rF2 Renault Clio @ Croft - Tuesday November 20th 2012

Bram Hengeveld · Nov 20, 2012

Whaha I really enjoyed the hell out of this racing tonight guys, thank you very much

I was a rookie with this track and didnt expect too much of it. Qualified last I think but man what a blast during the race once you get the hang over it

Great close combat racing with the De Haas/Grovalls train and it went very well. Made one tiny mistake in the first chicane and the car balanced on two wheel until I lost control rolled the car and flipped acrobatically over the barrier

Ended in some kind of blackhole that sucked me up and spit me out in the pit again where I couldn't restart the engine.

End of my race with 10 minutes left to go. Bloody shame as I laughed out loud on every round in this field. BIG FUN THX

Thanks to the guys on teamspeak as well.

Stefan Woudenberg you can hard-code me on the sign up list from now on on Tuesdays

Mart Välja · Nov 20, 2012

Sorry for the one that I turned in @ Turn1 lap ~6-7. You were getting more and more behind me so finally I assumed before the turn that you were not on my side anymore. But you were in my blindspot and rest is history. Wrecked my front left suspension and despite spending 135 freaking seconds in pitlane it was not in working order so I decided to quit. Great racing until that point, cheers!

Kevin Cox · Nov 20, 2012

Well what can I say? A newbie mistake on the first lap and took out tires which flipped me over a couple of times. Put me at the back about 20secs behind!!

Managed to catch Stefan and pass him. Went wide and swiped Stefan's nose coming back on track. So sorry m8.

Slowed to let him back past but made another big mistake and hit tire wall very hard. End of race!

Look forward to next one.

Bjorn de Haas · Nov 20, 2012

great and fair racing

mannaged to get from a +20 starting position to a 7th place some im happy with the results. Track was great and i loved the fast chicane on it

William Geuze · Nov 20, 2012

Holy crap, as much as first impressions go this one is hard to beat.

I was quite far off the pace but managed a 16th place on the grid. Hanging back at the start I avoided contact and I don't think there was any big collisions anyway. This set me back to last place, being overcautious.., and a couple of laps later I gained 2 places already just because people either flipped over or did suffer damage during those first turns. I did push in the beginning but as I noticed I needed to push very hard to gain only a little time I eased off into a pace I could comfortably drive without too much mistakes. Because of events I managed to connect to two other drivers who, somewhat luckily, both overtook in 1 corner (last corner) but it didn't take half a lap for them to do an overtake on me

All in all I drove consistently and didn't make any big mistakes (went wide 2 times under pressure) and because of it I managed an 11th place when the checkered flag was waved.

Thanks for the great sport everybody, this sort of attitude and driving makes it worthwhile to spend an evening on

Bram Hengeveld · Nov 20, 2012

Mexicano's are on me next time Bjorn de Haas

William Geuze · Nov 20, 2012

Please don't make these too much fun, or my track (Zolder) will never get finished

Steve Travers · Nov 20, 2012

Had a blast tonight in my first Clio race

I managed to qualify in 10th, which i was more than happy with. After a clean and cautious start i was in 8th following Lee, we were lapping almost identically but i hit some stray tyres, with only about 12 mins to go and that flipped me over the barrier and into the crowd. I hope i kept out of everyone's way when i rejoined

So with damage i limped round and finished 12th. Had a really great evening though, thank you all!!

Nick Deeley · Nov 20, 2012

That was quite nice. Fairly easy start, apart from avoiding a flying Clio from the top 6. Had a battle with Axel for 5th all race long. Got past him early on when he almost crashed. Made a mistake at turn 1, clipped a barrier and got damage. Wheel was a bit to one side down the straights but could still drive it. Axel bearing down on me towards the end, 2 ahead went off, upto 3rd. Held off Axel to the end by less than a second.

3rd, on the podium. Pretty happy with that. Not that much practice (about 20-30 laps earlier this evening), and qualified 6th despite the lack of practice.

Stefan Woudenberg · Nov 21, 2012

Well had a blast on TS, really had some great laughs.

