I struggled quite a bit with the car last night and never could do consistent laps. Today I went back and found the setup that
@S_Bridge (in post #3 above) mentions.
You can get to the event thread via his link, the tune by
@SW__10 is on page 5 (post #133.)
For the record, I went from 1:09's yesterday to 1:06.130 today (currently 73rd) using that setup. (ABS only aid).
Wow! DS3 novice here, stated at 1:08.410 with Bhowe83 road course tune (not sure where from) and improved to 1:08.051 by driving better.
I'm using the gift car (from career mode?) 2013 Jeff Gordon #24 Chevrolet SS.
It might not be the fastest but there are lots from position 13 downwards in the World Ranking right now. 2013 Jimmie Johnson #48 Chevrolet SS is the majority of top 10 cars.
Changing to
@SW__10 tune from that link felt undrivable at first. But it can be driven if you remember the throttle can be released for a moment and the heavy car still goes forward.
Driving Guide
Tapping the throttle through the sequence after hairpin rather than trying to catch any powerslide helped me achieve a lot more valid laps.
Turn 1+2
Keep left when approaching the first turn. Brake straight and turn in off the brake, coasting with a bit too much entry speed. Take a bit of grass. The uphill and this cut will slow the car enough for the banked middle of the turn. Hard onto the gas and ease the steering a bit. Then it's a dance of left stick twiddling with only the slightest R2 finesse to slither the car out through the exit. No tyres should smoke (for long) and you'll get the inside kerb at the exit.
Steeply Banked, Long Left
Looks like going to the middle of the track 1/3rd around this corner helps. Clip the inside kerb nearly when the corner ends, very smooth and long acceleration this way. (I went too deep on my fastest lap and lost quarter of a second! Middle of the track, not higher, then accelerate early and hold it down.)
Towards the Pond
Keep right downhill after than long left. Then, I swing left quite late, to get as left as possible, still full gas. A dab of the brake just as the left kerb straightens. Off the brake and hard right. Coast along the right kerb. Dab the brake and ease the steering to keep right, while scrubbing off the speed.
From there you can drop into the hairpin with good speed (still under 100km/h) and use the steeper, smoother banking near the inside kerb. Gives a straighter exit and more traction. I can accelerate for much much earlier on this line. (I didn't optimise the speed on my fastest lap but the line is about right.)
I find this sequence impossible to drive consistently fast! Probably more time to be gained here than anywhere else on the track. Wheels and pedals would make it easier?
My Time
Now at
1:06.342 beating
@nowcontrol and
@WhoosierGirl through turn 1! Can't quite hold off the latter at the end, though. Following my own advice for one clean lap would put me 0.4 seconds ahead! Maybe they are keeping their powder dry for an explosive flurry of V8 thunder towards the end of the seasonal?
Updates
1: Went a bit faster then noticed it was at 622pp due to the fresh oil wearing out.
2: I haven't done the rigidity improvement! Maybe it's better to have a supple chassis on this extremely shaped track?
3: Oil changed.
Brakes 6:9 instead of 7:9 and
TCS:4 instead of TCS:5 has given me
1:06.067. Still failing to stick to the lines I describe above for a whole lap! I tried LSD 5:5:5 but
5:6:5 helps the car 'tuck in' with the throttle and that seems to be a key technique to getting better lap time.
A light throttle blip after the braking is done, about 1/3rd around most corners seems to settle things down and initiates the 'tucked in' steering. (DS3 stick steering will differ from actual wheels, naturally.)
Turns 3+4 require extreme precision to get through fast. Looking at
@nowcontrol and
@WhoosierGirl to educate us how they are doing that. (Pretty please?)