After our debate, I decided to test the TLD and the RVT GTLM's back to back, over several hours of HSR time trials. My primary goal was to review TLD's car, but in the interest in catering to what I may like driving more - I took both out. I have enjoyed speaking with both houses, and I hope they like my reviews.
I'm no HSR expert. I have a few low 1'58" runs in the TLD GTLM on Suzuka 750PP, but I've never focused so much on the technical side of HSR like I did last night - so in a way I was learned the track as I learned the cars.
Eventually, I ended the night with very consistent low 1'5" times with both tunes. The TLD tune was much easier to repeat, as things were more predictable, i.e. brake and shift points were more accurate and repeatable lap to lap. One problem however, I couldn't find the right line to get through turn one without dipping below 175 mph. Every lap, I had to do...something, either a quick nothing brake stab at the beginning, or threshold braking throughout. For a while I was afraid to lift off to get he car around on such a high speed turn. Eventually I manned up and did it, and though it was far more controllable that I thought it would have been, something about it didn't feel...free.
In the RVT GTLM on turn one, after being on the straight for so long , I was shocked as to the amount of turn-in 'jolt' it caused when I initiated the turn. I thought the back was coming out, but with quick fingers on the wheel, it was put under. Once I found the constant radius to stick with the line, it felt much more secure. Due to the immense turn-in, I found myself closer to the apex at higher speeds than the TLD car. But once exiting the apex, my only thought was the right wall, the dreaded forced lift-off snap oversteer penalty for brushing a digital being. I started my laps by breaking, just a touch, with my right foot still planted. Seemed to take off a lot of speed very quickly - quicker than I needed. A few laps later, I started to feather the gas - halt acceleration rather than reverse it, as I found myself rotated in a more desirable direction. Sometimes too desirable, ending in the middle of the track and not the right rub-strip. On my best attempt, I looked down at my speed midway through the exit from the apex, and saw numbers in the 185 186 region. I was shocked. the TLD tune didn't get anywhere near those speeds - well, maybe I didn't get anywhere near those speeds.
But that caused problems for the next turn. The epic turn in force from the RVT turn meant very unstable breaking. I had to point, break, and pray - pretty much. Man-handling my wheel, forbidding the front wheels to do anything erratic, I threw at car at the apex, as the rear jostled and thought about ways to kill me. Not so for the TLD tune. Maybe it was because I was carrying less speed coming in - but the pedal on the left reduced the car's speed - nothing more, nothing less. It was less violent than the RVT's breaking, but it didn't leave me wanting more breaking force.
The next three turns are very interesting. The first one, the faster left hander, was all about the exit speed. I forced myself to nail the gas after the apex, knowing that if the cars could handle that, that would be the quickest time, ending on the rub-strip. Both cars had enough grip to cope. The biggest concern was gearing. Interestingly, While TLD's GTLM Suzuka tune made the car into a four speed, things were swapped here. RVT opted for the four speed, while TLD went conventional. In TLD's gearing, the rub rail after this turn coincided perfectly with the rev limiter in second - which meant while you were excited to push the car out to the limit, it cut power exactly when you needed it to keep the car straight. I ended up needing to shift to third midway through the exit, still in the middle of the track. RVT's gearing allowed for a smoother exit.
Never have I been able to dial in my level of angle slip so well with my right foot in these two cars. I couldn't resist drifting through these next two turns. For the first one I dived right into the apex, with similar breaking behavior as in the prior turn. Both cars were easy to drive over the rub rail, using the reduced grip to glide gracefully around the innermost edge. In the next turn, I stayed out right and broke hard and flicked, getting the front wheels over the apex rub rail, and staying tight. At a certain point, I knew I had done it, straightened the wheel, nailed the gas, and bee-lined to the right side rub rail, actually going past the line once under the tunnel. Both cars were so drivable and predictable through here, it was amazing. If anything, the RVT car had more opinion, in that it was more battle against the car than the track, while the TLD car was my slave. It's impossible to know which is faster.
The last banked turn was simple for both cars. Again, the RVT was wiggly under braking, but was able to keep a higher speed through the turn. I drove the RVT second, so I think that was due to my experience. I'm still trying to learn this turn, as the high line seems faster.
On the straight, both cars were able to creep on 200 mph. If RVT cars are described to be less strong straight line, in order to be faster in the corners, I couldn't feel any lack of speed here.
In the end, I have no idea which car is faster. There are probably still areas of the track that I can drive much better, regardless of car. Each car ran as close as makes no difference to 1'5", with both having fastest laps in the fours.
Both miraculous tunes. The TLD can drive 1'5" all day long. The RVT is less nice to you. Until my driving gets better, I don't know if that means its faster. But for now, the RVT is more fun. As each of you have said, tunes are not meant to min max, but to supply different feels for different drivers. I can't think of a better example than that. Just look at the toe in/toe out settings.
But keep in mind that both cars are still GTLM's, with 800PP. Neither is gentle, neither is easy. Nothing is more fun.
One more thing, some suggestions. First, I did not see any difference in cornering speed due to the different tyre setups. The RVT was probably looser because of the R2 in the back, however. Second, Holden - have you tried using a four speed setup in this car? It's still very counterintuitive, but with this engine, it works. Third, I did learn a lot about my preferences by testing these two cars. Thanks for supporting me and answering me questions, and not brushing me aside like some ignorant fool. Fourth, How does the tuner challenge work? Do you find people to drive them, or is there a committee that finds drivers. In either case, I'd love to help out refining, testing, or racing either car.