail by Lap 10. P1 pitted and I was in the lead again, only just. I was passed on Lap 12, having lost 2.4s in one sector thanks to my wheel issue, and I had lost a tonne of time by Lap 18.
The final indignation was to come at the hill hairpin again when I was desktopped and a reasonably innocent peron rear-ended me into the wall (although he was doing about 10mph more than the previous lap at that pont on the track). I'd lost more time in time paused by the wheel than I was behind P1, so guaranteed win was lost.
P3 sounds decent until you take that into account. Wasn't going to risk the few small points haul with a further attempt.
Part 1 of 2
Manu: I found the BMW M6 an absolute pig to qualify, ending up
P20 every time.
Race 1: Qualified
P20, finished
P20 after a game of Demolition Derby meets penalise the Innocent Party.
Race 2: Qualified
P20. Lap 1,
P17 after the pit hairpin.
P14 seconds later. Starting Lap 2,
P14. Then P15 passed on the inside of Turn 1 and I gave him maximum space but got hit by someone else who had already served a penalty on Lap1. 2 second penalty for me!
Someone then divebombed past the
P17 car and rammed a previously mentioned car into me at pit hairpin. Serving the 2s put me from
P15 to
P18. Then, one of the most bizarre penalties I've ever had... someone squeezes up the inside of me at the pit hairpin. In the process, there is the slightest of brushes as I'm careful to avoid contact. His car doesn't even brush the wall as he rides the rumblestrip, but I get a 2 second penalty!!!! If 2 real cars had made that little contact, I doubt there'd be any evidence.
🤬
P18. I repass that person for
P17 but lose the place to someone else at Turn 1. He picks up 1.5s for brushing the wall. I repass at the pit hairpin but inexplicably ovesteer to the barrier on exit, with somebody tapping me into a full spin. 1.5s penalty immediately, followed by, wait for it... a further 2s for causing a car to spin!!! Except it was me spinning - the other driver heading safely up the road, albeit with an extra 2s, presumably for hitting me!
However, he was able to clear his full 3.5s straight away, whilst I had to wait a full lap, even though he'd only picked his 2s up at the same time as me. That's a programming fault IMO.
P19.
Lap 5/18, someone uses that popular tactic of ramming me into the chicane before the final corner. Damage to front and rear, and to left front wheel. No penalty for him!!!🤬
P20. Pass a pitting car and another for
P18. The pitted car then bullies past at the righthander before the chicane, bumping my side and causing me turn in during recovery, resulting with him having the slightest of contact with the inside wall. 4s penalty for me!!!! Nothing for him of course.
A bit of early braking before the chicane makes him turn into the barrier for the 1.5s penalty he should already have had.
Someone passes me at the start of Lap 9.
P19, but I repass immediately before pitting - M to S tyres. Penalty served and
P20. He then rage quits or is kicked after 2x 1.5s penalties in quick succession so I move up by default. Final lap, and I repass someone serving 1.5s to finish a less-than-pleased
P18.
. At least it was a points boost.
He repassed but another car spun out, so status quo maintained. Took P16 from him as he served another penalty on Lap 4. Cars pitted on Lap 5, so now P13 then another place gained on passing a penalised car. At this point, he started going for the aggressive pass at the pre-chicane corner and of course I got the 4s penalty!
Joked before the race that I'd enjoy it while it lasted! 
Only my 3rd best haul from the 4 rounds so far.
The guy that got punted seemed to be a bit rammy with some of the guys ahead, I think that why he was sent to the shadow realm. 
