Time Trial Discussion

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New test today in Spa and I can improve my time by 3 second with time at 2'42'270 with optimal time at 2'41'971

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Does watching make a big difference or just using the ghost?
Replays and ghosts do different things for me.

Studying a Top 10 replay is great to help improve braking points, turning in points, driving style etc., as well as gearing which can make a big difference depending on the type of car. A Top 10 ghost, on the other hand, is pretty much useless to me - other people's ghosts are only really helpful when they show you where you are losing time - but compared to the quick guys, I lose time everywhere :lol:

Selecting a ghost that is nearer to one's own time (like 0.5s quicker, or just inside the gold target time) works better, but at that point I usually just use my own ghost.
 
Replays and ghosts do different things for me.

Studying a Top 10 replay is great to help improve braking points, turning in points, driving style etc., as well as gearing which can make a big difference depending on the type of car. A Top 10 ghost, on the other hand, is pretty much useless to me - other people's ghosts are only really helpful when they show you where you are losing time - but compared to the quick guys, I lose time everywhere :lol:

Selecting a ghost that is nearer to one's own time (like 0.5s quicker, or just inside the gold target time) works better, but at that point I usually just use my own ghost.
I was exactly the same, I'd use the slowest ghost I could find with a .2 offset and just try to keep up (remembering if I saw their brake lights before I was braking then there will be a problem/crunch :) )

Now I do follow the top ghosts and don't reset at sectors. My consistency has largely stabilised so delta and visible gap is enough now.

When I first started with GT7 and racing after a long break from racing IRL and games I'd use any ghost and just watch it head off in to the sunset 🤣 to the point I'd check the mini map to make sure we were at least on the same lap ;)
 
Most of the time what works for me is starting without ghost, run a few laps to get a feeling of the car in the combo.
Then I'll study a WR lap to look what gearing he is using, that's the most important thing for me.
Then I'll try to replicate it while following the same ghost @ 0.4, I'll never catch it so that's a perfect offset 🤣🤣, each sector I have the chance again to overtake .....but that will never happen 🤣🤣
 
Most of the time what works for me is starting without ghost, run a few laps to get a feeling of the car in the combo.
Then I'll study a WR lap to look what gearing he is using, that's the most important thing for me.
Then I'll try to replicate it while following the same ghost @ 0.4, I'll never catch it so that's a perfect offset 🤣🤣, each sector I have the chance again to overtake .....but that will never happen 🤣🤣
If you catch a .4 ghost then prepare for the Big Crunch at the end 🤣

Edit:

Its not off topic but isn't pure TT but I use a different approach for the daily race TTs

I know most of the circuits and cars/tire combos so use the ghosts as a way to practice my trail braking and apex/gear selection better especially in GR4 which is my strongest category out side of things like the original clio/scirocco races in A.

So for TTs I do ok but I try harder for daily TTs and as a contrast am 550 ish in the world for daily B just a different thing though I suppose
 
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If you catch a .4 ghost then prepare for the Big Crunch at the end 🤣
Somehow it never happens 🤣, it's either Ebrahim, Chaf or Hollo or Kaj that I'm chasing, then when I curse them I'll try to follow @djolliea and then I remember he is also one of them, some dudes you will never catch 🤣🤣

But it does help me find my brakingpoints, if you are 0.4 or 0.5 you have enough time to react to their brakinglights 🤣
I find that way easier then replicate that from a replay
 
I had a bit of extra time today to try Fuji again, but I'm getting frustrated with it now, so I've decided that I'm done with it.

Agonisingly close to a gold, but I just can't get any quicker. You know you are near your limit when you take 0.001 off your time :ouch:

I'm currently at 1:29.126, less than 0.1s off a gold, but it isn't happening :(

-

Gave it one last shot but there's no point once frustration sets in. Time to call it a day. I may have time to try again before the deadline, but I reckon this one is better left where it is.
 
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Somehow it never happens 🤣, it's either Ebrahim, Chaf or Hollo or Kaj that I'm chasing, then when I curse them I'll try to follow @djolliea and then I remember he is also one of them, some dudes you will never catch 🤣🤣

But it does help me find my brakingpoints, if you are 0.4 or 0.5 you have enough time to react to their brakinglights 🤣
I find that way easier then replicate that from a replay
I agree, knowing the markers is one thing, imagining not hitting the ghost is a much better thing as it makes you smoother.

Those guys are dead to me 😝 and should have their own leaderboard and we can just have our non alien one ❤️ nah I love all you aliens as long as you come in peace.
 
Have you tried watching some of the top 10's replays? It worked for me - I took a full 1.0s off my best after watching holl01's replay.
Thanks for the tip.
Yes I've watched Tidgney's video but I'll watch more videos and more carefully :)
In fact, most of the top drivers play in manual and obviously, this helps a lot on this TTS for engine brake when they downshift.
I need to brake where they don't. But, this isn't an excuse to stay in silver, of course.

Keep pushing


PS1: congrats for all these gold results on Spa, you're doing great!!

PS2: thanks for all these so valuable advices on how to improve our scores on TTs.
 
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Thanks for the tip.
Yes I've watched Tidgney's video but I'll watch more videos and more carefully :)
In fact, most of the top drivers play in manual and obviously, this helps a lot for engine brake when they downshift.
I need to brake where they don't.
But, this isn't an excuse to stay in silver, of course.

Keep pushing
You can do the same with AT if you coast and or double brake just briefly. It forces the car to change down. You won't have the turn in speed but you'll have the better exit gear.

I might do a video on it, but it's ok to go slower on turn in than the ghosts/aliens/top peeps but for AT users you need to make the car dance a little more on the brakes.

