2015 Round 4 - Circuit de la Sarthe 2013 - GT-R LM NISMO
- Thread starter numbnuts70
- 729 comments
- 68,117 views
GTsail
Premium
- 2,472
- Florida
- GTsail2/GTsail3
After watching a bunch of everyone's fast laps, I decided that I wasn't being daring enough, so with renewed determination and a heavy throttle, I strapped on my helmet and re-started the La Sarthe TT. After destroying my fair share of cones and a bunch of DQ's, I ran a fast lap and cracked the 3:31 barrier with a 3:30.859 lap!
Update:
-------------
After another track session, I've been able to improve my time to a 3:30.787 lap
I have moved up into 155th place on the US Region Leaderboard
2nd update:
---------------
After another track session, I've been able to improve my time to a 3:30.501 lap
This moved me up into 145th place on the US Region Leaderboard
I'm quite suitably pleased with my laps
Good luck everyone!
GTsail
Update:
-------------
After another track session, I've been able to improve my time to a 3:30.787 lap
I have moved up into 155th place on the US Region Leaderboard
2nd update:
---------------
After another track session, I've been able to improve my time to a 3:30.501 lap
This moved me up into 145th place on the US Region Leaderboard
I'm quite suitably pleased with my laps
Good luck everyone!
GTsail
Last edited:
LeGeNd-1
Premium
- 7,264
- Australia
- GTP_LeGeNd-1
I'm starting to reach the point now where I gain one section and lose in another. So hard to string together a good lap when you're in the low 3.30s 
I'll be very happy if I can get into the low 3.29s. Also I noticed braking as late as possible turns out faster times than getting the rotation early and focusing on exit 
That's backwards to how I've been driving so far. And for Wolf's 3.24 lap he uses 1 higher gear for most corners. This car is messing with my mind...
Also it might just be me, but I'm starting to think the grip glitch is back. It's a lot less noticeable with this car because it has good grip and initially the inconsistency caused by the car is greater than that caused by the glitch. But now that I've managed some consistent laps (when not pushing 110%), I noticed it's harder to hold a line with the same inputs in some sessions (Tetre Rouge, entry to Indy, Porsche Curves). Also it doesn't have any connection with sunny/cloudy. I've set fast times in both sunny and cloudy sessions.
I'll be very happy if I can get into the low 3.29s. Also I noticed braking as late as possible turns out faster times than getting the rotation early and focusing on exit That's backwards to how I've been driving so far. And for Wolf's 3.24 lap he uses 1 higher gear for most corners. This car is messing with my mind...Also it might just be me, but I'm starting to think the grip glitch is back. It's a lot less noticeable with this car because it has good grip and initially the inconsistency caused by the car is greater than that caused by the glitch. But now that I've managed some consistent laps (when not pushing 110%), I noticed it's harder to hold a line with the same inputs in some sessions (Tetre Rouge, entry to Indy, Porsche Curves). Also it doesn't have any connection with sunny/cloudy. I've set fast times in both sunny and cloudy sessions.
- 198
- UAE
- Crococdile
I don't think the glitch is there luckily. Whenever I set a new best time I exit and re-enter because I can't focus if I can see that I'm ahead/behind my ghost, it just throws me off. I didn't notice any difference in grip like I did in the previous rounds. I set a best time in lots of different sessions. If it's there then it's probably very small, but I personally haven't experienced it in this round.I'm starting to reach the point now where I gain one section and lose in another. So hard to string together a good lap when you're in the low 3.30s
Also it might just be me, but I'm starting to think the grip glitch is back. It's a lot less noticeable with this car because it has good grip and initially the inconsistency caused by the car is greater than that caused by the glitch. But now that I've managed some consistent laps (when not pushing 110%), I noticed it's harder to hold a line with the same inputs in some sessions (Tetre Rouge, entry to Indy, Porsche Curves). Also it doesn't have any connection with sunny/cloudy. I've set fast times in both sunny and cloudy sessions.
LeGeNd-1
Premium
- 7,264
- Australia
- GTP_LeGeNd-1
Let's hope that's the case. At the start I was sort of ambivalent whether there are any grip differences, but lately I've been noticing inconsistencies that's not caused by my driving.
It's really annoying and I wish PD would just communicate properly with their fanbase. Can't have everything I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- 3,709
- São Paulo
- Philip-Giger
Great lap Conte!25.2! 3rd overall!
Not bad!!!
