GT Sport - FG Races

[phil bottle 9,758]

2 hours ago, Diddums said:

I won a few races last night in the Sunday league thing. I haven't raced properly since GT4 (apart from the NFS stuff and GTA which is to racing what Blackburn Rovers is to professional football) so it was nice to have a little go again. I have a fucktonne of practice and shit to do but it was a laugh, I can see myself getting in to it again. 

 

Do the challenges and tracks in the Campaign mode. They pay out lots of money and free cars.

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

20 hours ago, Diddums said:

I won a few races last night in the Sunday league thing. I haven't raced properly since GT4 (apart from the NFS stuff and GTA which is to racing what Blackburn Rovers is to professional football) so it was nice to have a little go again. I have a fucktonne of practice and shit to do but it was a laugh, I can see myself getting in to it again. 

 

 

Ill take that as you mean were cool and edgy. Thanks 😄

 

Glad you got a few races done. It can get mildly addictive as you end up saying to yourself 'just one more race or lap' but can't deny its a proper step up from GTA thats for sure!

 

I'd spend a little time doing Circuit Experience so you can get lots of quick cash for new cars you'll need but more importantly to start learning the tracks and where to get the fastest lines.

[Greboth 2,721]

This weeks races were a good selection @phil bottlemixing up fast and technical across the 3.

 

Race 1 - Blue Moon Bay oval 30 laps Gr.3

We raced this track a few weeks ago but a much shorter race and without tyre wear or fuel usage.  I'd used the GTR before and thanks to my Not Matt Racing livery I was going to use it again.  I done a little practise to know that 10 lap old super softs were still faster than fresh racing hards and with fuel in the GTR only lasting 11-12 laps I'd settled on doing 3 stints of 10 laps each.  My strategy was a gamble though based on an assumption others wouldn't be running super softs meaning I could lap quicker.  Though it was risky as if I got caught in the pack then the tow would nullify my tyre advantage and 2 pitstops meant I was open to being challenged if someone eked out 15 laps of fuel and doing 1 stop.  Phil had left fuel and tyre usage on for qualifying so experience and tactics came in to play, burn as much fuel as possible then pit for new tyres, no fuel and then go for a qualifying lap.  Again this was a gamble as a tow helps but catching people at the wrong point of the oval does cost time and I'd only have 2 or 3 laps of actual qualifying.  I got a good first lap to get provisional pole and was going better on my second but messed it up allowing Kiwi to take provisional pole.  I knew a faster lap was possible so a quick dive in the pits for another new set of super softs saw me take pole.  On to the race, the first corner was going to be a big deciding point of the race for me - you start getting a tow around 1 second back in GT Sport, if I could break that I was going to be in good shape.  Thankfully I nailed T1 and staring at the gap to second; 1 second, 1.1 seconds, 1.2 seconds.  I'd nailed T1 and got a good enough run out of it that second place wasn't in the two.  After this it was a simple case of drive as fast as possible and  I pulled out, I think, about 6 seconds over the first 10 laps and sticking to plan I pitted.  This dropped me to the back of the field so it was now time to see how everyone else's pit stops would fall.  Over the next few laps everyone pitted giving the lead back to me though I think some had stretched to lap 13 or 14 which was a concern if it could be stretched to finish without another pit stop.  Lap 20 came and my second stop, this dropped me to 4th but I was gaining enough on the cars in front to know I could catch them before the end.  Though without pitstops I doubt I would be able to break the tow so it would then be free for all for who could get the best tow for the line.  Thankfully my gamble paid off as just as I caught up to, I think, Mike he pitted, then Kiwi pitted leaving me to chase Lee.  I think I got within a few seconds and then Lee also pulled in to the pits.  After this it was just keeping it clean to take the win.

 

For all the only tuning left jokes, it ended up being quite a tactical race and one I didn't know how it would end up until Lee pitted near the end.  The highlight of this race though had to be Mike asking me what tyres I would be using for me to say round ones 🤣 It was also good to see @Misneach_ bagging himself another podium.

 

 

Race 2 - Sardegna Track A 7 laps Gr.4 ...or the Peugeot convention.

