GPL trying to go quicker at Monza

I have been practising GPL for about two months now. I am quite new to simming, having had the occasional play with GP2 in rookie mode, all aids on, with a basic joystick. I now have MS FF wheel, PII 350, 128 Mb RAM, Voodoo 2 SLI and am enthralled by GPL to the exclusion of all other games. I probably play about 5-10 hours per week. I like the Lotus, finding it the easiest car to drive quickly, and generally I find Graeme Nash's setups (or something softer) suit my style. Would that I could drive his laptimes however! I seem to have hit a ceiling at the tracks I know, and would appreciate tips to go faster. I can't seem to get under 1m30 at Monza, but I can do consistent 1m30's and 31's. I think its the Curva Grande that slows me down: my Vmin always gets down to 130 mph and if I try to go quicker I usually end up on the rail. I am braking a bit at the end of the straight and changing down to fourth as it seems quicker out of the corner than staying in 5th. I could go quicker through the Lesmos too I suspect, but the Vialone isn't a problem: I usually end up going through there at 175 to 180 mph. Rather than send a long post about all the tracks I'd like to improve on (Glen, Spa, Zandvoort and Rouen) I'll post about each in turn. Any advice would be most welcome. Tim

lets see. At curve grande it is hard to explain how to do it so I won't even try it, its just too hard to explain. In the lesmo, try to brake diagonally into the turn where when it cuts to turn to the right, you are at the right hand side, this allows you to hit your apex easier without getting caught out. If I try to stay outside and then try to cut in for the apex, it normally doesnt turn and I end up running way wide, at the second lesmo, try to slow down a little extra and hit your apex perfectly and then get the power down ASAP. That is important there because you need that speed ALL the way down the back straight. Also in parabolica, try to feed as much gas on the exit as you can without spinning it, just keep putting it on until it gets loose and keep it there, normally you have enough room at the outside but if not then youll need to get closer to the inside in the middle of the turn which requires either going a little wider at the enterance or you can slow down a little more and just hold it tight until halfway through, and at about a third through, you should be on the gas as hard as it will allow without spinning. This will help get a good run on to the front straight. People don't realise that the most important turns are the ones before the straights. They say that gaining 10% in a slow corner has less results than gaining 10% in a faster turn, what i have to say about that is, its easier to gain 10% in a slower corner and if you gain say just 5 mph in a turn, you will hold that extra 5 MPH all teh way down the straight and if it is real long, it can count for a lot of time. Yet the other turns are also crucial, if you can get through lesmo 1 fast, that is still time off your lap, but you have to slow down right afterwards so you gain little. Well I'm rambling but I hope this helps. Jesse >I have been practising GPL for about two months now. I am quite new to >simming, having had the occasional play with GP2 in rookie mode, all aids >on, with a basic joystick. I now have MS FF wheel, PII 350, 128 Mb RAM, >Voodoo 2 SLI and am enthralled by GPL to the exclusion of all other games. I >probably play about 5-10 hours per week. I like the Lotus, finding it the >easiest car to drive quickly, and generally I find Graeme Nash's setups (or >something softer) suit my style. Would that I could drive his laptimes >however! >I seem to have hit a ceiling at the tracks I know, and would appreciate tips >to go faster. I can't seem to get under 1m30 at Monza, but I can do >consistent 1m30's and 31's. I think its the Curva Grande that slows me down: >my Vmin always gets down to 130 mph and if I try to go quicker I usually end >up on the rail. I am braking a bit at the end of the straight and changing >down to fourth as it seems quicker out of the corner than staying in 5th. I >could go quicker through the Lesmos too I suspect, but the Vialone isn't a >problem: I usually end up going through there at 175 to 180 mph. Rather than >send a long post about all the tracks I'd like to improve on (Glen, Spa, >Zandvoort and Rouen) I'll post about each in turn. Any advice would be most >welcome. >Tim

