"Daily" Race Discussion [Archive]

[Groundfish]

Good attitude about the challenge, but try a new perspective on the ghosts to keep your spirits up (bah-dum-hiss). If you haven’t set a top ten time before it isn’t a realistic goal to catch a top ten ghost

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

 

[BigSarj]

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

It just means you're hip-hop. Nothing wrong with putting value on developing a unique style, I say.

 

[ZiggyS80]

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

Very good counterpoint. I cook a lot, but I’m not a chef. I don’t come up with interesting dishes, but I can execute a recipe exactly. I do adapt when I need to, though. Oven times vary and salt to taste.

I was pondering this earlier when practicing for Manu. I picked Jaguar and so did **edit** the best racer in my region. So I had the number one ghost to emulate and so I know his way is fastest, but felt more comfortable with a slightly different line through the Senna esses. It’s slower, but faster for me. I will keep chasing ghosts, but I get where you are coming from.

 

[Groundfish]

So I had the number one ghost to emulate and so I know his way is fastest, but felt more comfortable with a slightly different line through the Senna esses. It’s slower, but faster for me

That’s exactly it for me. That’s what I was kind of getting at. For me I can’t hit those laps every time so I maybe slow a bit on entry to ensure getting my line. Then I get to where I can turn lap after lap consistently. Often for me that’s compromising speed in certain areas. I only brought it up to encourage others to play how it’s fun for them, not criticize or counterpoint anybody, just sharing lol
All good then...

 

[05XR8]

Ghosts are a guide. There are players that never watch real racing. Some don't use the Circuit Experience or Time Trial. For anyone that needs help, the ghost is available to see how to get around the course.

Those that are chasing .001, it helps.

The physics of this game. Many times, it's just not realistic the way thes cars make time. It's not even about track limits. A track like Alsace, even though it's final corners are similar to the Corkscrew and Forest's Elbow. Players can see where they lose time.

 

[Yard_Sale]

Ok....how do I load up someone else’s ghost? I never knew about this!!

 

[dlshearon]

Ok....how do I load up someone else’s ghost? I never knew about this!!

Go to the ranking board of any race, click on a name and then load ghost.
I can’t remember if its only the Top 10 or anyone of your friends.

 

[crusselz]

Sometimes you come across opponents who are clean and fair fun to race against.



I know overtaking in T1 isn't ideal, but was caught out by his break point. Dont think I needed to, but actually gave the position back.

 

[Rexracer702]

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

I do use ghosts. Typically if on a track I know, I'll do a few laps to get brake points and line consistant, then load the fastest ghost driving the same car. I rarely load a different car. I don't use the ghost to try to follow it's line, though I may try a different line if I see advantage. Mostly, I work on my drive, and try to get a better drive. The ghost just gives me an opponent to chase. I also watch the up/down arrows and the best time gap. I find that if I can apex later, which lets me get on the gas earlier, I gain time on the straight. I also watch yhe gap going in to judge it it's worth it. Say I'm up .250 sec when I get to my brake point. I apex later, and when I hit the apex, I'm even (lost .250), but I get a better drive , so the numbers are heading back up. If I gain more than the .250, it was worth it. It's funny...some corners you can late apex and really gain time with the drive, while others you can gain more by diving for the early apex while trail braking and carrying speed going in.
It is a boost when you can find a line that lets you gain on or catch a top ghost in a certain spot. The hard part is figuring out how to go faster in the sections where the ghost is walking away from you. (Last sector at Fuji!)

 

[Def-Infinity]

Because the penalties are effectively gone, some people seem to have big cojones now.


Not fun.

 

[Little_Guppy]

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

Very good counterpoint. I cook a lot, but I’m not a chef. I don’t come up with interesting dishes, but I can execute a recipe exactly. I do adapt when I need to, though. Oven times vary and salt to taste.

I was pondering this earlier when practicing for Manu. I picked Jaguar and so did **edit** the best racer in my region. So I had the number one ghost to emulate and so I know his way is fastest, but felt more comfortable with a slightly different line through the Senna esses. It’s slower, but faster for me. I will keep chasing ghosts, but I get where you are coming from.

@Groundfish, Respect!

The ghosts. I am a fan. It is just another aid the game offers. My favorite aid is the yellow brick road (the driving line). They have similar traits.

For the very fast laps there are relatively few deviations compared to the deviations for slower laps. Similarly, the driving line is about 90% correct and I use it as a reference as one might use cones or those blue markers. Ditto for the top 10 ghost. Someone faster than me laid down that lap along with 9 of his fellow aliens. Many times those laps are quite similar. I am never going to be able to track a top 10 lapper but getting close sure does feel good.

