Need advice on Lotus 98T@Imola: Acqua Minerali

Hey guys, I need advice on either how to correctly drive through the Acqua Minerali or on how to set up the car correctly. I drive around 1:30:00 and I either lose 1-2 sec. in this curve or I spin out there. I approach the first fast bend after the Piratella at about 250km/h, I lift of the gas before taking the fast bend without braking, after the car goes straight again I immediately brake. I try to take the slow bend with 100-110km/h, but either I have to hit the clutch (I drive with the H-Shifter) or I have immediate turn-in-oversteer, even if I the the foot is already off the clutch when I turn in. My questions:

1) How do I drive the slow bend with a Formula 1 car? With 458 GT2, Z4M GT2 etc the bend is quite easy, ironically I even pass the bend faster than with the Lotus 98T when driving a GT2 car.

2) How do I avoid turn-in oversteer in this bend setup-wise? I have a very agile setup with quite a stiff suspension and low differential settings, wings 6-11, Q-Slicks with low pressure. Is there a way do get rid of the turn-in oversteer without touching the mentioned settings, maybe just by modifiying toe/chamber?

 

1. Make sure you aren't engine-braking on high rpm when you flick the car into the corner (just around 10% gas should be enough).
2. Check you have positive rear toe, if you don't, try that first.
3. I the rear toe doesn't cure it, try using positive front toe (to reduce turn-in). Worsening the front when the rear isn't working would be my last resort in general.

I haven't driven the specific combo and these are just general tips you could try.

 

Not sure what you mean by "low differential settings" but low coast lock will cause turn-in oversteer in general. I'm not familiar with the combo but if the corner is that double right hander before that really tight chicane, you might want to be more smooth, braking earlier, coasting in and trying to avoid the curbs. Also in AC diffuser stall is a thing and this corner should be ideal place to suffer from it.

 

Don't clip the inside on the first kink or else diffuser will stall.

 

What is diffuser stall? And what do you mean by not clipping the inside? Not to touch the curb with the right wheel in the first fast bend?

 

Yeah, stay away from the inside curb.

Most of the downforce with 98T comes from the huge diffuser and diffusers have optimal operation range (ride height). If your rear ride height goes too low your diffuser will stall and is no more capable to produce downforce. That is something you really want to avoid. On a place like this it pretty much means instant spin.

 

Has someone a nice lap around 1:27-1:28 that he can post? There is a 1:22:5 on Youtube but that lap looks so smooth, I guess he used driving aids.

 

Usually aids aren't making you faster. If it's really old there might be some difference in physics but don't underestimate your competitors. There are some mighty fast people out there.

 

Oh c'mon .

 

When you look at who the guy is I wouldn't be suprised if some track grip hack is used but there's another 1.22.3xx on RSR rankings so it might be very well possible. http://www.radiators-champ.com/RSRL...controller_type=all&community=all&friends=all

 

@wm79

I tried the combo and was able to do pretty messy 1.23.66 and I'm not a open wheeler guy at all. The less downforce, the better for me. Had mechanical damage and tyre wear enabled. Track surface 100%, 26C temperature and Mid Cloudy.

Setup (Not fine tuned at all): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B17D_jHma1bfOXZmU2VZVWRQUnc
Replay: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B17D_jHma1bfYkQ3MVJxWmtMNkE

Regarding the times I'm pretty sure aliens goes really close to 1.20...

 

I'm pretty sure I went around 1.23 but it wasn't recorded on rsr. I'll try to reproduce when I get some later today.

 

1.23...... wut ! I know I have had 1.32-31, but not recorded on RSR. C'mon... make Zibiman shake, make him fear you. He has too much WR's with 98T, and most of his times are absolutely destroying other competitors.....

 

Not to take anything away from his skills but all his records are with some obscure cars that not a lot of people like hotlapping with. Alfa Mito? Countach? Lamborghini Moura? Etc..

 

Yeah, you are not the open wheeler guy . I have to admit, I am impressed by your driving. I guess my problem is that I am just not talented (as it is great fun, I will continue anyways), sometimes it is as simple as that. Your driving style looks dirty and risky, your tail is dancing on each bend's exit as if the yellow helmet's owner is on a pole lap. And that is where you gain the time, you push down full throttle (I guess that is why you have so much diff) and you correct the car where I have to accelerate carefully for the car not to break out. I just don't manage to correct the tail so fast and precisely. Do you use the H-Shifter?

Your setup is quite nice, the problem which made me create this thread disappeared, I think this is due to the diff coast setting. Still, the car is only a little bit more clumsy than with my diff setting.

I will post a replay of a "fast" lap myself later or tomorrow, maybe you guys can give me some advice.

By the way: my setup is a T500 with TH8A-Shifter, so I is not a matter of equipment .

 

WR's these days are pretty bad. We have a league season going on with the Lotus 49 and my race pace has been several seconds faster than the WR's and our surface settings varies from 92 to 100%. This one seems to be much better but it shouldn't be impossible to do 21's. The car is capable for crazy fast lap times.

 

I see a lot of RSR WR's with Yellowbird, C9, 98T coming from that guy. I have been driving 98T whole day online, after DP3 release and finally was able to do 1:10:9. This is why installed RSR after that. He has 1:04:4 DD C9 WR at spa with like 2laps driven....

I hope more aliens will attack RSR after wipe.

 

You haven't practised enough. I'm not sure is there such thing as talent.

I'm using h-shifter. For sure we can try to help you improve your lap time but the thruth is that this car is really tricky to drive and the difference in lap times between fast and not so fast will be quite big. Boost management and short-shifting on right places can make your time much faster.

Differential lock is a nice way to adjust the balance of your car. Sometimes I think it's the most important thing actually.

 

What do you mean by "short shifting"?
Another thing has come to my attention watching your replays. For example, first chicane, you break and swith 6,5,4,3 - I break and I switch 6 - 3. As you are a lot faster, I guess it's wrong not to go through the other gears. As well, you blip the throttle on the downshifts. Do I lose grip by not doing so? There might be more load change on the tail?

 

Short shifting means that when you cannot take the full advantage of the "right gear" because you're traction limited, you can switch into higher gear. For example I enter T1 with 3rd gear but change into fourth before the T2 because I'm still traction limited on fourth gear. And when you do it exactly on the right time (when changing direction) you can do it even more efficiently.

You should blip the gas when downshifting but it doesn't matter if you skip gears. It's just easier for me to heel'n'toe if I don't skip gears. If you watch closely enough I think you should see myself changing from 6th to 4th for the fast left hander before Acqua Minerali. But that is not something I do very often. Rev matching (throttle blip) is a crucial thing.