GP3 Career Thread

Race 6 - Silverstone, British GP

The British Grand Prix welcomed the drivers with pelting rain on the qualifying day. I didn't know how to set my car up for the wet track and I was compeltely unprepared for what was awaiting me. As a result I was 22nd in the qualifying session. Pole position for Brabham followed by Hulme and Clark. For the race, which being a symbol of Britishness was a rainy one just as the qualifyings, I made an experimental setup and didn't expecty much. The start itself was a great one for me. From the very beginning I could observe that the adjustments I introduced after the qualifyings paid off really well. I was clearly the fastest on the track. I quickly managed to climb up to 3rd position. Once again, lots of drivers had problems with their cars. This way Clark, Brabham, Rodriguez and McLaren retired from the race. There were only Dan Gurney and Graham Hill in front of me. Gurney crashed out soon afterwards. After my stops I was much faster than Hill and I passed him 7 laps from finish. From now on I was increasing the margin and won the race. This has been my fourth consecutive win this season According to the regualtion, the worst result of the first 6 races will be excluded. It turns out it was my retirement at Monte Carlo. The results which count towards the championship are my 4 wins and one 2nd place Impressive!!!

The winner - Surtees, 2nd - Hulme , 3rd - Hill


Now I'm really looking forward to the next race which seals the beginning of the second part of the season. The race will take place at...

THE GREEN HELL - NORDSCHLEIFE

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2009 09:40AM by abdelkader.

Race 7 - Nordschleife, German GP

I shouldn't have expected from myself that much during this race. I was completely not ready for such adventure. My best qualifying time was 14.7 seconds slower than the pole sitter's - Gurney who was followed by Brabham and Hill. At the start I begun to pass the rivals but I got stuck in 13th right behind Rodriguez with whom I crashed early in the second corner and lost my front wheel. I would have to cover one whole lap with no wheel, pit and try to fight for position. I just retired seeing that it was not making any sense. A huge disappointment fro mthe race I always wanted to win. Maybe my retirement was a mistake as only one driver finished the race and I could be at least 2nd. The lucky guy was Jacky Ickx who started from 19th. He was the only to be awarded points for the race

The winner - Ickx, 2nd - Brabham (DNF), 3rd - Hill (DNF)

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Race 8 - Mosport International Speedway, Canadian GP

I've loved this track since I made the first lap here. However, I didn't win the session as pole position went to Jim Clark. 2nd place for Hulme and third place for me. The start of the race was a smooth one - I passed both Clark and Hulme and took the lead. I was pulling away for 10 laps then my tyres began to deteriorate and Jim Clark had it easier to catch up. He passed me and made a few flying laps setting the fastest lap of the race. He was already 14 seconds ahead while Hulme was 13 seconds behind me. Then, once again, The Divine Providence helped me a lot as Clark had another engine failure and retired. Two laps after that I saw Hulme retire due to gearbox failure. From now on it was Dan Gurney who was in 2nd but he was 25 seconds behind me. Meanwhile after having my pit-stop and with fresh tyres on the rims I was making flying laps one after another. I managed to establish the fastest lap of the race. Unfortuantely the story started to repeat itself. When I was around 40 seconds ahead of Gurney, my tyres started to deteriorate and he tightened the gap to 35 seconds. Initially, I thought that one-stop strategy would be the best one to choose but I revised this decision during the race. I pitted only for the sake of my advantage and grabbed new tyres. Meanwhile I got another piece of good luck - Gurney crashed out and now I was the lonely leader being 1 lap ahead of Bandini and Amon. The latter passed the former and this way we have the podium. In the final lap I made the fastest time. It can't be more beautiful than this

Only six drivers managed to finish the race including the Nordschleife winner - Jacky Ickx in 6th position.

The winner - Surtees, 2nd - Amon, 3rd - Bandini



I have just made a small calculation and it turns out that I already can celebrate F-1 1967 World Championship title. I have got 51 points while 2nd Pedro Rodriguez has 18 points. If he wins the remaining three races (not likely) he will have 45 points...so still 6 points short of me Now I'll entr the three races with joy and tranquility in my heart. I don't have to earn points. Now I'm gonna drive for the racing fans as if there's no tomorrow No mercy, no brakes, no limits!!!

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Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2009 09:56PM by abdelkader.

Congrats on the championship, once again showing the importance of consistency througout the season!

