2021 FIA Series Race Discussion

[Seth_Logan]

Would have been a fun race if the hard tyre was not mandatory. Now everybody will start on hards as it is useless to have any other strategy. I for one would have loved to do a non stopper on mediums.

That is a bit of a problem with the new pit stop times being so long; it dimisses a lot of strategy options. Most races is hardest compound and tyre/fuel saving, avoiding the pit stop at all costs.

Hope PD will do a bit more mix strategies by using multiple mandatory tyre compounds in the next part of the season......

It's not the hard tyre perse or the lack of strategy choices that has made me decide against racing in LS.

It's a strategic choice I make on what I've experienced during Sardegna - C => the disconnect between soft tyres during qualy and the hard tyre used for the race. I think I will over qualify with the soft tyre at a track I think the Jaguar is not strong in anyway. That means I will probably be in trouble in the first couple of rounds racing backwards. That was not a good experience in Sardegna and it would not surprise me if Laguna Seca is even worse.

There is no high risk - high reward here. Just risk. Alternatively, like last week, I can spend my time studying a track I've never done online before in the Dailies to get myself prepped for the second part of the season. Who knows. maybe I'm good at it and gain a bit of DR.

 

[MCL1974]

Not necessarily true. At Nurburgring I was in the Jag and no-stopped, ended up 6th from 9th. The leader (and 2 others in front of me) pitted for mediums. Depends on your pace on each tyre as to what strategy works best for you. Some people can't make it work with the hardest tyres and fuel saving.

Then again I'm just a miserly B/S driver, so it might be a bit different in the higher ranks.

I am also a miserly B/S driver (and person) I just think that decreasing the pit stop time a bit will make the races more interesting.

I just like it more to be in a race where you have pit stops and different tyre compounds. and with the current pit stop times you have much less of these. In to many races it is so important to fuel save and avoid a pitstop because the stop time is very long. I understand that they made the pit stop time longer, as last season you would only use the softest compound and do a lot of pit stops and then 1 lap on the mandatory harder compound which was maybe a bit silly. but feel that they made the stop time too long now...

And Laguna Sega would have been so much better IMO if you have a race with different possible strategies. Why give drivers multiple tyre compounds to choose from and then make the hard tyre mandatory? Pretty sure nobody will use the softs or mediums coming Saturday as you will end up way in the back...

It's not the hard tyre perse or the lack of strategy choices that has made me decide against racing in LS.

It's a strategic choice I make on what I've experienced during Sardegna - C => the disconnect between soft tyres during qualy and the hard tyre used for the race. I think I will over qualify with the soft tyre at a track I think the Jaguar is not strong in anyway. That means I will probably be in trouble in the first couple of rounds racing backwards. That was not a good experience in Sardegna and it would not surprise me if Laguna Seca is even worse.

There is no high risk - high reward here. Just risk. Alternatively, like last week, I can spend my time studying a track I've never done online before in the Dailies to get myself prepped for the second part of the season. Who knows. maybe I'm good at it and gain a bit of DR.

Noted you were quite fast at Brands Hatch last week!!!

 

[avgracer41]

Hi guys, this is my first post here.

I had happy days in the past nations race, but this one in the nurb.24h was a massive letdown for me to the point of wanting to uninstall the game for good. I tried the fuel saving strategy, after starting 10th. It was a clean start, following the train of cars ahead and trying to save fuel, until a fast guy doing the "last to first challenge" appeared. I wasn't trying to block him or something, but in the middle of Nordschleife is very narrow and he kept putting his nose at every single corner and bumping me, until he tapped my rear and spun me off the track in a fast section. Lost 10 seconds + damage to my car. He got a 1 or 2 seconds penalty i think. I was fuming, because he could have waited to a better spot to overtake. Then the same guy pit after first lap and put a fresh set of mediums and returned right behind me. I was furious because he returned doing the same stuff and I lost my mind and tried to wreck him and only backfired to my side. It was a lost race which could ended way better. And in the end we traded some nasty words in the lobby.

It's really difficult in these lobbies to race under certain conditions, especially these fuel saving races on narrow tracks like this one. People forces their way at every single corner and the penalty for this is minimal, if they got one. I lost a victory in Autopolis short track because a guy divebombed me in the last corner on the last lap from a 0,6 second gap.

