Sunday, 8 August 2021

Time Trial League - Rd 11 - Hungaroring

Here we are at the Hungaroring for round 11 of the Time Trial League.

We are using F1 Virtual's recreation of the track, made in 2013 http://f1virtual.blogspot.com.

Championship Standings

1	Fongu	88
2	Gildoorf	64
3	32bobo32	30
4	Carl_gpgames	26
5	Prblanco	26
6	Duffer	20
7	KerleyF1	6

Although the table looks pretty one sided, it does not really represent some of the great battles that's been happening all year. Though I've developed a healthy lead, it doesn't show the little margins I've won some rounds by throughout the year. But hey, who am I to complain, I'm winning!

The midfield battle has been lively all year, and we're looking forward to seeing how that shakes out at the Hungaroring.

Track Map

The same phrases get thrown about every year, we can play a healthy game of bingo for everytime these phrases are mentioned: 'it's Monaco without the walls'; 'it's a go-kart track'; 'maximum downforce', and if Damon Hill's involved, that race back in 1997 where he should have won.

I really enjoy this track, and F1 Virtual have created a lovely track to race on. With the smooth kerbs, you can really attack some of the corners, particularly the exits, some of them blind and you have to trust the car will make it round. Turns 6 through 11 is all about placing your car in on the right line with the right trajectory and it's a real good feeling when you get a good rhythm going through there. You want to be smooth, inch-perfect and carry the speed... easier said than done!

The high downforce settings are necessary through the many long corners, turns 2, 5, 11, 13 and 14; you need it to help you carry the speed through. Having said that, in GP4, running maximum downforce is not always beneficial, and if you're on a keyboard, a loose rear end can sometimes compensate for that and more time can be gained on the straights. Setting the front wing a few clicks higher than the rear, setting the brake balance right back, all help to induce a slight slide that will just help you turn the car a bit more. Too much oversteer, though, and you go spinning off. That technique doesn't work for me on the wheel where I still lack a bit of confidence, I'm lacking enough feedback to know when I'm past the limit in time for me to correct it. So for the last couple of rounds, I run slightly different setups depending on which input device I'm using, favouring a slight understeer on the wheel. I'm still not the best at setting up the car, even with just wing, gear ratios and brake balance to play with; I could do with a race engineer to be honest.

I think the wheel has an advantage on this track, but again it's about confidence and I'm a little lacking in this department, so I know the time in the 1:19s is there, I just don't have the talent to access it on the wheel. For most of my attempts, my keyboard laps were about 6 tenths off, and most of that in the final sector. But in literally my final attempt on the keyboard, I changed some lines and braking points in the final sector and I found all of that lost time, shame my first sector wasn't the best.

	S1	S2	S3	Total
Wheel	00:27.965	00:28.433	00:23.666	01:20.064
Keyboard	00:28.314	00:28.345	00:23.597	01:20.256
Gap	+0.349	-0.088	-0.069	+0.192

Even though my wheel lap was quicker, I was proud of my keyboard time and on this setup at least, there wasn't much more for me to find, whereas I felt there is time left in the lap on the wheel. I was shocked to see I was a little quicker in S2 and S3 on the keyboard. With the times quite close, I decided to submit my keyboard time for this round.

Hotlaps

We have a full grid this round, although it has to be noted that Duffer literally did a handful of laps and Carl similarly did not have much time to perfect his lap either. Others wish they had time to do more laps.

Duffer: i receive my [new pedal] cable this afternoon. I just made a quick try with it :)

Carl: did a few laps, guess thats it for me

Gildoorf: 😩😩😩 I thought I was about to have more time today... I'm so frustrated this time... Hungaroring is one of my favs... I was able to setup yesterday and today was about to run for good when life came upon myself 🙈

Right, that's the excuses out the way, let's have a look at the laps.

0:11 - Around the 150 board, we can check the top speeds, and determine roughly how much wing everyone is running.

		kph
1	Carl_gpgames	312
2	Gildoorf	306
3	Fongu	305
4	KerleyF1	304
5	Prblanco	303
6	32bobo32	302
7	Duffer	293

It's a case of two extremes and everyone else is about the same. Carl is running less wing than others, I think you can get away with that on the wheel, but Duffer is way slower down the start/finish straight. Obviously that's the order we're in as we all brake hard into turn 1.

