I often thought it was down to me not using a wheel but after reading a lot on here I don't think that's the case, which is a shame as it was a convenient excuse! I tend do aim to be within 1.5-2.5 seconds of the top time depending on the track length, but I couldn't get to that this time around. I thought the SLS AMG would struggle big time but it felt alright. I'd never used it until the last 3 FIA races and must admit I quite like it now. I suppose the good thing about the Manu races is you're stuck with the car that you choose, so if you're massively off the pace of the other cars you just have to make the best of it, and there will be plenty of people in the same position as you.Yeah, I wish I knew what the difference was to the really top tier guys... I think some of it is feel, but for the life of me I wasn't clear where I was losing so much time compared to the leaderboard. I'm consistently within just over 2% of Gr4 times, but here the gap was nearly 2x that. Was hitting 2:01's in my Cayman in practice and my QT in clean air was the same, and that was good enough for 3rd or maybe 2nd in my lobby (only a TT in the 2:00's), if I had held on to my better flying lap. And I was really close to the pace I needed for a podium, even if the Cayman was at a disadvantage (I know that I could have shaved another almost 1 sec off my time in a TT... I love that car and have been successful in it elsewhere.) This was in a room of all A drivers, estimated range 31k-35k since I was #9 at just over 33k.
It's happened a few times, that I felt really 'off' going in, based on my speed compared to the top board, but you really can't judge it until you try, or you learn the specifics about a course/car combo with respect to how the leader times compare. Some really allow them to gap us mere humans, some allow you to really get closer, on a percentage basis.
I really use the K' speed score and comparisons to serve as measures to get better, breaking down my K' score by Gr3 / Gr4 and always using the indicator as a target for the FIA races. As a relative newbie, it has been helpful to give me a mark to hit. Been really useful to me. "What gets measured gets done!"
You're right... our DR profiles and Speed Score values are really close...
Good luck the rest of the season!
A few updates ago there was a glitch where it would stack helicopters on top of each other at Bathurst, in the night you would come down the hill and find about 20 red lights in the sky, that was a distraction!
Was just thinking the same.
Wheel user here, and I was also off pace from where I "should've" been, just barely getting under 2 minutes with a high 1:59.9, but based on my typical performance, I should've been in the mid 1:58s. I didn't even attempt last night's race due to my lack of pace combined with not having time to practice the strategy. I might've been able to find more speed if I'd had more time to practice (literally only drove for 30 minutes after I finished the last Nations race, and I'd never properly learned this track before this in the first place). It might've been the Corvette not agreeing with a track that's almost exclusively medium-speed corners, even though the flow of the track would probably agree with my driving style.
And with 3x tire wear? Even the Mediums would probably have no issue making it the full race.
At this stage I'm wondering if Polyphony are just messing with us. That last sector in particular is pure hell in hards. I wish they'd at least do the short version without the chicane to make it slightly less painful. I'm hoping I get put in another lobby where I'm door number 18-20 so I can start from the back without losing DR as that first turn is chaos.
Or this, which is far beyond my comprehension!
Actually now that I think about it, the fast horseshoe and the constant braking-while-turning torture chamber that is the final sector could actually wear these tires more than I thought, though the Hards should still have plenty of life left.
You say "It's going to be a mess!" but I'm reading that as "Free positions as long as you drive competently enough." Alright then, I'll pick the WRX.
I've raced that car quite a bit. In the most "recent" FIA race with the (Nurb GP well over a year ago), I remember being about 6s slower than the top time, so yeah I'd say that's pretty steep
. I thought I'd be in trouble but gave it a go anyway. I had one of the lowest numbers in the race, against other DR A/A+ drivers, but qualified 4th and immediately inherited 3rd after they spun as soon as auto drive disengaged (it was a rolling start). After that it was a lonely race until I briefly overtook 2nd after they got a penalty, until I also get a penalty and they overtook me and I finished 3rd.
I'm reading "meme racing"
Fuel x4 Tyres x6. All compounds available, Medium and Hard required
