AC Audi Sport Quattro S1 @ Thomson Road - Weds 6th May 2020

[Medilloni]

in

You're in Henry, welcome

 

[Kerem Gocen]

I'll try to join if I can get some practice in, dont count me in yet just to be safe

 

[Raresch]

@Medilloni tried to use the car with automatic clutch and paddle shifter but it feels really really weird, especially because you have to release throttle while upshifting. Blipping while downshifting is ok, but releasing the throttle without a clutch is just weird. for me at least. I have to make more practice, but for now, i will stay out of manual transmission cars.

 

[Kek700]

Its a strange car whatever transmission you use.
Trying to find a setup was a real nightmare.

 

[Interslice]

Its a strange car whatever transmission you use.
Trying to find a setup was a real nightmare.

Aye it's like a 500hp LR defender. A bit out of it's natural environment.

 

[HF2000]

Its a strange car whatever transmission you use.
Trying to find a setup was a real nightmare.

How do you drive a 4WD compared to RWD or FWD? And what is important to focus on in the setup? I have no experience at all with these cars so some tips will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chris Down]

I'm definitely becoming the Wednesday flake ;-) Afraid I won't make it this week chaps, shame because I really love this track. Have fun!

 

[Kek700]

How do you drive a 4WD compared to RWD or FWD? And what is important to focus on in the setup? I have no experience at all with these cars so some tips will be greatly appreciated.

I Personally really do not have an answer, it feels like a long circuit, this does not help either.
Trying to get over the first hump at speed is very hit and miss, still have not found how to do that without slowing down noticeably. ( it will literally fly ) :-/
Trying to set up a 500hp pogo stick is one of the many problems + limited setup parameters. It is constant oversteer and understeer. Set up either makes it worse or better, you are not in a lap easily able to tell which setting is best.
The car does not even know where it’s going and the driver certainly does not. ( It will always be a Baja rally car, tarmac confuses it.)
Apart from the obvious, tyre pressures, it is just a case of hanging on.
All I have found is hitting the wall at the end of the long straight, bouncing in right direction, does not impact your lap time.
Useful for a numb footed idiot.
Not knowing what lap time I am aiming for does not help either.
That is for me, unusually, is all I can say, normally I am trying to make two sheets of A4 fit into something readable.
Plus I am in pain sitting on a pile of pillows limits my time in the car.
Sound like all negative, yes it is really, but such fun, a lot of fun trying to get it around the lap. “Hurray” one positive.
Will be really interested to see if and how some of the quick driver sorts it all out.

 

[GeekyDeaks]

It is constant oversteer and understeer.

I had a blast for about 30mins last night and I was trying to cause oversteer on the hairpin by the pits, but I found it tricky to pull off consistently and sometimes it would just start to push. I might try and configure a button for the handbrake and try again if I get time tonight.

 

[Medilloni]

I had a blast for about 30mins last night and I was trying to cause oversteer on the hairpin by the pits, but I found it tricky to pull off consistently and sometimes it would just start to push. I might try and configure a button for the handbrake and try again if I get time tonight.

If memory serves me (rare, I know!), the Audi didn't have a handbrake. Also, the car's front to rear diff was locked, so if you locked up the rears, you'd lock the front - I think that's correct, though there were many versions - more below.....

How do you drive a 4WD compared to RWD or FWD? And what is important to focus on in the setup? I have no experience at all with these cars so some tips will be greatly appreciated.

I was lucky enough to drive one of these very slowly at a demo (a rich guy that trusted me, the fool ), it was many years ago, but here goes...

As Ernie said, it's like a pogo stick, and given advice before the demo runs, I was told the best way to get the front to grip was with heavy, then trail braking - to get enough weight over the front, but not enough to lock up... 'cos with the diff as it was, you lock the rears. Which is probably why the Scandinavian drivers made the most of it... apart from Walter Rohl and Michelle Mouton, oops. So, seems it's all on very careful use of the brakes. I'm sure Aki and all those brought up driving on frozen lakes can answer better than I, and hope they can chip in.

