Grand Prix Rejects

Hello all, long time lurker and first time poster, plus another Aussie for this here board .

After reading a lot of the online careers on here, in particular Aerond's excellent journey of Chris Dagnall, i've decided to embark on my own little journey. GP2 is my game of choice, but to be honest I can't be arsed stuffing around with mods yet so the 1994 season it'll be, plus being a bit of a GP history buff, i've decided to stick as close as possible to the season that defined my love of F1 during my childhood.

Remembering that the classic black Sauber-Mercedes C13 was arguably the coolest looking car of the era, even in the polka dot livery and that Heinz-Harald Frentzen debuted to much fanfare that year, i've decided to take the reigns of car # 30 for the year.

Also being able to rewrite history, both Senna and Ratzenberger do not compete in this season at all. In my universe, Senna is injured in a road accident in early 1994 and after returning to testing duties, finds his fitness isn't up to his usual levels, so he elects to take a sabbatical for 1994 pending a possible return later in the year, to prepare for an assault on the title in 1995. In the meantime, he takes a mentor role at the Williams team, assisting his replacement David Coulthard. Ratzenberger's story is a little more simple, Simtek is already short of cash and Ratzenberger's sponsorship $ fals through, so they elect to take pay driver Jean-Marc Gounon, whilst Roland returns to race F3000 in Japan.

In other changes, JJ Lehto's pre season injury is more severe than predicted, so Jos Verstappen will replace him for the entire season at the wheel of Benetton-Ford # 6, whilst his former teammate Karl Wendlinger leaves Sauber to take the test role at McLaren, hoping to do what Mika Hakkinen did in 1993 and improve his prospects for the future, his seat being filled by the ever reliable Andrea de Cesaris.

After a tumultuous off season, the season proper kicked off at Interlagos. To no one's suprise it was Michael Schumacher's Benetton was the pace setter, however behind him was a rather odd looking grid. Coulthard on debut out qualified team leader Hill, who had to be content with the inside of the second row alongside the debuting Frentzen, who was right on the pace from Friday practice. Other surprises included Ukyo Katayama qualifying a career best 6th for Tyrell, both Jordan's who locked out 9th and 10th respectively and the distinct lack of pace shown by former Ligier team mates Blundell and Brundle, who were not only thrashed by their new team mates, but in 19th and 20th, behind the Minardi's and amongst the minnows of the field.

Come race start, both Williams' were slow to get away, Coulthard falling to 5th, while a fast starting Alesi shot through to 2nd and Frentzen picked off Hill halfway round the opening lap to be 3rd. Schumacher was unable to get away from his pursuers, as Hill retook 3rd on lap 4 and the opening eased out just over 2 seconds on the battle between debutants Frentzen and Coulthard for 4th, with Katayama and co rapidly falling behind. On lap 10, Alesi barged past Schumacher for the lead, Hill following suit, however in the collision Alesi sustained damage and had to pit at the end of the lap. In the confusion Frentzen and Coulthard had closed up to the leading duo, until the former made an over ambitious move on Schumacher for 2nd on lap 16, spinning of the road and into the fence and retirement on his debut.

From there it was a battle of Schumacher vs the Williams' duo, both the Benetton and Coutlhard passing Hill through the stops. Coulthard moved into the lead, setting the fastest lap and building a small gap, looking to cap off a memorable debut when his transmission failed at 2/3 distance. Mika Hakkinen had moved into 3rd place when his Peugeot engine failed, allowing Rubens Barrichello into 3rd at his home GP, where he stayed to trail home Schumacher and Hill. Berger had a quiet race to finish 4th, ahead of the recovering Alesi and Eddie Irvine's Jordan which rounded out the points.

Results:

1. Schumacher
2. Hill + 20.2
3. Barrichello + 1.15.8
4. Berger + 1 lap
5. Alesi + 1 lap
6. Irvine + 1 lap

Fastest lap: David Coutlhard: 1.19.04

This looks pretty good. I didn't realise that the C13 ran in such a livery. It makes my eyes go funny looking at it!

Is it likely that Ratzenberger might be back later in the year or in 1995, as I believe that is what would have happened in his career had a certain awful event not taken place in real life at Imola that year.

I'm looking foward to seeing Deletraz at the end of 1994!

East Londoner wrote:This looks pretty good. I didn't realise that the C13 ran in such a livery. It makes my eyes go funny looking at it!

Is it likely that Ratzenberger might be back later in the year or in 1995, as I believe that is what would have happened in his career had a certain awful event not taken place in real life at Imola that year.

I'm looking foward to seeing Deletraz at the end of 1994!

It don´t looks like he´s changing carsets mid-season, as he´s already running original 1994 carset.

Aerond wrote:

East Londoner wrote:This looks pretty good. I didn't realise that the C13 ran in such a livery. It makes my eyes go funny looking at it!

Is it likely that Ratzenberger might be back later in the year or in 1995, as I believe that is what would have happened in his career had a certain awful event not taken place in real life at Imola that year.

I'm looking foward to seeing Deletraz at the end of 1994!

It don´t looks like he´s changing carsets mid-season, as he´s already running original 1994 carset.

