How turning off all aids made me a better, faster driver.

[Ridox2JZGTE]

Including brake bias, which, at least with my driving style, is a 100% necessary adjustment if you're turning ABS off.

My only suggestion would be to apply brake very lightly when near the apex and try to brake on straight line as much as possible. The first 2 corners and last 2 corners after the high speed section are going to be tricky.

 

[Dusty1990]

What I'm saying is having srf on completely nullifies your inputs to the car. Any mistake you make will be overruled by the fake video game assist.

All the other driving assists work as they should, they make it easier to control by dulling your inputs but they come with a speed penalty when they kick in.

SRF adds grip and traction higher than what is possible. I call it need for speed mode

The only thing FAKE around here is you, skd420...

 

[wowbaggerBR]

ABS 1 for me, all the way.

In my experience, games, specially racing ones, have an limit irritability: if I set ABS to 0, I'll be mad all the time, I'll be crossing that edge and ragequiting every single race.

Simply put, don't worth the hassle.

 

[RacingManiac]

So I am not the only one who gets piss off sometimes playing racing game...lol

 

[Sarkazmo]

I want to clarify things here. I'm not claiming to be the greatest driver, I'm middling at best. I'm not claiming that turning off all driving aids will make everyone faster. All I'm claiming is what worked for me and suggested that it might work for others. I wrote the original message in the hope of inspiring others to step outside their comfort zone, to experience the game in a different light, and to hopefully become better drivers through better technique and learning the car and tracks to a greater level than previously.

There has been a lot of discussion over this thread and in particular the subject of ABS. A lot of good points have been made on all sides. But this thread is not solely about ABS despite what some may think. This is not an argument over what's undeniably better either as some also seem to think. Everyone wants to be right. We all have this desire to come out on top in a fight. To be honest though, throughout life, the best we can do is figure out what's right for us. Some people are going to be faster with ABS, some aren't. You can argue all you want about stopping distances and reasons why one should or shouldn't do anything but it really comes down to how ABS affects your driving style. If it syncs up with you and compliments your driving style then you're going to be faster with it but the opposite is true also.

One of the reasons I play driving games is to experience, albeit in a remote and filtered/translated yet still satisfying way, all the cars that I'll never, ever even get to see in the "flesh", let alone actually drive. I want to interact with those virtual cars as much as I can and I find that using driving aids lessens that experience.

The thing is though that I'm the sort of person who wants to improve himself and become better at everything I lay hand to. I've read every reply to this thread and I've taken a lot into consideration. So on the subject of ABS, since it has become so central to this thread, I've been experimenting today. Many of us are spending a good deal of time doing 2 TTs for the new GTP Registry Qualifier. I've been doing them with ABS off. Today I decided to set ABS=1 to try and beat my best time in the second qualifier with the M3 at Brands Hatch. I've only spent a couple or so hours running with ABS on but so far I'm .2 slower with ABS on than with it off. I need more practice, this is not conclusive, so don't take it as "proof" of anything other than I need to drive more.

Sark

 

[Dusty1990]

I want to clarify things here. I'm not claiming to be the greatest driver, I'm middling at best. I'm not claiming that turning off all driving aids will make everyone faster. All I'm claiming is what worked for me and suggested that it might work for others. I wrote the original message in the hope of inspiring others to step outside their comfort zone, to experience the game in a different light, and to hopefully become better drivers through better technique and learning the car and tracks to a greater level than previously.

There has been a lot of discussion over this thread and in particular the subject of ABS. A lot of good points have been made on all sides. But this thread is not solely about ABS despite what some may think. This is not an argument over what's undeniably better either as some also seem to think. Everyone wants to be right. We all have this desire to come out on top in a fight. To be honest though, throughout life, the best we can do is figure out what's right for us. Some people are going to be faster with ABS, some aren't. You can argue all you want about stopping distances and reasons why one should or shouldn't do anything but it really comes down to how ABS affects your driving style. If it syncs up with you and compliments your driving style then you're going to be faster with it but the opposite is true also.

One of the reasons I play driving games is to experience, albeit in a remote and filtered/translated yet still satisfying way, all the cars that I'll never, ever even get to see in the "flesh", let alone actually drive. I want to interact with those virtual cars as much as I can and I find that using driving aids lessens that experience.

