What are the tricks of driving a RWD?

[Stefan Mizzi]

This is more of a generic question across all sims, but since this issue has to do with my experience with AC, then I though of posting it here.

OK, so the reason I'm posting this that I am shocked at my lap times I am doing with the AC TP. I have noticed that I am quite slow with RWD as compared to a FWD.

For example, in iRacing, I am always around 1 to 1.5 seconds away from aliens in the Jetta...yet with the RWDs, always about 3 seconds away.

In rFactor 2, I think I kick ass with the Clio, maybe 0.5 to max 1s away from aliens...yet, with RDW I struggle, depending on the car.

Now with AC, the Elise, I feel is not that hard to drive compared to iRacing or rFactor 2 RWDs....and yet, I can only do high 1.24 and higher. That's 2 to 3 seconds slower. I used no aids except some stability.

I am gobsmacked that I am so slow with RDWs. Yes, I know, they have different styles of driving, but I still follow the rules...brake as late as possible and smoothly, enter the corner smoothly, exit the corner and hit the accelerator as fast as you can bla bla bla...

I can go very fast with FWDs, yet in general 3 seconds slow in RWDs. I do not use heal and toe. I expected to be at least in the mid 1.23s

Oh another thing...I've always been slow in 'slow' tracks and quite fast in fast flowing tracks, so mangione does not help...

But anyway....any tips would be helpful to improve my RWD...

Thanks!!!!

PS: This thing (being slow in RWDs) has been very frustrating as there are more RWDs in sims in general. Also, it could be that I am just a F%c^%n idiot and don't know how to drive and I have to accept that...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Post a video of you lap and maybe we can help you out, see where you can improve,

 

[Stefan Mizzi]

Post a video of you lap and maybe we can help you out, see where you can improve,

Thanks mate, I'll do it today after work

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

In general i notice that FWD car drivers use little steering rotation. With a 240 degree wheel it will be hard to make subtile movement you need to catch a slide that will happen with a RWD.

Other is throttle control. For me personally FWD is not really racing as you can hammer the throttle to the floor and of you go. Once you know where to brake and corner everybody can be fast in a FWD car.

RWD demands you to master the throttle as weird as it may should you steer the car a lot with the throttle.

How much steering rotation do you use?

 

[Stefan Mizzi]

In general i notice that FWD car drivers use little steering rotation. With a 240 degree wheel it will be hard to make subtile movement you need to catch a slide that will happen with a RWD.

Other is throttle control. For me personally FWD is not really racing as you can hammer the throttle to the floor and of you go. Once you know where to brake and corner everybody can be fast in a FWD car.

RWD demands you to master the throttle as weird as it may should you steer the car a lot with the throttle.

How much steering rotation do you use?

Makes sense Bram. I always use 900, or change it to 720/540 at times for GT cars. Maybe this could be the issue!

I'll try different rotations too.

Thanks.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Actually those are good rates. The lower you set them the trickier its gets for me personally. Should be good with that.

Also the current leaderboard thread to me doesnt mean a lot. You can cut too much and as most people don't upload a video I am not even interested in give it a try.

What for me personally works great with RWD is just to accept that some people will always be faster Saves a lot of frustration really Some aliens must have extra arms and legs to control their cars better

 

[William Levesque]

The only "trick" really is called car control, nothing more.

You must surely already know racing lines and advanced driving techniques, so what's left is plain and simple car control, to be able to keep it at the limit of grip.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

There´s two main aspect of going fast.
One is the theoretical bit, the other is the practical bit.

 

[Requiem84]

A lot of drivers in the faster video's user entry oversteer to rotate the car faster and then generally balance the car on the exit with really good throttle control. This is extremely hard to get right, but you might try to experiment with that.

A general rule with FWD's is 'fast in, slow out'. With RWD you perhaps need to brake a bit earlier than you normally do and focus more on the exit.

I would say, experiment with different lines and techniques and use the data in AC to see which works for you.

 

[Terry Evers]

Hmm interesting thread ..

