How can I be a faster driver

RoadRunner36

RoadRunner36

239
United States
United States
TheRoadRunner36
Bacon Bob 36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
 
Study and practice. Study the replays of fast sim drivers and study real life racing technique because it works for the most part, in most sim games. Smooth is fast. I watched a couple of videos the morning in fact, and was remarking to myself on how good the technique was. Watch as @Animera put's the BMW M1 through it's paces at Imola. Different game but the technique is the same. Hit your apexes, use the whole track on exit, be smooth.


Here's @digiprost demonstrating his incredibly smooth technique in an open wheeler and you can see his hands on the actual steering wheel. He also hits his marks, uses the whole track and is butter smooth.


Finally, here's something from me and this video contains tips on technique and things to look for as you enter each corner. I'm not as smooth as the guys above me, but smooth is also my goal. I know whenever I miss a mark, don't use the whole track, or get out of shape, it costs me time:


All fast drivers understand car dynamics, managing weight transfer, the limits of grip, how to balance a car and steer with brakes and throttle, where time is gained and lost and so much more, and this only comes with study and practice.
 
Drive with the harder tires in practice. It will help you with braking and cornering. Also, use your ghost and watch where you are going wrong.

When there is a season hot lap, down load a ghost replay and practice against it.

It's all about practice.
 
Voodoovaj
Drive with the harder tires in practice. It will help you with braking and cornering. Also, use your ghost and watch where you are going wrong.

When there is a season hot lap, down load a ghost replay and practice against it.

It's all about practice.
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This is a big one IMO. You learn a lot more about car control with hard tires compared to the highly forgiving softer compounds. Supercars should be no more than sports hards, right down to comfort hards to older cars and everyday drivers. Race cars no more than race hards or even sports softs or less if you want to really learn car control. In GT I used to practice all the time on Comfort Hards and Mediums in all kinds of cars, even the wild beasts like the Yellowbird, FXX etc. It's tough, but you get used to using a delicate touch and really thinking ahead as to what the car is going to do. @SuzukaStar has an excellent database for driving cars on comfort hards at Laguna Seca and on comfort softs at Midfield. He has dozens of videos on his YT channel as well all on DS3 and with only ABS.
 
Do Time trials and use a ghost of your last fastest lap-not necessarily the fast guys.

Do multiple laps and see where you are faster compared to the ghost and try to remember where your braking points were, your apex speeds and just keep lapping.

Set yourself lap time goals and once you think you're hitting those goals, load up a fast ghost lap and start following that and if need be, study the fast ghost in replay or data-logging modes.

Practice makes perfect.
 
All great tips above.

Muscles memory also plays a part in being fast. Take a mental note of where/when you're braking, what your apex speed is, when you're re-applying the throttle and what your exit speed is. The next lap, brake a foot later, take the apex 1mph faster, apply the throttle a foot earlier and see if your exit speed is faster. Keep doing this until the car begins to lose grip or starts to wonder off the racing line.
 
Voodoovaj
Drive with the harder tires in practice. It will help you with braking and cornering. Also, use your ghost and watch where you are going wrong.

When there is a season hot lap, down load a ghost replay and practice against it.

It's all about practice.
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This right here and what everybody else is saying. Everybody is giving fantastic advice. I've seen you drive @RoadRunner36. you're not slow, it just looks like you don't fully trust your tune setup and hold back on some of the turns. (From the NDC replays at least).

But what everybody else is saying, it's just repetition and time trialing. One method I used that someone suggested in the past, Use RM to set a time. Then try to match or beat your RM ghost time with RH tires. Then So on.

Set RH Chase SS
Set SS Chase SM
Set SM Chase SH

Also, some other advice, maybe try to attempt to drive fast lap times in cars with difficult handling... Wait nevermind don't do that. That won't do anything.

But doing constant Time Trials on various tracks to learn braking points and turn apexes is a HUGE help. That's how I got better at racing with no aids. I'm even starting to become faster without using ABS.
 
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RoadRunner36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
Click to expand...
Use ABS:1... You are using a dualshock and it is very difficult to not lock up the wheels. If you were using a FFB wheel then I would suggest no ABS... but with a DS3, definitely try ABS:1.

