I'll try to break it down as thorough as I can!
Rayvenator wrote:Now I´ve been on the wrong side of the qualifying line in the amateur class for the last 3 races.
Why is it that often the last qualifying time in the PRO class is actually a slower lap time than the one in the AMATEUR class?
There is always more than twice the signups for amateurs and top 10 in amateurs would always qualify in the top 20 for the pro class. I realize that sometimes someone starts out in the amateur division and gets really fast as the series goes on but right now the two classes are almost comparable in class/speed, which to me is very weird.
Summary: Amateur classes can be harder qualify for than pro. This is true to a certain point. This is also
very individual for different series. If you go with "you need a pro license to race pro". Let's say the top 7 AM's (in points) in series XYZ gets transferred to pro licenses for next years series. There's only 7 going to pro, while the remaining 93 that scored points didn't move up a license. Then we have 93 + new players competing for the same 7 spots next year, let's say 30 new riders try and so on. Also if you haven't proven yourself in races before, you might want to prove yourself in the AM's class. Somebody can come from offline racing only and still be the fastest and the most consistent in the entire game.
The Pro qualifying times are most of the times not justified at all. Whenever I look at the pro's for a series that isn't considered a "Ama/GP - continental championship", not as many are going to sign up, therefor the lack of riders, mainly pro's. If we look at this this weeks race. Fredrik L at 25th place qualified with a 2:26 laptime, while #1 was 2:07 and #2 was 2:10. I know that Fredrik is fast and could probably knock out a 2:15, without too big issues, if not even faster. But the lack of pro's means that they don't have to try hard at all to make it to the "main". I've seen people over and over again, that I KNOW can have the #1 qualifying spot, but simply doesn't need it. While in the Ams, there's a tonne of guys, REALLY trying to do their best. Therefor it being closer.
Another just as important aspect is consistency. During the pros races I sort of raced in the AM's this week. I could hang with the bottom riders pretty good. But since they're considered pro's, many of the knows that consistency is important as well as they can be very consistent, since they're good. Most of the AM guys try to be good, but generally crash way more often. So lets say that Pros has an average laptime of 2:10 while some am's can pull 2:09 from time to time, but they also crash at least once 2/3 laps. That's going to make their average (2:10 + 2:20 + 2:20) / 3 = 2:16.6. Just rough counting.
What I think you are looking for is really a class system with A, B, C, D and E classes. A is TOP pro's, B is top AM's more or less able to be pros. C is sort of where I'd be (compared to A top pro riders), a little off pace, and off on consistency. Not being able to race 25 mins and only fall like 2 times, more like 1 crash per 2 laps. E class is just potatoes falling and gooning due to being new. D class would be what mot people would consider beginner/amateur.
I think a good comparison to Sim AM's are Loretta lynns vs Pros. The top guys at Lorettas are more or less pros (speedwise) and are going to transfer just after Lorettas. They're considered amateurs in the ranking (since the aren't pros), but they are "AAAAA Am's class" sort of. I mean I know for sure, whatever I race (in real life), I WILL be in the lowest class, since I am super slow, still yet I'm an amateur, since I'm not a pro
As I said before, consistency is important. I had a friend over a year back. He had to fill in for another friend (the rules did not prevent this). My friend would qualify, no problems (1st - last maybe differed 3-4s, so it was close (sx)). However the fill in rider was at least 4s off of the last qualified time, YET, he made it into the main via his heat and finished 4th (!!!!) despite not even being close to qualify, simply because he can put in 5-8 laps without crashing
But he just can't make a superfast lap. MXScentral had 6 laps qualifying (or 5) 2013, then your qualifying time was the average of your 3 best laps each session. So you needed to be able to put down solid laps, in order to qualify, making it more fair, not just a "lucky time".
Hope I made some sense