Best Gr.3 for Spa 1 hour

V

vonMarshall

341
United Kingdom
London
N. vonMarshall
I do love driving at Spa and the 1 hour race is my go to "grind" with CRB almost a given and real interest from the weather which really varies a lot. I have had dry races, one with heavy wets mandatory for 20 mins, dry-wet-dry-wet etc.

When I just want to pick up 1.5m credits, my detuned 962 is a beast, but more often I like to set the challenge and do it in a Gr.3. My 911 RSR is my go to Gr.3 and if it does rain and if I time my stops well, it is an easy win.

But I can only sweat out 8-9 laps to start with and if it does not rain around that time, I am coming in and find myself back in the pack. Fraga is nailing 2:17s and I am struggling with 2:20's on RH FM2. I know this track well, have golded the licence with ease and am confident that I am getting most of the performance out of the car.

But when I hit a dry race or one where the weather does not turn until late, Fraga has a 1m lead over me by then and Beauvois is not far off.

What Gr.3 cars do you think I should try. Ideally looking for better fuel economy for a start, 10-12 laps worth at FM1/2 should do it. And obviously, if the RSR is far from Meta and I can be clipping 2:18s then the race is on, even if it does not rain.

Have been mulling the M6 Endurance but have not really experimented with Gr.3s so keen to learn.
 
The Supra is the meta car in the Gr.3 daily races at the moment. I assume the same applies to the other races.

I used to go to the GTR for any Gr.3 races. I also am enjoying the new Mercedes, but both lack top speed compared with the Supra.
 
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Steer
The Supra is the meta car in the Gr.3 daily races at the moment. I assume the same applies to the other races.
Click to expand...
That is because in Sport they use BOP but not as much in single player events

so you can for example take 650s GT3 and buy a medium turbo = easy win
 
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Maybe the Subaru BRZ GT300. Is the best all around, very balanced, great on tires and fuel, not as good as the Supra on top speed, but I believe better on everything else.
 
Would second the BRZ, lacks slightly on the top end down the Kemmel but the rest of the track it's a pleasure to drive.

I also run a de-tuned Super GT NSX if I'm looking to grind it, the fuel mileage makes it too easy
 
RobertHammer
That is because in Sport they use BOP but not as much in single player events

so you can for example take 650s GT3 and buy a medium turbo = easy win
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Not only upgrades, but we can also correct some dumb baseline settings with gearboxes, suspension, diffs and so.
Most Gr. 3 cars are totally different beasts with the right setups.
 
pedrocor
Not only upgrades, but we can also correct some dumb baseline settings with gearboxes, suspension, diffs and so.
Most Gr. 3 cars are totally different beasts with the right setups.
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I dont mind the BoP setup on most cars. To me it is the opposite, some of them feel outright bad, which then can be corrected when changes are allowed. And some BoP dont make sense to the car, like the Suzuki VGT doesnt have enough power to efficiently reach gear 7.
 
vonMarshall
Ideally looking for better fuel economy for a start, 10-12 laps worth at FM1/2 should do it.
Click to expand...
Not sure what is best on fuel...think the Supra is quickest when shortshifting and can exit in a taller gear so that may be one to try. But, it isn't great on tires.

The GTR 18 is pretty good on tires, but not sure about fuel. If you like the 911, then perhaps the Alfa 4C could work. Little less traction, but decent top end and rotates predictably.
 
I like lighter cars at Spa, because of lower tire wear and fuel economy.
The BRZ has already been mentioned, and I find it excellent. But it is almost an easy win. I mostly use the '99 GTR and the '97 Supra GT500, which make it an interesting race.
 
pedrocor
Maybe the Subaru BRZ GT300. Is the best all around, very balanced, great on tires and fuel, not as good as the Supra on top speed, but I believe better on everything else.
Click to expand...
Sounds like I need one of these.
dabz343
Not sure what is best on fuel...think the Supra is quickest when shortshifting and can exit in a taller gear so that may be one to try. But, it isn't great on tires.

The GTR 18 is pretty good on tires, but not sure about fuel. If you like the 911, then perhaps the Alfa 4C could work. Little less traction, but decent top end and rotates predictably.
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Hmmm - the 4C... I love that little car but felt it was going to be underpowered. Will dust it off.
kowalski__1
At Spa ,I like the Viper SRT GT-R '15, good mileage,good in the rain :cheers:
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Really? I would have thought it was a thirsty beast! I normally shy away from big cars but it will make a nice change.
 
vonMarshall
I do love driving at Spa and the 1 hour race is my go to "grind" with CRB almost a given and real interest from the weather which really varies a lot. I have had dry races, one with heavy wets mandatory for 20 mins, dry-wet-dry-wet etc.

