Optimal driving line.

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FSportIS

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I am aware that the optimal driving line depends on many factors such as the type of cars, the handling characteristics of the car (tires, suspensions), the power of the cars, the technical difficulty of the track, the condition of the track...

I wonder if any top drivers could share their optimal line of some tracks such as the ones in seasonal event. I know we can watch the replay of the top 10 but can someone share a visual picture of the map and the corresponding optimal line. It would be extremely helpful for some to study. Thanks in advance.
 
Go to the desired track with a car that you're comfortable driving.
Hit START.
Turn "driving line" ON.
Use that as a guide and adjust to your own driving style as needed.
 
GTI_mkV
Go to the desired track with a car that you're comfortable driving.
Hit START.
Turn "driving line" ON.
Use that as a guide and adjust to your own driving style as needed.
Click to expand...
That's not the optimal driving line. Would be the same line for a stock civic and the same for a Peugeot 908. It's just a computer preset ghost. There are not 1200+ lines that PD has programmed in to the game multiplied by every single track, you know?

No one could tell you the answer without driving the car, OP. You won't know the best line for a car, until you understand how it wants to be driven and tossed around.
 
Johnnypenso
It's not but it's the only thing you have in game to give you any guidance at all, and it's a good place to start and build from.
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Is it much different than the racing groove? Just curious as I've not used it in gt6.
 
332i
Is it much different than the racing groove? Just curious as I've not used it in gt6.
Click to expand...
I've only seen it on Youtube..never used it:lol:. It's not perfect but it does a decent job of hitting the apex at least. It's a good start for a beginner.
 
I tend to have the driving line turned on, I use it initially to learn the basic lines and breaking points of a track I don't know my way round. Once I basically know my way round I will start trying different lines to see whether there is any improvement to be found. Once I start to find the faster lines I keep driving line on because I can use it to accurately mark my braking and turn in points, I may not be following the suggested line and suggested braking zones but I can still use them as my own reference points.
I totally accept that its not realistic and I wouldn't be able to translate it to real world performance but then again it is a video game and when am I likely to be doing flat out laps around Suzuka anyway lol
 
Personally I felt the driving line was holding me back.

The goal should be 1 turn per corner so get a car without downforce and pick a track with a variety of corners.

Tsukuba is great for this.

Watch a race lap on YouTube Best motoring is great for Tsukuba.

Now practice different types of cornering especially mid and late apexes. Once you are confident try the same techniques on a different track. Always practice at your home track with a new car then transfer skills to a new track.
 
I often find that my driving line is actually faster than the in-game driving line on many tracks with many different cars. I'm not looking to just go through the track and I'm not a total newbie. I gold many seasonal events but I still want to improve more.

I'm looking for the OPTIMAL line that top drivers like you use. It would be very helpful if you would like to share some kind of visual line in some maps or explanation of optimal line to run that course, something like the Nurburgring driving instruction on their official website.

GTI_mkV
Go to the desired track with a car that you're comfortable driving.
Hit START.
Turn "driving line" ON.
Use that as a guide and adjust to your own driving style as needed.
Click to expand...


Johnnypenso
It's not but it's the only thing you have in game to give you any guidance at all, and it's a good place to start and build from.
Click to expand...
 
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Yeah, this is the kind of the helpful thing. Can you provide the link of that video? Or any other videos on different tracks driven by fast drivers?

Clint_MPS
Personally I felt the driving line was holding me back.

The goal should be 1 turn per corner so get a car without downforce and pick a track with a variety of corners.

Tsukuba is great for this.

Watch a race lap on YouTube Best motoring is great for Tsukuba.

Now practice different types of cornering especially mid and late apexes. Once you are confident try the same techniques on a different track. Always practice at your home track with a new car then transfer skills to a new track.
Click to expand...
 
Do you mean the 200m, 150m, 100m sign? Can you elaborate specifically on your braking method?

