I need help racing in traffic

[Bullwinkle]

Driver rating points are awarded or deducted based on your position in the final results table and the difference in DR between you and the other drivers. You gain some for every driver who finishes behind you and lose some for every driver who finishes ahead of you. If you finish in the middle of the results table, your DR will change very little. If you finish at the top you gain a lot, if you finish last you lose a lot. Having higher rated drivers than you in the race increases your gain or reduces your loss, depending where you finish. If most of the drivers are lower rated, the reverse is true.

Also, the more drivers in the field, the more points there are to gain or lose. So three factors:

• Finish position
• Relative DR
• Number of drivers

Well then, it looks like I'm never going to improve my D grade . . . . OY!

 

[The_Tullster]

Well then, it looks like I'm never going to improve my D grade . . . . OY!

So I thought... and yet I'm now DR-B. Patience, persistence are key. Save and review your replays, look for places you might have anticipated the outcome and avoided it. Just finishing consistently and without incident will help.

Also look at how the clean faster drivers work, what lines they take, where they brake and accelerate. You can pick up some good ideas there.

 

[QTip8329Wags]

If SR doesn't play a factor as claimed, though I disagree, then my only other advice is really grind for a good qualifying time before entering a race. Then improve position as clean as is possible.
Note that dropping SR to a certain level used to drop your DR rating and cap it until you improved SR again in G.T. Sport. Unsure if this is the case for 7.

 

[Bullwinkle]

If SR doesn't play a factor as claimed, though I disagree, then my only other advice is really grind for a good qualifying time before entering a race. Then improve position as clean as is possible.
Note that dropping SR to a certain level used to drop your DR rating and cap it until you improved SR again in G.T. Sport. Unsure if this is the case for 7.

They say this is still the case somewhere in the manual or the Apex reader. My safety rating went right to the top in about three races because I was racing fair. I was also getting punted right out of each race, so no clean finishes or high positions to improve my driver rating. And now that everyone is driving the same car in every single online race my interest has spun out as well.

 

[Haverstaken]

Lot of good advices here.


I like to use the proximity radar. It helps with knowing where the others cars are in relation to you, so you can give the necessary space to avoid contact. Getting punted its a problem, but if you keep an eye in the gap to the car behind, you can notice when you are in "danger", so just maintain you line and in case you see the other car is dive bombing or something, you have the chance to get out of the way, and usually they end up off the track. I find that by doing this, most of the times you can keep clear out of people who just misjudged or are over agressive in the overtakes. If it is really intentional then there's nothing much you can do.
I don't win many races and right know i'm a B/S driver. I actually like starting from behind in the daily races and just go through the field. You can gain a lot of positions just by being a little conservative in the first few laps.
Also, avoid race A unless you're sure you can start at the front 😂

 

[xMAXIx79]

Lot of good advices here.


I like to use the proximity radar. It helps with knowing where the others cars are in relation to you, so you can give the necessary space to avoid contact. Getting punted its a problem, but if you keep an eye in the gap to the car behind, you can notice when you are in "danger", so just maintain you line and in case you see the other car is dive bombing or something, you have the chance to get out of the way, and usually they end up off the track. I find that by doing this, most of the times you can keep clear out of people who just misjudged or are over agressive in the overtakes. If it is really intentional then there's nothing much you can do.
I don't win many races and right know i'm a B/S driver. I actually like starting from behind in the daily races and just go through the field. You can gain a lot of positions just by being a little conservative in the first few laps.
Also, avoid race A unless you're sure you can start at the front 😂

My experience/observation or my impression is that the field fights all the harder and more doggedly the further back you are.
At least that's how it is in the B driver areas, there is also fighting at the front, but there are usually more experienced and more consistent drivers to be found there. The further you get "back" on the starting grid, the "more insecure" or "malicious" the drivers become. Some just can't do better, some race in sports as well as against the AI, that's why they always end up behind. The "higher quality" the races become, the better the drivers are and the more likely it is to usually meet clean drivers... There are exceptions to this rule and they can screw up the whole race, but they are not that rule.

