ARL Driver Training and Information Saturdays

  • Thread starter SydViscus
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Oh ok thanks man

Hey @Dylan Nielsen the driver training runs every Saturday at 730PM Eastern Time. It'd be awesome to have you join us, add me on PSN (SydViscus, same as GTP) and you can join up. You can join chat party or just ask questions through in game but its slower to answer by text.

If you wish to join the Gr3 Saturday league, however, make sure to check that thread and go through the proper sign up procedure to ensure grid placement! Happy new years :cheers::cheers:
 
Not sure if I’ll make the training session since it’s my wife’s birthday, but I had a question on something I’ve noticed over the past week regarding the different tire compounds.

I noticed while practicing for Bathurst (a track I consider one of my better) for the Tuesday endurance that I was getting better overall performance out of softs instead of super softs (I.e. better outright lap time and better wear of course), and my gap between softs and mediums is also not as much as I would expect. I also noticed, again practicing for the Tuesday endurance Nurburgring (another track I put at the top end of my list) and also the daily race C the gap between softs to mediums and mediums to hards is much less of a gap than I typically see on a “traditional” track or one that is more something I’m average or have some work to do at.

So my question is - is there anything to make of that? Is it something about those tracks (Nurburgring and Bathurst) that make the harder tire compounds perform better compared to softer compounds, or at least a significantly reduced gap to what I am used to? Is it telling me my driving style isn’t getting the most out of the softer tires (although they wear reasonably)?

Thanks in advance!
 
What’s the name of the room?

It will be ARL Driver Training & Information

Not sure if I’ll make the training session since it’s my wife’s birthday, but I had a question on something I’ve noticed over the past week regarding the different tire compounds.

I noticed while practicing for Bathurst (a track I consider one of my better) for the Tuesday endurance that I was getting better overall performance out of softs instead of super softs (I.e. better outright lap time and better wear of course), and my gap between softs and mediums is also not as much as I would expect. I also noticed, again practicing for the Tuesday endurance Nurburgring (another track I put at the top end of my list) and also the daily race C the gap between softs to mediums and mediums to hards is much less of a gap than I typically see on a “traditional” track or one that is more something I’m average or have some work to do at.

So my question is - is there anything to make of that? Is it something about those tracks (Nurburgring and Bathurst) that make the harder tire compounds perform better compared to softer compounds, or at least a significantly reduced gap to what I am used to? Is it telling me my driving style isn’t getting the most out of the softer tires (although they wear reasonably)?

Thanks in advance!

The main difference with longer tracks is that you are covering a comparatively longer distance per lap, meaning more heat into the tires and more wear over the course of a lap. This makes it such that over a lap or stint the length will tend to favour the harder compound. Take Nurburgring N24, that lap is around 8 mins, the equivalent of 4-5 laps of a normal circuit, so after 1 lap you have done about 4-5 laps, meaning the soft will begin to fall off even before the first lap is completed. The resiliency of the harder compounds make them hold up a lot better over the course of a lap, and also a stint. You are looking at a situation where lap length becomes an equalizer between the compounds. Conversely, if you go to a track like Tsukuba where the lap times at about half a lap of a "normal" circuit, the softs will be able to do more laps without falling off and thus make that tire the clear option, as you may be able to a full fuel stint on softs making the mediums more obsolete as you just loose time on that compound.

There is always room to improve when it comes to maximizing tires on a stint. It takes a lot of work and careful input to be someone that makes tires last longer than anyone while still keeping the pace up, its something I'm definitely still learning. That said, I don't believe this is the case with your situation as it seems its more the longer circuits that you have noticed this.

Hope that helps, and if I miss anything or if anything is unclear to you please reach out for clarification. Thanks for the question !! :cheers::cheers:
 
Any tips for turn 1 this week? I'm starting to just barely ride on the brakes around 250m (trying to keep the diff engaged otherwise the McLaren wants to slide), and pretty hard on the brakes around 150m and then a slight release to get the nose pointed in around 75 or 50m. About 1 in 10 tries, I come through the apex carrying 100mph. 7 in 10 tries my angle is not right and I'm carrying around 90mph. Those last two attempts....grass! (Usually saveable...car not destroyed, but several seconds lost). Any advice on how to clean this up? It's such a long turn...I'm not sure if my depth pre-apex is right or not.

Edit: also, I feel like the McLaren just unnaturally loses grip on this track sometimes....anyone else?
 