We won't know what Deletraz is doing.

It doesn't matter what he is doing!

Ferrim wrote:It doesn't matter what he is doing!

Yes it does.

Oh, and the Simtek had by far the coolest livery of 1994.

redbulljack14 wrote:

Ferrim wrote:It doesn't matter what he is doing!

Yes it does.

Oh, and the Simtek had by far the coolest livery of 1994.

Not it doesn't, according to The Voice

Guys, Délétraz will do whatever that was he doing in 1995, so no need to fuss.

Alas, my poor little PC is incapable of processing the awesomeness of Deletraz and thus i'm afraid it would explode in his presence.

Also, GP2 is a little weird, or at the version I have is, the Simtek's (at least Brabham's anyway) are a lot quicker than I remember them actually being and even Belmondo in the Pacific qualified and was reasonably close to the pace and was only lapped 4 times over the distance at Interlagos. Strangely, when i've played this version previously, Gounon has been the most reject like by far, normally failing to qualify and if he does make the race, being an absolute menace as he wobbles round miles off the pace.

The Pacific GP will go down as Sauber's biggest what if moment thus far, as despite Frentzen's excellent 3rd place, they have reason to feel a little unlucky.

Qualifying was a repeat of Brazil, Schumacher battling Coulthard to get the top spot, whilst both Frentzen and Alesi bumped Hill down to 5th.

At the start, Schumacher got away well from Frentzen and Coulthard and on the start of lap 2, the Sauber made a pass for the lead and set about building a gap, the front 3 running away from Hill and co behind.Frentzen led comfortably until his first stop on lap 20 and upon rejoining set about making up the gap for his 3 stop strategy on the 2 stoppers in front. Schumacher and Coulthard made their stops, the Williams driver getting the better of the exchange, leaving Frentzen in the lead by 8.5 seconds.

However on lap 28, whilst lapping Martin Brundle's McLaren, he got tangled up with Jos Verstappen's Benetton which was exiting the pitlane, the resulting collision causing the Sauber to spin off and costing Frentzen some 15 seconds, rejoining 3rd. From there, at a strategic disadvantage, the best he could hope for was 3rd, yet he charged off and by the time the leaders had completed their second stop, having repassed the the struggling Schumacher and closing the gap to Coulthard to just 6 seconds when dived in for his 3rd and final stop. He tore off in pursuit, setting the fastest lap on consecutive laps 65, 66 and 67. However whilst trying to lap Gerhard Berger's slow Ferrari in 12th, was nudged off the road by the Austrian, costing him another 10 seconds and ending his challenge. From there, with Alesi having retired from 4th and Hill no match speed wise and 25 seconds down the road, Frentzen opted to conserve and cruise to the finish, for his first career podium. Meanwhile, Coulthard held off a rapidly closing Schumacher to win by 8.2 seconds and take his first GP win in his second race. Behind the top 3, Hill was a lonely 4th ahead of Katyama and Barrichello.

Results:

1. Coulthard
2. Schumacher + 8.2
3. Frentzen + 27.4
4. Hill + 49.1
5. Katayama + 1 lap
6. Barrichello + 1 lap

Fastest lap: Frentzen 1.15.046

Bloody hell, my game didn't save and my PC shut down, shouldn't have mentioned Deletraz

I'll continue the season from Imola on, however i'll be doing single races to hopefully avoid this happening again and i'll make up a spreadsheet of sorts for the points race. The good news is, if it's individual races, i'll mess with the grids a bit every now and then to add a bit more reject flavour.

At the San Marino GP, Sauber was once again on the pace, Frentzen qualifying an excellent 5th to keep his run of form going. Hill took his and Williams first pole of the season, from Schumacher, Berger, Alesi, Frentzen and Coulthard. The Jordan team were disappointed after their initial excellent form, Irvine in 16th and Barrichello down in 20th.

For the second race in succession, Frentzen got a flyer of a start and had the lead from Hill after slipstreaming the exit from Tamburello. And starts where he stayed for the next 30 laps, doggedly holding up a 5 car train behind him, even as the two stoppers closed with far superior pace. After his stop, Frentzen resumed in 5th, the strategy not having worked for him, but he looked set for more points when the engine expired 10 laps from the finish.

Schumacher took win # 2 for the season, holding off the Williams' duo of Coulthard and Hill in the closest finish of the year. The Ferrari's trailed home behind, while Jos Verstappen picked up his first points for the year with 6th.

Results:

1. Schumacher
2. Coulthard +1.9
3. Hill +2.3
4. Alesi +27.2
5. Berger +44.8
6. Verstappen +1.05.4

Fastest lap: Hill 1.24.2

Drivers Championship:

1. Schumacher 26 (2 wins)
2. Coulthard 16 (1 win)
3. Hill 13
4. Barrichello 5
5. Alesi 5
6. Berger 5
7. Frentzen 4
8. Katayama 2
9. Irvine 1
10. Verstappen 1

Constructors Chamiponship:

1. Williams 29 (1 win)
2. Benetton 27 (2 wins)
3. Ferrari 10
4. Jordan 6
5. Sauber 4
6. Tyrell 2