Here is the way i brake:
1. Make sure the car is in straight position.
2. slowly squeeze the brake.
3. step on it hard as I comes closer to the corner.
4. release about half way slowly while turning (trail braking).
5. Turn
6. Immediately back to throttle slowly.
7. Accelerate half about mid corner.
8. Accelerate with full throttle.

What am i doing wrong/right in term of braking?

steefpeef
the breaking marks on the tarmac can be also very useful for breakingpoints...
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Yeah, we need to use different lines for different cars and I agree especially the optimal lines for karts are very different from cars.

I have reviewed several top 100 videos in time trials, i see that there is a lot of similarities in the line they take even if they drive different cars. Sometimes by watching and observing the line they take and then later when i practice with my cars, I usually improve my own lap by 1-3 seconds.

I would like to see if someone could have provided an explanation of the line they take and share some insights (why late braking, why early apex in each particular corner ...).

332i
No one could tell you the answer without driving the car, OP. You won't know the best line for a car, until you understand how it wants to be driven and tossed around.
Click to expand...
 
Once the goal of the exercise is no longer learning the hot lap, you'll find, racing, you have to be comfortable on nearly any area of the official 'between the whites.' Often time, the other guys out there with you will be hogging all-the-good-spots.

:boggled::gtpflag:
 
FSportIS
Do you mean the 200m, 150m, 100m sign? Can you elaborate specifically on your braking method?

Here is the way i brake:
1. Make sure the car is in straight position.
2. slowly squeeze the brake.
3. step on it hard as I comes closer to the corner.
4. release about half way slowly while turning (trail braking).
5. Turn
6. Immediately back to throttle slowly.
7. Accelerate half about mid corner.
8. Accelerate with full throttle.

What am i doing wrong/right in term of braking?
Click to expand...

It was a general suggestion about using the markers to figure out where you should stop, not 'hit the brake at the 100 metre board in every car at every corner' or something. You seem to want to be told how to do everything at once, which is really not going to happen. Most of learning to drive faster is just watching others and adapting your own technique, and the occasional piece of advice. Speaking of which, 2 should not be on that list of braking steps (everything else is about right), you want to be getting on the brakes as hard as possible, as late as possible. As long as it's not upsetting the balance of the car or otherwise causing a crash, aggression is always fast.
 
...although... someone once mentioned it seemed to be an f1/ lm can slow from 100m, gt3, gt500 from 150, and most production cars from 200... ymmv
 
MerleApAmber
...although... someone once mentioned it seemed to be an f1/ lm can slow from 100m, gt3, gt500 from 150, and most production cars from 200... ymmv
Click to expand...

Maybe at one particular corner, but it's not an overall rule. I've braked 50 metres either way with all of those cars depending on the tyres and the corner.
 
It seems like a good tip, I would try that and adjust it according to the different car and track. By the way, should we upgrade with "racing brake" for production cars?
 
FSportIS
It seems like a good tip, I would try that and adjust it according to the different car and track. By the way, should we upgrade with "racing brake" for production cars?
Click to expand...

Only if you can't get sufficient force to lock the standard brakes, the only thing the racing brakes do is increase maximum force, if you're already at the car's limit there's no gain in going beyond.
 
mistersafeway
Only if you can't get sufficient force to lock the standard brakes, the only thing the racing brakes do is increase maximum force, if you're already at the car's limit there's no gain in going beyond.
Click to expand...

where are we at with regard to the irl intention of beastie brakes; reduce or completely prevent repetitive fade? I really haven't noticed a difference one to the other - yet... one often hopes all good things from our code engineers.
 
MerleApAmber
where are we at with regard to the irl intention of beastie brakes; reduce or completely prevent repetitive fade? I really haven't noticed a difference one to the other - yet... one often hopes all good things from our code engineers.
Click to expand...

Brake fade doesn't seem to be modelled at all, unfortunately. :(
 
I tend to have this weird a.d.d. symptom when I try to focus and remember the optimal line for cornering. I just go with the flow most of the time. Then again, I am not so competitive, but rather tend to enjoy the ride than trying to be number 1. I know this did not contribute to your needs but felt like venting because I think I have a.d.d. When it comes to trying to find and memorize optimal line for cornering.
 
