This is what JPM should have and would have done had he been a human driver instead of a computer AI bot. Although the AI is pretty good in F1-2002 even in the most aggressive mode the bots dont break the rules a little...bend the rules a little...they are aggressive but not aggressive to the point of taking you off the track unless they do something stupid (you'll see...)
This is the lap after I passed JPM and the bunch is approaching the same set of chicanes (Abbey, Farm, Bridge and Priory) where a little physics distortion helps get a faster lap time. I am more aggressive on the kerbs on entry and here I am stuck to the tail of Ralf Schumacher (RS) on turn-in
The disadvantage of such a close position behind a car in front of you is that yor nose is robbed of downforce because of the areodynamic disruption of the airflow by the diffusers of the car in front. Usually you can either slipstream with the intention of making the pass on turn-in OR you back off and bide your time. I could not make the pass and I could not back off because JPM was right behind me and may have attempted and pulled off a pass into Abbey with his greater speed and momentum.
I drop off the pace on entry into Abbey but I maintain a tighter line. The AI is fantastic in this game - in order to keep you behind the driver in front will often overdrive and go through a chicane faster than usual. Sometimes this will work and at other times they will slow down to recover the car's attitude on the exit of the chicane. This allowed me to close in on the short straight before Bridge...
I am still not alongside but I maintain the inside line and force RS to the outside. This is exactly what JPM tried to do but in that case I had th speed advantage and in this case I bully RS into staying away from the inside line.
As you can see - I am not quite alongside but I am close enough to prevent RS from closing the door (taking the inside line) forcefully. He is forced to take the turn mid track and that gives me a slight speed advantage down the short straight before Priory.
Now with a significant speed advantage I manage to leap to almost a full car length ahead of RS. But the disadvantage is that I am on the outside line into Priory and have to close the inside line before RS makes his recovery....too late...
RS goes ultra-aggressive over the kerbs and although I have the line, he is heading straight towards me and would have taken me out had I not applied a bit of countersteer. This is the FIRST time I have seen AI try such a move but I have never before played at the 105% difficulty and perhaps this was why the wheel to wheel action ensued.
With the slight advantage I have - I close the door on the exit of priory by taking an early apex. Thats it!! Move completed and pass managed
However - although in the lead...I did not win the race...a backmarker drove straight into me (another story
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