rec.autos.simulators

It is hot in the Republic of San Marino and the track temperature is hovering
near 140 degrees F.  Qualifying was exciting.  I turned in a flying lap at
1:19.513 my first time out and sat back to watch the competition.  I figured
I had a top 6 locked up but I soon fell down to 10th position on the grid.
Schu had the pole with a blistering 1:18.780 and I knew I didn't have
the legs to beat that without a draft.  I ducked out for another flying lap
and got a little squirelly in the Variante Bassa.  Mark Blundell slammed
me in the rear and I was down to only two sets of Q's and 7 minutes.  I
went out again.  My first split was under 15s and I knew I had a good run
through Tamburello.  The second split after Acque Minerale was my best
so far.  I was smooth and the lap was hot.  I began to think of the pole
as I marked through Rivazza and stayed clean.  A slight bauble at Traguardo
cost me the pole but with a 1:18.842 I had taken second spot from Damon Hill
by .002s.  I was ready to race.

        The green light winked on and I made my best start of the season,
beating Schu into Tamburello.  I had a large rear brake bias and should
have realized the car was going to be more sluggish early than I had thought
when I almost spun it through Piratella.  I retained the lead but Hill was
right on my tail.  I forced it through the 4th gear left-hander and carried
good speed down the hill into Acque Minerale.  Too much speed.  I braked
and remained on the tarmac.  Hill drove by and I continued, holding my line
corner where I was promptly creamed by Schu.  I still had power and started
up the hill when Blundell again pinched me into the grass.  I lost control,
spun across the track.  Boullion creamed me and started a huge chain-reaction.
I finally lost power as Morbidelli tagged me.  I was fuming.  My best
qualification of the season was ruined and my fastest car ever at Imola
was hoisted by the crane.  I didn't think I had a chance to win, even with
his pit for damage, Schu handled the field by 20+s, but a podium was a
real possibility.  I had just sprayed champagne in Brazil in third spot
and a second would have been quite good.  The competition will be tough
at Monaco where passing is almost impossible but it'll be fine to catch
up with Blundell there.  Incidentally, he managed to put himself out
with a second crash on the first lap gathering up Gianni for good.

HBHP-716        Benetton-741    AIG-12[18USA+MON]

Him again :)  I was having a fantastic race at Silverstone, setting the
circuit alight with fastest lap after fastest lap, bringing my car in
to a points finishing position after an early accident.  Then, just as
I round Woodcote on to the pit straight, I find Mark Blundell's McLaren
heading straight for me, travelling in the opposite direction to my
car, leading to a head on impact at about 160MPH ... instant retirement
in front of the main grandstand, filled to capacity with my home crowd,
desperate for an English driver to win the race :(  A quick look at the
replay showed that Blundell had tried to lap Pedro Diniz coming out of
Woodcote, and had been pushed on to the grass.  He was just turning
the car around in the middle of the track as I was unfortunate enough
to come past.  Maybe we should write to the FIA and get them to take
his license away ;)

Seriously, there are a number of accident "black spots" in F1GP.
For instance, I've seen a number of cars fall off at Woodcote whilst
trying to lap people.  Then, at San Marino there's the small, quick
chichane at Variante Alfa, which always catches out the computer
cars, then there's the Bus Stop chichane at Spa, the pit entrance
at Mexico ... and so on.  You always have to drive with one eye
looking out for the yellow flags.  I once had a wet race at the
Hungaroring where only four cars finished.  They all spun off the
track one by one at the quick 5th/6th gear left hander at the top
of the hill.  The first (and probably only) time I've seen a
Minardi win a G.P.
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