Thomas__633
(Banned)
- 1,203
- Australia
Something I haven't heard mentioned:
To get KERS you have to brake AND turn. The first four bars of KERS are used at around 200km/h. The final bar is used around 285 km/h.
To get KERS you have to brake AND turn. The first four bars of KERS are used at around 200km/h. The final bar is used around 285 km/h.
- 121
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- whalengt
No sorry it's more like a bog in the electronics. I'm pretty good at modulating the throttle. I've tried short shifting i've tried to come out of the apex in third and nothing changes. The engine dies and then all of a sudden it goes from 2000rpm to 5000 and I'm back to racing. The worst one is between the Ford chicane and the start line and the time loss is massive. I can stay with Wolfie till the engine boggs then he's gone and I'm waiting for my engne to spool up. Think I may take my G25v pedals apart and clean the contacts tomorrow.
- 6,290
- Washington State
- OutlawQuadrant
Okay! Guide time! I hope that someone finds it useful. At the minimum, it should get you into 26s.
Before we begin, a few things to point out:
1. I’ll continually update this guide up through the end of the round.
2. I would experiment with wheel settings to find something that works:
a. Controller Steering Sensitivity – On my Driving Force Pro, I turn more quickly with -2 than 7 but lose accuracy. Baffling because it should be a setting that only affects analog users. Could just be I have ancient hardware but at least test this out.
b. Force Feedback Max Torque – Historically, I’ve gone low on this setting, making the wheel quite slack. I went to 8, the highest I’ve ever used and I may go all the way to 10. The car bounces around so much, keeping it in line is difficult, especially when you approach corners. Therefore, stiffening the wheel alleviates some of that.
c. Force Feedback Sensitivity – If it’s not at 1 already, put it there now. Believe me, you already know what the track feels like.
3. Keep your stints on the brief side. This challenge will wear on your hands, wrists and patience. Personally, I start wearing out after two hours.
4. The ideal gear to use at certain corners is something each one should experiment. I’ve seen many drivers use different gears/upshift points with similar lap times. I can note this much:
a. 1st gear gives more rotation than 2nd. However, 2nd lessens the chance to hit a cone if you use wider arcs through certain corners.
b. Be mindful of the boost. It kicks in somewhere over 110 mph. In most cases, you want to upshift around that speed. It also activates at 170+ mph but it's more of a curiosity than anything meaningful.
5. You must account for understeer when angling the wheel. I factor that in on my exits by picking a spot away from the limit and let the car drift out there. With time, you can start taking more chances.
6. How you accelerate from corners is crucial. If you’re billowing like a chimney on exits, you’re burning away straightaway speed. Be a little less aggressive from the onset to spool up the turbo and add more as you clear the corner. Around 70-75 mph, that’s a rough range where you can upshift to 2nd without bogging down the engine.
7. At no point do I use the handbrake. I'm not proficient with it.
Now onto the corners:
Ford Chicane
I will make the assumption you won’t be running a personal best on anything other than the first lap. Therefore, position your car in a way to get the best exit toward start/finish, whatever works best for you. There’s no point practicing both chicanes at speed anyways; the game doesn’t allow you to back up.
Dunlop Curve
Stay left and run straight ahead until reaching the line that runs across the track. If you can’t see that line, there’s a much shorter line that comes before it on the left that serves as an indicator. You want to arc it toward the cone without touching it. Perfection is actually not required as you can see on my first example lap. If you understeer, bleed off the gas to hold a nice line. The key is to keep the fronts relatively happy for the upcoming corner.
First Chicane
There's two ways I've seen it done. One requires nailing Dunlop and tucking it all the way to the right. The other allows for a margin of error on entry. I'll cover that first.
Aim about a lane away from the right edge of the track. When you reach the cone at the apex of Dunlop, go to minimal throttle or completely off if you’re losing front grip. Let the car coast for a moment and then hit the brakes. Be easy on the downshifts or you’ll light up the fronts too much and you'll end up plowing right off the track. As for whether to use 1st or 2nd, I have better luck reaching the first apex with 1st. If you keep going too far wide from the apex, check your speeds. Personally, my mind keeps wanting to go 65+ mph but it's too bumpy.
The subsequent right you’ll want to turn for the moment you hit the first apex; that second cone’s much harder to reach. I tend to upshift and be deliberate with the gas because it forces me to be patient and get reward with a stronger launch. If 1st works better, go for it. Wolf actually uses 3rd with an approach I attempted a few times without any success.