In the quick practise going in to this race, I got the fastest time but Kiwi was close behind.  Come qualifying I did a Bottas, I set the initial pace getting provisional pole but though I'd gone faster in practise I bottled my lap whereas Kiwi nailed his to take pole by just over 0.1 seconds.  A few hiccoughs with getting the race started but eventually we got it sorted.  From practise I knew I had the pace to get passed Kiwi but equally I know how well he can defend and it's easy to lose time and not be able to get passed.  I think it was lap 1 Kiwi made a mistake on the fast left hander running wide giving me the easy lead but a mistake at the last corner allowed him to tow up behind me down the straight meaning a battle was on my hands.  I left a little room open going in to the hairpin in the middle of the lap which Kiwi took taking the lead again.  I think at this I followed Kiwi for the rest of the lap eventually getting passed again going in to the last hairpin where Kiwi ran a little wide giving me a gap.  I think a few more mistakes from Kiwi left me unchallenged for the rest of the race.

 

 

Race 3 - Kyoto Yamigawa + Miyabi 5 laps Gr4

We'd done quite a bit of practise of this track on Friday after GTA so most of us knew the track quite well.  Both Mike and Lee had gotten close in practise prior to Tuesday so I knew I couldn't rest on my laurels.  Come qualifying though I think both failed to nail their laps giving me pole bu ~1.5 seconds.  With my pace and a short number of laps it was going to be relatively easy win so when Lee told me slow down the end of lap 1 I did...well that was a mistake.  This put me in the pack with Lee, Mike and Kiwi meaning I couldn't run me normal lines or normal pace.  Due to some battling at the start of lap 4 I was 3rd about 1.5 seconds off Mike in the lead but at this point I'd managed to drop Kiwi a little.  Over the course of the lap both Lee and I caught up to Mike with Lee taking 2nd and me taking the lead at turn 6.  With lots of corners to go I was counting my chickens just yet but sadly Lee got a penalty at the double hairpins giving me a little breathing room and allowing Mike to get 2nd right at the end.

 

[phil bottle 9,758]

Was a good bunch of races. I got my strategy wrong in the first race choosing a car that was awful on fuel but really enjoyed the longer distance. 

The second race was full of mistakes, braking too late mostly, so happy with 4th in the end. Lee getting stuck in cockpit view was amazing 😅

Final race both Kiwi and I had TV shutdown messages literally within minutes of each other. My message telling me I had 60 seconds to stop shutdown obscured the whole screen and I went headfirst into a wall. This happened the previous week so well done me, I got what I deserved.

[Greboth 2,721]

@phil bottle maybe this should be your reminder to turn off the auto off timer then 😆

[JBR-Kiwi 286]

11 hours ago, phil bottle said:Final race both Kiwi and I had TV shutdown messages literally within minutes of each other. My message telling me I had 60 seconds to stop shutdown obscured the whole screen and I went headfirst into a wall. This happened the previous week so well done me, I got what I deserved.

I have to say mate you were very unlucky with your auto shutoff. Mine turned off as I went into that long left handed and miraculously my guess at where the track was worked out whilst I wrestled with the controller. 
 

Still not sure what was up with that last track as my optimal time was near as damn it what Greebs did, but for the life of me I just couldn’t get the sectors hooked up resulting in a fastest lap that was seconds away from what I could have done. Just a disappointing race from my side unfortunately 

[phil bottle 9,758]

Could not get any joy out of Brands Hatch after a crash early on and Laguna Seca was a nightmare. The N100 race was funny though. 

Good races, I believe there's a request for a wet track next week?

[JBR-Kiwi 286]

On 1/27/2021 at 10:03 AM, phil bottle said:

Could not get any joy out of Brands Hatch after a crash early on and Laguna Seca was a nightmare. The N100 race was funny though. 

Good races, I believe there's a request for a wet track next week?

Yes I think that was my request for the wet race. Would be good to see what sort of effect it has for everybody 🙂

 

I enjoyed the races on Tuesday with lots of close racing up and down the grid. Lots of improvement from everybody over the last couple of weeks which is good 

[Greboth 2,721]

I think it's safe to say that the races this week were mostly disliked due to Brands Hatch and Laguna Seca which are both tricky circuits with little room for error.

