Hey guys,
I just read all your messages.... thanks! :) Just to clear up something - there
are two circuits at Paul Ricard, The main one is the Grand Prix circuit which
is the one you may have all used in GP2, and it's also the one where Gugelmin
managed to roll his March/Leyton House in 1990(?) :-)
The circuit I was driving my Formula Renaults on was the "School Circuit" and
is attached to the Grand Prix circuit, but only both are used infrequently for
GT tests for Le Mans (using both circuits together gives two very long
straights). I think Toyota are there this weekend actually....
Anyway, it was a fantastic experience, it was the 2nd I've been time this year.
However this time I was competing for a 25,000 scholarship :) I did eight
sessions of 10 laps of the 1.8 km circuit and it was very cold - 0 degrees on
the first day! ...and it didn't get much warmer.
Most of you probably know that racing tires don't like to be cold and when I
came to my first corner, of my first lap, of my first session, of the first day
of the week, what did I do....? I spun the damn thing :)) I couldn't believe
how gripless cold tyres were... this highly enbarissing moment positivly wreck
my first day :) I managed a 59.xxx avarage* in my first session - that's 10
seconds off the pace! LOL! :))
Anyway, I slowly managed to get it together and during the course of the week
even managed to impress all the instructors (to the point where "Gerard", an
ex-FIA GT-2 driver declared his love for me! :)) Though, I think it was my
accent, rather than my driving ;)
But really, Simon, the owner of Winfield was particularly impressed with the
way I handled myself and corrected errors in my driving (particularly on the
brakes - "trail braking" and the "heel & toe" were fundamental skills required
to go fast :)
I eventually got my time down to a very respectable 49.992 avarage*, on my last
session. Just one more session and I could have been challenging for a place in
the Finals! Pretty frustrating, but very satisfying all the same :) I was
invited back to try again next year. I'm told I'm in with a good chance of
winnning - "Maybe with some more time in the car..."
Don't have GPL so don't ask for a comparison :) The sim that comes closest
(remember I have only done hotlaps) is ....wait for it... CART Precicsion
Racing. Sorry, it's not the one you were hoping for, I know, but the look, feel
and sound of CPR just seems closest! :) Sorry...
*Average of the 5 fastest laps out of a 10 lap session.
Bye,
Rob Swindells
[link lost in import]
SwindellsR wrote
Get GPL before David starts to quote you in all his posts here ;-)
(hehe sorry lame joke, but still just a joke ;-D ).
<ymenard ducks> hehe.
Happy you went so well, it was great to read ! ;)
- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard> Good race at the Brickyard!
- Official Mentally retarded guy of r.a.s.
- Excuse me for my English (I'm French speaking)
- Sponsored by http://www.awpss.com/ on the NROS
- "People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."--
Thanks! Want to sponsor me? :-)
Rob