And yeah, I cannot defend my country in this one. I was victim of two fellow countrymates in both occasions.

 

[MidnightRun85]

And Laguna Sega would have been so much better IMO if you have a race with different possible strategies. Why give drivers multiple tyre compounds to choose from and then make the hard tyre mandatory? Pretty sure nobody will use the softs or mediums coming Saturday as you will end up way in the back...

I hear what you're saying, but I guess the intention of a mandatory tyre (being the slowest tyre in the bunch) means you can either spend the whole race running a slower lap time than everyone else and fuel / tyre save and no-stop on the mandatory tyre, or go hell for leather on the softest tyre burning as much fuel as possible with the hope of building enough of a gap to still gain places in doing so. It might not always work, but as evidenced by the AMG driver at the ring who completely obliterated the field with a 1-stop, it can be the fastest strategy to make a single stop and use both tyre compounds to exploit the lap time gains you can make on the softer tyres. You've also got a massive difference in tyre wear between, say the Alfa 4C and Nissan GTR, so an Alfa driver might do two thirds of the race on RS full send and jump into the pits for fuel and RH to finish off, while the GTR will definitely just run the RH and fuel save. So I think it makes it different for different cars, and different drivers. I mean, lets be honest: if there was no mandatory tyre, who would use the hard tyres? This forces you to work out a strategy that works for your chosen car and driving style. Maybe they need to work a bit harder on the tyre wear settings to force pit stops so the no-stop RH-only isn't actually an option and people then will be forced to work a bit harder on strategy? At least then everyone has the same disadvantage of a 25s pit stop somewhere in the race unless they go FM6 and super slow.

 

[MCL1974]

Hi guys, this is my first post here.

I had happy days in the past nations race, but this one in the nurb.24h was a massive letdown for me to the point of wanting to uninstall the game for good. I tried the fuel saving strategy, after starting 10th. It was a clean start, following the train of cars ahead and trying to save fuel, until a fast guy doing the "last to first challenge" appeared. I wasn't trying to block him or something, but in the middle of Nordschleife is very narrow and he kept putting his nose at every single corner and bumping me, until he tapped my rear and spun me off the track in a fast section. Lost 10 seconds + damage to my car. He got a 1 or 2 seconds penalty i think. I was fuming, because he could have waited to a better spot to overtake. Then the same guy pit after first lap and put a fresh set of mediums and returned right behind me. I was furious because he returned doing the same stuff and I lost my mind and tried to wreck him and only backfired to my side. It was a lost race which could ended way better. And in the end we traded some nasty words in the lobby.

It's really difficult in these lobbies to race under certain conditions, especially these fuel saving races on narrow tracks like this one. People forces their way at every single corner and the penalty for this is minimal, if they got one. I lost a victory in Autopolis short track because a guy divebombed me in the last corner on the last lap from a 0,6 second gap.

And yeah, I cannot defend my country in this one. I was victim of two fellow countrymates in both occasions.

Welcome! Hope to see more posts from you. Sorry to read last race was a letdown...

And dont feel the need to defend your fellow countrymen (or accusing those from other countries).
Every country has their share of idiots, imbeciles, psychopaths, aggressors and a whole bunch of other oxygen wasting excuses for human beings and you will likely encounter a lot of them in this game. I know I did!

 

[Yard_Sale]

I hear what you're saying, but I guess the intention of a mandatory tyre (being the slowest tyre in the bunch) means you can either spend the whole race running a slower lap time than everyone else and fuel / tyre save and no-stop on the mandatory tyre, or go hell for leather on the softest tyre burning as much fuel as possible with the hope of building enough of a gap to still gain places in doing so. It might not always work, but as evidenced by the AMG driver at the ring who completely obliterated the field with a 1-stop, it can be the fastest strategy to make a single stop and use both tyre compounds to exploit the lap time gains you can make on the softer tyres. You've also got a massive difference in tyre wear between, say the Alfa 4C and Nissan GTR, so an Alfa driver might do two thirds of the race on RS full send and jump into the pits for fuel and RH to finish off, while the GTR will definitely just run the RH and fuel save. So I think it makes it different for different cars, and different drivers. I mean, lets be honest: if there was no mandatory tyre, who would use the hard tyres? This forces you to work out a strategy that works for your chosen car and driving style. Maybe they need to work a bit harder on the tyre wear settings to force pit stops so the no-stop RH-only isn't actually an option and people then will be forced to work a bit harder on strategy? At least then everyone has the same disadvantage of a 25s pit stop somewhere in the race unless they go FM6 and super slow.

