Time Trial Discussion

[Gomario JSP]

Sector one is 1 out of 10 for me, I wonder if it's gyro that gives me hard time, with that I mean I shift weight at wrong moment ...? How is it for you others?
(Full working week conference abroad for me so I guess this will be it for me. )
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Same for me as @Vule mentioned, it's just a party of inconsistency, and I could swear that warmer tires do a better job here but then out of nowhere all grip is gone.....
What I do notice is dirty tire syndrome 🤣
If you cut to much, even the first chicane before the start then grip is far far away and T1 is a real b*tch 🤣
So yes..... I too have some trouble on this one 😁🤣🤣

 

[GT_Tuga]

Hello people
As some of you might already know, this week I had a VERY close call with the NSX TT at Tsukuba, but in the end, I was lucky enough to walk away with another Gold medal:

0,012 were enough for me to stay in the Gold, but man that wasn't a comfortable experience! 😅
Time Trials at Tsukuba are always so competitive, you really need to find a way of extracting the most out of your car and link those successive corners properly, not an easy task.

After some struggling, I've decided to switch CSA from Weak to Strong and turn off TCS altogether, hoping to get a little more out of the NSX.
Took it to the track, and a few laps later, I've finally made it! If only I could have more time to do some more laps I could've improved a bit more, and hopefully I could've slept a little easier on that Wednesday night, anyway it's all good and it was very rewarding to get that medal.

On to a very different kind of challenge, again with a NSX:

I still have ways to go here... the thing about this TT is the track itself: driving fast at Spa is a real exercise of how confident you really are as a driver and with your car, really trust your steed.

There's no other way of doing it, you have to become "one" with your car... your inputs have to be natural and timed just right, it's like those Group B rally drivers from the 80's used to say: "If you're thinking about your next move, you're already too slow!"

Still struggling with taking Eau Rouge flat out... I know it's not easy, most of the time I end up slightly lifting the throttle through the middle just to make sure I make it through, and that is obviously costing me some time. I need to improve my racing line through there.

After that, everything is somewhat OK until the Bollard Syndrome starts to kick in... I always get the feeling I'm not attacking the corners hard enough simply because I'm just too scared of scrapping one of those bollards and invalidate my lap.
And to add to that, this NSX also has some prominent understeer, probably because of the all the downforce... using CSA Weak seems to help a little bit with the steering.

Anyway... I'll keep trying and see what I can do.

 

[Shah1]

Link your Playstation to an youtube account of yours.

Use the share function to record your laps. (I believe it is called "create" in PS5. Might be wrong)

Trim it if it is needed, then upload it to youtube.

So I have done this, but how does the share function record the laps? Is there no step-by-step guide on here? Can't seem to find anything on YouTube.

 

[Shah1]

You need to save a screen recording of it and then upload that to YouTube

Screen recording directly on the PS5?

 

[Famine]

Screen recording directly on the PS5?

Yup.

How to capture PlayStation®5 console gameplay and screenshots

Save the memorable moments in your games on PS5™ consoles by taking screenshots and recording video clips.

www.playstation.com

The console records everything it sees, up to a period of an hour. You just have to tell it which bits you want to save.

 

[Vule]

If you cut to much, even the first chicane before the start then grip is far far away and T1 is a real b*tch

If you even think about touching the grass at the beginning of the lap, either on the right or the left side, forget about a decent first corner, you will just slide wide like its raining

That's why I said I sometimes have difficulties even starting the lap properly on full throttle, there is only one perfect line and only one way you can start it without touching the grass and without lifting. And nailing that is not easy.

 

[P-Courty]

Screen recording directly on the PS5?

As with Famine's post above.

I usually press share button twice to start a video recording then again to end it.

And then just trim the clip before uploading 👍🏻

 

[Jeje6410]

New test in Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta :
Improve my time at 1'32'630 with optimal time at 1'32'575

 

[Chris30]

Would downsizing to custom 18” inch dia wheels (wide + spacers) improve handling for the latest Focus RS TT?

What the others said. Tuning is a rare thing PD includes in these TT combos. Most of the time it's up to you to complete the fastest lap based on what skills you already know. It's not an easy job. And PD only allows a specific type of wheel to be used in the challenge. Whether it's hard, medium or soft ones.

 

[TumeK5]

What the others said. Tuning is a rare thing PD includes in these TT combos. Most of the time it's up to you to complete the fastest lap based on what skills you already know. It's not an easy job. And PD only allows a specific type of wheel to be used in the challenge. Whether it's hard, medium or soft ones.

He's talking about wheel rims, not tires.

It is an ongoing myth/fact that different rim sizes affect the handling, even in BoP'd TTs. See the last two posts of page 1203.