 

Race 1 - Brands Hatch Gr.3 4 laps

A tricky track with Paddock Hill (T1) catching out a lot of people throughout practice, qualifying and the race not to mention the fast right handers of Hawthorne, Westfield and Dingle Dell.  Qualifying for me started disastrously, I got out the pits second with, I think, Phil in front of me who kindly let me past for my flying lap which I then spun on.  No worries, I'll nail the next lap until I ran wide out the last corner which ruined the start of my second lap.  With only 10 minutes of qualifying and half of it gone by this point I managed to get a good lap in to grab second before setting a faster lap to get pole.  Judging by the rage and swearing going on in chat, I think most people were fairing similarly to me on their quali lap.  On to the start of the race, with how many mistakes I had made throughout my qualifying I tentative about pushing too much as 4 laps would not be enough to recover from a mistake.  The start was pretty clean though with the exception of Matt @Misneach_ who was straight off at T1 which he never really recovered from.  Lurch and Phil were looking like they could be a challenge too until at T3 Lurch ran wide and spinning back on to the track right in to the path of Phil.  This gave Kiwi and I a gap but Kiwi was pushing hard in second meaning I couldn't let off too much else he'd be passed.  I managed to keep it clean albeit relatively slow with Kiwi making a mistake at T1 of lap 3 giving me a little breathing room of a little over 2 seconds.  Kiwi was obviously hungry for the win though as he pushed getting the fastest lap on the last lap and closing the gap to just over 1 second by the finish line.

 

 

Race 2 - Laguna Seca Gr.4 13 laps

A few of us had done some practise over the weekend for this race and from this it was obvious the Audi TT was by far the fastest car round the track over a lap.  Though with tyre wear on and 13 laps, the choice was to not pit and have some horrible front tyres by the end or pit and lose however long that takes.  In practising, I tried out the Toyota GT86 which not being FWD was much kinder on it's front tyres than the Audi TT but at the cost of being 1-1.3 second a lap slower on ultimate pace.  The gamble was could I stay close enough to the front that if people pitted I'd have enough of a lead that I couldn't be caught or that I'd be close enough to take advantage of better tyres towards to the end of the race.  Ultimately I decided to stick with the GT86 for the practise leading up qualifying, if it was looking like I'd be too slow then it would give me time to switch back to the Audi TT.  Over the practise, I felt I was quick enough that the GT86 could work so I stuck with it.  So we started qualifying and, similar to Brands Hatch, I binned it and unfortunately due to the pack being pretty close I had to let everyone through costing me precious qualifying time.  I managed to get a quick lap in though so stick it on provisional pole but unfortunately caught up to the pack meaning I had to waste a lap to drop back.  Still I managed to get a better lap in to extend the gap back to second then Kiwi absolutely smashed it setting a pole time 1 second faster.  At that pace, I suddenly wasn't so certain I'd made the right car and strategy choice but too late to change now.  So on to the race, right from the start I was managing to keep Kiwi honest and only following a small mistake did I drop more than 1 second behind.  At the end of lap 3 or 4, I tried a pass at the last corner but missed my braking point by a couple metres causing me to run wide and allowing Kiwi the switch back.  The next lap I tried again and this time sticking the pass and then tried to pull away.  Around lap 7 and 8, I think most people pitted leaving me to just need to keep it on the black stuff to take the win.

 

 

Race 3 - Tskuba N100 9 laps

I think most of us went in to this race pretty blind though we have done this combo before.  The highlight of this had to be Stretch choosing a classic VW camper van and managing to hold up a good number of people during practise.  It was also fun to annoy Mike by cruising up behind and easily passing him as he was stuck behind Stretch in his campervan - that 100 shot of NOS I've got hidden in my car comes in useful at times.  I'm just thankful I didn't blow the welds on my intake manifold.  At the start of qualifying Stretch got out first and unofficially we decided that he deserved pole at least for a short while until we all went faster.  That was until, I believe, Mike tried to overtake on the first qualifying lap so putting Wreckfast and GTA driving in to practise he was soon knocked off track allowing Stretch to get pole for whole second.  After that qualifying was pretty uneventful from my perspective and I managed to take pole.  On to the race, I don't know what I did different but I seriously bogged down the launch costing me a few places which due to a bit of luck I made up a couple following Mike's kamikaze dive in to the middle hairpin.  This left me chasing Kiwi for the lead and over the course of the remaining laps I caught up and after a few nudges, a bit of rubbing and a BTCC inspired pass I took the lead where that 100 shot of NOS came in useful as it allowed me to pull away out the last hairpin rather than allow Kiwi to get the benefit of the tow.

