F1 2010 Monaco = throw away race

Gene Cowan · Dec 24, 2010

2nd season in career easy mode, #2 for Sauber. Through 12 races I have a 60 point lead over Alonso and tied Mansel for wins in a season.

I have tried all setups from the engineer, and all setups suggested in this forum, but I'm 4 seconds off pace. I know the auto gears and braking assists are hurting me, but how can I be so far off on Monaco?

I love the track, and have won lots of races on F1 CE there, but not so here.

I have a couple more tracks where I'm also that far off the pace. Yas Marina and one more I don't remember.

Suggestions or just part of the programming?

Tukutz · Dec 24, 2010

I find with Monte Carlo that the trick is to get in front as early as possible, ideally the first corner. If you can avoid the traffic in the first corner and come out on top, you have a good chance to win (I usually mount the curb on the first corner in first lap). Since the track is so narrow, overtaking opportunities are very hard to come by. Best overtaking points are probably the tight hairpin in S1 and the final chicane in S3, and if you get them wrong your car will be facing the wrong way! That and also try to pit early, before the heavy traffic. So yea, for me it's all about getting in front early and building a strong lead, or defending well if they're on your tail, and pit early before traffic.

The setups are very good, they work really well, so I wouldn't put it down to that, and I have assists on too with legend AI. It wouldn't hurt you to go look around youtube and check out some videos people make of their Monaco TT laps, they could give you a good idea of how to attack corners.

Fahad Gaffoor · Dec 24, 2010

but seriously.. get rid of the braking assist.. that does heaps of damage to your lap times..

Tukutz · Dec 24, 2010

Fahad Gaffoor said:
but seriously.. get rid of the braking assist.. that does heaps of damage to your lap times..

oh absolutely, sorry i misread it for "driving assists" like ABS and traction control. But yea braking assist is horrendous, you need to remove that.

Fahad Gaffoor · Dec 24, 2010

it will be even better if you can drive without any assist.. but go slow.. get rid of the Braking assist and switch to manual.. you will easily make up a few seconds.. and then turn ur abs and traction off.. once you get the hang of things.. u will find out that you are faster..

Mark Spaeth · Dec 24, 2010

Fahad Gaffoor said:
it will be even better if you can drive without any assist.. but go slow.. get rid of the Braking assist and switch to manual.. you will easily make up a few seconds.. and then turn ur abs and traction off.. once you get the hang of things.. u will find out that you are faster..

I agree with that. I found that I was shaving seconds off when I first started turning off the assists, the trick is also to get to know the car and how it reacts and handles.

beaker342 · Dec 24, 2010

Very difficult track to keep up the pace, I've found. Also I didn't find the standard setup at all helpful for navigating the chicanes, but with some of the custom setups in the forums it becomes much easier to just flick the car in and out of the Nouvelle and Piscine chicanes. Especially on Nouvelle you can take huge curb with no harm. Also, in the Lotus I always found that you need to be running enough downforce so that you can take the casino complex and Tabac almost flat out, but others have different strategies.

Gene Cowan · Dec 24, 2010

guys I failed to mention that I have a HUGE lag problem in the series of turns right before the pit entrance. I'm on PS3.

I know a wheel would make a huge difference over the sixaxis controller. problem is I have to most of my driving in my bed. It's pretty much stop or wide open with the controller.

As for overtaking, I can usually work my way up 10 spots, but when your starting dead last it's hard to dive in and take the lead.

I just worked practice for 2 hours at the night race to get to 23rd on the grid. Another impossible race for me.

I do appreciate all the tips.

Rich S · Dec 24, 2010

Finess is the name of the game for Monaco. ITs the best race on the f1 calender.

