Welcome to the Sochi Autodrom, home of the Russian GP and the hosts of round 15 of the Hot Lap League.

Championship Standings

Here's a quick reminder of how the championship looks going into this round:

1	Fongu	118
2	Gildoorf	88
3	Prblanco	46
4	32bobo32	42
5	Carl_gpgames	36
6	Duffer	20
7	KerleyF1	13

Sochi Autodrom

The track we'll be using in GP4 is the latest release from F1Virtual, magnificent details, beautifully recreated and extremely accurate. It can be found here: http://f1virtual.blogspot.com

Gildoorf: "It's a beautiful track, a benchmark for F1virtual works. Sochi is not one of my favourites, but everything runs so smooth and neat that I find the pleasure to drive.

Stewards Room

There's no lap from Duffer this round.

For me, I literally did two laps with default settings, saved the lap, submitted it, but it wouldn't work for anyone. Carl's graciously put the sound up and posted my times, but my lap has been disqualified:

GP4 Time Trial League - Russian Grand Prix

Driver @Fongu
Offence Lap replay not reproducible
Decision Lap 1:42.140 deleted

After reviewing video and lap log evidence, the stewards could not determine with certainty whether the driver's game has or has not been modified, nor whether those modifications, if they exist, had any impact, positive on negative, on the driver's performance. As such, the stewards cannot guarantee the legality of the submitted lap.

It must be noted that it is known some tools (e.g. GP4Tweaker) can affect gameplay without modifying the saved lap checksums. So, the stewards have decided to invalidate this lap and this decision will apply for any future laps which cannot be fully reproduced in a replay.

Competitors are reminded they have the right to appeal to the League's benevolent dictator, within the applicable time limits.

Prblanco: "let's hope @Fongu doesn't lose the title by this one point 😂"

Setups:

Thanks to Prblanco for putting this together.

Gildoorf: "@Carl_gpgames, what a bold setup. Never ran such level."

Carl_gpgames: "I chose quite another way 🤣
I had no grip and was sliding around, so not the best choice.
For braking i had to always lift off and press again not to lose traction"

Big differences to note include Gildoorf's choice of brake bias, he's generally used that to his advantage all year with more rear bias, inducing some oversteer to help the car turn into a corner.

Hot Laps

As always, thank you Carl_gpgames for another great video.

0:16 - No we know what setup everyone is running, we should see a clear speed advantage for Carl into turn 2.

1	Carl_gpgames	346.4	0
2	32bobo32	326.6	-19.8
3	Gildoorf	325.6	-20.8
4	Prblanco	324.6	-21.8
5	KerleyF1	320.6	-25.8

Carl stretches his legs with a 20kph advantage over the opposition. 32bobo32 is struggling like crazy trying to get the car slowed down and into the apex.

Carl_gpgames: "ridiculous how i lost all of my speed advantage in the first corner already"

Still, Carl leads out of turn 2, from Gildoorf and Prblanco. 32bobo32 is a little bit behind with Kerley close behind him. Through the long turn 3, and by the bridge at the exit, Carl's low downforce is paying off. 32bobo32's scruffy turn 2 means Kerley overtakes him going into turn 3.

0:31 - Disaster for Carl as he locks up and struggles to make turn 4, allowing the chasing pack to close up on him. Gildoorf is leading that charge, with Prblanco close in tow. Kerley is driving very nicely and has overtaken 32bobo32.

0:38 - Here are the sector 1 times:

1	Gildoorf	00:31.590	+0.000
2	Prblanco	00:31.692	+0.102
3	Carl_gpgames	00:31.848	+0.258
4	KerleyF1	00:31.959	+0.369
5	32bobo32	00:32.232	+0.642

Carl has now dropped back from his dominant start to third place, as Gildoorf now leads the way. The top four are all within four tenths of each other, this could be a close fight all the way around.

Prblanco and Carl are both using steering wheels, whilst the rest remain on keyboard. It's fairly even in sector 1, let's see what effect this has in the next two sectors.

Into turn 5, and both Gildoorf and Prblanco outbreak themselves and miss the apex. Carl hits it nicely, but has to take a slow the car down more to get round it. This allows Kerley, who has been super smooth up to now, to climb up to third place. Prblanco and 32bobo32 run wide on the exit, losing a bit of time as their plank is bouncing off the edge of the kerbs.

Into turn 7 and the keyboard users are able to attack this corner, but it's Prblanco who is by the quickest through here, using his higher downforce and wheel input to great effect. Carl is struggling big time in this corner and allows 32bobo32 to sneak past him.

0:51 - As the quick left hander at turn 8 beckons, Prblanco has stormed into the lead. Kerley is almost scraping along the wall trying to get a good line into 8. Carl again struggles to make the apex, losing yet more time. Gildoorf uses more of the exit of the track to maintain his speed through the kink at turn 9 and regains the slenderest of leads from Prblanco - the two of them with a clear advantage over the rest of the field now. Kerley is in a clear third.

As they head into turn 10, an important corner that leads onto a long straight section and 32bobo32 is braking in the middle of the track, really making a meal of that corner, but he does get a reasonably good exit as Carl is looking to close back in on him. What's interesting through this turn, and you can see this through other turns, is that Kerley is able to carry the speed into the turn gaining time, but he's on the throttle slightly later, which causes him to lose out on the straight. Given the choice, its nearly always quicker to get on the throttle earlier than necessarily gaining on entry. At the end of the exit kerb, Prblanco is charing through at 215kph, Gildoorf at 211kph, Kerley only going at 202kph. Carl, also on the wheel, is also carrying 215kph as he uses the straight to close back up on the field.