Another way, try to see how high you can get in GTAcademy. It pushes you to be a better driver, surprisingly. In 2012 I got about 1000th(DS3), in 2014 I got about 300th(DS3), and in 2015 I got 32nd or 24th (G27) if you count ineligible drivers.

Also, tuning plays a huge role in lap times. In GTPES last month Our car was tuned by not such good tuners and we were getting about 9:02s. Stock it was about 9:05, so it was an improvement, but then some new people joined the team and our new tune would get 8:56s, with the same hp and weight
 
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I did 4000 miles in the recent GT3@Spa QM and steadily chipped away at my lap times all the way through. Muscle memory takes over and you're practically driving on auto pilot giving you more time to look for the quickest route through the corners and/or set up a pass.

There's no substitute for practice so grind those miles out. You can only improve.
 
RoadRunner36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
Click to expand...

I'm not a fast driver, I'd say I'm about average but my friend just started using his wheel and I've been doing sort of lap guides with him telling him tips to use for certain corners and what lines to use and he is improving so my tip for you would be to keep practicing and learning and eventually you'll get better and better. Earlier this year I used to drive with my DS3 in auto with TCS, Driving Line and all those other aids but now I don't use any aids with my wheel. The progression I've seen with myself is not being able to gold the Senna challenge now I can redo them withiut any hassle at all. Good luck 👍
 
RoadRunner36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
Click to expand...


Follow the advice already posted and join my current series or one of the many excellent series listed in GT Planet's online racing section.


 
First, yes ABS 1 is almost a necessity if you're using the DS3.

Joining a league like SNAIL can help, spec racing in general is good for learning because you can be sure that if someone is doing something different than you and they're faster it's because what they are doing is working, not because their tune or their car is better. SNAIL in particular is good because you're matched up with people close to your speed.

No-tuning time trials are good too, that's the only real competitive thing I did for years before I joined a real league, but a year after joining SNAIL I'm 200% faster at least haha.

If you want any specific help on GT6 feel free to add me, SNAIL combos and time trials are good practice.
 
ConnorWolf
First, yes ABS 1 is almost a necessity if you're using the DS3.

Joining a league like SNAIL can help, spec racing in general is good for learning because you can be sure that if someone is doing something different than you and they're faster it's because what they are doing is working, not because their tune or their car is better. SNAIL in particular is good because you're matched up with people close to your speed.

No-tuning time trials are good too, that's the only real competitive thing I did for years before I joined a real league, but a year after joining SNAIL I'm 200% faster at least haha.

If you want any specific help on GT6 feel free to add me, SNAIL combos and time trials are good practice.
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I can confirm that this guy is fast. :)
 
All of the above will help you. Mostly practice and studying the basics of racing, watching onboards etc. But you'll have your own limits, those of your natural talents.

Not everyone will have a talent for driving fast, even in a sim, and there's only so much that can be learned.

We all have our natural talents in life. You might not find it easy to race, or drive fast, but you might be a killer painter, or something.

A good example is a friend of mine, who owned Forza 4, and had done hundreds of laps of the Nordschleife, as he was obsessed with the game. I had a go of it one time I was at his place, as he was bragging that I would never beat his best time (I always used to beat him in GT3 back in the day). He put me in the same car as he set his time (787b), and it took me only a handful of laps to beat his time. I had never played FM4 before then either. The difference between us was I have always been a competent driver, and never have trouble adapting to different sims, or different cars irl. I have a natural talent for driving. He took quite a while to get confident in a car, and even in the car he's owned for a few years, I notice he isn't particularly smooth or 'in tune' with it when I'm a passenger.

He is a competent driver, and I've had some good races with him back when we used to play GT3 on PS2, but he lacks a kind of feel you just can't learn. I've taken him driving through some of the best roads near where I live, and taught him some techniques, but he still doesn't seem like he has the "knack" for it.

Edit: BTW I'm not trying to claim to be the next Schumacher, there would be plenty of drivers here better than me, of that I'm sure.
 
