FIA GT Race FIA GT Rnd 3: Bucharest 19-20 May 2007 - Page 5

Splendid Cat · 21 May 2007, 19:50 (Ref:1918322)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Edwards

The track was awesome and there was no tarmac breaking up that I saw, but it was wet for most of the weekend...

Collard got 1 min penalty because they gained a lap under safety car, when they should have had a red light at the end of pit lane, as the SC was coming past the start line. So that stop go was totally fare.

The crowd was very good for the FIA GT race, pretty much all the grandstands were packed that I could see on the parade lap, especially good for the bad conditions!

We had a good quali, P2 (P3 before Lieb got DQ for the team pushing the car to park ferme, rather then it driving...) but everyone lost out under the safety car to the AF Corse Ferrari, they some how made a very smart move and came from the back of the pack to 1 lap ahead of everyone!!!

We then got a drive through, for having more than 5 people in the pit lane, which was meant for another team and got dumped on us by accident

We only have 5 mechanics in out whole team, and only 4 were on the car in the pit stop...

When Leo gave back over to me (and yes it was me from 55 min until the crash driving, my beacon did not register when leaving the pits!), we were P6 1 lap an 30 seconds behind the Ferrari.

I soon made it to P4 and was catching Lieb at 4 seconds a lap for 3rd. I caught the leading Ferrari and un lapped my self, just before he went into the pits. I was pushing really hard to make up for all the time we had lost, and was the fastest car over all on the track, faster then all GT1's and GT2's at that point in the race.

I came to lap the citation JMB Masarati and he did not make it easy for me, I was offline for the last sequence of corner into the round about and hit a puddle of water, locked the left front and by the time I got it sorted, I was going way too fast and had no chance to avoid the tyre wall. Real shame, because we were going to finish at least 2nd, if not winning the race, but you can't make mistakes on a street track, simple.

The Maserati got in the way as usual, but it was still my mistake. Hope for a better race at Monza.

What price a works Porsche driver in the near future...

Dani Filth · 21 May 2007, 20:00 (Ref:1918328)

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddsc

So you virtually predicted the incident that put you out Sean, which was somehow ironic, and a great shame. Impressive stuff. Some of us knew that was you in the car by the speed.. we know when to ignore an incorrect caption!

Yes, one pit stop please.. do you agree Sean?

yeah .. the screens were saying Leo .. but .. no disregard to Leo .. no way

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEdwards

Real shame, because we were going to finish at least 2nd, if not winning the race, but you can't make mistakes on a street track, simple.

I wouldn't go that far

.. Vilander was just cruising at that stage
following the question about LeMans. . any chance for a change to Ferraris ??

Sean Edwards · 21 May 2007, 20:27 (Ref:1918349)

Le Mans, don't know, hopefully next year.

Yes indeed, funny that. Oh well, at least they were not blocking us this time, just getting in the way when lapping!

Whats that about "one pit stop please"?

Well it was a bit obvious that it was me, glad some people saw that

I am aiming to become a Porsche driver yes, just got to get the results, which is hard with Leo at the moment. But we should be doing some testing before Monza and I am sure we can get him right up to within a few seconds of me. Porsche is a really different and hard car to drive, nothing like his Aston, so it is perfectly normal that it will take time for him to get his head round it!

It would have been close Dani, he was cruising a bit, but if he pushed he was still 3 seconds slower than us. At that stage he was lapping between 4-7 seconds off me and had to make his pit stop. I just un lapped my self so he would have had a 45 second lead after the pit stop, with 40 min to go. I think we had a good chance to catch them, but we will never know now, P2 for sure

Splendid Cat · 21 May 2007, 20:51 (Ref:1918370)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Edwards

I am aiming to become a Porsche driver yes...

Porsche Supercup? - that's how Collard really hit the big time and he's a superstar. Maassen and Bernhard also hit the right buttons in Weissach in this series.
I can't recall a British works Porsche driver since Jonathan Palmer (Joest 1990?). Gladly stand corrected.

cg7aa · 22 May 2007, 12:42 (Ref:1918743)

Interesting race. I'm glad for Scuderia Playteam, it would have been somewhat unfair if they left the track without anything to show for their pace. This brings me to another thing: BMS Astons, where art thou pace? The winning car was running on Pirellis so maybe the tyre isn't to blame for the lack of pace this time. Perhaps I should accept that the MC12 is simply faster, end of story.

What is going on at JMB? I always had the impression they were a top class outfit but they seem to be all over the shop this year, running one car in the citation class and another in GT1 which is seemingly way off the pace is surely not where they ought to be. Strange.

