AC Multiclass Audi TT/Mazda MX5@Imola, Wednesday 13th April 2022

[JamKart22]

No hardware issue.
It just takes away my immersion.

This is why I mute it until I come on traffic

 

[Kek700]

I quite enjoy the banter, does not really affect me, the occasional outburst I find amusing.
Especially a what **** did you do that for??
Sort adds some drama to what can sometimes be a dull lapping race.

 

[stigs2cousin]

The reason for Discord is simple:

Not everybody bothers to read the Racing Club rules, not everybody knows our "rules of Fairplay"

So "Race Director" Han reminds as how to lap and not to divebomb Mazdas and how punting someone off in Brands Hatch is a bannable offence if you don't wait and give the position back.

Conclusion:

As we "race as one" communication is key, we are real people and not just "biological AI"

I strongly advocate for Discord mandatory (and will work on my Radio Chatter to not disturb the concentration of my friends on the same track)

Have a good Easter Carsten

(Edith: fixed some interesting
"corrections" my German fone slipped in )

Edith II: the "kleines Scheissding" did it again

 

[davejevons]

Like Colin I'm a fan of both Imola and Brands - I've enjoyed racing both recently. Imola does have the feature that if you're slower you can have quite a lonely race,

I had a slightly beter absolute pace at this one, being able to run about 2s faster than last year but it wasn't consistent enough. After a good first lap making up a few places I made many small mistakes and drifted to the back of the pack. Good battles with @maxilogan and then @Douglas Aird made it interesting. I might have had the edge on absolute pace at this track but Doug was more consistent. The one mistake Doug did make was big enough to let me past.

As for Discord, it's helpful to know what's happening ahead and amusing at times. I can always mute it were I to be more serious about it. I do understand it might be distracting for others taking it more seriously. One thing to be aware of is that when new people join they often make mistakes (I made many) and it can be quite initimidating if a regular vents their frustration with you on Discord when you're trying really hard to get it right.

 

[hape]

hi
my suggestion is a thread with a voting to see if the majority wants a mandatory discord or not.
I think thats the only way to know.
I also think if you race a few times with discord the feeling about it will change because after a few races its normal to have it and yes in my last races most of us are disciplined enough to not talk about the weather in the race. So whats about such an thread Brian and Han
hape

 

[Douglas Aird]

Regarding Discord I think the most important time to have everyone on is for the pre qualifying and pre race briefing so if you do go down the route of making it mandatory then maybe make it for a set "drivers briefing " time?

Other thoughts are -

1) policing it will give you more admin.
2) I agree with @davejevons that in the (heat of the) moment negative criticism could put off new drivers and they may think twice about racing with us again.
3) Discord is very useful in the race especially for blue flag and golden rule communication but if there's too much noise/banter/shouting it can be very distacting.

 

[HF2000]

hi
my suggestion is a thread with a voting to see if the majority wants a mandatory discord or not.
I think thats the only way to know.
I also think if you race a few times with discord the feeling about it will change because after a few races its normal to have it and yes in my last races most of us are disciplined enough to not talk about the weather in the race. So whats about such an thread Brian and Han
hape

I've given this some thoughts and my conclusion is that to put Discord mandatory is impractical.

First someone can be on Discord but turning the volume off which is the same as not being on Discord. So cheating is very easy.
Second I can't check continuously if someone is on Discord maybe only before qually and before the race but certainly not during. And with a full grid it isn't easy to do that within a small timeframe together with kicking violators.
Third at the moment a guy that's been kicked by me for not being on Discord can rejoin.

And maybe the most important reason is that you cannot force one to use communication if he doesn't want to.

So let's keep trying to stimulate drivers to take part in the voice communication. And please report to me if participants are violating the rules and not obeying the directions. I will contact them and try to convince them in a more direct and personal way to use Discord to avoid those situations in the future.

And be more strict in only necessary talks during the qually/race and keep the social part for after the race.

 

[JamKart22]

I've given this some thoughts and my conclusion is that to put Discord mandatory is impractical.

First someone can be on Discord but turning the volume off which is the same as not being on Discord. So cheating is very easy.
Second I can't check continuously if someone is on Discord maybe only before qually and before the race but certainly not during. And with a full grid it isn't easy to do that within a small timeframe together with kicking violators.
Third at the moment a guy that's been kicked by me for not being on Discord can rejoin.

And maybe the most important reason is that you cannot force one to use communication if he doesn't want to.

So let's keep trying to stimulate drivers to take part in the voice communication. And please report to me if participants are violating the rules and not obeying the directions. I will contact them and try to convince them in a more direct and personal way to use Discord to avoid those situations in the future.

