- 2,632
- United Kingdom
I disagree. Setting a bad qualifying time will just put you at the back of the pack. Learn the track so that you can nail your qualifying time on every lap you do.
Winless in Over 100 Races
- Thread starter Satomiblood
- 132 comments
- 8,155 views
I disagree. Setting a bad qualifying time will just put you at the back of the pack. Learn the track so that you can nail your qualifying time on every lap you do.
- 2,913
- UK
- phil_75
I'm a fairly late-comer to the game so I'm only sitting on 8 wins from 56 races; but if you want to win more often (assuming you're competent to begin with) I'd recommend NOT qualifying at 100% of your pace, super maxed out, full commitment - because you will not be able to consistently lap at that time.
I often race just to race, so I don't tend to bother with qualifying. I might do 1 lap, but I make sure I set a time that I can consistently hit +/-0.1 pretty much every lap.
Most other drivers in your race won't be able to consistently get within 1 second of their quali time, so assuming you're able to drive consistently you'll have a lot more pace than those around you.
I can start 10-15th and still have a good chance of taking the win so long as the race is >3 laps and I don't get taken out early, plus you have a great race through the pack anyway!
As others have said, stick to the same race/car combination for your session, and your quali time will naturally improve anyway, but this method ensures it improves in sync with your overall pace, not a freak one-off that you can't replicate.
Main thing is to just enjoy the race, and accept you won't win every event you enter
1,You gotta pass them.
2, You gotta avoid all the carnage.
3, That strategy won't work when you get to higher DR levels.
I do as fast a qualifying lap as possible.
Track position is king.
- 528
- United Kingdom
- PD_ApexPredator
Learn the track goes without saying.
Not bothering so much with qualifying puts you mid-pack with about +1-1.5 seconds race pace compared to those around you.
Whereas if he does his best lap in quali he'll only be surrounded by drivers with greater race pace than himself.
Obviously ideally stick it on pole and lead the race, but it doesn't sound like qualifying well is going to help the OP because it doesn't sound like he'd be able to match his lap in the race.
tl;dr
You need to be able to drive at a consistent pace. Having a blitz quali lap won't help you if you're getting overwhelmed and prone to mistakes with traffic close behind you.
Focus on being able to drive consistent lap times and you'll move forwards in a race instead of backwards.
- 2,632
- United Kingdom
I find that qualifying positions are variable... sometimes you can be 3rd and be +5 seconds on the 1 or 2 in front. Other times you can qualify 16th and only be a second off. I think the matchmaking uses DR then SR then qualifying time. So, imo, it is better to nail qualifying, get used to just going from corner to corner without even thinking and qualify high in the knowledge that you are happy with the track
- 528
- United Kingdom
- PD_ApexPredator
Of course, and if the OP can drive his qualifying times in the race mistake free, then for sure, do your best lap in quali.
But it sounds as if he can't, so my simple suggestion was just to enter the race with a lot of pace in hand because most people at his level won't be able to match their times during the race.
I'm by no means saying it's optimal, and obviously it won't work were he to gain DR level, but it might help lift some of the pressure that's clearly affecting his driving if he knows he's got consistent pace in hand - just a thought.
- 2,632
- United Kingdom
Fair enough 👍
- 3,051
- England
- kilesa4568
It sounds like you're trying too hard and not enjoying it as a result.
Accidents happen to everyone. Particularly in the lower ranks but they're part and parcel of online racing as everyone is on the limit. Show some confidence to those other drivers and stop getting yourself bullied. Make them think twice about taking you on but don't use contact to force a point. You're inviting payback on yourself and memories are long in racing.
What rank are you?
- 16,433
- United Kingdom
No Poles, No Victories, No Fastest laps... only 16 daily races in the bag though.
So I've got no advice
Just don't feel too bad about it, and celebrate the inner Nick Heidfeld!!
So I've got no advice
Just don't feel too bad about it, and celebrate the inner Nick Heidfeld!!
