Finally got some time to finish my first race. So as in many other parallel universes, here Sauber realized that a good move would be to take 2 rookies. So they put me next to Leclerc. In order to find my difficulty and to simulate pre-season tests, I drove two 50% races, with 1-shot Q, on Catalunya circuit. First one was me adjusting from playing F1 2013 until few weeks ago, so it saw couple of flashbacks, until after 4th visit to wall I decided to end it there. Then 2nd race, qualified in top10, so that gave me less favorable strategy with 2 stops. In the race didn't have pace and finished 20 seconds behind Leclerc. AI was at 90, and I choose to leave it like that.
On to Australia, first practice program done, getting back to pit, boom, hit the wall on exit of turn 4. no flashback, end of the session. Got all programs done, with only fuel not making purple I think. Also managed to find a setup that gave me confidence and went to Q. Great 1 lap pace saw me going to Q3
But as I realized it is not really realistic at this point I didn't set time and was 10th. Started 9th due to Ricciardo penalty for hitting Vettel in practice 3.
Race: Average start (I like manual starts in this game), Overtook Perez for 8th and had Alonso and Hulk ahead. My plan was 2 stops, as suggested time difference was 3 seconds, with first stop on lap 7 of 29. On lap 4 I started to get to rhythm and catch 2 guys ahead and just got them on lap 6. Couldn't overtake due to them slipstreaming each other. So on lap 7 I decided to do the opposite to them, I turned in the pit (for SS) as they continued and that was when I realized I messed up (1 stop was way to go). Lap later after my really bad out lap, Alonso was out of pits on softs at around 3 seconds ahead (been 0.3sec ahead before my stop). I caught him on faster tyres in 3 laps and overtook him straight away (thought not everything is lost), but he managed to keep up with me. When I was informed that I am 8sec behind Leclerc I knew that he is also on 1 stop. And he did it on lap 13-14. On lap 14 they suggest me strategy change, stopping on lap 16 for SS instead of lap 18. I accept and pit on lap 16, as my tyres were great I wanted to have longer last stint to get back more time. And it worked great, I was lonely after pit but started gaining big time on guys ahead. It was Ocon-Leclerc-Grosjean, fighting for 10th position. Ocon was slowest and that helped me to catch up. When I got to him, Leclerc and Grosjean were a bit up the road. Got Ocon on lap 20 and arrived on Grosjean's back on lap 22, but he has closed to Leclerc so I had trouble to get past due to him slipstreaming Charles. But on lap 27, Grosjean attacked into turn 1, Leclerc slowed down and I took a chance and got them both on clean inside line. Never looked back after it, first race first point, fantastic.
For future, my tyre wear was much better then I thought it will be, so going for 1 stop will be option in future, we'll see...