 

[NikNakTobasco]

My experience/observation or my impression is that the field fights all the harder and more doggedly the further back you are.
At least that's how it is in the B driver areas, there is also fighting at the front, but there are usually more experienced and more consistent drivers to be found there. The further you get "back" on the starting grid, the "more insecure" or "malicious" the drivers become. Some just can't do better, some race in sports as well as against the AI, that's why they always end up behind. The "higher quality" the races become, the better the drivers are and the more likely it is to usually meet clean drivers... There are exceptions to this rule and they can screw up the whole race, but they are not that rule.

I think there’s more to lose at front and many people are happy to take the DR for a top 5 finish. The people at the front will be at the back next split so I don’t think it’s a person problem

 

[Haverstaken]

My experience/observation or my impression is that the field fights all the harder and more doggedly the further back you are.
At least that's how it is in the B driver areas, there is also fighting at the front, but there are usually more experienced and more consistent drivers to be found there. The further you get "back" on the starting grid, the "more insecure" or "malicious" the drivers become. Some just can't do better, some race in sports as well as against the AI, that's why they always end up behind. The "higher quality" the races become, the better the drivers are and the more likely it is to usually meet clean drivers... There are exceptions to this rule and they can screw up the whole race, but they are not that rule.

You're right. It's definitely more chaotic at the back. That's why you can get a lot of positions just by letting other people fight. It is a good exercise to improve your awareness. I enjoy doing that.
And yes, as people get better, it is easier to have clean races. I remember when I was a D driver in GTS. It was much worse than the lobbies I get into now.

 

[NevilleNobody]

It actually DOES get better the higher your DR. Once you get into the A DR races, most guys are at least pretty much in control of their car, so you are comfortable racing and pushing without leaving too much margin and messing up your markers. This is not the most exciting video but you can see, all but one car was racing n very good faith and had good control of their vehicle. In DR B and below, it is a guessing game so yes you leave a da more space and lose your markers, i agree.

 

[QTip8329Wags]

They say this is still the case somewhere in the manual or the Apex reader. My safety rating went right to the top in about three races because I was racing fair. I was also getting punted right out of each race, so no clean finishes or high positions to improve my driver rating. And now that everyone is driving the same car in every single online race my interest has spun out as well.

Agreed. When that started in G.T. Sport where it was always a select car per track, pretty much making every race a one-make race, I stopped racing on Sport Mode. This site is full of like minded people who rarely play Sport Mode but are constantly on Multiplayer Lobbies running various types of racing leagues at all skill levels. If you tire of Sport Mode Daily Races, find a group on here that does what you like; Drag, Drift, Circuit, Cruise, Mini-Game, Endurance, Charity and more are all on here at some level.

With the help of some veteran Hosts, I am hosting my first series this year as a result of the "limbo" that G.T. 7 is currently in with Sport Mode and the penalty system. All are welcome to join as long as they are clean. It is a one-make but it's with a "track" car, the Radical RS3 SL 2013 on Sports Hard tires for about 130,000 Credits.

 

[BroknLnk]

I'm new to racing and have been doing a lot of hot laps to try to get better. I dove into online racing last week and I'm a D/S driver at this point, usually starting around P10 or so in races. Although I managed to finish P3 a few days ago, usually what happens is that I get punted off the track in lap 1 and right out of the race. I have to struggle to get back into the race and get back to my original position, usually after the jerks rage quit and clear out of the race.

Here's what I've been able to figure out so far, and some concerns I have, and the questions that follow:

• Starting position matters. When I start higher up, I usually do better. I'm guessing because I'm shielded from the dive-bombers by the intervening cars behind me.
• People say it gets better in with higher rated racers. Based on my ruined races (which I do go ahead and finish) I don't know how to improve my driver rating. I'm guessing podium finishes or some such thing matter, but how in the world can I ever improve my driver rating when I'm usually getting punted right into last place? How will I ever get to race with the better drivers?
• It seems that, due to the "penalty" system, it's more cost effective to just punt everyone in front of me and do my 3 second penalty, leaving them far behind in the gravel trying to sort themselves out.