It also seems to me that ever since Scuderia Ecosse went onto the international stage, not a great deal has gone right for them. There is something always happening to them despite numerous pole positions. What was Janis' problem? Stuck throttle perhaps?

The Gillet team must have enjoyed Bas' stint. I know I did.

It would be good if there was more than one car in that class! Is any one else joining the G2 party in the coming races?

This was a real opportunity for the Porsche brigade but it seems they all conspired (inadvertently of course!) to shoot themselves in the foot at any given opportunity.

cg7aa · 22 May 2007, 12:52 (Ref:1918754)

Forget to ask, how did the Deletraz/Hezemans car lose it rear wing the way it did? Result of a crash into the wall? Hit from behind?

Someone also commented on Mucke's robust move on Kox, I don't think it was that aggressive. OK, it could well have ended in tears but one cannot deny the fact that when he got past Kox was well and truly left behind! My two cents...

mirkob · 22 May 2007, 12:57 (Ref:1918759)

As you can see in the hightlights ( http://www.racingworld.it/public/pho...est%20(37).jpg ),
Deletraz hit the wall (right side of the C6R) damaging the rear wing;
then trying to go to the pit, he lost the control and hit again (the left side) damaging also the left front ligths.

Tim the Grey · 22 May 2007, 13:10 (Ref:1918765)

The Corvette backed into the wall...

Mucke/Kox? I saw it as Kox trying to squeeze the car alongside him! Mucke was alongside, and quicker, and he didn't like it one little bit.
At least they both carried on.

BMS? I have no idea, but Pirelli on those Astons is a disaster, thus far.
Shame Wendlinger's ace drive had to end, I was enjoying that bit.

Sean Edwards · 22 May 2007, 13:20 (Ref:1918771)

Kirkaldy and Mullen told me that Janis just locked his brakes and never got it sorted out...

Race was a disaster for Porsche yes, but Ferrari got ****ing lucky.

eddsc · 22 May 2007, 14:06 (Ref:1918795)

Further up the thread, Sean, there's a reference to having one pit stop instead of the mandated two (which was made a rule to cater for teams with 3 drivers - but there aren't any).
2 stops would make it much easier for the casual fan to follow, I'd suggest.

Didn't Mucke get a penalty for that move? Not sure though.. I certainly didn't see it the way Tim the Grey did...

Tim the Grey · 22 May 2007, 16:15 (Ref:1918877)

Not a word of any penalty on the FIA web site?
If he did, he did, but no ones saying!

The Badger · 22 May 2007, 16:47 (Ref:1918900)

How can you give somebody a penalty when its chucking it down and then expect them to put on a show for everybody in a monsoon , in future they should cancel the event or shedule it when its a reasonable month and not ****ing it down..... im telling you what , before we know it we will have a gentlemen's championship again !!!

Drivers make mistakes , a very simple fact of motoracing .

cjent · 22 May 2007, 21:39 (Ref:1919117)

Too bad it rained, but a good race. Sorry Sean

mirkob · 23 May 2007, 06:27 (Ref:1919261)

a little OT; SportAutoMoto reports torday, the FIA team asked some (with a letter) great changes for the 2008, to make FIAGT more different from LMS:

- 2x 1h Free Practices on Sautrady (9-10 and 12-13)
- 2x 15min Qualifing Sessions, with a Superpole
- No more Warm-Up
- 2x 1h races (10:30-11:30 and 14:00-15:00), 20 minutes to fix teh car between the 2 sessions.
- 60 lt capacity with mandatory pitstop with refulelling and chang driver (20 minutes minimum for driver)
- NO More 24h Spa, but 3 intercontinental races
- GT1 and GT2 classes in different races

! ! ! !

Sean Edwards · 23 May 2007, 07:20 (Ref:1919297)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirkob

a little OT; SportAutoMoto reports torday, the FIA team asked some (with a letter) great changes for the 2008, to make FIAGT more different from LMS:

- 2x 1h Free Practices on Sautrady (9-10 and 12-13)
- 2x 15min Qualifing Sessions, with a Superpole
- No more Warm-Up
- 2x 1h races (10:30-11:30 and 14:00-15:00), 20 minutes to fix teh car between the 2 sessions.
- 60 lt capacity with mandatory pitstop with refulelling and chang driver (20 minutes minimum for driver)
- NO More 24h Spa, but 3 intercontinental races
- GT1 and GT2 classes in different races

! ! ! !

Great changes? You mean **** changes...

Every point there is crap in my eyes. May as well call it sprint racing. Take away the Spa 24, what idiot said that!? That is the best event of the year for the FIA GT, why would we take that off the calender.

GT1 and GT2 seperate races would be good, but there is not enough of a grid in either category at the moment for them to race seperatly...