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@RoadRunner36 I might also suggest taking a look at the WRS series, GTP's longest running TT series. You can run the qualifier to get an idea of where you stand vs. other GTP members and it gives you a starting point to gauge improvement week to week, month to month etc. It's slowed down quite a bit at this point in the game but the people involved are very helpful, sharing information and tunes to help you along. @GTP_CargoRatt is probably the best example of a guy around here that joined the WRS with the single goal of improving his driving, and over time leaped up the ladder to occupy a Division 1 spot after starting much, much lower. I believe he gives much of the credit to the WRS and it's members for spurring him along.
 
I second the WRS. I went from division 3 gold to division 1 gold just by only doing the time trials. Everything I've learned is because of that community.

Yet I still can't beat Johnny in a race
 
I have similar thoughts with who started this. Also I have stopped to play online games. Too many people don't drive honestly. Also I have confessed to myself that I'm not good at racing with other people. With time trials I do fine because I can try so many times I want, and I do not give up. With online racing you can "try" only once. So, this same thing was bothering me, but I forced myself to face to facts and I speak only about myself now.
 
RoadRunner36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
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I was almost on the same position when I was still playing GT5...
First of all, try to memorize the correct racing line and braking points at the tracks. A good example is taking a simple roadcar (like a Honda S2000) and running some laps at Deep Forest Raceway. If you believe you're making some progress, try the same using a faster and more tough-handling car (like a Lamborghini Diablo). Continue the same tactic using some supercars or race cars with a lot of grip (like GT3 or GT300).

This is a video of me running a GT500 practice race with some friends. You will notice that I'm not always faster than the others, but I'm trying to "play" with the racing lines to gain advantage. I hope I helped a little bit 👍
 
Play the game A LOT. I guarantee you most fast drivers have hundreds if not thousands of hours played (I was at about 2500 before quitting GT6).
 
RoadRunner36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
Click to expand...
What helps me improve my laps is just setting a base lap with a certain car and tune on a track, then racing the ghost multiple times, and adjusting suspension, aero, and trans till it feels perfect. I generally shed about 2 seconds off track times when i do this.
 
RoadRunner36
Whenever I race online, I almost always get last place, and the only time I ever win is when I use a highly op car compared to others online. When I race against someone with equal car performance, they are normally 2 to 3, sometimes as much as 6 seconds faster. I need help because I'm tired of settling for the bottom, and will try anything to get faster.

I drive with no aids, not even abs.
Whenever I race, I always try to be clean as possible
I use a Dualshock 3
My lap times are slow but somewhat consistent

If any other info is needed, even if its a personal view of me around a track (Sorry, I can't send replays, so it would have to be online perhaps) I can do that. Please help.
Click to expand...
You did not state if you use auto or manual shift. You also did not state if you're using modified cars or not. You did not state if you're using a tuned car or not. These are all very important factors in determining what type of assistance you need. Thanks and keep your head up!
 
Pick 1 track and 1 car that you like....stay with both for a while......learn the different lines by competing and saving replays of races....and the Ghost...
When you begin to tune your car do not make major tune changes...a little bit at a time....give yourself time to adjust to the way you tune the car before doing more to it......and....
PRACTICE>>>PRACTICE>>>PRACTICE....till it gets boring...my opinion...others will feel different.....my time is spent on Nurburgring North Side....2000 hours and 57,000 miles....still not tired of it and learn something new everyday...
 
@RoadRunner36 Have you considered getting a wheel, to me it is much easier to be on the pace with one than using DS3. With DS3, car setup I find needs to have a lot of front end grip overpowering the rears to be competitive so better setups might help you improve your speed.
Ettick
Play the game A LOT. I guarantee you most fast drivers have hundreds if not thousands of hours played (I was at about 2500 before quitting GT6).
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I find 2500 hours hard to believe, if that's accurate then that is seriously impressive. I'm only at about 90 hours for GT6. Don't think you have to play a lot to be quick, just understand how to go quick by learning from others for example and apply that philosophy until you get the hang of things. Then you should be quick in any game quickly.
 

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