And be more strict in only necessary talks during the qually/race and keep the social part for after the race.

Han, have some text that covers all the pre race briefing and copy and paste it into the messages window in ac prior to the race. At least everyone should then know what's expected during the race.

 

[Kek700]

I am 100% for discord.

Would miss all of it if we did not use it.
I quite often just sit and listen to all the banter.

But if someone does not want to use it, happy with that too.

In fact what Han decides, happy with that.

 

[HF2000]

Han, have some text that covers all the pre race briefing and copy and paste it into the messages window in ac prior to the race. At least everyone should then know what's expected during the race.

Good suggestion. I will try that although I'm not certain how many of you look at the messages. I know that I don't

 

[stigs2cousin]

I personally would like a more strict enforcement of the rules (which is also the reason behind my asking for mandatory Discord)
It´s insanely frustrating when someone gains an unfair advantage by breaking the rules, eg dive bombing and punting off competitors and than just says he didn´t know.
As we race to a ruleset with a strict code of conduct in my opinion repeat offenders should suffer the consequences of "not giving a ****"

This may on the one hand be a consequence of my job where the ruleset is enforced to keep people from getting hurt and where I have "banned" paying customers for their second or third strike.
First strike of course warrants a friendly warning, but then a change of pace is expected.

On the other hand I try to find the right mix of competitiveness (for which I have to work hard, a good race usually takes five to ten hours training as I clearly am not a talent) and fairplay as others do want to have a good race too.

That´s it for me, I will not insist further,

Happy Easter all around Carsten

 

[Kek700]

I whole heartedly agree Carsten, it is really difficult in this Audi, Mazda racing, the Mazdas are undoubtedly the victims in this type of racing.
Who ever it might be, to put in a lot of practice only to find yourself being bullied out of position by Mr Audi is not fun.
Also to spend ten laps creating a three second gap and see it disappear in one corner for just the misfortune of an unlucky,for the Audi, placed Mazda is not exactly fun either.
I tend not to bother too much with this racing , putting in little effort pre race, if any time at all, unless it is a new circuit, or a circuit that comfortably absorbs this type of racing.
I have to be quite strict with myself, even after the above not to try a last Minuit dash to try and preserve any advantage I may have built up. So invariably I will concede and give up.

But if I see someone do what I try not to do, I can easily understand why.

Conclusion, the problem is always in the Audi camp, So that can only be the direction for a solution.
?

 

[stigs2cousin]

I´m not trying to place blame, it´s difficult for all members of the community (see how I not called them sides/parties )

will happen times and times again.

As long as everybody does his best to act considerate and for example enables communications its just life happening.

As long as immersion goes I´ve served as paddock marshall and once as pit marshall for RCN series at Nürburgring and can assure you:

a driver who doesn´t bother to adhear to the regulations, eg show up for drivers briefing can load up his car and drive to the next McDonalds (which in this case would be Adenau )

MFG Carsten

 

[HF2000]

Conclusion, the problem is always in the Audi camp, So that can only be the direction for a solution.

How about we swap the Audi for the Abarth Assetto Corsa? Can be multiclass or monoclass. These cars have quite similar performance so lapping will not be as common as with the Audi so we can apply normal rules for blue flags and drivers can defend at all times.

But my objective with the Audi/Mazda combination was to have more action during the race. That will be significant less with the Abarth.

 

[stigs2cousin]

No reason to change the whole series on my part.

I think we can make this work as a community.

MFG Carsten

 

[HF2000]

No reason to change the whole series on my part.

I think we can make this work as a community.

MFG Carsten

Fine! But I'd like to try the Abarth/Mazda combination sometime this year.
I had Ahvenisto in mind for a MX5 only event but this can be nice also.

 

[JoelK]

I had Ahvenisto in mind for a MX5 only event but this can be nice also.

YES YES AND YES !! Maybe some faster cars there as well

 

[HF2000]

YES YES AND YES !! Maybe some faster cars there as well

You do know that all Finns get 50 kg BOP to compensate for the home advantage, right?

Btw: which faster cars are you thinking of? I don't think the GT3s are very suitable for this.
For the GT cars and the Audi/Mazda multiclass I had Horsma Raceway in mind.

 

[stigs2cousin]

Ahvenisto is great with the mazdas ( a bit "door bangy" perhaps ) but with the Audi??

I don´t want to try but I´ll listen to your bitching

MFG Carsten

 

[Kek700]

You do know that all Finns get 50 kg BOP to compensate for the home advantage, right?

Btw: which faster cars are you thinking of? I don't think the GT3s are very suitable for this.
For the GT cars and the Audi/Mazda multiclass I had Horsma Raceway in mind.

Only 50Kg

????