It was not my first time here at Croft with the CLIO's, so I knew how and what. I never was really quick here, but I started to tweak my setup here and there and with a bit more smooth driving I could do 1:32's instead of the 1:34's.
I started as 12th and had a good getaway. Some guys went for tyre wall inspections and in a few laps I was running comfortable on a 7th position. Teddy was quicker in the end of section 2 and thought he could dive on the inside of a 4th gear corner...Which he couldn't and bumped me into as spin off track and I had to wait for the whole field to pass,,,,Now 21st.

The good thing was he waited for me at the last corner. With Kevin on my tail and I knew it would be impossible to hold him off. I could for a few corners, but had to let him go. I was on the chase to catch up the back of the field the whole race after the incident, so pretty lonely... No battles for me this time.

Kevin Cox said:
Managed to catch Stefan and pass him. Went wide and swiped Stefan's nose coming back on track. So sorry m8. Slowed to let him back past but made another big mistake and hit tire wall very hard. End of race!

No worries there m8!

No damage done, I was running last anyway.

Bjorn de Haas · Nov 21, 2012

hahha Bram

Stefan Mizzi · Nov 21, 2012

Great race as always! Very close qualify session but managed to get pole. My starts are not that good so lost the 1st position to Gaëtan.

We had a great battle for the 1st half of the race. At some point he went a bit wide in the 3rd corner and I took advantage and passed. But he was pushing hard and I went wide in last corner and he passed on the straight.

After a few laps he went wide again, I tried to pass but his car skidded onto mine and I ended on the grass. Two other guys, Tibor and Hugo passed us and I had to battle with them as Gaëtan was running away.

Tibor had a little out of track so we passed him. Then I battled with Hugo but Croft is hard to pass.I was pushing him very hard but could not pass. Then in the last part of the track I got by his side and took a chance but unfortunately he did not leave any space and we touched. I was a little optimistic too tbo. It was game over for both of us. Sorry Hugo. It was a typical Massa/Hamilton racing accident.

Pity really as I could have kept battling with Gaëtan for 1st place but that is racing really.

Looking forward to Mid-Ohio and that will be epic too! I also look forward to the race with Dragon battling in the front with us

See you next time! Clio's are one of the best races tbo!!!

Tibor Rózsahegyi · Nov 21, 2012

Stefan (Mizzi):

I was lucky on the race...i think. You, Gaetan, Hugo are faster than me, but everyone had a battle with someone, except for me. I started P3 and finished P2. (but i was deserve P4) Sorry for you and Hugo, it was typical racing accident.

Gaëtan Legastelois · Nov 21, 2012

Ok, I thought it would be a great race, and it was.
During practice I saw there was pretty fast people, I could make a great time 1.31.2 (I made few tries yesterday and I was never under 1.31.4) but a lot of guys was just behind. The race will be hard

Qualification :
I took the second place only 0.03s behind a great Stefan Mizzi. well done, GG mate

Race :
I took a good start and I could take the lead, but I had some difficulties with my cold tires during first lap.
That was just but I could conserve the lead. But Stefan (Mizzi) was here and never more behind that 1s.During many laps Stefan put a lot of pressure on me because I could not apply more than 1s between us.
Until I make a mistake. he took advantage of this to attack me. He was on the good way and pass me after a great and fair battle in the serie of fast turns.
Now it's at me to put pressure on Stefan (héhé). But Stefan stays solid, I'm just behind really near him. It was really hard to overtake safely on this track, and Stefan was too fast. I must wait a mistake. This mistake came in the last bend. Stefan brakes a little late and I go inside. For the straight we are side by side, I'm a little on front, but Stefan is inside, I prepare to brake late for take speed and try to overtake during the great straight after first serie of bends but Stefan, in fair guy, prefer brake early. I take the lead again. Sadly I make a great mistake on a braking and Stefan hurt me during I loose control (sorry for that noob's mistake, too lot pressure, you can do nothing to avoid me) I can take control just for avoid Tibor (I think he was laughing of me

). Tibor who's come back during our battle take the lead, I stay second 2s behind and Stefan was 4th behind Hugo.
I come back on Tibor but he make a great defense and I can't overtake him. I need a mistake to take the lead. Tibor misses the last bend. I take the lead for the third and last time. After that I can put some secondes between us and win the race.

Thank for racers and thank Stefan (Woudenberg

) for this race

and sorry for my bad english