All-Purpose Guide to the B-Spec Online Seasonal: La Sarthe

[EliteDoom]

Pretty good guide, seems to sum it up.

Personally it took me about 7 failed attempts using the Toyota Minolta, Peugeot 905 and 2J before I was sucessful with the Nissan R92CP.

I was very close on my very first attempt (with the Minolta), leading (with no coaching on the 9th lap), when I chose not to pit, and my rear tyres died (completely) on the last lap allowing 4 cars to overtake. If i'd pitted with the rest of the AI, I think I could've won with this.

With the Nissan R92CP, I used 2 drivers, lvl 38 to start, and the other was lvl 40. RH from the start, pitted at the end of lap 2 for RI (no coaching yet), coached (keeping at 60-70%) from then, pitted again for fresh RI at the end of lap 7 (too early in my opinion), and coached more gently to the end. Won by a useful lead in the end (not sure exactly how much - approx 20 sec). I led the race from the start of lap 4 (as the AI pitted), and didn't lose the lead after. Best gap to the AI was at the end of lap 6 - 46 sec.

The last lap is definately the most important of the race. It will quickly shred racing inters, but it's very slippery on cool racing hards and bob is liable to mistakes. using racing hards one lap earlier loses a lot of time as it's even worse than using them just for the last lap.

Really didn't work. Never got to first, and nearly got to second, but back tyres died just before the end. WHY?????

 

[bluemoon_19]

Odd. I had to babysit mine to keep the in the blue otherwise the ended up in gravel.

Well they did go into the red when behind someone but i just didn't give commands apart from overtake on the straights. But when my bobs are out in the lead on there own if left to it then would lose badly.

 

[Akmuq]

I used a level 33 bob for this and a Chapperal 2J with Sport Softs and no stops. I didn't win but it was absolutely thrilling.

After the lap 9 pitstop the R8 '01 came out right behind the 2J, and they were side by side until Tetre Rouge where both of them slid but my bob was worse off. But right up to the Ford Chicanes I was pressing the go faster and overtake constantly, until he slid off again to lose by 5 seconds. Only 2nd but it was an epic race.👍

 

[Hun200kmh]

Sorry if among the few pages this has been mentioned already but I just read the excellent OP and in it Famine says he knows no reports about using the R8 '01. That's the car I use when I need cash because with that one I have a win everytime. Needs nursing though (maybe it's my drivers ...) or else if they come too hot into Mulsanne Corner I'll have them losing the car in the sand trap, and a lot of time before they pick up speed again.

I stop at lap 3 to fit inters and change driver, and never again (need to cancel his will to pit by the end of lap 9 though).

All the nursing I need to do is to keep my drivers with a cool head.

PS - A bit off-topic but the Spa race is a fire-&-forget race. With a up to 4.000.000 turnout it isn't a bad one too. All you neeed to do is pick a NSX and fit him with Sports Soft Tyres. It will never want to pit and usually gets to 3rd before AIs pit, and to 1st after that. All credit for this info goes to gplaneter vompatti, but I've tested it so you may consider it also as bearing the GTP_Hun "Tested&Approved" seal.

 

[Nish]

Ok, I ran it again with the Pescarolo C60 Hybride–Judd. Here is the breakdown.

2 B-Spec driver's, D. Honda (lvl 37) (named after the engine) and J. Ritter (lvl 36) (the late actor).

C60 has 1047hp, with a new chassis and chassis reinforcement.

Below is in (Lap... Lap Time... Top Speed Without Draft(MPH)... With Draft(MPH)... Position... Driver... Percipitation at End of Lap)

Lap 1... 3:41.615... 238... 246... 7th... J.R.... 2%
Lap 2... 3:43.814... N/A... 252... 3rd... J.R.... 16%
Lap 3... 4:04.687... 235... N/A... 6th... J.R.... 32% (P)
Lap 4... 4:33.107... 232... 242... 3rd... D.H... 50%
Lap 5... 4:17.238... N/A... 246... 3rd... D.H.... 63%
Lap 6... 4:13.279... 237... 248... 3rd... D.H.... 57%
Lap 7... 4:01.848... 239... N/A... 3rd... D.H.... 51%
Lap 8... 3:55.840... 239... 241... 3rd... D.H.... 44% (P)
Lap 9... 4:13.602... 240... N/A.... 1st... J.R..... 38%
Lap10...3:48.547... 238... N/A.... 1st... J.R..... 32%

Final Time... 40:33.597
Average Lap... 4:03.359
Total Average Speed... 125.28mph/201.61kph
Fastest Lap Average Speed.... 137.57mph/221.39kph
Fastest Lap... 3:41.615

Notes
Bentley constantly bumped my car on lap's 2 and 3.
Every time my driver's got near the Oreca R8 he drove very chaotically, even with pressure bar lower than half way.