There are three drivers who have submitted laps on the steering wheel this round, Prblanco, Carl and Duffer. We'll see if they find similar advantages I found with the wheel, mainly in the long turns. Carl is always super smooth on the brakes, rarely locking up, Duffer and Prblanco also have minimal lock ups, whilst the keyboard users have no choice but to stamp on the brakes and feather at the end of the braking zone. Both Gildoorf and 32bobo32 run wide, whilst Prblanco is the only one running the corner tight enough to take some kerb on the inside.

Using the DRS line on the exit as a reference, Prblanco takes a slender lead ahead of Carl. I'm right in there in third, but I am a bit too eager to take my Traction Control off and I lose a bit of momentum whilst showing off my power slide. Kerley, Gildoorf and 32bobo32 and Duffer make up the rest of the running order.

0:22 - To the 100m board before turn 2, and Prblanco still has a slender lead over Carl. There's nothing between Gildoorf, Kerley and me, with 32bobo32 slightly behind and Duffer dropping back. Watch how all the wheel users are able to hug the inside line much better than the keyboard users, 32bobo32 the only keyboard user remotely near the inside kerb.

It's important to keep the speed up and nail the throttle as early as possible to get good speed for the flat out right hand kink and straight. Watch Carl and Duffer take full advantage of the inside bit of tarmac at turn 3.

But Prblanco extends his lead, as Carl is just ahead of Gildoorf and me at the exit of turn 3. Kerley and 32bobo32 are in the hunt just behind, with Duffer a little way back as we head towards the Sector 1 line - Carl using his top speed, and Gildoorf is also a couple of 'k's ahead of the rest of us.

1	Prblanco	00:28.182	+0.000
2	Carl_gpgames	00:28.260	+0.078
3	Fongu	00:28.314	+0.132
4	Gildoorf	00:28.348	+0.166
5	32bobo32	00:28.470	+0.288
6	KerleyF1	00:28.474	+0.292
7	Duffer	00:28.842	+0.660

An excellent first sector by Prblanco, smooth and fast, making the most of his wheel. Carl too is impressive, using those straights to great benefit with his lower downforce setting, although we'll see if he can maintain that through the twisty stuff in S2. As is almost customary now, Gildoorf and I are just a few hundreths of a second apart. Even closer together are 32bobo32 and Kerley, the top six all within 3 tenths of each other. Duffer is six tenths down though.

Carl: "I had P2 in that sector, never was that good in any sector of this season"

Prblanco: "I didn't think I'd have a purple!"

0:36 - Turn 4 is really all about car balance and bravery. It requires precision on the turning in point, the entry speed and trajectory all need to be right to make the most of this tricky fast left hander. This is easier to do on the keyboard, and if you're on the wheel, steering help is also powerful. I'm using the bollard just after the apex as a reference to take a quick speed snap.

		kph
1	Fongu	224
2	Prblanco	218
3	32bobo32	218
4	KerleyF1	217
5	Duffer	214
6	Gildoorf	213
7	Carl_gpgames	178

I'm carrying the highest speed through there, the only one to be taking a bit of outside kerb on the entry to the corner, maximising my turning circle. Prblanco and Carl are able to take the most apex kerb, being careful not to take too much and distabalise the car. Prblanco, the only wheel user using steering help is quick through there, with Gildoorf surprisingly towards the bottom. Carl has the least confidence in there, nearly 50kph slower. But see how on the limit I am on the exit kerb, running dangerously close to my lap being disqualified for track limits. Whilst all this helps my cause for a quick lap, it does compromise my entry line into turn 5, another long right hander, another opportunity for the wheel users to claw back some time.

There's lots of room on the exit of turn 5, and those with good downforce levels can really lean on the car and get on the power really early, a very satisfying feeling. On the wheel, it is possible to take a wider line, carry more speed and slingshot out of the exit - Carl is the only one to attempt this approach. I've snatched the lead on the entry to turn 5, it's close between Prblanco, Gildoorf, 32bobo32 and Kerley, with Carl having now dropped back with Duffer closing in.

Gildoorf and I are using as much exit kerb as we can, but it's Prblanco back in the lead by the exit of turn 5, just ahead of me and Gildoorf. It's too close to call between 32bobo32 and Kerley, as Carl is gaining, determined to make it back into midfield fight.

