AC Time Attack Challenge 2.0 - see post #590 for a link to a Boxing Day event with the Alfa GTA
- Thread starter Johnnypenso
- 593 comments
- 42,423 views
- 3,211
- Brisbane
- Punknoodle_Nick
Well, I learnt a lesson tonight, and that's to always test the default tune before going and tinkering with it. Went out with the default tune and slashed my time by over 2 seconds 
First corner I can only get right sometimes, second and third aren't too bad - the forth corner though is SO important to lap time due to the long straight. On my best lap I must have got that corner spot on because every delta since then has me losing time on that corner. I am up on my delta by 3 tenths at the start of the lap at times, and I know I gave away a good 2 tenths in the last complex so my optimum time is in the 23s but I can't seem to link it up tonight. Maybe another night with a decent tune (by someone other than me!).
Anyway, significant improvement for me tonight
First corner I can only get right sometimes, second and third aren't too bad - the forth corner though is SO important to lap time due to the long straight. On my best lap I must have got that corner spot on because every delta since then has me losing time on that corner. I am up on my delta by 3 tenths at the start of the lap at times, and I know I gave away a good 2 tenths in the last complex so my optimum time is in the 23s but I can't seem to link it up tonight. Maybe another night with a decent tune (by someone other than me!).
Anyway, significant improvement for me tonight
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
Well, I learnt a lesson tonight, and that's to always test the default tune before going and tinkering with it. Went out with the default tune and slashed my time by over 2 seconds
First corner I can only get right sometimes, second and third aren't too bad - the forth corner though is SO important to lap time due to the long straight. On my best lap I must have got that corner spot on because every delta since then has me losing time on that corner. I am up on my delta by 3 tenths at the start of the lap at times, and I know I gave away a good 2 tenths in the last complex so my optimum time is in the 23s but I can't seem to link it up tonight. Maybe another night with a decent tune (by someone other than me!).
Anyway, significant improvement for me tonight
Hard to believe the default tune could be faster. I found it so slow and sluggish I didn't even complete a lap with it when testing this combination.
Picked up a bit of a bug yesterday and it wiped me out. Almost back on track today. Looks like everyone is doing well without a tune or video though. Surprised the times are so fast, I have my work cut out for me.
- 6,898
- United Kingdom
No offence but the last two challenges I tried your tunes and found the default to be faster for me.Hard to believe the default tune could be faster. I found it so slow and sluggish I didn't even complete a lap with it when testing this combination.
Picked up a bit of a bug yesterday and it wiped me out. Almost back on track today. Looks like everyone is doing well without a tune or video though. Surprised the times are so fast, I have my work cut out for me.
Get well soon. 👍
I think I'm going to take another break from these challenges and hopefully come back either next month or next year stronger.
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
I never mentioned my tunes, tunes are individual preference and not meant to suit everyone, I was only remarking that in this particular car the default tune seems very sluggish.
- 6,898
- United Kingdom
Just mentioning the default tunes tend to be fast so not surprised it is quicker for @Punknoodle.
I think maximising negative camber, lowering fuel so you have enough to complete one flying lap with tyre blankets on makes an awesome baseline. Might help others go quicker too.
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
Arrgh!!! Had a great lap, thought I had a great tune but after I exited I couldn't find any of the replays I saved and the 4 different tunes I made along the way were all not saved. It's on days like this I miss the reliability of the console (don't tell anyone I said that
) So I had to go back and try to recreate the tune from memory which you think would be easy since there are only a handful of settings
. The suspension settings, especially the rear, were very sensitive and I'm not sure I got them exactly right. I ran a quick lap to get a good replay and really blew the second corner and had to lift but I got within 3/10ths which should be enough to show the lines I used. The tune feels slightly off so I think I missed my previous mark some in recreating it. Video is in progress, tune is at the end of the video but I'll attach it here in case anyone wants to try it sooner.
(don't tell anyone I said that) So I had to go back and try to recreate the tune from memory which you think would be easy since there are only a handful of settings. The suspension settings, especially the rear, were very sensitive and I'm not sure I got them exactly right. I ran a quick lap to get a good replay and really blew the second corner and had to lift but I got within 3/10ths which should be enough to show the lines I used. The tune feels slightly off so I think I missed my previous mark some in recreating it. Video is in progress, tune is at the end of the video but I'll attach it here in case anyone wants to try it sooner.
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- 3,211
- Brisbane
- Punknoodle_Nick
Thanks Johnny, I'll try it out later tonight hopefully. Nice time!
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
I have to ad that, at least for me, and I'm obviously not the fastest guy, timing the braking and brake release was huge, especially in Village, Becketts, Stowe. Unlike in modern cars, small mistakes lead to much bigger penalties in over and understeer it seems. Don't get the car rotated enough and you plow exiting the corner like I did in the video in corner 1 and 2. Get too much rotation and you lose traction in the back end causing wheelspin and a loss of momentum. Happens in all cars obviously, it just seems more punishing in the Alfa. Because the brake timing is so crucial and the window seems a little narrow for the "correct" amount of brake and timing of the brake release, you might not find the tune suitable to your driving style.
