I'm quite enjoying race C this week. I've got a decent handle on the car and the track and I haven't set a quali time, so always start at the match but generally have managed a top half finish in most of my races.
The problems with C this week tend to come from people not knowing how to drive the F1 cars properly. Just because they're fast with loads of downforce and grip, doesn't mean you can just send it into corners at any given opportunity. I always hang back at the start, immediately catch the pack into T1, make a few places and inevitably get rekt by someone trying to full throttle their way past when there simply isn't the space to or I would have done exactly that. Patience and consistency are definitely the way to go with this race, and I've managed to go from about 1/4 of the way into A class up to 2/3 to A+, I can only hope to be within touching distance of that by the end of the week.
For sure, it's a fun race and the SF cars in this high downforce trim invite confidence. But yeah, people could stand to learn some racecraft. It's not a 10-lap qualifying session where you are entitled to run over someone in front of you, which seems the accepted norm in a lot of races, even in the top split.
But it's a really fun race, and if you're smart you can usually work your way up. It will likely be a s-show later in the week, though, as people get more emboldened, which is what usually happens. I'd almost prefer the downforce settings to be much lower, the slipstream set to 'real', and wonder if that would help clean up the racing. Hard to know. It was a disaster in prior Sport races in the past, with other settings, too. I was reset at Bathurst thanks to rammers, and I lost the most DR I ever lost at Spa when I was struggling to keep my A DR, some time ago.
Addicting racing, though.
(peep the CRB... not too easy in this race)
I've been toying with the Lancer as well. Even bought one as I did not have one in my collection but so far I have not made it work for me yet. I've seen it high on the leader board so I know it got the potential, but it is still a 1/2s slower than the 911 for me and a little off the Lambo (but perhaps more safe).
Perhaps it's because my driving is conditioned to driving in a way that works with the understeering of the 911. So any tips on how to wrestle the best out of this car?
I love the RSR above all Gr3. It rewards 'backing up' the turns... braking a little earlier, and powering on the car through the apex. The earlier you can get on the car, the quicker the times will be. The funny thing is that it won't feel like it, when you are driving that car right, it gets simpler, but the time delta will continue to climb in the blue numbers. It's got a really flat torque curve, too, so always add throttle, even if it's half... keep the car balanced on all four tires and they will all do their job. It's the kind of car that when you know you are 'in the groove' or have slotted the apex just right, rewards you by allowing more throttle without changing the dynamics of the car mid-turn. So when you realize you are on the right line, always add a little throttle... it will both keep the car balanced through the rest of the turn and also increase the exit speed.
The balance does change a bit, though, with tires, and with varying speeds. It's a unique car, and it's interesting how PD are able to infuse the brand's character into the cars like they do.
Then, come race situations, set up your passes with that faster exit speed, because the car's best advantage is the brakes, which are better than the other Gr3 cars. Passes in the RSR are set up on exit, slipstream, then out-braking the other car, then sticking the apex until the next straight, where you should be able to cover the entry with those good brakes again.
