Braking suggestion: red alert or double cones?

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dvdj

25
Belgium
Belgium
Hi,

I'm still into my first month of GT Sport, so I can use some braking suggestions on my screen. I've read the real pros don't use it, but I'm not there yet.

There are 2 options to see your suggested braking point:
  • double cones next to the track
  • red flickering BRAKE alert
Any reason why you would prefer one over the other?

And any reason why you should NOT use the double cones? I can understand pro drivers consider the flickering BRAKE sign just visual noise, but the double cones can't be too bothersome.

Any advice would be appreciated!
 
dvdj
Hi,

I'm still into my first month of GT Sport, so I can use some braking suggestions on my screen. I've read the real pros don't use it, but I'm not there yet.

There are 2 options to see your suggested braking point:
  • double cones next to the track
  • red flickering BRAKE alert
Any reason why you would prefer one over the other?

And any reason why you should NOT use the double cones? I can understand pro drivers consider the flickering BRAKE sign just visual noise, but the double cones can't be too bothersome.

Any advice would be appreciated!
Click to expand...

I used to use the BRAKE alert but I find it eventually becomes a distraction because you are looking at the wrong part of the track.
The double cones give you a reference point that you can then use to brake later/earlier when you start to get faster.

To each their own really but as you get quicker the BRAKE alert will become a distraction.
 
As said it's all to each their own, I often find the specific braking points on the track/ corner itself. This, however, takes time and practice - and a lot of mistakes.

For example, at Monza the first corner's braking point (for me) is a change in the track surface. If you look closely there is a change in the colour of the tarmac. I find that to be a perfect braking point assuming no slip stream for most cars. Obviously there is a few considerations and changes based on the car etc.
 
daan
The cones are a good start, but you should always try to find an immovable reference as the cones aren't always there, especially in an online race.
Click to expand...

Eventually it's better to move to track surfaces, like changes in tarmac, or bridges etc.
As they're only starting, given the either or nature of the question, I'd move away from the brake indicator asap.
 
dvdj
Hi,

I'm still into my first month of GT Sport, so I can use some braking suggestions on my screen. I've read the real pros don't use it, but I'm not there yet.

There are 2 options to see your suggested braking point:
  • double cones next to the track
  • red flickering BRAKE alert
Any reason why you would prefer one over the other?

And any reason why you should NOT use the double cones? I can understand pro drivers consider the flickering BRAKE sign just visual noise, but the double cones can't be too bothersome.

Any advice would be appreciated!
Click to expand...


In my experience the BRAKE alert is just wrong, it wants you to brake far too early a lot of the time so I would ditch it entirely.
As for the cones, the issue is that as mentioned, they can move and depending on the car if you hit one it can cause you to go off track... and if they're moved you've lost your reference marker.

Try and use things on the track, advertisement hoardings, tarmac changes, bridges, shadows etc... and then you'll get to the point where you can feel out braking zones without having to rely on something set up for you.
 
Neither. It’s better in the long term to use immovable track side references.

Cones can be pain in the ass when they are all over the track. They will also become a bit of a crutch so once they get hit out of place, you will struggle. Plus they are not always correct. Never really used the flashing brake alert but it doesn’t seem all that accurate either and kind of annoying.

I use everything from braking meter boards, track surfaces, curbs, track side objects, painted parts of barriers, tire marks, escape roads, my depth perception, etc. So pretty much anything, there is always something to use besides the in game assists.
 
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Cones. While they're there.

Weird how cones move but you can use a spectator for a brake point and count on them to be in the same spot all week. :lol:

Another option is watching a lap guide by top drivers. You can copy braking points just by watching. But often they will suggest braking at a barrier or marker.

In-game Circuit Experience lap guides are excellent. For Sports Mode races, there are many on YouTube.

For example, Race A this week by @Mistah_MCA

 
I use cones and find them mostly helpful. Some corners you can get away with braking a bit later than the cones. It all comes with practice on that track. I Also find the cones seem to be placed for Gr.3 cars. Road cars brake before the cones and GR.4 cars a little after. Of course, when someone wipes the cones out you're left with learning trackside references or braking board markers. Some tracks don't have any cones on some corners like Sardegna so better get learning those reference points!
 