 

[g2010ag]

XJR-9 LM Race Car 88
Just won using the Race Intermediates front and Sport Soft rear technique, one pit stop. Started on Race Hards, pitted at the end of lap 2 and took on RI front SS rear. Kept Bob at 5/8 mood till the last lap then had to battle the R-8 '01. What a fun race. I won by less than a second.

 

[bobd]

Thanks Famine for the awesome findings... I think it's encouraging other members to win this one with the least PP-car. 👍

My Test :
bobd - Mazda 787B '91 (767hp, 830kg, 700PP; 14kg ballast, Downforce F/R +2) - 40'49.908
Bobs: Level 27 & Level 31; Strategy: RH tyres to end of lap 3, RI tyres to end end of lap 8, RI tyres to end of race.

Details :
Buy a NEW 787B from the dealership, no oil change. This is to NOT bump the PP up too much due to using ballast weight as PP reducer. Less original PP means less weight to add. I used 14kg at position 0, maintained the car's original weight distribution 49-51.

No engine limiter to take advantage of the engine break-in HP increase, only with NEW cars. Engine after the race increased to 702 PP / 779 HP.

Transmission set to 418km/h (259 mph).

A thing to note is that the lead Audi R8 does that slowing-by-side-of-the road thing at Mulsanne corner on the first lap! Dropping from 1st to last. Which probably plays a major factor into this win of the Mazda 787B.

The Audi R8 does his roadside 1st-gear thing

Spent lap 7 and 8 fighting for pole with these 2 leaders, very frustating indeed. Then pitted for RI and got a clear run on lap 9, gave it the beans !

And yes, she can win this 700PP B-Spec Challenge, but I wouldn't wanna attempt it again

Thanks for reading. Thinking of maybe attempt the race again in a Mclaren F1 GTR...

 

[CyKosis1973]

Great idea Famine, well done Sir.

I posted this up a few days ago: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6424047#post6424047

The two Bobs I used were lvl 35 (Fuchs) and 36 (Kaufmann). Fuchs has been largely raised on remote racing and has far less wins than Kaufmann, who has mostly raced B-Spec.

I think the difference is how quickly Bob levels up. With the adjusted XP login bonus and the current Seasonals, it's very easy to get your Bob up to the mid 20s, early 30s after only a few races. Kaufmann has levelled up over hundreds of B-Spec races, pre XP login, etc, so appears to be the better driver.

All of my Bobs are similar in 'personality', their default mood is slightly right of centre. If I hold them around this point during a race (maybe just above), they perform the best. If I push them too much above 75%, they get erratic and burn tyres. Let them drop too far below and they'll dawdle like old people in Charity Shops...

{Cy}

 

[zeppos1]

won today for the first time with the audi R8 race car '01
race hard to start
pitstop after lap 2..changing for race intermediates...
got first in lap 5 before the bentley..there was no other '01 in the field (oreca was nr 4)
pitted again like all others after lap 9 for racing hard...since i was in the lead it was no risk...
won with 20,5 sec.
my bob was level 40 with 176 wins in 182 races..

lsd 10/20/20
turbo stage 3
engine tuned down to 700 pp

 

[Nish]

Did it again same car, same opponents, new tune. My other races I had to hope for a win, less than 2 second's lead at the end other 3 time's. This time I was in 1st by lap 3 and a estimated split of 47 second's at the end. My driver's were drifting the Ess's and gaining huge amount's of time.

 

[g2010ag]

sauber c9 '89 - unlikely to win even with very high level bobs. Overpowered, so it's excellent on the straights even for lower level bobs - so devastatingly fast that it can break the slipstream - but it will chew its tyres out of every corner. Avoid

Can win but not easily. Used 1 stop from RH to RI front/SS rear end of lap 2. Was able to keep him out of trouble and calmed down until we caught the BMW on the end of lap 8. Could not keep him off of the BMW and starting lap 9 we passed on the Dunlop curve & chicane then went off track in the esses. Cost us about 4 seconds.

 

[GTVirtuoso]

Thanks Famine. Your guide using the Audi R8 Team Oreca is spot on. Won with a Bob at Level 31.

 

[Famine]

Can win but not easily.

I imagine many things can win, but not easily. That's not really the point of the thread. The point is to help people win with what they have access to - if they have access to a Sauber C9 and some low grade Bobs, they know not to bother.

As a rule of thumb, my Bobs apparently suck large so if they can win with something so can anyone else's

 

[Lion-Face]

BMW V12 LMR '99

Just de-tuned to 700pp with engine limiter. Made sure I had Max Aero. Everything else default as far as I'm aware.

Pitted lap 2 for Inters, then Lap 7 for Inters again. Level 38 and 40 bobs, the 40 ran the middle stint.

By end of first stops I was 15 seconds in the lead, stretched to just shy of 30 seconds by my 2nd stop. Came out just behind the 1st/2nd in which I caught them on fresh tires, battled them, a few incidents in the mix, they pitted and I eventually won by about 20seconds taking it easy on the last lap.