Alternatively, do whatever is needed so that the car stays glued to the right after Dunlop. You'll want to brake straight and keep an eye for the last short white line on your right. That's where you have to get off the brake and turn. This must be done in 1st gear and you need to carry more momentum. From what I've seen from other drivers, they start coasting in at around 80 mph and are down to just below 70 mph when they hit the first apex. After this, flick the car the other direction and hold moderate throttle. Do it right and you'll get a better launch all the way down to the Esses. Unfortunately, I don't have much success doing this. 1st gear is difficult for me to modulate and the bumps hinders proper turning for the exit. If you want an example of this method, I suggest looking at the top Italians.
Esses
For the right-hander, you can either turn in early and have a smooth arc or wait a little longer and take a sharper approach. The former lessens the chance of hitting an obstacle but the latter lines you up better for the approaching corner. I like going to 5th early for stability and an extra bit of speed at the bottom of the hill.
The left one’s a little tricky. One, it’s very line sensitive and two, the boost plays a factor. The more you brake, the more boost you get but you can’t slow too much either. Also, the boost can throw you off if it kicks in at the wrong spot. There's two viable options to tackle this:
Using 2nd: Brake after the road straightens out. When you reach the point where the access road and the track meet, downshift and turn left but not hard. If you didn’t scrub off too much speed, you can coast it in. Otherwise, touch the throttle to keep up momentum. Once you reach the first cone, dab the wheel in the other direction. If you have an excellent line, you can go to 3rd early. Otherwise, wait until the last moment so that it doesn’t push you off the line. You can steer harder to counteract if that happens but you’ll lose time doing so.
Staying in 3rd: You'll need to be more accurate with the turn-in point. Conversely, there's less chance of going too deep into the corner and dip the wheel onto the grass. From what I can tell, there's no real advantage with this option over the other. I simply go with 2nd because I'm a little more consistent doing it that way.
Tertre Rouge
I found something that works, sometimes. First off, upshift early to 4th. It helps stabilize the car, you won’t lose any time doing so and you get a little better rotation with the downshift (without having to do 3-2 which doesn't work). After going under the overhead sign, there’s a small dip in the road that you’ll feel. Right after that is your braking point and subsequent turn in point. Now, here’s the kicker. If you can brake just enough, you’ll add a bit of boost. That’s good for the straight but it’s bad because it will induce understeer when you don’t want it. If you don’t go full throttle, however, the boost doesn’t engage. The first example lap is the prime example of that.
Notice that on the second example lap, I got no boost. That and the imperfect turn cost me about .15 seconds per the analyzer. It’s not essential enough to go crazy with the brakes just to get it – consistency matters a lot more. Fair warning: I have a habit of clipping the grass at the entry point. If this is happening to you, give yourself a little space away from the edge before reaching the corner.
Playstation Chicane
Past the 200m board, there is a distinct object on the left (it’s actually two people standing!). At that point, brake straight and hard. After the 100m board, turn in. Do it in a way to avoid overstressing the tires. When you reach the first apex, start turning the other direction and downshift to 1st. You’ll need to turn more than what you think is needed because there’s a nasty bump by the cone that can throw you off if you hit it (and I did on my first example lap and I had to delay my acceleration). At the apex, start adding gas and when you feel comfortable, floor it.
You can keep 2nd all the way through and in fact, that’s what I had done before. It’s a little faster but more difficult to execute. You’ll need good arcs to make it work.
Michelin Chicane
Similar concept to Playstation except in reverse. Brake point is at or just before the 100m board. Turn in is around the post you see on the right side. The bumps on this corner are tougher to navigate but you can exploit more of the track on the exit as I did on the first example lap. Having said that, the analyzer says I hit both chicanes better on my second example lap.
Mulsanne
A corner that, in some cars, is one of the most frightening. Not so much with the Nissan.
There’s an overhanging object on the left at the bend. Right before it whizzes off screen, angle the car slightly right, stomp the brake and downshift. How you want to downshift comes down to your comfort level. You can gain a little more time with slower downshifts but there may be a chance you’ll go a little too wide on exit. If you go to 1st ASAP, you’ll stop sooner. If you line up all the way left on entry, you’ll want to turn in a little sooner but smoother. Conversely, you’ll have to be more aggressive attacking the apex if you’re further right. Whatever you do, avoid upshifting to 2nd until you’re certain the car is clear of the corner. Also, try to keep the car at or above 50 mph. I slowed to 47 mph on my second example lap, which cost me time.
