RACE WEEKEND FORMAT:
Yesterday we had our first qualifying session of the year, we have a front row lockout for the XYTRAN team with Yildamik on pole position, Nuvolari in second, Schweinsteiger just behind in third and Karranatos rounding off the front two rows.
The race weekend is based on three sessions. The first is the four hour free practice session, each team is permitted to run their cars for as much as they like in this time, gathering setup information and learning the track.
The second session is qualifying, this is how the grid order for the race is established. In a one hour session, each driver is given three laps to set the fastest lap they possibly can. They are then in order of lap time on the starting grid. The fastest driver being on pole position, best place for the race ahead.
Then there is the race. Each race will be done over a set number of laps (this may vary depending on the length of the track). This is where we see who really is the fastest car-driver combination. Each finishing position offers points that count towards the championship, the driver with the most points wins the driver’s championship, the team with the most points wins the constructors championship.
The points are allocated after the race as follows:
15-11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1- an extra point is allocated for finishing the race
Here is the qualifying result and the grid order for the race:
Spoiler: Qualifying result
1 - Yildamik - X.Y.T.R.A.N.
2 - Santino Nuvolari - X.Y.T.R.A.N.
3 - Norbert Schweinsteiger - Techno Union
4 - Karrannatos - Voss
5 - Sommarrammos - Seskarin
6 - Elli nas Sogdo - Seskarin
7 - Lucas Beckett - Voss
8 - Nato Criffion - Pegasus
9 - Kuthmananga - Techno Union
10 - Ji Jin - K.M.F.
11 - Benjamin Chen - Ultracar
12 - Elizabeth Nightingale - Cypher Engineering
13 - Bannassaton - Pegasus
14 - Issivvinni - Nillitai
15 - Kasih Darma - Nillitai
16 - Nihlus des Amanai - Ultracar
17 - Kira Duni - Super Gipulli
18 - Ngantfi - Tan Gia
19 - Tleriont - K.M.F.
20 - Hashtiget - Cypher Engineering
21 - Tumus des Akanau - K.M.F. Design
22 - Mikah Elinas - Tan Gia
23 - Thleshton - K.M.F. Design
24 - Aflkin - Super Gipulli
25 - Hans Burg - Naffa
26 - Illirriya - Naffa
27 - Nizio Faust - Boscer-Yent
28 - Vissinnitipi - Boscer-Yent
RACE REPORT
Fero: Hello and welcome to the first X-1 race of the season! We’re here on Nkurdamus at the Drahrynring. A challenging circuit, filled with fast flowing sections and some pretty tricky braking zones. It’s a really good all round track to start the season off and who knows maybe we’ll get an idea of how the drivers stack up for the rest of the year.
I’m Fero Vettin and joining me in the commentary box for this race is popular DJ and part time racing driver, HC Boranistipi.
HC: Hey, man how’s it hangin’?
Fero: What do you think of this track as a season opener?
HC: It’s a groovy place, the Nkurd really know how to put on a party. The atmosphere is great, they have live music on later. It’s going to be awesome! I love the food here too, Nkurd stuff isn’t normally my thing but they do it really nicely here.
Fero: And what do you think of the track?
HC: it’s cool
Fero: ...and there you have it.
…
Fero: All the drivers are lined up on the grid, the cars are ready to go, the mechanics are making their way back to the pitlane.
HC: I’m getting quite excited, Vettin.
Fero: Just to remind you of the qualifying order, it’s Yildamik in the black and gold XYTRAN followed by Santino Nuvolari in the sister car, and behind them, it’s Norbert Schweinsteiger in the silver Techno Union, then Karrannatos in the Voss, just behind the front two rows is Sommarrammos, last season’s reigning champion. These are the ones to look out for at the start.
Who’s your pick for the race, HC?
HC: I like the look of Issivvinni
Fero: in the Nillitai? You think the new team has potential?
HC: I have no idea, man, all I know is she looks great in that green and red jump suit.
Fero: …
HC: Don’t look at me like that, I’m a simple man and I like what I see.
….
Fero: We’re about to go, the lights will come on one by one and when they go out, the race will begin. The lights are coming on… three… four… five… ….
And it’s GO! GO! GO! Nuvolari makes a good start and so does Schweinsteiger! It’s a terrible start from Yildamik! He’s losing ground as the other drivers swerve to avoid him! It’s a long run to the first breaking zone and Karranatos has the power to make up the ground he lost at the start. Approaching the first corner he’s almost on top of the leaders.
Looking further back there is lots of changing position as everyone tries to avoid the slow starting XYTRAN.
HC: Woah crash!
Fero: We have two cars off further back, it looks like Hashtiget in the Cypher and one of the Tan Gias. I can’t see the helmet or the number… It’s Ngantfi! Oh no what a shame for the home drivers! It looks like Ngantfi has a puncture so he can still continue, he’ll need to stop and get new tyres.
Hashtiget is out of the car and he’s making his way back to the pits on foot.
HC: Man, that is just going to ruin his day.
Fero: In the other Cypher, Nightingale has made up three places already, she’s up to ninth and is just behind Kuthmananga in the Techno Union.
