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Message: [QUOTE="sota59, post: 13430117, member: 297951"] [ATTACH=full]1016856[/ATTACH] [B][SIZE=7] LEGENDARY CIRCUIT[/SIZE][/B] Next race we go to is in Belgium. Legendary Spa has provided some amazing racing every season, and don’t expect anything else this time either. Ballast provided us amazing race last weekend, and it is more spread out. Top speed will be critical, but as seen last season, cornering speed can be bigger factor. [SIZE=5][B] Gr2[/B][/SIZE] [U]Lexus[/U] got their 10th win last weekend as [U]NWR_Spookyluki[/U] took dominant flag to flag win, his 5th win. It was total opposite for [U]NWR_Bottlejob[/U], who was coming from 2nd place in Round 1, struggled in Sardegna. He kept it clean though and got solid 4th place in the end. Lexus has not great history in Spa, past 4 races in Belgium their best result is 4th place, from last season. NWR_Spookyluki might struggle again due success ballast he earned from his win, and there is some doubts he can even take the start. If that is the case, it will all be on NWR_Bottlejob to get points. His ballast is not as bad, but he does not sound optimistic for great result:[I] ‘’On one hand I have the ballast advantage, not being one of the heaviest cars but on the other hand I have a terrible track record at Spa, both in GT-MES last season and in other championships so overall I think a podium should be on the cards but I can't be too certain’’. [/I] [U]Honda[/U] got back on track in Round 2, as [U]sota59[/U] got second place. It was not easy though, he started only 4th due accident late in qualifying and he was struggling on first stint. After that he got groove on and made his way to 3rd and then 2nd place late in the race:[I] ‘’Qualifying made it really tough for me but I have to say, second place might been best there was in offer’’.[/I] sota59 has raced in Spa 5 times and been in top 2 every time, including win last season. With ballast not being problem for him, he is one to watch again: [I]‘’Goal is to be on podium, top 2 hopefully again. Win would be welcome, but this is tough field of drivers’’.[/I] It is looking like [U]jonimestari91[/U] will miss 3rd race in a row due technical issues and rumor is, replacement driver will be confirmed in couple days….. [U]Nissan[/U] was 3rd best in Gr2 in Sardegna, but Round 1 winner and reigning champ [U]TSR_JoeToGuy[/U] got third place and good points. He qualified 3rd and ran behind his teammate [U]TSR_Tomsoft[/U] first few laps. Traffic proved to be issue for pair, and during all that TSR_JoeToGuy jumped to second place. TSR_Tomsoft eventually dropped down to 4th after first round of pitstops and later in the race he had accident with Gr3’s and dropped 5th place. TSR_JoeToGuy was doing well holding on to second place with heavy car, but eventually was overtaken and settled for 3rd place. He has now good championship lead but lot of ballast, and despite doing well in Spa with heavy car last season, expect hard race: [I] ‘’I think I may end up 4th at Spa, but I have to target a podium. I think Tomsoft will be fighting for the win with Bottle and Sota, and Luki around me with his ballast’’. [/I]His teammate TSR_Tomsoft won in Spa last season in Gr3, and he has one of the lightest cars. But his accident in Sardegna earned him penalty, and he will start 5th place. Overtaking should be quite easy though and he needs to make his way quickly past slower cars to fight for his first Gr2-win:[I] ‘’ Will be interesting to see how I'll perform at Spa with Gr2s, as I'm absolutely not used to them there. Obviously not wanting to crash into someone again, but the track seems better for lapping cars in comparison to Sardegna’’.[/I] [SIZE=5][B] Gr3[/B][/SIZE] [U]Toyota[/U]-camp was happy with 4th place in Round 1, and then [U]de-luck4[/U] made it splash in Sardegna. He took pole and then ran away with race win with consistant laps all race long. It his 3rd win, and he has been saying for weeks that he has found pace in that Supra. It is time to take him seriously. But his major issue last season was adjusting to heavier car and Spa. He now heads to Spa with heaviest car: [I]‘’ Everybody is fast here, but i know that some cars will have chalange with fuel. So i will try to stay close and use mistakes from cars in front’’.