OT: What is So Wrong With This Lap? - (New Clip For Review) -F1 2010-2016

[Bye Ya]

I know this technically isn't an F1 2011 video, but since the vast majority of drivers in this particular section of the forums are likely people who spend a lot of time driving F1 cars, I thought I would post this here. I have tried just about everything I can think of, and I am literally 5 seconds off of pole position pace with this kind of lap. I am very consistent with this too - 1:39.5 is right around where I end up at Shanghai nearly every lap.

I'm looking for some helpful criticism here because I'm about at my wit's end trying to improve on my time. I will always keep practicing, but I've just hit a rut now for a while on this circuit. I have studied as many onboard laps as I can find, and pole position pace is generally in the 1:34:4xx range. How can I possibly be 5 seconds off?

I understand that they had TC for a number of years, and if KERS or DRS is available in rFactor I also don't know how to map it to my wheel, so maybe it's possible that I'm losing this time due to not having those at my disposal. In any case, I would appreciate any help that the experienced F1 sim-drivers here may be able to offer.

 

[Ardius]

It won't be KERS or DRS as a 1'34/1'35 should be achievable - pre 2009 cars achieved those times and that was with grooved tyres as well.

I can't see anything immediately wrong with your lines or anything but I do notice you're tending to brake 30/40 metres earlier than I tended to in F1:CE/2010/2011.
Turn 6 for example you're braking far, far earlier than I do in other games. If I remember right, you can almost get away with braking around 75m before that corner (for an overtake) with an optimal being around the 100m board?

So perhaps the brakes are more/less effecient than they should be in CE/2010/2011 or rFactor.

I understand that the F1 stuff in rFactor comes from mods mostly, yes? Perhaps the physics model is not perfected enough for the F1 car and its simply not able to achieve the same performance. Or perhaps the Shanghai circuit isn't 100% accurate and its slightly too long? There could be any number of reasons.

Maybe it is DRS and KERS and for some reason they've decided to slow the car down and make it so you gain the laptime back with those to try and balance it and get the right laptime.

My other thought is are you running race fuel? 1'38/1'39 sounds like race pace rather than qualifying pace.

 

[jcm]

Well, the lap doesn't look that bad. Having never played with that physics engine, I can't say for sure, but it looks as though you're breaking too early everywhere. It looks like you could take most corners at a quicker speed as well. Practice braking deeper into the corner, and try taking all the corners at faster speeds, and try getting on the power sooner.

Having not played with those physics though, I can't really help you too much, but I can suggest that you just try different lines (braking points, apexes, etc) , and in doing so you'll make mistakes, and you'll learn what's the best line

 

[Peter.]

I've had a few laps on rfactor before, and I don't see anything wrong with your driving lines. Your driving is very smooth, but a bit too smooth. You're braking is too early, much too early in some cases, and you aren't really carrying as much speed into corners like turn 1 and the final corner as you really can.

I also think you can afford to use the kerbs a lot more than you do now. I doubt you will be able to get 5 seconds more out of that car for now, the most you can get is around 3 seconds right now.

 

[Bye Ya]

Thank you, guys. Later braking definitely seems to be the theme here. I will see what I can do. The physics in rFactor are definitely not as forgiving as the F1 series games. I've literally been testing and tuning at China this entire week, and I cannot think of anything more to do to the rear suspension to be able to get the power down sooner. I can try more aero, but it does affect straight line speed more with this mod. Two wing clicks = +/- 1km/h.

I also struggle with the G27 deadzone, and that's why I shy away from going as wide as possible. I'll get to that point in the corner and start looking the other way, but the car trails off my line sometimes and I put a tire off. It is extremely difficult to drive the car in a straight line down the long back straight on this course as well.

That first corner is something I think I can improve on, just carrying more speed into the corner. But the last corner is very unforgiving. With this mod if you happen to run wide, the runoff area is extremely bumpy and you risk destroying your car. I'll see what I can do though since you all pointed it out.

 

[Bye Ya]

Hey guys, if you'd care to offer any more advice about my slow times at Shanghai, I would greatly appreciate it. I've been practicing quite a lot since the last video, probably over 150 laps at China in the past few days, mostly trying to get rFactor's tuning system down, but I feel like I've hit a wall here because I have watched a whole lot of 1:34:xxx videos and I just can't see what I'm doing so wrong as to still be 3.5 seconds off of that pace.

Sure, their laps are a bit cleaner, but 3.5 seconds off of the pace is just hard for me to believe. If you all think my braking points are still too early, take a look at the setup in the beginning of the video, because I cannot possibly brake later without locking up the brakes, and I've been trying to brake through the corners carrying more speed, whereas before I was braking before the corners. I realize I didn't get the most out of the last two corners, but certainly not 3.5 seconds off.

Appreciate any help. The lap starts at 1:26 in the video.

 

[jcm]

Are you seconds off the pace of the real life pole time or an someones Rfractor lap time. If you're 3.5s off real life then don't worry about it, and if you're 3.5s off another persons Rfactor lap then I have a little more advice.

Try adjusting the gear ratios. If you're struggling for traction in the lower gears, raise them, as it helps with traction and makes it so that you'll get maximum power in the next gear sooner. DarkPSI just wrote an article about it, so if you go to his website (google: PSI Sim Racing F1 2011 setups, should be the first one), you can see it. It's a very good article, and he explains the gear ratios very thouroghly, and he doesn't apply them to F1 2011 until the very end. Also, I think you might want to try raising 7th a little bit.

And, do you have DRS/KERS available? They could both give you over a second a lap each, so if they available, make sure you map them to your wheel.

Anyway, that lap doesn't look 3.5s off the pace, but maybe it is. If none of the above stuff helps, try adjusting things like toe, downforce, spring stiffness and other things to see if it helps.

 

[Bye Ya]

Hey jcm, thanks for the comment. I will definitely check out that article. The times I am going for are rFactor times using the same mod. Now granted, this video is one of the fastest guys in the FormulaSim racing league, but I feel like I should be able to do this kind of lap myself, I just can't understand how I'm so far off of his pace, but check this video out. The pole for this race was 1:34:423. That's an insane lap, but I feel like I should be able to get within a second of that time at least.

Actually, I've been lowering my gear ratios too in the 2nd through 4th gear range to try to get more acceleration, because I feel like I'm mimicking the rest of the lap pretty well. I did notice that he drives out of 2nd gear into higher revs before shifting compared to my lap.

 

[jcm]

After seeing that pole position time, I'd say around 2seconds are being lost from setup, possibly more. I suggest raising downforce, as it looked like he was braking later and going faster in turns. And after seeing his lap I can hear that his gear ratios are quite different, so there's some time lost there. That laptime will improve

 

[Bye Ya]

Ah, I'm running just about max downforce, but I have not noticed the gear ratio sounds in that video. Thank you sir. I will look into that. 👍

 

[Peter.]

You need to carry more speed into the second part of turn 1, and get on the throttle earlier on exit. Most of your time over the lap seems to be lost there. At least a second is there to be gained from turn 1 alone.

 

[jcm]

Ah, well then if you're already running near Max downforce then you need to push the car more in high speed corners. Stiffining springs might help. Stop going for consistency, start trying to push as hard as possible. It's good to make mistakes in practice, as it helps to get a feel for how close you can get to the limit without going over it.

 

[Bye Ya]

Thanks fellas.