Nissan Super Tourer in the DSC

[yeltneb]

Saw the Zolder race, Ric is obviously a very quick driver and it is great to see a ST doing what is was designed to do. My only concern was that he was very blase about the fact that he kept his foot in although he was about to T-bone the other Nissan. No driver should keep his foot in when about to hit another car in the side especially the drivers side even though he only hit the rear end. He did more damage than neccessary to both his car and the other car and basically put himself out of a potential class win.

[RickP:Clio51]

Actually if you see the onboard from behind the car you'll note that I was on the brakes long before the impact... in the interview I was trying to say that I'd not even had time to lift, clearly I had no intention of bulldozing Barclay out of the way, it didn't come out that way for which I apologise, I was a little tired at the time having given my all for 35 mins only for the car to succomb to it's injuries.

[yeltneb]

Thanks for putting that straight, good luck at Brands.

[RickP:Clio51]

Cheers... your point about t-boning into the drivers door was also very valid, you'll note that I actually make a deliberate last swerve away from Barclays door... it means a bigger impact as you have to come off the brakes a touch, but I've had this situation before in my career and both times I'm pleased I've had the presence of mind to take the bigger hit but reduce the risk to the driver you are hitting.
Look out for that marvellous Motors TV coverage of Brands coming your way shortly...
Cheers

[Erki]

So how was at the Brands?

[Les]

very sad

Car was a beaut and went like a bomb. Qualifing - brill, race curtailed and weekend shortened to one day but I'll let Rick fill in the gorey details.

[Erki]

Just checked Rick's website. That's a pity.

[Les]

yes I added his report yesterday

[Erki]

I liked the last line of the article: “Looking on the bright side we did set the fastest lap of the race and we can take heart from that as it would have put us well up the grid in terms of the World Touring Car Championship – which we’re looking to do next season.”

[yeltneb]

shame about the problems, he does not seem to have alot of luck. I saw the saturday race and the car looked good for the short time it was on the circuit. Do not see the point in comparing times with the WTC as the cars are completely different. The quickest lap possible in the best ST would be a lot quicker than in the equivelant WTC.

[RickP:Clio51]

You'd be suprised... the WTCC have come on a long way since they were first launched.... they run on much stickier tyres than we do for the enduro and I set my lap time in the race with a lot of fuel on board and it would appear that the comparison was very valid yeltneb, check earlier in the thread for the discussion on Spa lap times. Suffice to say the Spa locals were extremely impressed with our 2m33.6 for a Super tourer which would have been second on the grid at their WTCC and from what we can tell, my 1m33.9 at Brands would have been similar on the WTCC grid there. I'd suggest that there wasn't a whole lot left in the car... and as you were there to see, I'd hope you'd agree with me! ;-)
Sadly we had an engine failure early in the first race which curtailed our running for the weekend... but plans are afoot to try and do the double header that's coming up in August, F3 Masters at Zandvoort followed by the Rizla at Assen. The 2 biggest dates in Ducth motorsport!

[Wilbo]

I agree Rick with your comments regarding WTC.

First of all it was a sad sight to see you pull of the circuit early in the race. You know as well as I do that the Primera would have competitive round there.

Back WTC..I am sure the tyres will be worth around 2 seconds on the GP loop. Those things throw so much rubber of, testiment to how soft they are. In addition current tourers have increadibly good chassis, such as the latest Seat Leon. The times set in the DSC and in fact the whole weekend were slower than I first expected. What I mean is DTM cars and other big machinery were only just on the WTC pace.

If you checked out the FIA GT pace against WTC cars at the same circuits (such as last year) one would relise how good modern tourers are.

In addition fuel load, RML were not there to set the car up and non works drivers means we were doing real good!

[sharpy]

Does anyone know how the Nissan Primera which Dougall races is doing from the accident it was involved with at Zolder? I hope that they can get the car fixed.

[redshoes]

I don't think anyone here will deny that Supertourers are an incedibly fast bit of kit, and especially that Primera. I remember seeing it in the hands of Jonathan Young a few years ago against some ex-Formula Saloons guys and it is argueably one of the quickest and best prepared of all the SuperTourers still racing. But that's not the point yeltneb was trying to make.

As far as the WTCC comparison goes, they aren't as quick as you think. Pole for this year's race was in the high 1.33's, race pace was closer to 1.34-1.35, although admittedly the track was never really dry all weekend. On equivilent tyres and fuel load a good ST would still be quicker though.

I think the point that yeltneb was trying to make is that comparing yourself against a series run to completely different regulations is a pointless exercise. You might as well say you would be on pole for any Hot Hatch race, or several seconds off the back of a Superbike grid.

[Craig]

Think what dear Mr Redshoes is trying to say is... put up or shut up! See you next year in the WTCC then?

[redshoes]

That wasn't quite what I was trying to say but now you mention it....

[Craig]

And we all know our dear Rick cannot shut up...