on board with Fernando Alonso and Martin Brundle:
Steve Stoop's Career Video:
Setup:
Aerodynamics
Front Wing Angle: 1
Rear Wing Angle: 1
Braking
Balance: F 50% - R 50%
Pressure: Medium
Brake Size: Standard
Balance
Ballast Distribution: F 70% - R 30%
Front Anti-roll Bar: 2
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 8
Suspension
Front Ride Height: 2
Rear Ride Height: 2
Front Spring Stiffness: 7
Rear Spring Stiffness: 8
Gearbox
Gear 1: 148kph / xxx mph
Gear 2: 184kph / xxx mph
Gear 3: 218kph / xxx mph
Gear 4: 252kph / xxx mph
Gear 5: 288kph / xxx mph
Gear 6: 329kph / xxx mph
Gear 7: 380kph / xxx mph
Engine
Throttle map: Fast
Fuel: Fixed
Alignment
Camber front: -1.00
Camber rear: -3.00
Toe front: 0.09
Toe rear: 0.35
At Monza my time was 1:23.317
Sector 1
Turn 1/2: Going down the long pit straight make your way to the left and watch for the 200m marker. The instant before you get there stomp on the brakes and come down to 1st gear. Before turning in you must wait until you have lost most of your momentum. For me this is after the 50m marker in 1st gear (approx 120kph). From there use about 3/4 of the steering to get the car lined up to drive over the first curb; you want the entire front right and a bit of the nose go over the curb. Make sure to straighten the wheel as you drive over to avoid losing the rear (especially if you have a little too much speed! After safely dealing with curb #1 continue turning right with 3/4 of a turn until you have the front left lined up to drive over curb #2. This time you want just the front left to go over so that you can use almost full lock left to get around. Keep a hold of the steering until you make it away from the gravel on the exit, stay off the gas throughout turns 1/2 until you are pointed towards 3. With practice you can try to reduce the braking distance but I find I am faster if I stick to the 200m mark.
Turn 3: Flat out, stick to the right as you go round.
Sector 2
Turn 4/5: Similar to 1/2 but I find this one easier. Brake as hard as you can the instant after you pass the 200m marker coming down from 7th to 1st in a straight line until about 25m before the chicane. At this point (downshifting to 1st) turn in sharply using full lock left, make sure to open the steering (1/2?) just before you bump across the 1st curb. You should have time to straighten the wheel and use a squirt of throttle before bumping across the 2nd curb. Keep the wheel straight as you do to prevent a spin and start turning right the instant you are safely across. Accelerate gently afterwards to meet the curb on the left of the exit. Floor it once you are safe from the gravel.
(side note: These two chicanes are the basis for the setup's ride height (2) and ballast position (70%F). I find these settings to be the right mix of speed and ability to cross the curbs. You can try ride height 1 or move the ballast backwards for more speed (or both if you are a real daredevil) but I think this makes the care less stable.)
Turn 6: Stay left after the chicane and watch for the yellow eni sign on your left. At this point brake and shift from 5th to 3rd, turn in using full lock right just before shifting to 3rd (there is a piece of red armco on your left). Hold the wheel as you navigate the turn, you may have to open the steering and use a tiny bit of throttle at the apex but if you didn't shave off too much speed going in you can just coast through. There will be a red piece of armco on the inside right, as you approach it open the steering to about 1/2 and when you pass it begin accelerating (gently) into 4th and then 5th on the exit. Be careful with the gas as it can land you in the gravel if you're to quick with it.
Turn 7: Stay left after 6 and keep your eyes on the tyre barriers (black) and trees on the right hand side of the road. A little ways after the 100m marker on your left the tyre barrier will end. Brake at the first tree after the tyre barrier ends coming down from 5th to 3rd (you wont need to brake too hard) and turn in around 25m from the corner or when the allianz sign disappears on your right. Use a smooth turn to full lock to ensure that you hit the apex and get the front of the car on the curb. Accelerate away when the front right returns to the road while you hold a 3/4 turn to stay out of the gravel on the left. Open the steering as you get closer.
Sector 3
Turn 8: As you leave 7 stay left and use as little steering as possible to negotiate the slight bend in the straight down to 8. Make your way to the right and watch the meter boards above on the right. Just after the 200m marker there is an overhead F1 2010 sign. Brake hard in a straight line down to 3rd, turn in before the 50m marker (around 60m, shifting into 3rd) with a full lock left. You should try to shave off enough speed and turn in early enough to take a chunk of the curb on the inside left.
Turn 9: Once past the curb of 8 floor it briefly to get to 9 and then start feathering the throttle as you turn hard right (2/3 steering). You can actually go flat out if you took off enough speed while braking for 8. If not it's not a big deal, but it is crucial you hug the inside curb to get a good line through 10.
Turn 10: After the overhead eni sign (going through 9) a white turf starts on the inside of the curbing. Keep an eye on this through 9 and when it ends (slightly before the red and white curb ends) start turning left, pause briefly when the wheel is centered and then go to full lock left. If you goofed 8 or 9 you will have to lift off to avoid the gravel otherwise this turn is flat out.
Turn 11: Stay left down the straight and watch the meter markers above you on the left. At exactly 100m brake hard coming down to 3rd. Once in 4th gear turn in with full lock (don't forget to downshift to 3rd) and you should come close to the inside fairly quickly. Hold the steering and stay off the gas, as you go round there will be a red piece of armco, before this there is a lamppost (looks more like a telephone pole). This is where you open the steering (1/4 or 1/3) and accelerate hard (but not full throttle!) away. Start gently but if you keep the wheel open enough you should be able to floor it in no time (just after you hit 4th gear). Keep the steering as open as you can as you continue to accelerate towards the edge of the road. Once the turn ends (6th gear) straighten the wheel and aim for the right edge of the start finish straight to get the shortest route to the finish line.
Notes: sorry for the wordiness, there are so few corners that it is just essential that you get every single one of them perfect to get a good lap time. Turn 11 and turn 1 are probably the most important but I found a lot of time through 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 also!
