- 3,144
- Lancashire
- Ryk_BRM
Deafening - Painstaking - Reckoning
Today was the day to start this event. No more testing.
Nurburgring 24 hours
Got my weapon of choice. The Gillet Vertigo.
Set up was the Gamer Alexander 6m10s set up.
I
Race is all wet and damp. Which is a stern test as the Vertigo is a nightmare in the wet, And that was optimal Uber-Gripenmeister® tyres. That said you race when you race... A Belgian car based on an English design from the 1950's the car should understand wet roads.
Grid.
R. Kuusisto --- Citröen GT
T. Anttila ---- Audi R8 LMS
C. Fontana ---- Pagani Zonda LM
B. Monroe ----- Ford GT LM
F. Caceras ---- Lister Storm V12 LM
O. Combs ------ McLaren F1 GTR LM
P. Georges ---- Audi R8 LMS (Playstation)
E. Huber ------ Blitz ER34 Dunlop Skyline
D. Otto ------- Chevrolet Corvette C5-R
T. Silvestri -- Audi R10 TDi
F. Wynn ------- Peugeot 905
I manually selected Rain tyres for the rolling start.
What would happen. Well the rooster tails and spray was bad, but the Vertigo was monstering my cold wet tyres... wheelspinning under me as I tried to get some speed... had to ease off and go up a few cogs to get the power to the track rather than just spinning the tyres. I prefer the inside (Pit lane side) when passing here, and I went off line so that I had some forward vision up front... great call as the rest just pootled into turn 1... I gained several places. Slipped into 2nd place and then kept my speed to get inside the red Citröen GT of Kuusisto at the second, ultra tight, part of the Castrol S.
Getting the power down was the problem... I had loads of power. but it was all too easy to waste it... First lap I probably hurt my tyres more than I realised. But I scampered away none the less as I began to learn how best to drive in the wet.
Firstly low revs are a must... The car will lose traction at the back like a teenage girl will lose concentration when looking at a pony. "Oh pretty hooves!" You can manage it, but there were several ways to do this...
Moderate the throttle - you don't have to floor it out of corners, bring the power in softly and smoothly - This is very hard when the engine wants you to give it the beans. You also need ot make sure the car is as straight as possible, flooring it while you are still turning is often enoguh to make the difference between the power being used for acceleration or it breaking traction and causing a fishtail . It you can limit the tyre loading laterally (Turns) then you have more grip available to get the power dowm.. if you are still turning you need to be even more gentle. Certain parts of the track demand more care than others...
Any slow corner will force you to step back and feed the power in carefully.
The GP track is tough the corners seem longer and tighter and for some reason mure bumpy - Schumacher S and Hatzenbach Boden aside every corner is a trial of "hurry up and wait" if you rush to get the power down you will create more problems Either understeer wide mid corner, or oversteer on the corner exit into a fishtail skid.
Some of the faster corners need moderation too. Mutt kurve and Klostertal are both fast corners that create problems.. Mutt kurve is odd as often a problem will come up after the apex... several hundred yards later the front end will sort of grab amd you will oversteer to the left... Be smooth on the steering here.
Klostertal is just a tough thread a needle corner. Nice place to make a second or too if you are commited nice place to end up eating Armco if you high the curb on the right... or miss the apex on the right by too much and run wide on the left on the exit.
From Karussell onwards it is fast but fair, no stand out bogey corners until you get to Pflantzgarten where the usual very fast flat out double apex bends and jumps become more of a test, but a good balance and good positioning makes it enjoyable.
Swallowtail is tricky due to the concrete - The last part is great to get the engine to the top rev band. The woe only resurfaces on the final corner as the car will again wag its tail as you try to get the power down for the pit straight.
For most of the lap I was in 4th gear... Dropping down a gear to help slow the car down, but upshifting on corner exit to keep the revs low (well under 5,000)
Flugplatz / Schwedenkruez / Aremburg is comitment... careful into Flugplatz over the jump... means you can then give it the beans all the way to Swedish cross, put out the anchors and then hug the lefthander at 130mph or so... and brake early for Aremburg... may cost a second or so.... but a trip to the gravel will add much more - then you have to get the car going... Did I mention the car isn't happy getting moving from low speeds?
Notes
Lap7
Fontana (Zonda) pitted dropped from 3rd to 6th place(SIL/MON/WYN all passed in pits)
My tyres were down to about 50% - Even more wheelspin issues.
