F1RMGP presents: the 2014 Women's European Cup

[Shadaza]

Viva la France!

A fantastic performance where we outscored ATS and Toleman (who did not score) means we took a huge bite out of our rivals..
SW-"I didn't bite anyone!"
and our first podium with Bea who is now no longer a F1 reject!
AB- "Take that Indycar 'friends'"

ONWARD

[SuperAguri]

We have talked with Yuri Mitsui and have decided that she needs to train more or retire for good, so we have signed up Keiko Ihara to take her palce for the time being, Keiko has raced in Formula 3 in the UK and has got some good results elsewhere.

[dr-baker]

Well, I am glad to maintain my consistant points-scoring, although naturally disappointed to have not yet unrejectified myself. And while I don't approve of what I heard that Pippa did (I want to see footage of that punch!), I heard that she was in the points at the time and only retired due to a debris-inflicted puncture. I hear that this has satisfied the team management for now, although they are lining up Alice Powell as a replacement if there is a repeat of the uncompetitiveness or violence, however much publicity that it might give the team...

[dinizintheoven]

We have talked with Yuri Mitsui and have decided that she needs to train more or retire for good, so we have signed up Keiko Ihara to take her palce for the time being, Keiko has raced in Formula 3 in the UK and has got some good results elsewhere.

Driver change noted. I thought Yuri Mitsui was going to be the better driver at Super Reppu!, incidentally...

[dinizintheoven]

HILFE! (as they say on grandprix2.de)

Does anyone know, off the top of their head, or even with knowing where to look, how to change the order of the 1994 circuits? Merely renaming each f1ct**.dat to the number of the other and changing the names of the ***jams folders does nothing. I need to reverse the order of Hungary and Belgium before I can go any further!

[Waris]

HILFE! (as they say on grandprix2.de)

Does anyone know, off the top of their head, or even with knowing where to look, how to change the order of the 1994 circuits? Merely renaming each f1ct**.dat to the number of the other and changing the names of the ***jams folders does nothing. I need to reverse the order of Hungary and Belgium before I can go any further!

You shouldn't rename F1ct**.dat AND the gamejams folders, because that way, you'll have, say, Spa-Francorchamps in slot 10 and the Hungaroring in slot 11, but if F1CT11 refers to Hungaroring now, it will take the gamejams from HUNJAMS (or whatever that folder's name is), which now contain the gamejams for Spa-Francorchamps.

I think if you just switch the F1ct**.dat around, it should be fine.

[DanielPT]

Toleman WEC searching for Jutta Kleinschmidt replacement?

After the last race, were Jutta was awarded RoTR for the first time this year, although her boss, the handsome Flavio Briatore, mistakenly believed she was RoTR at every race after we explained to him who Jutta is and for whom she drives (!), Toleman WEC board has supposedly lost their patience with their second driver and placed the charming Flavio on the lookout for a new second driver while apparently they negotiate a way out of Jutta Kleinschmidt's contract. We gladly contacted their Latin stallion, Flavio Briatore, who was very happy to teach us a few things about the sport while explaining to us how he, and we quote, "probed" a replacement for Jutta. Afterwards he took us to an exciting party and we could not help to feel enchanted with this racing glamour surrounding the Women's European Cup in general and Team Toleman WEC in particular. In that party we also saw gorgeous Flavio with is arms around the lovely Yuri Mitsui, making her the number one candidate for the Toleman WEC seat, and we can only agree with the choice after she showcased her racing qualities later that evening while driving us home. Whatever his choice, we wish all the best to sexy Flavio and his team for this season.

[dinizintheoven]

The Series Management says: regarding driver changes...

...just make sure I know well in advance of each race being run if there are any changes, and that the news is clear as a bell. Team managers who want to recruit each other's dropped drivers should come to a completely transparent agreement.

I say this as SuperAguri's post implied that Yuri Mitsui is still technically contracted to Super Reppu! in case Keiko Ihara makes a reject of herself and also has to be withdrawn. Also, the Series Management will be taking no action against Pippa Mann as her right hook on that French marshal was entirely justified. It's for the team to decide whether she goes on racing or not.

[This]

I am slightly bored by this

What by me?

Are you seriously talking to yourself in your own quote?

[dr-baker]

I'm not sure why, but I seem to have become the team management's spokesman/woman/person/orifice/... Pippa Mann is indeed staying on for the time being. But as soon as either she or I don't do as well as expected, the Isle of (wo)Man team management have 'options'...

[dinizintheoven]

Round 5: Silverstone, Great Britain
Friday, 25 July 2014

THE GRID

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1 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   1'32.171
2 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         1'32.484
3 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   1'33.262
4 –    98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   1'33.367
5 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        1'33.378
6 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         1'33.489
7 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            1'33.533
8 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         1'34.061
9 –    69 P. Mann           Isle of (wo)Man    1'34.140
10 –   2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         1'34.992
11 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       1'35.113
12 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        1'35.116


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13 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   1'35.402
14 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         1'35.434
15 –   39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       1'35.634
16 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   1'35.839
17 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    1'35.881
18 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       1'35.921
19 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         1'36.124
20 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   1'36.364
21 –   15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            1'36.854


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----------------------------------- 107% time: 1'38.623
DNQ –  23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       1'40.048
DNQ –  24 P. Cow            Prostine           1'41.224
DNQ –  25 K. Andrews        Prostine           1'42.550


Team America's parent entity may be defunct, but their resilience in the WEC was never going to be an extended funeral – they came to win, especially after the performances in pre-season testing, and finally SWNSNBM came out on top. In qualifying, at least. Still, with the demolition job that Vanina Ickx has been doing on the championship recently, her being beaten is no bad thing. Sarah Fisher showed the Yankee car's sudden spurt of performance was no fluke, qualifying third; meanwhile, amongst the top half of the grid, there were a few best-ever performances, not least from Lella Lombardi who might now not have to rely on the Hologram Projection Unit failing occasionally (though Sir Bernard says it's all fixed now) to censor her words about the car. Ditto Susie Wolff, in sixth, and Pippa Mann, in ninth and looking to add to her team's championship points that have so far all come from her team-mate. Michèle Mouton was said to be disappointed with fifth, as was Simona de Silvestro in eighth; Giovanna Amati, on the other hand, was happier with eleventh after a couple of miserable weekends. Jutta Kleinschmidt hoped that the team might notice her – points from 12th are a possibility. Meanwhile, down the field, Milka Duno and Rahel Frey couldn't do much with their purple Monteverdis, Emma Kilimäinen slid downwards from where she's been recently, but nobody could explain why Michele Bumgarner and Kathering Legge were so far away from their team-mates. Legge, in 21st, was the last place on the grid as the 107% rule bit down hard for the first time; while it was widely expected that the Prostines would fall foul of this rule first, the fact that both Pippa Cow and Karen Andrews missed the target by such a huge margin – along with a spectacular hero-to-zero performance from Junko Mihara – mean that all three take a joint Reject Of The Race award before the race has even started. Particular pain for Mihara comes from the other side of her garage – debutant Keiko Ihara managed to slot into 18th place, posting a time four seconds faster...



