@Rinsky
Did some testing with the TT vs. the Cayman. It's funny I didn't realize we were racing at Tsukuba, i thought everyone was just testing there so we can easily compare. haha.
So I took out the TT first, did 19 laps on Tsukuba. Not my favorite car for the track due to the constant management of understeer vs power down but I eventually got my time down. I was getting faster and faster and felt like I eventually do my optimal lap. Enjoyable to get the most out of.
RH Tires, BOP on
No Aids except ABS Weak
Brake bias to the rear, 3.
wheel: T300
Best lap: 58.235
Optimal lap: 57.892
Now the Cayman was more difficult over it's 20 laps than the TT and it was hard to do clean laps and go fast. It wasn't very enjoyable for the most part. Spun two times and had some squirrely moments. I wasn't getting good times down, almost always a small mistake somewhere. But on my last lap I was able to drive the car butter smooth and got a cracking lap! That was super enjoyable. Most of my laps were in the high 58's, about half way through my best lap was a 58.9 but my optimal was 57.9, which is crazy to me that I had that much speed but couldn't get it together. It was mentally draining to drive compared to the TT.
RH Tires, BOP on
No Aids except ABS Weak
Brake bias set to 0
wheel: T300
Best lap: 58.081
Optimal lap: 57.897
So these two cars became very comparable in terms of lap time. But I need to note the Cayman's style. It will understeer when you come in too fast, it responds to only mild trail braking. I forgot to test if ABS set to default would have made it worse. But this car when neutral (Not braking or accelerating) it has excellent turn in. Putting the power down is pretty good unless you have steering input that isn't butter smooth. It reacts very strongly to it. But if you are really measured with your throttle and steering the car can be really good. The smoother you operate the car the more it rewards you for doing so. But if you wring it's neck just a little bit it will squirm and lose speed.
It's really important now to understand what's going on with the tires. If you were standing one footed on a spring and you leaned to the left there's only so much you can lean before you fall over from the spring going out from under you. That's what it's like when your car slides, the tire takes so much tension then springs out from under you. If you are leaning on that spring and then lean forward (acceleration) suddenly, you'll likely fall. But if you adjust your weight forward gently from leaning left then your less likely to fall. Same thing with tires, you need to understand their limits: working within them, let them settle before the next change in direction, and gently transition between directions if you are mixing them. ex. Turning 100% -> Turning 75% Accel. 25% -> Turning 50% Accel 50% -> Turning 25% Accel 75% -> Accel 100%. Though drivers shouldn't be trying to use 100% available grip all the time, you'll be more consistent if you don't go over your limits of grip, so using 80% of your total grip on average will be much better. (google a Traction circle if the percentages isn't making sense to you.)
I went and tested for 4 laps on Nurburgring GP with each car after some warm up laps. This is my favorite place to test out and tune cars.
I did the same settings as the last time, BOP on, but this time I used a controller. I did this because I am still better on a controller in some cases, as I only got the wheel this year. On controller I know I am better at catching a car and counter-steering. For instance, I can't drift with a wheel yet but I can on controller. The point of this test was to see how the cars do with little practice on a track with more speed and corner diversity.
TT
Best: 2.07:665
OPT: 2.07:407
Cayman
Best: 2.08.558
OPT: 2.08.558
The Cayman had a horsepower disadvantage on this track due to the BOP. But I have to say it was much much better and enjoyable to drive! I did one spin in the session but overall the Cayman is far better suited to this track, more aerodynamic advantage to be used. It went through the High speed S much better than the TT for instance. The TT had too much power and ease of use to be beaten though. But if I spent more time I do believe the Cayman would get darn close to the TT on Nurburgring GP.
The reason I did this is because testing like this is fun for me and I want to help others understanding of the cars. I hope it proves helpful.
Rinsky I again set my car on the table here. I will happily give you the TT to drive if you like, that way you can keep racing with us. I think we all enjoy what you've created but moreso we've come to enjoy you and what you bring to the table. I'll leave it up to you, if you think a break is the right thing, if changing cars is the right idea, or simply having to start over fresh again. I'll leave it up to you.