Thanks Jesse. Makes sense. I guess I'm going to have to up my practice time. I'm beginning to notice that braking harder for a slower entry to some corners ends up with a faster exit. Tim >lets see. At curve grande it is hard to explain how to do it so I won't >even try it, its just too hard to explain. In the lesmo, try to brake >diagonally into the turn where when it cuts to turn to the right, you are at >the right hand side, this allows you to hit your apex easier without getting >caught out. If I try to stay outside and then try to cut in for the apex, >it normally doesnt turn and I end up running way wide, at the second lesmo, >try to slow down a little extra and hit your apex perfectly and then get the >power down ASAP. That is important there because you need that speed ALL >the way down the back straight. Also in parabolica, try to feed as much gas >on the exit as you can without spinning it, just keep putting it on until it >gets loose and keep it there, normally you have enough room at the outside >but if not then youll need to get closer to the inside in the middle of the >turn which requires either going a little wider at the enterance or you can >slow down a little more and just hold it tight until halfway through, and at >about a third through, you should be on the gas as hard as it will allow >without spinning. This will help get a good run on to the front straight. >People don't realise that the most important turns are the ones before the >straights. They say that gaining 10% in a slow corner has less results than >gaining 10% in a faster turn, what i have to say about that is, its easier >to gain 10% in a slower corner and if you gain say just 5 mph in a turn, you >will hold that extra 5 MPH all teh way down the straight and if it is real >long, it can count for a lot of time. Yet the other turns are also crucial, >if you can get through lesmo 1 fast, that is still time off your lap, but >you have to slow down right afterwards so you gain little. Well I'm >rambling but I hope this helps. >Jesse

Wise words Wosco. After examing lots of fast laps (especially those of Woeger) I realized that I lost most of my time in the second lesmo and in the parabolica. If you're a fraction quicker out of the 2nd lesmo, you take the speed all the way with you to parabolica, gaining lots of time. Curve grande IS hard to describe, you have to develop a feeling for it. But I'll try: Enter it on the far right. Just about a second before entering the corner, brake fairly hard and immediately steer to the right. The sudden braking will help you point your car in the right direction. Don't give gas yet, keep a steady throttle and make sure you are driving close to the right side. At about 1/3rd of the corner, slowly give gas. You will drift to the left. At about 2/3rd of the corner, give full throttle. You'll drift more to the left. With a right timing, you'll exit the corner while just missing the grass on the left side. Take a look at the 1.27.14 lap of Woeger. He even touches the grass on the left, but this doesn't cost any speed (or hardly) I drive Monza for about 3 months, without getting below 1.30. Very frustrating to see other people do it, and in their replays they seem to do it so easily. I also learned a lot by using the GPLDUMP program, a great way to see where other people are faster than you. Hope this helps! Best regards, Andre Warringa The Netherlands.

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>lets see. At curve grande it is hard to explain how to do it so I won't >even try it, its just too hard to explain. In the lesmo, try to brake >diagonally into the turn where when it cuts to turn to the right, you are at >the right hand side, this allows you to hit your apex easier without getting >caught out. If I try to stay outside and then try to cut in for the apex, >it normally doesnt turn and I end up running way wide, at the second lesmo, >try to slow down a little extra and hit your apex perfectly and then get the >power down ASAP. That is important there because you need that speed ALL >the way down the back straight. Also in parabolica, try to feed as much gas >on the exit as you can without spinning it, just keep putting it on until it >gets loose and keep it there, normally you have enough room at the outside >but if not then youll need to get closer to the inside in the middle of the >turn which requires either going a little wider at the enterance or you can >slow down a little more and just hold it tight until halfway through, and at >about a third through, you should be on the gas as hard as it will allow >without spinning. This will help get a good run on to the front straight. >People don't realise that the most important turns are the ones before the >straights. They say that gaining 10% in a slow corner has less results than >gaining 10% in a faster turn, what i have to say about that is, its easier >to gain 10% in a slower corner and if you gain say just 5 mph in a turn, you >will hold that extra 5 MPH all teh way down the straight and if it is real >long, it can count for a lot of time. Yet the other turns are also crucial, >if you can get through lesmo 1 fast, that is still time off your lap, but >you have to slow down right afterwards so you gain little. Well I'm >rambling but I hope this helps. >Jesse >>I have been practising GPL for about two months now. I am quite new to >>simming, having had the occasional play with GP2 in rookie mode, all aids >>on, with a basic joystick. I now have MS FF wheel, PII 350, 128 Mb RAM, >>Voodoo 2 SLI and am enthralled by GPL to the exclusion of all other games. >I >>probably play about 5-10 hours per week. I like the Lotus, finding it the >>easiest car to drive quickly, and generally I find Graeme Nash's setups (or >>something softer) suit my style. Would that I could drive his laptimes >>however! >>I seem to have hit a ceiling at the tracks I know, and would appreciate >tips >>to go faster. I can't seem to get under 1m30 at Monza, but I can do >>consistent 1m30's and 31's. I think its the Curva Grande that slows me >down: >>my Vmin always gets down to 130 mph and if I try to go quicker I usually >end >>up on the rail. I am braking a bit at the end of the straight and changing >>down to fourth as it seems quicker out of the corner than staying in 5th. I >>could go quicker through the Lesmos too I suspect, but the Vialone isn't a >>problem: I usually end up going through there at 175 to 180 mph. Rather >than >>send a long post about all the tracks I'd like to improve on (Glen, Spa, >>Zandvoort and Rouen) I'll post about each in turn. Any advice would be most >>welcome. >>Tim