CLASSIFICATION

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1 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         60   1h 39'36.145
2 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         60   1h 40'58.056
3 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            59   + 1 lap
4 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         59   + 1 lap
5 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         59   + 1 lap
6 –    18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   59   + 1 lap
7 –    19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   58   + 2 laps
8 –    8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        58   + 2 laps
9 –    16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         58   + 2 laps
10 –   39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       58   + 2 laps
11 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   58   + 2 laps
12 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         58   + 2 laps


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13 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       58   + 2 laps
14 –   15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            57   + 3 laps
15 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       35   water leak
16 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   28   transmission
17 –   69 P. Mann           Isle of (wo)Man    17   engine
18 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    12   crash
19 –   5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   6    loose wheel
20 –   7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        4    crash
21 –   6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   2    engine


This has got to stop, or we're not going to have a contest.

Wild celebrations reverberated round the pits as she who would be the new Michael Schumacher (2004 edition) made such a dog's breakfast of the start that Pedigree Chum would have jumped on board as sponsors... then the competition just... fell away. Two laps down, and Sarah Fisher's engine exploded into flames. Four laps down, Michèle Mouton decided to make an impromptu return to rallying and flung her car into a gravel trap. Six laps down, SWNSNBM, leading the race by ten seconds, watched in horror as she was overtaken by one of her own wheels. Thank you very much, said Vanina, and that was that, as she would go on to win by a minute and 22 seconds. At least Susie Wolff had something to howl about, after a nightmare of a season so far – her first podium also scored her that much sought after unrejectification that had been hanging over her head like a sword of Damocles since pre-season testing. Divina Galica followed up a fine third at the Andorran Grand Prix with another here, which only made the performance of Katherine Legge, trundling in last in the other car, even more bizarre. Simona de Silvestro made Minardivas' day even better with fourth to keep them well ahead in the Teams' Championship, and Ana Beatriz had much the same effect for the Bunnies. Milka Duno led Rahel Frey home for a useful sackful of points for Milk & Doughnuts, these being Frey's first of the season; Jutta Kleinschmidt also managed to get off the mark for the year, and hopefully reminded the team of her existence. Rounding out the top ten were Emma Kilimäinen and Natacha Gachnang, the only scorers for their respective teams.

Unlucky not to score were Michele Bumgarner and Cyndie Allemann, who battled Gachnang all the way for that tenth place; Keiko Ihara brought her car to the chequered flag in her first race, and even managed to lap Katherine Legge, driving a car that was good enough for third. The first of the seven retirements have already been dealt with; Natasha Firman was the next to exit, coming off worst from a bit of bump n' grind with Bumgarner and being sent into the tyre wall at Stowe. Team-mate Pippa Mann followed five laps later, oily smoke pouring out of the back of her Stefan. She was on course for points, as was Lella Lombardi, revelling in the new-found performance of her DAMS chassis, but the gearbox couldn't take the strain of the hologrammatic hand on the shifter. Giovanna Amati was the last to perish, losing all the water from her radiator, which is a rare piece of German unreliability in the VW-engined ATS Rial.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP

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1 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         125
2 =    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   46
2 =    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         46
4 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        36
5 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         35
6 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            32
7 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   31
8 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         27
9 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       25
10 =   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       22
10 =   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         22
12 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    14


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13 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   12
14 –   15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            8
15 =   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   6
15 =   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   6
15 =   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   6
18 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        4
19 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       2


TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP

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1 –   Minardivas                      171
2 –   Team America WEC                77
3 –   Lola Bunny                      62
4 –   ATS Rial WEC                    47
5 =   Toleman WEC                     40
5 =   AGS WEC                         40
7 –   Simtek WEC                      22
8 –   Milk & Doughnuts / Monteverdi   18
9 –   Isle of (wo)Man / Stefan        14
10 –  American Rejects / DAMS         12
11 –  Super Reppu! / Super Aguri      2


A CHECK ON WHO'S UNREJECTIFIED

Ickx, SWNSNBM, Fisher, Amati (San Marino); Mouton, Kimiläinen (Monaco); Galica (Andorra); de Silvestro, Beatriz, Gachnang (France); Wolff (Great Britain)

Firman, Legge, Duno: one 6th place each

[dr-baker]

Isle of (wo)Man

Infinite Improbable Drive of the Team : Pippa Mann, for outperforming her teammate for the first time, and being on course for points before the enforced retirement

For exactly the same reasons, Natascha Firman gets Reject of the Team of the Weekend.

[This]

Great performance again by Simona, we're well in the hunt for second in the drivers championship!

Guess i'm the Rekordmistress And oh, Simona, go play with the Dolls, you're just not up to it!

°Crying°

Oh yes-a, Vanina is a big.

What you just called me?°Slaps Minardi in the face°

[SuperAguri]

I take full responsability for Junko Mihara not qualifying, she got a bit squiffy before qualifying at the Minardivas "Schumacher is a mere amateur compared to the wonderful Vanina Ickx" bash, some fool kept giving her plum wine which is very drinkable and she woke up with a horrible hang over, although we are pleased see managed to set a time fastest then the Prostines. I think they got a bit squiffy too.

[dinizintheoven]

Here we go again. I'm going to attempt to motor through this championship now, so if there are to be any driver changes, you'll have to do them very quickly! Expect a maximum of three days between races.