Having the pros analyze laps and help us newbs improove on our lap times? Sometimes ppl get stuck on certain habits wich might not allways be the quickest way around the track. Im used to GTR Evo sequential FF cars. Assetto corsa with 900 dgrees and H shifter is a whole new ball game for me..

Might upload one myself later this week. See if ppl can point out obvious mistakes in my driving style.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

We can do a Friendly Development Series once the multiplayer is available. Helped a lot of drivers in the past to improve their driving.

 

[Stereo]

A lot of drivers in the faster video's user entry oversteer to rotate the car faster and then generally balance the car on the exit with really good throttle control.

Even before the point of skidding, the lift-off oversteer can definitely help this car turn quickly while fairly easy to control.

 

[Stefan Mizzi]

Here's a video Hampus. The best I could pull was 1.24.342. I did a few mistakes so I guess I can lower another 0.5 but that would be it...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

What mistakes did you do? So i know what i don´t need to comment on

 

[Stefan Mizzi]

Not sure, but I know it wasn't a 100% lap. Though after the long straight I did not enter fast enough the right hander...kind of did a mistake entering that corner and lost some speed...other than that, maybe you can point out

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Yea i just did not want to point out obvious thing you already knew since you are aware it wasn´t a perfect lap (very few are)

T1 you can see if you can brake a little bit later, a little bit before the black asphalt ends.
And try to carry more speed into the corner, if you feel the rear end wants to come around give it some throttle and it will settle in just fine.
Turn in quite late to the apex as well, it is possible to take the corner tight but you´ll lose some entry and some exit by doing that. Better to just attack it, slide away a little bit then point the front end to where you want to go and just feed in the power again.

Imagine the apex being "around the corner" so you don´t have to take an early apex, just make sure that even if you miss the early apex that you slow down the car then point her in towards the late apex.

T2 was quite good but you went on the power to early and the front end washed out on you a little bit so you had to get of the power then come back on it again.

As Jackie Stewart used to say, never put your foot on the throttle unless you know you can keep it there.

T3, same braking spot as me but try to turn in earlier, a bit away from the apex there.
Make sure you stop the car just after a little bit more so you can get the front end pointed out of T4 without any understeer. And get on the power nice and early.

T4 same deal with the throttle, on-off will lose you time.

T5 was good, maybe i heard a slight hesitation, also something we don´t want but overall it was a good solid exit where you hit the apex as well.

T6 braking, very good, i brake around the 100m marker. see if you can turn in a smidge later so you brake more in a straight line.

T6 exit, same hesitation, don´t be afraid to let her ride up on the curb but just be wary she might get loose in the rear.

T7 is possible to do flat but from my own experience it´s very hard and it´s a bit of a risk if you are on a good time, might be worth just letting go a tiny bit like you did and essentially keep the time you have in the bank.

Last couple of corners i´m having trouble with myself so i´d like to not say much about those other then they look good.

 

[William Levesque]

A general rule with FWD's is 'fast in, slow out'.

Ermmmmmm.... You must not win many races

 

[Requiem84]

Ermmmmmm.... You must not win many races

Relatively to RWD's, I think this pretty much applies. As with FWD's you need to keep more momentum than RWD's on entry. With RWD's you can rotate the car more on the throttle, hence you have a better exit, but a slower entry.

 

[Aristotelis]

If I may and on top of the excellent points Hampus Andersson made... it's evident that you driving in a FWD style. That means, you're braking in a very straight line going "deep" in the turn and then turn and go for a very late apex trying to keep the front wheels as straight as possible...

I have a secret for you... front wheels do not accelerate, only turn!

You need to take a bit earlier apexes, trying to trailbrake into them and then rotate the car with the gas. This being a street car, relatively underpowered, you need to keep speed inside the turn, using the power to rotate it. You can't afford to go so slow and straight in turn in just to have a late apex so you can keep the front wheel straight. You can't afford that and you don't have to, because the power is at the rear wheels and you have plenty of traction.

You're doing better at the last part of the track with the continuous left/right turns. The main problem IMHO is at the U turns, T1, T2, T4

 

[Stefan Mizzi]

Thanks Hampus! What a nice detailed explanation! I'll try to apply your tips