ACC British GT Series - Round 4 @ Oulton Park 22.05.23

[rborowik]

My Race Report

Tough one for me, wasnt sure if to race or not after a tough weekend at the NBR24, getting home early Monday morning.

5 minutes before the practice session I got into the rig, couldnt press the brakes hard thansk to my aching legs and blistered feet.

The practice session went ok, I was slow but consistent, figured I would race as consistency is more important than single fast laps.

Started the race in p9, a huge gap opened on the outside of Turn 1 so I went there so that I wouldnt misjudge the braking and hit anyone, the car grounded out on the exit kerb which it hadnt done in practice or qualifying and I lost the rear end, spinning Brooks. Hope it didnt cause you too much damage and sorry for costing you so much time!

Continued on in what was now last place until Zierach pitted at the end of lap 1. Worked on my pace knowing I was going long on the first stint, ended up getting through the pack reasonably well with a couple of offs due to my braking. I couldnt trail brake at all!

Pitted after 43 minutes leaving a short run to the end, I caught Nascentes, had a good battle along side each other multiple times for a few laps until some contact in T1 span us out. We both got going again and I just coasted the last lap, losing a couple of seconds to let Chris lap me and save myself from having to drive another lap.

 

[RicardoJorge92]

Race report:
Had a lot of practice for this one. Wanted a good result as Silverstone can be a hard one for me. Was hard to figure out the consistency, but got there after a couple of sessions.

Quali could have been better. Had a PB of 1:33:6 in practice, but mad a few mistakes, meaning Chris took pole by .02s

I had a plan of lapping slow the first few laps, so I could aim to 34:5 and a few push laps to make the tires last. However, with Chris pushing in front, I had to try an match. We had a few quali laps in there.

After dropping back a couple of seconds to Chris, I was thinking about pitting early, but he went in so I responded a lap later with a small mistake stopping a bit after my mark. In hindsight, I should have stayed out longer and pushed.
Came out 5 seconds behind, but caught back up to within 2 seconds after getting the tires up to shape.

Had a bit bad luck on the timing I came to lap people. Had a feeling Chris caught in the straights, whereas I caught up on corner entry. No issues with how people got out of the way, just unlucky timing for me.

Less than a second in the end as I feel Chris let off in the last lap.

Congrats for the flawless win @SwannyUK.
Congrats to John on a good come back to 3rd place.
On to the Silverstone championship decider. Hoping for another good fight!

 

[akephoe]

Congrats to Chris for the win and to the Podium, great pace!
Thanks as always to Chris for organizing and keep it running! And to Johann for his livery delivery service.

About the race nothing to say.
Not fast (enough) and inconsistent. Had a late join to the grid and a delayed start because i got an important call right at that time. The cherry on the cake was the incoming DT for being false started...
Not more to say.
See you.

 

[Hazzatron19]

My race was abit all over. Quli went well, had 3 tenths in me still but ran wide on second to last corner. Got hit at the start, but tbf there was nothing Dob could have done and he waited and apologised so I fair play.

Had 5 seconds of damage and just worked my way back up. Pace was in the 34s. Came out of stop p6. Then chased after p3,4,5. Was making good in roads until I made a mistake and dropped 10 seconds. That would have put me behind p3 but then end I think but he ho, p4 is good

 

[SwannyUK]

Fair play guys, Oulton was always going to be one of the toughest tracks on the calendar and we managed to get through it.

Quali went well, found a good gap on the track and just went for it. Top 3 covered by less than a tenth I think in the end? PB for me, could never get a time that low in practice but hooked a lap up.

Got a good start and saw Ricardo behind. I thought he might try and save tyres a bit so pushed like hell. This worked well until 20 something minutes in a got a puncture on the first chicane! I'd been rattling over the big kerb on the left and it bit me. Braking for the next chicane the car wouldn't stop, had to take the scenic route and carefully get to the pits. Stop went well luckily and I came out in front of Ricardo. After that it was just a case of looking after the tyres and trying to get past others cleanly and quickly. Tyres were starting to struggle on the last lap but managed to get it home. First win in a while and a first in the McLaren for me I think, mega happy with that especially as Ricardo was pushing me the whole way, awesome pace dude.

P.S - thanks to everyone that got a blue flag, brilliant driving to minimise any time loss.

