Driver aidsF1 2010-2016

[Shaggy Alonso]

I was racing against these guys today at Montreal and qualified 3rd, just a couple of tenths off pole. But I noticed that I was a couple of tenths ahead of everyone by the second sector but lost nearly half a second in the final sector. I'd come across this before when people were taking seemingly impossible speed through the final chicane - I previously put this down to cutting the chicane - but this didn't add up given that their times were registering in qualifying and not being invalidated. Then in the race this pattern continued, gaining on them through the majority of the lap and then falling back significantly on the final corner which I just couldn't understand because I had tried taking the chicane every way I could, but taking the most orthodox line was clearly the fastest.

Then later I drove with TC set to full for the first time just out of curiosity and I was able to beat my previous PB at Montreal by half a second on my first attempt, mainly by virtue of being able to ride the final chicane like it wasn't even there. Mystery solved.

The game really is very dull with TC switched on. It's just a matter of pointing the car in the right direction and absolutely flooring it out of every corner. Definitely if I'm racing in a league or starting up one I'll insist on TC being banned, I had no idea what a massive effect it had on the driving.

 

[BlacqueJacques]

But I also thought it had a massive slowing effect? Either way I never use it in F1.

If its raining I'll increase the downforce though.

 

[JGW]

For the first time, I added the drivers aids yesterday (not online) and could not stand it. You can literally just floor it and steer. No fun, no challenge, no dice.

Might be an illusion, but I thought it made me slower as well.

 

[LewyOs]

Glad you cleared that up Shaggy, I was always wondering how I lost so much ground on guys everytime through that last chicane, or someone was now right on my gearbox, yet I'd be quicker for the rest of the lap.
Always just assumed they were cutting it.

 

[icelt]

Interesting insight. TBH although I've raced a fair bit online I haven't raced at Montreal against consistently good competition enough to notice a difference going through the last chicane. But I do believe you. Suppose as a medium TC user I'm gaining a benefit.

Might be an illusion, but I thought it made me slower as well.

As a recent seq-manual convert there is no doubt using auto gears lengthens your breaking distances. So that might play a part in your observations.

 

[Shaggy Alonso]

For the first time, I added the drivers aids yesterday (not online) and could not stand it. You can literally just floor it and steer. No fun, no challenge, no dice.

Might be an illusion, but I thought it made me slower as well.

I think this is an illusion. It dulls the revs when you're accelerating so that it might sound slower but it controls the traction so that you're getting the maximum speed out of the corners. I was easily able to beat my best non TC efforts around Montreal when I switched it on - and Montreal is the perfect test track for this as it has lots of long traction zones.