Round 6: Hockenheim, Germany
Friday, 29 August 2014

THE GRID

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1 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         1'54.900
2 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        1'55.601
3 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         1'55.887
4 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   1'56.057
5 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         1'56.311
6 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            1'56.801
7 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   1'56.816
8 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            1'57.063
9 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       1'57.110
10 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        1'57.819
11 –   0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         1'58.232
12 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         1'58.283


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13 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         1'58.398
14 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   1'58.725
15 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   1'58.983
16 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       1'59.116
17 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       1'59.196
18 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   1'59.227
19 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    1'59.235
20 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       1'59.481
21 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   1'59.872
22 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           2'00.368
23 –   69 P. Mann           Isle of (wo)Man    2'00.567
24 –   25 K. Andrews        Prostine           2'00.913


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----------------------------------- 107% time: 2'02.943


Back we come after the five-week midsummer break, and what has changed? Bugger all at the front, that's what. Vanina Ickx's quest to utterly rout the entire field at every race continued unabated, beating Michèle Mouton to the pole position by seven tenths, with team mate Simona de Silvestro a minute behind in third. SWNSNBM took fourth but couldn't break the 1'56" barrier, Ana Beatriz led the Bunny charge (maybe seeking Duracell sponsorship), and Sarah Fisher found herself sandwiched between two AGSs as Katherine Legge finally pulled her finger out and took a fine eighth on the grid. Jutta Kleinschmidt was there or there abouts, Susie Wolff led the two Simteks, while Milka Duno and Lella Lombardi duelled for 14th, the rejectful Venezuelan coming out on top. Super Reppu! Put their recent troubles behind them, the (M)Ihara "twins" lining up 16th and 17th ahead of a miserable Rahel Frey; at the back, it was another tiresomely slow qualifying session for Giovanna Amati and Michele Bumgarner, while for Isle of (wo)Man the news was even worse; Natasha Firman was not really on form and Pippa Mann was slow enough to be beaten by a Prostine! Talking of which, the Formula Woman rejects in the French cars both celebrated beating the 107% time by a clear two seconds, and so a full grid was to be seen for the race.



CLASSIFICATION

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1 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         45   1h 32'28.627
2 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         45   1h 33'19.668
3 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        45   1h 33'45.594
4 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            45   1h 34'14.864
5 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            44   + 1 lap
6 –    16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         44   + 1 lap
7 –    22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       44   + 1 lap
8 –    8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        43   + 2 laps
9 –    23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       43   + 2 laps
10 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           43   + 2 laps
11 –   25 K. Andrews        Prostine           43   + 2 laps
12 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       43   + 2 laps


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13 –   2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         40   throttle
14 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   33   suspension
15 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         29   suspension
16 –   0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         28   suspension
17 –   6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   18   engine
18 –   5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   11   suspension
19 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   8    electrical
20 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   8    engine
21 –   69 P. Mann           Isle of (wo)Man    6    engine
22 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   3    crash
23 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    3    engine
24 –   39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       0    crash


And the world yawned. At least, those who were watching the "battle" at the front did, anyway. It's hard to say anything more about a race in which Vanina Ickx sprinted away at the front to make it six wins out of six, with less than half the season to go... even Michèle Mouton was powerless to put up more of a fight than she did to get to third, as Simona de Silvestro did a fine job as rear gunner to keep the rest of the field away from her illustrious team-mate. There was rather more to celebrate at AGS, though, as Divina Galica put in another fine performance for fourth, and was followed home – if not on the lead lap – by Katherine Legge, who finally sorted out her race pace as well as her qualifying and was unrejectified as a reward for her efforts. Emma Kimiläinen racked up more useful points for Simtek, and – no, your eyes do not deceive you – the last four points places were a genuine result of a race of severe attrition that took out half the field. Keiko Ihara proved her worth to the Super Reppu! team, with six points for seventh, and Junko Mihara recovered from her qualifying mishap at Silverstone to take two more. Jutta Kleinschmidt won't be too happy to be between those two, but was hindered by a failing car that almost cost her a place in the points altogether – a fate which befell Giovanna Amati in the ATS Rial. Her loss, though, was Prostine's gain, as the struggling team with two drivers of dubious talent stunned even their own expectations; whatever else is wrong at that team, reliability isn't one of their problems, and Pippa Cow steered the car home to tenth place and a point. It could have been three, one of those going to Karen Andrews, if Kleinschmidt's fate had been sealed sooner.

The second half of the field all retired, and by the end of the race, the circuit was liberally littered with dead and dying F1RMGP cars. Natacha Gachnang tried an over-exuberant overtaking move in the stadium section on the first lap and bit the barrier hard; after three laps, Rahel Frey had also thrown her car into a wall and Natasha Firman was followed down the first straight by a trail of blue smoke. Team-mate Pippa Mann, yet to score this season, also saw her engine expire after six laps – and with that, Reject Of The Race goes not to the team or the drivers, but to Toyota, whose engines in the back of the IOW Stefan proved gutless in qualifying and explosively unreliable in the race. Eight laps down, two more cars were gone, as both American Rejects' DAMS cars failed almost simultaneously, Lelle Lombardi with a blown Renault engine and Michele Bumgarner slowing to a crawl with (French!) electrical gremlins. After SWNSNBM's creaking leaf-spring suspension had busted itself on the 12th lap, we all thought (and hoped) that'd be it for the retirements, but oh no... down went Sarah Fisher with another deceased engine, the Hockenheim circuit really exposing any fragility in the cars – then Susie Wolff, the luckless Cyndie Allemann and Milka Duno all suffered broken suspension. Ana Beatriz was the last casualty, her Lola deciding it no longer wanted its accelerator to work properly, and that was what gave Prostine their day in the sun.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Five races to go, 125 points are left to be won. Drivers who can still win the championship are shown with a star.

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1 –  * 3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         150
2 –  * 4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         64
3 –  * 7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        51
4 –  * 6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   46
5 –  * 14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            44
6 –  * 2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         35
7 –  * 5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   31
8 –  * 16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         30
9 –  * 0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         27
10 –   39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       25
11 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       22
12 –   15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            18


Code: Select all

13 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    14
14 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   12
15 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        8
16 =   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   6
16 =   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   6
16 =   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   6
16 =   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       6
20 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       4
21 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           1


TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Five races to go, 215 points are left to be won. Teams who can still win the championship are shown with a star. (It's actually all of them, but I'll leave this here anyway...)

Code: Select all

1 –  * Minardivas                      214
2 –  * Team America WEC                77
3 =  * Lola Bunny                      62
3 =  * AGS WEC                         62
5 –  * Toleman WEC                     59
6 –  * ATS Rial WEC                    47
7 –  * Simtek WEC                      30
8 –  * Milk & Doughnuts / Monteverdi   18
9 –  * Isle of (wo)Man / Stefan        14
10 – * American Rejects / DAMS         12
11 – * Super Reppu! / Super Aguri      10
12 – * Prostine                        1


[JeremyMcClean]

Five races to go, 125 points are left to be won. Drivers who can still win the championship (assuming V. Ickx gets abducted by aliens) are shown with a star.