Lap 8
Combs(McLaren F1GTR) Pits
Monroe(Ford GTLM)Pits
Silvestri (Audi R10TDi) Pits
Wynn (Peugeot 905) Pits
- Fontana reclaims 3rd place)
Lap 9
Ryk Pits (Gillet Vertigo) (92 Litres suggested - 93 demanded - Put on fresh WET tyres)
I'd say a Pits stop adds 1m15 to the out lap's first sector time - A Pit stop may add more time to the inslaps final sector time - but didn't note down previous laps
Lapped 12th (E. Huber - Blitz ER34 Dunlop Skyline) and 11th place (F. Caceres - Lister Storm)
Lap 10 Lapped 10th place (D. Otto - Corvette C5-R)
---
Times
Lap - LapTime - -(Delta) - 2nd--3rd--4th--5th--6th--7th--8th
001 - 10m00.6 - (042.3s) - KUU--FON--ANT--COM--MON--GEO--WYN
002 - 09m51.2 - (064.7s) - FON--COM--KUU--ANT--MON--WYN--SIL
003 - 09m49.6 - (091.5s) - FON--COM--KUU--MON--ANT--SIL--WYN
004 - 09m59.0 - (112.7s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--KUU--WYN--GEO
005 - 09m51.9 - (137.5s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--KUU--ANT
006 - 09m54.5 - (164.5s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--KUU--GEO
007 - 10m01.2 - (191.0s) - COM--SIL--MON--FON--WYN--KUU--GEO
008 - 10m14.5 - (186.3s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
009 - 11m00.2 - (212.5s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
010 - 09m38.0 - (244.3s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
011 - 09m48.7 - (271.5s) - ----------
012 - 09m50.9 - (300.0s)------------
013 - 09m51.5 - (328.0s)--------------
014 - 09m56.4 - (360.0s) - COM--SIL--FON--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
015 - 10m07.3 - (437.0s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--ANT
016 - 10m08.5 - (???.?s) -
Suspended the race.
Lap 16 the tyres were under 50% tread depth left, but the grip level was greatly reduced.
I noted down a few splits on Lap 12 which I felt was a fairly normal lap - maybe slower than usual due to the repeated pausing to write the split time down.
0m24.2 (Overpass)
0m57.5 (Dunlop)
1m32.3 (Hatzenbach Boden)
1m57.4 (Nordschliefe Gate)
2m50.0 (Quiddelbacher Hohe)
3m26.3 (Aremburg Bridge)
3m57.0 (Adenauer Forst)
4m56.0 (Wehrseifen)
5m38.0 (Bergwerk)
6m05.0 (Mutkurve)
7m04.0 (Hedwig's Höhe)
7m45.0 (Brunchen/Eiskurve)
8m20.0 (Pflanztgarten II)
9m06.0 (Döttinger Höhe)
9m25.5 (Antoniusbuche)
9m50.9 (Start/Finish)
Not the fastest lap but round about numbers for a clean safe lap in a Vertigo in the wet if you're called Troy Queef. (Maybe not; the Vertigo does have an engine larger than 1.6 litres)
My later laps (15 and 16) I took splits at Aremburg (3m31 and 3m30) and at Hedwig's höhe (7m13 and 7m12) which are both off the pace... but seemed to demonstrate the grip level steps down to a level rather than just falling off into the abyss.
I was running 8 lap stints... Tyres may well be able to go for more, I was losing time because of them on the 6th/7th and 8th laps. Each 8 lap stint in the wet takes about 1hour 20 minutes.
Lapping cars is tricky the spray impedes your forward view... and it is hard to know just where on the track they may be if you plan a banzai pass on a fast bit of track... A Dive up the inside may work.. I pulled a sweet move on Monroe's Ford GT - only to see him out gun me up the hill out of Ex Muhle as my car - forced into a tight line couldn't get the power down - Monroe then ran off track after Berwerk before Kesselchen... letting me through. Very sporting of him to mow the grass... not quite the weather for it though.
Crashes -
This stint. Nothing. I ran on the grass twice, both times a wheel on the outside at Wehrsiefen bridge... lo speed stuff - maybe kicked up some mud. I also clipped the Nordschleife pit wall - that was a light glancing blow that was not due to being out of control or wheel spin, just a pause/resume... (Oh did I not pause it to avoid the end of the pit wall...) I would probably have just got away with the impact. It was low speed, at a very shallow angle... Then again maybe the car would have exploded into a blizzard of carbon fibre shards! The only other mistake I could class as bad was I buzzed the rev limiter into Teirgarten - downchanged from 6th to 4th (I only wanted 5th) - Could have lunched the engine.
Considering how much driving I've had to do, I'm very happy that I've had no spins, impacts, off track rambles. I've had alot of moments... Hell, this car is trying its best to get away from me, but after nearly 3 hours Nothing I would class as a terrible mistake.
