Hi fellow Academy runners. I was hoping I wouldn't have to ask for help, but I'm literally less than a second away from being in the top 16 for Midwest and feel like I've hit a wall. I have good driving etiquette but feel like I'm building a dependency on ghosts and have trouble matching pace without them. I'm running a good 2'53 (almost 2'52) on Eifel and a 1'45.5xx on Toscana. I nearly matched Choate's leading ghost on Eifel last night until I plowed the last turn before the final high speed section. That being said, is there anything else I can do to smooth out my driving? I know I have what it takes to be top 16, but my average/bad laps are far outweighing my fantastic laps right now.
Need advice, consistency issues
- Thread starter JohAE86
- 10 comments
- 1,334 views
- 620
- Choate51
Average/bad laps happen a lot when tt'ing. My way of helping consistency is to never restart at eifel. I always finish the lap so the rythym can be reinstated before the next lap starts. It also gives you an opportunity to try a few things in other corners and decide if they are faster using the split times as a gauge. You can also see how much time can be taken off by mowing grass like i did at one point last night.
I also do about an hour or so straight then switch tracks. Your concentration level drops at around an hour and it needs a reset to be effective again.
BTW, stop using my ghost lol.
I also do about an hour or so straight then switch tracks. Your concentration level drops at around an hour and it needs a reset to be effective again.
BTW, stop using my ghost lol.
Thanks Choate, that's a good bit of advice there. I feel really confident about turns 1-3 at Eifel, letting ATTESA do it's thing while using decel and 50 percent braking with 2 wheels off has given me some good exit times there. I noticed with the GT-R you can induce mild slip @ entry with a tap of the brakes. So long as you don't let the rear wag too much, I feel that a skid is more beneficial than absolute traction in some areas. My glaring ugly spots are turns 5 and 6 (the uphill is really hard to nail) and the high speed section at the end of the run. If I could clean those up, I feel I could run a solid 2:52. I'm just having trouble concentrating, which is very frustrating since I've been hotlapping nonstop since Tuesday.
- 615
- blindsidefive0
Choate's approach is very good.
Two other things are a little more tactical are looking ahead, and finding visual cues. There aren't proper brake markers, but maybe there's a bush, mark in the pavement, anything that you can use for brake references. Consistent brake markers are huge, but after that you need to keep your head up and find the apex and track out as early as possible.
Two other things are a little more tactical are looking ahead, and finding visual cues. There aren't proper brake markers, but maybe there's a bush, mark in the pavement, anything that you can use for brake references. Consistent brake markers are huge, but after that you need to keep your head up and find the apex and track out as early as possible.
I figured grinding it to the bone would be the end all be all in this case. I have brake markers for only a handful of turns, which makes me realize that I drive more by feeling than visualizing. If I can combine the two then I should be able to work my way back into top 16. We're all only trading light jabs at this point - I expect to see a bit of a board shift come Saturday and late Sunday night. That said, I'm going to try and approach this time attack from a different angle, as opposed to just "driving blind". Those rolling slopes on Eifel are killer though. 
Oh, and one other thing: is the difference between cold tires and warm ones @ initial startup that huge? I only notice a subtle change in grip characteristic after they have heated up. If anything, I've done better when the tires are cold. I know irl it's a huge deal, but what does this mean in GT5?
Oh, and one other thing: is the difference between cold tires and warm ones @ initial startup that huge? I only notice a subtle change in grip characteristic after they have heated up. If anything, I've done better when the tires are cold. I know irl it's a huge deal, but what does this mean in GT5?- 615
- blindsidefive0
Tires warming up isn't NEARLY as big of a deal in GT5 as it is in real life. With cold tires in real life my braking zones will sometimes be up to 2x longer until they get warm.
In GT5 there is a minor loss of grip, but sometimes it can be an advantage because your tires are less likely to overheat when they are cold.
In GT5 there is a minor loss of grip, but sometimes it can be an advantage because your tires are less likely to overheat when they are cold.
- 76
- Velocity-Wolf
- Acidhex
I agree and disagree. From my personal interpretation, it seems that when your tires are warm they are more 'stable'. They do not seem to overheat and lose grip as quickly. When they are cold they seem to overheat much faster, causing a loss of traction quicker, but ultimately there is no difference in the amount of traction... just how long you keep it.
My two cents anyway.
Ninja Edit: No one will know for sure unless we ever see GT5 code... which won't happen.
- 15
- SheerTerroir
Have you formally analyzed the track and looked at data for each turn? I think that's what Skip Barber's "Going Faster" would advise.
In particular, you need to find the turns that have the most potential to improve your time on and these may not always be the turns that you have "trouble with." They are usually faster turns leading onto longer straights where just a few mph in exit speed will make a difference.
You may also want to experiment with more threshold braking to optimize your turn entry as well...
Sheer
In particular, you need to find the turns that have the most potential to improve your time on and these may not always be the turns that you have "trouble with." They are usually faster turns leading onto longer straights where just a few mph in exit speed will make a difference.
You may also want to experiment with more threshold braking to optimize your turn entry as well...
Sheer
- 2,590
- GTP_SohnVonStig
Lol I just did this to the top replay and to mine.
- 15
- SheerTerroir
Find anything interesting?
I'm not a fast enough pilot to benefit from much analysis but I'm a data junkie (and statistical analyst IRL) so can offer some basic advice.
Basically what I'd advise doing is to:
- Run a whole bunch of laps and save a few replays but don't watch them until you do some prep work.
- Create a notebook (or spreadsheet, if you prefer) containing a row for each major turn (not worth noting minor banks). I like to record additional detail like my estimate of the degree of the turn, etc. Some people like to give the turns names. Consciously putting these facts on paper just helps give you stronger mental associations which help you to be able to get a better picture of the turn in your mind.
- Slow drive the track, stopping to observe possible turn-in markers, where the apex is, whether the turn has any banking you can use to give you more camber, etc. Record anything you think could help you in this notebook. This gives you a chance to think more about the braking and turn-in spots you're taking.
- Put special notation on the turns you think are most important given the design of the course. Typically this should be turns that lead onto longer straights. BTW, what I'm doing here is forcing you to make some hypotheses which is a good practice before you dive into data. This helps keep the charts from becoming a blur or having more read into them than is necessary.
- Now go watch your replays. All you need, to avoid data overload, is to note the speed you carry at the apex of each turn and the speed that you carry out of the turn into the straight. If you prefer, you can also calculate the standard deviation of your speed in the turn.
- Once you have identified several turns where you are inconsistent, try to figure out what you did on your best runs by looking more closely at the braking and acceleration lines. Ideally, you should start marking breaking point and turn-in with respect to specific reference points, using the Distance for reference.
- Remember that for certain fast turns leading onto straights, there may be time to even improve your fast run so check your line visually. You'll want to make sure your car really was on the edge, which you can usually tell by whether you're following the line to the outside edge of the track upon exit.
- There is much more you could do but I'll leave it out of these basics. For instance, it is possible to back-solve for the additional speed you'd need coming out of a turn in order to save X seconds in the next straight.
Best wishes,
Sheer
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