F1 2010 Long slow curves - strategy

[Calixo]

Hi racers,

I would like to ask proffesionals how to handle the long slow curves. Since I use public transport, I am not really familiar with driving in such difficult spots like the end of Silverstone or last curve in Hungary... at the beggining I tried to go as far as possible on full throttle and then brake and turn and then start throttle again when safe... the newer strategy is not going on full thottle, just a little bit so the speed is not raising or falling...but for me it looks slower... I have no idea whats correct/better. Can anyone advice how to survive in these neverending curves?
thank you

Calixo

 

[David O'Reilly]

can you please give a couple of examples of which curves? Track and turn number.

 

[Erik Tveit]

Take them as 2 apexes. Fast in, a bit away from the inner in the middle, and hit the apex like you can have full throttle out.

In-Out-In-Out.

 

[Scrush]

i drive silverstone like this.

30/70 balance. gearbox for accleration

my apex is a little bit outside. its fast than drive completly in 3 gear throw the hole turn.

yellow = no throttle
red = brake
green = throttle

 

[Andrew Bortz]

Basically you should be on the outside on braking turn in and as soon as you hit the apex you should be at the maximum speed that your car will go without understeering wide keep on the limit of the speed (at no point should you be coasting because when you do apply the throttle the car is more likely to step out more than you want), when you reach a certain point of the turn where it is possible to lay full power down to not go off the circuit on exit thats when you nail it taking the least line of resistance.

Hope this helps.

Diagram above i do not agree with as im presuming its the last corner of silverstone (old layout)

 

[Aarqiel]

Luffield is the name of that corner IIRC, and it's a very hard one. Mark Webber has a particularly good technique through there, look for some of his onboard footage. I like to employ some power-on oversteer through these longer corners, but it's not for everyone and can be a wear on the rear tyres.

 

[Scrush]

here is an onboard lap from mark webber.

 

[Paul Lock]

at no point should you be coasting because when you do apply the throttle the car is more likely to step out more than you want

Ever? I mean I feel like I brake, coast it on to apex, then gently bring in the throttle on the exit - should I either be braking or gunning it - never coasting?

 

[Andrew Bortz]

You should always either be on the throttle or braking to the maximum the car will handle, coasting is lost time. think about it this way your on the motorway, now to save fuel and keep the car in good shape we taught to coast when in slow moving traffic instead of the ppl who acelerate up to the car infront and have to brake to avoid hitting the car ahead which turns into lost energy. Same principal except that in racing you wanna be the one that accelerates and brakes.

 

[Paul Lock]

Sounds like I really need to change my style. Taking the hairpin at Hockers for example, are you still breaking on the turn in before the apex or already applying throttle? I mean it makes sense seeing how you power away from people, but watching your videos, apart from the obvious robot-like consistency, it's hard to detect much difference. Methinks I'll be rewatching tomorrow.

 

[Andrew Bortz]

When you watch my videos the sync of sound is ever so slightly out like 0.100 sec but to answer your question at the hairpin im still on the brakes but ever so gently until I have hit the apex exactly half way through the turn then its a gentle application of throttle and just before its ideal to lay full power down, I lay full power down to kick the rear a little to make the corner but gain that extra bit of momentum.

Upload did fail with 302 mins left lets start again...

 

[Aarqiel]

Sounds like I really need to change my style. Taking the hairpin at Hockers for example, are you still breaking on the turn in before the apex or already applying throttle? I mean it makes sense seeing how you power away from people, but watching your videos, apart from the obvious robot-like consistency, it's hard to detect much difference. Methinks I'll be rewatching tomorrow.

You don't want to be accelerating until you hit the apex, no. If you have room after braking to coast to the corner you can brake later and still make it; trail braking is a good technique to be on top of too, where you brake almost to the limit and then back it off as you begin to turn in. Apart from the power oversteer flick Andrew describes, you should be off the power until you see the corner open up and know you can put it down without taking it out again. Getting on and off the power mid-corner loses time compared to a smoother approach - Barrichello still brakes with his right foot, even.

 

[Paul Lock]

I guess trail braking is what I do now. Heavy on the brakes, and ease off on the turn in, maybe moderating the brakes where necessary onto the apex, and I dont bring in the throttle until im on the 2nd half (exit) of the apex.

I seem to be on the right wavelength there, I think its just the smoothness and transition from braking to throttle I need to work on, as there is always a tiny bit of coasting involved after leaving the braking zone and hitting the apex for me, which as Andrew points out is wasted time.

Ive also noticed that despite Andrew obviously running less wing than me, his car changes direction quicker than a indecisive fly.

 

[Jan-Olov Johansson]

Hmm, this thread is getting really interesting, it sounds like what I am trying to do in my driving...obviously I am not so good at it, well demostrated by my slow laptimes
I feel my biggest problem is when I apply throttle leaving the apex/exiting turns, it's hard to get it right without loosing the backend or applying to little and therfore doing a too slow exit.

 

[Paul Lock]

I feel my biggest problem is when I apply throttle leaving the apex/exiting turns, it's hard to get it right without loosing the backend or applying to little and therfore doing a too slow exit.

Possibly a manual box would help you with that - though I dont want to encourage you to be faster

Could even be your pedal settings, maybe playing with the sensitivity on the loud pedal would help too.

 

[Jan-Olov Johansson]

Possibly a manual box would help you with that - though I dont want to encourage you to be faster

It might help with that particular issue but I fear I would get several other problems instead...as I probably said before, don't like the so called "paddles" on my wheel, they are more like buttons and very "insensitive" - in lack of a better word - to use.
I might do some testing again to see how it feels on Hocken, as I know that track pretty well by now but I am a bit scared :wink:

 

[Chris Rees]

Ive always found Luffield a funny one in whatever game i play. I dont always stick to the apex but deliberataly run a little wide on entry. Then when the car is slow enough turn in I aim for a late apex while straightening up quite promptly. It can give you a nice launch into Woodcote!

This techinique was even more apparent in Forza using tintops!

 

[Andrew Bortz]

Same as above as long as you minimize the coasting going wide on entry especially if your on the outside rear of another car will mean you can normally get launched at the same time as the car ahead of you flick your car to the right of his or if your still behind him slipstream him with a possible drag race down into turn 1.

 

[Chris Rees]

^^ exactamondo!!

 

[Aarqiel]

Here's hoping Forza 4 will have the new layout for that same slow-lane learning effect. Even if it does come out a month after F1 2011...