- 1,270
- United Kingdom
Thanks very much for the explanation, I had no idea you could view it! Well I'm very glad to see I've been absolute maximum SR on many occasions but my DR obviously indicates that while You will get a clean race from me, it won't neccesarily be the most exciting! Saying that, I'm only a few poles off the 3rd tier achieveent and got the one for wins a long time ago. Got quite a few fastest laps in the bag too but im thinking maybe i was racing very tired or very drunk people and just got lucky!
- 2,509
- Lancaster, PA
- Satomiblood
I currently use a number of driver aids. I typically have the TCS set at 2 for FR and MR vehicles, 0 for FF and 4WD. Break balance varies a lot. Haven't quite found a comfortable setting yet. As for visuals, I currently have the driving line and blue markers set. The line kind of helps me. It's one of the few things that's able to keep me focused on the track. I also have the Brake notification switched to on because I haven't mastered my timing on breaking and need that reminder. I guess you could say I'm using any and all combination of training wheels.
I'm currently a C/B. I was actually a D/S as of Friday, but some Saturday carnage killed my SR. But hey, at least my DR went up to the next class.
It sounds like you're trying too hard and not enjoying it as a result.
Accidents happen to everyone. Particularly in the lower ranks but they're part and parcel of online racing as everyone is on the limit. Show some confidence to those other drivers and stop getting yourself bullied. Make them think twice about taking you on but don't use contact to force a point. You're inviting payback on yourself and memories are long in racing.
What rank are you?
I'm currently a C/B. I was actually a D/S as of Friday, but some Saturday carnage killed my SR. But hey, at least my DR went up to the next class.
- 2,632
- United Kingdom
@Satomiblood I turned the driving line off last week (just blue markers now) and 100% I am setting better lap times without it. It distracts you into following it despite it NOT being the optimum racing line.
- 154
- Huntsville AL
- takervader
I was going up in SR because I was driving clean but i was getting passed in turns at times, they hit me and they went up in SR most of the time, so I decided to race mad and not give up spots when idiots try to dive inside. I got penalized in SR but my DR goes up, you may have to make that trade off.
Granted, I dont' care one bit about my SR rating.
Granted, I dont' care one bit about my SR rating.
- 1,068
- Raleigh, NC
- booch16
I only have a few wins myself, but I haven't played with my wheel much at all. I know I can do a lot better with a wheel and turn off TCS. Playing with my controller I can watch the faster guys pull away simply because I have TCS on. Also I find a wheel to be much better for my consistency.
I won my first 3 races and jumped straight to dr B haven’t won one since ( 95 races) it became so much harder as soon as it’s dr c and above it seems.
Being sr S also means I’m paired up with clean drivers that don’t make many mistakes and go off course often which means less chance to pick up easy places during the race.
Came a very very close second 3 times on fia races which got my heart rate going quite a bit lol
Winning isn’t everything, I still enjoy the majority of the races as long as their clean
Being sr S also means I’m paired up with clean drivers that don’t make many mistakes and go off course often which means less chance to pick up easy places during the race.
Came a very very close second 3 times on fia races which got my heart rate going quite a bit lol
Winning isn’t everything, I still enjoy the majority of the races as long as their clean
- 658
- Canada
This pretty much, just worry about your own race line. If someone behind you is faster during the race then so be it, let them overtake you.
^ don't listen to that.
- 204
- United States
This makes absolutely no sense.
- 2,509
- Lancaster, PA
- Satomiblood
I usually fit in a qualifying lap or two prior to a daily race, but if I have more time, I'll continue to do qualifying laps to improve upon my previous results. I've actually done a pretty decent job of placing 5th in the grid. It's finishing better than my starting position that I struggle with once I start sniffing the higher slots on the grid.