0:45 - We're into the twisty stuff now, and it will be interesting to see if the field starts spreading out now. Turns 6 and 7 are tricky. There's lots of kerb there to tempt you to use them, and the temptation is to carry lots of speed into turn 6, but you really don't want to get near that raised kerb in turn 7. Duffer breaks way too late and panicks into turn 7 turning too much and losing a lot of time there. Carl is super smooth, he looks like he's on a Sunday stroll, but it's a little deceptive as he carries a lot of speed on the exit. It's 32bobo32's turn to kick out the rear with a bit of wheel spin. Kerley and I also take a bit too much speed into turn 6, and both of us decide to power through the high kerb in turn 7, Kerley's steering help having to correct the destabalised car.

Under the shadow of the Emirates banner and Prblanco extends his lead over me. Gildoorf has dropped back a touch, with 32bobo32 nipping at his heels. Kerley is still in contention, with Carl not far behind. Duffer is still at the rear.

Turn 8, again is tempting to carry lots of speed through there, but actually it's more important to get a good line for turn 9, so you can give up a bit in turn 8 and gain overall. Unfortunately for Kerley and Carl, they run wide at the exit of turn 8, whilst Duffer is all over the exit kerb, nearly exceeding track limits. It's interesting watching turns 8 and 9 at 0.25speed, comparing apex speeds, lines and how early we are able to hit the throttle. 32bobo32 takes a lot of speed into turn 8, catching the top three, but his turn 9 is compromised and loses out again by the exit of turn 9. I take the lowest apex speed for both turns, but I'm first on the throttle out of turn 9. It's so easy to run wide on the exit of turn 9, my one wheel lap in the 1:19s fell foul of track limits at this point.

Gildoorf: "Running off turn 9 was a nightmare for me"

Prblanco: "Turn 9 was probably where I lost the most time to @Gildoorf and @Fongu"

With me carrying that extra speed through turn 10, I snatch the lead from Prblanco, Gildoorf and 32bobo32 following close behind. Kerley, Carl and Duffer are all falling back now.

0:59 - Turn 11 is another tricky turn, with all the same considerations as turn 4. Using the end of the inside kerb as a reference, let's take another speed snap.

		kph
1	Fongu	226
2	32bobo32	221
3	Gildoorf	216
4	Prblanco	215
5	KerleyF1	215
6	Carl_gpgames	194
7	Duffer	168

Once again, I'm the quickest through that turn, and again you can tell because I'm the widest on the exit, my car bottoming out on the exit kerb, on the edge of being spat out by the kerbs towards the barrier, but I get away with it. 32bobo32 also takes it particularly well, with Carl and Duffer struggling on their wheels through this turn.

If you pause at around 1:03 just as Duffer is at the end of the inside kerb, you'll oddly see he is at the edge of the right hand side of the track with maximum lock on towards the wall.

With that twisty section done, let's look at those sector 2 times:

1	Fongu	00:28.345	+0.000
2	Gildoorf	00:28.489	+0.144
3	Prblanco	00:28.612	+0.267
4	32bobo32	00:28.631	+0.286
5	KerleyF1	00:29.279	+0.934
6	Carl_gpgames	00:29.847	+1.502
7	Duffer	00:30.387	+2.042

It's a familiar sight, with me and Gildoorf topping the sector times very close together, but Prblanco and 32bobo32 also have very good sectors and remain in contention.

32bobo32: "Don't ask me to repeat that s2 another time ahahahahah"

As we've already seen, there were three strugglers through that sector, Kerley nearly a second off the pace, and Duffer dropping two seconds in this difficult sector. It was somewhat expected that Carl's setup would be a setback in this sector, but part of that will be confidence and practice too.

1	Fongu	00:56.659	+0.000
2	Prblanco	00:56.794	+0.135
3	Gildoorf	00:56.837	+0.178
4	32bobo32	00:57.101	+0.442
5	KerleyF1	00:57.753	+1.094
6	Carl_gpgames	00:58.107	+1.448
7	Duffer	00:59.229	+2.570

Here's the total times after sector two, and I've taken the lead from Prblanco, with Prblanco just holding off Gildoorf at the timing beam. 32bobo32 is clinging on, a win and a podium finishs are all to play for between the top four. Carl, who was right at the front in sector 1, is now some 1.4 seconds adrift, four tenths behind Kerley. Duffer drops further back after a troubled second sector.

1:06 - Turn 12 is off camber, again lots of room to play with on the exit, and is probably my least favourite corner on the track, personally I loved the old version of this corner. I turn in a bit early on this corner, and another mini slide out on the exit means there's room for improvement for me here. But it seems to work for me, as neither Prblanco nor Gildoorf seem to close in, both taking the corner almost identically, whilst 32bobo32 is a little more cautious. Maximum steering lock for wheel users Carl and Duffer, whilst Kerley takes turn 12 smoothly.

