F430 Suzuka 650pp Review
I'm a brand new test drive for the garage TZT and the first car I've reviewed happens to be the Ferrari F430 650pp at Suzuka. I'll describe tips for taking corners, gear suggestions and the strong points of the tune. I used a DFGT wheel for this review.
Sector 1
As you get to the end of the straight you are doing around 250km/h. you need to jump on the brakes just before a white line that crosses the track going into turn 1. It is crucial that you get your braking point right at this corner because it's so easy to drop a left rear wheel off in to the dirt and go digging in the sand. Slowly shift down through the gears until you reach third gear for the second apex and exit to the corner. There are so many different lines and styles that you can take into turn 1 and 2. They're all generally. Shift up to fourth just before the esses and run fourth through the first corner of the esses. Then shift down to third and carefully apply the throttle through the esses. Run third through the esses because it keeps the car at a good speed where you can get all the apex's perfect.
Stay in third for Dunlop and shift up to fourth through the middle of the corner. Get off the throttle for about half a second and then feather the throttle up through Dunlop. It's vital that you get this corner right, you can lose a lot of time here if you get it wrong.
Flat down to the Degner Curve. You then must shift down to 4th and make sure that you drop two wheels onto the grass on the inside of the corner. This will help you to stay in the racing line and not to touch the synthetic grass. What ever you do, don't touch the synthetic grass on the outside. Shift down to 3rd for the second apex of Degner and try and put two wheels onto the green concrete on the inside of the chicane. This will also set you up a perfect exit off the corner and shoot you down the short straight to the T1 split. Don't run use the synthetic grass on the exit of the corner otherwise that good run down the straight is destroyed.
My best T1 split-55.2xx
Sector 2
Flat up to the hairpin and jump on the brakes just after the ripple strip at the kink. Shift down to second (second will give you a good strong launch off the hairpin and down the straihgt) for this corner and stay on the apex right down near the ripple strip. Carefully apply the throttle and open up the steering angle, try and use all of the track including the green concrete. But don't drop wheels onto the grass because this will give your a bad run down 200R.
200R is flat out up to 6th gear just before spoon curve. It's hard to pick a braking point here, but I normally just use the racing line. Shift down to 3rd gear for all of spoon. Don't use the outside ripple strip through spoon, it unsettles the car too much and you lose control. Carefully apply the throttle through the second apex of spoon and run the car right out to the green concrete on the exit of the corner. It doesn't really matter if you drop a wheel onto the grass here but it's obviously better if you keep the wheels on the track. Flat down the back straight heading to 130R.
My best T2 split-1'41.2xx
Sector 3
You should be doing about 250+km/h down the straight heading into the treacherous 130R. Stay in 6th gear and lift the throttle for this corner. This corner may take some practice to get right but this tune makes it as easy as possible to get right.
I still haven't really found a good braking marker for the Casio chicane but you do need to brake earlier rather than later. As you're braking shift down through the gear from 6th to 2nd and use as much kerb as you can. You can make up a lot of time here and lose a lot of you don't pick up enough kerb. Carefull apply the throttle out of the Casio chicane and use some ripple strip on exit. It's then flat to the finish line.
My Best overall lap time-2'05.3xx
Extra Info.
The strong points of the tune are the turn 1 and 2 curve, spoon and 130R. Spoon and Turn 1 and 2 curve are very fast with this tune but also easy to get wrong if you brake too late. So I advise that you brake earlier rather than later for these corners.
The gearing is great for this track and can shoot you past opponents out of slower corners.
Braking isn't a problem but try not to trail brake because the back of the car may step out. The brakes are very strong and you can brake later than most opponents can.
This is a very easy car to drive with this tune, It's the best tune i've driven and most likely will ever drive at this event. If you get a good clean lap a low 2'05 is definetly acheivable. If you want to do 2'05's and 2'06's this is the tune for you. It's easy to punch out consistent 5's with this car. I've done a whole ten lap race before with this tune and did all my laps within 0.4 of each other (except the standing lap). It's such an easy car to drive with this brilliant tune:tup:
Below is a replay of a lap I did in free run. It is a 2'05.3xx
GTP_mad94d.