When I just want to pick up 1.5m credits, my detuned 962 is a beast, but more often I like to set the challenge and do it in a Gr.3. My 911 RSR is my go to Gr.3 and if it does rain and if I time my stops well, it is an easy win.

But I can only sweat out 8-9 laps to start with and if it does not rain around that time, I am coming in and find myself back in the pack. Fraga is nailing 2:17s and I am struggling with 2:20's on RH FM2. I know this track well, have golded the licence with ease and am confident that I am getting most of the performance out of the car.

But when I hit a dry race or one where the weather does not turn until late, Fraga has a 1m lead over me by then and Beauvois is not far off.

What Gr.3 cars do you think I should try. Ideally looking for better fuel economy for a start, 10-12 laps worth at FM1/2 should do it. And obviously, if the RSR is far from Meta and I can be clipping 2:18s then the race is on, even if it does not rain.

Have been mulling the M6 Endurance but have not really experimented with Gr.3s so keen to learn.
Click to expand...
I used the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 '10 and won on the first try on Normal, but it turned out I was also a bit lucky with the weather, because I wanted to see if this race could be my new grinding spot, but I didn't win the second time, so that was a wasted hour... :lol: but the Aston Martin is fast and nice on fuel.

Edit. On second thought, I think I used High-End Torque Supercharger and that's not going easy on the fuel.
 
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IngRobNy
I used the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 '10 and won on the first try on Normal, but it turned out I was also a bit lucky with the weather, because I wanted to see if this race could be my new grinding spot, but I didn't win the second time, so that was a wasted hour... :lol: but the Aston Martin is fast and nice on fuel.
Click to expand...
Spa is now my grinding spot when I am happy to cheat. The 962 wins by 2 laps and there are plenty of other cheat cars that make mince meat of it.

The Gr.3s all are easy.. as long as it rains at the right moment!
 
Even if it's not a Gr.3, the Toyota TS030 detuned is my choice here.
I start with FM6 + RH and I only pit once for wet tires. No need to refuel at all!!
Laps at 2:35 / 2:40 under the rain and 2:15 / 2:20 on dry track.
 
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I have done a quick bit of experimenting.

The RSR gets you 7 laps on FM1 and I can do 2;20’s on RH or 2;18’s on RM. At FM2 for half the lap I am getting up to 9 laps, but the RMs are not lasting more than 7. So if it rains lap 8 onwards you are double stopping.

The Alfa 4c is lovely to drive but seems to have far less fuel range than the 911 so you are on the back foot early. 5 laps at FM1. Swap in the Medium RPM turbo and it is incredibly fast, while the fuel does not seem to be much worse so on FM3 you can hit 2;17’s and last 8 laps. It is noticeably crueller on the tires than the 911, particularly on IM As the track dries. I drove to straight off the shelf so need to head to Priano’s tunes to see what else is in the car.

The BMW M6 Endurance was not Endurancy at all! Less fuel than the 911 and slow, even before dropping to FM3. Did not even bother driving it long enough to see how it would do. I missed my 911!

Going to get the ‘10 Aston I think for my next test.
 
vonMarshall
At FM2 for half the lap I am getting up to 9 laps, but the RMs are not lasting more than 7. So if it rains lap 8 onwards you are double stopping.
Click to expand...
Before changing FM, I am convinced you are doing much better laps by doing shortshifting for the same amount of fuel saved.
Also it is easier to use when you want power, not needing to change to FM1 and then back down to FMx but instead simply shift at a later point.
 
Meythia
Before changing FM, I am convinced you are doing much better laps by doing shortshifting for the same amount of fuel saved.
Also it is easier to use when you want power, not needing to change to FM1 and then back down to FMx but instead simply shift at a later point.
Click to expand...
You are probably right but I am a Luddite on a DS using Auto... Too old to learn and adapt to manual now!

I control the FM and weather radar with the buttons on the right side of the controller instead of the left as default and find it relatively easy to flick between them without taking my eyes off the track.
 
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This race is good for grinding I find - I also found using the 2016 GT-R GT500 was a great car because although it doesn’t have the GR.3 top end, it has sooooooo much helpful downforce and really high fuel levels which allows me to go on longer stints with RH tyres to start with.
 
