I could be a test driver for a race team.

  • Thread starter Thread starter BKViper
  • 13 comments
  • 1,389 views
BKViper

BKViper

Messages
845
Messages
bkviper
But I could never be a race car driver.
The guy they put in the car for testing who goes out and sets time trial laps at the max threshold to evaluate tuning results, that's me.

I am consistently among the top times I see posted in time trials, both here and on youtube.
But once it comes time for the race, I just have so much trouble avoiding traffic.
It's like a game of bumper cars until I can take the lead. Once there, it's fast lap after fast lap where I extend my lead exponentially.
For this reason, I will only go online in rooms where it is basically people having fun, no serious racing. It's not that I'm being an idiot on purpose, it's just that the back of another car is like a magnet to me.

I know when I learned to ride a motorcycle in real life, they told us, "You will go where you look." Maybe that's the problem I have here, as once I see another car, it seems I'm destined to smack their back end!

How can I learn to take my proficiency with time trials and learn to drive better among traffic?
 
See the thrill off the race is for me, dodging and weaving is so fun.
But I do love putting in the hours just to see an extra .001 taken off my nurb time.
 
There is no substitute for practice!

I work in a F1 simulator centre (part time) and also take part in the championship events there. In everyones first race they always cause accidents, as you say it seems completely unavoidable. Those coming back more often to race again and again find quickly the best ways of overtaking, and that holding back may be a better tactic.

You get to the stage (hopefully) after enough practice where everyone gets good clean battles throughout the racing field, and next to no crashes. It doesn't mean in the slightest that the competition isn't as fierce, just wiser heads on shoulders with more experience.

Good job with the lap times though and keeping them up consistently!
 
Maybe your just used to time trials and hot laps and such. Do more races and practice overtaking maneuvers like late braking etc.
 
I believe the fact that everyones on different driving levels causes these sort of occurences. Some people brake early, just the way they drive, some people break late... you know, theres a large variety and you stick that many people on a track and ask them to have a clean race online - just not gonna happen. Thats why I am thinking of getting involved in organised GTP Competitions which is in the Online Racing section of this forum. Check it out, I think thats what your looking for... if you can get such good times then all thats needed to be efficient is taking over technique and your ready to race 👍
 
Unfortunately, I'm talking about A-Spec.
I abuse those poor NPC drivers!
It's no ones fault but my own.
 
Don't beat yourself up. You just have to remember that driving in a race and driving for time trials are two totally different scenarios.

In time trials its only you and the road and you can take what ever line you choose. However, when driving with others you shouldn't enter the turn as fast as you would during a time attack (you will bump the car in front of you, and you might get reported). Instead, you should try and keep up with the pack and when a window of opportunity presents itself, make a pass and pull away on the exit. Just make sure you are in a competitive car.
 
BKViper
I am consistently among the top times I see posted in time trials, both here and on youtube.
But once it comes time for the race, I just have so much trouble avoiding traffic.
It's like a game of bumper cars until I can take the lead. Once there, it's fast lap after fast lap where I extend my lead exponentially.
Click to expand...

You extend your lead exponentially? :odd:

I can't imagine how far ahead you would be after a 24hour race. :sly:
 
You have the same problem that i had a long time ago.
The way i solved this problem was going into endurance races with overpowered cars after i beat them the normal way.
When you are about to overtake a car, hold back, and look for a clean pass.

Do this for a while so you get used to it.
After a while, get a slower car, and repeat this with slower, and slower cars.
This worked for me, but it takes a lot of time to get used to.
 
BKViper
But I could never be a race car driver.
The guy they put in the car for testing who goes out and sets time trial laps at the max threshold to evaluate tuning results, that's me.

I am consistently among the top times I see posted in time trials, both here and on youtube.
But once it comes time for the race, I just have so much trouble avoiding traffic.
It's like a game of bumper cars until I can take the lead. Once there, it's fast lap after fast lap where I extend my lead exponentially.
For this reason, I will only go online in rooms where it is basically people having fun, no serious racing. It's not that I'm being an idiot on purpose, it's just that the back of another car is like a magnet to me.

I know when I learned to ride a motorcycle in real life, they told us, "You will go where you look." Maybe that's the problem I have here, as once I see another car, it seems I'm destined to smack their back end!

How can I learn to take my proficiency with time trials and learn to drive better among traffic?
Click to expand...

if you race more, you'll learn it... it's all about respecting position of other drivers, sometimes you just need to be very easy on throttle and you need to try to predict what move will person in front of you make... but of course that lack of qualifying laps is problem because it's just stupid to drive behind slow driver while fast driver is 1st and you want be able to catch him after... but waiting for opportunity is crucial and aggressive approach is not very apreciated...
 
Not like I'm a racing driver trainer, but I imagine it may be helpful learning to drive at less than 100%, whether you're following a car or not. When you do approach a car, hang back from it at a safe distance and stay there for a whole lap. Maybe ask a friend if you can just follow him for a while. It is probably just a question of impatience - wait behind people and sensible opportunities will become obvious and if you are very fast, you'll probably have to throttle back to avoid going through.

GT5 is hard because 1) Drivers skill varies greatly, and most are using tiny little sticks and buttons to direct their vehicles - much less precise = more unpredictable errors and lines. 2) In the real, 3D world, you have much more spacial awareness..
 
Racing etiquette is important. Overtake wisely and don't compromise someone else's safety by being reckless. Always allow space and make allowance for their mistake so to avoid crashes altogether. If your car is significantly slower then let faster cars pass or vice versa.

I personally find catching up to be more fun than leading from pole to finish, at times pressuring your opponent in front is enough to unnerve them, sending them into a spin and off the track. Its just more challenging and entitles you the bragging rights when your return to the lobby =)

Plus being a competent test driver, you ought to know some specifics about the tracks or circuits you run on. You can use these to your advantage for later braking or adopting a superior line in retrospect. There are prime overtaking spots on all circuits like turn 1 on Monte Carlo parse and the S-curve at Suzuka F1, again use these to your full advantage!

Cheers
 
Last edited:
vett'e
Racing etiquette is important. Overtake wisely and don't compromise someone else's safety by being reckless. Always allow space and make allowance for their mistake so to avoid crashes altogether. If your car is significantly slower then let faster cars pass or vice versa.

I personally find catching up to be more fun than leading from pole to finish, at times pressuring your opponent in front is enough to unnerve them, sending them into a spin and off the track. Its just more challenging and entitles you the bragging rights when your return to the lobby =)

Plus being a competent test driver, you ought to know some specifics about the tracks or circuits you run on. You can use these to your advantage for later braking or adopting a superior line in retrospect. There are prime overtaking spots on all circuits like turn 1 on Monte Carlo parse and the S-curve at Suzuka F1, again use these to your full advantage!

Cheers
Click to expand...

sounds like words of wisdom to me!
 
In the real world, sometimes it takes several laps evaluating the driver in front of you to determine where to make your move. I imagine you are probably trying to pass 6 people on the same lap.
Just something to consider. Patience. The fastest way around the track may be by going slower at times. It's knowing when to go fast that takes practice.
 

Latest Posts

Back