Re setup, I guess making it stiffer (more like a track car) should work, but from trying that I'm finding it having less traction and totally unpredictable, well, more so It's not an easy car to drive (tho neither is any of the 50's 60's stuff!), though on the odd corner I get it right, it feels like getting a hole-in-one - and honestly, imo, this track is easier than Bridgehampton where we last used it.

Going back to the brakes, this vid shows lots of foot-action porn, hope it helps...

 

[Medilloni]

I Personally really do not have an answer, it feels like a long circuit, this does not help either.
Trying to get over the first hump at speed is very hit and miss, still have not found how to do that without slowing down noticeably. ( it will literally fly ) :-/
Trying to set up a 500hp pogo stick is one of the many problems + limited setup parameters. It is constant oversteer and understeer. Set up either makes it worse or better, you are not in a lap easily able to tell which setting is best.
The car does not even know where it’s going and the driver certainly does not. ( It will always be a Baja rally car, tarmac confuses it.)
Apart from the obvious, tyre pressures, it is just a case of hanging on.
All I have found is hitting the wall at the end of the long straight, bouncing in right direction, does not impact your lap time.
Useful for a numb footed idiot.
Not knowing what lap time I am aiming for does not help either.
That is for me, unusually, is all I can say, normally I am trying to make two sheets of A4 fit into something readable.
Plus I am in pain sitting on a pile of pillows limits my time in the car.
Sound like all negative, yes it is really, but such fun, a lot of fun trying to get it around the lap. “Hurray” one positive.
Will be really interested to see if and how some of the quick driver sorts it all out.

Your lap time is quicker than mine Ernie, I might try the pillows

 

[Kek700]

That’s an amazing video John, those crowds just feet away, if it was me driving I would be wiping hundreds of them out.
The foot work is quite amazing too.
Thought I would show you my foot work, just for a comparison, helping others to see how I mimic Walter’s style.

 

[Medilloni]

I'm definitely becoming the Wednesday flake ;-) Afraid I won't make it this week chaps, shame because I really love this track. Have fun!

Thanks for the heads up Chris.

 

[Medilloni]

That’s an amazing video John, those crowds just feet away, if it was me driving I would be wiping hundreds of them out.
The foot work is quite amazing too.
Thought I would show you my foot work, just for a comparison, helping others to see how I mimic Walter’s style.
View attachment 369668

Love your driving shoes to matey!

 

[Medilloni]

@HF2000 @Kek700 @GeekyDeaks @Interslice and everyone!

Looking through the the old Bridgehampton thread, Craig put up a stable setup to help, attached below, hope it helps - will give it a bash later this aft

 

[HF2000]

@HF2000 @Kek700 @GeekyDeaks @Interslice and everyone!

Looking through the the old Bridgehampton thread, Craig put up a stable setup to help, attached below, hope it helps - will give it a bash later this aft

Thanks John. I will try it right away. In the meantime: can you remove that lamppost on the left after the jump on the straight? Much obliged!

 

[Medilloni]

Thanks John. I will try it right away. In the meantime: can you remove that lamppost on the left after the jump on the straight? Much obliged!

Lol, I'm loving @Fat-Alfie 's tracks and that you can go off sometimes, but....

 

[HF2000]

For me this combo gives a new meaning to "hitting the apex"!

 

[640er]

If memory serves me (rare, I know!), the Audi didn't have a handbrake.

Oh and I was already wondering what I did wrong after assigning the handbrake to a button on my wheel but not noticing any effect

 

[Reik Major]

Sign me up please John.

When this beast was released for AC I tried it and ignored it from there on. Yesterday I gave it a second chance and learned to like it after a while. After another while I was able to put complete laps together but no lap seemed to be like the one before. So I think we've got a real challenge here. Not a very common combo...