Not to mention Laguna Seca is probably a very difficult track to fuel save at with all the power robbing uphills and its many turns. I can already see a lot of cars going off at the top of corkscrew when they try to fumble their way down to a leaner fuel map for the downhill.

 

[Roman_GT23]

The S-FR is pretty much the only META I ever look forward to driving, so in spite of not expecting to do well enough to score points, I'll run this race just to drive Kirby.

I got Kirby'd last night! That block of cheese from down arrow + z hurts! . In all seriousness you had great pace in the practice session last night. Guess I'll be memorizing Mistah's video

 

[kungtotte_]

The issue isn't the pit times, the issue is the balance of multipliers versus race distance.

Before they increased the pit stop duration we saw absolute scenes with people doing three stints on softs and then 1-lap RM and RH once each when all three compounds were required, because pitstops were essentially free.

Now that pitting is a real decision we see people making actual strategies for races, and for all of these no-stop saving races we would've seen a more varied array of strategies if the races had just been 2 laps longer or if fuel multipliers had been just 1x higher.

 

[MCL1974]

The issue isn't the pit times, the issue is the balance of multipliers versus race distance.

Before they increased the pit stop duration we saw absolute scenes with people doing three stints on softs and then 1-lap RM and RH once each when all three compounds were required, because pitstops were essentially free.

Now that pitting is a real decision we see people making actual strategies for races, and for all of these no-stop saving races we would've seen a more varied array of strategies if the races had just been 2 laps longer or if fuel multipliers had been just 1x higher.

You have a valid point. If PD would set up a majority of the races like that then we would indeed see more variation in the strategies....

 

[Benay79]

Not to mention Laguna Seca is probably a very difficult track to fuel save at with all the power robbing uphills and its many turns. I can already see a lot of cars going off at the top of corkscrew when they try to fumble their way down to a leaner fuel map for the downhill.

Fuel isn’t an issue at Laguna Seca. I did a test run and had loads of fuel left, full revving the Jag. Again though as mentioned, it’s a no stop Hards race. A little frustrating that it’s yet another. Would have liked to have had a race where you have to pit. I get that they had to do something to stop the one lap Hard stints that we’re so common before the pit stop time change.

 

[MetaBrain]

What makes the S-FR so good? I tried like 10 cars but it was by far the easiest and fastest.

KTOW has like 300 Kg less yet somehow is slower even on the straights and worse ar breaking... What?

Stratos terrible in these low speed corners. RX500 way better but still 1:06s. Yaris GZ I could get a couple of 1:05s but way harder than with the S-FR. X-Bow also 1:05s, despite the ridiculous power/weight. Type R 15' is an absolute boat. Swift Sport also absolutely undrivable, has this weird turn-to-right-under-accel thing going, zero traction on front wheels.


Now... Interestingly, my best time is with a 996 '01, a modest 1:04:400. I find the breaks incredible and super stable. Will probably still run the S-FR because "muh meta" since I can run very consistent 1:05s there and its really stable.

 

[Jwptexas]

I'm hoping entire lobby goes with the S-FR I just don't see the appeal.

It gets walked nasty by M4 and Supra, practice races I'm out of slipstream by T1 and takes S-FR entire race just to catch up and if it does there are no opportunities to make a move outside of final hairpin but even if someone sent it you'd just drive right by them down back straight.

Managed a 1:03 flat or 1:02s in M4, 19' & 20' Supra. M4 is definitely quicker over the 19' Supra however it isn't nearly as stable and it doesn't have that low end torque either.

 

[GTWolverine]

What makes the S-FR so good? I tried like 10 cars but it was by far the easiest and fastest.

KTOW has like 300 Kg less yet somehow is slower even on the straights and worse ar breaking... What?

Stratos terrible in these low speed corners. RX500 way better but still 1:06s. Yaris GZ I could get a couple of 1:05s but way harder than with the S-FR. X-Bow also 1:05s, despite the ridiculous power/weight. Type R 15' is an absolute boat. Swift Sport also absolutely undrivable, has this weird turn-to-right-under-accel thing going, zero traction on front wheels.


