F1 2011 Manual vs Automatic - Fuel Consumption

[Chris]

I've recently made the transition from 360 controller for PC with an Automatic gearbox, to a Wheel, (Thrustmaster GT Ferrari), with a manual gearbox in-game.

My question is this, is a manual gearbox less fuel efficient than an auto? Because i was only using STANDARD mix (2) the majority of the race, and with about 15 laps remaining my fuel level was -1 laps.

Yet with an auto gearbox, i can run the whole race on standard mix with at least 10 laps of Rich fuel mixture and it will still not get to -1 lap, the least it ever gets down to is Optimal.

So for the rest of the race, I had to short shift, to try and save fuel.

Cheers guys.

 

[Tom]

Yes, automatic will obviously save some fuel since it'll shift once the limiter is being hit or even before, depending on your fuel setting. If you're using the manual gearbox it's all up to you but this also means that you can, in theory, shortshift if your engine is getting too hot or you're short on fuel.

I'm usually managing the fuel so that I'm having +1 lap left when I cross the line or even go down to the optimal fuel load during the very last lap.

 

[Chris]

Also Tom, if you could give me some tips on downshifting under braking?

I just did a 100% race at Monza, and going into turn 1, and turn 4, i had real trouble braking and downshifting from such high speeds (300+ kph), without locking up. Its almost as though I wasnt able to syncronize the braking and the downshifting so i could slow down without losing too much time?

Any tips on how you brake + downshift from high speeds?

 

[Kristian Nenov]

Manual Gearbox consumes a lot more fuel. I usually use the engine break so I can break as late as possible. This uses a lot of fuel. When using Automatic gearbox - you don't use the engine break that much. You break mostly with you breaks. Anyways, manual gearbox is a lot better even with this little minus.

 

[The-Sheriff]

I do the same as Kristian, and will never consider even with the minus to go Automatic. I tried the other day to experiment with quick downshifts from high speed, as I blew up my engine on different tracks a little to often, due to to quick downshifting, but the automatic was even worse, not with engine that blows up, but it feels like I have no control over the car. I my private car I prefer Automatic but in a racecar in F1 2011 I want MAX control.
When you downshiftunder braking, make sure you brake first, by tapping your brake, and then use your gears to downshift. Fast but not as quick as you can, because that will blow up your engine. Just downshift as you are used to see the gears roll when you run automatic and then train and train. I promise you, one you get used to manual you will never go back

 

[David O'Reilly]

Tophercheese have you looked into brake balance?
Also we need to remember that downshifting too fast will add braking retardation to the rear axle. Too early a down shift and it can lock up, esp in the lower gears.

In real life F1 cars the braking is done by the brakes. Engine braking is of little use as rear braking is not limited by brake performance it is limited by (tyre) traction. With the fwd weight shift under braking loads the rears go light and its not case of getting more retardation but how much tyres can handle. When you add KERS harvest at the rear axle there is no spare adhesion for the spikes of retardation offered by downshifts.

The 2010 game did not model this correctly and engine braking was very efficient in-game.
2011 game was still a little poorly modeled due to excessive grip pre patch. You could easliy blow the engine with engine braking pre patch rather than lose the rear end. Post patch its better but still not right as its too hard to lose the rear end under brakes.

EDIT: agree with post above and that you can save fuel in manual. Manual is better for control
EDIT. engine braking should not use fuel as its the lack of fuel that makes the engine not want to turn (brake)

 

[Chris]

Thanks for the tips guys!
Ive spent the past few days getting the coordination between wheel and pedals, and im getting quite a lot better. But i also think my pedal set isnt very good, i dont get much feeling through them, i dont know if its the game, but the brake pedal just feels like any other button, like in real life, there's a lot of feeling in the brake pedals for me, but in game, there's just nothing. oh well. lol only a game.

Anyways, thanks guys!

 

[Kartik Sri Harsha]

I Agree Sheriff once you get used to Manual Gearing you will never ever want to go back to Automatic

 

[Kristian Nenov]

Thanks for the tips guys!
Ive spent the past few days getting the coordination between wheel and pedals, and im getting quite a lot better. But i also think my pedal set isnt very good, i dont get much feeling through them, i dont know if its the game, but the brake pedal just feels like any other button, like in real life, there's a lot of feeling in the brake pedals for me, but in game, there's just nothing. oh well. lol only a game.

