Yeah, we get no choice about ASM/TCS for the Time Trials and License tests. ASM in particular is the bugger.
Here's my take on the Complex String Trial (repost):
Almost every turn - and certainly every tight turn - is critical, due to the following straights. The first turn can be a solid foundation for a good run. I brake firmly about halfway between the first two brake markers, downshifting slowly rather than jamming the gears down. A little Scandinavian Flick while the car still has momentum and a goose in 2nd gear gets it rotated and ready to accelerate.
I hold third through the Slalom until the very end. The first right can be taken flat out; then immediately after each apex lift for just a fraction and start turning into the next curve before you complete the current one. You should already be turning into the next curve right after you apex this one. The last two are a little wonky and even though you'll be nudging the rev limiter, don't upshift to 4th until you apex the next-to-last cone (a right). Take the last one flat out in 4th and edge the grass on the right, but brake early for the exit 90 and get a hard late-apex in second gear. This gave me a T1 time in the 50.high" range IIRC.
The Box turns can really make or break a run. On numerous occasions I came into this section 0.5x"-1.x" ahead on my T1 time, only to leave that section with red numbers on my T2. For some reason, successfully completing that section but losing time was more frustrating than blowing it by driving too aggressively. I will offer two points here: you want to exit the second half of each corner pair tight rather than wide, to give you the most room to get the car shifted over to the opposite rotation. Also, going too deep over the corner curbs will bounce the rear of the car, a risky proposition that occasionally pays off but usually means a FAIL or else time lost trying to gather it up again. I believe I had a T2 time of about 2':00" on the money.
For the Bubbles, I stay in first for the first turn-and-a-half, second for the second turn-and-a-half, and third for the third turn-and-a-half, upshifting to 4th when I can start to see daylight. Again, the key is to exit tight to give the most breathing room for the transition to the next turn. Adjust your line with sharp but brief lifts to tuck the nose in, then get back on the gas hard.
I downshifted to 4th and turned left on the upsweep of the first Hoopdie, then tried to hold 4th flat out through this whole section. The car was not too happy on the compression phase of the first turn but otherwise it was remarkably composed. You are totally dependent on course notes here because the only way to survive is to turn in blind before the suspension unloads. If you're out of shape here a slight lift will help, but try to minimize it to carry maximum speed. The chute leading out of this section is deceptively short, so brake almost as soon as the car recovers from the last turn, in preparation for the upcoming double-apex left 180.
The only trick left is to brake early for the little offset in the middle of the next-to-last straight, in order to smooth out that combination as much as possible, again by clipping the corners.
The RGT is perfectly suited to this track and challenge. Both the course and the car demand a lot but give a lot back. Having spent about 3 hours on this (almost my only exposure to CS), I never really got frustrated and was able to watch a steady drop of 10 or 11 seconds from my first completed lap to success.
But I am down to a 4.54.xxx, so it will happen soon enough.
(j/k)