Now... Interestingly, my best time is with a 996 '01, a modest 1:04:400. I find the breaks incredible and super stable. Will probably still run the S-FR because "muh meta" since I can run very consistent 1:05s there and its really stable.

Long story short, it's in the name: "S-FR Racing Concept". It's essentially a heavily-modified tuner that's more-or-less a racecar. It's got a lot more downforce, and probably much fatter tires than the X-Bow for instance, so it can out-corner pretty much anything else in N300. The Mazda MX5 Touring Car has the same effect in N200 (unless it's a track that has a lot of straights). Also, the BoP in the "N" classes just isn't very good...

 

[05XR8]

What makes the S-FR so good? I tried like 10 cars but it was by far the easiest and fastest.

KTOW has like 300 Kg less yet somehow is slower even on the straights and worse ar breaking... What?

Stratos terrible in these low speed corners. RX500 way better but still 1:06s. Yaris GZ I could get a couple of 1:05s but way harder than with the S-FR. X-Bow also 1:05s, despite the ridiculous power/weight. Type R 15' is an absolute boat. Swift Sport also absolutely undrivable, has this weird turn-to-right-under-accel thing going, zero traction on front wheels.


Now... Interestingly, my best time is with a 996 '01, a modest 1:04:400. I find the breaks incredible and super stable. Will probably still run the S-FR because "muh meta" since I can run very consistent 1:05s there and its really stable.

Cars without a limited slip differential are sending all that power to one tyre. Hence, no traction while accelerating.

S-FR has a GT wing and racing suspension. Plenty of traction and stability with that set up. The MX-5 TC is it's equivalent in body style and suspension set up, but it has no torque.

Thing is, N300 have the most diverse cars in the game, but limited overall. With the standard N300 cars, X-Bow R is the fastest. The EVO X should be next and possibly the 993 with a shot.
As it is, with allowing N100-N500 cars being tuneable to N300, Amemiya FD3S and 996, should be the alternative cars to win versus the S-FRs, but that's not going to happen with PD's BOP.

Well, anyway, made my decision and rolling with this tomorrow:

Have fun!

 

[MetaBrain]

Cars without a limited slip differential are sending all that power to one tyre. Hence, no traction while accelerating.

S-FR has a GT wing and racing suspension. Plenty of traction and stability with that set up. The MX-5 TC is it's equivalent in body style and suspension set up, but it has no torque.

Thing is, N300 have the most diverse cars in the game, but limited overall. With the standard N300 cars, X-Bow R is the fastest. The EVO X should be next and possibly the 993 with a shot.
As it is, with allowing N100-N500 cars being tuneable to N300, Amemiya FD3S and 996, should be the alternative cars to win versus the S-FRs, but that's not going to happen with PD's BOP.

Well, anyway, made my decision and rolling with this tomorrow:
View attachment 1016061

Have fun!

996 is my fastest, and I tried the Ameniya and it was super slow (I think too heavy even with the extra downforce).

I also just tried the M4, the Supra 20' as the other poster above said but I found my gem... The F50 downtuned is a joy to drive and super consistent. It will be a toss between the F50 and the 996 for me!

EDIT: wait, you taking a Mazda? I tried all their cars and was terrible with all if them.. Which one is that exactly? Looks like the GT1 B-License Demio

Geez, just noticed this account is from 2006... Good times!

 

[Jwptexas]

996 is my fastest, and I tried the Ameniya and it was super slow (I think too heavy even with the extra downforce).

I also just tried the M4, the Supra 20' as the other poster above said but I found my gem... The F50 downtuned is a joy to drive and super consistent. It will be a toss between the F50 and the 996 for me!

EDIT: wait, you taking a Mazda? I tried all their cars and was terrible with all if them.. Which one is that exactly? Looks like the GT1 B-License Demio

The 20' Supra is on average tenth or two slower compared to the 19'. It seems to bog down out of the hairpins but it's probably the most stable out of the few cars I mentioned.

For the guys running S-FR, where are y'all making passes at?

 

[GTWolverine]

The 20' Supra is on average tenth or two slower compared to the 19'. It seems to bog down out of the hairpins but it's probably the most stable out of the few cars I mentioned.

