Racing Formula

[tHeMaZdAMaN]

Ok, this is a 3-part thread.
First of all, who here, when participating in an endurance race, goes with one style of tires all the way through the race?

 

[in.s@ne]

Usually, mostly because I forget to change them to a different set when I pit.

 

[slowman]

I do. I believe that if I'm receiving a certain amount of A-Spec points for my tire choice then I feel I'm obligated to remain on those tires. I feel that it isn't quite but is close to cheating.

 

[Watchman]

Usually, mostly because I forget to change them to a different set when I pit.

I often forget to change them also..

I do. I believe that if I'm receiving a certain amount of A-Spec points for my tire choice then I feel I'm obligated to remain on those tires. I feel that it isn't quite but is close to cheating.

Also in my opinion it's sort of cheating.. I sometimes switch to softer tyres when I'm about to end a race and then want to be able to do some faster laps 👍

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I do for the most part, mostly because I try to have the balance of time vs pits done before I start.

As an example, if you have to pit twice as often on S3s as S1s, say 5 laps vs 10 laps, you have to make up 40 seconds on the S1 tires over every 10 laps at most tracks; that's 4 seconds a lap and is actually fairly easy to achieve...

Given that the S3s will reach peak temperature quicker and spend a greater overall percentage of their life at peak due to the long wear-in and wear-out phases of S1s, there is further advantage to be had.

Until of course you go to the 'Ring and you can't get the S3s to last a full lap.

 

[slowman]

My bone stock Ginetta G4 crushed the competition (mainly the Corvette C3 and Jaguar E-Type) at the 'Ring. I was in the 1000 miles and did the first race this weekend. 6 laps to a set of S2's! 99 laps at Opera next weekend.

I was just ever so slightly slower than the E-Type, and this was completely made up by the fact that the Jag pitted every 4 laps and I pitted every 6.

My point: If it is a longer event, I always go for the crappiest tire that keeps me competitive.

 

[RazorGTR]

I will run the entire race on one setup of tires. Say R2 front and R1 rears. This gives me a known amount of laps before having to pit. When the last pit stop comes up and the laps left are less I may switch to a softer set by 1-3 depending on the track and laps left to give me those quicker lap times.

 

[tHeMaZdAMaN]

Okay, next part. I found while doing one championship that if you have an extreemly fast car such as my Minolta that burns through tires very quick, you should use hard racing tires in the front and super hard in the back. (If this doesn't work for you, then do whatever works). This way, your rear tires have longer endurance and the front tire have more grip. The third part is, if this isn't enough, try switching the tire types each pit time. This way you get equal amounts of grip, endurance and speed. This is my racing formula.

 

[slowman]

I run equal fronts and rears always. I work out handling bugs through tuning. Having harder tires on the back can cause instability at high speeds. I use a DFP and I turn off ALL aids and therefore have precise control over throttle input. My rears almost never burn up before the fronts unless I'm really pushing for a fast lap time.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

I'll do whatever it takes to win, switching tires included. Yes, it's a cheat to replace harder tires with softer ones near the end of the race, but it's also a cheat to body-slam & spin another car, which the Ai has readily done to me recently at the Laguna Seca endurance (and in plenty of other races).

That being said, in a passenger-car enduro, I'm just as apt to switch down to N3 or N2 tires (from S1) if it means I'm going to get a consistently closer race.

I'm also in the habit (for races that are on R tires) of using R1 (super-hard) tires, even tho most of the Ai are on R2s. For various reasons, there often will be some opponents that still get more longevity on R2 tires than I will on R1s. Partially, it's because I tend to drive to my limits some of the time (unless I'm trying to get a lap or 2 extra out of my set of tires, during which I won't drive quite as hard.).

 

[Watchman]

Yes, it's a cheat to replace harder tires with softer ones near the end of the race, but it's also a cheat to body-slam & spin another car, which the Ai has readily done to me recently at the Laguna Seca endurance (and in plenty of other races).