Same applies to the cones. They are reference points for braking... maybe a little more... maybe a little less.

All those aids offer a starting point.

From time to time I even use the automatic transmission during practice sessions. @sturk0167 suggested this several months ago. This week I was flummoxed by RBR/Gr2 sector 1. I was more about 1.0 seconds off the ghost. Turned on AT and immediately I found three tenths in sector 1. Between the ghost and AT I knew what I needed to work on.

 

[D_Dragline]

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

So, sometimes I use ghosts if I'm within, say, 2 seconds of the top 10 to show me where I'm losing time. I never use it as a lap guide.

More often I watch the replays of the top 10 with inputs on so I can watch how they attack the track and pick up hints about track limits, gear selection etc...

My final driving style is a combination of understanding how aliens run the track, recognizing my limitations and finding a happy medium which gives me maximum speed (for me) without sacrificing consistency.

 

[GR33N]

About ghosts (very interesting topic!): I totally understand why someone would not use them, as it can make you kind of "overdrive" when you to try and follow them. And consistency > raw pace in general (the longer the race is).

However, everyone should at least watch the replay of top10 times, because if you see them going flat out through a corner where you brake, you know it is possible so you can try and find a way to do it yourself. That is a lot of tenths shaved in a single corner, if it is before a long straight for example...

 

[newb1017]

chasing a top 10 ghost is great for me
It reminds me that smooth inputs lead to the fastest times _I can see that smooth ghost driver in front..lol It is nice tempo thing. For those who golf maybe you can relate to golfing with a really good golfer. Their swing and body movements seem so slow, but they generate a ton of clubhead speed. I think there are parallels between exit speed in racing and clubhead speed in golf. It may be counterintuitive as to how you get both. Slow in and fast out in racing seems similar to generating lag in golf. It can't really be forced. Trying "harder" to be faster usually backfires in both (for me anyway)

 

[BigSarj]

chasing a top 10 ghost is great for me
It reminds me that smooth inputs lead to the fastest times _I can see that smooth ghost driver in front..lol It is nice tempo thing. For those who golf maybe you can relate to golfing with a really good golfer. Their swing and body movements seem so slow, but they generate a ton of clubhead speed. I think there are parallels between exit speed in racing and clubhead speed in golf. It may be counterintuitive as to how you get both. Slow in and fast out in racing seems similar to generating lag in golf. It can't really be forced. Trying "harder" to be faster usually backfires in both (for me anyway)

Good analogy. Hitting a baseball, too. I remember reading someone who said that clutch hitting is a myth. The batter has to go out there and just do his thing. Trying will only lead to striking out. Of course, the batter can maybe concentrate more but the important thing is to stay consistent and true to his game. I suppose that sort of mentality coincides with racing, too.

 

[RacingGrandpa]

I won't write a whole book since I don't know where you stand. Here are and handful and they are all easy to understand and try. Many are obvious, unless of course they are not.

1) Practice and increase exit speed for the corner preceding the longest straight as that is where you will gain the most time. And then the corner for the next longest straight and so on.

2) I watch hot laps and mark down the minimum speed used in each corner and set that as my target. Hint: you will need to brake sooner so that you can roll through the corner as you transition to the throttle. This technique will dispel the macho late-braking that tends to lower your corner speed and hence your exit speed. You are already trail braking so are on your way.

3) Search for @Tidgney 's Bathurst video at 18:40....
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/daily-race-discussion-archive.386265/page-2460#post-13342430
I will paraphrase. You can use 100% Brake. You can use 100% throttle. You can use 100% Steering. Or you can use 30% steering and 70% of something else. You fail if you use 110%. It is not exactly correct based on my physics textbook but the mindset is 100% correct.

4) the car turns better when you ease off the throttle.

5) the act of slowing down gets you through a corner. The deceleration from 150 kph to 130 kph shifts the weight forward and hence grip to the fronts making the turn possible. If you started at 130 kph you still need to slow down to something less to make the corner.

6) Sometimes, instead of braking, you can just lift the throttle.

Also, you can post a representative lap and ask folks to critique it. Try and include the on screen data that shows brake and throttle.

And when I started... I did not know about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and yep, didn't know about 6 either.

This is a really well written and thought out post that will surely help you a lot.
I will add one thing that has made a big difference to me.

You know when you are braking hard, as hard as you can towards a corner, having the feeling that you braked too late and you won't make it?
Try and ease the pressure of the brake a little. If you are white-knuckle on the brake trigger/pedal I guarantee you that most of the brake indicator are red, meaning the ABS is on full and your brake power is severely limited.
Try and keep the red part as small as possible.