For the guys running S-FR, where are y'all making passes at?

Passing? At Tsukuba? Surely you jest. Besides, Kirby will just vacuum up whoever is in front.

 

[05XR8]

996 is my fastest, and I tried the Ameniya and it was super slow (I think too heavy even with the extra downforce).

I also just tried the M4, the Supra 20' as the other poster above said but I found my gem... The F50 downtuned is a joy to drive and super consistent. It will be a toss between the F50 and the 996 for me!

EDIT: wait, you taking a Mazda? I tried all their cars and was terrible with all if them.. Which one is that exactly? Looks like the GT1 B-License Demio

Super Taikyu style Demio Skyactiv-D.

Under 10 seconds. Lots of suspension roll, but it has an LSD. Will be a quick 16 minute race anyway.

I say, be buck the trend. Dare to be different. 👍

 

[Jwptexas]

Passing? At Tsukuba? Surely you jest. Besides, Kirby will just vacuum up whoever is in front.

You were lagging bad yesterday... looked like Kirby was trying to fly away

That's kinda my point though you won't be passing anybody but rather finish where you started. I just run a lobby with full grid and went from 14th to 5th by lap 1 then just worked my way to the front passing an S-FR down backstretch each time.

 

[HaydenFan69]

You were lagging bad yesterday... looked like Kirby was trying to fly away

@GTWolverine, Xfinity is like $150 a month for 1200 mbps where we live. Always at least 4 bars in every lobby (even those laggy SA Manufacturers races).

jwp, I’ve tried the Supra, are you running a lot of rear brake to keep the front from pushing on that long final corner?

Though, I think it can be a good race. Maybe guys try the big car, that’ll pull down the straights, but lose around the corners to the small SF-R.

 

[Famine]

1200 mbps

Bandwidth has almost nothing to do with lag.

 

[HaydenFan69]

Bandwidth has almost nothing to do with lag.

Not talking about bandwidth. Was just mentioning that package as that’s the download speed. That package laps gives me a ping of 40-45 on the average day from a wireless connection. Which is about the best you’ll get in our region.

 

[Famine]

Not talking about bandwidth. Was just mentioning that package as that’s the download speed.

Download "speed" is bandwidth. The speed part is a misnomer - your internet doesn't get any faster (it all goes about 120 miles per millisecond), it's just capable of fitting more data in it at once.

It's like a 70mph motorway. One with five lanes can fit 2.5 times as many cars through it at once as one with two lanes. It's still the same speed, it just gets more data through it.

That package laps gives me a ping of 40-45 on the average day from a wireless connection. Which is about the best you’ll get in our region.

Wireless? Instant latency right there.

When you say a ping of 40-45ms, where are you pinging? That's close on a 5000-mile round trip, so a server 2,500 miles away, give or take.

 

[GTWolverine]

You were lagging bad yesterday... looked like Kirby was trying to fly away

That's kinda my point though you won't be passing anybody but rather finish where you started. I just run a lobby with full grid and went from 14th to 5th by lap 1 then just worked my way to the front passing an S-FR down backstretch each time.

I've already got 4 great scores this season, so I'm only gonna run this race with my favorite N300 car, the S-FR, even if it's not the best during the actual race. I did the same thing at Maggiore when the F50 had an even bigger straight line advantage over the S-FR, and still had a blast even though I immediately lost out to 3 Ferraris at the start. I was still best of the S-FR's though.

@GTWolverine, Xfinity is like $150 a month for 1200 mbps where we live. Always at least 4 bars in every lobby (even those laggy SA Manufacturers races).

Definitely working on this. I have to make sure it actually has at least close to the advertised speed though, because I don't even think my current connection is as good as advertised.

 

[Jwptexas]

@GTWolverine, Xfinity is like $150 a month for 1200 mbps where we live. Always at least 4 bars in every lobby (even those laggy SA Manufacturers races).

jwp, I’ve tried the Supra, are you running a lot of rear brake to keep the front from pushing on that long final corner?

Though, I think it can be a good race. Maybe guys try the big car, that’ll pull down the straights, but lose around the corners to the small SF-R.

I'm using 0 BB in both of the Supras and -5 BB in the M4 think I've settled on that.