Into turn 13, and on this lap, I take a wider line than I have done on all my previous attempts and for me, I think this was crucial for a good sector time. Having said that, it's Gildoorf, who employs the same line, who was clearly behind Prblanco on corner entry, comes out a whisker ahead as they go under the bridge at the exit - 32bobo32 still in their slipstream, but has a but of a messy exit which drops him back from the top 3. Carl is begining to close in on Kerley, making the most of the wheel on this long turns. Duffer takes too much speed in and has to wait longer to apply the throttle again.

Into the final turn now, a long right hander that offers different approaches. Gildoorf brakes the latest out of the top four, forcing him into a wider line, but Prblanco, 32bobo32 and I are able to maintain good mid-corner speed with a fairly tight line. Both Kerley and Duffer are ambitious in the speeds they take into the first part of turn 14 and both have to get out of it before reapplying the power for the exit. This gives an advantage to Carl on the exit. On the exit, it's Prblanco and Gildoorf who are carrying more speed out than me and 32bobo32, who has now dropped back a bit. Kerley is just ahead of Carl on the exit, but Carl is travelling a few kph faster.

It's over the line and we've set out times:

1	Fongu	00:23.597	+0.000
2	Gildoorf	00:23.737	+0.140
3	Prblanco	00:23.786	+0.189
4	Carl_gpgames	00:23.903	+0.306
5	32bobo32	00:23.934	+0.337
6	Duffer	00:24.231	+0.634
7	KerleyF1	00:24.264	+0.667

Oddly, watching the video back, it didn't look that good a sector to me, but it's good enough to top the sector times, and it also beat my wheel lap, so I wonder what that says about my analysis. Anyway, I'm fastest, so I'll take it, but Gildoorf and Prblanco are close.

Gildoorf: "@Fongu, you find the grip in places I never thought it was possible to... Well done, fantastic final sector👍🏻👍🏻"

32bobo32: "wow! Whata a final sector mates"

Fongu: "I don't know where that came from, been no where near it all week"

32bobo32 has dropped back a bit in this sector with that slight mistake, whereas Carl is back on it with a good final sector, both setting very similar times. Also setting very similar sector times are Duffer and Kerley. But enough with the sector times, let's see what the final results are.

1	Fongu	01:20.256	+0.000
2	Gildoorf	01:20.574	+0.318
3	Prblanco	01:20.580	+0.324
4	32bobo32	01:21.035	+0.779
5	Carl_gpgames	01:22.010	+1.754
6	KerleyF1	01:22.017	+1.761
7	Duffer	01:23.460	+3.204

I return to the top step with my 8th victory this season. I'm really happy with that lap and it wasn't easy, I was pushed all the way.

Carl: "Congrats @Fongu for one more win! 🏎️🍾"

Gildoorf takes yet another podium, he's never been off the podium so far this year - no fastest sector times, but a great performance nonetheless. Prblanco is in third, his third podium finish with just six thousandths of a second separating second and third. It's really incredible how close some battles have been this season.

   Prblanco: I won't sleep before I get a lap in 1:20, or else 🤣
   Prblanco: Objective complete 😁
   Gildoorf: By a whisker 🤏🏻
   Prblanco: Oh did I just lose a position by 0.006 again? That's a curse 🤣
Prblanco: The gaps are getting smaller all around the grid, but ours was ridiculous 😂

Prblanco: It's so hard to put a lap together on this track, on wheel at least. I underestimated the Hungaroring... I usually lost my focus as soon as I saw I had a good S1 split 😂😂😂... The sum of my best sector times is 1:20.467. I got reasonably close to it, so I'm happy.

A very credible fourth place for 32bobo32, right in it until the end, but very quick none the less.

Gildoorf: "Strong lap, @32bobo32"

Carl just edges Kerley at the end, his lower downforce being the difference across in the final drag to the finish line, not the first time that's happened this season. Kerley will be pleased with a competitive showing, and the first point he has earned with all seven competitors taking part.

Carl: "my lower downforce probably saved me on the last few meters before the finish line"

Kerley: "2 seconds... I need to talk to my engeneers...Thanks for setup @Fongu, with another one, my time is always 1.23... thanks to you, at least a second better than my personal setup."