rec.autos.simulators

However, you should not deliberately block any other driver in an
attempt to stop them overtaking you. There is a fine line between
driving defensively and deliberately blocking? Moving to the inside on
the entrancec to a corner is fine, provided you clearly indicate what
you are doing, and stick to that line (unless you make a mistake?)
Consistently weaving all over the track or deliberately driving
erratically, or even brake testing opponents, would not be acceptable.

When you are not racing for position (ie: being lapped) then it is
common courtesy (as far as I am aware, there are no *rules* that say
you *have* to let drivers lap you? it *is* racing after all!) to move
over to let the faster driver through. However, you do not need to
immediately jump out of the way, you can move over when it suits you
(within reason), at a convenient place on the track, say after the
exit to from a corner leading to a long straight. There should be no
need for you to lose unnecessary time in letting an opponent overtake.

And likewise the overtaking driver should not try and barge his way
through, he should wait for an adequate overtaking opportunity to
present itself (ie: if the driver in front makes an error, or if he
can pass on say, a long straight?) or until the driver ahead moves
over.

8-)

*Peter*   #:-)

  Nowadays, there are rules to say that you have to let the faster
driver through.  A stationary blue flag is show to indicate to you that
you are holding up a faster driver.  A waved blue flag indicates that
you will be disqualified if you pass three waved blue flags.  I don't
know what the case was in '67 though nor do I know about the rules for
when you hold out waved and stationary blue flags (I've only ever seen
it for people being lapped).

--
Richard G. Clegg     Only the mind is waving
Dept. of Mathematics (Network Control group) Uni. of York.

www: http://manor.york.ac.uk/top.html

monaco 92 is a good example, I still have those last ten laps Mansell -
Senna :)

McKafre De La Rosa
*** R E P S O L ***

  Indeed - that's what I said.  I've only seen the waved blue flag for
people being lapped.  (Although there was an incident last year when two
drivers who were racing thought it had been shown to them - it was in
fact being shown to a pair of drivers ahead of them - and the leading
driver of the pair racing moved over).

  What I would like to know is:
  a) What was the situation re: blue flags in '67
and
  b) Are there precise rules for a waved blue.

: monaco 92 is a good example, I still have those last ten laps Mansell -
: Senna :)

  I seem to remember that Gilles Villeneuve once held up a train of
about 5 cars for the last part of a race (wasn't interested in F1
myself in those days) and went on to win. And they say modern F1 has
passing problems.

  I can't imagine an on-line race where someone could hold up so many
people without disaster occuring.

--
Richard G. Clegg     Only the mind is waving
Dept. of Mathematics (Network Control group) Uni. of York.

www: http://manor.york.ac.uk/top.html

I did this with Mike Laskey during a LAN weekend we had. He qualified
over 1.5s faster than me at Watkins Glen, I took the lead off the line
and held it for 9 or 10 laps with him literally all over the back of
my car. Without a doubt the most stressful race I've had, I was
knackered by the time it finished.

The credit for that has to go to the driver following, and kudos to
Mike for having the patience and skill to drive so closely without
forcing an incident. It was a great race.

I think the more people you have in the train the more chance someone
will get too eager or get a touch too close and the whole train will
be wiped out. As opposed to real life, online there's too much to gain
with too little to lose.

Cheers!
John

I think it's more because they "couldn't" pass Gilles ;-)

(I think this was a race where he had a tyre problem but still won, at
Kyalami)

-= Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard/Nas-Frank>
-= NROS Nascar sanctioned Guide http://www.nros.com/
-= SimRacing Online http://www.simracing.com/
-= Official mentally retarded guy of r.a.s.
-= May the Downforce be with you...

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

Oh...... I thought the race was at Jarama? And the reason he was so slow
was because the 1981 Ferrari was, er, a four-wheeled turd :-)

--
Cheers!
Graeme Nash

http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk
ICQ# 11257824

1998 Xoom GP2 League Champion

8-)

*Peter*   #:-)

% >  I can't imagine an on-line race where someone could hold up so many
% >people without disaster occuring.