Have tried with the XJR9 Jaguar but ran a low Aero setup, which I think is the biggest issue when it comes to the wet weather and bobs as they were extremely slow through the corners.

 

[c7mpr]

My level 37 Bob won with the Mazda 787B '91 on his 1st attempt, started on inters, pit at the end of lap 4 then run to the end of the race on those.
256mph gearing the only tweak to standard setup straight from the new car dealership.

 

[swilso13]

Aww Crap, was running my Judd GV5 and it was leading by along way on last lap, I took my attention off to read this thread and lost by .05. Damn it........Had already won with this car before, by pitting at end of lap 2 and cancelling the pit on lap 9.

 

[g2010ag]

That's not really the point of the thread.

No big deal, "All-Purpose Guide" led me to think you wanted to discuss more than the easy win.

I have been having fun with this challenge and looking for ways to win with "unlikely cars".

So far I have found that for me there is no "One size fits all" way to bring different cars to the finsih line in first place. That is part of what makes it fun.

 

[Famine]

It's not really about the easy win either - the easy win's just "Chaparral 2J". More letting people know IF they can win with what they have. I think you'll agree with me that the Sauber is very, very far down the list (much further than, say, the OCD triplet of Audi R8 '05 and the two Pescarolos) so we need to advise people accordingly that it's unlikely to net a win.

But yes, thanks to the nature of the inequality of Bobs, some don't perform as well in different cars despite the indicators of their relative abilities. It is an unusually imperfect system, which neatly reflects the real world

 

[Doodle]

I've already won with the R8 '01, the Bentley, and the R92CP. I'm going to try the R89C and the Jag right now

 

[Famine]

I need to update post one for all these successes

Odd question. Anyone tried this in the Gillet Vertigo yet? It outpowers most of the grid, is lightweight, is well under the PP limit and has 2004 suspension technology for grip...

 

[KyoDex]

Is it possible to win it using a lvl 26 bob and a lvl 20?

 

[HaylRayzor]

I need to update post one for all these successes

Odd question. Anyone tried this in the Gillet Vertigo yet? It outpowers most of the grid, is lightweight, is well under the PP limit and has 2004 suspension technology for grip...

I haven't tried the Vertigo for this event but I've let the Bobs drive it before and they absolutely hoover with it. I find it to be the opposite of the 2J. It punches well BELOW it's PP (at least in the hands of Bob).

 

[isildur]

I have been running this with the 2J with Sports Soft no pitting. I keep winning with about 30 seconds. Best time has been 40:06:245

 

[Phoenix]

Famine,

Modifications to my 2J: 806 HP, 835 KG, transmission set to 420 KM/h.

 

[SHAUN09]

I need to update post one for all these successes

Odd question. Anyone tried this in the Gillet Vertigo yet? It outpowers most of the grid, is lightweight, is well under the PP limit and has 2004 suspension technology for grip...

I might try that race with that car.

 

[Lupo]

I need to update post one for all these successes

Odd question. Anyone tried this in the Gillet Vertigo yet? It outpowers most of the grid, is lightweight, is well under the PP limit and has 2004 suspension technology for grip...

Another odd question... nobody considered to use the Toyota 7 yet ?

P.S.: Great, great post Famine. Thanks.

 

[Ealirendur]

Odd question. Anyone tried this in the Gillet Vertigo yet? It outpowers most of the grid, is lightweight, is well under the PP limit and has 2004 suspension technology for grip...

[post=6437028]Only briefly[/post] before pulling the pin. I could give it to a faster, more motivated (*BZZZT* *OW!*) Bruce, though.

I haven't tried the Vertigo for this event but I've let the Bobs drive it before and they absolutely hoover with it. I find it to be the opposite of the 2J. It punches well BELOW it's PP (at least in the hands of Bob).

That seemed to be the case.

EDIT: I had applied Praiano's tune, and set the top speed to ~400km/h, IIRC. It really won't win with the default gearbox, but my choice may not have been the best, either.

 

[danmargar]

Please, read my strategy, I think is interesting for those who haven't won the race yet:

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6447185#post6447185

 

[garbuckle]

I need to update post one for all these successes

Odd question. Anyone tried this in the Gillet Vertigo yet? It outpowers most of the grid, is lightweight, is well under the PP limit and has 2004 suspension technology for grip...

The Vertigo appears to be a bust. It just doesn't keep up with the rear of the pack, let alone the front.

 

[garbuckle]

Just to try it out, I ran the Mazda Furai on Sports Soft, with no pits. I ended up in 7th with a time of 41:56.

I'm going to try and tweak it a bit, and see if I can't improve that. For some reason, my bob spun out a few times, even though the tires were fine, and the bar was below half.

A mix of Inters front / Sport Soft rear, did little to improve the result (only gained 2 seconds)