Originally posted by InterCooler
Do you jab initially and slowly release or should you start slow and increase braking force?
I sometimes do that but I'm using manual shifting so I use the gears for slowing down while I brake. This seems to be the best bet and you have to learn exactly where to brake for the turns. Once you get used to driving with manual shifting and you learn the track you will be able to drive very quickly at Le Mans.
Originally posted by InterCooler
Does the tire ever wear out? Even after driving a full tank load of fuel, my tire still feels and looks fine (greenish). Does it only wear out in professional mode?
The tires definitley do wear out, I tend to slide the car a bit ever now and then and that does speed up tire wear. I'm using the expert mode of the game (no traction control). I can definitley tell that the level of grip has decrease by the end of a session.
Originally posted by InterCooler
How can they leave out Porsche 911 GT1 when it is shown in the intro?
I'm quite cross about that one too. The Playstion One version of the game (bad as it was) did have the Porsche 911 GT1 in it. It was called 'Team Name whatever' GT1 (eg. Roock GT1). I think there may have been licencing issues with EA (Porsche Unleashed). But they really should have put one of them in. I mean do we really need to have three Nissan R390 GT1s and especially three Toyota GT1s. That way we could have had all the major cars from the GT1 Le Mans era in the game.
harper had a 'shift map' for Le Mans over on the GTF which helped me a lot. Since the GTF is down I have made my own 'shift and braking map'. Here goes :
Home straight - Flat out.
Dunlop Curve - Start braking at about the spot when you get to the advertising boards on your right. I change down into 2nd gear here and keep it in 2nd until I'm over the crest of the hill then I change up into 3rd and then 4th.
Esses - Start braking after the 50 meter board (you'll see a few black marks across the track before the turn - brake at the second one before the turn) and change down into second. Make sure you get the car under control before the turn or you'll find yourself sliding off into the barriers. Now accelerate up through the gears as you run through the Esses.
Terte Rouge - Needs to be taken flat out in either 3rd or 4th (depending on the car) or you will loose valuable time. Approach the turn on the left and cut the corner very tightly (don't run onto the grass though) and watch that you don't run into the gravel on the right as you exit the turn.
Mulsanne Straight - Flat out down here and remember to drive the car to the maximum revs in each gear, this way you'll get some very fast speeds down here (don't 'bounce' in the gears - so take the time to find out where your car runs out of revs in each gear).
L'Arche (First Chicane) - Start over on the left of the road and start braking just before the 100 meter board and gear down to 3rd. I try to keep the car as far left as possible through the chicane and then accelerate out of the chicane once I clear the apex.
Mulsanne Straight (between the two chicanes) - Again flat out down here and remember to drive the car to the maximum revs in each gear.
La Florandiere (Second Chicane) - This one is harder than the first chicane. Start over on the right of the road and start braking just before the 100 meter board again but brake a bit harder this time and gear down into 2nd. Again I try to hug the apex of the chicane and accelerate out of the turn after the apex.
Mulsanne Straight (after the two chicanes) - Again flat out down here and remember to drive the car to the maximum revs in each gear. Enjoy catching some air over the hump
Mulsanne Kink and Mulsanne Corner - Start over on the left of the road and start your braking just after the 200 meter board. Gear down into 2nd and turn in late so that you cut the apex of the corner. Don't carry to much speed here or you will slide off into the gravel and loose lots of time.
Indianapolis - Again flat out down here and remember to drive the car to the maximum revs in each gear.
Arnage - Three part turn and probably the slowest part of the circuit. First part, the right hander, I get of the gas as I cut the apex of the turn and then get on the brakes very hard and gear down to 2nd. Second part, the left hander, I start over on the right of the road and cut the apex again. Accelerate out of the turn and don't run wide into the gravel. Third part, the right hander, I start braking when I see the start of the painted center divider. I keep to the left and gear down to either 2nd or 1st depending on the car. Cut the apex of the turn and accelerate out of it. Be careful of the grass as you exit the turn.
Porsche Curves (my least favorite part of the track) - Approach from the left of the road and gear down into 4th as you blip the brakes just before the first right hander. Flat out up the rise and keep to the right. Stay in 4th gear as you cut the apex. Try to stay in 4th as you complete the rest of the Porsche Curves, you may need to change down into 3rd if you loose too much speed. Try to keep off the grass too.
Ford Chicane - Approach from the right of the road and start braking as soon as you get to the blue boards on your left. Gear down into 2nd and ease the car through the first left/right section of the chicane. Accelerate a little and then get of the gas to ease the car though the last left/right section. Now accelerate out of the turn and complete another lap