% I did this with Mike Laskey during a LAN weekend we had. He qualified
% over 1.5s faster than me at Watkins Glen, I took the lead off the line
% and held it for 9 or 10 laps with him literally all over the back of
% my car. Without a doubt the most stressful race I've had, I was
% knackered by the time it finished.

<snip>

I usually don't get a good run off the grid, but when ever I find myself
in front a faster car (on the same lap and fighting for position), they
will have to earn the pass.  That's racing.  I don't chop, but I do
protect my line.  In almost all cases of this online, the better the
driver behind me, the better the race for both parties.  There are a few
hotshoe hotheads who can't muster the patience required to work for the
pass.  But, when the faster driver is patient and races clean, they
usually end up commenting on how "great" the challenge was.  In most
cases the really fast never get a chance to race with anyone. Besides
there is nothing more rewarding than a well earned pass in GPL.
Victories are nice, but without having had to dice for it, they are
somewhat hollow.

Just my humble opinion...

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Matt

--
-----------------------------------------
Matthew Knutsen

"The Art of Legends" - GPL add-ons
http://home.sol.no/~kareknut/simrace1.htm
-----------------------------------------

Brett

On Fri, 26 Feb 1999 19:36:31 GMT, "Michael E. Carver"

I've been in a race on VROC, we were at spa.  Some [insert insult
here] guy hit me from behind on eau rouge and I spun off, along with
other cars trying to avoid the incident.

After that I was something like 7th or 8th, and the guy in front of me
was just a little bit slower than I was, so I thought hey, what the
hell, I can pass this guy.  I then had one of the most satisfying
races I've ever had.  This guy was protecting his line as hard as he
could, without chopping me.  It was incredible, being that close to a
car while braking, I held my breath a lot of times, thinking "oh no,
this time I'm entering too fast, we're gonna touch!" but we never
actually did (well, we did once, but only a minor spinout and I waited
for him to get by me so we could continue the fight!).

I finished 7th (couldn't pass him!) but I never felt that much
satisfaction.  I felt good about being able to compose myself and not
get us both off track.  I thought "hey, I'm maturing!"...

A Renault

    This happened just last night at Zandvoort. We had a great race
after the usual 1st lap crash that takes out half the field. We never
challenged for the led,but went at it for 11 laps till I had a case of
brain fade.

    Joel Willstein

First off, you need separate axis pedals, so your brake is
separate from your gas. Don't even try to brake hard until
your tires are warm 1-2 laps. Find a marker for your start
to brake point on each corner. Straight line brake all the
way deep into the corner, but throw the car into your slide
while still braking, then on the gas and power slide through
the rest of the corner. You don't want any time when you're
on neither the gas or brake, at least in most corners,
there's some corners you'll have to hold your speed a bit
through a long corner.

Roll bars are critical. Too much rear, you lose the rear end
easy, too much front, your front end wants to turn too much.
I like to set the bars with enough rear that I can slide
easily, but not so much that I can't control it. You really
have to learn to slide the car in 4 wheel power drifts to
drive fast. You want the bars tight enough to keep the car
controllable, but soft enough to give you more traction.
Bars influence your braking alot. I run 100/70 on fast
tracks, and 80/60 on slower tracks. (front/rear)

Gearing down is critical when braking. First off, don't
shift until you're halfway through braking, then come down
in gears quick, while modulating your brake with the gears
to finish off your braking. Shift down too soon, and your
rear gets loose, too late you lose the braking power of the
gears. Finding the right combo is critical. You must have
sensitive enough brake pedal to be able to ride your brakes
hard, but on the edge. I find a quick shot of gas alot of
time can be used to correct problems under braking.

To sum up: memorize each corner on each track, put brake
bias to the rear (52%), and concentrate on braking to setup
your car for exiting the corner fast.

Increased anti-roll bar settings induce oversteer at the rear and understeer
at the front, so while too much rear bar will cause you to lose the rear too
easily, too much front bar will make the front end want to turn too
*little*, i.e. understeer.