A wheel does make manual transmission a million times easier and we can abuse the double shift up/down stuff which really does help for some of these. But you can force the AT to go down on entry, it doesn't feel smooth and it isn't (but it doesn't feel smooth smashing the car in to 2nd at 80mph either to be fair ;) )

You got this!
 
Last night I noticed the top dawgs had pushed me down the ladder at Spa so I had to climb back up. I went to bed at #825 in the world. On gamepad. I was pretty satisfied with that. Obviously that was the first couple days of the trial so I've probably been gapped quite a bit but I'm pretty sure 2.3% is going to stick for the next couple weeks.

I really do love me these road cars because the margin for error is so wide and so many people choose to perfect race cars and downforce techniques rather than floppy road cars.
 
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Evening session complete and guess what, I'm in 41s!

Here it is:



Even I forgot to change into 3rd at first corner on time and braked too early for the bus stop, it was enough for 2:41.870!

I can do it little faster if I don't make mistakes, but it's long lap...
 
Evening session complete and guess what, I'm in 41s!

Here it is:



Even I forgot to change into 3rd at first corner on time and braked too early for the bus stop, it was enough for 2:41.870!

I can do it little faster if I don't make mistakes, but it's long lap...


I don't understand: I do (almost) the same and I'm (almost) 3 sec slower.... :banghead: :D

More seriously, it's a very very nice lap and 2:41. is really a great score.
 
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Evening session complete and guess what, I'm in 41s!

Here it is:



Even I forgot to change into 3rd at first corner on time and braked too early for the bus stop, it was enough for 2:41.870!

I can do it little faster if I don't make mistakes, but it's long lap...

Not a fan of your music :)

But amazing lap mate, you are seriously close to not lifting at eu rouge!

Man the competition here is fun and tough!!!
 
Go slower/coast a bit more, wait a fraction more to hit the power. Don't attack everything, braking points/accelerating - it makes a scruffy lap. Do a few laps ignoring the ghost and flowing through corners and it's ok to go slower to go fast sometimes bud.

You got this.
Appreciate you man! Going for a smoke break and trying again. I wont settle for anything less than a safe Silver haha
 
Evening session complete and guess what, I'm in 41s!

Here it is:



Even I forgot to change into 3rd at first corner on time and braked too early for the bus stop, it was enough for 2:41.870!

I can do it little faster if I don't make mistakes, but it's long lap...

Nice lap zaxs, congrats on the 41's 1😁
Looks smooth!, you can indeed win a fair bit of time on T1 with a 3th gear exit, and my feeling is that it a little quicker to to short shift the 4C a bit, around the end of the gear sugestion box.

Nice job!
 
Have a smoke for me 👍
Tried a few more times only to restart like 20 times after getting invalidated Laps after those riciulous poles on the side of the road, getting sick of not getting the ideal racing line because of those :( will Give it a few more tries and else tomorrow another day.
 
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Tried a few more times only to restart like 20 times after getting invalidated Laps after those riciulous poles on the side of the road, getting sick of not getting the ideaal racing line because of those :( will Give it a few more tries and else tomorrow another day.
Just a Glen thought, do a lap that doesn't try to hit the apexes so early or tight. Do a slow lap taking really late/drift lines and let the car move about a bit.

It will help. If you are hitting the bollards you are turning in to late and probably to fast for a good exit or flow.
 
I don't understand: I do (almost) the same and I'm (almost) 3 sec slower.... :banghead: :D
I know the feeling! I'm maxed out on Fuji, and yet nowhere near the replays I'm studying.

One thing I did discover, however, is that I'm not braking hard enough, esp. with the wheel. That means I'm braking too soft and also too early, and scrubbing a tonne of time off. It feels unnatural to me, but I'm trying to learn to brake late and brake hard, though it seems to only work well with faster (Gr.3 and above) cars.

Another thing I've learned though is that I'm able to improve to a certain point, but I have a limit - both physical (my hands and ankles hurts), and psychological (getting frustrated at not getting better despite time and effort)... I've reached and breached that limit with Fuji.
 
In fact, most of the top drivers play in manual and obviously, this helps a lot on this TTS for engine brake when they downshift.
Yes, manual transmission helps a lot, not only to engine brake faster but to also pick which gear and when you shift. In many cases you can shift up one gear higher on the exit of turn, compared to what Automatic transmission will choose. That can win you some time on whole lap. Also to pick exact moment when to downshift in order to turn in car for corner. Now I haven't done proper testing between AT and MT on Spa 4C TT but I wouldn't be so surprised if skilled driver can lower time by two seconds with MT compared to AT, it is after all one of the longest track.
Eventually I guess it will come moment when to switch to MT, maybe that moment is now. 🤔 😊
 
Just a Glen thought, do a lap that doesn't try to hit the apexes so early or tight. Do a slow lap taking really late/drift lines and let the car move about a bit.

It will help. If you are hitting the bollards you are turning in to late and probably to fast for a good exit or flow.

Got a bottom 45 and "safe" Silver rn, optimal lap bottom 44 but i'm calling it a day 😁
 
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Eventually I guess it will come moment when to switch to MT, maybe that moment is now. 🤔 😊
Yes, you defintly right but I've already tried many times to race with MT on the controller, it's not "possible" for my brain.

I'll switch to MT only with a wheel because it will be much more "natural" to me (like IRL).
 
Yes, you defintly right but I've already tried many times to race with MT on the controller, it's not "possible" for my brain.

I'll switch to MT only with a wheel because it will be much more "natural" to me (like IRL).
And when you do I'll stop by to try this out 😁 I am counting on you 😅
 

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