Setups in Raceroom

[Des Pearce]

I keep clogging up the race threads with questions so thought I'd be more general this time.

When setting up the car I keep an eye on tyre temps, in fact I probably use these as an indicator of whether or not I'm going in the right direction. I try to get them as near to optimal on the inside edge of each tyre with an even fall in terms to the outside as I can.

Is this the right thing to do? Obviously if a change makes it slower or less consistent I change it back.

If it's the right idea then is tyre pressure one of the biggest factors in achieving this and should I concentrate on that before messing elsewhere? Am I focusing too much on tyre temps?

 

[UMC 22]

I think you're focusing too much on tyre temps. Getting all four tyres to the "perfect" temperature just isn't going to happen that often. Some cars have a tendency to heat up their tyres, certain tracks make it near impossible to keep a particular tyre at optimum, your own driving style is likely a factor, etc. And if you're doing whatever you can to get your temps "correct" then you may well be compromising your overall setup in other important areas.

Take F1 for example. Tyre temps are a big factor there, yet no driver ever manages to create a setup where they keep them in the optimum range throughout the race and no matter how they drive. They have to actively manage the tyres themselves by changing their driving style, limiting their pace, saving the tyres for when needed most, etc.

I don't know you well enough to know your rough pace or ability level yet, but I'd also say that you may well be focusing too heavily on setups as a whole. The defaults in R3E are generally pretty good, and usually only require a few minor tweaks for the average driver to make them comfortable for their driving style. I rarely deviate much from default myself, yet I'm still fast enough to be challenging for podiums each week since the end of last year. How have I found that new pace? Not through setup tweaks, but through looking at myself.

So perhaps it's time you did the same? Focus on yourself, your own technique, and perfect that instead. Churn out lap after lap without messing with the setup, so that you can analyse what you are doing wrong instead of potentially putting it down to the car and a "bad" setup. Learn the car and every inch of the track you're racing on instead of staring at numbers and telemetry.

I personally think that setups should only be the focus of those who are already very fast, and looking for that last few hundredths of a second. Too often the setup is blamed for poor performance, and the buck stops there. But even a setup created by Lewis Hamilton isn't going to make a car magically faster if the driver himself is lacking. There is no substitute for poor technique, yet good technique can make up for a lot of deficiencies. (Ie, Alonso in a crap Ferrari almost winning the world championship.)

 

[Des Pearce]

I'm fairly slow generally and struggle to work out where I'm losing time. Probably the most useful tool I've found is using the challenge mode in Raceroom and following some one to understand where I'm slow and why.

This week it looks like my problem is braking into slow corners and from there being slow on exit.

Racing with this group is great as it gives me several options for practice each week, I'll often pick someone a second a lap quicker and run laps until I reach my limit against them. From there I may pick a second person who's 1 second quicker and repeat the process.

Since "joining" this group I've become more consistent and made bigger steps than ever before, the information carries over to other sims as well (after making allowances for the different feel of each one). Maybe I'm already following your advice without realising it and am maybe being impatient about accelerating the process due to a perceived lack of time to practice.

Thanks again for taking the time to explain the process you've gone, or are going through as it's all very helpful and much appreciated.

 

[UMC 22]

I'm fairly slow generally and struggle to work out where I'm losing time. Probably the most useful tool I've found is using the challenge mode in Raceroom and following some one to understand where I'm slow and why.

Yeah, if you feel like you're slow then I think setup is definitely the wrong focus for you at the moment. Improving technique and/or learning new ones will do far more to improve your pace at this stage. The leaderboards are indeed a great tool for learning specific tracks, but don't neglect the good old-fashioned guides either! You can find plenty of them on the internet, covering everything from throttle control to trail braking to power sliding. I prefer written, but both text and video guides are out there.

This week it looks like my problem is braking into slow corners and from there being slow on exit.

Slow in, fast out. This is something I often struggle with myself, always trying to brake at the absolute last second because it feels "faster", totally screwing up the corner, and then crawling away at the exit. (You know you're doing this if you nearly hit someone up the arse in every braking zone!) Instead, force yourself to brake earlier even if it feels "wrong". This will mean you're much more stable and controlled at corner entry, giving you a much cleaner, faster line through the corner itself, and setting you up to get the power down far quicker on the exit.

Oh, and don't ignore the absolute basics either. For example, I recently took a look at my racing setup. My racing seat offers minimal adjustment, but I did tweak the position of my pedals. All of sudden my throttle and brake control is massively improved, simply because my body position is more natural and comfortable.