Indianapolis
At the 100m board, brake lightly and make a moderate left off throttle. Avoid touching the throttle. You may think you need it but it throws the car too far outside. Instead, start braking and downshift deliberately while aiming the car toward the right the best you can. Watch your speed when it goes below 100 mph. Your aim is to make the left with minimal steering at or above 70 mph, so you may have to coast it in the rest of the way. 2nd works fine if you can get the car all the way right before the entry although I have gone beyond the track limits more often.
Arnage
The latest you want to brake is where the dirt transitions to grass on the right. It’s safer to move that point up a few feet, though. Brake straight. Do not be tempted and turn in early or you’ll plow right into the wall. Wait until the centerline ends before aiming for the apex. When you reach it, you want enough throttle to get the turbo spooled up. Compare where it’s at between the two vids – I got a better launch off the second flier despite not getting onto the rumbles.
If you keep going too wide off the exit and getting onto the grass, pretend that extra asphalt isn't there.
Porsche Curves/Maison Blanche
I can say this much. There’s different ways to attack this whole complex. You can go smooth or you can really attack it. The difference is your comfort level tossing this bizarre car around at high velocity.
Does the entry need to be tight to the inside. Nope. I’ve seen a fair share of drivers go really wide but hold the line. They do lose speed on the subsequent left, though. When I tried it, I sometimes made it through fine but I also binned the car because I mistimed my turns. If you want consistency, brake lightly at the 100m board, downshift to 4th and heave that car hard right. Be ready to blip the throttle in case you turn in too well but if you can hold 142-145 mph, the Nissan will stay planted on the line. I have determined that it’s better not to use 3rd since it only scrubs off more speed than needed. Once you made it through, the next left is easy. Just a small jab left and let it drift outside.
The following left-right-left is where you can either be tidy (Example Lap 1) or aggressive (Example Lap 2).
Tidy: Bleed off some gas and make the left with small wheel input. Downshift, back off more throttle and start going right. Keep the line tight right while holding around 131-134 mph or you’ll push wide (like I did). You can start accelerate more coming toward the final corner but you’ll have to back it off again once the road straightens.
Aggressive: At the break in the curbing on the right, toss the car moderate left. Back off the gas a little if needed. Downshift and throw the car heavy right. Don’t worry. The car will stick but you’ll need to carry sufficient speed to avoid over-rotation. For the final turn, throw the card hard again but to the left. Unfortunately, I apparently clipped the grass at the final turn-in point and in any other car, I would’ve binned it. Still gave away just about all the advantage I had gained through the Curves.
About getting on the rumbles at the apex for the final turn, I would not try to use them. Sometimes, they don't do anything but they have bounced my car all the way right and off the track. Use at your own risk.
Ford Chicane
If you made it this far, congratulations! Now you get to enter the chicanes of broken dreams.
Long story short, the Example Lap 2 run is the best I’ve ever done the chicanes. Basically, since the pit entry cones limits the space available on the right, I aim for a straight-line approach. Angle the car slightly toward the first apex. Brake as you approach the line of cones. Keep the downshifts on the conservative side. Turn but not hard. You don’t need as much arc as you think. The moment you touch the curb, flick it the other direction. Don’t try to position the car all the way right on the exit. Just apply medium throttle and get it right on the middle.
When the road becomes straight, go to 1st, dab the brake and attack the third cone the best you can. The better you can hit this bend, the better your launch and lesser chance of touching the last cone. The other key takeaway is maintaining whatever throttle you can through the last two corners. The turbo must stay spooled up and the speed cannot drop too far down. I believe the highest I've seen the speed held was at around 65 mph but that was with a wider angle. Around 62 mph would be a nice spot. Anything 59 mph and under I'd consider poor.
Before we begin, a few things to point out:
1. I’ll continually update this guide up through the end of the round.
2. I would experiment with wheel settings to find something that works:
a. Controller Steering Sensitivity – On my Driving Force Pro, I turn more quickly with -2 than 7 but lose accuracy. Baffling because it should be a setting that only affects analog users. Could just be I have ancient hardware but at least test this out.
b. Force Feedback Max Torque – Historically, I’ve gone low on this setting, making the wheel quite slack. I went to 8, the highest I’ve ever used and I may go all the way to 10. The car bounces around so much, keeping it in line is difficult, especially when you approach corners. Therefore, stiffening the wheel alleviates some of that.
c. Force Feedback Sensitivity – If it’s not at 1 already, put it there now. Believe me, you already know what the track feels like.