That's true.. The AI sometimes makes me when they crash into me without reason, so by changing to softer/ harder tyres you just revive the balance 👍

 

[Open Addict]

..That being said, in a passenger-car enduro, I'm just as apt to switch down to N3 or N2 tires (from S1) if I means I'm going to get a consistently closer race...

Do you do this change down during the race. If so it would not make a difference, see post 18 & 19 in here. Unless you have a special version of GT4.

Being a max point hunter, I would start on worst tyres possible, example N1 or S1 or R1, to get the points up. then during the race if need be I'll change to a softer compound.

Okay, next part. I found while doing one championship that if you have an extreemly fast car such as my Minolta that burns through tires very quick, you should use hard racing tires in the front and super hard in the back. (If this doesn't work for you, then do whatever works). This way, your rear tires have longer endurance and the front tire have more grip. The third part is, if this isn't enough, try switching the tire types each pit time. This way you get equal amounts of grip, endurance and speed. This is my racing formula.

If your Toyota 88C-V burns rear tyres, you could turn up the TCS or try not to be so heavy on the throttle.

OA

 

[tHeMaZdAMaN]

Do you do this change down during the race. If so it would not make a difference, see post 18 & 19 in here. Unless you have a special version of GT4.

Being a max point hunter, I would start on worst tyres possible, example N1 or S1 or R1, to get the points up. then during the race if need be I'll change to a softer compound.




If your Toyota 88C-V burns rear tyres, you could turn up the TCS or try not to be so heavy on the throttle.

OA

This works too.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Do you do this change down during the race. If so it would not make a difference, see post 18 & 19 in here. Unless you have a special version of GT4.

Yes, I've changed down from S1 to N3 (or N3 to N2) during races. Sorry, I'll have to disagree with you, I've felt a definite difference...in both grip & tread-wear. We've been over this topic before, in some other thread.

 

[mafia_boy]

When it comes to races such as the GTWC, the cars like the Minolta are better with a staggered tyre combo. It's been proven many times that the easy way of doing this is having an R3/R2 combo, pit at just over 1/2 distance and voila, you're almost guaranteed a victory.

I personally (for extra A-spec pts.) go for an R2/R1 combination and say BAH to the pitstop. Admittably, the tyres start going red during the last lap but your 40-50 seconds infront so you can just cruise the last part in the higher gears with a lower rpm stopping you going too crazy to spinout. 👍

 

[Open Addict]

Yes, I've changed down from S1 to N3 (or N3 to N2) during races. Sorry, I'll have to disagree with you, I've felt a definate difference...in both grip & tread-wear. We've been over this topic before, in some other thread.

Agreeing to disagree.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Agreeing to disagree.

Right on.

I think it's time to back up my words with actions. Gonna try and do an endurance this weekend, and I will systematically & scientifically document my findings.

 

[GTsail]

Right on.

I think it's time to back up my words with actions. Gonna try and do an endurance this weekend, and I will systematically & scientifically document my findings.

Good idea

I think you will find that you can not actually change from Sport to Standard tires (or from Standard to Sport tires) during pit stops (even though the game has a quirk that seems to imply that you can).

If you could actually change your tires from Standard to Sport during a race with pit stops, all our efforts to win would be a joke. You could start a race on N1 tires and change to S2 or S3 tires at the first pit stop and absolutely kill the competition. Hard series like the 1000miles would become walkovers.

Respectfully,

GTsail290

 

[Open Addict]

Good idea

I think you will find that you can not actually change from Sport to Standard tires (or from Standard to Sport tires) during pit stops (even though the game has a quirk that seems to imply that you can).

If you could actually change your tires from Standard to Sport during a race with pit stops, all our efforts to win would be a joke. You could start a race on N1 tires and change to S2 or S3 tires at the first pit stop and absolutely kill the competition. Hard series like the 1000miles would become walkovers.

Respectfully,

GTsail290

I will also put in there the Roadster Enduro for 200 Points. Certainly would be a hell of a lot easier to change from N1 to S type.