Round 3 Spa Francorshamps S397 - Sun Feb 7, 2021

I've been away for a few days building a new PC.

I have banged on about DPi > GT3 passing standards and "safe" passing conduct more than most.

Johns description above is the admin view so it will overrule anything I say here. But my take on lapping situations (for DPi too GT3), which is how I approach them, is an accumulation of knowledge from other endurance leagues.

"Safe" and "maintain your line" needs clarifying a bit more. It must be stated that SRO Rules don't list "maintain your line" specifically.

Point A – "A Safe Manor"

...is the judgement of the faster/lapping driver to pick a “suitable” spot where he can get the entirety of his/her vehicle past the slower vehicle in one move without compromising his/her race OR the slower class cars race. The faster driver should take the pace & movement of the slower car they are trying to pass into account.

Sometimes "entirety" cannot be achieved and the vehicles will be alongside (eg into a corner entry), which is where "BOTH" drivers are to work together to complete the pass without contact (aka passing vehicle giving space and lapped vehicle giving space). As it is a "lapping" scenario, neither driver is racing each other and should therefore “NOT make it difficult for each other”.

Point B – "Maintaining your line"

People are mixing 2 statements up. “Maintain THE RACING line” and “maintain YOUR line”.
This at first can be confusing (as it was to me before I spoke with some E-Sports / RL endurance drivers ).

It should be clarified that "Maintaining your line" DOES NOT MEAN “maintain the racing line”.

“Maintain the racing line” is as it says and does apply for the majority of situations.

“Maintain your line” means that the slower car is to maintain a predictable line of movement in a specific part of the track. This can mean you maintain the left or right side of the track on a corner exit where there is sufficient straight space for the faster class/ lapping car to pass (eg after T1).

We all should have enough experience of the tracks by now to know what corners and straights make up the track and which of these are suitable passing points for both classes. Please bare with as it can be difficult to explain in words without visual examples (new system won't let me access the replays) but here are a few scenarios to try and explain:

1. Spa - Turn 1, La source heading to Eau Rouge –
A GT has entered T1 with a DPi right on its tail that is intent on passing. The DPi is positioned to take a tighter line round the turn putting it on the right side of the track on corner exit (near the wall) and the GT has held its racing line which moves it to the outside (left) of the track. DPi is still behind the GT on exit. Now the racing line for the straight before Eau Rouge curves is to sweep to the Right and get close to the wall. HOWEVER, as the GT has exited on the left of the track, it should "maintain it's line" on the left of the track and let the DPi pass "on it's line" on the right. The GT can then tuck in as the DPi passes and get a free slipstream.

2. Spa – Turns 12 & 13, Pouhon and straight to Les Fagnes– Dpi behind GT heading in to pouhon curves, upon exit of pouhon (T13) onto the straight to Les Fagnes (T14) the GT will be on the right side due to the racing line through the corner but the line then drifts to the left over the length of the straight. The GT should maintain “its line” on the right as the Dpi has a superior exit speed and grip on the exit of T13 so the Dpi can go to the left sooner than the GT. The Dpi will be past before T14 so the GT then just makes a sharper drift to the left to retake the “racing line”​

3. Spa - Turns 14-17 (Les Fagnes to Stavelot) –
GT enters T13 on the racing line with DPi behind. The T13-T16 sequence of turns do not offer sufficient space between turns for the Dpi to pass effectively due to the rapid changes of position on track to make the turns at racing speeds(left/right/left weaving across the width of the track).
The DPi MUST maintain behind in order not to cause an incident, the GT is to remain on the racing line. Upon exiting Stavelot (T16) GT will, due to exit pace, be on the left of the track and should “maintain its line” on THE LEFT SIDE of the track where the DPi can then use its superior acceleration to pass on the RIGHT of the track kink heading towards T17. GT can then slot in behind and take advantage of a little slip stream assistance.​

As I said its long winded and sounds really complex to explain in words but in practice it is very easy. The problem is the “interpretation” of the phrase “maintain your line”.

To avoid confusion, for the majority of the time, YES the slower car “should” maintain the racing line as it normally won’t hinder the DPi.
However “some” situations would call for the slower car to be a little “flexible” in its track position and "maintain your line", such as an exit onto a straight.
DPis should also realise that GTs can’t be flexible if close to each other racing for position. “Letting” the DPi pass would result in them “letting” their opponent through as well.

If I can get the replays working (if I've not lost them) I will try and put up some key videos of some of my lapping moments from Spa that show exactly what I am trying to explain.

 

I know drivers don't like to get stuck behind me, but IMO the passing in this series is pretty good. There is always going to be a time in the race at a spot where it is not 'clear cut' to fit the rules while at racing speed in a battle with tires or other cars, at that point think about finishing the race!
I think the 'blue flag rule' is turned on on the server, so in the race it is run by the system.

 

Exactly! (about the battle bit, don't mind being stuck behind. It's my job to pass if I'm quicker ).

Yep it is, my dash lights up blue when being lapped as I have the game HUD turned off. It works with the flags system (Blue/White/Yellow/Chequered) from the game so if they were disabled my dash wouldn't show them.