One last thing: my biggest weakness is driving in traffic. I'm so worried about booting other people in front of me that I tend to slow down a bit to reduce contact. What I've realized is that, in the process, I lose my markers for braking and turning, and this gets me in big trouble when surrounded by a group of cars. I don't want to be the punter, but it usually gets me punted. So how in the world can I learn to drive in heavy traffic, avoid losing my position, and at the same time avoid excessive contact? This is truly a race-craft issue, which is new to me. How do I get better at it without upsetting everyone around me in the process?

If you've read this far, you either are having the same problem or have an answer. If you have some suggestions, please please please let me know what I can do.

I once was a A/S driver before getting lowered down to E/C because a couple of folks in front of me decided to car fight and got me involved with a full field wreck where I hit every car. I have been battling back since. My method is purposely set a slow pace lap and battle my way through the field or at least let them drive themselves off the track.

Racing in the pack is my favorite part of racing. I love the thrill of running door to door bumper to bumper with people. You just have to pay attention to how they are taking the course. If you find they are faster through a section and slower in others. Learn their movements where they are fast and maybe pass where they are slow. Just know that passing them or applying pressure (getting close) may cause them to get nervous and make a mistake. Keep in mind if someone is all over the road and blocking you, you probably can't/ don't want the risk of running 2 wide with them because they'll force you off the track. There's no reason to race like you have to be number one when you're just trying to upgrade your license to get out of the trash lobbies. I will let people by if they are overly aggressive or not very consistent so I don't have to pay for their ignorance on my license rating.

 

[Bullwinkle]

There's no reason to race like you have to be number one when you're just trying to upgrade your license to get out of the trash lobbies. I will let people by if they are overly aggressive or not very consistent so I don't have to pay for their ignorance on my license rating.

This is the part that I’m really wondering about. I had no problem getting an S safety rating on day one, but it meant I came in last every time (except for the rage-quitters). Just finishing clean doesn’t seem to improve my driver rating if I finish in the same place I started. I tend to start between P10 and P13 in every race I try, and finish around P7 to P10. So I maybe gain a spot or two. I actually finished third in one weird race where I actually started P5. But no rating improvement.

Just typing that out loud makes it plainly obvious to me that I need to spend more time qualifying. But I’ve grown to hate what amounts to one-make races when there’s a clear meta-car. I did exactly one one-make Race A at Brands Hatch with the Scirocco and got so badly punted into a huge field that I was out of the race after the third turn. It took too long to recover from the (unenforced) penalty. I have no interest in that kind of experience anymore, and all the online races seem to be merging into the same one-make problem because of meta-cars. The only difference maker in these races is either lap time or, worse, even more aggressive driving to get any tiny advantage possible.

 

[Nuschel01]

I tried to figure out the GTP_WRS league in order to get some good learning experience, but it confuses the heck out of me with all the requirements and secrecy. I admit I'm a little intimidated by it (and more than a little confused about what it even is).

Just pester them with any questions you got, they'll happily help you! At first I was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff going on but once you sat down and took the time to read and understand it all became reasonably clear
@Speedy6543, @EDK and @GTP_Dutchy would be good addresses to reach out to I reckon
Regarding what it is: WRS time trials are a competition who amongst various players sorted into divisions based on their speed for the fastest lap time and the races are usually those time trial car/track-combos as a longer race or a series of sprints.

 

[Keef]

I'm new to racing and have been doing a lot of hot laps to try to get better. I dove into online racing last week and I'm a D/S driver at this point, usually starting around P10 or so in races. Although I managed to finish P3 a few days ago, usually what happens is that I get punted off the track in lap 1 and right out of the race. I have to struggle to get back into the race and get back to my original position, usually after the jerks rage quit and clear out of the race.

Here's what I've been able to figure out so far, and some concerns I have, and the questions that follow:

• Starting position matters. When I start higher up, I usually do better. I'm guessing because I'm shielded from the dive-bombers by the intervening cars behind me.
• People say it gets better in with higher rated racers. Based on my ruined races (which I do go ahead and finish) I don't know how to improve my driver rating. I'm guessing podium finishes or some such thing matter, but how in the world can I ever improve my driver rating when I'm usually getting punted right into last place? How will I ever get to race with the better drivers?
• It seems that, due to the "penalty" system, it's more cost effective to just punt everyone in front of me and do my 3 second penalty, leaving them far behind in the gravel trying to sort themselves out.