Fixed.

[dinizintheoven]

Well, yes, but mathematically all the starred drivers can win...

[This]

Five races to go, 125 points are left to be won. Drivers who can still win the championship (assuming V. Ickx gets abducted by aliens) are shown with a star.

Fixed.

Which is exactly what happenned!

[dinizintheoven]

Round 7: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Friday, 5 September 2014

THE GRID

Code: Select all

1 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        2'03.791
2 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         2'04.363
3 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         2'04.459
4 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            2'04.485
5 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            2'04.938
6 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       2'04.952
7 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   2'05.354
8 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         2'05.436
9 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   2'06.535
10 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        2'06.893
11 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   2'06.946
12 –   0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         2'07.228


Code: Select all

13 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   2'07.435
14 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         2'07.595
15 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   2'08.004
16 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    2'08.291
17 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       2'08.292
18 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         2'08.369
19 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   2'08.906
20 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       2'08.945
21 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       2'08.985
22 –   69 P. Mann           Isle of (wo)Man    2'09.596
23 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           2'09.723
24 –   25 K. Andrews        Prostine           2'09.765


Code: Select all

----------------------------------- 107% time: 2'12.456


Belgium. Vanina Ickx's home race. It's going to be a procession, isn't it? Michèle Mouton had other ideas. On a cold, overcast, but dry day in the Ardennes forest, the French rally champ put in the dominant performance that she's been threatening to do for some time now, upstaging the chief Minardiva on her own turf. Ana Beatriz helped to spoil Vanina's party as well, sticking her Lola on the front row in a way that the original F1RMGP team could never have imagined happening. Divina Galica again blasted her AGS up to fourth, with team-mate Katherine Legge right behind, followed by Natacha Gachnang in a German bathtub that was looking ever handier towards the end of its useful life. Simona de Silvestro found herself as the meat in an American sandwich, Jutta Kleinschmidt could only watch as her team-mate buried the field and had to content herself with tenth, Milka Duno did far better than could ever be expected on this circuit, and Susie Wolff had to fight off Lella Lombardi and Emma Kimiläinen in the 2'07"s. Rahel Frey couldn't break the 2'08" barrier, Natasha Firman and Keiko Ihara came within a Rizla of each other, Cyndie Allemann grumbled, Michele Bumgarner moaned and Giovanna Amati screamed at a job not particularly well done for all three of them. Junko Mihara rounded out the 2'08"s, but probably the most thoroughly fed up driver on the grid was Pippa Mann, right down the arse end of the grid in the welcoming company of the two Prostines. At least that dreaded 107% barrier was never a threat.



CLASSIFICATION

Code: Select all

1 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       44   1h 39'31.865
2 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   44   1h 39'45.657
3 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   44   1h 40'10.419
4 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            44   1h 40'18.902
5 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         44   1h 40'40.390
6 –    18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   44   1h 40'42.576
7 –    16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         44   1h 41'11.413
8 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         44   1h 41'29.408
9 –    17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         44   1h 41'36.554
10 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    43   + 1 lap
11 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   43   + 1 lap
12 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        43   + 1 lap


Code: Select all

13 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       43   + 1 lap
14 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   43   + 1 lap
15 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       43   + 1 lap
16 –   25 K. Andrews        Prostine           43   + 1 lap
17 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       43   + 1 lap
18 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           43   + 1 lap
19 –   69 P. Mann           Isle of (wo)Man    42   + 2 laps
20 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   38   crash
21 –   7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        31   crash
22 –   3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         27   crash
23 –   4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         24   crash
24 –   14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            22   crash


What just happened there?

No, really, what just happened?

Imagine the look on Michèle Mouton's face as all those years of rallying experience saw her shoot off into the lead with Ana Beatriz conveniently slotting in behind and fighting off a determined challenge of Vanina Ickx. Imagine her frustration when a wild slide saw Ana take the lead for a lap. But Mrs Sheep would not be denied the chance to put her first win on the board that she knew she had deserved all season, had it not been for a certain Belgian putting paid to that. Imagine the look on her face when some rainclouds sprinkled their wares all over half the circuit after 21 laps, and all her rallying experience would be an extra bonus. Divina Galica found out the hard way. Then, two laps later, so did Simona de Silvestro. Imagine the look on Michèle Mouton's face when a message crackled over the radio that Vanina Ickx had just thrown her car off the road at Eau Rouge, of all places, in front of all her adoring fans. Nobody needed to imagine the look on Vanina's face as she took off her helmet and bore an expression that could have curdled milk at ten paces. A clean sweep of victories this season would not be hers, to the relief of every other WEC fan in the world.

Imagine the look on Michèle Mouton's face as complacency got the better of her, and she tripped over the very same piece of kerb that had once ensnared a careless Vitaly Petrov four years earlier, and her Toleman ploughed into the tyre barrier.

Barely believing her outrageous good fortune was Natacha Gachnang, who had made a couple of unbelievably audacious moves in the changeable conditions to pass both Team America cars, and she now found herself in a lead, which until a moment before, had been Mouton's and was utterly unassailable. Ana Beatriz had flung it off the road as well, but recovered, and she would trail in fifth. Ahead was Katherine Legge, bringing home her best result in the championship, and behind, Milka Duno – now two steps out of three towards an unrejectification none of us expected. Towards the back of the points, Cyndie Allemann's luckless streak finally turned itself round and she found herself on the scoreboard, with Emma Kimiläinen also scoring for Simtek. It was left to The Wolf and Natasha Firman to round out the points. On what was turning out to be a fine day for the Swiss, Rahel Frey couldn't quite nudge her way into the points, and neither could Jutta Kleinschmidt save some face for Toleman. Further down the list of finishers you'd have to say it was the usual suspects in the usual order, except for the one driver who was lapped twice. Stand up and take your Reject Of The Race award, Pippa Mann! To be the only driver lapped twice is bad enough, but to be stuck behind the Prostines all race... that sums it up all too well. And the award is going to be shared with Giovanna Amati, a lap down and behind one of the Prostines in a car that was capable of winning.

That aberration aside, the day belonged to the ATS Rial team; that car that had been sop hopeless in the main series and had racked up so many DNQs in the Main Series, only to score a couple of fluky points positions and haul the team up the rankings, was now a winner in the Women's European Cup. Günther Schmidt danced around the paddock so fervently that his hologram misfired, one of his legs was replaced by what looked like a stack of giant Lego bricks, and he had to be rebooted. And it wasn't just the car that had never come even slightly close to a victory until now; neither had Natacha Gachnang.