- 3,051
- England
- kilesa4568
I've just started qualifying (I hate hot lapping
) until my optimum lap time is only marginally quicker than my best lap and becomes a chore to chase. That should put you up at the sharp end of the grid as a DRC but as I said, have a bit of confidence in your ability. As soon as you move off line to let aggressive drivers through, you're setting a precedent for anyone who saw you do it to try the same thing. If they're behind you, make them work for it. If they hit you, they hit you. Forewarned is forearmed for your next attempt though. They're usually that worried about retribution, their driving goes to pieces and you get an easy pass. Never resort to contact as it will only slow you both down.
Puff your chest out and get stuck in. It's only a game.
Good luck to you.
- 2,509
- Lancaster, PA
- Satomiblood
I have a few replays that I saved over the weekend. I'll post some of them once I figure out how to share them on here, including one where someone hit me, but placed the blame on me for wrecking them.
- 3,051
- England
- kilesa4568
I've seen what happens down in DR C and it's a full on Mad Max mode for most people. It would be a lot quicker to say what went right in those races rather than what went wrong.
If I'm honest, it's survival of the fittest down there but you can turn it to your advantage by using their aggression against them. Keep your radar on and watch your mirrors.
Post your videos up though as there's a lot of friendly top ranked drivers on here who'll be happy to give you hints and tips.👍
If I'm honest, it's survival of the fittest down there but you can turn it to your advantage by using their aggression against them. Keep your radar on and watch your mirrors.
Post your videos up though as there's a lot of friendly top ranked drivers on here who'll be happy to give you hints and tips.👍
- 25
- São Paulo
- Juninho_WRX
Well, I'm not an alien pilot like Doodle, Snow or IOF, but after getting a wheel I managed to improve a lot and today I always walk near the top 10 in the daily races.
What helped me a lot was watching some Snow and IOF videos on youtube, these guys are pilots from another world and in a way helped me to improve my driving style.
I have almost 100 full races and 36 wins, which, in my opinion, is not bad, and I always aim to improve gradually, always prioritizing to finish the race cleanly.
What I find hardest in a race is that you have to focus on your driving line, not on the face in front of you, this is definitely hard to learn.
What helped me a lot was watching some Snow and IOF videos on youtube, these guys are pilots from another world and in a way helped me to improve my driving style.
I have almost 100 full races and 36 wins, which, in my opinion, is not bad, and I always aim to improve gradually, always prioritizing to finish the race cleanly.
What I find hardest in a race is that you have to focus on your driving line, not on the face in front of you, this is definitely hard to learn.
- 792
- Canada
I have 10 wins in 220 races and I couldn't care less if that number was lower. Actually the races where you win 1st place are often more boring because you're just out in front of the pack racing by yourself.
My fav races are the ones where you're part of a closer 3-4 pack and you're battling back and forth for positions, even if you all end up somewhere in the middle.
It's a racing sim, not a winning sim.
My fav races are the ones where you're part of a closer 3-4 pack and you're battling back and forth for positions, even if you all end up somewhere in the middle.
It's a racing sim, not a winning sim.
- 6,634
- Columbus, Ohio
- nog3861
4 wins in 360 Sport Mode Races. I tend not to worry about the wins, rather the fun and the challenge. If at the end of a race I did my best and held or improved my position, I’m satisfied. I am a lowly D/C and S/A. I stink, but I have a lot of fun playing the game.
- 362
- Netherlands
9 wins out of 325 races.
Only 1 came from pole postion and i can tell you it was nervewreking!!
Still i would like more wins.. i calculated: if i keep playing at this rate and keep winning i'll have the Schumacher 91 wins trophy in about 3 years from now.......
Edit: I love a clean race or a nice battle much more than a win! Or it must be an epic fight for the win!
DR-B 23xxx SR-S
Only 1 came from pole postion and i can tell you it was nervewreking!!
Still i would like more wins.. i calculated: if i keep playing at this rate and keep winning i'll have the Schumacher 91 wins trophy in about 3 years from now.......
Edit: I love a clean race or a nice battle much more than a win! Or it must be an epic fight for the win!
DR-B 23xxx SR-S