 

[phil bottle 9,758]

Not practised at all this week, so RIP me tonight.

 

Willow Springs should be okay but the other track not all, not at all😢

[Greboth 2,721]

There's only about 54 corners to Saint Croix - how long could it take to learn it.

[slamminbones 1,785]

Got a little practice well if you want to call it that the way I was driving. 

[techno 3,510]

5 hours ago, phil bottle said:

Not practised at all this week, so RIP me tonight.

 

Willow Springs should be okay but the other track not all, not at all😢

Hopefully I had a go on the correct willow springs

[phil bottle 9,758]

A great evening of racing in my opinion, though the experience will never be the same for some now counter steering assists have been prohibited 😅

 

Thought @techno did great on his first races. 

Love Willow Springs and was doing well personally until the tyres started to wear out. Tits up after that, for me anyway 😁

The reverse grid in race 2 was sort of a good idea. I and @Lurch got some hostile attention at turn 1 and I never recovered. 

But it made @Grebothpull his socks up, going from last to a very deserved second, beaten by birthday boy @JBR-Kiwi

The wet race was actually a nice change and glad we tried it. I'm up for another one.

Most had a decent night I think, @LordBaguette showing he has some race pace, @slamminbones again in the wrong tyres 😅

@tronic44with one eye on the Man U game😆

As for @GazzaGarrattand his driving wheel, well that deserves it's own thread🤔😅

@Shucker showing some speed and a possible future front runner?

@Mikepjbell showing me his usual loving attention, did very well in race 2 despite the assist change, very impressive 👏

@Misneach_ where the fuck were you?

 

12 or 13 in total racing last night, reckon we will have 16 when everyone is able to get on🙂

 

GG guys 

[Misneach_ 299]

Lol I went snowboarding yesterday, took a sick day. 

[phil bottle 9,758]

Good races last night, though I think we'll stick Fuji in the 'never again' pile🙂

Nice to see @GazzaGarrattenjoying g his new wheel and promoting its benefits to one and all🤔😅

@LordBaguette quitting a race is going to get a meme at this rate.

Nice start by @crispymorgan

And @techno being the nemesis of @Grebothwas funny. 

I had altercations with @Lurch and @Shucker  but only because their pace secretly worries me😢

@slamminbones smashing Blue Moon surely elicited a nose bleed.

 

There's more to add but I gotta go🙂

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

5 minutes ago, phil bottle said:

Good races last night, though I think we'll stick Fuji in the 'never again' pile🙂

Nice to see @GazzaGarrattenjoying g his new wheel and promoting its benefits to one and all🤔😅

@LordBaguette quitting a race is going to get a meme at this rate.

Nice start by @crispymorgan

And @techno being the nemesis of @Grebothwas funny. 

I had altercations with @Lurch and @Shucker  but only because their pace secretly worries me😢

@slamminbones smashing Blue Moon surely elicited a nose bleed.

 

There's more to add but I gotta go🙂

 

It twas a great night again for sure. I persisted with the wheel as you guys said its how to get better at it. It started better than I expected but then my internet was abit dodgy to the extent that the DNS issues I was having I found out is a cause for the Pit Stop glitch and the fixed car at the start. Shame as that race felt it was going to be good in practice.

 

Monza went really well for 4 laps, even with James' @Lurch  car sideways in front of me! Problem with the wheel for me is when you do get a large mistake happen, it completely wrecks your race as I'm more akin to quickly sorting it with a controller. Need to understand more how to reset when fully facing a barrier or oversteer sends you off in a spin. Pressing options may help but there should be quicker options.

 

We'll see if i can find more time around for practicing with it. Eventually it would be easier to have a fold up race seat so it could bolt on that and i can put it away quickly afterwards.

