R3E R3E Racing Club

[paulbee058]

@Calvyn White thank you for the setup.

I'll be going in to this week's events without the opportunity to practice so very much appreciated.

I find the KTM easier to drive consistently, but did wonder if the Porsche might have the upper hand on a circuit like Silverstone

 

[paulbee058]

I have less than zero percent chance of keeping a Group 5 monster on the black stuff, but I can give the marshals something to do, so in please

 

[Calvyn White]

The Porsche is certainly quicker than the other two on this track but the problem still remains of trying to get it down to 2nd gear. It is a bit of a hit and miss. Get it completely wrong and you're dead. Get it slightly wrong and you've lost time. You have to use 2nd gear 3 times on this layout so there's quite a good chance of getting it wrong at least once every two or three laps, if not less.
You can actually see the odd number in the gear ratio (2nd) of the Porsche by comparing it with the other two. Way out of whack. Basically the problem since the last update is if you're too fast it won't change down and if you're too slow the back end locks up sending you to never never land.
Like you say @paulbee058 the KTM is the smoothest for sure, but not the quickest. The Lotus is quicker than the KTM but a little less unstable. But nowhere near the problem of the Porsche which is the quickest by quite a bit, if you can get the timing right with the gearbox "consistently". Which in my opinion is not worth the risk.

 

[UMC 22]

I didn't actually say "they aren't fast, so they quit". I said people are giving up because they're not as fast as others, which you and others have said is exactly what you are doing. (I don't consider myself to be "fast", for the record.)

The reason I said that is not going to help anything is twofold. One you've already stated yourself... the more people that give up, the smaller the grids get, and the less opportunities people will have to find people of their level to race with. Two, by giving up you are no longer practising or learning anything in this particular sim/club, so how are you ever going to get back into the fray with those that stick with it? You wont.

Anyone that has raced R3E for the last couple of years will know that I didn't used to be a top-five finisher on a regular basis. I routinely found myself in this so-called "no man's land" hotlapping on my own. But I stuck with it, I asked questions, I watched the faster guys, and I learnt new things. Put all that together and I'm a better driver and can now fight with the "big boys" in many races.

So the fact is that there is only one solution to this "problem", and that's to stick with it, learn from others, and eventually get faster. The ball, as they say, is in your court, because becoming a better driver is down to the individual, not RD.

 

[Case_]

So the fact is that there is only one solution to this "problem", and that's to stick with it, learn from others, and eventually get faster.

Or not get faster But it's great that it is working for you (no sarcasm).

But yeah, you're absolutely right this is ultimately our own "fault" and I don't think anyone was even suggesting RD should do something about it (at least in the discussion about the "no-man's land", which only started as an explanation why some of us don't find Raceroom races as much fun anymore and why we're hesitant to join and often do it mostly just from a sort of sense of "duty" and because we enjoy the company, not as much because we enjoy the actual racing).

 

[UMC 22]

Pretty sure that practice would work for most people.

It's a shame that the driver academy isn't more reliably run, to be honest. Nothing since last January, I think. I took it myself about 18 months ago even though I'm certainly not new to sim racing, and with the tips learnt (and a default setup) knocked two seconds off my lap time during the 90 minute session. I'd love to run one of those myself if I could, especially if it meant those taking part would then jump into the club to try out their newfound skills. But as a pretty average driver myself, I simply don't have the knowledge or ability to teach others.

 

[Case_]

Pretty sure that practice would work for most people.

That is certainly true, but there are still personal limits. And once you are close to them, pushing them even slightly requires an increasing amount of effort, and, more importantly, time investment, and you are still not guaranteed any results. And that's obviously OK, nobody is entitled to be good at everything they decide to do, it's just that it's good to keep that in mind as well that practice is only part of the equation.

 

[paulbee058]

I'd participate in academy sessions, if someone were willing to host them. Any help would be gratefully accepted.

 

[UMC 22]

I'd participate in academy sessions, if someone were willing to host them. Any help would be gratefully accepted.

Well, the official RD Academy is Bram's domain. I don't know why it isn't running right now, and I don't particularly want to ask since I've been making a fuss over various other things recently...