Imagine the look on this face as she stood on top of the podium with her trophy that had seemed so unlikely since... ever.

It's not an image I'll forget in a hurry.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Four races to go, 100 points are left to be won. Drivers who can still win the championship, if (as has been pointed out) Vanina Ickx is abducted by aliens, are shown with a star.

Code: Select all

1 –  * 3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         150
2 –  * 4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         64
3 –  * 6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   61
4 –  * 7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        51
5 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       50
6 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   49
7 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         45
8 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            44
9 –    16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         36
10 –   0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         31
11 –   15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            30
12 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       22


Code: Select all

13 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   20
14 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    15
15 –   8  J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        8
16 =   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   6
16 =   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   6
16 =   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   6
16 =   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       6
20 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       4
21 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         2
22 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           1


TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Four races to go, 172 points are left to be won. Teams who can still win the championship are shown with a star.

Code: Select all

1 –  * Minardivas                      214
2 –  * Team America WEC                110
3 –  * Lola Bunny                      76
4 –  * AGS WEC                         74
5 –  * ATS Rial WEC                    72
6 –  * Toleman WEC                     59
7 –    Simtek WEC                      38
8 –    Milk & Doughnuts / Monteverdi   26
9 –    Isle of (wo)Man / Stefan        15
10 –   American Rejects / DAMS         12
11 –   Super Reppu! / Super Aguri      10
12 –   Prostine                        1


[DanielPT]

Arggggghhhhhhh! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Michèle! Why, baby? Why? It was a certain victory! *sight* Oh well, now only a threesome with SWNSNBM and Milka Duno can save my day... See what you are making me do, Michèle? Behave at the next race, baby. Ok?

[dr-baker]

Glad to get another points finish and hoping to challenge the two ahead of me for 12th place in the championship.

Dammit, dammit, dammit!!!

Press Release

As is standard procedure in modern contracts, there are performance clauses that our drivers must achieve. Sadly, Pippa Mann has fallen foul of several of these - to not have scored at all by a certain point of the season, to have fallen a significant number of points behind her teammate, and to have been awarded a Reject of the Race award. This also explains her recent language post-race, but this too is a sackable offence, as it is so unladylike. For this reason, she will be replaced with immediate effect by Alice Powell.

[dinizintheoven]

And with that, we have the prime candidate for Reject Of The Season...

[dr-baker]

Woo hoo!

[dinizintheoven]

That said, I wouldn't completely blame Pippa Mann for some of her performances; the Stefan S-03 is the least reliable car in the field by a country mile. Still, she finished last last race, the car didn't break on her, and the Prostines were ahead... so, yes, point taken.

Alice Powell is now installed in the team, on the wiki and on GP2. We're all set for the next race, unless there are going to be any more changes...?

[dr-baker]

That said, I wouldn't completely blame Pippa Mann for some of her performances; the Stefan S-03 is the least reliable car in the field by a country mile. Still, she finished last last race, the car didn't break on her, and the Prostines were ahead... so, yes, point taken.

Alice Powell is now installed in the team, on the wiki and on GP2. We're all set for the next race, unless there are going to be any more changes...?

Pippa was consistantly significantly behind Firman, and never seriously looked like challenging her, hense the decision.

[DanielPT]

Can I use Pippa Mann for the second Toleman until the end of the season, dr-baker?

[dinizintheoven]

You have two days to decide between yourselves!

[dr-baker]

Yeah, sure, why not?

[This]

We have a government!

Governments are up to no good Vanina, they'll only threat us working class heros and women unequal! Viva La Revolución! Like they say in Russia! Also we need more sponsors, we can't afford to be competitive anymore because of the spending war the American, English and German teams have started here! We are obviously falling behind on development. It must be said that our car is the only legal one, which would mean we actually would have won all races!

Like you treat me unequal I could have won races too!

[DanielPT]

Briatore gives the boot to Kleinschmidt and...

What? Nonsense. There was no one on the second seat for me to boot, ok? Else, no party to you!

Briatore signs Mann...

Flavio cannot sign a Mann for Woman's Cup. Besides Flavio signed dear Pippa!

Briatore signs Pippa Mann for the second Toleman
Today was...

Yesterday, baby!

Yesterday was announced that Toleman will finally field a second car, having decided to put Pippa Mann at the wheel. The team expects big things from...

This journalist knows nothing... Pffff... Flavio expects sweet things from Pippa! At Toleman, only me and Toleman himself are big. How do I know? What kind of question is that, stupid boy? Flavio was with girls before you were born, so don't be silly. What the mechanics have to do with this? Just write the story, imbecile!

Yesterday was announced that Toleman will finally field a second car, having decided to put Pippa Mann at the wheel. The team expects sweet things from her with team boss Flavio Briatore saying "those guys at Isle of (wo)Man failed to provide a decent car to Pippa, which is what we intend to do. So everything will be different I am sure! Pippa is amazing in a car and good outside of it, so this is good, yes!..."

That is not the full quote! Now, write everything, ok? Including that name of yours, ok? Don't want to insult yourself in the publication? Don't be silly and do what I tell you if you want to keep your job. You know that your boss and me are very good friends and partied much and shared many women!

Yesterday was announced that Toleman will finally field a second car, having decided to put Pippa Mann at the wheel. The team expects sweet things from her with team boss Flavio Briatore saying "those guys at Isle of (wo)Man failed to provide a decent car to Pippa, which is what we intend to do. So everything will be different I am sure! Pippa is amazing in a car and outside of it, so this is good, yes! I dismiss this idiot journalist from Fancy Publication who says she was rather poor until now in the races. Beautiful Pippa Mann will show you wrong. Now, stay out of my way, testa di cazzo". No comments from Isle of (wo)Man to these qu...

I tell you that no Isle of (wo)Man comments are interesting for your Fancy Publication...

Yesterday was announced that Toleman will finally field a second car, having decided to put Pippa Mann at the wheel. The team expects sweet things from her with team boss Flavio Briatore saying "those guys at Isle of (wo)Man failed to provide a decent car to Pippa, which is what we intend to do. So everything will be different I am sure! Pippa is amazing in a car and outside of it, so this is good, yes! I dismiss this idiot journalist from Fancy Publication who says she was rather poor until now in the races. Beautiful Pippa Mann will show you wrong. Now, stay out of my way, testa di cazzo". Clearly Flavio Briatore is a genius and a brilliant mind. He knows a lot of motorsport too!