1:16 - At the end of the straight, we have the second timing beam:

1	Prblanco	00:34.879	+0.000
2	Gildoorf	00:34.938	+0.059
3	KerleyF1	00:35.370	+0.491
4	32bobo32	00:35.859	+0.980
5	Carl_gpgames	00:36.305	+1.426

It's close at the top, Prblanco and Gildoorf setting very close times. Kerley also sets an impressive sector time, but 32bobo32 is struggling, having only done around 11 laps, and Carl's struggles are getting worse with a tight twisty sector coming up.

Carl_gpgames: "my second sector 😲🤣"

1	Gildoorf	01:06.528	+0.000
2	Prblanco	01:06.571	+0.043
3	KerleyF1	01:07.329	+0.801
4	32bobo32	01:08.091	+1.563
5	Carl_gpgames	01:08.153	+1.625

Gildoorf maintains a miniscule lead from Prblanco, the two clearly contending for victory at Sochi. Prblanco will be hoping the wheel and higher downforce setup will aid him in the final sector. Kerley is all by himself, whilst 32bobo32 and Carl close together battling not to be last this round.

There's no real dramas going with heavy braking into turn 13, with 32bobo32 only just making it around, with wheels all locked up going in to the curve. Into turn 14, and Prblanco just eeks into the lead. Carl looks a little lost wondering around the track here, as 32bobo32 extends his lead over Carl.

1:25 - I'll hand over to my colleagues for the analysis here:

Gildoorf: "For me Sochi is mostly about taking kerbs. If you don't take the kerbs, the car runs out of balance. With keyboard car tends to understeer a lot. Certainly encouraging for a wheel. S3, that left-right sector after the bridge is a nightmare for the keyboard."

For a keyboarder truly hard to emulate such agressive approach. I need a steering wheel 😂. Not sure if CCline is a matter. Just compare real drivers arms movement to keyboarders."

Prblanco: "This is the decisive moment... by taking a tighter exit out of 15, I was able to get on full throttle much earlier than the keyboarders at turn 16.

I believe S3 is where wheel can claw a lot of time by abusing kerbs"

Both are absolutely right, as apex speeds in turn 15 are fairly similar, turn 16 apex speeds are not! Prblanco is able to apply the power, just half throttle, all the way through the turn and gains massively because of it. Carl doesn't have the downforce nor the clean lines to gain the same advantage - in fact he loses out.

1:34 - Prblanco is romping home now, taking so much kerb into turn 17, whilst Gildoorf is quite hesitant through the different phases of the corner. Turn 18, the final turn, and again Prblanco can take a bit of the orange sausage kerb on the inside.

1:49 - Across the line one by one as they all set their times:

1	Prblanco	00:32.580	+0.000
2	Gildoorf	00:32.816	+0.236
3	KerleyF1	00:33.226	+0.646
4	32bobo32	00:33.534	+0.954
5	Carl_gpgames	00:33.807	+1.227

It's no surprise that it's Prblanco who is quickest through here. Gildoorf does extremely well to be the only other person in the 32s in this sector, just two tenths off the pace, on a keyboard, with less downforce. Kerley maintains his impressive speed with another fine sector. 32bobo32 seems to be over his sector 3 woes, as it's Carl who is really struggling through here.

Overall, here are the lap times:

1	Prblanco	01:39.151	+0.000
2	Gildoorf	01:39.344	+0.193
3	KerleyF1	01:40.555	+1.404
4	32bobo32	01:41.625	+2.474
5	Carl_gpgames	01:41.960	+2.809

Prblanco only beats Gildoorf by just under 2 tenths, but that was pretty much won in the final sector. That's not to say the other sectors were not important, but that was the difference maker. Congratulations on a fine win Prblanco, a three time winner! Gildoorf continues to put in extremely quick and competitive keyboard lap times.

Kerley not only earns points, but he now earns himself a podium finish with a competent, quick and smooth lap. It's a Brazilian trio at the top, and it's a good time to hit form with the Brazilian round coming up in a few weeks time.

32bobo32 just edges out Carl_gpgames in the end, earning himself good points for fourth place.

Reactions:

Carl_gpgames: "Congratulations @Prblanco to his impressive victory in sochi 🍾🏆🏁! @KerleyF1 fantastic P3!!!"

Prblanco: "@Gildoorf always stretching the limits of keyboard play, @KerleyF1 hope it's your first of many great results!"

KerleyF1: "Congratz @Prblanco for P1! 🏎️🙂👏👏. Finally a good position! 🙂"

Gildoorf: "Congrats, @Prblanco, perfect S3 paid off 👏🏻👏🏻 Huge improvements, @KerleyF1 and welcome to the podium!! S3 was the key. I should have tried at least once a high downforce wing setup. Anyway, happy for a brazilian podium for the first time in the season🤩"

Final words from KerleyF1:

"The circuit is beautiful. CC line is very good and helped me a lot.

The guys at F1virtual are to be congratulated, GREAT track (I think the best one by visual, PO, CC line, details. Thanks @Prblanco and @Gildoorf ).

I had more time to enjoy this circuit and managed to do a good lap"