And of course... practice, practice, practice. Learning a new technique is one thing, but it'll still require plenty of practice before you can fully utilise it. Don't expect too much too soon or you'll be left disappointed. Understand that driving is a skill like any other, you'll get better with time and practice.

Thanks again for taking the time to explain the process you've gone, or are going through as it's all very helpful and much appreciated.

No problemo dude. We're here to help, and as the club intro says, there's no such thing as a stupid question! The more questions you ask, the more answers you get, and the more you'll improve as a driver. Don't be afraid to ask questions on Discord on race nights too, as myself and the guys are always happy to give tips and advice.

 

[Des Pearce]

I'm probably just expecting too much in the time I have available. I used to pick things up quickly but as time has passed things take more time to stick and I have less time to make them stick

Following seems to be the most effective for me but I always read and watch as well. Overbraking is probably my biggest issue (either trying to be as late as possible or when I brake earlier overslowing the car) so I'm currently focusing on that and learning the new tracks as they come up.

 

[UMC 22]

I used to pick things up quickly but as time has passed things take more time to stick and I have less time to make them stick

Haha, I know the feeling! But don't be deterred... you can teach an old dog new tricks, as long as the old dog is willing.

Many of us are on the race server from about 19:45 UTC onwards, so another option is to jump on and follow people while they practice as well. That has an advantage over the leaderboards in that you can watch what they do, and then ask them on Discord how they did it!

 

[ko41]

Slow in, fast out. This is something I often struggle with myself, always trying to brake at the absolute last second because it feels "faster", totally screwing up the corner, and then crawling away at the exit. (You know you're doing this if you nearly hit someone up the arse in every braking zone!) Instead, force yourself to brake earlier even if it feels "wrong". This will mean you're much more stable and controlled at corner entry, giving you a much cleaner, faster line through the corner itself, and setting you up to get the power down far quicker on the exit.

This is the one I struggle with the most.

 

[rustymoto]

Another way to look at progress would be to look at your gap to the race leader at the end of a race. That measures not only raw speed, but also your consistency lap-after-lap. Each quali position is worth ~0.3-0.4s at the start of a race, so if you start P10, you're roughly 3-4 seconds behind the leader when the lights go out. If you finish a 20min race in the same P10, and are 10s behind the leader, then you've only 'lost' 6 seconds, which might amount to 0.5s/lap. This is all just another way of saying what @Goffik has mentioned regarding consistency...in the race that is as valuable, if not more, than pace over 1 single lap.

Rarely is the winner pulling quali-pace laps for the whole race, oh I forgot about @Calvyn White

 

[Des Pearce]

Another way to look at progress would be to look at your gap to the race leader at the end of a race. That measures not only raw speed, but also your consistency lap-after-lap. Each quali position is worth ~0.3-0.4s at the start of a race, so if you start P10, you're roughly 3-4 seconds behind the leader when the lights go out. If you finish a 20min race in the same P10, and are 10s behind the leader, then you've only 'lost' 6 seconds, which might amount to 0.5s/lap. This is all just another way of saying what @Goffik has mentioned regarding consistency...in the race that is as valuable, if not more, than pace over 1 single lap.

Rarely is the winner pulling quali-pace laps for the whole race, oh I forgot about @Calvyn White

I'm taking the advice @Goffik gave me and running the base setup but with race fuel and practicing, this includes different lines, moving braking points and aiming to try and improve technique (especially braking).

I'm also trying to treat it as something that's fun, competitive but enjoyable and not worry about trying to be as quick as others for the time being.

 

[UMC 22]

I'm also trying to treat it as something that's fun, competitive but enjoyable and not worry about trying to be as quick as others for the time being.

This is the best attitude to have, in my opinion. If you're not having fun then there's no point, plus you're more likely to improve if you're relaxed and enjoying yourself. Frustration just gets in the way and ruins the experience.

It's the racing which counts, at the end of the day. If I have a good battle with someone in a race, then I couldn't care less whether I come first or last. As the old saying goes, the journey is more important than the destination... or in this case, finishing position.

 

[Des Pearce]

Had great fun last night, enough people made mistakes to keep it interesting all the way through (including myself spinning on the last corner in race 1) and the track, in good and bad ways, gave plenty of overtaking opportunities.

I left the setup alone, apart from dropping fuel for qualifying, and it made little to no difference I think over the race distance.

I just need to get my elbows out and think about position on the track for the first couple of laps as I left myself open to so opportunistic overtakes