Women in sim racing continues with our weekly blogs here at simrace247.com. Yvonne Houffelaar brings us up to speed with blog #37.
Women In Sim Racing continues with our weekly blogs and Yvonne Houffelaar keeps us posted on her sim racing events and more. Attending racing leagues and enjoying her sim racing, Yvonne is here with blog #37.
Welcome to my thirty seventh weekly blog !!
Theamusante community Rush Hour
On Friday 05-11-2021, was the first round of the brand new series Rush Hour. One hour race in a GT3 or GT4.
I drive this championship together with Sophie Aeronwen.
Luckily, I drive the GT3 and Sophie the GT4. I drove already a lot at Spa Francorchamps, for other races the last couple of months. Especially with Bernadette (the Bentley). I didn’t have time to practice and did an arrive and drive. I qualified on P11, finished the race on P6 overall.
The races are multiclass and it makes it very interesting. I had a very good overtake where I passed two GT3 cars and one GT4 car. See the link to the Twitch clip, I was very surprised that it went well, and that’s what you also can see.
RCI Endurance World Challenge
Last Saturday 06-11-2021, was the third round for the RCI Endurance World Challenge, 6 hours at Misano. I drove together with Sophie Aeronwen, we did an arrive and drive. I had no time to practice, did a few laps in the rain and dry, to see the tire pressure, and that’s it. I drove the pole position!! It was not a good lap, but enough for the pole.
My first stint was very difficult, we drove a more wet setup than dry, my legs were also very bad, and I didn’t feel very comfortable with Bernadette (the Bentley) because of this reason. I made two mistakes, got 36 seconds of damage, and needed to drive at least 30 minutes more to be on schedule.
Because I drove it on the edge, and still was driving 1:35 low with the damage, I drove 2 track limits. In the second stint, Sophie drove 2 track limits, and we had a drive through.
We fell back around P22, we made a good comeback to P4, and were gaining on P3.
Then the rain came, with the 4 laps I did, was not enough. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do the better strategy (that I will drive more, and only add fuel to save time in the pitstop), my game crashed. After coming back in, Sophie drove the race out, and we ended up P16. It was a disappointing race and especially the result.
The Sim Grid Endurance Cup
On Saturday 06-11-2021, was also The Sim Grid Endurance Cup round 2, 6 hours at Monza. I drive the Endurance Cup together with Alethea Boucq and Mark Lewis. We didn’t have any luck in the first round, we hoped it will be better in the next race! I was supposed to join them later in the race, because of the 6 hours race at Misano.
Unfortunately, they both were taken out, and after 2 hours of racing, we were 7 laps behind P42. We decided to retire the car. It was the first time we did it, and I was a bit disappointed in the driver standards in split 2.
All those incidents are just crazy, Alethea was pushing into the pitlane (just after her pitstop), and it was something I have never seen before.. I didn’t even join the server, Misano wasn’t finished yet. Hopefully, round three is going to be better!
The Sim Grid More Female Racers
On Monday 08-11-2021, was the third round of The Sim Grid More Female Racers. I drove together with Dennis Schöniger. Giorgio couldn’t make it, but he arranged that I drove with Dennis. He helped me in practice, in the afternoon to get a bit quicker.
The Ferrari 488 EVO is very difficult for me, especially because I can’t feel my pedals. The Bentley is more forgivable with pedal input, than the Ferrari. I was stuck in qualifying, and I qualified at P5.
In the beginning, I tried to pass Mia, but that didn’t work out. After a couple of laps, everyone was getting quicker and I lost the car on the curbs. Luckily I could go quickly further but it cost some time and places.
After the spin, we did the pitstop, and Dennis drove a very good stint! He drove us to P3. With the last pitstop, I got the car back and needed to drive the car home. I needed to be very careful with backmarkers and the curbs. Mia made a mistake and was further behind.
Sophie drove a very good race and had a good pace. She closed the gap to me, to 1,5 seconds on the finish line. Luckily it was enough for my first podium in The Sim Grid More Female Racers! Dennis and I finished at P3!