…
Fero: Nuvolari still leads followed by Schweinsteiger, Karrannatos and Sommarrammos
Looking back Kira Duni is on a charge, and is chasing down Ji Jin in the KMF. Duni moves out and they go into the double chicane side by side! Duni just manages to out grip the KMF and comes out of the second chicane ahead! The Super Gipulli clearly having an advantage when it come to mechanical grip.
HC: Yeah but Ji Jin is coming back on the straight
Fero: Yes, Ji Jin is fighting back with the superior power output in the KMF and is going round the outside in the long left hander. They come to the breaking zone it looks like Ji Jin has her, but he locks up! and he’s in the wall! Ji Jin is out of the race, the front right corner of his car is completely destroyed.
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We have their team radio:
JIN: She pushed me out wide! did you see that?
Pits: Yes we saw it all, we’re reporting it now.
HC: Don’t think he’s right there
Fero: I agree, there is no way Duni was to blame for that, she was just taking the racing line, he just seemed to outbreak himself.
…
Fero: Yildamik has fallen back to tenth place from pole position, let’s listen in.
YIL: The car is really hard to drive, the gearbox is messed up. I try to select 4th and it just goes back into 2nd.
Pits: Understood, we recommend avoiding 4th gear.
YIL: What do you think I’ve been doing? Can we fix it?
Pits: Negative, it will be like this to the end.
Fero: That must be a very difficult car to drive. Yildamik is earning his paycheck right now.
HC: It’s a big paycheck too, have you seen what these drivers earn?
Fero: Bannassaton has been chasing him down now for some time and makes his move around the outside of the long left hander and gains the position.
…
Fero: Beckett has made progress he’s just powered past Sogdo in the Seskarin. The Voss once again proving to be the best on the straights.
HC: Yeah man, that black car is quick.
Fero: His third sector times are a bit low, and so are his teammate’s it looks like this year’s Voss has the same cornering issues as the last one.
…
Fero: We have a car out of the race! Two cars out of the race! It’s a Green car, one of the Naffa’s and a Techno Union! It’s Kuthmananga! Kuthmananga is out of the Race!
Let’s watch the replay and see what happened…
Kuthmananga was coming to lap the Boscers, I don’t think he realised just how slow it was going to be going and he just plowed right into the back of it. Launching his car up and over Vissinitipi.
Both drivers are out of their cars and are safely over the wall and out of harm’s way.
HC: Dude, he does not look happy.
Fero: Kuthmananga is furious! He throws down his helmet and looks like he’s going to have it out with Vissinnitipi! He’s got his finger outstretched and is right in the Boscer driver’s face. We don’t have microphones down there and I can’t make out what he’s saying.
HC: I’m guessing a lot of swearing, Vettin.
…
Fero: Karrannatos has fallen back from the leading group, let’s listen in on the team radio.
KAR: Losing power! Losing power!
Pits: We can see irregularities in your fuel flow. You may be down on power for the rest of the race.
KAR: Dam
Pits: stay out there, we still might get a good finish.
Fero: it looks like this issue is getting worse, he’s dropping back and the other cars are easily getting past him, Nightingale, Chen, Bannassaton, all manage to get past.
HC: Chen has done pretty good, he’s followed Nightingale this whole race.
Fero: Yes he’s been taking advantage of all the moves that she has been making sticking to her and making use of the space she leaves behind.
…
Fero: We’re looking over the hospitality area now, and at the XYTRAN area. There’s an Nkurd man there with bodyguards and photographers everywhere enjoying a chat with the team principal.
HC: Dude, that’s the president of Nkurdamus, he’s like the top dog on this planet.
Fero: He must be here to support the local team.
HC: Yeah, isn’t there a lot of state backing that goes into this team?
Fero: So I’ve heard but we don’t know what the figure is.
…
Fero: We have a KMF in the pits for a tyre change, it’s Tleriont. This is going to put him out toward the back of the field. This is a disaster for KMF. Akanau is in the leading KMF in 17th, and that is not a good result for such a big manufacturer.
HC: Why are there four KMFs? I’ve never understood that.
Fero: KMF has two racing teams entered, the KMF ‘works’ team who race in their traditional white and blue, and the KMF design team who, as we can see, have a very colourful design, they really stand out a lot.
HC: It looks like someone has just tossed some random paint at the car.
Fero: Each team build their own cars and the KMF Design team does tend to field younger drivers, who can progress to the main works team.
HC: So it’s like a training team?
Fero: That’s one way to put it I guess.
…
Fero: Kira Duni is making a move of Criffion! Criffion isn’t going to give up without a fight, he moved left to defend, and then right! But Duni Throws a Dummy and slides up the inside on the brakes!
That puts Kira Duni up to seventh place, at a track where we didn’t expect the Super Gipulli to be competitive.
HC: Yeah! Sweet, I love Super Gipulli
Fero: They are always the underdog, they have consistently ran with one of the lowest budgets in X-1
…
Fero: Nuvolari has been leading this race from the start and we’re near the end, but Schweinsteiger is chasing him down, and that’s it we’re on the last lap. Schweinsteiger is right up the back of the XYTRAN it looks like he’s going to make a move going into the double chicane! It’s Nuvolari verses Schweinsteiger into the braking zone! Nuvolari breaks first! Schweinsteiger has overshot and he goes straight over the kerbs launching his car into the air and he lands with a crash!