The thing is though that I'm the sort of person who wants to improve himself and become better at everything I lay hand to. I've read every reply to this thread and I've taken a lot into consideration. So on the subject of ABS, since it has become so central to this thread, I've been experimenting today. Many of us are spending a good deal of time doing 2 TTs for the new GTP Registry Qualifier. I've been doing them with ABS off. Today I decided to set ABS=1 to try and beat my best time in the second qualifier with the M3 at Brands Hatch. I've only spent a couple or so hours running with ABS on but so far I'm .2 slower with ABS on than with it off. I need more practice, this is not conclusive, so don't take it as "proof" of anything other than I need to drive more.

Sark

Good post, sark. Maybe you got jumped upon making the claim it IS quicker too turn off, unfortunately there Isn't ANY proof that this is the case, a few top drivers have already come forward to question it as well.

I'll keep trying without ABS as its how I want to play gt6!

 

[e-racer]

I had the racing line on when I started GT5, and over time I found that I drove for the line and not the track. If I turned off the line, I was lost. So I left the line off and leaned the tracks. Then I noticed the same thing with the gear indicator that warned of braking zones, so I turned that off. When I started GT6, I started the same way — with all aids off, except ABS 1, and I still drive that way. I don't feel any need to turn off ABS. I drove mostly this way in GT5, except I used TCS 1 a lot.

The bigger difference for me in GT6 is that I'm racing cockpit only and with no HUD. In GT5 I used bumper cam and the HUD all the time. It's amazing how much better I've learned the tracks, braking zones, the racing line, and the cars. I really enjoy it a lot, and I find it more immersive for me.

 

[SidsCycleShop]

I went through all of GT5 with ABS=1 and minimal TCS, but left the line on. Now, with the line off again, I find I really enjoy the tracks so much more. As for going faster with fewer aids, I found that on things like the GT Academy time trials, license tests, and mission races, the more I turn down the aids, the faster I go - with practice! But even from day one on GT5 I had to turn almost everything off because it just felt like I was fighting against the car in every corner.

 

[eclipsee]

Comfort soft. Mazda Atenza.

Can you send me a replay please? I would like to see how you do it.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

Can you send me a replay please? I would like to see how you do it.

I was wondering if you could do IB-2 licence test with ABS and see how fast you can go and then without it. It is Sport Hard tyres though. I think it is a good test for braking as it is bumpy and difficult to get corner entry so good test for brake control and strengths of ABS 1 and 0.

 

[LS Chiou]

TBH, I relied on the driving line indicator to go through the licence tests. At that stage, those new circuits were really new to me and the indicator saved me much time in trial-error. (Of course I soon learned those braking points are way too early and developed my own adaptation, or I wouldn't get all gold)

For the pro and con of all those assistances, I think it depends on how familiar the circuits and cars to the driver. As one learns the circuits and cars better and better, he/she needs less and less assitance for sure. In the later time with GT5, I turned off the driving line indicator for a better and cleaner view. Now in GT6, I admit I still have them. I'm not familiar enough with some new tracks. And, I'm not sure it's good or bad that the line in GT6 is not as 'intrusive' as in GT5, not as annoying when I don't really need it. So I leave it on.

I set the TCS by the power and character of the cars. TCS can be 0 with less power/torque, grippier tires and inherently stable cars without problems. When driving those monsters with 650 PP or more, I feel it's too painful on most cases. Even with TCS on, they spin the tires even at 3rd or 4th! It makes the control too nervous. I learned to lift gingerly to cease the red portion of the throttle bar besides the rev meter in lower gears. When not in the mood, I just ignore it (with the tire screaming).

Similar situation in braking, too. And I found the IA Rain Master series provides a very good practice. You always need very low bias and careful use of the brake here. And the way to apply brake on those MR and RR cars should be gentle and progressive, or you just spin out, even with high ABS setting. And some cars really need it here. Locked tires is not as pronounced as spinning ones, I got less clue on it. With cars more than 600 PP in the rain and high speed tracks, driving without ABS is a torture to me. When they spun out, there's almost no sign and it just suddently happened. Eventually I managed to win the race with (the fat-ass) CTR in Spa with pretty high ABS setting to keep the ass behind. (mind you, still need very low bias and very careful braking)

With so little physical clue and a pedal so spongy, anyone who can drive CTR in the rain and win the race must be a real Master! Which I'm not, LOL...

 

[eclipsee]

I was wondering if you could do IB-2 licence test with ABS and see how fast you can go and then without it. It is Sport Hard tyres though. I think it is a good test for braking as it is bumpy and difficult to get corner entry so good test for brake control and strengths of ABS 1 and 0.