Magnificent report boy. You will be someone one day, I tell you. Now, come party at my yacht. I am sure we can find a nice lady for you! Also, I like your UCB polo. You only need a Toleman cap which is 10 Euros! Very good, boy. Now come!"

[dinizintheoven]

Round 8: Hungaroring, Hungary
Friday, 19 September 2014

THE GRID

Code: Select all

1 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        1'27.363
2 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         1'27.797
3 –    22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       1'27.963
4 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         1'28.040
5 –    19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   1'28.043
6 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            1'28.089
7 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            1'28.405
8 –    16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         1'28.406
9 –    98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   1'28.481
10 –   5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   1'28.799
11 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         1'28.799
12 –   4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         1'29.233


Code: Select all

13 –   69 A. Powell         Isle of (wo)Man    1'29.353
14 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       1'29.849
15 –   6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   1'29.996
16 –   3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         1'30.051
17 –   39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       1'30.561
18 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    1'30.563
19 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       1'31.555
20 –   8  P. Mann           Toleman WEC        1'31.564
21 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   1'32.763


Code: Select all

----------------------------------- 107% time: 1'33.478
DNQ –  99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   1'33.933
DNQ –  24 P. Cow            Prostine           1'36.127
DNQ –  25 K. Andrews        Prostine           1'36.652


As it's been over the last three seasons of F1RMGP, Hungary is always the race that throws up the surprises. The women's first visit to this somewhat-haunted circuit produced exactly that. Not from Michèle Mouton taking her second pole in a row, there's nothing odd about that, but to have Susie Wolff on the front row after her somewhat variable performances this year, and with Keiko Ihara in third...? Now we're talking. Yuri Mitsui must be sitting in a cupboard somewhere in Japan, in floods of tears at such a wasted opportunity which her replacement has grabbed with relish. It was a fine qualifying for the Bunnies with Ana Beatriz taking fourth, and Rahel Frey led the way for Milk & Doughnuts... for once. Divina Galica and Katherine Legge were again glued firmly together, as were Emma Kimiläinen and Lella Lombardi, though they've traded places since Spa. SWNSNBM was the highest of the Yanks, posting exactly the same time as Cyndie Allemann – to the thousandth. Simona de Silvestro, in 12th... was the highest placed Minardiva. Alice Powell, having a fine debut, put her Stefan in a place it had no right to be, Giovanna Amati made a small improvement over her recent form, Sarah Fisher looked miserable in 15th... but what in the name of all that is Belgian and sticky was Vanina Ickx doing that morning? It was as if she was daydreaming at a race where she is likely to wrap up the championship... and that's not the way to do it. Ditto the shock winner of the last race, Natacha Gachnang, who could only manage 17th. After Natasha Firman came three drivers who were absolutely annihilated by their team-mates. Junko Mihara took 19th (as opposed to third), Pippa Mann made an awful start to her Toleman career with 20th (in a car capable of pole), and Milka Duno flirted horribly with a DNQ, when Rahel Frey had been so strong to take fifth. Outside the 107% cut... for the first time, it's Michele Bumgarner, missing it by half a second. As for the Prostines, there's only one word that can describe their qualifying session. They've been humiliated! Just like Jeremy Clarkson ice racing against Olivier Panis!



CLASSIFICATION

Code: Select all

1 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         77   2h 00'35.529
2 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            77   2h 00'57.486
3 –    19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   77   2h 01'03.337
4 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        77   2h 01'25.324
5 –    69 A. Powell         Isle of (wo)Man    77   2h 02'08.903
6 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            76   + 1 lap
7 –    16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         76   + 1 lap
8 –    98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   76   + 1 lap
9 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         76   + 1 lap
10 –   4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         76   + 1 lap
11 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       75   + 2 laps
12 –   39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       75   + 2 laps


Code: Select all

13 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         75   + 2 laps
14 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    75   + 2 laps
15 –   8  P. Mann           Toleman WEC        74   + 3 laps
16 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       74   + 3 laps
17 –   2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         61   brakes
18 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   31   puncture
19 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       13   suspension
20 –   5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   9    engine
21 –   6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   8    suspension


The Wolf howls!

Back in pre-season testing, nobody saw that coming. Susie was no mug in her career so far, but the Lola T13/30 was a shocking chassis and she was being regularly thrashed by team-mate Ana Beatriz. Who's had the last laugh there, then, eh?

Thing is, the race shouldn't have been hers. As it was in Belgium, Michèle Mouton charged off into the distance, desperate to secure that first win of the season that both Vanina Ickx and her car had done so much to rob her of. This time, though, the culprit was Vanina's team-mate. On lap 43, Michèle came up to lap Simona de Silvestro, did so with clinical efficiency... and then Simona decided she would use the Toleman as a brake. They were both sent spearing off, Mrs Sheep spent so long getting out of the gravel trap that it sent her spiralling down the order to seventh. She had a spirited drive to fourth, but her exchange of words with Simona afterwards cannot even be printed in Some Publication's X-rated top-shelf supplement. Miss de Silvestro, collect yourself a well-earned Reject Of The Race award, one point be damned. The ramifications are to be seen shortly below.

Mouton's loss was the gain of both Divina Galica, herself getting ever closer to the top step, and Rahel Frey, scoring her first podium and escaping rejectdom in a way that her more... "illustrious" team-mate has yet to do. Alice Powell had an amazing debut race, dragging her reticent Stefan into a position that it has never been before in anyone's hands, and as it is I wouldn't bet against unrejectification for her before the season's out – sixth place is all it'll take. That sixth this time went to Katherine Legge, Emma Kimiläinen took another seventh – Miss Consistency is her other name, Lella Lombardi put another four points on the board, and the final two points-paying positions... the Minardivas.

Vanina needed to do absolutely nothing. No, really – as it would turn out, she didn't even need to bother turning up, and by her performance over this race weekend, maybe she didn't. But the Drivers' Championship, and the coveted Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup, was hers. The two points that she would collect by lazily cruising to ninth were immaterial after Team America's geriatric chassis both fell to bits in the early stages of the race. The demise of Sarah Fisher with broken suspension after eight laps finally took her out of the running for the championship, with SWNSNBM's blown engine on the next lap really rubbing boiling lead in the wound – and then, that collision on lap 43 just had to be between the only other two drivers who could stop her, didn't it? Maybe Simona did it deliberately, her chances were shot to pieces as she was lapped, and she thought she could spear the French rally champ out of the race and hand Vanina the title. Michèle Mouton had to win to keep the championship alive; she was going to, but Simona made sure the title was Vanina's.

