I tried the SFS [Super Formula Stupid] race at Fuji today.
OBSERVATIONS
The AI were a lot slower than I remembered - 1:26 to low 1:25s slower. They always got on the brakes quite early, but that behavior was much, MUCH more pronounced here. I had to do emergency evasive maneuvers going into Turn 1 and the big sloooooow chicane because of this.
The AI also lost their extra 50hp on the big straightaway. I could keep up with them, even with my lazy tall gearing. They're still quick through the final sector, but that quickness felted much fairer.
RACE 1
I went in with a sprint build on Racing Softs. Trying to do a 1-Stop strategy, I fully barbecued the left front tire when I boxed in at the end of lap 8. I made short work of the AI everywhere though.
Fraga pit in on the last lap, while everyone else stayed out for a no-pit run. I clawed back my lead in the final moments only to pick up a penalty for giving the bollard at the high speed left an all-too-early celebratory high five.
Oh right, penalties. Because this race has penalties too! 🫠
That penalty was precisely enough for second place to catch me down the final straight and win by 0.05 seconds.The real victory, however, was mine; because I laughed at this honestly rather than snapping my controller in half and eating its insides.
RACE 2
I gave in to peer pressure, fitted Racing Hards and aimed for a no-pit strategy. This was previously impossible for all but aliens because of the AI shenanigans listed by
@Tommy_D above. The no-pit strategy back then was flambéed Racing Medium tires;
extra molten.
But this time, I picked the AI off, one by one, group by group, and was pulling away from the field halfway through the race. One of them woke up during my 6 second lead and ran a 1:24.9 - and then went back to sleep. I finished 1st by 11 seconds.
The first race had rain, but not nearly enough to warrant a tire change. The second was dry bones, restarts and all.
With that out of the way, it's time to return to my driving bliss...