Abarth/Fiat 500 career race

Hi, I'm having lots of trouble with this race (And it's the first race) in the game. I've spent time after time trying to achieve 3rd or higher on medium difficulty. Now I only bought the game last week but the majority of my time has been spent on this race to no avail.

I have read that with the latest updates, the difficulty has increased but having not played it on prior updates I don't know how that relates to this race. I am however, having real challenges with it and don't really want to drop it to Easy.

I can get 4th place (on a good day) but with only 3 laps and starting at the back it's a massive struggle as I can't find the speed to keep up with the leaders. There aren't too many tuning options for the 500 either, but what I have changed doesn't seem to make a difference with catching up to the front pack. Basically, I start at the back, get held up by others while the front race off. Where all in the same car so unless I drive like a demon I have no chance of catching up. I'm also not a demon.

I've seen people on you tube do this quite easily but those videos were dated before the 1.09 and higher releases. Has the difficulty increased since for this event and does anyone have any tips. It's like I've bought a fiat 500 simulator as this is all I play (And I used to own one too).

Thanks

Doz

 

Just tried this for you and the leaders are lapping in about 1:03.5 through to 1:04.7 on v1.09, medium difficulty on both consoles. You will need to lap in about 1:02.5 to win the race which is a useful marker if you want to practice in hotlap.

It is doable and here are a few suggestions for you that might help (you may already have done all/some of these if so apols for stating the obvious):

1. Reduce your fuel, 8L was more than enough that is probably the biggest impact tuning can make with so few options.
2. Lower the tyre pressures to keep the tyres in the green range, try this for yourself with the onscreen data to find what works for you.
3. Turn up the tyre sounds in audio settings so that you can hear the tyres reaching the edge of grip. These little semi slicks will be squealing like piggies when you are pushing hard enough.
4. Turn on the enhanced understeer effects, I think these really help give the extra sense of the nose pushing into understeer. (The effect is better on the wheel but still helps on the pad).
5. Traction control off is essential if you are going to get the most from the little Abarth, you need to be able to pull the front of the car through the corners, traction control will kill this ability.
6. Stability control 0%, this car isn't going to bite you. You are more likely to be entering corners too quickly and understeering wide than rotating backwards off the track. The car will feel much more responsive with the stability control off.

As far as the circuit goes here are some suggestions including where the AI seem to hold back



1st corner Viterbo: It's easy to go in too fast here and end up running wide. Manage your speed on entry on the first lap and you should be able to slip up the inside and take a couple of places. The AI are generally tidy through this corner, throughout the race.

Tornantino: The hairpin here is your friend. The AI brake early and are quite slow through this hairpin. You should be able to out brake a car and by pushing to the track edge exit the corner faster than the AI.

Esse: The AI are slow here too if you can flow through the corner using both apex kerbs you should be able to carry far more speed.

Roma: The AI are probably quickest here and put up a good fight for position, if you are too early on the brakes they will slip back up the inside, it feels good and realistic. Listening to the tyres is the best way to know how hard you are asking the tyres to work here. On medium difficulty, the AI are a little late on the throttle. If you can judge the moment right you can pass the even the lead car on the exit.

I hope that helps, ask away if there was something else or more specific you were looking for.

 

Wow, thank you, that is one helpful reply. Thank you so much for going to the trouble to explain the above.

I'm hoping to get chance to play tonight so I'll try and turn your advice into an advantage.

I have previously tried altering tire pressures but the back right always goes cold quickly with the back left not too far behind it. So far I haven't be able to counteract this.

I really appreciate the detail of your reply so I'll report back after my next session.

Thanks

Doz

 

OK after reading your post, I've made some time to sneak in a quick go and I actually managed to take third place on the very first attempt (of this session). I lowered the back right tyre pressure and took a little off the back left. I also removed traction control (I was already running without stability). I switched fuel on and put in 8l like you advised.

I actually managed to get into 2nd place but the AI took me on Roma exactly as you stated in your write up.

From then on it was a race for 2nd which I ultimately lost out on but 3rd didn't seem to be in doubt. I even claimed the fastest lap!

Thank you very much, I have spent hours prior not even touching 3rd so to have completed this challenge (albeit bronze tier) has given me the most amazing feeling of satisfaction.

Thank you, you've been a massive help.

Doz

 

Thanks Doz, you're welcome, happy I could help.

When you beat that challenge on Alien please let me know how it's done!

 

This thread inspired me to give it a go on medium. I turns TC off and dropped the fuel load to the minimum and I was off.
I took fourth in the first two races and had to really dig in. I managed second in the next race. Then in the final turn, I took the lead, only to be hit in the rear by P2 and spun off track.
But knowing it was possible, I raced again. It took three more attempts, but I finally took the win.
Thank you DozUK creating the thread and thank you MBK72 for your thorough reply. Btw, where is the enhanced under steer option. I don't see it on PS4.

 

Wow that's great going, I've so far only managed 2nd but I'm very pleased with that. MBK72 certainly helped me out with his inspiring write up and it's also changed my approach to races going forward. I also wondered about the enhanced understeer as I couldn't see that.

 

Enhanced understeer is only shown in the options, advanced screen for the wheel, I thought it was also on the controller screen (maybe it used to be?) but my mistake it is only on the wheel settings.

Good to read you are all going well with the challenge and glad the info was useful.

 

Thats all good to know.. Thanks .. I am just starting out with AC and had exactly the same issue.. Silly me, I assumed I wouldn't need to tune the car so early in my career .. was expecting to be 'eased' into things

 

Thanks for the feedback on this. Just trying in now after getting a G920 for the PC and I'm miles off the pace - 12.3 seconds to be precise behind the leading AI.

The main issue I appear to be having are the gear ratios. God help the little 500 owners if these bear any relevance to real life! Crank-destroying screams in one gear, followed by an upshift to a gear that makes the car feel like it's scaling Mt. Everest..... in treacle. Genuinely awful, awful ratio spacings.

I've not reduced the fuel load yet or the tyre pressures - that's the next job.

 

Noticed the AI when set to 98% also. Is this normal?

 

In career mode , the default AI strength is 98% ... which IMO is way too hard .. slide it back, win a few races and get your confidence back and then slide it up

 

Hi, I know that I am a bit late here. I am running this snail with all assists off, fuel, tyre wear and blankets on. Gearing, throttle and blip are all set to automatic. My best run is around 1:03:50, which is far too slow for Hard diificulty.

If anyone could kindly post a competitive setup because I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Acceleration seems to be my main problem here.

Thanks in advance.