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Thanks, this helps a bit. I feel like I'm taking a similar line as the leader on the first few laps, but he's braking a little harder than me earlier on. This should take my propensity to slide down a bit. Time to get some more laps in and readjust. Thanks @GTP_Guido


Edit: I had to stop watching around lap 5 (at work), but I'm gonna watch the rest to see his lines as they drastically change/slow down due to their tire wear multiplier. It should give me "safe lines" as a backup
 
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Thanks, this helps a bit. I feel like I'm taking a similar line as the leader on the first few laps, but he's braking a little harder than me earlier on. This should take my propensity to slide down a bit. Time to get some more laps in and readjust. Thanks @GTP_Guido


Edit: I had to stop watching around lap 5 (at work), but I'm gonna watch the rest to see his lines as they drastically change/slow down due to their tire wear multiplier. It should give me "safe lines" as a backup

Yah that video is spot on how I would do it, my reference is the white marker on the left side wall, you can also cut quite a bit over the curb just watch the inside wall.

One thing you don't see there is what us silver will see on race start, which is a wall of cars in front of us lol

Watch out for the melee into T1, its usually mayhem on lap 1. be ready for evasive action, start to ease off pretty early if you are around 6th or further back. I gets crazy. :cheers::cheers:
 
Yah that video is spot on how I would do it, my reference is the white marker on the left side wall, you can also cut quite a bit over the curb just watch the inside wall.

One thing you don't see there is what us silver will see on race start, which is a wall of cars in front of us lol

Watch out for the melee into T1, its usually mayhem on lap 1. be ready for evasive action, start to ease off pretty early if you are around 6th or further back. I gets crazy. :cheers::cheers:
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Yeah, I've been using the white marker on the outside as an unofficial 250m marker....it may actually be 250.

I think I was trying to carry a hair too much speed up front. Wide angle early and shallow into apex (which points me at the grass). A little more brake early should settle the car, put me in a shallower angle earlier, and let me hammer in tighter to the apex with a more obtuse angle. I hope this makes sense.

I'm still spinning every 5th lap or so somewhere, so still plenty of work to do. I need some patience and hopefully accept a second or two loss, instead of forcing what could cause a grass touch or a too tight angle accelerating out hairpins (my most common spin causes)
 
Yeah, I've been using the white marker on the outside as an unofficial 250m marker....it may actually be 250.

I think I was trying to carry a hair too much speed up front. Wide angle early and shallow into apex (which points me at the grass). A little more brake early should settle the car, put me in a shallower angle earlier, and let me hammer in tighter to the apex with a more obtuse angle. I hope this makes sense.

I'm still spinning every 5th lap or so somewhere, so still plenty of work to do. I need some patience and hopefully accept a second or two loss, instead of forcing what could cause a grass touch or a too tight angle accelerating out hairpins (my most common spin causes)

It may be the mclaren, ill give it a few laps to get the lowdown on what its behaviour is like before tomorrow, but you should definitely not have to sacrifice whole seconds. Its a very quick corner so you wanna get through it as fast as possible.

One thing that may help is I approach the whole sweeper into that t1 as one long, tightening double-apex corner, so apex the sweeper thats on the speedway portion, swing wide, brake to rotate to front, and line up for the second tight apex. You should have two wheels on the blue and white rumble strip on the outside when you reach max throttle.
 
It may be the mclaren, ill give it a few laps to get the lowdown on what its behaviour is like before tomorrow, but you should definitely not have to sacrifice whole seconds. Its a very quick corner so you wanna get through it as fast as possible.

One thing that may help is I approach the whole sweeper into that t1 as one long, tightening double-apex corner, so apex the sweeper thats on the speedway portion, swing wide, brake to rotate to front, and line up for the second tight apex. You should have two wheels on the blue and white rumble strip on the outside when you reach max throttle.

I straighten the wheel very briefly around the 100 marker just before turning into the wall, this is where I do the maximum braking and decide to commit (if I think I have a good line) or bail out and take it slow (if I think I'll end up in the grass).

This will be my first time on this layout -any thoughts on an average laptime (I.e mid pack) ?

I've managed a best of 1'07.9 on RM and 1'06.9 on RS.
I've done most of the laps on RM in the low-mid 1'08s
 
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I straighten the wheel very briefly around the 100 marker just before turning into the wall, this is where I do the maximum braking and decide to commit (if I think I have a good line) or bail out and take it slow (if I think I'll end up in the grass).