Thanks for all the tips and videos. Again, I can drive and gold several seasonal events with no problems. I know the basic in and out with both real life cars and in game. I'm looking to improve to the next level, shaving those few seconds off to be competitive, not just gold.

I have direct questions to ask so let's focus on the specific. Please be specific as much as possible.
1. How often do you trail brake, when and why? Do you trail brake before the long straight?
2. Do you lift throttle oversteer, when and why? Is this beneficial in sharp slow speed corner or high speed corner?
3. Do you just brake in straight, release brake completely to turn, and then accelerate? This seems to be safe but not fast.
4. What technique do you use at the chicane? Please be specific.
5. What technique do you use at the 180 degree hairpin? Please be specific.
 
I don't use advice from people that much, it's really more helpful for me just to get out there and practice. More boring, lonely, and just terrible yes, but it's like riding a bicycle. Once you do that, you'll never have to ask about the right line (as much anyway) or worry about technique. Gives you an instinct for it, y'know?
 
FSportIS
Thanks for all the tips and videos. Again, I can drive and gold several seasonal events with no problems. I know the basic in and out with both real life cars and in game. I'm looking to improve to the next level, shaving those few seconds off to be competitive, not just gold.

I have direct questions to ask so let's focus on the specific. Please be specific as much as possible.
1. How often do you trail brake, when and why? Do you trail brake before the long straight?
2. Do you lift throttle oversteer, when and why? Is this beneficial in sharp slow speed corner or high speed corner?
3. Do you just brake in straight, release brake completely to turn, and then accelerate? This seems to be safe but not fast.
4. What technique do you use at the chicane? Please be specific.
5. What technique do you use at the 180 degree hairpin? Please be specific.
Click to expand...

1. Always. If the car isn't unsettled too much I'll trail brake it, to carry more momentum in answer to why.
2. It should beneficial for low speed corners in general, although I'm sure there are exceptions, none spring to mind though. High speed, yes, if not going fast enough to need braking it can be a natural consequence, in the middle of a corner it's best saved as a last resort recovery when understeering off from too much speed.
3. Only in the sort of car I wouldn't be likely to race.
4. It depends on the chicane, the one at Ascari is just a few flicks, others are less delicate. Maybe this'll help, if you're scrubbing off a lot of speed, a tight line for the first part to get a wide exit for acceleration is likely the way to go, if you're maintaining a lot the straightest line should be best.
5. I favour out in out (apex around the middle, but I mix it up for various reasons, like tyre wear or battling for position), but I suspect you'll get at least three different answers depending on who you ask.

1 and 2 are whatever you feel comfortable with, 3 is personal opinion, 'cause I'm a wuss, 4 is a guideline, and 5 is variable, with three techniques I can think of, early, traditional, and late apex. In all honesty, though, racing and watching faster people than yourself is almost always the best way to get faster
 
Oh I may as well answer these too, I'm not the best driver but I know what I'm doing a little at least.

1)Yeah I do it most of the time, but I'm really just using the brakes to sort of 'steer' the car more towards the apex, and aim out of the corner.

2)I do a lot, mostly at a sharper 90 degree corner or something like that. Again, anything just to aim for the apex and out of the corner, so I'll swing the car towards it about a quarter the way in usually.

3)Sometimes yeah, but then I've usually messed it up. I like to muscle the car through the corner, which doesn't help me all the time, but does give me some sort of control over the type of car that does that. Which is FF (I think) and with those cars I can carry their speed late into the corner, and release, using the front engine's weight to jolt the car into whichever direction I want. Fast? Meh, but it's certainly fun.

4)Straightest line through it usually. Sometimes there's a bit more curve to it, so you have to just treat the first corner as its own low-speed corner, and set up to cut across the second corner as straight as possible.

5)Out in out, but I tend to slide the back wheels a tiny bit towards the end, set up for a better launch out.

I know these probably aren't that good of tips, but I'm not the best driver, so it's what I do.
 

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