Those seem top be the most important corners on the track. I have been able to drop a bunch of time concentrating on these two corners. Remember with this corner you really don't drop time here but you can gain a bunch. I brake medium at entry loosing speed from 194 to about 160 and then just let car roll into corner with no gas so car will rotate to apex. As soon as I can I start to roll on to gas so that when at apex I am at full throttle. I aim for an exit rpm close to 8000 rpms in 4th gear. I do think this corner is taken more as a result of setup then anything else. My best laps put me about a low speed in the corner in the mid 130s. Dave

> Thanks Jesse. Makes sense. I guess I'm going to have to up my practice time. > I'm beginning to notice that braking harder for a slower entry to some > corners ends up with a faster exit. > Tim AAAAAAAAAAAK, you road racers are sounding like us Oval guys now...... No don't say it hehehehheheheh In oval racing the above statement is absolutely true. Bill / Amish on TEN

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> > Thanks Jesse. Makes sense. I guess I'm going to have to up my practice time. > > I'm beginning to notice that braking harder for a slower entry to some > > corners ends up with a faster exit. > > Tim > AAAAAAAAAAAK, you road racers are sounding like us Oval guys now...... > No don't say it hehehehheheheh > In oval racing the above statement is absolutely true. > Bill / Amish on TEN

Unless you have JKirby behind you... Then it's a straight trip into the wall. -- ------------------------------------------------------ IMPACT Motorsports http://www.impactmotorsports.com/pd.html ------------------------------------------------------

First of all thanks to everyone who offered advice >Curve grande IS hard to describe, you have to develop a feeling for >it. But I'll try: >Enter it on the far right. Andre, your advice is very useful, as is Dave's. However I have to check. Enter on the far right??? I have been approaching on the far left of the track (where the groove is or even a little to the left of it) and turning in. am I being stupid, have I misunderstood you, or is there a different way of driving this bend? I apologise if I'm being dumb. Where can I download Woeger's laps? Tim

Sorry Andre, I now understand exactly what you mean about the entry to Curva Grande. I downloaded Wolfgang's Monza lap 15 minutes ago, and using his setup have just driven: outlap then 1m30.98, 1m30.89, 1m30.58 straight out of the box. So I know better times are just around the corner (so to speak!). I am however amazed to see him (WW) drive the Lesmos in third. I have always been down to second round Lesmo 1, and really squirting on the power between them to about 122 mph, and round the second Lesmo and then squeezing on power to the redline still in second before the upshift. Is it quicker in third? Tim >Wise words Wosco. After examing lots of fast laps (especially those of >Woeger) I realized that I lost most of my time in the second lesmo

I think for Wolfgang taking the Lesmos in third is faster. I had tried it and have problems getting car to rotate fast enought to suit me. I do think Wolfgang entry speed into Lesmo 2 is around 122 mph. The car will be more settled in 3rd gear compared to 2nd gear and that may help in getting power down, and keep you running more consistant laps. Dave

I try to go down the straight with car in the darkened groove. At Curva Grande I will brake a touch early and turn car in before the darkened area starts to turn. I find if I wait I end up missing turn in and try to play catch up thru the turn. I have set car up to oversteer when I am off the gas and to understeer when I am on the gas and if I am able to get to what is called nuetral throttle the car is neutral. So depending on how is reacting I wll either apply throttle or stay off of gas and let car oversteer to the inside of corner. This can be a bit unsettling tho since when car is neutral at neutral throttle you really are not too sure what car is going to do sometimes. Dave

