Finding the right speeds (and best gear) on all corners on all tracks in GTS

[Crazy Taylor]

I am (still) trying to learn to race manual but get stuck on what the best possible speed I should be hitting to the corners.

What I suggest is compiling detailed information on what speed and gear one should be in on any corner of any track in the game. I could do with some help from the community on input on the tracks.

That way it can help people like myself improve and break their glass ceiling.

Something like this

BRANDS HATCH

Turn 1
Turn 2 50mph 2nd etc

 

[TJC_69]

I am (still) trying to learn to race manual but get stuck on what the best possible speed I should be hitting to the corners.

What I suggest is compiling detailed information on what speed and gear one should be in on any corner of any track in the game. I could do with some help from the community on input on the tracks.

That way it can help people like myself improve and break their glass ceiling.

Something like this

BRANDS HATCH

View attachment 752120

Turn 1
Turn 2 50mph 2nd etc

Entry speeds vary greatly from car to car in game. Best general rule of thumb with gt is try and take the corners a gear higher than the suggested number indicated.

 

[TheGeologist]

I am (still) trying to learn to race manual but get stuck on what the best possible speed I should be hitting to the corners.

What I suggest is compiling detailed information on what speed and gear one should be in on any corner of any track in the game. I could do with some help from the community on input on the tracks.

That way it can help people like myself improve and break their glass ceiling.

Something like this

BRANDS HATCH

View attachment 752120

Turn 1
Turn 2 50mph 2nd etc

...In what class?

 

[Crazy Taylor]

...In what class?

Good question. GR.3 is best to go with.

Entry speeds vary greatly from car to car in game. Best general rule of thumb with gt is try and take the corners a gear higher than the suggested number indicated.

May be worth giving a variable speed. Say at turn 2 at Brands Hatch may be between about 45 and 55 or 60 mph

 

[vvise]

As a general rule of thumb start with 1+ the flashing red number recommendation. Then tweak as you go from there.

Usually when you watch the top10 lap times they're a gear up from there, usually around 2+ recommended number as they're getting better at maintaining speed through corners. However unless you're in that top level it would just bog down the car.

 

[Jamie Bbbbb]

I can't really see this being very practical. Not only does the ideal gear vary between classes, but also between the cars themselves, as well as between different situations, i.e. different tyre wear and fuel loads. And of course, what works best for me may not work best for you.

For learning tracks in manual, I would say to first focus on your braking and turn-in to find what speed you are comfortable entering a corner at, and then think about the ideal gear after, if you are having issues working it out.

 

[TonyJZX]

Speeds is useless. It goes back to the early days when race cars didnt have a speedo but you can be damn sure they have a tacho.

I think you get to a point where for most corners you can see what gear you car should be in... or maybe that's the guy in me speaking who has 25yrs plus experience in driving manual cars.

Also GT Sport is THE premiere simulator for semi correct gear ratios because it tells you on the dash what gear you should be in... say 75% of the time. And you cant turn it off.

As I see it, the vast majority of cars in this game require 2nd or 3rd gear for corners and 1st for most hairpins.

You play it by ear what throttle position you should be.

There will always be problematic corners but for Brands Hatch, its only Turn 1.

To flip this further, just say you're driving a manual car in the streets in real life. You cant be relying on gear indictors or recommended corner speeds. That's up to you the driver.

 

[TJC_69]

Good question. GR.3 is best to go with.



May be worth giving a variable speed. Say at turn 2 at Brands Hatch may be between about 45 and 55 or 60 mph

Yeah it's a good reference for analysing performance if you want to get deeply into analysing your speeds. For me personally it's more of a "feel" or a visual reference when cornering versus what gear to be in. I'm feeling what the car is doing and visually taking the information in from the corner to judge how i'm performing.

I don't look at the speedometer at all when driving, there's too much going on around to look down as opposed to up. I learnt how to drive well with manual by matching the revs on the change down in the braking zone. I then advanced to going a gear higher than the game said through the corner.

Combining this with smoothness of operation with the braking and steering, getting a good apex, then thinking about the best possible exit is how I race the cars.

I don't know your pace or experience level, I assume you're very experienced with GT but just trying to get good with a manual box?

 

[Lazybike]

Wish I had time to worry about which gear and what speed I was going, I'm just trying to keep up with the car in front Playing by numbers will only get you so far at some point you need to play by feel.

 

[DriftMethod]

It is quite difficult to use speed through corners as a guide. You want to be focusing on the track and not the speedometer. Making sure you are in the correct gear is more useful. Generally, you want to make sure to use the full width of the track and hit all your apexes. Your speed will generally be good if you are doing that and don't have any additional traction available through the corner.

But if you are using the GR.3 Porsche at Brands, here's the gear I drop down into for each corner.

T1 = 3
T2 = 1
T3 = 2
T4 = 2
T5 = 3
T6 = 3
T7 = 3
T8 = 2
T9 = Usually 3rd, occasionally 2nd

 

[Haitauer]

Cornering speed varies greatly, especially in racing situation. Taking it easy at turn in ofter repays as a lot quicker exit. For qualifying there are the most obvious quickest lines, but in a race you have to come up with different variations in the same corners.

My favourite in all racing is the very slow defensive line in with quick exit.. ​

 

[Slapped]

But if you are using the GR.3 Porsche at Brands, here's the gear I drop down into for each corner.

T1 = 3
T2 = 1
T3 = 2
T4 = 2
T5 = 3
T6 = 3
T7 = 3
T8 = 2
T9 = Usually 3rd, occasionally 2nd

Using the Porsche as a reference then I tend to differ slightly on 3 corners.

T2 I take in 2nd. I've tested both 1st and 2nd and on the whole I find the car is more manageable in 2nd in terms of getting the power down on the exit - lap times appear to remain unaffected regardless of which gear I use.

T5 is a double gear corner for me. An initial drop to 4th on the entry and then followed by a drop to 3rd as the corner tightens.

T9 is strictly 3rd gear for me. The only time I'll be down in 2nd is if I've made a right dogs dinner of the corner and I'm trying to avoid the kitty litter on the outside.

 

[DriftMethod]

Using the Porsche as a reference then I tend to differ slightly on 3 corners.

T2 I take in 2nd. I've tested both 1st and 2nd and on the whole I find the car is more manageable in 2nd in terms of getting the power down on the exit - lap times appear to remain unaffected regardless of which gear I use.

T5 is a double gear corner for me. An initial drop to 4th on the entry and then followed by a drop to 3rd as the corner tightens.

T9 is strictly 3rd gear for me. The only time I'll be down in 2nd is if I've made a right dogs dinner of the corner and I'm trying to avoid the kitty litter on the outside.

It's really quite interesting to see how driving styles differ.

On the approach to T5 for example, if I'm not fuel saving, I wouldn't shift up to 5th. I like to downshift to 3rd fairly early in the turn, seeing/hearing where the revs are really helps me to know if I'm at the right speed.

I hear you on T9, I want to be in 3rd, but if'm off line a bit, 2nd gear seems to help correct.

 

[joost_wentink]

Best thing one must do is go out and drive. Then when you're done with driving you go out and drive again. Rince and repeat. If you want to be fast you must practice a lot. Yes you must evaluate also but you need to know that practice makes perfect. The more the better you will get!

 

[Ofuscor]

What you have to do is practice until shifting is just something you do while driving, it becomes another tool. Then your brain is no longer taxed with this new thing and you can concentrate on how to modify your shifting and driving lines to suit the track and car better.

Keep at it, I've been there, I was slower for some time and it was frustrating. When you get past it you will never want to go back to automatic.