[/I] If he wants to be title contender, he needs consistency and podiums to add to his win, and in season that we cant expect anybody to dominate, de-luck4 could go long way. Supra should be one of the fastest cars in Spa, and it was last season, so look out for [U]GTO250GTO[/U]. He struggled first 2 races, crashed in first lap in Sardegna, but he has light car and had solid pace last season, can he repeat that this season? [I]‘’ Car feels good around Spa, but compared to the times I heard the other guys are doing it's not particularly fast’’[/I] – GTO250GTO said. Biggest surprise in Sardegna was speed of [U]BMW[/U]-drivers. [U]thunderpigeon [/U] came to season with big expectations, he had good start to season in Nurburgring and then was setting great pace in Sardegna. He did not have ultimate speed to win the race, but he was not far off, qualifying 2nd and keeping it until the end. Gap to leader end of the race did not make his performance justice. His teammate [U]doc-shipman[/U] was expected to struggle first half of the season after long break, but he was great in Round 2 already, finishing 4th after eventful race. On paper, Spa should again suit BMW, but after early testing thunderpigeon is not so sure: [I]‘’ I'm not feeling as confident as I did in preseason for spa. My pace doesn't appear to be there, and I think the car isn't best suited to this track. Hopefully a clean and consistent race will get me a good result. I'd be happy with top 5’’. [/I]doc-shipman goes in to race with lightest car and is hoping to have another great race: [I]‘’ Off the back of a strong performance last weekend and some promising consistency in practice I'm hoping for a similar result this weekend, although that might be optimistic!’’ [/I] [U]Porsche[/U] had another solid race as [U]y_bearr_[/U] kept it clean and once again crossed line in 3rd place and with some nice points. It was not easy race but he kept nose clean. [U]amuda54[/U] was fighting for 7th place all race long, but was taken out late in the race. He was found breaking tire-rules after the race and his 8th place became DSQ. Spa has been good race for both drivers and Porsche. y_bearr_ took one of 3 Porsche wins in Spa in Season 12, and although win might be unrealistic with his ballast, expect to see good race from Indonesian: [I]‘’ I think Spa will be even more exciting than Sardegna. Rotary, Wesley and Swablu will looking for retaliation. Supra, Jaguar, subaru and Porsche will fight for podium’’.[/I] This has always been one of the strongest circuit for amuda, last season he was even leading one point before dropping to 4th. But he is not optimistic for great result, even with light car:[I] ‘’ I haven’t been very happy with my setup for this track as I have in previous races, but I think I can challenge for a top 5. I am just hoping for a trouble free run and hopefully I’ll get some good points’’.[/I] After great start to the season in Nurburgring, [U]Subaru[/U] had race to forget in Sardegna. [U]RLH_Wesley99[/U] had technical problems and could not start the race, he was set for good race. That left [U]RTA_SAFFA[/U] as only Subaru-driver and with ballast from his win in Round 1, he struggled. With error during pitstop, he finished 6th, promoted to 5th after penalties. Atleast he did not have technical issues like expected, but those same issues might happen this weekend. He can only hope for best and start the race, pace again does not look like it will be enough for fight in the top, so we look to the other Subaru. [U]RLH_Wesley99[/U] has no ballast, and with Subaru being winning car here last season, expectations are big: [I]''Hope I can get in the lobby this week and I have the feeling I can battle for the win''. [/I] [U]Jaguar[/U] was one of the hottest favorites coming to the season, but race in Sardegna was hard one. [U]TRS_Swablu[/U] did not have pace to win, but looked like podium was in the cards, until crash. He finished 5th but was Disqualified after failing tire-rules. That meant that [U]G4 Rotary[/U], who finally was able to start the race, was only Jaguar to get classified finish, 6th. Going in to Spa, it seems certain that Jaguar will be one of the fastest if not fastest car. But issue seems to be, how long can they run with fuel? They are going to need great qualifying, and run away if they are going to struggle later in the stint. TSR_Swablu needs to get back to scoring good points after last race: [I]''Im quietly confident for this one, I think i have a shot at a podium as long as i race smart. I cant possibly do any worse than last weeks race so im excited to get some more points on the board''. [/I]G4 Rotary's pace in Jaguar has been disapointing, and even if he has never been luckiest in Spa, pace has always been there, often been fastest car, including last season: [I]''It's probably my best track so far and it suits the Jaguar quite well, I'm not going to win but I'm just going to have fun with it''.[/I] [/QUOTE]

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