And then one more thing. Something so basic that most people won't speak of it, but something a lot of us do wrong/too little.
Where you look. Always always look way ahead, having your eyes on the next apex ahead of you instead of down close at a brake marker. Those you should see with your peripheral vision, not focus on.
I recommend this channel https://youtube.com/channel/UCJp_E2Jf_NdWTWAEHWiVTNQ and this one https://youtube.com/c/MistahMCA
Both has been very helpful for speed.

Good luck and happy racing

 

[Def-Infinity]

Like, the first 3 races were the ultimate X to last challenges.



The only thing that was keeping me sane was the fact that I could listen to Ginza Night Express while racing.

 

[Pigems]

Ok....how do I load up someone else’s ghost? I never knew about this!!

 

[ii_Biggles_ii]

Maybe I’m stubborn or stupid or just honest, but I just don’t load ghosts. I never have.
I think it’s a game, it’s MY time, and I have to lap in a way I’m comfortable with, and find my pace and my way of getting that time.
I think life’s too short to look at any top ten ghost and think “this is the way to drive the track, this way is what I must learn...”
I’ve always found a couple things for myself...
When learning a track or revisiting one I like cones plus driving line.
I tried to chase ghosts when the feature came out, but many times that level of precision and practice and speed doesn’t apply to my own racing ability. There’s always more ways than one to skin a cat.
I just don’t prefer trying to “paint by numbers” copying another drivers exact hot lap.
Ultimately I am the one who has to drive in the race and nobody runs those laps in race. In race often I leave a bit for error margin and maybe don’t push for maximum entry speed, choosing more exit speed.
There’s so many ways to be super fast-different controller setups-wheels-different views-different brake balance and tcs settings-some drivers are more smooth others really dominate the car and chuck it around more...
I’m just saying we are all here to have the most fun we have with the time we are lucky to get on the game.
If ghosts frustrate a person (like me) then heck turn it off. There’s no law stating “you must follow this ghost and failing to do so is failure”
I understand it’s a great learning tool most people use, but I’ve gotten this far without it and everyone’s different, maybe for some the ghost is just too distracting or demoralizing. I’m weird I know but it’s cool.

Edit thanks @sturk0167 for that time you got me interested and helped me in Gardens for gr4. I hated the track before that week, now I kinda like it.

I never use the ghost it drives me crazy, I will look at top 10 replays to work out where I'm slow and then try work on it. Only time I will use a top 10 ghost is if I'm within 2sec and want to try see exactly where I'm slower.

 

[Pigems]

I never use the ghost it drives me crazy, I will look at top 10 replays to work out where I'm slow and then try work on it. Only time I will use a top 10 ghost is if I'm within 2sec and want to try see exactly where I'm slower.

You can offset ghosts forwards or backwards, so they can be where you want them to be. Can also map a show/hide ghost button to toggle it on off while driving if it gets in your way. I just flash it up every so often to see where I stand with it. 👍

 

[Carrera1963]

I’m now in a higher split for Race B, starting 13-15th of 16, rather than 3-6th... it’s a lot more interesting from the back, plenty more overtaking due to people running wide or getting poor exits 8th and 6th with CRB were fun

EDIT: Unless you get caught in the carnage from ahead & get a penalty! Only P14 that time.

P15 to P6 next race, more fun.

Last race, P13 up to P6 by lap 3, pushed wide on the final corner onto the grass, spun & ended up with a 3 sec penalty as the rest of the field passed by. Ended P13

 

[Rexracer702]

This is a really well written and thought out post that will surely help you a lot.
I will add one thing that has made a big difference to me.

You know when you are braking hard, as hard as you can towards a corner, having the feeling that you braked too late and you won't make it?
Try and ease the pressure of the brake a little. If you are white-knuckle on the brake trigger/pedal I guarantee you that most of the brake indicator are red, meaning the ABS is on full and your brake power is severely limited.
Try and keep the red part as small as possible.

And then one more thing. Something so basic that most people won't speak of it, but something a lot of us do wrong/too little.
Where you look. Always always look way ahead, having your eyes on the next apex ahead of you instead of down close at a brake marker. Those you should see with your peripheral vision, not focus on.
I recommend this channel https://youtube.com/channel/UCJp_E2Jf_NdWTWAEHWiVTNQ and this one https://youtube.com/c/MistahMCA
Both has been very helpful for speed.