I've managed a best of 1'07.9 on RM and 1'06.9 on RS.
I've done most of the laps on RM in the low-mid 1'08s

Yah pigs right on, 1:06's to 1:11's will be where most of the field is
 
I am busy tonight so I wont be on for a bit, if someone wants to throw up a lobby Ill hop in.

Sorry guys my bad.
 
Tsukuba this week...

A track where every attempted pass will likely push you back a second from the cars ahead of the one you're trying to pass. The track's just so small. Fast laps will use the whole track and will be hard in traffic. Tips for this week? Hug the inside where you can to block incoming passes? (Not enough room for drafting on the backstretch). Anyone have thoughts they care to share?

I'm so hesitant to cause damage, I feel I'm gonna get eaten up in the first few laps like last week. I couldn't use the track like I wanted in traffic, and exiting turns I would have to slam on brakes to avoid slower cars. This allowed the car behind me to get a run and pass me, and now I'm exiting faster than that car and slamming on brakes again. 12 laps last week before I could run my pace. Gained the whole race after that, but was in no man's land. I guess I need to be way more aggressive...
 
Tsukuba this week...

A track where every attempted pass will likely push you back a second from the cars ahead of the one you're trying to pass. The track's just so small. Fast laps will use the whole track and will be hard in traffic. Tips for this week? Hug the inside where you can to block incoming passes? (Not enough room for drafting on the backstretch). Anyone have thoughts they care to share?

I'm so hesitant to cause damage, I feel I'm gonna get eaten up in the first few laps like last week. I couldn't use the track like I wanted in traffic, and exiting turns I would have to slam on brakes to avoid slower cars. This allowed the car behind me to get a run and pass me, and now I'm exiting faster than that car and slamming on brakes again. 12 laps last week before I could run my pace. Gained the whole race after that, but was in no man's land. I guess I need to be way more aggressive...


Fuji was an interesting race. It seemed if you didn't have a drafting partner you were screwed.
 
Tsukuba this week...

A track where every attempted pass will likely push you back a second from the cars ahead of the one you're trying to pass. The track's just so small. Fast laps will use the whole track and will be hard in traffic. Tips for this week? Hug the inside where you can to block incoming passes? (Not enough room for drafting on the backstretch). Anyone have thoughts they care to share?

I'm so hesitant to cause damage, I feel I'm gonna get eaten up in the first few laps like last week. I couldn't use the track like I wanted in traffic, and exiting turns I would have to slam on brakes to avoid slower cars. This allowed the car behind me to get a run and pass me, and now I'm exiting faster than that car and slamming on brakes again. 12 laps last week before I could run my pace. Gained the whole race after that, but was in no man's land. I guess I need to be way more aggressive...

My recommendation for Tsukuba is measured aggression. Like you said passing can cost you a bit of time, so you want to be executing at point where it will limit the scrapping. Best method is to trail the driver in front closely and try to force them into out-brake themselves or opening a door, at which point they will be unable to defend. Cars that fight too much will lose buckets of time to those in front and those behind.

If you are defending you will want to make them take the wide line as much as possible, but that will also cost you time and remember we are getting to a point in the season where some drivers will have less ballast, or more RS tires and may just be quicker, so again measure the aggression on defense. You will lose out more from aggressive defense over many laps and cars in the other lobby may be having a smoother race with less traffic.

These corners are slower, so a little rubbing wont be causing any casualties, just worry more about pushing cars off track, barring punts thats the most likely path to damage.

As for your first half issues in the race, its pays off to take a few laps in practice to find some more unorthodox approaches to corners, if you have no one to practice with you can always imagine theres a car on the outside lets say, and practice taking the shallow approach to the apex. If you have others ask them to race with you for a few laps and help you gauge where the braking is in traffic.

These will also help:





Hope that covers it, lemme know if you need additional info :cheers::cheers:
 
Great info @SydViscus !!!

I need some traffic in practice I think. I'm usually all alone working on my lap, but I know this track so I may try and let folks pass and learn to operate in their wake.

Admittedly, lately, a lot of my practice has been in stint calculations. McLaren seems to sip fuel sometimes...

Thanks to all!!


Edit: "Penalty for what?! PaPunk said I could hit Syd!!"
 
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