3. Keep your stints on the brief side. This challenge will wear on your hands, wrists and patience. Personally, I start wearing out after two hours.
4. The ideal gear to use at certain corners is something each one should experiment. I’ve seen many drivers use different gears/upshift points with similar lap times. I can note this much:
a. 1st gear gives more rotation than 2nd. However, 2nd lessens the chance to hit a cone if you use wider arcs through certain corners.
b. Be mindful of the boost. It kicks in somewhere over 110 mph. In most cases, you want to upshift around that speed. It also activates at 170+ mph but it's more of a curiosity than anything meaningful.
5. You must account for understeer when angling the wheel. I factor that in on my exits by picking a spot away from the limit and let the car drift out there. With time, you can start taking more chances.
6. How you accelerate from corners is crucial. If you’re billowing like a chimney on exits, you’re burning away straightaway speed. Be a little less aggressive from the onset to spool up the turbo and add more as you clear the corner. Around 70-75 mph, that’s a rough range where you can upshift to 2nd without bogging down the engine.
7. At no point do I use the handbrake. I'm not proficient with it.
Now onto the corners:
Ford Chicane
I will make the assumption you won’t be running a personal best on anything other than the first lap. Therefore, position your car in a way to get the best exit toward start/finish, whatever works best for you. There’s no point practicing both chicanes at speed anyways; the game doesn’t allow you to back up.
Dunlop Curve
Stay left and run straight ahead until reaching the line that runs across the track. If you can’t see that line, there’s a much shorter line that comes before it on the left that serves as an indicator. You want to arc it toward the cone without touching it. Perfection is actually not required as you can see on my first example lap. If you understeer, bleed off the gas to hold a nice line. The key is to keep the fronts relatively happy for the upcoming corner.
First Chicane
There's two ways I've seen it done. One requires nailing Dunlop and tucking it all the way to the right. The other allows for a margin of error on entry. I'll cover that first.
Aim about a lane away from the right edge of the track. When you reach the cone at the apex of Dunlop, go to minimal throttle or completely off if you’re losing front grip. Let the car coast for a moment and then hit the brakes. Be easy on the downshifts or you’ll light up the fronts too much and you'll end up plowing right off the track. As for whether to use 1st or 2nd, I have better luck reaching the first apex with 1st. If you keep going too far wide from the apex, check your speeds. Personally, my mind keeps wanting to go 65+ mph but it's too bumpy.
The subsequent right you’ll want to turn for the moment you hit the first apex; that second cone’s much harder to reach. I tend to upshift and be deliberate with the gas because it forces me to be patient and get reward with a stronger launch. If 1st works better, go for it. Wolf actually uses 3rd with an approach I attempted a few times without any success.
Alternatively, do whatever is needed so that the car stays glued to the right after Dunlop. You'll want to brake straight and keep an eye for the last short white line on your right. That's where you have to get off the brake and turn. This must be done in 1st gear and you need to carry more momentum. From what I've seen from other drivers, they start coasting in at around 80 mph and are down to just below 70 mph when they hit the first apex. After this, flick the car the other direction and hold moderate throttle. Do it right and you'll get a better launch all the way down to the Esses. Unfortunately, I don't have much success doing this. 1st gear is difficult for me to modulate and the bumps hinders proper turning for the exit. If you want an example of this method, I suggest looking at the top Italians.
Esses
For the right-hander, you can either turn in early and have a smooth arc or wait a little longer and take a sharper approach. The former lessens the chance of hitting an obstacle but the latter lines you up better for the approaching corner. I like going to 5th early for stability and an extra bit of speed at the bottom of the hill.
The left one’s a little tricky. One, it’s very line sensitive and two, the boost plays a factor. The more you brake, the more boost you get but you can’t slow too much either. Also, the boost can throw you off if it kicks in at the wrong spot. There's two viable options to tackle this:
Using 2nd: Brake after the road straightens out. When you reach the point where the access road and the track meet, downshift and turn left but not hard. If you didn’t scrub off too much speed, you can coast it in. Otherwise, touch the throttle to keep up momentum. Once you reach the first cone, dab the wheel in the other direction. If you have an excellent line, you can go to 3rd early. Otherwise, wait until the last moment so that it doesn’t push you off the line. You can steer harder to counteract if that happens but you’ll lose time doing so.