Sure, I'll give it a try.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

I was wondering if you could do IB-2 licence test with ABS and see how fast you can go and then without it. It is Sport Hard tyres though. I think it is a good test for braking as it is bumpy and difficult to get corner entry so good test for brake control and strengths of ABS 1 and 0.

Did several 16.7xxx easily by braking from 208kmh and maintain decent speed through the chicane, steering smoothly was a pain with analog stick and SRF making the car feels weird when on the limit, tried to brake from 209kmh right at the slight dip, and managed 16.605, a half tenth slower than yours I can brake from 210kmh without locking up and managed to hit the apex, but the car usually unstable with too much load on the outside front tires, maybe SRF can be used to defeat this ? cool test, I gotta to admit that SRF kicked in when on the middle of the chicane was out of this world

This test is more about maintaining speed through the chicane than brake as late as possible. Having higher speed hitting the 2nd apex will result very good time.

 

[FerrellJ]

Can you send me a replay please? I would like to see how you do it.

Sent.

 

[OstenfeldtDK]

I've been playing since GT1 and I also play a ton of other driving games. When I started out with driving games I used some of the aids but in a fairly short time I turned them off and with each “off” there was a period of adjustment, sometimes frustrating, sometimes not so bad, but always some adjustment was made in my driving style. I got faster.

I was down to Driving Line and ABS1 until about 8 or 9 months ago when I turned off the Driving Line for good. I went off the track a lot. But I adjusted my driving style and truly learned the courses I was racing. Since I had no bright, glowing graphical cue for my braking points I paid more attention to the details on and around the track for my braking points. After a little while I noticed something. I was getting even faster. Then I realized just how much I relied on that stupid line. It wasn't the fastest way around the track and the colors lie to you. Even though I was already trying to ignore those cues and use the line solely to see the corners better I was relying subconsciously on it far more than I thought. After I turned the line off I realized I could see the corners just fine.

Down to just the ABS=1 crutch. This was the hardest of all to drop. In fact I never did succeed in dropping it until GT6. For me, and I guess many others, ABS0 was just too sensitive in GT5 so all we did was lock up, spin out, and plow into barriers and thus ABS1 became the standard. One can only take so much frustration, right? With GT6 it was my goal to drop this final crutch. GT6's brake model seemed so much better to me so I gave ABS0 a dedicated effort and I'm now (and have been since shortly after launch) driving completely aid free. And I've gotten faster still. Since I couldn't just slam the brake, relying on the ABS to keep all four wheels turning yet slowing me I really had to make use of the speedo and distance markers to judge my braking points and braking a little earlier than I normally would in order to keep the wheels from locking. The thing is even though I was braking earlier I was still cutting time off my laps. I found that instead of the breakneck approach of braking at the absolute last instant with ABS, pedal crushed, turning in at the edge of tire grip I was arriving at the turn in point, car stable and well sorted, which allowed me to be able to apex better and power out of the turn more smoothly to gain a higher top speed on the straight that followed. I was getting faster by going slower.

The helpers didn't actually help. At the time they seemed like they did because they made it easier. But in all actuality what they did was muffle the individual car experience, sterilize the experience of the track, camouflage bad driving technique and reinforce bad driving habits.

Many of you are more casual about Gran Turismo and will read this, say “Nah,” and go back to playing the way you have been and that's just fine. It's your game and you should play it the way you want. But if you're serious about becoming a better driver, this is what worked for me, maybe it'll work for you.

Sark

You should really try out without any HUD but the speedo, it gives such a different feel to the game and oh my you are got to be alert! Great and true statement from you!

 

[Syrius]

The helpers didn't actually help. At the time they seemed like they did because they made it easier. But in all actuality what they did was muffle the individual car experience, sterilize the experience of the track, camouflage bad driving technique and reinforce bad driving habits.

This is an excellent thread Sarkazmo, an inspiring topic which I find very worthy of discussion, so thank you for bringing it up and for your thoughtful posts here.

I feel much the same about the 'Driver Assistance' devices, as they're called in the driving options menu. I understand that it's a good thing that assisting options are provided so that users can make their choices, so I'm not in any way dismissive of whatever other users' preferences may be. But my choice is to be in control, personally operating as many elements of the car as I can, that's what I find most satisfying and rewarding both in game and in real life. Manual everything is more fun for me. For this reason also, as a motorsports fan I admire all the great champions, but my utmost respect and admiration go to those from the pre-electronic driver aids era that succeeded to manage their cars' weight and grip in order to be impressively fast using only a steering wheel, throttle, brakes, clutch and gear stick with unworldly skill and accuracy.

