Hi everyone! I did my first proper practise session yesterday and did alot more today and i have to say that i LOVE this track with the F3000. Well done Eric! :good:
I saw in the North American forum that they had a track guide for Donington and i thought i'd make one for this track to you who would like some help. I hope someone will find this useful and i'm sorry about not making this sooner but as i said i only first learned that track myself yesterday.
As i will run with a weight penalty of 25 kg i have practised very heavy (95L fuel) to simulate that and when i changed from 55L to 95L i immedietly got almost 1 sec slower. So i think that this lap would be some 2 seconds faster in qualify with almost no fuel and qualify setup (more camber etc)
Mid America Motorplex track guide. View attachment Mid America_090108_2134_TestDay HOT LAP.Vcr
Laptime 1,11,322 (Race setup 95L fuel)
Turn 1,2,3 It's important to get a good flow/rythym through the first 3 corners so braking a little to early here is usually better then a little to late which will cause the car to roll and could compromise your exit and therefor entry to the next corner. Coming from the straight i brake hard and then i gradually ease off before i let go (braking and turning at the same time). Try and pick up the throttle easily so not to oversteer and keep it flatout into T2. In the replay i take a little to much curb and the car is not perfectly stable during braking into T3 so i let the car go wide before i pick up the throttle gently and i use the throttle to steer the car. If it understeers just ease off and if it steers to much give it some more power. Before the end of the corner i ease off and shift down to get a tight exit close to the inside curb and i try to get the straightest line possible for maximum acceleration. It's easy to loose traction so be careful there. I try to get a tighter line through T2 usually almost following the track line and not go wide but i was forced to this time because of the instable entry. Either way if it's done right wide and tight through there can be fast.
Turn 4 Easy flatout
Turn 5 It's hard to find a braking spot so i usually go by ”feeling” which is not allways successful. Try to enter with much speed and get as tight a line as possible so that the car drifts out a bit (goes a bit wide) while you are either off or easy on throttle.(This lap i had a little slower entry speed so the car did not drift out but this works to) And then pick it up and gradually give more throttle. Try to get to full throttle asap and as the car accelerates you will get more aerodynamic grip and the understeer will disappear and you exit the corner close to the outside. Sometimes very close
. For saftey it's better to be a little more cautious then i am in the replay. It's easy to go to wide in the exit.
Turn 6 I try to brake at or just prior to the 100m sign and gently steer the car towards the corner. Pick up the throttle very easily and again steer the car with the throttle. When you feel the car is pointing right apply more throttle and try to get as straight a line possible in the exit preferably getting as close to the outside curb as possible. Your gonna need throttle control to keep traction.
Turn 7,8,9 Probably the hardest part of the track. Remember to get a good flow/rythym and not over do it It's hard to find a brake point so again i go with ”feeling” and just touch the brakes before turn in not taking to much curb that will upset the car. Just a little push on the throttle before braking again for T8 going down to 2 gear and as tight as possible. Throttle control on the exit and keep to the left to set you up for the next turn. It's easy to loose traction just to stress that fact. Before T9 i'm up in 3 gear and i dont brake i just lift the throttle before T9 and turn in. Try to pick up throttle asap when you feel the car is pointing right and keep it as straight as possible. There is plenty of room in the exit.
Turn 10,11,12 Remember it's all about the rythym.Now you can go flatout entering T10 but you wont loose very much by lifting a little for saftey. You can take some curb entering the corner but be careful not to upset the car. Brake hard before T11 and smoothly turn in on 3 gear give it a push into the final turn. Brake a little earlier then you think because you want to enter tight as close to the inside curb as possible to get the straightest exit possible so you wont loose time on the straight ahead. This is the easiest corner to loose traction so throttle control is very much required on the exit. This sequenze of corners was not as smooth as i wanted on the replay lap. Especially T12 where i turned in just a little to to early and slow and lost a little time.
There you go i hope it was useful. The lap was not perfect but niether am i. I never knew of this track until a couple of days ago but i'm allready in love with it and when you start to get them corners right you will to :wink: Nicos setup is good and mine was pretty much the same but i ended up triying to make it more weight friendly because of the weight penalty with softer springs and dampers. I think his will suit you guys better but if you want mine you can ask for it in pm. Good luck!
EDIT: Just thought i'd add this other replay aswell. Although this lap is a little faster (1,11,231 same fuel) i still think the first replay is better from a track guide point of view. The reason I added this one is because here you can see an alternative line through T5 which seems to be pretty much equally fast. Also in this one you see a much better flow through T11 and 12 without the little mistake on the previous replay which I mentioned above. Th reason this replay can't replace the previous is because i made som other mistakes especially in first sector. So the only part of this replay that could be of any use is the alternative T5 and a better smoother way to take 10,11 and 12. Other then that stick to the previous replay
View attachment Mid America_090109_1228_TestDay HOT LAP.Vcr