Yes! Thanks to all who helped. I have just driven a 1m29.79 and I was dreadfully wide into the first Lesmo and slower than my best through Ascari and Parabolica, so I know I can improve by more than a second. Tim >On Thu, 04 Mar 1999 17:33:16 GMT, "Tim Leighton" >>I seem to have hit a ceiling at the tracks I know, and would appreciate tips >>to go faster. I can't seem to get under 1m30 at Monza, but I can do >>consistent 1m30's and 31's. I think its the Curva Grande that slows me down: >>my Vmin always gets down to 130 mph and if I try to go quicker I usually end >>up on the rail. I am braking a bit at the end of the straight and changing >>down to fourth as it seems quicker out of the corner than staying in 5th. I >>could go quicker through the Lesmos too I suspect, but the Vialone isn't a >>problem: I usually end up going through there at 175 to 180 mph. Rather than >>send a long post about all the tracks I'd like to improve on (Glen, Spa, >>Zandvoort and Rouen) I'll post about each in turn. Any advice would be most

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>>welcome. >I'll try to explain how I drove my fastest lap 1:27.37. Before Curva >Grande the asphalt gets darker. Just before that brake, change down to >4th and turn in pretty hard. Stay tight on the inside line and then >try to find a point where you can apply the throttle and not get on >the grass at the exit. >Approaching the first Lesmos brake hard and turn in early so you can >stay tight. In the second Lesmos the exit is really important so try >to get the power down as early as possible. >Then full speed with no lifts through Serraglio and Ascari, use all >the road in Ascari if you have to. Approaching Parabolica, again brake >hard and turn in quite early so the car slides a little bit and drops >speed. Then careful with the throttle and there's your first lap under >1:30 I hope. :) >Before I struggled to get under 1:28 but then I started to turn in >harder at the Curva Grande so the car slides a little bit. This way I >got my record lap. >It's a little bit difficult to explain this especially if your native >language isn't english but I hope this helps you! >-- >Greger Huttu

it may also be worth checking his gear ratios... >Sorry Andre, I now understand exactly what you mean about the entry to Curva

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>Grande. I downloaded Wolfgang's Monza lap 15 minutes ago, and using his >setup have just driven: outlap then 1m30.98, 1m30.89, 1m30.58 straight out >of the box. So I know better times are just around the corner (so to >speak!). I am however amazed to see him (WW) drive the Lesmos in third. I >have always been down to second round Lesmo 1, and really squirting on the >power between them to about 122 mph, and round the second Lesmo and then >squeezing on power to the redline still in second before the upshift. Is it >quicker in third? >Tim >>Wise words Wosco. After examing lots of fast laps (especially those of >>Woeger) I realized that I lost most of my time in the second lesmo

Ok.... here's my 1:27.23 lap ;o) Curva Grande : As Greger said, brake a bit, downshift and (if you're still carrying too much speed) turn-in hard, otherwise turn-in gentle. And keep feathering the throttle ! You don't have to exit as Greger said. His way, you'll scrubb off the speed at exit and you don't want that. The easier,safer and (maybe a bit) faster way to exit it, is to stay as close to the apex as you can and after apex aim for the exit at full throttle and try not to slide to the left side of the track (you'll need a nice setup for it - e.g. Ian Lake's). Then Lesmo1 : As you reach 179mph <g> (just kidding, this is rare), I mean when you're about 1 car length from the place where the groove darkens, hit the brakes and stay on the right. Then ease off the brakes at about 100mph (just before you think you should turn-in) and scrubb off the speed to about 80mph into the corner. If you do it right, you'll hit the apex just right and you'll be able to power out of it very effectively, up to 124mph to the Lesmo2. I still have to figure this one out. This one and Parabolica are a key for 1:26 lap :) Well...Lesmo2 : brake a bit diagonal where the groove darkens, ease off gently, try to hit the apex and (the best thing is to switch to 3rd gear when easing off the brakes and aiming for the apex) power out of it as soon as possible (it's hard :)). Then flat out to Parabolica (through both fast-lefthanders try to be as smooth as possible not to scrubb off the seed). Start braking at that white plate on the left side of the track after the groove darkened. While braking, aim for the tight entry to the corner. Ease off and let it slide a bit into the corner. You can prevent the slide with applying a bit throttle. Now in 2nd gear you switch to 3rd as you try to come as close to the right hand of the corner as possible under FULL throttle. And take that chequered flag ;o) If you'd do it as I described, you should be in very low 1:27's :) If not, you probably Shift-R'ed already :) The problem is when you get so close to the best times or to the WR is that you know how to do it, but you just can't :) (or do it after 50 laps) Hope this helps. Tadej Krevh Lotus Internet Racing http://members.xoom.com/LotusRacing/

