Here is an informational video about the Circuit Estoril, people who do not know about the track may find it useful to learn. Good luck!
I usually enter it somewhat late so there is some room for me to stay a little wide to the left before I get into the right-hander. So the car is pointing forward on the exit which eliminates the chance of running over the curb and spinning it out. Perhaps it's not the best way to take it, but I am sure it is a safe way.
None of the following drivers have selected a car skin as required for this series, therefore they should be allocated an Arisoil default skin for this race. Joao Botelho de Sousa Chiel Hubers Nassim Alaoui Ramon Salles
I am not an expert, below-mentioned is probably stuff that you already know, but maybe it will help some people: Make sure I am not applying too much brake, it's bad. Because this car is struggling to get up to the speed anyways, so I just want to keep the momentum which I already have, this is my idea with slower cars. This is not GT3 I am driving. I think *T1* and the * Curva VIP -back straight* together with the *chicane I have mentioned earlier*, followed by the *entrance* to the final bend are crucial for good lap times. *T1: I brake nice and early then barely touch the inside curb and use the "momentum" for a slingshot to go over the outer curb of T1 which leads into a straight (yes, straight, because this car is weak and if you take it correctly, you can make "curva 2" absolutely flat-out.) *Back straight: You simply take it flat-out, obviously. However, Curva VIP, the hairpin right before that back straight is very important. Apex there is very late, but you don't want to run wide too much and lose unnecessary time just to hit the apex. I stay wide before the corner, then brake the car down to an optimal speed just to let me go around the corner while I am in the middle of the corner, then I let the car towards the apex with really small inputs then gradually up the speed, letting the car move towards outside the corner and run the curb there. *Chicane: I usually enter it somewhat late so there is some room for me to stay a little wide to the left before I get into the right-hander. So the car is pointing forward on the exit which eliminates the chance of running over the curb and spinning it out. Perhaps it's not the best way to take it, but I am sure it is a safe way. *Esses: I stay all the way to the right, then lift early, applying about 50% gas just for half a second maybe, to then allow myself to get back on full power early and run the curb on the left, this might take a couple of tries, though. Its not easy to keep the car balanced there! And at the exit, you stick to the inside curb during the corner to leave it at the opening of the corner. (Oh, and never lift while you are taking the last corner) Hope this helps, I tried to put it together during my working hours ...
Great detail and a good insight into another drivers approach - Thank you - With these cars it is all about the adding up all the little details to get a successful lap. Thanks for taking the time to write this - especially while at work! Martin
Another fun race, thanks SRO! Didn't get a whole lot of practise (normal), but still enjoyed doing my best at the back, as usual. Some fun tussles with various folks. Cheers all and looking forward to the next one!
Got a pretty good start and despite the few expected bumps & touches, I managed to escape unscathed into a long running fight for position with Stephen Mciver, Kai Syvertsen, Neil Rocks, Sean Devlin & my old mate Flaviu I need to apologise to Kai for the touch which unsettled his car on L1, for which I made amends when he ultimately and expectedly, caught back up and I let him through. Also to Flaviu and Sean for my clumsy rejoin after being turned-around by Stephen (unintentionally and accepted by me as a racing incident), sorry guys. A great first race in this new series. These cars are a blast, even though both Ed and I who drive Mazda's (Ed has an Mx-5 ) agree the gearing and lack of eagerness for revs seems a bit unreal. Maybe it's reflective of mandatory gearing changes made for the Cup Series run around the world.
This car is idd awesome. This was my most exciting race ever. Nonstop battling throughout the whole duration of the race. And Ken, hats off mate, what an awesome trackchoice!! Looking forward to Imola! Cheers, Tim (P.S. some drivers really need to pay more attention when being lapped. Can Yucel was severely hindered at T1)
This was a good race, eventful, but still good! It was a great track choice by Ken. Qualy: I did not empty the tank at all, I wanted to have more practice before the race and I would have accepted anywhere top 5 and started 3rd at the end, although it was not easy getting there that was more than I honestly expected, so this was good. Race: I started 3rd, however, Can Yucel had a better start and he overtook me on the start-finish straight. Then we had a pretty good battle, but I was unfortunately and unintentionally rear-ended by him at Curva VIP, which cost me about 8-9 seconds. Then it was time for me to climb back up top, had very good battles along the way, and this is why I love single-make series, no matter if you are battling a guy who is 10th or 15th, they still have someone to prove to you and they don't make that pass you are looking for too simple to find. I especially loved that T1 action together with @Frans van der Linden at "10:20" in his shared video. I have no idea how we did not touch doors..!? So I eventually climbed back up far enough to see Can Yucel and Martin James battling each other, I was closing the gap each lap, although I have passed Can Yucel, I rear-ended @Martin James in T1, I have had a pretty good exit through that corner, and I honestly did not want to waste it away, because I was still trying to catch up to White Knockels. So, I lifted to avoid Martin, thought I could end up just behind him, but nope, we touched and he spun, so I waited for him to get back on track and we moved on from there. Again, I am sorry about that. Anyways, I managed to climb back up and finish where I first started. Now I want more of the same action at Imola! See you all then! Oh! Congratulations to Bart and Tim, but I am getting you guys next time..! G.E.A.R. shall prevail!