Red brake alert is good for reminding you that you will have to brake sooner or later, but it isn't the best. But cones do work. They are quite close to the ideal braking points. So use those as your reference for braking
 
If I learn a new track, at first I follow the red alert, as it shows earlier braking and slower speeds due to showing the recommended gear for the corner. (This is usually with race cars mind you, I drive race cars much more often than road cars.) As I get faster and faster, I end up using the red alert to judge how much later than the flashing I then start braking. It's like I try to out-brake and out-gear the red alert as much as possible without wiping out. And the cones are helpful for finding the right line, but after a while it starts to become muscle memory almost, so I can knock a couple out and still end up braking and cornering with the same consistency. So I guess I remember where the cone was on the track and thus I use the track itself as a reference afterwards.

Am I one of the few people who uses all three methods at once? :lol:
 
Being relatively new to all this, I find the flashing brake warning very useful, even though it may prompt you to slow down earlier than you need to. For me, the red flash is easier to see than hunting for cones and it keeps me focussed on the track and cars in front.

Unless I'm mistaken, there is a clever algorithm working behind the scenes, which knows what you're driving and its capabilities on different tracks / slopes etc. Have to admit, jumping from one car to another and using cones and other reference points is a challenge for me, because the same point doesn't apply to all cars.

In real life, you're driving the same car most of the time, so you know instinctively when to apply brakes, or ease off the throttle. If I use the same car on the same track, i.e. a daily race over a period of time, then I rarely look at the brake warning.

Hope this makes sense and I'm not talking utter rubbish.
 
Jagman XK8
Unless I'm mistaken, there is a clever algorithm working behind the scenes, which knows what you're driving and its capabilities on different tracks / slopes etc. Have to admit, jumping from one car to another and using cones and other reference points is a challenge for me, because the same point doesn't apply to all cars.
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I highly doubt that as the red flashing still appears like 10km before a turn and my usual braking point for me
 
MikeV27
Neither. It’s better in the long term to use immovable track side references.
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I'd state it more strongly and say it's essential rather than better. The cones will get hit by other drivers in a race, and if you hit one of those cones, it slows you down. Remember that it's only the person with the cones on that has this problem, nobody else has them on their screen, so they can hit your cones without being slowed down, while you will be slowed down when you hit the cones that are now in your way on your version of the track, having been impacted by other cars. You're just putting yourself at a disadvantage by giving other drivers the ability to put obstacles on your track while they drive around unaffected.
 
breeminator
I'd state it more strongly and say it's essential rather than better. The cones will get hit by other drivers in a race, and if you hit one of those cones, it slows you down. Remember that it's only the person with the cones on that has this problem, nobody else has them on their screen, so they can hit your cones without being slowed down, while you will be slowed down when you hit the cones that are now in your way on your version of the track, having been impacted by other cars. You're just putting yourself at a disadvantage by giving other drivers the ability to put obstacles on your track while they drive around unaffected.
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Or you can have someone like me early in my GTS experience during a particularly bad race where I must have had "hit me" on the back of my car at Interlagos. After starting up front and finding myself dead last after getting rammed repeatedly I went around the track and knocked over any cones still standing so nobody could use them. I know, very small of me but at least I didnt retaliate. :lol::lol:
 
IMO the red alert comes on too soon, especially bad for getting bumped if someone is behind you. I use the double cones.
 
Hi.
Today I been using GT for 70days.
I stopped using the cones because people take them out.
I use the corner makers & the brake warning indicator.

I guess that's 1 advantage in cockpit mode I can see the brake flashing Infront of me so I try not to look down at it.

Best thing is in practice I look down each time, at the same time I try to see what items are in focus when the braking indicator flash, like 50 meter board, paint on the track, etc.
 
