GT World Challenge Europe 2023

[fergus_r]

Just finished up watching last weekend’s Nurburgring race. Agree with some others on here - crazy race and very aggressive. Fantastic stuff.

Meanwhile I’m growing increasingly frustrated with John Watson’s general attitude when he’s alongside Jake Sanson in the commentary booth. He’s fine with David Addison, obviously they’re a great combo with very strong chemistry, but he takes a turn when he’s with Sanson. He becomes very argumentative, always trying to prove Jake wrong on the smallest things, and it’s just not fun to listen to.

[flatlandsman]

For me Watson has had his time, he simply makes too many mistakes, and that for me is not a great thing. Let's face it he is a fairly old fella, has had a long innings and is hanging on for the sake of a pay cheque.

David is a pro, always has been and could possibly do with someone else, I feel in races he has worked with others it has worked far better.

[GT3_Fan]

As someone who worshipped John Watson as a god of sportscar racing broadcasting. Even I agree it might be time to step away and retire. He just blew off his commentating partner and countered what he said several times...over minor things too.

[GT3_Fan]

The N'Ring race was the best GT WC endurance race in years I think! No safety cars certainly helped. I love races that plays out to its natural conclusion.

[rika]

2 passes by Rossi and 2 times he has to push / drive in to his competitor.
Of course he is allowed because he is Rossi.


He just can not drive proper without make contact, find him very poor driver!

[J Jay]

BMWs in general seem off the pace so far, makes it a relatively easy cruise for #88 to take the title.

Don't worry Rika, I'll say it for you - Rossi should have been pinged for turning around Chavez ... and it looks like he will be!

FCY called for #32's rear bumper on-track. Time to do something else for twenty minutes.

Edit - Are these drone-following shots new? I don't remember seeing them this season, but I've not watched the sprint races.

[rika]

I was not worried

Mr Rossi does stupid things like this almost every race.
And now he puts himself out of race. Probably just best.


The Safety cars is stupid. There is not much race in last 20 minutes

[J Jay]

The safety car, while inane, is a known quantity.

Letting pitting cars rejoin a live track and bump-squeeze their way into the live race track position, while still under safety car, is a new one on me. Perhaps I've just not noticed it before, but that's surely a (well-meaning, but) ill-judged attempt to avoid holding cars at the end of the pit lane.

[v8supes]

Originally Posted by J Jay

BMWs in general seem off the pace so far, makes it a relatively easy cruise for #88 to take the title.

Don't worry Rika, I'll say it for you - Rossi should have been pinged for turning around Chavez ... and it looks like he will be!

FCY called for #32's rear bumper on-track. Time to do something else for twenty minutes.

Edit - Are these drone-following shots new? I don't remember seeing them this season, but I've not watched the sprint races.

The BMWs are so fast on the straights but not in lap time, are they dogs in the corners? I thought the new BMW was meant to really good at high speed corners?

Anyway, this middle stint will determine the #88s fate. Boguslavskiy does seem pretty decent in the Endurance races compared to Sprint though

[rika]

incident 777 and 63 from 3th corner investigate after race.


There is not enough time to do now with almost 2 hours left??

[rika]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Anyway, this middle stint will determine the #88s fate. Boguslavskiy does seem pretty decent in the Endurance races compared to Sprint though

Keep position he is good at. Not overtake or fight to gain position.
But keep position is good enough, he need to do only that and other driver finish race.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by v8supes

The BMWs are so fast on the straights but not in lap time, are they dogs in the corners? I thought the new BMW was meant to really good at high speed corners?

In relative terms, it probably is. But past BMW GTs weren't known as land yachts without reason. Also, Barcelona has more slower-speed corners than high-speed corners (albeit a lot of lap time can be gained on the two fastest corners alone).

Every lap Boguslavskiy keeps the Ferraris behind puts an extra feather in the crown the #88 crew will receive. It's been a real show of consistency for the team this year.

[rika]

That drone is fast as can follow race cars

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by rika

That drone is fast as can follow race cars

Props to the pilot and TV director for picking a slower section of track with a switchback to use, it's ideal for the drone shots.

[v8supes]

Would have been interesting to see what the #63 could have done had it not have found its way to the gravel trap. Its made its way back up to 13th, albeit with the SC bunching the field a few times.

[J Jay]

John Watson's Pearls of Wisdom:

"Modern lubricants are very slippery on a race track."

"...if you think ice is slippery, it's nothing compared to modern lubricants."

[rika]

The #2 blue color Mercedes blocked #51 several times during lapping overtake.
That is team mate to #777 I think?


Very poor driving!

[rika]

That is too much of no racing !!

[rika]

Originally Posted by rika

That is too much of no racing !!

And now more of nothing!

[J Jay]

In fairness this one's justified. That was a big off that likely ends the race as is.

Edit - #777 penalised by 5 seconds. If this race doesn't go green, they're going to drop down the order.

[rika]

Took 80 laps to think about lap 1 incident!

[rika]

Not consistent they let race go on now

[v8supes]

Well yeah but they cant exactly continue racing on a track covered in oil can they?

Anyway, good job by the #88, great success over the course of the season, well deserved.

[chunterer]

Don't think we can argue about deserved champions that's for sure.

Ferrari much stronger than at any other time this season so possible marker laid down for next year.

The quickest Audi, normally the Feller car, had a right mare!

Lambo were decent in qualy but went backwards in the race (I think the Pepper car would also have struggled to challenge for the win notwithstanding the lap 1 off.