Good thing is the S-FR can't pass but you'll have the ability to pass I'm fully expecting everyone to run the META.

I'm still over here going on year and half using my phones hot spot to run GT Sport

Edit: late downshift into 4th to help settle the car. I don't really start braking until big shadow by little white pit sign.

 

[MetaBrain]

Very split between the F50, the M4 and the 996 now... I get around same times with all of them so wondering if I should just take the better for the straight? I wonder which one will have better tire usage as well...

 

[05XR8]

I guess that'd be the one with the most torque?

 

[Photodave219]

I'm hoping entire lobby goes with the S-FR I just don't see the appeal.

It gets walked nasty by M4 and Supra, practice races I'm out of slipstream by T1 and takes S-FR entire race just to catch up and if it does there are no opportunities to make a move outside of final hairpin but even if someone sent it you'd just drive right by them down back straight.

Managed a 1:03 flat or 1:02s in M4, 19' & 20' Supra. M4 is definitely quicker over the 19' Supra however it isn't nearly as stable and it doesn't have that low end torque either.

The S-FR is stupid easy to drive and corner on this circuit. The drawback is poor acceleration and a really terrible launch. So strategy wise, if you can ge in the top 6 on the grid and in a Supra/M4 and most everyone else is in a SF-R, you should be able to get a better start and do better down the long straight and hopefully hold off the SF-R in the curves. I’m better in the SF-R over the supras but holy heck is it SLOW off the line. Also I need to learn how to do a late apex properly and consistently but that’s a Me Problem.

Very split between the F50, the M4 and the 996 now... I get around same times with all of them so wondering if I should just take the better for the straight? I wonder which one will have better tire usage as well...

I preface this with the “I’m still a rookie at this”.... but in my limited experience? Go with what you can drive the best and feel the most comfortable in. And at the end of the day, that’s only something you can decide. Not to get all psychological here but if you’re comfortable driving the 996 or the F50 and can pull a competitive time in practice? Go for it,

I'm using 0 BB in both of the Supras and -5 BB in the M4 think I've settled on that.

Good thing is the S-FR can't pass but you'll have the ability to pass I'm fully expecting everyone to run the META.

I'm still over here going on year and half using my phones hot spot to run GT Sport

Edit: late downshift into 4th to help settle the car. I don't really start braking until big shadow by little white pit sign.

How big of a data hit does the game make? Merely curious when it comes to emergency backup plans as it’s thunderstorm season and cable is above ground. At least it’s not like 2000 when lightning fried my modem. My primary connection is hardwired

 

[Seth_Logan]

Noted you were quite fast at Brands Hatch last week!!!

Thank you! It netted some good results.

Hi guys, this is my first post here.

Welcome! Hope you will feel at home here and in lobbies we sometimes share!

 

[Jwptexas]

The S-FR is stupid easy to drive and corner on this circuit. The drawback is poor acceleration and a really terrible launch. So strategy wise, if you can ge in the top 6 on the grid and in a Supra/M4 and most everyone else is in a SF-R, you should be able to get a better start and do better down the long straight and hopefully hold off the SF-R in the curves. I’m better in the SF-R over the supras but holy heck is it SLOW off the line. Also I need to learn how to do a late apex properly and consistently but that’s a Me Problem.



I preface this with the “I’m still a rookie at this”.... but in my limited experience? Go with what you can drive the best and feel the most comfortable in. And at the end of the day, that’s only something you can decide. Not to get all psychological here but if you’re comfortable driving the 996 or the F50 and can pull a competitive time in practice? Go for it,


How big of a data hit does the game make? Merely curious when it comes to emergency backup plans as it’s thunderstorm season and cable is above ground. At least it’s not like 2000 when lightning fried my modem. My primary connection is hardwired

That's basically my plan now and try qualify midpack at worst then just make up handful of positions at the start. If there's any sort of S-FR train I think I'll be breaking it up I'm leaning heavily towards M4 now seems I can lap mid 1:03.5s during the actual race.

Tbh, I run 100gb hot spot on my phone with Sprint for $90 and I still have plenty of data left over at end of my cycle. GT Sport uses the least amount compared to all the other networks I run like Netflix, Disney, Prime, Hulu, HBO etc you could run Sport exclusively with under 5gb month easy