About the in-game experience, I also think that the on-screen visual cues -driving line and gearshift hint- may help during the first few laps to learn a new track but, if not switched off, they creep into triggering conditioned responses that affect your driving, so that getting rid of them actually felt like a relief, something like "Whew! I can make my own decisions at last!"

Cheers,
S.

 

[Sarkazmo]

You should really try out without any HUD but the speedo, it gives such a different feel to the game and oh my you are got to be alert! Great and true statement from you!

I've been trying the no Hud view but I'm quite a bit slower that way. I think that I might need more practice with it like that (I DID enjoy it though, very minimalist) but since I like to compete having the other info on screen is helpful.

... I also think that the on-screen visual cues -driving line and gearshift hint- may help during the first few laps to learn a new track but, if not switched off, they creep into triggering conditioned responses that affect your driving, so that getting rid of them actually felt like a relief, something like "Whew! I can make my own decisions at last!"

I felt that they had become conditioned responses instead of responses to current track and car conditions.

On the general subject of driving aids I'm continuing my experimentation with aids while running the GTP Registry qualifiers. With the M3 at Brands Hatch I'm still slower with ABS1 than ABS0. But at Willow with the Megane I managed a quarter second off using ABS1 and TC2 and a slight alteration to my line though I did do the same lap time previously without aids but had a questionable "off track" that I decided was better to delete than try to prove it was in the legal limits for the qualifier. With only a couple of days left before the demos must be submitted for qualification I'll probably be spending all my driving time on those two TTs so I've got more time to experiment.

Sark

 

[Mr P510]

This is one of the best discussions I've read on GT Planet in a long time.
Great job to the original poster and everyone involved.
I've actually got a bit faster with ABS off as well.

 

[Mr.Slow]

Has anyone made a video proving this? For example where for example stopping from 400kph in a veyron takes less distance with ABS to off vs ABS 1?

I will give that a go.

If you are referring to F1, ABS and traction control were prohibited ~6 years ago in an effort to slow lap times and go back to having the driver be a more 'determining factor' in the outcome of races.

ABS makes your breaking distance shorter and allows for breaking and turning at the same time. That is what it was designed for.

 

[OstenfeldtDK]

I've been trying the no Hud view but I'm quite a bit slower that way. I think that I might need more practice with it like that (I DID enjoy it though, very minimalist) but since I like to compete having the other info on screen is helpful.



I felt that they had become conditioned responses instead of responses to current track and car conditions.

On the general subject of driving aids I'm continuing my experimentation with aids while running the GTP Registry qualifiers. With the M3 at Brands Hatch I'm still slower with ABS1 than ABS0. But at Willow with the Megane I managed a quarter second off using ABS1 and TC2 and a slight alteration to my line though I did do the same lap time previously without aids but had a questionable "off track" that I decided was better to delete than try to prove it was in the legal limits for the qualifier. With only a couple of days left before the demos must be submitted for qualification I'll probably be spending all my driving time on those two TTs so I've got more time to experiment.

Sark

THe point wasn't (in my oppinnion) to go faster, but to make the experience more real - i drove the old BMW an i just had a great time, yes not compettitive - but so much fun! Off course, this is a way to get more enjoyment out of the game in like trackday events and so - for the racing you are kind of deppendent on the (pitcrew/)HUD - but the loosing track of laps is quite fun - and if you are in last, you propperbly won't quit (goddamn arcade gamers)

 

[LS Chiou]

I tried ABS=0 just now and found the tires were so easily locked. Tried more, I still couldn't find any clue when it locked. All I can do is easing off the brake right after it's locked, but that's already too late and the tire temperature won't recover quick enough to give me normal grip. That's on dry surface with sport tire.

In the Rain Master, I can barely control the 650PP car with TCS=0 (tire screaming and steering feedback help me making the corrections), but without ABS, it can never slow down and turn in properly. There's no difference in sound or any other detectable clue of the locked tires. Under braking, even very gently applied and very low bias setting, the car just keeps going straight, eventually out of the track and no feel on the steering wheel. (With ABS=1, there'd be some feedback on wheel revealing the floating and swinging tail by the load transfer.)

