Quick question about Tokyo

[dkstz]

I recently bought a Supra JGTC (the Denso Sard), and my friend the Castrol one. Then, we ran the Tokyo endurance with each car and there was one very...strange thing we faced.
Both here and in his house, the other cars (also JGTC and some Touring ones), they did 2 pit stops in the race. We did 4!! Thing is... we were using R1 tyres (Super Hard) and pitted when they turn orange.

Now, how come the opponents can make their tyres last so long on that track?? I noticed that before running with the M3 GTR Race Car, but now it happened again.

Has someone else noticed this? Why this happen?? We WERE driving faster than the rest, even beating a Motul Pitwork Z in track, wich was supposed to be faster. On his house we lost by 7 seconds.. if wasn't for the extra pits...
But driving faster can't make the tyres last just half the distance!!

Can someone give us a light?? Thank you guys!

ps. on his house we were using DFP 900º and in my place I used the DS2.

 

[Famine]

In part it's due to the fact that they drive slower - even a 10% difference in speed in the corners can have astonishing effects on tyre longevity - and that their steering, braking and acceleration inputs are usually pretty smooth. They also pit on near-red tyres rather than orange and don't divide the race into sensible pit-periods. You likely did 4 stops for 5 roughly-equal-length track periods - they pit when they need it, without reference to how many laps remain.

 

[atteiros]

Here's something you might want to try. It kinda works for me...
If you're positive you have more than enough skill and speed than the AI, for an endurance race, do not take the lead early on the race. fight for second place. This will ensure that you are pacing your tyre wear more or less equal to the lead car. The AI cars usually run on orange tires about a few laps before they pit, so you really have to have good cornering skills at that point. If they pit, then pit along with them. The most important part of the race would be the last few laps This is where you should fight for the lead.

If you choose to lead, but think that you can simply pace yourself slower, or a bit closer to the 2nd place car, your braking and acceleration will be compromised and may lead to more tyre wear than if you maintain 2nd place. I'm not really sure if GT simulates drafting, but staying on second place will also make sure that the lead car cuts the air for you.👍 👍

Edit:
Another good thing about maintaining second is you get to learn how the AI cars tackle corners and will be tackling them in a similar manner. If you take the lead on orange/red tires, you increase your chances of spinning on a corner. Following the lead car's braking should eliminate that.

 

[Mt. Lynx]

^^great tip! You can also try to set up your car to be nicer to its tyres by taking away some downforce, raising rideheight and softening the suspension and set TCS at 2 or 3.
This only works in GT mode of course.

 

[SirBerra]

I really got a kick out of that the regular cars only needed a couple of stops. I did the race the other day for 200 points using the Suzuki GSXR/4 and although I creamed them, I still had to pit four times. Those heavy cars were getting better tire wear than my ultralight Suzuki. I believe I was using Hard Racing tires front and rear. I nearly lapped them by the end of the race so I was seriously motoring through turns. That alone would probably account for heavy tire wear. The Suzuki is excellent when it comes to tire wear if it isn't smoked through turns. Still, I wonder since the tires are so narrow compared to a larger car if that also makes a difference.

When I noticed that some of those AI cars got 28 laps on a set of tires, my jaw went slack. I kept saying after lap fourteen passed that those guys would have to pit soon since some of the Suzuki's tires were turning orange. Yeh, like fourteen more laps soon.

 

[dkstz]

When I noticed that some of those AI cars got 28 laps on a set of tires, my jaw went slack. I kept saying after lap fourteen passed that those guys would have to pit soon since some of the Suzuki's tires were turning orange. Yeh, like fourteen more laps soon.

Same here Me too end up in front by a lap and a little more, but still... astonished with the tyre life of those cars we're running against! So, it's not me after all..
Definitely there something going on in this Tokyo Endurance.

 

[Razzbar]

If you are using B-spec, the lower your speed setting, the longer your tires will last. It can give you an extra lap, but watch your lap times to make sure you are making a -net- gain that way.

Also, for A-spec, driving on the grass to cool off your tires doesn't work. Especially in Tokyo.

 

[Tornado]

In addition to what Famine said, you must also keep in mind that all of the DTM cars have less horsepower and weight than the JGTC cars, and thus less wear on the tires overall. Also, the A.I. in most of the corners on any track, especially ones like Tokyo, don't accelerate in the turns: they wait until the road straightens out, so they therefore have less stress on the tires both laterally and longitudally in pretty much every turn when compared to you.

 

[dkstz]

Also, the A.I. in most of the corners on any track, especially ones like Tokyo, don't accelerate in the turns: they wait until the road straightens out, so they therefore have less stress on the tires both laterally and longitudally in pretty much every turn when compared to you.

Well, it can be it then. In the 4th turn (after the stadium, a big right sweeper) is where you can gain a lot of time in the A.I. and you can hear it when turning (at least for me) the tyres go "all the way singing"
But I still don't think one turn in a lap can make THAT much of a difference.