One last thing: my biggest weakness is driving in traffic. I'm so worried about booting other people in front of me that I tend to slow down a bit to reduce contact. What I've realized is that, in the process, I lose my markers for braking and turning, and this gets me in big trouble when surrounded by a group of cars. I don't want to be the punter, but it usually gets me punted. So how in the world can I learn to drive in heavy traffic, avoid losing my position, and at the same time avoid excessive contact? This is truly a race-craft issue, which is new to me. How do I get better at it without upsetting everyone around me in the process?

If you've read this far, you either are having the same problem or have an answer. If you have some suggestions, please please please let me know what I can do.

Unfortunately there isn't a specific answer to the question of racecraft besides "race more". While the best drivers in the world may have some amount of talent built in, racecraft is a learned skill that nobody is born with. And there's a lot going on - you have to visualize your line, understand the machine, plan your inputs, expect the outcomes, keep an eye on traffic, think ahead about what they will do, visualize where other cars will be in the future, etc.

The only way to learn all these things and put these skills together is to keep racing and practicing. You seem like you're interesting in getting better and you've already made several observations so keep making more observations. Pay attention to what happens in certain situations, pay attention to the decisions other drivers make, etc. Eventually you'll get to the point where you just have a feeling that a divebomb is coming before you even get to the corner, can plan on it, watch the asshole go flying past you because they outbraked themselves, and continue on your way with a smile on your face.

I'd recommend watching videos by Super GT especially, and Basic Ollie who are my two go-to channels for GT. There are a few other "famous" GT streamers with informative videos as well. Super GT's humor just suits me well and his racecraft is extremely good. If you watch and learn from the best and try to emulate that, you'll get better over time. Just remember that the way GT's points systems work means it's going to take a lot of repetition to raise your ratings incrementally. Pro tip: If you're struggling to perform in Daily Race A, you may simply have to be more aggressive. Safety Rating is easy to gain back in the future so if you do a little bump and grind here and there, no big deal. Most higher-rated drivers avoid Daily Race A because it's kind of a meat grinder where annoying things are expected to happen.

 

[GTP_Dutchy]

@Bullwinkle @Nuschel01
We'd be happy to help out.

First of all there's no need to feel intimidated. We've got member from all sorts of skill level, which is very good for learning.

Basically WRS is based on two sections
1. Time Trials
2. Online Events (Races based on the Time Trial)

1.Time Trials
Each sunday we'll launch a new Time Trial (TT) here Hit the bell and you'll get notified as soon as a new thread is up.
To be able to you need to be a GTP member which you already are. And you'll need to register for the TT:

Instructions for Registration Submission:

• To submit your registration, start a new conversation with WRSFetchBot (Subject title: GTP_WRS Registration)
• Provide your PSN ID and country details, exactly like this (case sensitive):

PSN: GTP_EDK
Country: USA
Once you've started the conversation, you will get an automated response within 15 minutes, letting you know whether your submission was accepted, or if you had an error. If you have an error, don't panic. Just review the instructions for submission and submit again. If you are having trouble and cannot figure it out, please post here with your question.[/B][/U]

2. Online events
Online events based on the time trial will typically launch around thursday and can be found here
If you've done the WRS registration above. all you need to do is register for the event, this is so we know which race slot you plan to do.

Whether you're doing a TT or an Race you're free and encouraged to ask questions in the thread. A lot can be discussed here, having issues with registrations, to discussions on raceline, gears approaches, tactic etc. We're here for fun. generally the more people and the tighter the pack the more fun the racing will be. so everyone is open to share their views and knowledge to get you up on par.

Still looking for something extra? Give @Tidgney driving school a watch over here brilliant series on pretty much anything you could need in GT sport 7 and beyond.