Today was the day to start this event. No more testing.
Nurburgring 24 hours
Got my weapon of choice. The Gillet Vertigo.
Set up was the Gamer Alexander 6m10s set up.
I
Race is all wet and damp. Which is a stern test as the Vertigo is a nightmare in the wet, And that was optimal Uber-Gripenmeister® tyres. That said you race when you race... A Belgian car based on an English design from the 1950's the car should understand wet roads.
Grid.
R. Kuusisto --- Citröen GT
T. Anttila ---- Audi R8 LMS
C. Fontana ---- Pagani Zonda LM
B. Monroe ----- Ford GT LM
F. Caceras ---- Lister Storm V12 LM
O. Combs ------ McLaren F1 GTR LM
P. Georges ---- Audi R8 LMS (Playstation)
E. Huber ------ Blitz ER34 Dunlop Skyline
D. Otto ------- Chevrolet Corvette C5-R
T. Silvestri -- Audi R10 TDi
F. Wynn ------- Peugeot 905
I manually selected Rain tyres for the rolling start.
What would happen. Well the rooster tails and spray was bad, but the Vertigo was monstering my cold wet tyres... wheelspinning under me as I tried to get some speed... had to ease off and go up a few cogs to get the power to the track rather than just spinning the tyres. I prefer the inside (Pit lane side) when passing here, and I went off line so that I had some forward vision up front... great call as the rest just pootled into turn 1... I gained several places. Slipped into 2nd place and then kept my speed to get inside the red Citröen GT of Kuusisto at the second, ultra tight, part of the Castrol S.
Getting the power down was the problem... I had loads of power. but it was all too easy to waste it... First lap I probably hurt my tyres more than I realised. But I scampered away none the less as I began to learn how best to drive in the wet.
Firstly low revs are a must... The car will lose traction at the back like a teenage girl will lose concentration when looking at a pony. "Oh pretty hooves!" You can manage it, but there were several ways to do this...
Moderate the throttle - you don't have to floor it out of corners, bring the power in softly and smoothly - This is very hard when the engine wants you to give it the beans. You also need ot make sure the car is as straight as possible, flooring it while you are still turning is often enoguh to make the difference between the power being used for acceleration or it breaking traction and causing a fishtail . It you can limit the tyre loading laterally (Turns) then you have more grip available to get the power dowm.. if you are still turning you need to be even more gentle. Certain parts of the track demand more care than others...
Any slow corner will force you to step back and feed the power in carefully.
The GP track is tough the corners seem longer and tighter and for some reason mure bumpy - Schumacher S and Hatzenbach Boden aside every corner is a trial of "hurry up and wait" if you rush to get the power down you will create more problems Either understeer wide mid corner, or oversteer on the corner exit into a fishtail skid.
Some of the faster corners need moderation too. Mutt kurve and Klostertal are both fast corners that create problems.. Mutt kurve is odd as often a problem will come up after the apex... several hundred yards later the front end will sort of grab amd you will oversteer to the left... Be smooth on the steering here.
Klostertal is just a tough thread a needle corner. Nice place to make a second or too if you are commited nice place to end up eating Armco if you high the curb on the right... or miss the apex on the right by too much and run wide on the left on the exit.
From Karussell onwards it is fast but fair, no stand out bogey corners until you get to Pflantzgarten where the usual very fast flat out double apex bends and jumps become more of a test, but a good balance and good positioning makes it enjoyable.
Swallowtail is tricky due to the concrete - The last part is great to get the engine to the top rev band. The woe only resurfaces on the final corner as the car will again wag its tail as you try to get the power down for the pit straight.
For most of the lap I was in 4th gear... Dropping down a gear to help slow the car down, but upshifting on corner exit to keep the revs low (well under 5,000)
Flugplatz / Schwedenkruez / Aremburg is comitment... careful into Flugplatz over the jump... means you can then give it the beans all the way to Swedish cross, put out the anchors and then hug the lefthander at 130mph or so... and brake early for Aremburg... may cost a second or so.... but a trip to the gravel will add much more - then you have to get the car going... Did I mention the car isn't happy getting moving from low speeds?
Notes
Lap7
Fontana (Zonda) pitted dropped from 3rd to 6th place(SIL/MON/WYN all passed in pits)
My tyres were down to about 50% - Even more wheelspin issues.