 

[zjn]

Good run at RA, i reached gold at the very last lap before devoting to the personal TT (get my doughter to her appointment). Lucky me she were late with her preparation

 

[Shah1]

Here you guys, thanks for all your help in getting the vid up.

 

[Gogga]

Here you guys, thanks for all your help in getting the vid up.

I'm no good at giving a turn by turn analysis, but from what I see, you are braking a bit too much and a bit too early. Ease up on the brakes a bit, let the car coast through the turns, and then put the power down. It's 4wd, it will pull you through the corners... most of the time. Sometimes it has a mind of its own and will just understeer for days.

Others will certainly chime in and give you a more detailed breakdown.

Goodluck.

 

[330_D]

Here you guys, thanks for all your help in getting the vid up.

I agree with @Gogga . I also would add that you could use a lot more of the track to carry the extra speed you'll have from braking less. Hitting the apex is important.

I find 4wd and particularly fwd cars prefer a trail brake to apex speed and then hold the throttle at that rpm until you are just at or past the apex then floor it. Also hold a higher gear until the apex in this car and shift down just before you are ready to accelerate. Coast just a little more than you are and at a higher speed.

Do you chase a ghost?

 

[Shah1]

I agree with @Gogga . I also would add that you could use a lot more of the track to carry the extra speed you'll have from braking less. Hitting the apex is important.

I find 4wd and particularly fwd cars prefer a trail brake to apex speed and then hold the throttle at that rpm until you are just at or past the apex then floor it. Also hold a higher gear until the apex in this car and shift down just before you are ready to accelerate. Coast just a little more than you are and at a higher speed.

Do you chase a ghost?

I have done in the previous TT. Problem I'm having is completing a full lap without losing control of the car and getting a respectable time. The amount of laps its take me to get this (in vid) was ridiculous.. Was ready to smash the PS5 lol

 

[skydragon49]

Here you guys, thanks for all your help in getting the vid up.

My 2 cents (that actually is just one 😅)

For the final turn you can go flat out. You are losing time in both ends, when you start the lap and when you finish it.

 

[Interemptor]

Did 2 quick laps with the pad ( 2 restarts because someone flew off at the starting line 😎 ) and I guess that's good enough..

 

[330_D]

I have done in the previous TT. Problem I'm having is completing a full lap without losing control of the car and getting a respectable time. The amount of laps its take me to get this (in vid) was ridiculous.. Was ready to smash the PS5 lol

It's not so easy, until it is. I know that sounds weird, but really work on easy, gentle input and do it smoothly. Set the ghost offset at .3 seconds and to reset at every sector and really try and pay attention to the line and braking input if you can. You'll likely need to brake earlier than the ghost, and that's honestly usually much faster.

Brake in a straight line as much as is possible and don't accelerate until you are pointed where you want to go. That doesn't mean dump all throttle, just don't accelerate..

Check this out.

Friction Circle – Theory to Practice – PCA Chicago Region

pca-chicago.org

And find the slowest ghost you can to chase and just keep lapping until you get diminished returns. Take a break and come back later when you are fresh.


Edit to add:
Just drive the speed you need to to keep control. Work up more as you gain confidence. Bonzai laps will not get you where you are looking to go, but calculated laps with precision will. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. So, weirdly, slow might actually be fast.

 

[Ian JB]

Hi,

@Shah1...

This approach has helped me an incredible amount...

I tried loading up "ghosts" that were just a little quicker than me. Got used to the track and the "ghost" time. Then loaded up another lap time that was just a little quicker and so on. It's a, sort of, shaving time thing if that makes sense?

Just a little bit off topic...

Back from a, truly wonderful, vacation in Malta and Cyprus. A fabulous way to spend Christmas, new year and my Birthday.
Breakfast in Cyprus @ 21 degrees. Bedtime in "Blighty" @ -3 degrees. Brrrrrrrrrr.

Best regards to all here.

Ian.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Road Atlanta? More like Road Catlanta! Meow meow meow baby!

 

[BuzzdoggZ]

If you even think about touching the grass at the beginning of the lap, either on the right or the left side, forget about a decent first corner, you will just slide wide like its raining

That's why I said I sometimes have difficulties even starting the lap properly on full throttle, there is only one perfect line and only one way you can start it without touching the grass and without lifting. And nailing that is not easy.

Aha this might be where I'm going wrong. I thought the dirty tyres would wear off after a couple of seconds. I've been cutting the grass on half the corners 😂

 

[Dan_Tes]

Alreet fellas!

