Round 4: Russia - Sochi Autodrom (26Apr18 @ 9pm EDT)

[AaronWebb85]

Last Season's Results:
1st: McSendit
2nd: ForzaAlonso14
3rd: jdub2035
Pole: McSendit (1.33.541)
FL: ForzaAlonso14 (1.35.894)

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Pre-Race Interview:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]1) This week we are in Russia.  How do you like this track?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]2) Russia is a track with very little tire wear.  Do you like high tire deg and needing to manage the tires, or prefer to run flat out?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]3) This week we will be removing the formation lap.  Did you like running the formation lap when we had it?[/font]

[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Recap by Hootius:[/font]

Thursday Night 9PM EDT: F1 2017 Season 10/Race 4 Russia

Conner Stanek (McSendit) and Shane Odeyemi (Odemdemz98) have traded Poles throughout the season, and Russia would be no different. Shane would claim his 3rd Pole of the Season, besting Conner literally by the slimmest of margins, .001 seconds. Edwin Garcia (ForzaAlonso14), Nicholas Delp (NickTheQuick) and Aaron Webb (AaronWebb85) rounded out the Top 5 in qualifying.

The defining move of the race happened right off of light. Shane secured his top position off of the lights and would take advantage of early battles behind him to capture an early lead. The only time that Shane would lose the lead was during pit cycles, as he went on his way to claim his 2nd victory on the Season. The real story of the race though was the never ending battle between Conner and Edwin. Edwin took 2nd from Conner in the first turn, and that set up Conner attacking, trying to take the position back before the pit stop. After the pit stop, Conner took 2nd and it was Edwin’s turn to start attacking. In the end, Conner would claim the 2nd step of the Podium, with Edwin coming home in 3rd. Aaron would claim 4th for the 2nd week in a row, with Brandon Moore (Bemoore) rounding out the Top 5. Shane also captured the “Fastest Lap of the Race Award”, claiming the 2nd Hat Trick of his Career. Rodrigo Rocha (Ch4p4rro) claimed the “Hard Charger Award”, going +6 in the race on his way to his first Top 10 finish.

After 4 of the 20 races in the Driver’s Championship, Conner Stanek (McSendit) leads Shane Odeyemi (Odemdemz98) by just 3 points after the 2 drivers have traded wins back and forth to start the Season. Nicholas Delp (NickTheQuick) holds 3rd Place in the points, but only by 3 points over Edwin Garcia (ForzaAlonso14), and 8 points over Aaron Webb (AaronWebb85).

After 4 of the 20 races in the Team Championship, Mercedes {Conner Stanek (McSendit) and Ranga G. (Ranga55)} hold 9 point advantage over McLaren {Shane Odeyemi (Odemdemz98) and Richard Palmer (Mc_Laren_f1)}.

The Live Commentary Broadcast from Charles Sumner (Hootius/ Twitch.tv/oldmanhoot) can be found HERE.

 

[drewdawg727]

Just a heads up - I will not be available to race this night.

 

[nickthequick]

pre-race interview is up!

 

[AaronWebb85]

1) This week we are in Russia.  How do you like this track?
This has always been one of my favorite tracks. We always seem to get really great battles here. It's a very technical track, and you have to be right on the limit to be fast here. Hoping for another top 5 finish this week.

2) Russia is a track with very little tire wear.  Do you like high tire deg and needing to manage the tires, or prefer to run flat out?
This is a hard one to answer. On one side, I like just all out pace and let's see who is the fastest and most consistent. On the other hand, I love the strategy playing a part in the race, whether that's due to weather or tire deg. Seeing as I am not one of the fastest drivers nowadays, I would lean towards tire strategy playing a part, as it gives me more opportunities to improve my position on track.

3) This week we will be removing the formation lap.  Did you like running the formation lap when we had it?
No, I prefer we just get on with it. Especially since it has zero effect on your temps at the start.

 

[nickthequick]

1) This week we are in Russia.  How do you like this track?
To be honest this might be my least favorite track on the game.  Almost all the corners are 90 degrees and there is no elevation change.  Also it is so easy to cut and extend and you have to be right on the edge of cutting to get the maximum lap time.  Also there is no tire deg so there is only 1 strategy.  We need more gravel, grass and sand then it might make it more interesting.  I don't really enjoy who can cut the most and get away with it or get the closest to cutting.  It also could be that I am always off the pace here so that adds another level lol.

2) Russia is a track with very little tire wear.  Do you like high tire deg and needing to manage the tires, or prefer to run flat out?
I tend to like flat out for quali and then tire wear that degrades enough where you can have multiple strategies.  It would be nice if the tire wear was a little worse, but I understand they are trying to mimic the 2017 season and got it right.  For quali it would be nice if we had a tire that did not degrade at all and you could do like 5 laps in a row.  That would be a lot of fun and you would not have to waste your time doing so many out laps.