None of them are ideal and you should always find references points that are easy for you on the track. As tire wear increases your braking points change through the race.
The only reason I still use the red alert system is not for braking point reference on track but instead I've found it useful when riding the back bumper of the car in front of you.
I will slowly start to press the brakes when it flashes and that keeps me from slamming into the car I'm riding the back bumper of. This has allowed me to maintain that close gap once under full braking on through the corner exit. Then this has allowed me to be in a prime position to make a pass.
I'm not one of those people who try to force my way past before the turn as its much easier and safer to pass someone coming out of a turn with better corner exit speed.
The red alert system is a great tool for doing just that.
 
NJ72
As said it's all to each their own, I often find the specific braking points on the track/ corner itself. This, however, takes time and practice - and a lot of mistakes.

For example, at Monza the first corner's braking point (for me) is a change in the track surface. If you look closely there is a change in the colour of the tarmac. I find that to be a perfect braking point assuming no slip stream for most cars. Obviously there is a few considerations and changes based on the car etc.
Click to expand...

Yep. The longer you play the more this is it.
The surface of the track itself.
 
daan
The cones are a good start, but you should always try to find an immovable reference as the cones aren't always there, especially in an online race.
Click to expand...

THIS

@dvdj use the double cones as a guide, but for each car and each track, the actual braking point is somewhere nearby. For instance, if you are using an N800 car on SH tires, your braking point is WAAAAAY before the cones. Conversely, a GR2 car on RSS tires can brake much deeper.
 
After two cone murdered races, track detail only now and checking top time replays to shortcut finding them.

Brake indicator is shockingly misleading and way too scared at speed.
 
I've been using the brake indicator as a loose reminder that I'm approaching a turn and that I'll need to brake at some point. I don't always brake when it flashes, though. I also have the cones enabled as my other visual aid, but I sometimes forget that they're even there, so I might just turn them off altogether.
 
I find that I use the second single cone as more of an apex turn in marker than I use the the double cones for braking.

Just a slight visual help that is easy to spot at racing speed for hitting my turn in marks and if it gets knocked off and is gone is not really any problem.

For braking I usually use the the tracks 150-100 ... brake marker boards.
 
I use the flasing indicator not has braking point but has a suport, for example after pits or at start of the race when it flashes i know i have to break at least 1 sec after it begins, it changes using diferent cars but has long has you pratice enough with the car its easier to learn the timings.

I almost never use it but in very intense situations with cars arround and the attention focused in radar and awarness it´s usefull if you learn how to use it.
Cones i don´t use it cause i prefer to learn to use track markers and objects etc since they are more reliable and static.
 
When you have all racing info showing on screen you can also rely on the gear indicator, it starts blinking when the game thinks you should brake.
Use this as a reference for your exact braking point.

If I hád to choose between the BRAKE indicator and the cones I'd go with the cones as they also provide you with the proper apex and exit info.

A reason not to go for the cones: they can get knocked over during a race.
 
I normally use cones, but if the cones aren't there, I start using track references. Cones are usually put near some track references and if I race the track enough, I don't need the cones. However, I do have rather poor eyesight and under certain lighting conditions, I almost have to rely on cones because they stand out quite well. When I was younger and had much better eyesight I never used cones and just used track references. 70+-year-old eyes are somewhat unreliable. I can really get freaked out when the cones suddenly disappear and I don't know the track all that well.

My eyes just don't pick out track references as well in my old age. Now I wish all corners had large overhead brake markers, but I know that isn't possible. I never tried using the brake indicator. I'm not even sure if I know where it is.
 
VFOURMAX1
I find that I use the second single cone as more of an apex turn in marker than I use the the double cones for braking.

Just a slight visual help that is easy to spot at racing speed for hitting my turn in marks and if it gets knocked off and is gone is not really any problem.

For braking I usually use the the tracks 150-100 ... brake marker boards.
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The turn in is what’s it’s all about, good call.
Most tracks have specific areas that give better grip at turn in.
 
On a new course, I always go by the brake alert first (let it blink 2 or 3 times and then brake) just to get a feel for the track. From there, I move up to the double cone. Then I experiment with each turn seeing how close I can take it to the single cone, observing any track markers to give me a more specific braking point.

The first turns to dial in are always the turns prior to any straights as those tend to be the most crucial.
 

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