I frequently win this race by 15-30 seconds with the AI on Legend but using TCS and ABS since I use a controller.

going into the famous slow Monaco hairpin, hit it full throttle in 1st exiting, and the car will swing round and give you a good 2nd gear run into the next portier.... Lean in real close tothe screen and pretend like your driving in real life since with flatscreen TVs these days are so clear. Dont ever use max steering lock for these slow Monaco turns or you;ll spin for sure. Then 3rd exiting into the tunnel strait. 2nd for the chicane , then 5th round the next sweeping left hander, 2nd around the 'swimming pool' chicane chicane, but you can brake super late for it....And the last bit takes lots of practice and can be taken in 1st or 2nd. In the game you can get a lap in the 1:13s with enough practice.

Jason Dewhurst · Dec 24, 2010

The fast turns after coming down the hill and dropping to gear 2 then for 4 and 5 down to a 2 again is whats costing me time, and the last turn is a right pain too always hit the near side barrier going through.

my best is 1 22 ish

Chris Marshall · Dec 24, 2010

Jason Dewhurst said:
The fast turns after coming down the hill and dropping to gear 2 then for 4 and 5 down to a 2 again is whats costing me time, and the last turn is a right pain too always hit the near side barrier going through.

my best is 1 22 ish

if we are talking about the same part of the track, i go up the hill reach 7th gear, drop a gear into 6th feather the throttle to gain mechanical traction and drop another to 5th for the run down hill, keep fifth all the way until the sharp righthander keep 3rd and straighten up and blast down to the hairpin into 1st, half way around into 2nd a quick squirt of power and into 3rd before the right turn toward the tunnel corner. exit the tunnel corner and blip 4th then through the gears to 7th until pop out of the tunnel at the 50 mark down to 3rd.

also for a idication on how you are doing if you are approaching the tunnel entrence and you are around 36secs into your lap, your going well.

I have ditched all my assists now, and can easly say its faster, you have more control and ive shaved 5 seconds of my times without them.

no assists / legend AI. oh and Id try and pit around the 6th lap if you tyres hold out.

My993C2 · Dec 24, 2010

Chris Marshall said:
Id try and pit around the 6th lap if you tyres hold out.

I must assume you mean this on a shorten race? If you pit on lap 6 of a 78 lap race, that leaves you with 72 laps still to do.

I began practicing for this race last night. It's a doozy that's for shizzle. I am slowly getting more competent on the track (lapping in the 1:20s now with options, still only in the 1:21s with primes) with room for improvement. Of course having the AI spin out themselves in front of you kind of wrecks things when you are on a hot lap. Oh well. It's going to be a grueling 78 laps when I do race. Simply amazing what the real world drivers do on this track.

Jason Dewhurst · Dec 24, 2010

Chris Marshall said:
if we are talking about the same part of the track, i go up the hill reach 7th gear, drop a gear into 6th feather the throttle to gain mechanical traction and drop another to 5th for the run down hill, keep fifth all the way until the sharp righthander keep 3rd and straighten up and blast down to the hairpin into 1st, half way around into 2nd a quick squirt of power and into 3rd before the right turn toward the tunnel corner. exit the tunnel corner and blip 4th then through the gears to 7th until pop out of the tunnel at the 50 mark down to 3rd.

also for a idication on how you are doing if you are approaching the tunnel entrence and you are around 36secs into your lap, your going well.

I have ditched all my assists now, and can easly say its faster, you have more control and ive shaved 5 seconds of my times without them.

no assists / legend AI. oh and Id try and pit around the 6th lap if you tyres hold out.

I get 39 entering tunnel if im lucky not to hit the barrier in that long winding turn that startsin 7 then drops to 5.

Not ditching tc, cant even dominate qual with assiats so im not going to get anyway near without them, constant spinning, I have already tried.

My993C2 · Dec 24, 2010

I did some more practice on this track and I am seeing some progress, but my progress is slow. I am currently posting mid-pack times (using mostly prime tires). Now I am only in P1. I have been running P1 career sessions and as the session nears it's end, I just re-set it. So the track isn't rubbered in as much as it could be. But the race when I get around to doing it is going to be brutal. I am only 5 races into my career and my team has upped their expectations of myself qualifying in 10th and finishing in the top 8 here at Monaco. I think my team will be disappointed in me. LOL

Chris Marshall · Dec 25, 2010

My993C2 said:
I must assume you mean this on a shorten race? If you pit on lap 6 of a 78 lap race, that leaves you with 72 laps still to do.