I’m heavily jet lagged but back in the seat today, interested to try the Focus at RA seems like an intriguing combo… my beloved SH tyres again but I’ll just have to accept they are PDs go to. Yeah, they sorta let the side down but it’s still a fun and challenging combo. Lots of tricky weight transfer to master which I haven’t managed to do yet.!! So good combo but no match for that delicious NSX at Spa…

TBC but for the next session or two it’ll be the NSX again for a push well into the 2:17s

Might be tough, but @A_Higher_Place has proven that us mere mortals can manage it (or is he a mortal, does anyone have a mortalometer handy!?)

Toodles

 

[snc]

 

[GT_Tuga]

Hello (again...) fellow weekend racers, roadside farmers and aliens alike!
I've made what I would consider a decent improvement at Spa:

Went from a 2:23,481 to a 2:21,870.
So, a solid 1,6 seconds improvement which is pretty good, I would say.
I'm pushing myself to get increasingly more confident at Eau Rouge, and now I can just about make it through with only a slight lift of the throttle... that is when I do get my racing line right, which is a challenge within itself. Sometimes I kinda get it, and sometimes it's just a leap of faith and hoping for the best...

This has to be one of the most dramatic corners in motorsports, like a really fast high-stakes make-or-brake weird uphill chicane!
Anyway, that lap time puts me "just" 1 second away from Gold, but I have my own doubts if I can find all of that remaining time to get there.

This track is hard, fun but hard... a real test of skill. I'm already happy with this time, so I don't know if I want to mess around with this again, at least for now.

And the main reason why I might not touch this Spa Time Trial again is this thing right here:

What a pleasant surprise!! 🤩
If you want my personal opinion, this might be one of the best car/track matches in a while, I've had a ton of fun with it yesterday!
Only made some 10 laps, and almost half of them were invalidated due to being unsure whether I should drive this car on tarmac or on the dirt, a legit doubt considering we're driving a 4WD Focus RS 👀

I'm not the biggest fan of Road Atlanta, but driving this car there seems like a really nice choice considering the layout of the track with its elevation changes and tight corners, it's so much fun!

With only 10 laps I'm already just 0.4 tenths away from the yellow target, so this might be a sign that another Gold medal might be incoming.

Had to turn on CSA Weak to improve the steering a little bit, no TCS, ABS Weak and a Steering Sensitivity of 4. Still, keeping the weight transfer under control requires quite the workout with the steering wheel (thank God I play with a controller, otherwise my arms would've had their work cut out for!)

I'll definitely be back for more, I know I can earn that Gold medal here and, who knows, even try to climb up the leaderboards and go a little higher than usual... this won't be the last you've heard from me!

 

[Chris30]

What a run by the famous @Mistah_MCA. Those lines he took were out of this world. Wow...........

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Hey folks - been a hectic week at work with a few days at CES and a couple of delayed flights, so I haven't had the chance to even look here. Many pages behind so just assumed that if you've posted a strong run and improved your time (wherever you are on the board), I would have given a 🔥 !!

Had some time yesterday evening... ran the NSX again, but I'm within a tenth and a half of my ultimate PB and as much as I like the car and the track, the motivation just isn't there. Switched to Road Atlanta and ran some miles - weight transfer and track limits are a little tricky to master but posted a decent lap. Not sure how much time I'm going to get for this one though. Happy lapping

 

[Gomario JSP]

Hi guys....... and still no girls ( not that I am aware of)

No morning run this sunday cause I slept like a baby 🤣🤣

Managed to put soms laps in later on, just like others....everytime I looked at my leaderboard times changed.... @RWinkelmann and @Ed_Night 🤣

Had quite a descent lap but with a less nice S1 altho not to Shaabbbyy with a mid .2
But had a realy good exit out of T7 on to the backstraight resulting in a very descent .4 before the chicane .... and....I did not realy stuffed it up... so across the line in 1:32 192 😁 but with some room..

Peaking at @Mistah_MCA his guide....maby staying in 4th last corner will indeed be faster?, 31.8 is fast buddy! 🙏

 

[Jeje6410]

New test today in Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta :
no improve my time with a time at 1'32'672 but the optimal time of 1'32'480 lets me predict a good ranking but will I have time to come back ?? It's less secure. 😭😭
Too much work during the week to afford it. It's a shame because I really enjoy driving this Focus on this circuit with this transfer of weight from time to time very difficult to control.
I wish you a good end of the weekend and courage for the week
Good drive and enjoy

 

[Shah1]

Blimey, that's fast. Excellent tutorial, were you using a wheel or pad?

 

[Lomic]

Blimey, that's fast. Excellent tutorial, were you using a wheel or pad?

He's not the author of the video. It is @Mistah_MCA