Lap 8
Combs(McLaren F1GTR) Pits
Monroe(Ford GTLM)Pits
Silvestri (Audi R10TDi) Pits
Wynn (Peugeot 905) Pits
- Fontana reclaims 3rd place)
Lap 9
Ryk Pits (Gillet Vertigo) (92 Litres suggested - 93 demanded - Put on fresh WET tyres)
I'd say a Pits stop adds 1m15 to the out lap's first sector time - A Pit stop may add more time to the inslaps final sector time - but didn't note down previous laps
Lapped 12th (E. Huber - Blitz ER34 Dunlop Skyline) and 11th place (F. Caceres - Lister Storm)
Lap 10 Lapped 10th place (D. Otto - Corvette C5-R)
---
Times
Lap - LapTime - -(Delta) - 2nd--3rd--4th--5th--6th--7th--8th
001 - 10m00.6 - (042.3s) - KUU--FON--ANT--COM--MON--GEO--WYN
002 - 09m51.2 - (064.7s) - FON--COM--KUU--ANT--MON--WYN--SIL
003 - 09m49.6 - (091.5s) - FON--COM--KUU--MON--ANT--SIL--WYN
004 - 09m59.0 - (112.7s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--KUU--WYN--GEO
005 - 09m51.9 - (137.5s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--KUU--ANT
006 - 09m54.5 - (164.5s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--KUU--GEO
007 - 10m01.2 - (191.0s) - COM--SIL--MON--FON--WYN--KUU--GEO
008 - 10m14.5 - (186.3s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
009 - 11m00.2 - (212.5s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
010 - 09m38.0 - (244.3s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
011 - 09m48.7 - (271.5s) - ----------
012 - 09m50.9 - (300.0s)------------
013 - 09m51.5 - (328.0s)--------------
014 - 09m56.4 - (360.0s) - COM--SIL--FON--MON--WYN--GEO--KUU
015 - 10m07.3 - (437.0s) - COM--FON--SIL--MON--WYN--GEO--ANT
016 - 10m08.5 - (???.?s) -
Suspended the race.
Lap 16 the tyres were under 50% tread depth left, but the grip level was greatly reduced.
I noted down a few splits on Lap 12 which I felt was a fairly normal lap - maybe slower than usual due to the repeated pausing to write the split time down.
0m24.2 (Overpass)
0m57.5 (Dunlop)
1m32.3 (Hatzenbach Boden)
1m57.4 (Nordschliefe Gate)
2m50.0 (Quiddelbacher Hohe)
3m26.3 (Aremburg Bridge)
3m57.0 (Adenauer Forst)
4m56.0 (Wehrseifen)
5m38.0 (Bergwerk)
6m05.0 (Mutkurve)
7m04.0 (Hedwig's Höhe)
7m45.0 (Brunchen/Eiskurve)
8m20.0 (Pflanztgarten II)
9m06.0 (Döttinger Höhe)
9m25.5 (Antoniusbuche)
9m50.9 (Start/Finish)
Not the fastest lap but round about numbers for a clean safe lap in a Vertigo in the wet if you're called Troy Queef. (Maybe not; the Vertigo does have an engine larger than 1.6 litres)
My later laps (15 and 16) I took splits at Aremburg (3m31 and 3m30) and at Hedwig's höhe (7m13 and 7m12) which are both off the pace... but seemed to demonstrate the grip level steps down to a level rather than just falling off into the abyss.
I was running 8 lap stints... Tyres may well be able to go for more, I was losing time because of them on the 6th/7th and 8th laps. Each 8 lap stint in the wet takes about 1hour 20 minutes.
Lapping cars is tricky the spray impedes your forward view... and it is hard to know just where on the track they may be if you plan a banzai pass on a fast bit of track... A Dive up the inside may work.. I pulled a sweet move on Monroe's Ford GT - only to see him out gun me up the hill out of Ex Muhle as my car - forced into a tight line couldn't get the power down - Monroe then ran off track after Berwerk before Kesselchen... letting me through. Very sporting of him to mow the grass... not quite the weather for it though.
Crashes -
This stint. Nothing. I ran on the grass twice, both times a wheel on the outside at Wehrsiefen bridge... lo speed stuff - maybe kicked up some mud. I also clipped the Nordschleife pit wall - that was a light glancing blow that was not due to being out of control or wheel spin, just a pause/resume... (Oh did I not pause it to avoid the end of the pit wall...) I would probably have just got away with the impact. It was low speed, at a very shallow angle... Then again maybe the car would have exploded into a blizzard of carbon fibre shards! The only other mistake I could class as bad was I buzzed the rev limiter into Teirgarten - downchanged from 6th to 4th (I only wanted 5th) - Could have lunched the engine.
Considering how much driving I've had to do, I'm very happy that I've had no spins, impacts, off track rambles. I've had alot of moments... Hell, this car is trying its best to get away from me, but after nearly 3 hours Nothing I would class as a terrible mistake.
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