2021 FIA Series Race Discussion

[OJBrit]

Just stepped out of a practice race. Probably took a step down on the fuel saving a lap early and had to put in some extra saving on the last lap to make it. Honestly it doesn't feel any slower. If you drive the track it'll feel normal. I was mostly in the 7's but did a few 6's. Just be consistent and you'll make it around. Set a plan for what map you will be in at certain points of the track. Feels like it should be a good race, that means disaster is a coming!

 

[cactus0]

Sounds like I've got some practice to put in if I'm to stand any chance of a 1-stop. I'm just not able to make those kinda lap times while fuel saving!
Thanks for the tips, I'll try put them to use and see if I can make it work.

Don't worry, @xxPinkyKissxx is ridiculously fast

I can get to lap 8 with .5 lap of fuel left with short shifting and lift and coast at the two big braking zones (and through the esses) in the Lexus, but not quickly! I'm hoping that if I go first slot enough low B drivers won't know they need to fuel save

 

[stpatty]

My experience of a mixed A/B practice lobby today says that if you just drive carefully you'll be able to save enough fuel to get an advantage. I ran at FM2 for most of my first stint. There was a group of five others at the front - four of them pitted on lap 7 and had 1-12 litres left, the other pitted on lap 8 and had 1 left while I had 12. They weren't driving the way they need to to make this race work.

In short, it's pretty likely that if you do what you need to to make a 1 stop work, you'll be able to get at least a top half finish. Don't fight, let everyone else fight and slow each other up.

 

[Yard_Sale]

One big hurdle about the 458 GT3 is the lift off oversteer SO what ever you do don't machine gun down shift the gears. there are two ways to avoid this
1: slowly downshift matching with the speed
2: start downshift halfway through your braking point
and which ever your chose you should shift to the last gear for that corner close to the apex.
hopefully this will help you the checkered flags in one piece.
I also recommended this guide it explain how to drive MR and RR by David Perel

Watched the video. Never noticed it before, but a lot of the top streamers blip the throttle on the way down through the gears....regardless of the car. I gotta try this out

 

[05XR8]

If you blip, isn't that wasting precious fuel?

 

[Barra333]

Watched the video. Never noticed it before, but a lot of the top streamers blip the throttle on the way down through the gears....regardless of the car. I gotta try this out

Watch your own throttle trace. I'm pretty sure that is the game doing it.

 

[OJBrit]

Watch your own throttle trace. I'm pretty sure that is the game doing it.

Yes I believe the game is doing that when you change down the revs usually increase and it is a by product of that.

 

[MidnightRun85]

Just tried another simulation run, short shifting at 25% in the Jag, and managed to get 9 laps out of the first stint, but fastest lap was only a 2:08.6... I think I'll just jump in and hope half the field doesn't bother with a 1-stop and goes 2-stop. I can make a 1-stop work, and I was 50s faster than my 2-stop attempt last night, so I think it should pay dividends against the 2-stop.

 

[mobilmasher]

Everyone is doing their simulation runs and figuring out a lap count. Are these in a private lobby by yourself? From pit road to the Start/Finish line counts as lap 1. Think about it.

 

[Redneckchef]

Everyone is doing their simulation runs and figuring out a lap count. Are these in a private lobby by yourself? From pit road to the Start/Finish line counts as lap 1. Think about it.

I know when I did mine I used that gap as the count for the half lap needed to get to the pits when stopping. So if the lap counter said 9 laps, I had made it to 8.5. And some people will be setting custom races against AI as well.

Understood. I'll give that a go next time. Would you suggest keeping fuel mix to 1 and lift-and-coast, or play with the fuel mix ratios and lift/coast?

I think that depends on your car. I gave the Scirocco this time and was doing quick short shifts in FM1. The coasting was meaning how in the docks section you can just let it ride between the corners, the bug right after that doing a light dab of the brakes and holding that speed through the turn but not pressing the gas, using the turn to scrub the speed as you go through. Same type tricks work in the esses and I found like @D_Dragline that doing that to smooth some of those corners rather than attacking them made them a lot faster as well as saving fuel.

 

[D_Dragline]

Everyone is doing their simulation runs and figuring out a lap count. Are these in a private lobby by yourself? From pit road to the Start/Finish line counts as lap 1. Think about it.

This could catch a few people out. I’ve done both custom races and lobby practice. It is 0.3 of a lap from the pit exit to the sf line. If you can make it to the docks exit on lap 9 in a practice lobby you will be able to make the pits on your 8th lap in race.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

There is a trick to shut off your engine completely to save fuel (let off gas then tap handbrake quickly). You still coast but don't use any gas. I tried it but I lose too much time compared to just short shifting + adjusting fuel map so probably not worth it to do in the race. Who knows, maybe one of the aliens can show us how to do it properly

 

[D_Dragline]

Some more observations about the Manu race.

There are very few practice lobbies being run. I’ve done one this morning and there were only 6 cars. Very few others appearing.

In every practice lobby roughly 80% of people are 2 stopping.

If that translates to most people doing no practice, and those that do aren’t practicing fuel saving I’d suggest there are some good results up for grabs in the first slot. You are getting a minimum 20s jump on 2 stoppers.