Outside the points were the two ATS Rials, the senior driver ahead this time; Natacha Gachnang may still have been daydreaming about that win in the Ardennes. Cyndie Allemann was back in the wrong half of the grid again, Natasha Firman was upstaged by her new team-mate who's barely out of school, and as for Pippa Mann... a change of teams has had no bearing on her performance. Three laps down and with only Junko Mihara for company, that was miserable. Still, at least there were no Prostines to beat her in the race this time.

As for the last few retirements: suspension failure saw off Keiko Ihara, who was running in a podium place, a regular occurrence for the main Super Aguri team but unheard of for their WEC subsidiary; where's Japanese reliability when it's needed? With 64 laps left to run, there were only two more retirements; Milka Duno's tyre shredded itself and tore her bodywork to pieces, while Ana Beatriz was on course for second place until catastrophic brake failure sent her into the wall.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
This championship is over; Vanina Ickx wins the Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup!

Code: Select all

1 –  * 3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         152
2 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         65
3 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        63
4 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            62
5 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   61
6 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         56
7 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       50
8 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   49
9 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         45
10 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         42
11 –   15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            38
12 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       22


Code: Select all

13 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   21
14 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   20
15 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    15
16 =   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   10
16 =   69 A. Powell         Isle of (wo)Man    10
18 –      J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        8
19 =   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   6
19 =   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       6
21 –   23 J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       4
22 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         2
23 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           1


TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Three races to go, 129 points are left to be won. Teams who can still win the championship are shown with a star. Amazingly, there are four still (just) in contention...

Code: Select all

1 –  * Minardivas                      217
2 –  * Team America WEC                110
3 –  * Lola Bunny                      101
4 –  * AGS WEC                         100
5 –    ATS Rial WEC                    72
6 –    Toleman WEC                     71
7 –    Simtek WEC                      44
8 –    Milk & Doughnuts / Monteverdi   41
9 –    Isle of (wo)Man / Stefan        25
10 –   American Rejects / DAMS         16
11 –   Super Reppu! / Super Aguri      10
12 –   Prostine                        1


[dr-baker]

Woo hoo! Yeah, baby! With more performances like this, I reckon I could get the Isle of(wo)Man team past Milk & Doughnuts and Simtek for 7th in the team's championship!

[code="Natascha Firman"]Secretly, behind the scenes, I was pushing for a more competitive teammate to help push the team on further. But now that I've got it, it's depressing. Thank goodness there are only 3 races left of the season...[/code]

[DanielPT]

*Journalist approaches Toleman garage to get Flavio's reaction to the race*

*Hears lot's of noise and yelling*

*Just before entering the garage spots Flavio thrashing everything in front of the mechanics*

(...) Why? Why doesn't he bans Di Silvestro right away? She messed with the title on purpose! It was clear as water! Arghhhhhhhhh (...)

*Journalist leaves quietly without being noticed*

[SuperAguri]

I am sorry to announce the death of one of our mechanics, it seems he could not live with the dishonour of his car breaking down when the car was in a podium position and commited seppuku. We also had a long hard talk with Junko Mihara and we agreed that it was time to hang her helmet up and she will be replaced by fresh faced Kazumi Mikami who we believe will bring us the results we need.

Drivers website = http://mikamikazumi.net

[DanielPT]

Incredible! Those guys at Super Reppu! are more trigger happy with their drivers than Flavio is in bed-related business!

[dinizintheoven]

Incredible! Those guys at Super Reppu! are more trigger happy with their drivers than Flavio is in bed-related business!

I'll say. Jordan circa 1993, anyone?

Anyway. Friday for the next round, I reckon...

[dinizintheoven]

Round 9: Monza, Italy
Friday, 3 October 2014

THE GRID

Code: Select all

1 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        1'33.436
2 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         1'33.649
3 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         1'34.266
4 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   1'34.554
5 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       1'34.673
6 –    2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         1'34.772
7 –    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            1'35.096
8 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   1'35.290
9 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            1'35.381
10 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         1'36.116
11 –   23 K. Mikami         Super Reppu!       1'36.158
12 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   1'36.421


Code: Select all

13 –   8  P. Mann           Toleman WEC        1'36.452
14 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    1'36.462
15 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   1'36.576
16 –   0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         1'36.697
17 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         1'36.828
18 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   1'36.866
19 –   69 A. Powell         Isle of (wo)Man    1'36.988
20 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       1'37.032
21 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       1'37.530
22 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   1'37.568
23 –   25 K. Andrews        Prostine           1'38.519
24 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           1'38.766


Code: Select all

----------------------------------- 107% time: 1'39.977


This is how it always should have been; the two at the top looked to be the main title protagonists. But it just didn't work out that way, and now the title race is oner. Still, it didn't stop Madames Mouton and Ickx battling each other for supremacy all the way through this qualifying session, only for the French rally legend to come out on top. Simona de Silvestro hung in there as well, desperately trying to prove a point to her rather dismissive team-mate and make amends for that dreadful error at the Hungaroring; SWNSNBM was equally determined to send Team America out with a bang, and not a blown engine. Natacha Gachnang was back on form, still on something of a high after Spa and having just admitted to taking the winner's trophy to bed and cuddling it as a boyfriend substitute. Shortly behind was Ana Beatriz in the Lola, the two AGSs with Sarah Fisher wedged between them, Emma Kimiläinen rounding out the top ten for Simtek, and Kazumi Mikami putting on a fine show in her first race of the season, even if she will only get three to prove herself worthy of being spared the wrath of Aguri Suzuki. Milka Duno and Pippa Mann were hardly spectacular but at least far better than they had been the previous race; Pippa finally beat her former team-mate, Natasha Firman, in a far more powerful car, by all of a hundredth of a second. Behind Lella Lombardi, Susie Wolff had come crashing back down to earth after her win in Hungary, Cyndie Allemann and Rahel Frey slid backwards towards a depressingly familiar end of the grid, and the reality of driving the shocking Stefan finally bit Alice Powell on the arse after her wonder debut. A similar misfortune struck the usually reliable Keiko Ihara, and is that Giovanna Amati I see putting in another performance that indicates a potential Reject Of The Race? Well, not quite – the three drivers who crashed out at the first hurdle in Hungary were filling the last three places again, but this time they all cleared the 107% cut by a second at least. And for once, the bragging rights in the Prostine garage went to Karen Andrews.



