% I advise you to not go down this way. First of all, don't tinker with
% the setups too much, they really do not make this much difference unless
% you are going for the very hottest times. Do it so that it suits your
% driving style, as this is mostly what I found them to be about, so that
% you do not have too much over/understeer. You will only loose valuable
% time better spent learning to drive faster if you strive for even tyre
% temperatures. Just use some plausible camber (I typically use something
% around 1.0 on fronts and 0.5 negative camber on rears on my Ferrari).
I am not so sure this is good advice (as it stands). While it is more
important to learn to drive than spend all day in the garage, once one
gets the handle on a track, the only real way to start improving time is
to set the car up properly. With that said, one can't set the car up
properly until they can lap a course consistently. Learning to setup a
car is very similar to learning how to drive GPL..... Trial and error
and lots of time..... Anyway there is nothing as frustrating as not
being able to improve one's driving, no matter how much time one puts in
when the setup doesn't work right. A sweet setup can make all the
difference in the performance on the track.
For starters I would concentrate alot on even tire temps. Without them
one will find in next to impossible to drive consistent laps. The feel
of the car will continue to change as the tire temps get further and
further out of alignment. Not only that, one is no longer getting
maximum grip with the tires.
First step is tire temps and tire pressure..... set camber and pressure
to get even tire temps across the tire..... Run alot of laps.... get
the feel of the car setup....
Now look for problem areas....
Tight entering turns? Try adjusting shocks (decrease front or stiffen
rear)..... Go back out and run alot of laps..... check tire temps and
make any mods that are necessary and go back out and run alot of
laps....
Tight in the middle of turns? Try more ARB in front or less in the
rear.... go back out and run alot of laps..... check tire temps, etc.
Car suddenly making sharp turns or veering off course? Raise ride
height or stiffen springs as the car is hitting the bump stops. Go back
out and run alot of laps...... check tire temps...... etc.
The important thing to remember (and it's really hard to do) is only
change one thing at a time. Test it out, check the results on tire
temps. Don't go changing shocks, tire temps, gearing, ARB, camber all
in one garage session. Oh, yeh, and keeping notes won't hurt either.
You first goal is to find a setup that is stable and controllable all
the way around the track. Doesn't have to be fast yet, just stable and
controllable (the latter is the most important). Now, go out and work
on learning how to drive this setup fast (consistently and in control).
As you get used to the setup you should find that your times are
improving as you learn how to attack the course. However, as you begin
to push the setup past its limits, it is more than likely time to go
back to the garage and check tire temps and then start the process all
over again. Because it is highly likely that you have now out-grown
your setup.
% If you run between 1:30 to 1:32 in Monza for laps without ever spinning
% out, this is more than enough to be competitive online, in fact you can
% win a couple of races that way if you are lucky. I know many people are
% saying that, but it is really true.
There are 2 different kinds of competitive..... Finishing well (though
running slow) because everyone else wrecked or went off course. And
then there is being competitive with a stable setup that allows one to
run with other consistent drivers on the track. Keeping with them (and
hopefully passing them) for lap after lap, or holding someone off as
they attempt to pass you.
The first kind of competitive will become rather hollow after awhile.
The second will only push one to become a better driver. And to achieve
the second one, one needs a good stable and controllable setup. A setup
that is quick, but allows for consistent laps.
% My driving style is such that may hotlaps are only marginally better
% (say, 0.5 to 1 seconds) than race times, and I find the greatest
% satisfaction in online races. They are far more gratifying than spending
% a weekend trying to top that rather meaningless barrier, even if you
% finish midfield. They also require skills that are far more complex than
% just putting in fast laps.
Agree! But in my book setups are a very important factor in achieving
this. It's really hard to learn to drive consistently and in a
controlled fashion if the setup doesn't suit this goal.
--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.
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