Staying in 3rd: You'll need to be more accurate with the turn-in point. Conversely, there's less chance of going too deep into the corner and dip the wheel onto the grass. From what I can tell, there's no real advantage with this option over the other. I simply go with 2nd because I'm a little more consistent doing it that way.
Tertre Rouge
I found something that works, sometimes. First off, upshift early to 4th. It helps stabilize the car, you won’t lose any time doing so and you get a little better rotation with the downshift (without having to do 3-2 which doesn't work). After going under the overhead sign, there’s a small dip in the road that you’ll feel. Right after that is your braking point and subsequent turn in point. Now, here’s the kicker. If you can brake just enough, you’ll add a bit of boost. That’s good for the straight but it’s bad because it will induce understeer when you don’t want it. If you don’t go full throttle, however, the boost doesn’t engage. The first example lap is the prime example of that.
Notice that on the second example lap, I got no boost. That and the imperfect turn cost me about .15 seconds per the analyzer. It’s not essential enough to go crazy with the brakes just to get it – consistency matters a lot more. Fair warning: I have a habit of clipping the grass at the entry point. If this is happening to you, give yourself a little space away from the edge before reaching the corner.
Playstation Chicane
Past the 200m board, there is a distinct object on the left (it’s actually two people standing!). At that point, brake straight and hard. After the 100m board, turn in. Do it in a way to avoid overstressing the tires. When you reach the first apex, start turning the other direction and downshift to 1st. You’ll need to turn more than what you think is needed because there’s a nasty bump by the cone that can throw you off if you hit it (and I did on my first example lap and I had to delay my acceleration). At the apex, start adding gas and when you feel comfortable, floor it.
You can keep 2nd all the way through and in fact, that’s what I had done before. It’s a little faster but more difficult to execute. You’ll need good arcs to make it work.
Michelin Chicane
Similar concept to Playstation except in reverse. Brake point is at or just before the 100m board. Turn in is around the post you see on the right side. The bumps on this corner are tougher to navigate but you can exploit more of the track on the exit as I did on the first example lap. Having said that, the analyzer says I hit both chicanes better on my second example lap.
Mulsanne
A corner that, in some cars, is one of the most frightening. Not so much with the Nissan.
There’s an overhanging object on the left at the bend. Right before it whizzes off screen, angle the car slightly right, stomp the brake and downshift. How you want to downshift comes down to your comfort level. You can gain a little more time with slower downshifts but there may be a chance you’ll go a little too wide on exit. If you go to 1st ASAP, you’ll stop sooner. If you line up all the way left on entry, you’ll want to turn in a little sooner but smoother. Conversely, you’ll have to be more aggressive attacking the apex if you’re further right. Whatever you do, avoid upshifting to 2nd until you’re certain the car is clear of the corner. Also, try to keep the car at or above 50 mph. I slowed to 47 mph on my second example lap, which cost me time.
Indianapolis
At the 100m board, brake lightly and make a moderate left off throttle. Avoid touching the throttle. You may think you need it but it throws the car too far outside. Instead, start braking and downshift deliberately while aiming the car toward the right the best you can. Watch your speed when it goes below 100 mph. Your aim is to make the left with minimal steering at or above 70 mph, so you may have to coast it in the rest of the way. 2nd works fine if you can get the car all the way right before the entry although I have gone beyond the track limits more often.
Arnage
The latest you want to brake is where the dirt transitions to grass on the right. It’s safer to move that point up a few feet, though. Brake straight. Do not be tempted and turn in early or you’ll plow right into the wall. Wait until the centerline ends before aiming for the apex. When you reach it, you want enough throttle to get the turbo spooled up. Compare where it’s at between the two vids – I got a better launch off the second flier despite not getting onto the rumbles.
If you keep going too wide off the exit and getting onto the grass, pretend that extra asphalt isn't there.
Porsche Curves/Maison Blanche
I can say this much. There’s different ways to attack this whole complex. You can go smooth or you can really attack it. The difference is your comfort level tossing this bizarre car around at high velocity.
Does the entry need to be tight to the inside. Nope. I’ve seen a fair share of drivers go really wide but hold the line. They do lose speed on the subsequent left, though. When I tried it, I sometimes made it through fine but I also binned the car because I mistimed my turns. If you want consistency, brake lightly at the 100m board, downshift to 4th and heave that car hard right. Be ready to blip the throttle in case you turn in too well but if you can hold 142-145 mph, the Nissan will stay planted on the line. I have determined that it’s better not to use 3rd since it only scrubs off more speed than needed. Once you made it through, the next left is easy. Just a small jab left and let it drift outside.