Hello all I am new here and do not have experience to make everything as should be In fact this was my first race with the wheel. Hoping to become a better driver every race. As the subject of being a lapped driver I am sorry to make things complicated for a bunch of people on turn 1 I was trying to give way to all of you by trying to get out of way but it is not easy when one car decides to go right and other left I was in the middle all of a sudden did as best as I could to stay out of trouble. Got a little bump in the rear in the end. As I am taking all the resposibilty and will be more carefull in all the races upcoming I was wondering about something When you see a blue flag stay on your racing line it is up to the faster car to pass you. is directly taken from this sites rules and as far as I know the responsibilty to make a clear pass due too lapping car Turn 1 in that situation was very risky to pass as one car going left and other to going right Maybe a better pass oppurnity was after the corner? Because I did lapped by almost everyone other places on track and clould give clear pass chances to everyone in my belief. Please dont get me wrong. This was not for rant. more for taking opinions from more experienced people and for getting better. Good day for all!!
Really enjoyed first race, wish I could find decent pace had few issues with throttle not giving me 100% but everyone was driving well had good battles with my good friend Chris super glued together just like the Audi TT could not keep pace with Frans when Chris and Yusuf caught me Yusuf disappeared into the distance and left me and Chris trading places for most of the race until I had a bit of a brake to catch Frans a little was happy with result thanx all see you at Imola .
True. But if I would have been in your position being reeled in rapidly by the frontrunners, I would not have waited to catch up with me starting the twitchy first sector. I would have let them by on the straight already. It was idd difficult being sandwiched into the first corner by the front runners though.
Had an okay race but struggled to go very fast. Had a good race for the most part fighting at the beginning for last place. My pace was around 2:01 and fairly consistent. Tried a few different lines and adjusted throttle control getting around a second faster. Was never going to be very competetive but I think I have wheel problems that are playing a part in this. Enjoyed the race up to around 5 mins to go I had a pc stuttering issue that messed me up. Totally lost my concentration and found myself scrambling out of the way of lapping cars. Decided to drop out as I didnt want to ruin anyone elses race Im going to sort my wheel properly for the next race and I will see you all there. Well done to the podium guys
Race Report: Bloody loved it! Qualified 4th, a surprise as the car felt better with race fuel? Dropped to 6th due too a poor start, I have this thing that with some cars you can use clutch on the start and others if you press the gas with 1st gear selected i jump start so didn't want to take the risk, therefore increasing revs wait for lights out then select 1st and lift clutch - bit like Mr Webber, usually a bit iffy at the starts! Passed Sean back to 5th by end of lap one and sitting with Can Yucel to settle things down and find rhythm, I saw the Yusaf backwards in the gravel around lap 4, I noted that knowing his pace for later on, now up to 4th. The front runners tangled and we filtered through to 1st and 2nd respectively. Sure enough the front two were back on our tails within but a few laps. They made their way through with only a little harassment, i am sure Can will agree we were not going to give on a plate but still balanced enough to recognise a faster car. Battled with Can for 3rd again as the race wore on, noticed around half distance Yusaf now closing in, as expected... NOw being the time to push i hassled Can for 3rd and got through hoping he would hold up Yusaf. Ysuaf up to 4th and closing, i got distracted at T1 watching the rear rather than ahead and went wide, Yusaf hit the apex spot on, I tried to get back to line, knowing Yusaf was there but Yusaf was out of site at the most perfect time - we merged chasing the same piece of road and the combination of those factors lead to the most insignificant touch however my car was at that point of no return that just a slight push from a hand could have turned it around. Racing incident but in reflection i should have run it wide rather than worry about the return to the racing line. Shit happens when he closed again as expected i tried to avoid into the final turn and keep it tight, there was a slight mis understanding there which i apologise for, trying to allow you to pass but minimising that time loss. I also had a good battle with Frans in that mayhem and recovery and returned to 5th and got my head down again. Closed again on Can toward the end of the race but we ran out of time for any further fun! I have to say that i really did not like these cars while spending time on the practice server, there is something i can not find around the balance but kept chipping away with the help of my team mate om set up. In race however I loved it! Awesome close combat inch by inch racing, you really are working every meter of the track which was really hard work but at the same time great fun, seeking any minimal improvement on the delta but even more so when in combat with others! Pleased with the end result, not raced these before, and look forward to seeing everyone on the black stuff at Imola! Martin
Finding balance in these cars is idd not that easy. But this race at this track showed why these mazdas are so popular! Fighting for every inch