The flip side of this is that there are a lot of people just flooring it from the start and making some very questionable overtakes including through the tunnel and the esses after the pit exit. If you start near the front be very careful and hyper-aware of those coming up from behind.

 

[barak181]

Some more observations about the Manu race.

There are very few practice lobbies being run. I’ve done one this morning and there were only 6 cars. Very few others appearing.

In every practice lobby roughly 80% of people are 2 stopping.

If that translates to most people doing no practice, and those that do aren’t practicing fuel saving I’d suggest there are some good results up for grabs in the first slot. You are getting a minimum 20s jump on 2 stoppers.

The flip side of this is that there are a lot of people just flooring it from the start and making some very questionable overtakes including through the tunnel and the esses after the pit exit. If you start near the front be very careful and hyper-aware of those coming up from behind.

I was absolutely thinking the same thing after my practice race today - let people through early in the race. Make it easy for them to get around you. The time you're gaining on them on the 2nd stop far outweighs whatever time they might pick up by flooring it the whole race.

Another thing I noticed, fuel saving on this track really develops a rhythm. Shift, shift, lift, coast, turn. When someone knocks you off the rythm it really messes things up more than just that single incident. It takes a bit to get the rhythm back. Let them by, don't let them mess up your rythm.

 

[Photodave219]

Some more observations about the Manu race.

There are very few practice lobbies being run. I’ve done one this morning and there were only 6 cars. Very few others appearing.

In every practice lobby roughly 80% of people are 2 stopping.

If that translates to most people doing no practice, and those that do aren’t practicing fuel saving I’d suggest there are some good results up for grabs in the first slot. You are getting a minimum 20s jump on 2 stoppers.

The flip side of this is that there are a lot of people just flooring it from the start and making some very questionable overtakes including through the tunnel and the esses after the pit exit. If you start near the front be very careful and hyper-aware of those coming up from behind.

I ran a couple of practices against the AI just for time.... I'm not happy with my pace (208/209 while short shifting) but I can one-stop it pretty easily. I ran it twice back to back, changing tires once and leaving the tires on once, roughly the same time.

I assume most people are not testing and going to 2 stop it which means if i can stay within 30 seconds of the front runners? I could pull a podium.

 

[Barra333]

Just had good 1v1 with an Argentinean guy. I'm in the BMW and started on FM2, shifting early in the rpm bar and switching the car off before the two big braking zones (thanks @LeGeNd-1). Was in slipstream about half the time and got to the pits on lap 8 with 10% fuel. Switched to FM1 and drove the same after the pit stop. Saved enough fuel to put the hammer down for 2.5 laps at the end and beat my fastest lap to that point by 1.1 sec, despite being on 13 lap old tires.

 

[05XR8]

Hey, all. Thanks for doing the dirty work, but come race time, that's going out the window. I can see it already.

Tyre wear only x2. Carnage at the docks, pit hairpin, no patience through the esses. We need to survive the mayhem first.

 

[D_Dragline]

Hey, all. Thanks for doing the dirty work, but come race time, that's going out the window. I can see it already.

Tyre wear only x2. Carnage at the docks, pit hairpin, no patience through the esses. We need to survive the mayhem first.

First couple of times through the docks I’m not even going to try and hit the first apex. Hang wide, let the idiots take each other out and try and sail through the detritus.

I’ve also been working on my narrow entry to the pit hairpin. I can’t stop from getting punted but I can try and minimize the t-bones and jamming against the exit wall.

 

[RX8 Racer]

Hey, all. Thanks for doing the dirty work, but come race time, that's going out the window. I can see it already.

Tyre wear only x2. Carnage at the docks, pit hairpin, no patience through the esses. We need to survive the mayhem first.

At least it’s not a standing start this time round. Hopefully that means a less chaotic lap 1, but the potential speed differential between fuel savers and 2-stoppers is still going to be a problem. I plan on taking the inside line into the Docks on lap 1 to hopefully dodge anyone that screw up their braking on cold tyres.

Lest we forget:


EDIT: Forgot to mention that since fuel maps are most likely going to be a necessity for some people, some drivers may be more oblivious of their surroundings without the radar on. Seriously, which idiot at Polyphony thought that the radar was not important enough to have a permanent place on the HUD?

 

[05XR8]

Wait a second. The Atenza is diesel.... right?

 

[kungtotte_]

It was easy to find lobbies at the start of the week, so I've a suspicion that participation will be lower than normal today after people have tried practicing and given up.

Yeah, the radar not being permanent is just silly. ACC has a really good implementation where they overlay a transparent radar in the middle of the screen when other cars get close but it's invisible otherwise. Just copy that for GT7.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

EDIT: Forgot to mention that since fuel maps are most likely going to be a necessity for some people, some drivers may be more oblivious of their surroundings without the radar on. Seriously, which idiot at Polyphony thought that the radar was not important enough to have a permanent place on the HUD?

Exactly. They can give us two tachometer, two speedometer and useless things like odometer but cannot make radar a permanent fixture. Back in GT6 you can actually adjust the track map zoom so you can have it very close like radar, or show the whole track.