The following left-right-left is where you can either be tidy (Example Lap 1) or aggressive (Example Lap 2).
Tidy: Bleed off some gas and make the left with small wheel input. Downshift, back off more throttle and start going right. Keep the line tight right while holding around 131-134 mph or you’ll push wide (like I did). You can start accelerate more coming toward the final corner but you’ll have to back it off again once the road straightens.
Aggressive: At the break in the curbing on the right, toss the car moderate left. Back off the gas a little if needed. Downshift and throw the car heavy right. Don’t worry. The car will stick but you’ll need to carry sufficient speed to avoid over-rotation. For the final turn, throw the card hard again but to the left. Unfortunately, I apparently clipped the grass at the final turn-in point and in any other car, I would’ve binned it. Still gave away just about all the advantage I had gained through the Curves.
About getting on the rumbles at the apex for the final turn, I would not try to use them. Sometimes, they don't do anything but they have bounced my car all the way right and off the track. Use at your own risk.
Ford Chicane
If you made it this far, congratulations! Now you get to enter the chicanes of broken dreams.
Long story short, the Example Lap 2 run is the best I’ve ever done the chicanes. Basically, since the pit entry cones limits the space available on the right, I aim for a straight-line approach. Angle the car slightly toward the first apex. Brake as you approach the line of cones. Keep the downshifts on the conservative side. Turn but not hard. You don’t need as much arc as you think. The moment you touch the curb, flick it the other direction. Don’t try to position the car all the way right on the exit. Just apply medium throttle and get it right on the middle.
When the road becomes straight, go to 1st, dab the brake and attack the third cone the best you can. The better you can hit this bend, the better your launch and lesser chance of touching the last cone. The other key takeaway is maintaining whatever throttle you can through the last two corners. The turbo must stay spooled up and the speed cannot drop too far down. I believe the highest I've seen the speed held was at around 65 mph but that was with a wider angle. Around 62 mph would be a nice spot. Anything 59 mph and under I'd consider poor.
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- 19
- Brasília
- Cruz-Andre
- 907
- CAR_ODB
Someone please send this picture to those Nismo engineers, I think modulating the front wing to a shape above would save me tons of DQ's but it still wouldn't hamper the down force too much... I'm no engineer I might be wrong on that one, but clipping couple inches from each side would make all the difference tackling those cones I'm sure of that
- 344
- Italy
- Il_Conte_Sky
The point is that the cones in this game aren't actually cones. Their hitbox is modeled as a big rectangle, wide as the BASE of the cone. This leads us in all of these misakes. Mostly, IRL we wouldn't hit those cones. In fact, at Mulsanne, I never hit the poles on the inside, because they're modeled just fine.View attachment 385244
Someone please send this picture to those Nismo engineers, I think modulating the front wing to a shape above would save me tons of DQ's but it still wouldn't hamper the down force too much... I'm no engineer I might be wrong on that one, but clipping couple inches from each side would make all the difference tackling those cones I'm sure of that
Honestly, PoDi is a bit clumsy when it comes to model the hitboxes. For example, the Alfa MiTo is quite wider than its real body. Try to drive it at Monaco and you'll see
- 907
- CAR_ODB
Yeah... Really F'd up for something is not quite how it looks to be, making decisions in so fast pace during driving it's not so easy to tell yourself those cones really are bigger than they appear.
Yep, first few times going too close those inside cones at Mulsanne I was sure I'm going to DQ but nothing happened...
Hah I can easily believe what you're saying about that MiTo, seems like PD is a kid with some sort of ADHD, it can be miraculously accurate on some things that really doesn't even matter at all (isn't the night sky modeled like the real sky or something, I mean who the hell has time to look at the sky while racing, insane if you ask me
) and somethings that are quite essential are left without any sort of attention 
but yeah, ducking those cones has always been really annoying and I think it's mostly because they are modeled so badly, if the cones would be the shape they appear I think going close to them would be much easier, now it's a bit of guess work always for there's something invisible... Freaking PD is really taking care they make this as hard to us as they just can, invisible barriers and stuff, what next PD what next... I'd say PD should get rid of those cones altogether and just use poles like at Mulsanne, would make everyone's life much easier
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- 1,083
- England
- skyline_catt1683
I can't thank you enough for this watching your lap and reading your tips helped me knock out some of the simple mistakes I was making in the more technical sections.