 

Great to see some performances out there though from some people that usually feel they've had a shite week. I know I bang on about not quitting but a few people could've ended up high up in the final standings if they hadn't. Matt as a prime example jumped up 6 places after crashing and being last. I think this game hurts people a lot more internally than I first thought!

 

[techno 3,510]

Had a good laugh even though the racing was crap, sorry mine was crap. As @phil bottlesaid Fuji is awful, Monza could have been better but 3 spins put paid to that, odd as I'd never spun off till the race itself. Really enjoyed the last race all in mx5 tourings, a nice little battle going on at the rear of the pack and a nice comment from Phil was much appreciated 😁, by far the best and most interesting race of the night. When I can join and try again is purely down to work. 

[JBR-Kiwi 286]

I must have been the only person to actually enjoy Fuji!! 😂

 

Really good close races all evening with everybody and it’s showing just far everybody has come as now there is close racing all the way through the grid and lap times are relatively close 

[slamminbones 1,785]

Really enjoyed the last race was first for the best part of the race but @JBR-Kiwi  and @Greboth passed me but still managed to hold off @Mikepjbell to hold on to 3rd for my first podium.

 

[Mikepjbell 354]

Nice one @slamminbones for your first podium. I was desperate to try and catch up and getting punted about a bit early in the race but just ran out of laps.

 

Felt like I had some good racing again last night and hitting the podiums which is great. Really enjoyed the racing with Kiwi and starting to try and stick my elbows out a bit more to try and win places back. 

 

We've still got some new racers so it's reasonable to assume that people will be ploughing through a pile of cars in first corner/s. It takes a bit of time to understand the difference in stopping times against variables such as drag reduction and tire wear. It's great to see everyone picking up speed though and providing some competition throughout the field. 

 

I'm still really enjoying the reverse grids because it creates a good and different dynamic to the second and third races and provides I think more entertainment and challenges for everyone, and should hopefully help to bring all the new racers up to speed a bit quicker as they'll do more defending. 

 

Great to see so many people turning up as well!! 

[crispymorgan 1,054]

Enjoyed my time in the Retard Class.

[techno 3,510]

7 hours ago, crispymorgan said:

Enjoyed my time in the Retard Class.

Thought that's what you called it, I'm so used to not bring able to use that word as I believe it earned me a ban on twitter before👍

[phil bottle 9,758]

Another good night of racing, 13 of us in the first race, the maximum it allows is 16 and I think we’ll get that when everyone is free. Just going to talk about my experience today.

 

I’m starting to find some improvement now in my wheel driving and I’m almost as fast as I was on controller. Felt I had some pace last night in qualifying for the first time.

 

I’m still more inconsistent and prone to silly mistakes on the wheel and my race pace needs improving but overall I’m improving and enjoying the feeling of improving.

 

I qualified well for race 1 and was going well but for an incident I thought was caused by @GazzaGarratt shunting me, which was not the case, I’m going to watch that back to see what happened.

 

Race 2 I messed up the start and went straight to the back but quickly made up places and went up to 3rd or 4th…until I was rear ended by @Stretch616  going round the last corner. I’m so unlucky😅

I enjoy driving that Mazda and it was a fun race, if a bit slow.

 

Should really have finished 3rd in race 3. I qualified in 3rd and followed behind a Greboth struggling on Hards for a couple of laps. I had a good gap to @Mikepjbell  in 4th which was maintained until lap 6 where I pitted my worn Medium tyres. When I came out after pitting I was only a second behind Mike. I was cool sitting behind him at first as I expected him to pit as well. But the fucker was on Hards and stayed out. Over the next couple of laps I made multiple attempts to pass him but lost my composure on one turn, went off track and hit a wall. Great drive by Mike on dying tyres.

 

Really enjoyed the races, some good banter and I encourage everyone to get on next week as one of the races will be the first FG League race. Which I’ll talk more of in another thread.

 

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

Good evening again, not much time to write much but I enjoyed the racing that I had. Didn't use my wheel as I've struggled for energy and time to use it this week. Whilst I was probably still faster on controller than my wheel, I knew I'd probably make enough mistakes to drop me down from the top pack as I haven't kept topped up on any practice of any kind. Still some good fights on the track and great laughs. 3 more for a full grid, its getting real close now....