Alternatively, I made a 5 min edit in Paint on how you could still show all the MFD settings and still have the radar front and center:

 

[xxPinkyKissxx]

Just out of interest talking about the HUD/MFDs, does anyone actually use the Track Map? Completely pointless for me, never used it once and even worse, its the default display so have to scroll to the radar every time.

 

[kungtotte_]

I use it sometimes on Nordschleife, to refresh my memory about the upcoming section

It's sometimes better in multiclass racing too when you've got a big speed differential between classes, like LMPs and GT3s, because it's easier to see the faster car coming if you're in the slower car with the track map rather than the radar. If you use the radar the second you see them on radar they're already past you, but with the track map you get a little bit of a heads up and it doesn't depend on draw distance like the mirrors do.

 

[crusselz]

Exactly. They can give us two tachometer, two speedometer and useless things like odometer but cannot make radar a permanent fixture. Back in GT6 you can actually adjust the track map zoom so you can have it very close like radar, or show the whole track.

Alternatively, I made a 5 min edit in Paint on how you could still show all the MFD settings and still have the radar front and center:

I like that. To add to that why don't we have the option to have the rear view mirror on all camera views.

At higher DR, A+, I'm guessing, you can run quite easily without your radar, cause in theory, people are running very similar lines and not overtaking in places that don't work. For the rest of us, it means constantly flicking back between radar and fuel mapping to make sure someone hasn't attempted a divebomb or overtake through a section that only has 1 real line.

 

[05XR8]

Two-minute warning.

 

[MidnightRun85]

Everyone is doing their simulation runs and figuring out a lap count. Are these in a private lobby by yourself? From pit road to the Start/Finish line counts as lap 1. Think about it.

Yeah my plan was to turn out 9 full laps in a custom race knowing thats over a lap past halfway in the race, so I would be able to just do the same thing twice and pull off a 1-stop.

 

[Lost Sheltie]

Be careful in qualifying as you need to cross the line with at least 35 secs to go in the session. I think PD only gives you 1:30 to complete the lap at the end of quali, so if you cross with less than 35 secs(ish) you wont make it all the way round.

More tips on Sidawg's Twitch

 

[05XR8]

Ridiculous!

Qualified behind Dragline. The walls, man. Was being overly careful of the walls. Anyway, Conserving at the start. YO! through the tunnel, cars behind blazing at top speed to try and pass! A 650S slams me right into the wall. I tumble down the order. Next to last for most of the race.
The last place M4, tries to do the same! DUDE, you're last. Just follow me and save fuel. Nope. It hits the wall and gets 1.5 seconds. Does it again after catching back up to me. Pits arouind Lap 5 with 19% fuel. Something like that.

Other cars pit Lap 6 & 7. I move up to second place. An NSX is 10 seconds ahead. Third is 10 seconds behind me. Lap 8, I'm still will 3.5 laps. Been using Fuel 2 most of the race. I push a bit. NSX pits with "0". I push a lil bit more and go another lap 2.2 laps in the tank. Dropped to .8 laps when the pit is coming. Decided to pit. Fuelled to 7.5 and I'm running Fuel 1.

650S passes me and I catch back up as its saving and must have run out of tyres the way the player was behaving. Got past and chased the F-Type. Passed the 86 that finished ahead of me.
An M4 ran out of fuel right at pit exit. I pass it and looked down to see "0.0". I flicked to Fuel 6. Got through the esses, round the corner and done. The 86 catches up and passes at the line.

That 650S screwed me big time. Plus, a few others. Watch the start of the race and you'll be okay like Dragline. What could have been for the diesel Atenza.

 

[Redneckchef]

Had my run at Tokyo in my Scirocco. Fairly unknown field. Only faces I know are aggressive zero-strategy drivers who will dive into any perceived gap. Then at the last minute I spot @housej and didnt remember them from here, but from other races so knew if they were near it was still safe.

Qualifying is a bit of a mess. First lap after turn 1 the 2 in front of me start fighting and banging. Quit out. Next lap I'm flying, but get the wall penalty final turn. Quit out and luckily make it out for my final lap, I'm going fast, but take a steady final turn to play it safe. P4.

Race is ok. An exchange up to p3 and back down to 4 lap 1 is messy, but ok enough. Then after serving another wall penalty I drop to p6 behind an opportunistic Mazda. And despite getting ahead they are just slow. I cant stay behind as they are killing me in the turns. I lost 0.5 through the esses the first lap behind them. And just as much more in the docks. I finally get by and there is contact. I felt it was dirty at the time but on replay they were throwing a late block, not actually trying to wall me. I do get by them with a dive at the hairpin and start pulling away by massive amounts.

I catch one of the front runners dying of fuel death before the pits and manage to put 2 seconds on then in the half lap until I pit lap 8.5.

After that I get a wall penalty on the final turn and that lets @housej catch me. I was a bit worried he would bring the Mazda with him but they dropped off. He bump drafted me a lot until the end. P4. 153 points.

It was what I needed. A fairly cleanly contested race that took a lot of good driving and ended with a solid result. Most issues being my own mistakes.
Good luck out there all, may your fuel hold out!