I'm now in to the 26s with a 3:26:802 good enough for 8th in
the UK and 106th world wide but no time to rest from the progress everyone else is making I doubt il be there for long.
Tidgney
Premium
- 3,108
- Southport
- LZR_Tidgney
As I've recovered from Man flu and I'm now off work I'll be putting in some serious mileage until Wednesday when the Le Man trip for me kicks off! 3:26.4xx so far, and the guide will be uploading overnight due to the internet being used for something more important today!
- 64
- France
- DART-95
Hah I can easily believe what you're saying about that MiTo, seems like PD is a kid with some sort of ADHD, it can be miraculously accurate on some things that really doesn't even matter at all (isn't the night sky modeled like the real sky or something, I mean who the hell has time to look at the sky while racing, insane if you ask me
Me! Me!
Oh wait, no
maybe Aliens can?Oh I found the next GT Academy's last round: Nissan Rover GTR Stradale-Scuderia-GTO-RS 16' on the Moon Grand Prix
Or on Mars with Curiosity's datas
- 907
- CAR_ODB
Oh wait, no
Seems to me like some of those guys really use stars or something to navigate trough those corners at such speed but I really have to keep my eye really firmly on the road to even stay on it lol, specially with these track limits there really is no room for slip ups
I sort of liked those track limits on those moon missions
- 13
- Belgium
- ginsw1ft
Just what I needed...
Trying to do a new stint today, after not playing for a few days...Doing a few laps and improving with .3s per lap.
Turn console off, go eat...get back up and start the ps3...just to see my TR100 calibrating, hearing a soft *crack crack*...steering wheel isn't calibrating correctly anymore... problem with automatic centring...the centre of my steering wheel is now set to 45° to the left...
Meaning: this thing is undriveable and my GT Academy is DONE!!!
Trying to do a new stint today, after not playing for a few days...Doing a few laps and improving with .3s per lap.
Turn console off, go eat...get back up and start the ps3...just to see my TR100 calibrating, hearing a soft *crack crack*...steering wheel isn't calibrating correctly anymore... problem with automatic centring...the centre of my steering wheel is now set to 45° to the left...
Meaning: this thing is undriveable and my GT Academy is DONE!!!
- 15,532
- Cairo, Egypt
- GTP_SEMS
Tidgney
Premium
- 3,108
- Southport
- LZR_Tidgney
Does it rhyme with corn?
haha very funny, actually involves one member of family's work and if it went wrong £ millions lost
! Sort of has priority .
- 15,532
- Cairo, Egypt
- GTP_SEMS
Tidgney
Premium
- 3,108
- Southport
- LZR_Tidgney
Yeah just teasing, best of luck mate
I know you were, don't worry yourself
! The guide will be up tomorrow it's 28 minutes long but will have time stamps in etc. Doing a 3 minute 26 martin brundle style lap was fun, out of breath at the end of it ! Might upload a separate version of that as well!
LeGeNd-1
Premium
- 7,264
- Australia
- GTP_LeGeNd-1
I know you were, don't worry yourself
I'd hate to imagine what it would be like if PD decides the final track to be full Nurb 24h or Sierra for one year
- 6,290
- Washington State
- OutlawQuadrant
Well, now I'm miffed. Had one of those runs where I was up three tenths on my 3:26.509 and the chicane said, "No, we won't let you get away this time." Only a 3:26.409 which, at the moment, puts me barely ahead of Tidgney's lap he's using for his guide. That's another first!
Had no luck today. Exhaustion hit me hard so the best I could do is experiment with Sector 1. That's where I'm losing the most time according to the data analyzer. I don't know how some of these guys can carry so much speed through the first chicane. I have tried a wider arc and if I'm not hitting the first cone, the mid-corner bumps makes the transition to the right a frustrating exercise. Once, I got a really nice launch only because the car didn't hop off the line.
Had no luck today. Exhaustion hit me hard so the best I could do is experiment with Sector 1. That's where I'm losing the most time according to the data analyzer. I don't know how some of these guys can carry so much speed through the first chicane. I have tried a wider arc and if I'm not hitting the first cone, the mid-corner bumps makes the transition to the right a frustrating exercise. Once, I got a really nice launch only because the car didn't hop off the line.