Carlos Fandango
OT, but I followed the link in you signature @vonMarshall and downloaded the Hippie Yellow 911 RSR but all the liveries were excellent and in my humble opinion, extremely accurate. Top marks Sir!
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Many thanks. I visit Classic Le Mans every other year and have 100’s of photos of these wonderful 70’s and 80’s cars, my favourite era.

Enjoy the Hippie RSR… I do enjoy sitting back and watching a rewarding race, seeing it in the rain at night!
 
I had my first go at the Spa 24h race with the new AMG '20, but in my excitement to try it out, I forgot to buy IM or W tyres, and only discovered this at the first pit stop. Fortunately, although there was rain, the track stayed dry and I made my way through the field, reaching 3rd before the second pit stop, and I (somewhat foolishly) thought to myself 'maybe the game knows I don't have wet tyres and will cut me some slack with the weather...' - fat chance :( Just as I entered the pits for the second time, it started raining heavily and that was the end of my race. I ended up dead last, but still got 60,000 Cr. (plus the somewhat comical Clean Race Bonus), which was enough to buy my the tyres for next time :ouch: It's the first time I've finished last in the Spa 24h race, but it was my own stupid fault. As for the car/drive, it was superb fun and it felt great to do this race for the sheer pleasure of racing, as opposed to my usual guaranteed win/grind for Cr. I reckon with the right tyres I could probably win it fairly comfortably next time, and if so I'll try de-tuning the AMG to the point where it becomes a really close race.

-

2nd attempt today, this time with IM and W tyres in reserve.

I won, but really only thanks to a good decision to go back to slicks earlier than the AI. That said, the AMG GT3 '20 is a bit of a handful - I found it a nightmare coming out of slow corners, and I spun it a couple of times. The AI also didn't seem to pit for the last 13 laps, so it's lucky that I got my strategy right - after the line dried out on Lap 13, I came out of the pits with a full fuel tank and I decided to go for Fuel Mix 1 and put in some quick laps, and buy myself a pit stop to refuel around lap 19. It worked, but I was still expecting the lead AI to pit and for me to win by a bigger margin, but it was able to stay out and so I won the race by under 30s. It was a great race though, even though I found the AMG GT3 '20 to be a bit of a handful.
 
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IngRobNy
I used the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 '10 and won on the first try on Normal, but it turned out I was also a bit lucky with the weather, because I wanted to see if this race could be my new grinding spot, but I didn't win the second time, so that was a wasted hour... :lol: but the Aston Martin is fast and nice on fuel.

Edit. On second thought, I think I used High-End Torque Supercharger and that's not going easy on the fuel.
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Won easily enough on Hard using Praino's tuned version of this earlier - so it has super charger equiped, and I added Medium tyres, before swapping to inters for the inevitable rain. Span off several times, for one reason or another, but still crossed the line in 1st. Thought I'd blown it tbh, but mass pit stop near end allowed me to snatch 1st place back at the death,
 
well2thebone
I'v only ran this a couple times since the physics update, but the Nissan GT-R GT500 '99 is moving up my list and does really well here. Picked up a second one.
Click to expand...

Yeah those gt500 are a step up from gr3 iirc
..
Easy win there or sardegna if you decide to turn up in one of those.
 
Just reporting back for those of you who enjoy this race.

The Aston DBR9 ‘10 is a beast! I used Priano’s tune and found that the understeer has all but disappeared. I could get into the 2:17s on RMs even with a FM1 / FM2 mix which got me 8 laps (FM3 gets you 9) and to top it all, very light on the tires.

I had a full dry race last night, not a drop of rain. Last time I had this I was in my RSR and lost by 40 seconds, but with the DBR9 I was able to catch up to Frag and Beauvois by 35 mins and then had a wonderful 5-6 lap tussle in the 2;17-18s before he burnt his RS out and needed a splash and dash whilst I switched to FM6 and eeeked out a 10 lap final stint to win by 20s.

Having tried most of the Gr3’s in this race, I can safely say this is the best long distance car out there without cheating and detuning a GT500 or Gr1.
 
Was going to give it a go with the 917 Living Legend, which won me the 800 race on Tokyo pretty easily.

Any experience with it for this one?
 
Remember to look outside the box. By that I mean the older GT class of cars. What is GR.3 now is basically any high power Grand Touring car that was. If it had a street car cousin, it would more less qualify.

In the UK and have a thing for the Cosworth, why not build a full race version to try.

1989 BMw your thing, do that.

Don't just limit yourself to is a racecar when you buy it. Have fun. And, you may spend less money depending on the car you build.
 

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