His suspension is broken! that’s the race over for Norbert Schweinsteiger, on the last lap!
HC: That’s both of the Techno Union out, they are not going to be happy about this.
Fero: Let’s watch a replay of the incident, you can see that Schweinsteiger was forced wide and didn’t get slowed in time.
HC: Dude, in the slow mo, you can see he put the breaks on in mid air. Brakes don’t work well if you’re not on the road.
…
Fero: Santino Nuvolari crosses the line to win the first race of the season for XYTRAN, followed closely by Sommarrammos in the Seskarin and Lucas Beckett in the Voss, a strong result for him after a poor qualifying. And Nightingale comes in fourth place with Benjamin Chen just behind for Ultracar.
…
Fero: So this leaves Sommarrammos in prime position to launch his title defence and perhaps get championship number five. The XYTRAN is very fast this season though, even if it might be a bit unreliable as we saw with Yildamik at the start of the race.
Who’s your driver of the day, HC?
HC: Kira Duni, for sure, she started way back and finished off in Seventh! And in the Super Gipulli too.
Fero: Don’t forget Nightingale, she also climbed the ranks to finish just off the podium, very promising from the young driver.
HC: Yeah, she did awesome.
…
Fero: Join us next time when we’ll be going to the Black Forest run on Saturan. Will Sommarrammos be able to take advantage or will Techno Union be able to reign in their drivers and finish in front. Only time will tell, see you next time for more X-1.
Spoiler: Full Race Result
1 - Santino Nuvolari - X.Y.T.R.A.N.
2 - Sommarrammos - Seskarin
3 - Lucas Beckett - Voss
4 - Elizabeth Nightingale - Cypher Engineering
5 - Benjamin Chen - Ultracar
6 - Bannassaton - Pegasus
7 - Kira Duni - Super Gipulli
8 - Nato Criffion - Pegasus
9 - Yildamik - X.Y.T.R.A.N.
10 - Aflkin - Super Gipulli
11 - Mikah Elinas - Tan Gia
12 - Issivvinni - Nillitai
13 - Elli nas Sogdo - Seskarin
14 - Hans Burg - Naffa
15 - Kasih Darma - Nillitai
16 - Nihlus des Amanai - Ultracar
17 - Tumus des Akanau - K.M.F. Design
18 - Karrannatos - Voss
19 - Illirriya - Naffa
20 - Ngantfi - Tan Gia
21 - Tleriont - K.M.F.
22 - Nizio Faust - Boscer-Yent
23 - Thleshton - K.M.F. Design
DNF - Norbert Schweinsteiger - Techno Union - CRASH
DNF - Kuthmananga - Techno Union - CRASH
DNF - Vissinnitipi - Boscer-Yent - CRASH
DNF - Ji Jin - K.M.F. - CRASH
DNF - Hashtiget - Cypher Engineering - CRASH
Spoiler: Drivers Championship Standings
1 - Santino Nuvolari - X.Y.T.R.A.N. - 16
2 - Sommarrammos - Seskarin - 12
3 - Lucas Beckett - Voss - 10
4 - Elizabeth Nightingale - Cypher Engineering - 8
5 - Benjamin Chen - Ultracar - 7
6 - Bannassaton - Pegasus - 6
7 - Kira Duni - Super Gipulli - 5
8 - Nato Criffion - Pegasus - 4
9 - Yildamik - X.Y.T.R.A.N. - 3
10 - Aflkin - Super Gipulli - 2
11 - Mikah Elinas - Tan Gia - 1
12 - Issivvinni - Nillitai - 1
13 - Elli nas Sogdo - Seskarin - 1
14 - Hans Burg - Naffa - 1
15 - Kasih Darma - Nillitai - 1
16 - Nihlus des Amanai - Ultracar - 1
17 - Tumus des Akanau - K.M.F. Design - 1
18 - Karrannatos - Voss - 1
19 - Illirriya - Naffa - 1
20 - Ngantfi - Tan Gia - 1
21 - Tleriont - K.M.F. - 1
22 - Nizio Faust - Boscer-Yent - 1
23 - Thleshton - K.M.F. Design - 1
24 - Norbert Schweinsteiger - Techno Union - 0
25 - Kuthmananga - Techno Union - 0
26 - Vissinnitipi - Boscer-Yent - 0
27 - Ji Jin - K.M.F. - 0
28 - Hashtiget - Cypher Engineering - 0
Spoiler: Constructors Championship Standings
1 - X.Y.T.R.A.N. - 19
2 - Seskarin - 13
3 - Voss - 11
4 - Pegasus - 10
5 - Cypher Engineering - 8
6 - Ultracar - 8
7 - Super Gipulli - 7
8 - Nillitai - 2
9 - Tan Gia - 2
10 - KMF Design - 2
11 - Naffa - 2
12 - K.M.F. - 1
13 - Boscer Yent - 1
14 - Tecno Union - 0