 

[SwannyUK]

Results

https://simresults.net/230523-6AX

 

[cerebralvortex]

Haha, newb mistakes were made as expected

Qualified P3, could as well be pole, it was close.

At the start I wasn't sure my engine was running because of the noise of the cars around and I didn't know where I could see it in the cockpit. Aaaaand, turned out it wasn't, so when the grid got going I was at the back. When I finally switched it on I wasn't sure the cars would ghost when I got back to my position so I carefully tried to get through cars and it worked. When I was back about where I should have been for the start it was go-go-go! I was on the wrong line for the first couple of turns and that cost me 3 positions, so I was down in P6. I managed to gain a position on track while two others made mistakes and I could pass. So back in P3 before pitting.. I expected this to go wrong too and well... it did. I went into the pits but I think I was still in first gear when I switched the ignition off. I got jacked up and pushed forward and forward and forward until I was at the end of the pits.. I had no idea what was going on. I did another lap and pitted again, it worked this time. Not sure how much I can refuel without losing time in the pits so I played it safe I think.

I pushed as much as I could and gained another position due to a mistake of a car in front. Happy with P5 in the end despite pitting twice. I am enjoying racing in ACC so I'll be back.

See ya.

 

[SwannyUK]

I went into the pits but I think I was still in first gear when I switched the ignition off. I got jacked up and pushed forward and forward and forward until I was at the end of the pits.. I had no idea what was going on. I did another lap and pitted again, it worked this time.

That sounds really weird, never seen that before. I usually come, down to 1st gear before the line and engage the limiter. Just before I have to stop in the box I kill the engine using the ignition button (still in 1st gear). Jacks go up, I put the ignition back on ready then when the countdown goes to 1 I hold starter and set off.

 

[cerebralvortex]

That sounds really weird, never seen that before. I usually come, down to 1st gear before the line and engage the limiter. Just before I have to stop in the box I kill the engine using the ignition button (still in 1st gear). Jacks go up, I put the ignition back on ready then when the countdown goes to 1 I hold starter and set off.

I have no idea, maybe it glitched but I could have done something wrong. You can see it in the replay..

 

[RicardoJorge92]

@rborowik, you mean to tell us that just because you came from the 24H Nurburgring, you didn't stay up all night taking a few cool shots from our replay!? You are slacking, dude!

 

[JohannS]

So I had a pretty eventful race
Qualified 4th, made up a place at the start, got 2 punctures (FL, RL) in the first stint, nearly died in the fast corner before the carousel, nailed my pit stop cool, got 2 punctures in my second stint (FL, RL), got a drive through (which is basically 10 sec. penality on Oulton), ran out of fuel before the last corner and barely made it through the finish line in 8th (I'll upload the video later). Holy Jesus

Congrats to the podiums and a gig thanks to Chris for organizing!
This was my last race for the series, as I won't be home for Silverstone. Wish you all a fantastic finish to this amazing series and hopefully see you for the next one (hopefully with a finished livery app )

 

[Antonpiou]

ran out of fuel before the last corner and barely made it through the finish line in 8th (I'll upload the video later). Holy Jesus

Yeah, I saw you at the finish line, literally crawling to reach it. What a moment!

 

[rborowik]

@rborowik, you mean to tell us that just because you came from the 24H Nurburgring, you didn't stay up all night taking a few cool shots from our replay!? You are slacking, dude!

Yep thats exactly why I haven't done them yet, well and I have also been working on my clients photos and video instead.

One of the best jobs I have done but damn it was the toughest and thats with paying everything for a friend to come with me to help carry my camera kit around the track.

Im about to load up ACC to do some photos though!

 

[rborowik]

Part 1

 

[rborowik]

Part 2

 

[rborowik]

Final Part

 

[Hazzatron19]

Those photos are amazing!

 

[SgtMahone]

Yes brilliant photos Robert, thanks

 

[rborowik]

Those photos are amazing!

Yes brilliant photos Robert, thanks

Thanks! I enjoy playing around with the photo editor, I can put the camera anywhere so I can get shots that arent possible in the real world

 

[SgtMahone]

Thanks! I enjoy playing around with the photo editor, I can put the camera anywhere so I can get shots that arent possible in the real world

Yeah I was thinking; I bet he’d love to be able to get that close in the real world!