Hope to see you on track, if you have question please let me know, either in this thread or in one of the wrs thread of you preffer a DM thats all good to.


p.s. @Nuschel01 thanks for spotting this and tagging me

 

[Nuschel01]

p.s. @Nuschel01 thanks for spotting this and tagging me

Sure thing, if it helps people finding online races to enjoy and improve through that's a great thing.

 

[Elgin]

I have no interest in that kind of experience anymore, and all the online races seem to be merging into the same one-make problem because of meta-cars.

If your a Class D driver then what is the problem with meta-cars exactly? There are more then enough Class S drivers not using meta-cars. There is enough room to improve your skills. I'm a Class B driver at the moment, but never used a meta-car myself.

 

[YZRider926]

Glad to see going online doesn’t have to be as nerve racking as I expected. I’m pretty new too. I think I may go ahead and jump in feet first this weekend. Need to dust off my t150. Been using the dual sense controller. My accuforce is on my wheel stand currently but I haven’t used it in awhile since my iracing sub expired. Ill practice with the wheel before going online.

 

[Raceface1959]

Sometimes the hardest thing at first is learning to "sit in" with a pack and wait for opportunities to present themselves. It can be like watching paint dry.... at 200 kph.

 

[Bullwinkle]

If your a Class D driver then what is the problem with meta-cars exactly? There are more then enough Class S drivers not using meta-cars. There is enough room to improve your skills. I'm a Class B driver at the moment, but never used a meta-car myself.

The problem is that I need to finish in higher positions, which means I have to use the meta-car and also drive more aggressively to increase the chance of raising my DR. I just don’t want to have to do that. I think maybe leagues are a better option for me to learn the correct racing skills. The daily races teach and reinforce all the wrong things at my correct rank, and it appears that the only way to improve my DR is to do all the wrong things.

 

[Speedy6543]

... but once you sat down and took the time to read and understand it all became reasonably clear
...

Well said and thanks for the mention.

There is indeed a lot of info to go through at first but it's all there for a reason and it's not as complicated as it seems once you get the hang of it.

Edit:

..., usually what happens is that I get punted off the track in lap 1 and right out of the race. ...

This is what first turn looks like with WRS_Online-Events. We start our races by doing rolling start on our own (not GT7 rolling start) with a formationlap. Staggered, bumper to bumper.

You are more than welcome to try a race with us.

 

[Nuschel01]

Ahh the glorious seconds before I died of s🅱️inalla

 

[Bullwinkle]

Well said and thanks for the mention.

There is indeed a lot of info to go through at first but it's all there for a reason and it's not as complicated as it seems once you get the hang of it.

Edit:

This is what first turn looks like with WRS_Online-Events. We start our races by doing rolling start on our own (not GT7 rolling start) with a formationlap. Staggered, bumper to bumper.

You are more than welcome to try a race with us.

I believe I will. I just got my new PlaySeat delivered and I’m going to set up my Fanatec rig and get acclimated, and then I’ll give it a go.

 

[mad4pancakes]

I believe I will. I just got my new PlaySeat delivered and I’m going to set up my Fanatec rig and get acclimated, and then I’ll give it a go.

You'll definitely start shaving some time off your laps/increase consistency once you move to a wheel. It will take a bit to get the feel for it if you have primarily played on a controller before, but stick with it and you'll see some improvement for sure! Not to mention the game is way more fun with a wheel.

 

[LSFDRX]

Unfortunately there isn't a specific answer to the question of racecraft besides "race more". While the best drivers in the world may have some amount of talent built in, racecraft is a learned skill that nobody is born with. And there's a lot going on - you have to visualize your line, understand the machine, plan your inputs, expect the outcomes, keep an eye on traffic, think ahead about what they will do, visualize where other cars will be in the future, etc.

The only way to learn all these things and put these skills together is to keep racing and practicing. You seem like you're interesting in getting better and you've already made several observations so keep making more observations. Pay attention to what happens in certain situations, pay attention to the decisions other drivers make, etc. Eventually you'll get to the point where you just have a feeling that a divebomb is coming before you even get to the corner, can plan on it, watch the asshole go flying past you because they outbraked themselves, and continue on your way with a smile on your face.

