Hey guys, it's review time
All testing was conducted using the buttons on a DS3 with manual transmission & gear changes made at the redline on the tachometer . I did 5 clean laps as a 'getting to know you session' and that was followed by 10 clean laps that were timed. The results are as follows:
@Motor City Hami
Lap time: 1:22:882 DC: 10.0
Impression of the tune:
It's almost as if this tune is in another world it's so damn fast. My first timed lap was a 1:23:256! It has excellent power down traction out of turn 2, is solid, stable, inspires confidence and invites you to push harder. You can really trust the front end but the rear will let go if you get too brave & try cornering over the limit. Although it's a little short on the gearing, I'm not paying for the engines so send the bills to the guy with the sweaty brow
The timed lap had sector splits of 16.7, 11.5, 13.5, 19.5 & 21.6. The best sector times I managed were 16.6, 11.4, 13.3, 19.4 & 21.5.
@Pete05
Lap time: 1:23:151 DC: 9.0
Impression of the tune:
A lot faster than I thought it would be. As I've said, it's as good as I could make it with the limited tuning experience I have.
The timed lap had sectors splits of 16.8, 11.6, 13.4, 19.7 & 21.6. The only sector I had a better time on was sector 2 at a 11.5.
@DolHaus
Lap time: 1:23:589 DC: 9.4
Impression of the tune:
This one's fast but a bit more on the edge. If you step over that edge it's hard to bring it back. I had to work hard to get a smooth run out of turn 2 and I felt the gear change points to be very similar to my tune.
The timed lap had sector splits of 16.9, 11.6, 13.6, 19.6 & 21.7. The best sector times I managed were
16.9, 11.6, 13.4, 19.5 & 21.5 so it has the potential to go faster if you can pull it all together.
@Otaliema
Lap time: 1:23:665 DC: 9.5
Impression of the tune:
I felt this one was fast considering the downforce levels you have to work with. It's got very good high speed stability, good power down traction out of turns 2 & 4 and I liked the spacing of the gear ratios.
The timed lap had sector splits of
16.9, 11.6, 13.3, 19.7 & 21.8. The best sector times I managed were
16.9, 11.5, 13.3, 19.7 & 21.6 so again, potentially faster times are there for the taking.
@shaunm80
Lap time: 1:23:692 DC: 9.3
Impression of the tune:
Good stability in all corners although it's a little edgy on the brakes into turns 2 & 4 and then you have to work hard for clean power down traction. It's easy flat at turn 5, if you kiss the kerbs at turns 6 & 7 it won't throw you off, has a good spread of ratios in the 'box and if you attack turn 9 with a little too much gusto, you can feel the rear end do a little steering for you. Splits over the timed lap were 17.1, 11.7, 13.5, 19.6 & 21.5. The best sector times I managed were
16.8, 11.6, 13.4, 19.6 & 21.5 so dipping down to a 1:22:9xx isn't dreaming.
@Bowtie-muscle
Lap time: 1:23:846 DC: 9.2
Impression of the tune:
This is a tune with a trustworthy front end & crazy good turn-in but if you stray onto an outside kerb, you're going for a wild ride. It's got very good power down out of turn 2 and is solid everywhere else. As I've mentioned previously, the final two ratios in the gearbox are too long & that has cost it time in a field as closely stacked as this.
Split times over the timed lap were
17.1, 11.7, 13.4, 19.8 & 21.6. The best sector times I managed were 16.9, 11.6, 13.3, 19.6 & 21.6.
@MrGrado
Lap time: 1:24:321 DC: 8.9
Impression of the tune:
I found this tune to be the edgiest of the whole field. It has a front end so endowed with grip the rear can't keep up. When it oversteers it's very hard to catch the slide. I had turn-in oversteer at turns 1, 5 & 9. A little more grip in the rear & it would be almost perfect. Like Motor City Hami's tune, it's got short gearing that had the tachometer in the red into turns 1 & 5. The timed lap had sector times of 17.0, 11.8, 13.6, 20.0 & 21.8. The best sector times I managed were 16.8, 11.6, 13.5, 19.5 & 21.6 so it's potential is much better than I could produce over one lap.
@fordracer
Lap time: 1:24:739 DC: 8.5
Impression of the tune:
This tune has a rear end that's more planted than an old growth forest! Unfortunately the front is too prone to understeer with the front tyres cherry red in the turns. As someone who doesn't play well with a vague front end, this had an effect on my times. It puts it's power down really well at turn 2 but the understeer meant I had to wait at turn 9 before I could get back to the throttle. The same can be said about turn 4 which ultimately affected speed down the long straight towards turn 5. Sector times from the timed lap were 17.1, 11.7, 13.7, 20.0 & 22.1 with my best sectors being 17.0, 11.6, 13.5, 19.9 & 21.9.
@Ridox2JZGTE
Lap time: 1:24:921 DC: 8.8
Impression of the tune:
I can only describe this tune as a case of what could've been. I tried really hard to stitch together a quick lap but when this one gets away from you it's gone forever. The front end is good in slow to medium speed corners but falls into understeer in the high speed stuff. I had to be really patient with the power down out of turn 2 & I feel it's hurt by the low downforce levels meaning it can't carry a high corner speed. The timed lap produced sectors of 17.3, 11.7, 13.6, 20.1 & 22.0. The best sector times I managed were
17.0, 11.6, 13.4, 19.9 & 21.8.
@xande1959
Lap time: 1:24:940 DC: 7.9
Impression of the tune:
This tune, more than any other here, was hurt by the choice of gear ratios. It was hard to decide wether to use 2nd or 3rd at turn 2 and 3rd or 4th at turns 4 & 8. Adding to the woes was the fact 5th gear was too long for this track. On the positive side was it's power down traction out of turn 2, it's consistency, the ability to save a slide and the way it is unaffected by riding the kerbs. The timed lap had sector split times of 17.2, 11.8, 13.5, 19.9 & 22.3. The best sectors I managed were 17.2, 11.7, 13.5, 19.9 & 22.0.
@sinof1337
Lap time: 1:25:427 DC: 8.0
Impression of the tune:
This tune has the lowest combined downforce of all the tunes. If it understeers, it's of the terminal variety & lifting off the power won't rescue the situation. That made it very hard to commit & trust the front end and be consistent. The timed lap had sector split times of 17.4, 11.7, 13.7, 20.2 & 22.2. The best sector times I managed were 17.2, 11.7, 13.4, 19.9 & 22.0.