I think Muke got a drive through or stop go for gaining the place by cutting the chicane, which he did!

eddsc, you mean 1 stop would make it better for fans? Yes, I think it would be a lot better. But it might make it difficult for our team with the driver pairing being such difference in speed and give advantage to teams with 2 equal drivers.

mirkob · 23 May 2007, 07:29 (Ref:1919303)

ehm sorry, Sean I dont think they will be GOOD changes, my "great" stay for "a lot of" :-(

So SportAutoMoto says the series becoming: World FIA GT SuperSprint Championship

:-|

SebringMG · 23 May 2007, 08:05 (Ref:1919330)

These changes do sound pretty bad if they come to fruition!!! Wonder if they want to move the Spa 24 to the LMS ? Make a pretty good Endurance championship if that was the case!!

Bramzel · 23 May 2007, 08:55 (Ref:1919369)

To be honest I don't think the Spa24h needs FIAGT to survive. There's plenty of animo for a race like that, if they set up a decent event I'm sure teams will come no matter what.

TheNewBob · 23 May 2007, 13:49 (Ref:1919563)

Would the Spa24H stay as a GT race or go back to touring cars? Hope it would remain GT-based, would be an event on its own like Le Mans. I'd kinda hope the LMS wouldn't have a 24 hour race - afterall, the ACO does have LM, doesn't it?

Two sprint races is not a good idea for a GT championship - although the thought of seeing the start twice is a little tempting! GT1 and GT2 in seperate races? Terrible idea - simply not enough cars.

A lot of ideas that seem to come from this championship (like Ratel's world championship idea) are way out of their depth - they talk like there is infinite interest in the series with shedloads of entrants. GT3 might be booming but the main event would be torn apart with ideas like that.

Tim the Grey · 23 May 2007, 14:59 (Ref:1919601)

Ah, yes, thanks Sean, I forgot that!
However, that wasn't specifically any penalty for 'duffing up' his team mate?
Just that he didn't follow the racetrack, and gained an advantage?

Whatever, I agree that Sportscars/GT are about ENDURANCE, not club length sprint races...

MikeH · 23 May 2007, 15:03 (Ref:1919604)

Hour long FIA GT races? Bet the same buffoon putting that idea forward thinks Le Mans is too long as well...

The Badger · 23 May 2007, 15:42 (Ref:1919631)

Probably bernie Ecclestone sticking his medelling little fingers in the pie again !!!

Sean Edwards · 23 May 2007, 17:44 (Ref:1919722)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

Ah, yes, thanks Sean, I forgot that!
However, that wasn't specifically any penalty for 'duffing up' his team mate?
Just that he didn't follow the racetrack, and gained an advantage?

Whatever, I agree that Sportscars/GT are about ENDURANCE, not club length sprint races...

When I talked to him after, he said he just locked up and had no where to go. You can clearly see that he was not really trying to overtake, just got caught out when his team mate braked. He should have let his team mate back past though.

I did a similar thing on Lap 2, Collard went past a BMS aston and then comming upto T2 the Aston braked really early and caught me out, I had to swerve to the right to miss rear ending him, I grazed the wall and went straight across the chicane, but waited for him to go past again...

eddsc · 23 May 2007, 19:31 (Ref:1919796)

The off the record opinions of the two drivers were remarkably different, re this incident.

Regarding these suggestions for GT1 and GT2.... frankly, I find it both staggering and at the same time ...not surprising (whispers about this already)... The one hour concept is perhaps being proposed so that there's more TV appeal?

Aren't there already far too many one hour races? Dropping the Spa 24 Hours?

Isn't it ironic that Spa is now the one race with a real attraction for fans.. so are we chasing fans or just sprint-type races for TV? Confused here....... Perhaps the one hour GT3 races are the model for the future. Perhaps Bucharest was the perfect model for armchair 'fans' (who like crashes)..

The Badger · 23 May 2007, 20:27 (Ref:1919832)

Quote:

Originally Posted by eddsc

The off the record opinions of the two drivers were remarkably different, re this incident.

Regarding these suggestions for GT1 and GT2.... frankly, I find it both staggering and at the same time ...not surprising (whispers about this already)... The one hour concept is perhaps being proposed so that there's more TV appeal?

Aren't there already far too many one hour races? Dropping the Spa 24 Hours?

Isn't it ironic that Spa is now the one race with a real attraction for fans.. so are we chasing fans or just sprint-type races for TV? Confused here....... Perhaps the one hour GT3 races are the model for the future. Perhaps Bucharest was the perfect model for armchair 'fans' (who like crashes)..

Armchair fans pay for part of your wages through subscriptions ..... mate . I might not renew mine !!!

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