The brake on the wheel set operates by its travel, not pressure as the real thing. It's almost impossible for me to sense the right amount of braking force.

So, how do you sense the threshold of grip and modulate the brake without ABS?

 

[Dusty1990]

I tried ABS=0 just now and found the tires were so easily locked. Tried more, I still couldn't find any clue when it locked. All I can do is easing off the brake right after it's locked, but that's already too late and the tire temperature won't recover quick enough to give me normal grip. That's on dry surface with sport tire.

In the Rain Master, I can barely control the 650PP car with TCS=0 (tire screaming and steering feedback help me making the corrections), but without ABS, it can never slow down and turn in properly. There's no difference in sound or any other detectable clue of the locked tires. Under braking, even very gently applied and very low bias setting, the car just keeps going straight, eventually out of the track and no feel on the steering wheel. (With ABS=1, there'd be some feedback on wheel revealing the floating and swinging tail by the load transfer.)

The brake on the wheel set operates by its travel, not pressure as the real thing. It's almost impossible for me to sense the right amount of braking force.

So, how do you sense the threshold of grip and modulate the brake without ABS?

👍

 

[super_gt]

I tried ABS=0 just now and found the tires were so easily locked. Tried more, I still couldn't find any clue when it locked. All I can do is easing off the brake right after it's locked, but that's already too late and the tire temperature won't recover quick enough to give me normal grip. That's on dry surface with sport tire.

In the Rain Master, I can barely control the 650PP car with TCS=0 (tire screaming and steering feedback help me making the corrections), but without ABS, it can never slow down and turn in properly. There's no difference in sound or any other detectable clue of the locked tires. Under braking, even very gently applied and very low bias setting, the car just keeps going straight, eventually out of the track and no feel on the steering wheel. (With ABS=1, there'd be some feedback on wheel revealing the floating and swinging tail by the load transfer.)

The brake on the wheel set operates by its travel, not pressure as the real thing. It's almost impossible for me to sense the right amount of braking force.

So, how do you sense the threshold of grip and modulate the brake without ABS?

You need brake pedal mod.
If you have to apply 30 or 40 kg. of pressure you will feel when tires lock.

 

[Sarkazmo]

THe point wasn't (in my oppinnion) to go faster, but to make the experience more real - i drove the old BMW an i just had a great time, yes not compettitive - but so much fun! Off course, this is a way to get more enjoyment out of the game in like trackday events and so - for the racing you are kind of deppendent on the (pitcrew/)HUD - but the loosing track of laps is quite fun - and if you are in last, you propperbly won't quit (goddamn arcade gamers)

I understand that but I also was of a mind that maybe if I removed the distractions (as others have mentioned in previous posts,) make the experience as imersive as possible, that I might go faster than ever. This was not the case though. Now I may just need more time in that mode of play but that would only tell in time. I'll experiment more later on.

---

I've submitted my final times for the GTP Qualifier. I cannot discuss my times as that would be against the rules of the qualifier but I can discuss it just can't put a time to it.

With the Megane I got my best time with ABS1 and TC2 and I gained a significant amount of time over my no aids time. With the M3 I couldn't even get close (about the same amount slower as I was faster with the Megane) to my no aid time regardless of what combination of ABS and TC I used. The former is a street car, the latter a race car.

The Megane behaved better and felt more stable using the aids whereas the M3 gained a tiny bit in stability but lost a lot of speed. The Megane you steer with the throttle (either on or off,) the M3 the brake (trail braking.)

I think I need more time with FF cars and learn a more delicate touch for my throttle control.

Sark

 

[helseth]

Honestly I don't see the point of doing this and doing that to get an advantage. I drive aid-less because it gives me a better all-round experience with the game. I have thousands of hours of FIFA and PES behind me and all top players in both games use assists. Game creators are feeding the egosentric mentality of "top class" players by the bucket, but the cred of being on top of any online game ranking is mainly hyped by kids.

I divide racers into two categories:

The Ridge racer dude and the Simulation dude. If I'm to sub-categorize I'm in the bottom half of the Simulation dude one. Not fast, but I manage.

 

[grrlpurple]

I always set ABS to 1 as my old and cheap pedals have no feedback and virtually no compression pressure so I found it far too easy to lock up the tyres when used to driving a real car. I can still lock them up easily enough but it just allows a slightly larger margin for error - like a cushion zone for these tired old pedals.