I'd recommend watching videos by Super GT especially, and Basic Ollie who are my two go-to channels for GT. There are a few other "famous" GT streamers with informative videos as well. Super GT's humor just suits me well and his racecraft is extremely good. If you watch and learn from the best and try to emulate that, you'll get better over time. Just remember that the way GT's points systems work means it's going to take a lot of repetition to raise your ratings incrementally. Pro tip: If you're struggling to perform in Daily Race A, you may simply have to be more aggressive. Safety Rating is easy to gain back in the future so if you do a little bump and grind here and there, no big deal. Most higher-rated drivers avoid Daily Race A because it's kind of a meat grinder where annoying things are expected to happen.

Wonderful stuff.

I'd also recommend watching Tidgney on YouTube as he makes videos corresponding to the weeks daily races, as well as a track-guide for each race where he points out braking points and gives you tips on many aspects of the weeks races. I prefer to suss the lines and braking points out for myself, but he is entertaining and thoughtful enough that his videos are a must watch for me when they come out. Same goes for Super GT, Ollie, and sometimes Kireth.

 

[sixty4half]

Spend more time qualifying to get further up the starting grid. It's always the yahoos in the mid to back that will gum up your plans.

 

[Odysseyhal900]

Hi, this is what I've learned so far, I started online racing about a year ago so still relatively newbie. I think if I understand correctly your Driver rating only improves with results in Sport section ie daily races? Not sure if same goes for Sportsmanship rating.
But it's true once these are higher u tend to race against higher rated cleaner players.
Another thing I've noticed, I've been close behind another car, and they've over cooked it into a corner and gone off track, only to come back on behind me and punt me at the next opportunity, thinking I nudged them off when I didn't!! Also, yesterday a similar incident multiple car pile up ahead of me as I tried to thread my way through a Corvette came back onto the track side on and I literally had nowhere to go and ploughed into his side. He then proceeded to smash me off the track from behind as punishment for "hitting" him. I'm like ffs mate, u crashed on your own and veered across track I couldn't avoid u!!!
It's frustrating but comes with the territory. I've even had highly rated players swerve into me when I'm passing on a long straight, the driving equivalent of a troll.
Having said that I've also had some amazing races with amazing clean drivers. Another thing I always do is thank clean drivers after a good race, I also always apologise if I cause someone else to crash. Its easy to miss your braking point, or clip someone and I always open chat and say sorry i screwed up, or else explain i was punted into them by someone else, as its easy to assume its deliberate when u get nerfed. But the person who nerfed u might of beed nerfed, or simply made a mistake. Another tip is keep a note of people who race well, seek them out in lobby, friend request them. If you race clean yourself, they will want to race with you. I've made a few friends online this way to race with. And f course, practice practice practice!! 😁👍👍

 

[Bullwinkle]

Another thing I always do is thank clean drivers after a good race, I also always apologise if I cause someone else to crash. Its easy to miss your braking point, or clip someone and I always open chat and say sorry i screwed up,

I still don’t understand how some people can text while in the middle of a race. I mean in a technical way. I don’t see how it’s done. Can you explain it to me?

I’ve tried to use the chat after a race to apologize but everyone bails out of the room as soon as the race is over.

 

[Odysseyhal900]

I still don’t understand how some people can text while in the middle of a race. I mean in a technical way. I don’t see how it’s done. Can you explain it to me?

I’ve tried to use the chat after a race to apologize but everyone bails out of the room as soon as the race is over.

Yep I'm still trying to work that out!!! 🤷‍♂️😆
I just type a quick sorry, then if they stay in room maybe expand what happened. That's more in lobby rooms than sport daily races which end pretty quick. My username is odysseyhal9000 if u send me a friend request we can play online and swap tips 👍😎

 

[Bullwinkle]

Yep I'm still trying to work that out!!! 🤷‍♂️😆
I just type a quick sorry, then if they stay in room maybe expand what happened. That's more in lobby rooms than sport daily races which end pretty quick. My username is odysseyhal9000 if u send me a friend request we can play online and swap tips 👍😎

Cool. I’ll go find you after my coffee. My handle is Grand_Slammin (baseball reference, not my driving!) if anyone else would like to meet up as well.