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> On Thu, 04 Mar 1999 17:33:16 GMT, "Tim Leighton" > >I seem to have hit a ceiling at the tracks I know, and would appreciate tips > >to go faster. I can't seem to get under 1m30 at Monza, but I can do > >consistent 1m30's and 31's. I think its the Curva Grande that slows me down: > >my Vmin always gets down to 130 mph and if I try to go quicker I usually end > >up on the rail. I am braking a bit at the end of the straight and changing > >down to fourth as it seems quicker out of the corner than staying in 5th. I > >could go quicker through the Lesmos too I suspect, but the Vialone isn't a > >problem: I usually end up going through there at 175 to 180 mph. Rather than > >send a long post about all the tracks I'd like to improve on (Glen, Spa, > >Zandvoort and Rouen) I'll post about each in turn. Any advice would be most > >welcome. > I'll try to explain how I drove my fastest lap 1:27.37. Before Curva > Grande the asphalt gets darker. Just before that brake, change down to > 4th and turn in pretty hard. Stay tight on the inside line and then > try to find a point where you can apply the throttle and not get on > the grass at the exit. > Approaching the first Lesmos brake hard and turn in early so you can > stay tight. In the second Lesmos the exit is really important so try > to get the power down as early as possible. > Then full speed with no lifts through Serraglio and Ascari, use all > the road in Ascari if you have to. Approaching Parabolica, again brake > hard and turn in quite early so the car slides a little bit and drops > speed. Then careful with the throttle and there's your first lap under > 1:30 I hope. :) > Before I struggled to get under 1:28 but then I started to turn in > harder at the Curva Grande so the car slides a little bit. This way I > got my record lap. > It's a little bit difficult to explain this especially if your native > language isn't english but I hope this helps you! > -- > Greger Huttu

It's easier, you make less mistakes, you can come on the power earlier and the MOST important thing : you don't scrub off your speed as you power out of the corner (powering out of Lesmo2 in 3rd is much quicker since you don't have to upshift while still sliding a bit) Just my $0.02 Tadej

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> Sorry Andre, I now understand exactly what you mean about the entry to Curva > Grande. I downloaded Wolfgang's Monza lap 15 minutes ago, and using his > setup have just driven: outlap then 1m30.98, 1m30.89, 1m30.58 straight out > of the box. So I know better times are just around the corner (so to > speak!). I am however amazed to see him (WW) drive the Lesmos in third. I > have always been down to second round Lesmo 1, and really squirting on the > power between them to about 122 mph, and round the second Lesmo and then > squeezing on power to the redline still in second before the upshift. Is it > quicker in third? > Tim > >Wise words Wosco. After examing lots of fast laps (especially those of > >Woeger) I realized that I lost most of my time in the second lesmo

% It's easier, you make less mistakes, you can come on the power earlier and the % MOST important % thing : you don't scrub off your speed as you power out of the corner (powering % out of Lesmo2 in 3rd % is much quicker since you don't have to upshift while still sliding a bit) Of course this assumes that one has geared their car the same as yours. I for one, opted for a higher 2nd gearing. It's setup so that I am close to the shifting point as I approach the braking point for Lesmo2. I then have enough torque to get me out of the turn if I am attempting to pass on the inside. This is one of my favorite passing spots at Monza. I know that alot of folks like to make their passing attempt at Lesmo1. But, Lesmo1 can make or break the remainder of your lap. Then again, I am not as fast as many of you are ;-) -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Does anybody have the web address for WW's setups and replays? Thanks -- Mike Buckley Cotswold Pig Development Co Ltd Tel: 44 (0)1472 371591 Fax: 44 (0)1472 371208 WWW: www.toastyhamster.freeserve.co.uk

>Does anybody have the web address for WW's setups and replays? Hi Mike, A lot can be found on: http://gpl.gamesmania.com/ Remco