Yeah the problem with those setups is we can't be sure of their exact conditions and it's difficult to give feedback so they can be tweaked further.
This year I continue with the trend of using an Xbox controller with Full traction, ABS brakes and Auto gears. I've been meaning to cut these assists but I like consistent play and if I was going to drop them, it would be after I've got my setups.
I also play with assists because not everyone has the time (or skill) to learn how to drive without them, or they might not have a wheel setup. You can't have the same setup if you drop these assists. I've tried setups by players who don't use any assists and they (usually) don't work for me.
Unlike previous years where I would post all my Time Trial setups before moving on to Career setups (which meant a long wait for some), this time I've decided to make setups in the following way:
- I do 60-120 laps in Time Trial. Sometimes I'll use my 2016 setup as a base, but in my last race (Bahrain) I just went ahead and punched in some numbers and tweaked it from that. It's frustrating because there's always a ghost to beat, and I keep beating these ghosts til I feel I'd need to lose assists to beat them (you can tell when you're against a ghost who uses manual gears). When the car feels great and I'm tired of TT, I'll save it and move on.
- Career Mode Practice Programs are better this year, as not only can you do Track Acclimatization, Tyre Wear, and Qualifying Pace, you can also do Fuel Saving and Race Strategy. I get Acclimatization out of the way first, and if I'm struggling to get Optimal then I'll tweak and start over.
- I don't mind doing Tyre Wear in Practice 1, although if you're struggling to beat the delta then you may want to do it in Practice 2 when the track has more grip. I've noticed it's not a detriment to load up on camber as the tires last very well in races. Luckily you don't need to do a million laps (over-exaggeration) to complete it unlike in 2016.
- I'm still trying to understand Fuel Saving and how to get the most out of the program. You have to slow down severely to get optimal. In a race situation it wouldn't seem natural to back off that much .. although I have tried to do it sometimes when I've ran Rich mode too long in the first stint. Usually save it for P2 to help with grip, as you're not going fast enough to keep tire temps up. I can't tweak the car for this really .. at least not yet.
- Race Strategy program is excellent. It helps the engineers decide your best pit strategies and you can do it with more than one tire .. so if you don't like the hardest compound you can do two of these with the Ultras/Supersoft or Supersoft/Soft depending. Or if you're fighting at the back of the grid, you might be better off focusing on the two hardest tires so you can run long and get the correct pit windows.
- Qualifying Pace should be saved for Q3. It's like extra practice for your best lap in the actual qualifying session, and it's fun to see where you end up compared to other teams at the end of the session.
I wasn't sure how difficult the AI would be, so I set my career to 80%. After finishing 2nd in Australia in a Sauber (consider Lewis, Seb & Valterri retired) I figured it was too easy. I didn't want to start over, so I kept going with it and I find myself with a pace which is quicker than the Red Bulls, but not as quick as the Mercs & Ferrari's. I love the new R & D section, but I've also noticed other teams progressing quickly and their pace is increasing, so I may find myself falling back through the field as the season continues because Sauber has little resources. If the Mercs & Ferrari's finish the race I'm looking at an average of 5th place at the moment.
Again I apologise for not posting a driver setup, but I felt it was best I explain how I make my Race Setups so those who are unfamiliar know it often takes me hours to find something I like. My setups might not suit your driving style, so I don't mind if you tweak them as long as you don't re-post 'em without giving credit to me.
Last thing I'll say is 2016 setups really don't work in this game. I tried using my 2016 China setup in Time Trial and the first time I took a quick left turn the car oversteered so bad I drifted almost in to a full spin. There's a lot of power coming from the back of the car, so I like a setup which has a little oversteer, but has a back end which sticks firmly so I can get good traction out of corners and not suffer on the straights. I've been playing with Ballast and Brake Bias a lot to ensure the best balance. I will only be posting Race Setups after this one. If anyone has questions about what I post, they should be redirected here. Thank yo