The exits of Becketts and the Yale chicane were vital to a good lap as you carried that exit speed for a long, long way. Each of the heavy braking zones was a little different. All due credit to Kunos, the car was more oversteery entering Becketts due to the slightly downhill approach so you couldn't brake as deep and had to release a bit earlier.
Note: Because this was a quick retune I didn't pay much attention to the fuel. It's at least enough for 2 laps and I often had my fastest lap as the second lap so I'd recommend running at least two laps this time.
The exits of Becketts and the Yale chicane were vital to a good lap as you carried that exit speed for a long, long way. Each of the heavy braking zones was a little different. All due credit to Kunos, the car was more oversteery entering Becketts due to the slightly downhill approach so you couldn't brake as deep and had to release a bit earlier.
Note: Because this was a quick retune I didn't pay much attention to the fuel. It's at least enough for 2 laps and I often had my fastest lap as the second lap so I'd recommend running at least two laps this time.
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- 3,211
- Brisbane
- Punknoodle_Nick
Nice paint job!
...and also a nice tune! These gear ratios are so much better than stock. Took off yet another second.
I think I''m very close to my limit now. Here and there on my delta I'm up by a tenth or so in some places but an inch perfect complete lap evades me. I'm actually really happy with this time. Pumped my fist and everything lol.
...and also a nice tune! These gear ratios are so much better than stock. Took off yet another second.
I think I''m very close to my limit now. Here and there on my delta I'm up by a tenth or so in some places but an inch perfect complete lap evades me. I'm actually really happy with this time. Pumped my fist and everything lol.
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- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
That reminds me.
I mentioned earlier about the power curve given by Kunos and to shift early but that was before driving the car. Forget that. I was doing that and was struggling to improve and when that happens I usually try something different. I was shifting at 7000 rpm as you would think to do from the power curve but taking it to the redline I could see the lap time delta instantly improving and dramatically so. Take it to the redline and rev the crap out of it!
Great time by the way:tup:👍
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
- 506
- uk
- bulletproofbrian
Found some more speed today.👍
Would have been quicker if I hadn`t drifted around Stowe!
Would have been quicker if I hadn`t drifted around Stowe!
- 6,898
- United Kingdom
Cheers for the tune Johnny. Took just over a second off for me. Using slightly different gears and a more forward brake bias.
Also my lap from last week (bit late so it's in spoiler tags...)
Very tempting to give this a go due to reading good things about the car on here and to try make it three in a row but like I mentioned before, I'm going to take a break from these challenges so no late dash from me this time.
@RacingPanda seemed quite quick at this track on the original Time Attack Challenge thread so hopefully he tempts it and both @Johnnypenso and @Harry6784 seem quite fast in the second sector so if they hook up the first sector then it will be really competitive this week.
Noticed in your Ferrari lap, you managed to rev higher. Does that cause damage?
- 28,470
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Johnnypenso
You're probably asking Aderrrm about the Ferrari damage, but the answer is yes, it causes damage and depending on how much you do it and how often, you can blow up the engine in the first lap. I was doing it myself to near the point of blowing up on most of my good laps. Probably only made a couple of tenths difference but still...
- 6,898
- United Kingdom
Probably should have kept it at 108% then but thought it would lose power as showing like it is getting damage straight away. Comparing the start to Adam's lap, seems I hit higher top speed (8KM/H more) due to running lower downforce than stock.
- 2,741
- Michigan
- mcluvin93hatch
That said, car/track combo is very, very fun, it's like a tarmac-version of this in a way.
But I have to agree with Johnny, too many times I've found myself thinking "I NEED more POWAH!" in the GTA, I'd love to see what'd it do with more anything really. I may revisit this later just for some 'seat-time' if I get a chance - maybe take it back to Barcelona to break up the Hypercar laps (P1) and vintage-F1 laps (M23-5)
👍 Using Johnny's tune and 1 click longer on the Final Gear...makes 2nd gear more useful in the slower corners.
- 2,977
- England
- WilliamsJIM_Adam
From the video your tune looked amazing. So much stability whilst still running lower downforce. And like you said looks like you had heaps of time left.
- 6,898
- United Kingdom
Everything stock apart from engine limiter to 101, maximum negative camber and lowering downforce IIRC. There was a lot of time left in the car if driven right to the ragged edge like Zandvoort potential although keeping similar lines. 108% probably would have helped get a bit more time too. Noticed your first two sectors were a bit scruffy and slightly off the racing line but the last sector you hooked up really well. It was better for me to stay off the kerbs when starting the lap as I noticed I was down on delta if I used all of the track.