3) This week we will be removing the formation lap.  Did you like running the formation lap when we had it?
I do like the immersion of a formation lap because you can talk with your teammate and go over some strategy stuff and its realistic.  However in this game it does not really benefit anyone so I am ok with it being gone.

 

[dszman]

1) This week we are in Russia. How do you like this track?
Historically I've done better at "point and squirt" tracks like this and Austria. However now that I'm on the wheel who knows how it will turn out.

2) Russia is a track with very little tire wear. Do you like high tire deg and needing to manage the tires, or prefer to run flat out?
I've always felt like my tire deg was higher than everyone else's so I like tracks that can get me on the same strategy of others.

3) This week we will be removing the formation lap. Did you like running the formation lap when we had it?
Was fun when it was new but now I can do without it.


Like I said first race on the wheel. I will be putting in work this week to try and get comfortable but if you see me on track I may not be in total control of my car.

 

[McSendit]

1) This week we are in Russia. How do you like this track?

This track sucks. It's ugly and way too easy to accidentally cut corners here. Like Nick said, it becomes a battle of who can cut the most and get away with it. Would gladly get rid of this track and keep Malaysia.

2) Russia is a track with very little tire wear. Do you like high tire deg and needing to manage the tires, or prefer to run flat out?

The high tire wear tracks are definitely more interesting in terms of strategy.

3) This week we will be removing the formation lap. Did you like running the formation lap when we had it?

I liked having it on. It was nice for getting a feel for grip levels on a wet track.

 

[AaronWebb85]

Q: 5th

Ended up only getting my banker lap in. I had a small cut on my 2nd lap which was a couple tenths better and would have been good for 4th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYeAlnJx4bc

R: 4th

Got another good start and benefited from Nick getting a poor launch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynDDs_Jn7uY

Not much battling after the first lap, the front 3 got away and I had a comfortable gap to 5th. Did come out behind a couple drivers on diffent tire strategy after pitting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CwU_bbPovQ

Overall I am very happy with back to back 4th place finishes. Hoping to see the podium some time this season, and if my pace continues like this I think it's likely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUjKrFHtdjM

 

[Hootius]

Thursday Night 9PM EDT: F1 2017 Season 10/Race 4 Russia

Conner Stanek (McSendit) and Shane Odeyemi (Odemdemz98) have traded Poles throughout the season, and Russia would be no different. Shane would claim his 3rd Pole of the Season, besting Conner literally by the slimmest of margins, .001 seconds. Edwin Garcia (ForzaAlonso14), Nicholas Delp (NickTheQuick) and Aaron Webb (AaronWebb85) rounded out the Top 5 in qualifying.

The defining move of the race happened right off of light. Shane secured his top position off of the lights and would take advantage of early battles behind him to capture an early lead. The only time that Shane would lose the lead was during pit cycles, as he went on his way to claim his 2nd victory on the Season. The real story of the race though was the never ending battle between Conner and Edwin. Edwin took 2nd from Conner in the first turn, and that set up Conner attacking, trying to take the position back before the pit stop. After the pit stop, Conner took 2nd and it was Edwin’s turn to start attacking. In the end, Conner would claim the 2nd step of the Podium, with Edwin coming home in 3rd. Aaron would claim 4th for the 2nd week in a row, with Brandon Moore (Bemoore) rounding out the Top 5. Shane also captured the “Fastest Lap of the Race Award”, claiming the 2nd Hat Trick of his Career. Rodrigo Rocha (Ch4p4rro) claimed the “Hard Charger Award”, going +6 in the race on his way to his first Top 10 finish.

After 4 of the 20 races in the Driver’s Championship, Conner Stanek (McSendit) leads Shane Odeyemi (Odemdemz98) by just 3 points after the 2 drivers have traded wins back and forth to start the Season. Nicholas Delp (NickTheQuick) holds 3rd Place in the points, but only by 3 points over Edwin Garcia (ForzaAlonso14), and 8 points over Aaron Webb (AaronWebb85).

After 4 of the 20 races in the Team Championship, Mercedes {Conner Stanek (McSendit) and Ranga G. (Ranga55)} hold 9 point advantage over McLaren {Shane Odeyemi (Odemdemz98) and Richard Palmer (Mc_Laren_f1)}.

The Live Commentary Broadcast from Charles Sumner (Hootius/ Twitch.tv/oldmanhoot) can be found HERE.

 

[AaronWebb85]

I've added your recap to the first post!

 

[nickthequick]

I realized that i forgot to post my race footage.  

I got a horrible start and then I was in a 3 way battle with Bemoore and Aero.  It looked like I had the pace to get past aero on the inside but then it looked like there was contact between those guys which sent Aero flying into me.

From there I got a broken wing and had to pit.  I only managed to get 6 pts and had to hold off chappa who had 1 dive at me but went too deep.

[youtube]ksI29_Jnrng[/youtube]