The Rollercoaster Of Robin’s iRating (Pt. 4): The (Late) 2021 Update

In March 2020, after hitting 620 iRating and wondering where it all went so wrong, I wrote a blog about my journey to “the deepest depths of the Mariana Trench”.

Come February, 2021, I wrote an update to that piece to say that I was out of that that “ditch” and doing pretty well (in terms of iRating).

In October of the same year (2021), I again wrote another update to say that I had set a new personal best of 1339 iRating in mid-August of that year (19th).

That blog concluded on the 21st August with me falling to 1290 iRating after losing a PAINFUL -49 iRating.

A year on, I decided to revisit this topic and catch my readers up on everything that has happened over the past 12 months.

In that time, I’ve done approximately 65 races.

Pt. 1: https://www.kabortmotorsport.com/post/the-rollercoaster-ride-of-robin-s-irating

Pt. 2: https://www.kabortmotorsport.com/post/the-rollercoaster-ride-of-robin-s-irating-pt-2-s1-2021-season-preview

Pt. 3: https://www.kabortmotorsport.com/post/the-rollerocaster-of-robin-s-irating-pt-3-2021-update

Season By Season Review:

Loss: 8 Season | Gain: 8 Seasons

Maximum Stress, Limited Running

Following the two catastrophic races at Charlotte (losing -49 in the first, retiring from the second – losing none) I wouldn’t race for the next two months due to my real life getting INCREDIBLY busy.

From the 3rd – 17th September, I was on holiday with a friend in Scotland.

On my return, I had about 14 hours in my childhood home of 13 years, before leaving for the very last time to attend University.

During this time, my parents rented a place on the south coast, so I left my rig in Essex with some VERY good mates of mine as I continued to study

A Rough Return

In late October, my friend (same one I stored the rig at) asked me to come over, and I accepted. On the 23rd August, I’d end a 61-Day No iRacing streak (2nd over-all at the time)

Whilst I was down, I’d race in two races – both at the Nurburgring GP circuit – and both with their own difficulties.

Whilst I finished the first (a GT3 Challenge race) in 8th, I was constantly smelling and wondering if I could smell burning – I had not a clue if that was the PC burning dust, someone burning wood/something else outside, my computer over-heating – I didn’t know what it was, but I felt uneasy.

The 8th place finish would give me a comfortable 1311. Little to my knowledge, this would be my last time in the 1300’s for the next year...

The second was my friend’s endurance racing debut, and it was a “pretty easy” 3 hour race at the Nurburgring GP Circuit.

A Slice Of Context

In August, a friend I met whilst karting yeaaars ago (a good decade) would join iRacing, making him the first of my real-life friends to do so.

Since he only recently got his Class C licence, I didn’t want to dive straight into the deep end – so I tried a nice and simple 3 Hour VRS Endurance race.

Long story short, he’d get punted out of turn 3 – and since I didn’t drive, I didn’t lose any iRating – but it was a pretty piss-poor way to start one’s endurance career.

Another Rough Return

It would be another month before I’d return to the track, (Returning in November) but when I did…it wouldn’t end well.

Once again, I tried a 3hr VRS Endurance race, and this time with a German called Dominik Gahlow, and after I qualified 51st/51 (messed up lap), I had an astonishing start, weaving through the chaos and managing to get the car into 17th, before our time came and someone pulled out in front of us at Skyline and with the amount of damage caused and the fact it was only a 3 hour race, we didn’t see fit to continue. In the end, only about 33 finished.

I’d finish my little “time away from Uni” with a GT3 Challenge race at Mosport (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park) – on my first attempt, I’d brake a little early (or he’d miss his braking point) for a corner and get shafted up the rear end by a BMW, the retirement costing me -109 iRating and sending me back to 1202 iRating.

I’d then re-do the race (due to feeling hard-done by), and finish 5th, only regaining +43 iRating, putting me back at a disillusioned 1241 iRating.

From here? I’d only fall further and further.

Between Charlotte on the 19th August and my return in December, I’d lose almost 100 iRating in the space of about a month.

December was a VERY chaotic month. Assignments flew at me, my parents moved into our new house, and our furniture was heading to our new house. On the 15th, I had my last day, stayed over one friend’s house on the 16th – 17th, and another between the 17th and 18th, before coming home on the 19th to help with furniture.

No, it wasn’t the smoothest of starts with no furniture, internet problems and no hot water, but these are all things that happen in a new house.

The 22nd was the first Wednesday (my race day) after returning home, and the second week of the new season.

New Season, Same Luck

As the saying always goes “New Year, New Me” or, in iRacing’s case “New Season, New Me” - I was hoping to end 2021 on a bang, but it just wasn’t to be.

My debut at my new house couldn’t have gone worse - 258 iRating lost in the space of just four hours.

Race 1

Didn’t feel ready to race, left after iRacing’s “2-minute cut-off window” (if you don’t withdraw before 2 minutes of the race starting, you HAVE to start that race, or you will lose 90+ iRating) (3pm) – 1155 iRating (-90 lost)

Race 2

Dad changed some WiFi settings, I thought my computer had automatically adjusted (as I was still connected to the internet when I returned to my computer, turn out, it hadn’t and I got kicked out of my session for having bad latency/no internet – due to the change. (5pm) – 1065 (-85 lost)

Race 3

2 Races and I didn’t even turn a lap – I wanted to turn a lap, I NEEDED to!

I started the race, saw chaos up ahead, tried to get through the chaos, instead hit a car having an accident ahead of me, steering ruined, race ruined – and the next race was at 9pm – which was getting pretty late for me. (7pm) 982 iRating (-83 iRating Lost)

The Bad Luck Continues…

I hoped that Zandvoort was just a case of extreme bad luck, but upon finishing my week’s race at the Red Bull Ring – it appeared not.

Upon exiting turn one, I thought the entire pack had safely made it through turn one – but I was wrong as I was pile-driven at almost full speed by a fellow competitor. I KNEW I couldn’t lose any more iRating, so I powered on. My aero was beyond ruined – and I was being overtaken left, right and centre by cars with spotless cars. But I got it to the end. I qualified 11th, finished 16th and ended with 924 iRating – losing 58.

I had now lost 415 iRating in just 4 months – that’s 100 a month, and that’s not a stat to be proud of.

In my very last race of 2021, I'd have a small break when I FINALLY got my first podium in a good 7 months!

I finished 3rd at the Red Bull Ring in my second attempt of the race (this time NOT getting taken out). For this feat, I gained 61 iRating, putting me at 985. There was a long road upwards....but I was down for it!