 

[Dusty1990]

Honestly I don't see the point of doing this and doing that to get an advantage. I drive aid-less because it gives me a better all-round experience with the game. I have thousands of hours of FIFA and PES behind me and all top players in both games use assists. Game creators are feeding the egosentric mentality of "top class" players by the bucket, but the cred of being on top of any online game ranking is mainly hyped by kids.

I divide racers into two categories:

The Ridge racer dude and the Simulation dude. If I'm to sub-categorize I'm in the bottom half of the Simulation dude one. Not fast, but I manage.

In what way is polyphony 'feeding' this egocentric mentality?

I think its sad this category is so large:

"I can't compete with those guys so they must be all kids with ego issues who are prepared to cheat by using assists..."

 

[eclipsee]

With the Megane I got my best time with ABS1 and TC2 and I gained a significant amount of time over my no aids time.

But, the title of your topic says "How turning off all aids made me a better, faster driver.", how is it that you are faster with aids in this case? isn't it a contradiction?

 

[LS Chiou]

You need brake pedal mod.
If you have to apply 30 or 40 kg. of pressure you will feel when tires lock.

The operation of a real brake pedal is not linear, with its small effective zone squeezed in the middle of stroke, as everybody knows I suppose.

While in our game stuff, there's a linear VR at the pivot of pedal. By the rotation angle, it sends singal to the console -- as we can see the growth/subside of brake force bar in red follow the motion of pedal. (BTW, that's really a cheap lousy VR, need cleaning from time to time...)

If the strength of retension spring is increased, it's still operating linearly by the rotation angle (or stroke as we press it). OK, I can imagine when fighting against the stronger spring, I might probably make a better use of my dumb left foot, limiting the optimum stroke within a smaller range.

But we still miss a crucial thing -- the g force -- by which we modulate the brake on real cars.

Some of the forces, like the front end grip and wiggling tail are presented quite well by the steering wheel, but the brake force is not. Sorry. At least not by itself alone.

In one of my trials, the cute little Fiat 500, once I was surprised the nose dive under braking was so -OMG- severe, and it snapped into oversteer and spun. Tire screamed, temp indicators of front turned red hot. And then in the replay I realized, it's not simply nose dive but also sending the tail right up into the air. I thought to myself, Wow, I stepped into this legendary shxt, too. (sport soft tire, at the exit of tunnel in Deep Forest)

The point is, when it happened, it just happened already. The visual clue -- that OMG level of nose dive -- was not effective. Sound-wise, locked tire's screaming can be mixed up with those by cornering, especially in trail braking. Facing these factors, we are inevitably slow to react. That's fatal to a racing driver. He/she'd better doing forcast but not react. But here, how do we measure the right amount of braking before the corners? Beside the dumb pedal, what else do we have?

 

[Syrius]

The operation of a real brake pedal is not linear, with its small effective zone squeezed in the middle of stroke, as everybody knows I suppose.

While in our game stuff, there's a linear VR at the pivot of pedal.

I have to say that, for me, it just works, and when I went ABS=0 it required only a short adaptation period, maybe a couple of hours. I think that you have correctly identified the two factors at play here: hardware and sensory input. On the hardware side, my experience is that @super_gt is right and pedal mods do help. I use a T500RS, and it comes out of the box with an optional accessory that they call 'Realistic Brake', which is a grand name for what is just a second, stiffer spring coupled to a rubber pad, that comes into action at the end of the pedal's travel, and it really helps in letting you notice when you're reaching the heavy braking zone. That's a very simple mod, but I believe there are other, much more sophisticated mods with hydraulic damping and what not.

But we still miss a crucial thing -- the g force -- by which we modulate the brake on real cars.

But here, how do we measure the right amount of braking before the corners? Beside the dumb pedal, what else do we have?

That would be the sensory feedback side. You're right that we lack the all-important G sensations, the stimulation of the vestibular organs in the inner ear, since we actually remain static in our chair all the time. But there are still two cues that the game provides: the sound of the tyres and the force feedback in the wheel. At the point where the grip is failing, there's a sound, or a change in the sound of the tyres, and there's also a subtle change in the firmness of the wheel's FFB, and those two cues together allow me to notice when I'm starting to brake too hard. Barely, but they do work for me. It is possible that the sharpness of the wheel FFB is different in other makes, but with the T500RS and the tyre sounds it works well enough to make ABS=0 useable.

Cheers,
S.