Anyways, thanks guys!

It's probably your pedals set. I can feel every % I move my feet into game too. Before I got my Logitech G27, I was with a cheap wheel and it had exactly 8 'steps' on the brake pedal. It wasn't accurate at all. It's probably your whole wheel.

 

[Chris]

It's probably your pedals set. I can feel every % I move my feet into game too. Before I got my Logitech G27, I was with a cheap wheel and it had exactly 8 'steps' on the brake pedal. It wasn't accurate at all. It's probably your whole wheel.

Well the wheel itself feels quite nice, but i dont have the money to buy like a G25/27 or any of the fanatec or Thrustmaster RS 500. But, i wonder if because my wheel is Thrustmaster, if it would be compatible with a better set of thrustmaster pedals.

 

[Tom]

Also Tom, if you could give me some tips on downshifting under braking?

I just did a 100% race at Monza, and going into turn 1, and turn 4, i had real trouble braking and downshifting from such high speeds (300+ kph), without locking up. Its almost as though I wasnt able to syncronize the braking and the downshifting so i could slow down without losing too much time?

Any tips on how you brake + downshift from high speeds?

Downshifting quickly will also help you to brake your car since the engine break is going to kick in as well.

That's what I mean when I'm saying quickly, me in Malaysia. First lap is horrible but the 2nd one is ok'ish. AI is modded, so that's why they're that quick.

About the pedals: which wheel are you using exactly? I doubt the T500RS pedals are compatible but maybe there's an adapter.

 

[Steve Greenwood]

Haven't a clue about off line but online auto is slower over 1 lap for sure, BUT you have to balance that with the fact that auto users can run a lot longer on RICH fuel mix compared to manual users.

 

[Ejike Wodu]

I do the same as Kristian, and will never consider even with the minus to go Automatic. I tried the other day to experiment with quick downshifts from high speed, as I blew up my engine on different tracks a little to often, due to to quick downshifting, but the automatic was even worse, not with engine that blows up, but it feels like I have no control over the car. I my private car I prefer Automatic but in a racecar in F1 2011 I want MAX control.
When you downshiftunder braking, make sure you brake first, by tapping your brake, and then use your gears to downshift. Fast but not as quick as you can, because that will blow up your engine. Just downshift as you are used to see the gears roll when you run automatic and then train and train. I promise you, one you get used to manual you will never go back

Thank you!!!
Gonna try not downshifting so quickly. I always destroy my engine in quali and this might be the reason why. I thought it was just random. We'll see.

 

[The-Sheriff]

You are welcome, its not random, test it and you will see. If you continue to downshift quickly, then you can hear a "hissing sound" in the lap where your engine is going to blow. Sort of scratching in your speakers, but its your engine thats about to say goodbye.

 

[Tom]

I'm shifting down extremely quick as well but never low my engine up - might be related to how long you stay at the limiter? I.e. it doesn't hurt if you're braking at the same time so that it's only a split second instead of a few seconds.

 

[Kristian Nenov]

@Tom Endres, It's because he doesn't lift off the throttle. When you have your foot on the breaks it's pretty hard to blow your engine.

 

[Tom]

@Tom Endres, It's because he doesn't lift off the throttle. When you have your foot on the breaks it's pretty hard to blow your engine.

 

[Kristian Nenov]

CM ftw

 

[Ejike Wodu]

You are welcome, its not random, test it and you will see. If you continue to downshift quickly, then you can hear a "hissing sound" in the lap where your engine is going to blow. Sort of scratching in your speakers, but its your engine thats about to say goodbye.

As you explained it, so it happened.

Was in China in GP mode today, second to last corner, 7th to 1st gear rapidly and boom.

So I'm learning how to downshift differently. One thing I have to say though, it has only been happening in quali or practice. Not in a race. Fingers crossed it won't.

 

[Ejike Wodu]

I'm shifting down extremely quick as well but never low my engine up - might be related to how long you stay at the limiter? I.e. it doesn't hurt if you're braking at the same time so that it's only a split second instead of a few seconds.

Just seen this post. I just posted about China, and when it happened I was on the limiter for more that half of the back straight. I'll adjust my gears.