CLASSIFICATION

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1 –    3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         53   1h 26'35.557
2 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        53   1h 27'03.552
3 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         53   1h 27'19.521
4 –    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       52   + 1 lap
5 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            52   + 1 lap
6 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   52   + 1 lap
7 –    23 K. Mikami         Super Reppu!       52   + 1 lap
8 –    69 A. Powell         Isle of (wo)Man    52   + 1 lap
9 –    8  P. Mann           Toleman WEC        52   + 1 lap
10 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         52   + 1 lap
11 –   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         52   + 1 lap
12 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    51   + 2 laps


Code: Select all

13 –   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       51   + 2 laps
14 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   51   + 2 laps
15 –   0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         51   + 2 laps
16 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       51   + 2 laps
17 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           50   + 3 laps
18 –   25 K. Andrews        Prostine           50   + 3 laps
19 –   5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   39   engine
20 –   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   38   puncture
21 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   13   crash
22 –   2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         12   engine
23 –   14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            6    transmission
24 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   2    crash


It was, let's face it, a limp showing from Vanina last time as she grabbed hold of the Maria Teresa de Filippis Cup. Determined to make amends and show her true worth as a champion, no sooner were the lights out than she (and Simona) shot off the line like a scalded cat. Michèle Mouton would not be denied, though, and the two clashed on lap two. The unlikely Swiss Minardiva led, but not for long, as the rally champion make her move at the Rettifilio on lap five. Finally, this would be her day... wouldn't it? An incensed Vanina had other ideas, put her foot down like a crazed chav, swatted her team-mate out the way, then hunted down her assailant like an angry lynch mob of UAF thugs going after someone they think supported the far right but actually merely went into a branch of Banque Nationale de Paris, once, maybe. On lap ten... the contest was over, and those three held station for the rest of the race. That, in turn, won the Bertha Benz Cup for Minardivas.

Watching intently were Natacha Gachnang and Katherine Legge, or at least they would have done if only they'd been able to stay in touch with the leaders; instead, by the end of the race, they'd been lapped along with the rest of the field. Sarah Fisher, in sixth, was pleased just to have finished, her Team America chassis being saddled with all the reliability of a 35-year-old Austin Allegro. Over the moon, though, were the two directly behind her; Kazumi Mikami, bringing home the bacon (or should that be sashimi?) in her first race for the trigger-happy Super Reppu!, and Alice Powell, dragging her slow and unwieldy Stefan into the points twice in two attempts. Neither moved themselves further towards unrejectification, but points are points. Talking of which, Pippa Mann finally scored – at the ninth attempt, having been sacked once and moved to a faster car that's capable of winning on the right day, but will that be anywhere near enough to rescue her battered reputation? The final points scorer was Emma Kimiläinen, who's now scored in every race she's finished, eight out of the nine so far.

Cyndie Allemann was again unlucky to miss out, though, being within sight of her team-mate at the finish, whereas Natasha Firman was yet again upstaged by the young upstart in her equivalent car; so was Keiko Ihara, whose magnificent start in this team is already becoming a distant memory with the speed at which her team boss throws his axe around. Lagging behind were Lella Lombardi, last race's winner, Susie Wolff – reduced to a whimper rther than a howl – and Giovanna Amati, yet again being the last car to finish ahead of the Prostines, who obligingly filed in at the back. Amongst those who didn't finish were SWNSNBM and Ana Beatriz, victims of engines turning themselves into incendiary devices, Michele Bumgarner whose tyre exploded on the back straight, Divina Galica's great run of form was halted with a box full of neutrals... and then there's the two Milk & Doughnuts drivers, both flinging their cars into the wall – Milka Duno indulged in a spot of Liuzzi-esque car bowling after only two laps, and not too long later Rahel Frey decided to inspect the scenery at Parabolica a bit too closely. It's a shared Reject Of The Race for both of them.



DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Done and dusted, as we know.

Code: Select all

1 –  * 3  V. Ickx           Minardivas         177
2 –    7  M. Mouton         Toleman WEC        81
3 –    4  S. de Silvestro   Minardivas         80
4 –    6  S. Fisher         Team America WEC   69
5 =    39 N. Gachnang       ATS Rial WEC       62
5 =    14 D. Galica         AGS WEC            62
7 –    0  S. Wolff          Lola Bunny         56
8 –    5  SWNSNBM           Team America WEC   49
9 –    15 K. Legge          AGS WEC            48
10 –   2  A. Beatriz        Lola Bunny         45
11 –   16 E. Kimiläinen     Simtek WEC         43
12 –   38 G. Amati          ATS Rial WEC       22


Code: Select all

13 –   19 R. Frey           Milk & Doughnuts   21
14 –   18 M. Duno           Milk & Doughnuts   20
15 –   70 N. Firman         Isle of (wo)Man    15
16 –   69 A. Powell         Isle of (wo)Man    14
17 –   98 L. Lombardi       American Rejects   10
18 –      J. Kleinschmidt   Toleman WEC        8
19 =   99 M. Bumgarner      American Rejects   6
19 =   22 K. Ihara          Super Reppu!       6
19 =   23 K. Mikami         Super Reppu!       6
22 –      J. Mihara         Super Reppu!       4
23 =   17 C. Allemann       Simtek WEC         2
23 =   8  P. Mann           Toleman WEC        2
25 –   24 P. Cow            Prostine           1


TEAMS' CHAMPIONSHIP
Two races to go... this one's all over as well.

Code: Select all

1 –  * Minardivas                      257
2 –    Team America WEC                118
3 –    AGS WEC                         110
4 –    Lola Bunny                      101
5 –    Toleman WEC                     91
6 –    ATS Rial WEC                    84
7 –    Simtek WEC                      45
8 –    Milk & Doughnuts / Monteverdi   41
9 –    Isle of (wo)Man / Stefan        29
10 =   American Rejects / DAMS         16
10 =   Super Reppu! / Super Aguri      16
12 –   Prostine                        1


[FullMetalJack]

And you said ATS Rial was a terrible choice.

Looks like Marlon won't have to beat the drivers.

[dr-baker]

How does she do it? How on ear0th did she do it? Even after she got past me, I tried following her, to learn some of her tricks, but I just couldn't keep up with that young vixen (better call her a female fox than a female dog, right boss?)

[Shadaza]

I believe miss Ickx is using illegal driver aids, theres no way anyone could drive a car like that.... she must be a man in disquise!

After a double no score, Lola Bunnies are going to blitz the final 2 rounds and secure 2nd in the constructors!

Anna Beatriz really want to win and the Wolff wants to maintain her points advantage over her team mate. (After all heaven forbid she out qualfiy Bea)