GT World Challenge Europe 2021

[bella]

fire extinguisher. or extra boost for the air jacks perhaps.

[J Jay]

For all the usual rancour YouTube chat normally has, I am amused by the joke that Mies hasn't changed his tyres at all during the race.

He's gone from top 10, to top 20, to leading, to dead last, to 4th now.

[J Jay]

Barring incidents, the #32's chances of winning depend on whether Weerts has to drive again. Ledogar is the "worst" of the three drivers, but the gap from him to Pier Guidi/Nielsen is far smaller than it is for Weerts & Vanthoor/KvDL.

[bentley speed 8]

It isn't that common to see teams beat WRT in the pit stops.

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by bentley speed 8

It isn't that common to see teams beat WRT in the pit stops.

The #51 (& #93) have been able to run longer on fuel. With mandated stint lengths, that becomes less time refuelling. Not much WRT can do about it.

[bentley speed 8]

Some backmarkers have been pretty bad about leaving racing room

Edit: the RAM merc almost took out both leaders in two separate occasions

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by bentley speed 8

Some backmarkers have been pretty bad about leaving racing room

Edit: the RAM merc almost took out both leaders in two separate occasions

At least they were fair to both the leaders

Nielsen staying in, same for KvDL. Looks like Vanthoor vs. Pier Guidi for the last two hours.

[bentley speed 8]

The race director's going to have nightmares about cars exceeding track limits tonight.

Edit: Mr Watson just can't get KCMG right, can he?

[WyldStallion]

Typical east coast USA person here watching a european enduro. So we wake up with 2 hours left in the race for the most part. Same top 2 when I went to bed but wow except for a lingering Aston, they left the rest of the field in the dust. Can't believe no Porsche, Mercedes, or BMW within site of the victory this year.

We have had a proper endurance race finally. Spa has not had one in a few years we certainly did not get one at the Ring this year. The only way to counter the stupid Safety Car procedure was to get long stretches of green for which we got. 1 hour 46 mins left as I type this. No yelllows please. If Pier Guidi's Ferrari does not have a spin out, I like their chanes. I'm not into that Iron Lynx livery though. I like the traidtional AF Corse livery much better, tood bad they did not stick with that this year. Not sure who to cheer for between the Ferrari and Audi, both would make a great winners.

About 35 cars still running roughy?

[bentley speed 8]

Dries falling away at the moment

[WyldStallion]

By the way about the SRO saftey car procedure, if you break it into 3 parts. 2 of them are pretty good. Its the 3rd that ruins it

Good: They clean while under FCY with the cars' track position being preservered from when it was green

Good: No wave arounds (ahem..imsa)

Bad: AFTER they clean the track the safety car comes out and bunches the field together before the green. A. This aritifically erases the gaps between cars that was well earned by those cars under racing conditions B. Delays the green by 5-10 minutes each time.

So the fix is quite easy and doable. That why some of us get so frustrated by it. They are so close yet so far.

[WyldStallion]

One thing I know its about to be the first major endurance GT race since the Daytona 24 that Porsche is not going to win. Porsche won GTLM and GTD at Sebring, Monza, Nuburgring 6, Nurburgring 24, and Paul Ricard. All with different teams too.

[bentley speed 8]

Porsche has been disappointing. Not just pace issues, but reliability and mistakes too.

[bentley speed 8]

Oh the #63 stopped in the pits... this team is so unlucky here

[J Jay]

WRT throwing a Hail Mary, going on wets early to try and anticipate the potential for rain.

[Mike E]

Major tyre gamble from WRT!

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by WyldStallion

By the way about the SRO saftey car procedure, if you break it into 3 parts. 2 of them are pretty good. Its the 3rd that ruins it

Good: They clean while under FCY with the cars' track position being preservered from when it was green

Good: No wave arounds (ahem..imsa)

Bad: AFTER they clean the track the safety car comes out and bunches the field together before the green. A. This aritifically erases the gaps between cars that was well earned by those cars under racing conditions B. Delays the green by 5-10 minutes each time.

So the fix is quite easy and doable. That why some of us get so frustrated by it. They are so close yet so far.

I wholeheartedly agree. This reminded me of the FormulaE conversation during the latest MWM podcast where someone effectively said this: organizers are trying artificially randomise race results. This ensures higher probability of every manufacturer winning from time to time, than it would have been if wins were gained on merit. So no OEM dominates, but no OEM completely fails either, so all PR people are kept happy.

Is this what's happening to GT3 racing too?

[WyldStallion]

Wow this last hour rain is crazy. I think the Iron Lynx Ferrari got caught out bad. Victory for WRT Audi is on the cards now.

[J Jay]

Looks like the gamble paid off. Pier Guidi stays out an extra lap, loses 30 seconds to Vanthoor.

Edit - FCY for a stranded Ferrari in the barriers up to Les Combes.

[Mike E]

As long as the 32 crosses the line again before a red flag. Otherwise the Ferrari could win on count back?

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I wholeheartedly agree. This reminded me of the FormulaE conversation during the latest MWM podcast where someone effectively said this: organizers are trying artificially randomise race results. This ensures higher probability of every manufacturer winning from time to time, than it would have been if wins were gained on merit. So no OEM dominates, but no OEM completely fails either, so all PR people are kept happy.

Is this what's happening to GT3 racing too?

And why would one bother doing that with weather like this?!

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Mike E

As long as the 32 crosses the line again before a red flag. Otherwise the Ferrari could win on count back?

It just has.

I'll be honest, given what's happened this weekend, watching all the cars spin at the chicane (especially the Merc heading towards the stewards...), I had my heart in my mouth.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Looks like the gamble paid off. Pier Guidi stays out an extra lap, loses 30 seconds to Vanthoor..

I don't see that as a gamble. At least from what the commentators were saying, when it was full dry still, the forecast said complete deluge. Wet tires were a no brainer. I can't believe Iron Lynx took such a gamble when they had everything to lose and nothing to gain from it. They went past the pit entry when it was already wet enough to stay wet until the checker, and it was still raining.

[J Jay]

Quick edit - it was a Lamborghini, not a Mercedes.

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I don't see that as a gamble. At least from what the commentators were saying, when it was full dry still, the forecast said complete deluge. Wet tires were a no brainer. I can't believe Iron Lynx took such a gamble when they had everything to lose and nothing to gain from it. They went past the pit entry when it was already wet enough to stay wet until the checker, and it was still raining.

I see that. Rain in the last hour was well-known, it was just a case of when, and if it was worth going wets early or keeping on slicks until it came.

Gutting for Iron Lynx, but they are clearly headed for major victories in the future.

The comeback for the #32 is almost complete.

Edit - SC procedure called. Potentially 30 minutes in the wet. One last roll of the dice...

[Mike E]

Can't believe this won't go yellow again