If there was enough interest then we could maybe run some kind of "training day" now and again. It could perhaps be a two hour drop-in / drop-out event where people get together and ask/answer questions, help each other out, watch each other looking for mistakes and bad habits, etc. Of course it would rely on some of the faster guys who know what they're doing showing up to help the rest of us. That could be problematic since they would have little to gain themselves in a practical sense.

 

[Calvyn White]

For me practice is extremely important but knowing how to set up your car is paramount. To understand in what your car is doing and how to make it to do what you want or what's needed. If your car is trying to kill you because you're going too fast you need to learn what to do to stop it from killing you. Don't even think about going slower think about doing the same speed without it killing you. Hence the saying, some of the most unstable setups are the fastest. With practice and with the knowledge of making your setup in time you will find the speed without the car trying to kill you. Constantly tinkering with the set-up because I said myself that car can go faster around the corner what can I do to the set-up to make it do just that. One click here two clicks there on the track test that out, another click here another click there and so on.
When I first started racing at race department I was slow. Frustrating slow so I often quit. Which annoyed me more. But I stuck with it I worked hard and continue to do so and I've had satisfying and rewarding results because of it on the leaderboard and in races.

Setup tip of the day.
Having a good balance between traction control and preload. Whilst trying to keep the traction control lowest possible and the preload as high as possible.

Driving tip of the day.
On some corners time it so as you approach the apex and change down a gear that you will need. This will help the car rotate a litte and give you a better exit angle allowing you to get on the power harder and sooner.
This is also beneficial when undertaking giving you the option not accelerate harder and sooner giving you the choice to cover for the switchback.

PS: Here is my setup for the RUF. Take note 3% trash control and I do believe 7 click preload. Comes out the corners nicely. With a good balance of throttle control or and with doubt short shifting.

 

[Case_]

Speaking of setting up the cars and learning...damn, I've completely forgot about it (you know what I mean). Sorry I need more hours in a day, 24 is not nearly enough, especially in the past months

 

[paulbee058]

There are a number of areas I need to work on, but the area that presents the biggest challenge for me (due mainly to mobility issues) is corner entry braking.

This may be car dependant, but should I be braking hard and then off the brakes, before turning in, or should I be working at trail braking in to the apex of the corner?

 

[Calvyn White]

There are a number of areas I need to work on, but the area that presents the biggest challenge for me (due mainly to mobility issues) is corner entry braking.

This may be car dependant, but should I be braking hard and then off the brakes, before turning in, or should I be working at trail braking in to the apex of the corner?

In my experience it depends on the corner.
But what I do know is it's always hard on the brakes first off and getting lighter and lighter until you're actually turning with the brakes still on this is obviously called trail braking. No all corners you're able to do this it is trial and error. But like I said always hard on the brakes then lighter as you slow down this will decrease your chances of locking up. Trail braking actually helps you turn into the corner it helps rotate the car into the corner. It takes a lot of practice to get it right but extremely rewarding when you can do it repetitively in the same corner over and over.

PS: To achieve good trail breaking a good brake balance and pressure is crucial. And a good bump and rebound well help to keep the tires on the surface of the track preventing the tires from bouncing and locking up.

This trade is getting well off it's purpose.
If there is anything further in any other way I or anyone can help message me or someone or make a thread or something.

 

[FeltHat]

Or pick Mustang to get back on straights what you lose on corners but with limited time focus rather on practice than setup tinkering

 

[Piotr Dul]

I'm still away but will be back home soon so sign me in please

 

[UMC 22]

Don't worry about the thread going off-topic. The event it was meant for is done and dusted, so it doesn't matter if it gets cluttered up with other discussion now. That said, if someone wants to start a dedicated thread on driving tips and Q&A, then please, be my guest!

 

[FeltHat]

server?

 

[Steve Le Gallez]

It's running now

 

[UMC 22]

Just plugged my wheel in an it made some extremely unhealthy noises. Sounded like the main motor spinning without affecting the wheel or something. The bloody thing isn't even that old.

 

[davew045]

Thanks Steve. Now I can post the stream...