I began practicing for this race last night. It's a doozy that's for shizzle. I am slowly getting more competent on the track (lapping in the 1:20s now with options, still only in the 1:21s with primes) with room for improvement. Of course having the AI spin out themselves in front of you kind of wrecks things when you are on a hot lap. Oh well. It's going to be a grueling 78 laps when I do race. Simply amazing what the real world drivers do on this track.

if your struggling to complete it, why do the full race

My993C2 · Dec 25, 2010

I am trying to find speed right now. I just broke the 1:20 barrier as 1:19:400 is now my best. P1 is over ... I have have advanced into P2. I will start P2 on full tanks and prime tires and the goal for P2 will not be for speed. The goal for P2 will be to find a decent pace where I can keep it on the track lap after lap without any major mistakes. Once I am done with P2, I will use P3 to try and find some more speed prior to qualifying. The 78 lap race will still be brutal, but if I can keep in on the track in P2, I know I stand a chance on racing reasonable clean.

Jason Dewhurst · Dec 25, 2010

My993C2 said:
I am trying to find speed right now. I just broke the 1:20 barrier as 1:19:400 is now my best. P1 is over ... I have have advanced into P2. I will start P2 on full tanks and prime tires and the goal for P2 will not be for speed. The goal for P2 will be to find a decent pace where I can keep it on the track lap after lap without any major mistakes. Once I am done with P2, I will use P3 to try and find some more speed prior to qualifying. The 78 lap race will still be brutal, but if I can keep in on the track in P2, I know I stand a chance on racing reasonable clean.

Until the ai piled up at the uturn and you get a penalty

My993C2 · Dec 25, 2010

I do Christmas this weekend with family, but I had today to myself and I spent it doing the Monaco GP P1, P2, P3, Q1, Q2 and yes I did the race this evening as well. I completed 76 of 78 laps finishing in 13th place (I started 12th on the grid). But race winner Fernado Alonso did lap me twice. What a track, I can only imagine how the race beats up the real world drivers.

Chris Marshall · Dec 25, 2010

respect for doing the full race

majmun12 · Dec 25, 2010

I finally got trough this round. (PS3+G25+1st season+BMW Sauber+no assists/professional)

I struggled in Catalunya because of unrealistic advantage of the AI but Monaco was OK except for one thing.
I got pole with 1:17:5xx without any assists and was on par with AI for the first 5-6 laps of the race (30%) but then tire simulation became a factor. I had to slow down substantially for the swooping corners where AI did not slow down at all. They are definitely not affected by tyre-sim. They would melt my 5 sec advantage within a lap or two. Even my pit-stops lasted 10+ seconds.
After hours and hours of various tactics, I tried switching the tyre simulation off and what a difference it made! Every lap was the fastest of the race (high 1:17) and within 10 laps I was lapping the slower cars. It was almost boring as you can push as hard as you want. Car is glued to the road and even the rumble strips or damaged front wing wont affect it.

I wont be using this again but if you struggle with the track this is the best solution (with all else set to 'ON).
Some other tips:
- first corner makes a huge difference as you can be much faster then AI trough there. Get it right.
- Be smooth trough 3. and 4. corner. Try not using the brakes and just be smooth with the gas.
- Downhill hairpins - I was slow here. Just be easy on the gas and keep to the lines.
- You can brake very late (compered to dynamic line) for the chicane after the tunnel and go safely over the rumble strip.
- Be precisse for the next swooping corner as it's very rewarding.
- Take risk with the exit from the last corner as it seems they don't

*Cheeky tip: It seems you will not be penalized for cutting the first corner on the first lap (at least from pole). Use it to get some advantage if you struggle.