Good luck and happy racing

Really good post. Braking has always been my biggest issue with GTS. I don't have good feel for the brakes, so it's hard to be consistant. One thing that helped me is turning tire sounds up all the way, music off (since GT1) and enough volume so you can easily hear the tires squeel. Another issue I have, to this day, (working on it!) Is my brake release. I often mess up the balance of the car by abruptly releasing the brake while turning, causing the back to kick out. Overbraking on turn in can do the same, and getting sideways on the brakes is never a good thing.

 

[ASH32]

Today's Lesson.



Since the penalty system update this is now popular but please don't be that guy. I mean they were braking too late for every corner regardless of whether there was a car there or not but just because the game sees this as acceptable does not mean you should do it. If you drive like this then calm down and brake earlier, you'll be much faster, more predictable and far less annoying.

Also when you've calmed down and got faster and won the race then don't do this. 💡



Especially when it's not even the last lap.

 

[Mike Hansen]

For me it works clearly best to take the Raybrig for qualifying and the Motul for the race. The Raybrig is damn fast you can easily do a .21 and the Motul is then much better on tyre wear. Normally this combo gives u all the time a 1-3 result. ( B/S )

 

[ASH32]

For me it works clearly best to take the Raybrig for qualifying and the Motul for the race. The Raybrig is damn fast you can easily do a .21 and the Motul is then much better on tyre wear. Normally this combo gives u all the time a 1-3 result. ( B/S )

Yes I suspect quite a few must have done this and that the Honda must offer quite a bit of an advantage in qualifying (although I've not tried it myself) because I'm keeping up with some drivers with a similar Q time to me whilst on the Hard tyres when they are on Mediums and then when it's flipped around I'm all over them, although I get stuck behind too often and end up lapping slower on the Mediums than I was on the Hards and with less fuel on board.

 

[OJBrit]

Overbraking on turn in can do the same, and getting sideways on the brakes is never a good thing.

I'm having this issue with the Yaris at GR Supra Corner for my nations practice. I think braking is my biggest issue to work on.

 

[roamingbard13]

I'm having this issue with the Yaris at GR Supra Corner for my nations practice. I think braking is my biggest issue to work on.

Stay in third there if you aren't already, and don't try to brake and turn at the same time. A little bit of a slide isn't a lap-ender there if you can get back on the throttle quickly after.

 

[OJBrit]

Stay in third there if you aren't already, and don't try to brake and turn at the same time. A little bit of a slide isn't a lap-ender there if you can get back on the throttle quickly after.

Thank you good sir!

 

[NevilleNobody]

Had a good race last night to finish off my week. 12 laps in P1 with P2 and P3 always less than 3 seconds behind, usually under 2 seconds. Every lap was a qualy lap, absolutely on it as fast as I could go. Every lap I lose 3 to 4 tenths exiting T2 but gain 2 to 3 tenths exiting P1 and down the straight.

Lap 13 I just BARELY go too wide at P1 and get the dreaded 0.5 penalty. 2.3 seconds is now 0.8 seconds as we enter the double left hander. I am not sure if I should go defensive or take the fast line, i go defensive because of the stupid penalty system encouraging folks to chuck it up the inside, contact be damnded. Manage to hang on for the win but man, absolutely gassed by the end, just tense for all 13 laps, could not shake them.

In SB and SA rooms I found track position vital, pace is very, very similar even well down the pack, i spun in another race and dropped to P15, i only moved up to P12 but was circulating in P3 easily before i spun. Pace was deep, deep into the pack.

 

[BigSarj]

This is a really well written and thought out post that will surely help you a lot.
I will add one thing that has made a big difference to me.

You know when you are braking hard, as hard as you can towards a corner, having the feeling that you braked too late and you won't make it?
Try and ease the pressure of the brake a little. If you are white-knuckle on the brake trigger/pedal I guarantee you that most of the brake indicator are red, meaning the ABS is on full and your brake power is severely limited.
Try and keep the red part as small as possible.

And then one more thing. Something so basic that most people won't speak of it, but something a lot of us do wrong/too little.
Where you look. Always always look way ahead, having your eyes on the next apex ahead of you instead of down close at a brake marker. Those you should see with your peripheral vision, not focus on.
I recommend this channel https://youtube.com/channel/UCJp_E2Jf_NdWTWAEHWiVTNQ and this one https://youtube.com/c/MistahMCA
Both has been very helpful for speed.

Good luck and happy racing

Omg. My brake meter is almost always very red. I use load cell pedals. Does this mean I should ease ON to the brake, as well? And how is this even possible when Senna Jr is four feet behind my rear bumper?