I'm sure many of you are wondering how this whole race thing is going to go down. I mean, with all of the points keeping, with everyone getting different success weight, how will it all be kept straight and things kept moving?
It's going to take a little cooperation from the participants, but I think it's manageable. Below you'll find what to expect, and how you can help to keep things flowing.
In a Nut Shell
The event schedule looks like this:
- Practice (approx 9:30 to 10:00PM EDT)
- Qualifying (reset track time of day, session approximately 10 minutes)
- Break 1 (approximately 5-10 minutes)
- Race 1 (reset track time of day, manual grid set-up, 15 laps, approx 25 minutes)
- Break 2 (approximately 5-10 minutes, award success ballast, drivers declare tire compounds for Race 2).
- Race 2 (reset track time of day, grid to prior race results, 15 laps, approx 25 minutes)
- Break 3 (approximately 5-10 minutes, award success ballast, drivers declare tire compounds for Race 3).
- Race 3 (reset track time of day, grid to reverse of prior race results, 15 laps, approximately 25 minutes).
- Post Race/Podium (compute final event standings, spray the champaigne)
Pre-race
So first off, we're going to be running each session at a different time of day at the circuit. "Qualifying" will run early in the morning, and each race will run successively later in the day.
The practice session will begin when the room opens. You will be able to change setup and try out the different tires. You know, finalize your event strategy. At 10:00pm EDT, I'll be switching course settings to early morning. This will reset everyone's times from the open practice session, clearing the stage for the the qualifying session.
Qualifying
The event regulations stipulate that once qualifying begins, you may not change your tire compound. You MUST select your tire compound BEFORE you enter the track to begin your qualifying session. When the session concludes (about 10 minutes after it begins), I'll be switching the time of day to mid-morning.
This will naturally reset the grid order, so the next step for me will be to manually set the grid order based on the prior qualifying session. GT Sport makes that pretty easy, but I will need to note the grid order as set before the track is switched. (MR2RAT has graciously volunteered to assist with the process).
In order to be qualified for Race 1, you MUST remain in the pit lane or on the pavement after qualification concludes. If you duck out to the paddock, you will be gridded last. (Since GT Sport resets everyone's lap time when switching the track settings, I'll need to make note of your qualifying position from the live timing screen. In order for me to do that, you must remain in the pit or on the pavement.)
Break 1
We'll plan on a five minute break before the first race. This will allow time for me to do the required housekeeping paperwork (spreadsheet work?), and get the grid set for Race 1. Unlike Breaks 2 and 3, I'll be getting your tire compound from the live timing screen.
This will be your chance to refill your drink, take a smoke break, pee, or whatever. Please keep it short if you can, as I'd like to get things rolling as quickly as possible.
Remember, you may NOT change your tire compound between qualifying and the first race.
Race 1
Nothing special here. It's fifteen laps long. Drive hard, keep it clean, and bring it home.
Break 2
MR2RAT and I will be going through the race results, recording finish position, lap leaders, fast lap, computing success ballast and so forth. Since this is largely a process of updating the spreadsheet, it should go pretty quick. We'll plan on another approximately 5 minute break before we start Race 2.
At the end of break 2, I'll need everyone to be in their car set- up screen so that ballast weights can be set. I'll let each driver know what their new weight should be. Each driver will at that time declare the tire compound they're planning to use in Race 2.
Race 2
Once the success ballast has been awarded, I'll change the track time again (Race 2 will be early afternoon) and set the starting grid to be based on Race 1 finishing order. Once everyone is in, I'll kick off the race.
Just like Race 1, Race 2 is fifteen laps long. Drive hard, keep it clean.
Break 3
Break 3 will be a rinse and repeat of Break 2. You can take a quick five minutes to aquire, ingest, and/or off-load any chemical compounds you want or need, or no longer want or need. New success ballast weights will be computed based on Race 2 results.
At the end of Break 3, everyone needs to be back into their car set-up page to readjust their success weight for Race 3, and to report the tire compound they'll be using.
Race 3
Race 3 is a reverse grid based on Race 2 results. It will take place late in the day. After the drivers have adjusted their ballast weights, changed their tires to the final compound, I'll switch the track over to late afternoon. Once everyone is in the track, I'll kick off the race. Like races 1 and 2, drive hard, keep it clean, and go for best points.
Podium
After Race 3 is complete, I'll compute the Race 3 points, and then the night's winner will be declared.