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Bring back the racing

Thanks for the congratulations Yes, consistency and a lot of luck. This year my biggest rivals have been extremely UNlucky. They all retire in every race. Actually, I'm the one who had not more than one mechanical issue (a loose wheel at Kyalami). Besides, I love the tracks. They are demanding but they allow to develop racing groove during which you drive as if you are dreaming awake. This racing groove is the thing which modern tracks lack. My 1967 season hasn't finished yet but I think I can say that it was the only season during which I was really scared while racing.



Race 9 - Monza, Italian GP

The qualifying session was far more succesful than I expected. I outperformed the other drivers being faster than 2nd Clark by 5 seconds(!). From the very start I was pulling away. In lap 3 I was 11 seconds ahead but then started a small shower which turned into a regular rain which lap by lap was deteriorating the grip on the track. At the beginning I didn't pay much attention as the track didn't have many slow and hard turns and I was driving flat out. Besides, nobody was pitting for wet tyres so I decided t ostay on the track, too. unfortunately, in lap 9 I lost grip while entering Ingresso di Lesmo and went off the track. I got back on the tarmac but then I got pushed off by Scarfiotti who was just passing by. I retired from the race.

The winner - Hulme, 2nd - Brabham, 3rd - Clark

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2009 01:20AM by abdelkader.

Race 10 - Watkins Glen, The United States GP

The qualifiers were not promising to me. I claimed 14th position and was wiling to fight back during the race. Pole position for Brabham, 2nd for Clark while 3rd for Bandini.
The day of the race was a wet one. I chose monsoon tyres and went to the track. All the drivers from positions 1 to 13 started pulling away. Probably using monsoons was not a good decision in this case. Anyway, I lost grip in lap 2, spun off and when I wanted to rejoin, I got hit by Jo Siffert after which we both retired.

The winner - Brabham, 2nd - Amon, 3rd - Scarfiotti

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Race 11 - Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexican GP

The final race wasn't a lucky one to me although the weather was fine and I thought I could get higher in the qualifyings. Actually, I was 14th and had lots of problems staying on the track. Pole position for Jim Clark with Dennis Hulme and Jack Brabham behind. At the start of the race I initiated my comeback and managed to get in 3rd position. Clark wanted to pass me from the outside but I closed the gate and he run wide, hit the barrier and retired. Meanwhile I run wide too and lost three positions. Now I was oing behind Gurney and was tightening the gap to him. In lap 7, being at the final long and fast righ-hander right before the finish line I kissed the kerb, lost traction and smashed against the railing. This way I crashed out of the race. Most of the drivers faile dto finish the race which was actually won by Jackie Stewart. 2nd position for Mike Spence while third for Bruce McLaren. The winners of this race were extremely unexpected. Before the start of this race, BRM team were the only who hadn't scored any points yet and now they made 1-2 finish. Amazing!!! The only driver who didn't score any points throughout all the 11 races remains Moises Solana.

The winner - Stewart, 2nd - Spence, 3rd - McLaren





Well. I won the title but I have to say that the results do not reflect what this season was like. Of course, I dominated it but the tracks were quite demanding and I had to get extremely concentrated to finish the races. One small mistake and the race is over - the examples being those at Monaco and Mexico. Generally, I loved this vintage kind of racing and I will always get back to this with tears in my heart

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Nice reading. What will be your next season?

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Bring back the racing

antihero Wrote:
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> Nice reading. What will be your next season?


Thanks.



Mhm...That's a great question as I don't know it myself. I'll surely come up with something. At this point nothing has been decided upon that matter, yet. I'm thinking about F2, GP2 2008 or some F1 season. I really don't know

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1986 would be a good season to run

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Races: 163 - Wins: 23 - Pole Positions: 24 - Fastest Laps: 22
Season 9: Constructors' Champions

Ferrari2007 Wrote:
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> 1986 would be a good season to run


I was born in 1986. Who knows, maybe I'll choose it. Anyway, now I'm going to have a rest for a couple of days.

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O.K. Let it be. Ferrari2007, you have convinced me. My next season will be F-1 1986 as Nelson Piquet from Williams-Honda. However, I don't know when I'll start simulating it. Maybe, although it is not for sure, I'll be racing more rarely...I have to write my M.A. project :/

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Congrats for the 67 champ.

1986 it's a good choice. Good luck.

Cheers

Racer#73 Wrote:
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> Congrats for the 67 champ.
>
> 1986 it's a good choice. Good luck.
>
> Cheers

Thanks

I've already done some quickraces and it's gonna be REALLY tough!!! I know it may be too early to make such statements but I think that 1986 season will be the hardest for me ever.

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great job there, congratz on yet again a championship. Why dont you join me? I started a 1950 f1 season and that way i wanna progress to present time. SLOWLY. it will take time i know.

I love it. sCouldnt help but start the season with Ferrari, from 2nd i took the lead into the first corner, managed to driver the fastest lap during the race and had a great battle wit some of the Alfa Romeo's that didnt retire! haha. Would be difficult to keep this up, but hey 9 points maximum (1 for fl included) per race and only 3 to score a lot. (only the best 4 of 7 races count for the championship). i think it might be possible to become the first ever world champion

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"If in doubt, Flat out."

Well, some time ago I even started the 1955 season but I couldn't work the physics out and I quit that season. You know, it's quite unreal for Stirling Moss to speed up to 300 km/h. The physics files I had were very slow ones. It took me ages to start from my grid position and I wasn't competitive.


I wish you the best in your season. You're right. There are only three or four races in which you have to score to win the title. In my 1986 season I need 11 good results and it's going to be hard as hell.

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1986 season----------------

I've got bad news. Actually, I will have to re-start 1986 season. I haven't done what I should have done before the satrt. I haven't checked performance file. It was quite unrealistic. Arrows was far mroe powerful than Williams and first ten drivers were actually at the same level. Now I took a new, improved performance file from GP4 1986 mod and it's far more driveable. Backmarkers are at the end of the grid while the top ones are on the top. Everything got back to normal. Jacarepagua is still ahead...I feel kinda cheater, though :/

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2009 03:07AM by abdelkader.

Race 1 - Jacarepagua, Brazilian GP

I qualified sixth. Pole for Teo Fabi, 2nd Senna, 3rd Prost. At the start I managed to get through to the 2nd position. Mansell had already pulled away and there was no chance I could pass him. Meanwhile I had Arnoux and Senna right behind. In tight corners I was making advantage but on the long left hander he was tightening the gap. Only owing to my keeping the left side of this corner I was able to keep position. In lap 9 while trying to keep Senna behind I hit the edge of the track, lost traction ,spun off and smashed the barrier at full throttle. Had it been a real race I wouldn't have survived :/
Later on, Senna got an engine failrue whiel the race finished with Mansell's domination and first victory. Well, Williams has its first points...unfortunately, without my contribution.

The winner - Mansell, 2nd - Prost, 3rd - Alboreto

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Tough start of the season to u mate. Hope next is better

Round 8 at Brno

It was another underperforming weekend to me. I thought that this would be a track that I could run well, but I was very slow during all weekend qualifying dead last for the two races by a large margin to the rest of the field.

Race 1 (14 laps)

Since I was a lot slower than the other cars I wasn't much of a competitor, just tried my best and hope to finish the race. The only worth of a note was that my setup turned out not to be hard on the tires, so by the end of the race I was able to be faster than the cars in front of me, but a couple of excursions through the grass and the underperforming car from the early laps left me far behind the rest of the field. I only gain places dues to others' misfortunes. That's why I finished 18th

Race 2 (29 laps)

For this race my team decided to go all the way without pitting, which was indifferent to me as my car would never be competitive either light or heavy. So, again I just started the race hoped for the other misfortunes to come a gain places. Again my tires didn't deteriorate as much as in the other cars in the same strategy. Again I finished 18th, but this time was a DNF. I was being passed by a much faster car with fresher tires in the last turn before the front straight. I overused my throttle pedal lost control of the car and slammed in the outside wall damaging suspension.

In the end of the weekend my teammate earned 3 points for the team but we still need 10 points in order to the team be part of next season's roster which gained a new team as Team Winston's win in race 2 gave the team more than the points needed to take part in the next season.

Now the series are off to Istanbul, to the last 300km race of the season. Never raced there, and actually with no hopes of a good performance, at least until I hit the track for the first time.

Cheers.

PS: Could someone be kind enough to send the Istanbul track to me please? my email: paulo.mota.galante@gmail.com Thanks. BTW, as anyone has the Korean track Hang Hang Park? Thanks again.

doh! abdelkader if you'll win another Pulic Menace Trophy I'll donate you a shelf to collect them

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