SimRacing.org.uk

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Car/Track download available by pm to WT

Track: Imola '72 (V2.0) Download this (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kj91X3UHAqB28G8GLmyRfdyzEdXdx2Ei/view?usp=sharing)

Car restrictions: Check your car allowance here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1adEZQkdfKJkh1CkXiXLJmqACTDm60QMPS4BDep64oaQ/edit?usp=sharing)

Practice: ~19:20 (60 mins)
Qualifying: 20:20 (20 mins)
Race: 20:40 (28 laps)

Time of Day Setting: 14:00
Start: STANDING
Tyre wear: Normal
Fuel consumption: Normal
Pit stops required: NO

Server: simracing.org.uk Monday
Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Notes:
(1) It's best if all drivers can make sure they are connected before the Qualifying session as drivers on track during qualifying will not see cars that join after they are on track until they go back to the garage.
(2) Please make sure you are fully aware of the SimRacing.org.uk Rules.
(3) The AI control should be turned off so that you have control of the car at all times, including pitting. Your player file should therefore read
Autopit="0"
Force Autopit Off="1" // Forces autopit always off
No AI Control="1" // AI never has control over car
If you still finding pitting problematic, experience tells us that its less to do with positioning and more to do with approach speed. A slow approach to pit crew chief has proved most reliable.

Special Notes: None

IMPORTANT

Please download the track above. It is replacing the one in your download pack.

 :) ;) great. Thanks!  :thumbup1:

Just for information: "derDumeklemmer" is still working on massive graphic improvements on this version of Imola for a planned release at Altbierbude
(https://www.evolution-modding.net/t2655p50-imola-pre-1973-available-for-gtl-gtr2#51661 (https://www.evolution-modding.net/t2655p50-imola-pre-1973-available-for-gtl-gtr2#51661))
But this one is already working fine.

Looking forward to this.

@ Kurt. I see that Altbierbude now have a V2.0

I'll provide a new download.

No of laps increased to 28.

Very nice version of the track. Did 10-15 laps earlier with the Opel. Best lap time a 1:44.something. Had to make the gears much longer than what I used at Montlhery and also increase the tyre pressures by some 20 kPa.

Key for lap time seems to be early turn-in for the fast corners (Tamburello in particular, to avoid extra front tyre scrubbing), with a slight lift up before the braking zones before Tosa and Rivazza so you can position yourself for the entry. Early acceleration and using a bit of throttle (even pumping the throttle a bit) gains a ton of lap time through the longer corners, especially if you would otherwise drop the revs too much. Even taking a slightly wider line to keep the revs higher seems to be OK. Braking deep only works for slowest parts and even there you can't afford to overdo it.

My Montlhery setup should be available online, if anyone is going for the Opel too. I'll upload my Imola setup after my next test on Monday or Tuesday, and may even record an onboard of a proper lap. No idea how good the Opel is compared to the other two around this track though.

Tried out Hristo's Monthlery setup (with changes as shown for Imola) and achieved identical times (1:50) obtained with my existing setup. Hristo didn't say how much fuel he had onboard; I had full race distance fuel. I did find that Hristo's setup introduced more oversteer which caught me out when exiting tighter slower corners. I also found that the front of the car appeared to be bouncing around a lot.

But I have to use paddles and I bet Hristo doesn't and I believe that is why I cannot produce his kind of times.

I didn't mention all changes, just the more obvious ones. I also had oversteer initially. I think I increased the Coast and reduced Power, to make it more predictable. Are you using auto-clutch? Turning that off makes a noticeable difference in acceleration/top speed. As for the bouncing front, it's perhaps because I was running lower bump and rebound at the front in my Montlhery setup. For Imola I reduced them at the rear and increased them at the front.

I'll try your Imola specific setup once it's available. I think I do have auto-clutch on but I need to check that.

Have only tried the Porsche so far, it being the only car I haven't used yet.  Best lap is a 1:47.7, after many laps experimenting with setup.

Same for me Erling, trying to get the Porsche out of the way.....Best lap at the mo 1.45.7. Still feels like it wants to throw me off the track constantly!

I might be doing some practice tonight, if anyone wants to join and exchange setup ideas + driving tips  ;D I've only driven the Opel so far, but won't mind trying the other cars too. Kinda steering away from the Porsche for as long as possible, because it felt really sluggish around Nordschleife, and also unpredictable when the rear is loaded.

Sorry to say, but we have restarted our choir practices on Wedsnesday eves after seven months of stop for Covid, so I can't race anymore with you till we'll have a break on Summer.
Thx all for the fun, and Tony for keeping all up!
Ciao!

I will try to join in - any idea about what time you will be there ?  :)

See you Fulvio; you'll be missed, but glad to hear things are becoming more normal  :)

As always I'll be on the server at 6PM GMT.

Can join at just about any time from 17 GMT onward. Might just keep it logged on the server and check if anyone's in from time to time.

That would be 7PM CET then.  I'll try to join around that time.

Big apologies Erling, i totally forgot it's not Wednesday. So i couldn't make it, but i will be online in 30 mines from now - around 9PM server time.

No worries DD.  Just left after doing 101 laps, so quite busted now :sweatdrop:

Big thanks to Hristo for coaching and setup improvements.  This rotation stuff is going to take a lot of work though.  Tried and tried and tried after you left Hristo, but just couldn't get it right.  Could not get close to my own improved pb set earlier in the session, not matter how hard I tried.  However, going back to my own original setup, used for that pb, I still couldn't get nowhere near it  :-\   Hope sleeping on things will help before tomorrow.   New pb in the Porker is now 1:46.853 (but not something I'm likely to repeat it seems..)

The Porsche is difficult to repeat anything in it seems to me, apart from exiting backwards.....

 :lol:

That however, is most repeatable..  ;D

You're welcome, Erling! Sometimes it requires taking a break to improve after practicing so hard, so hopefully you'll figure it out by tomorrow.

To anyone who needs my updated setups for the Opel and Porsche, I've uploaded them in the online database. For the Opel though, I would soften the rear slow dampers and maybe increase the front ones.

Best personal times so far - 1:44.3 with the Opel and 1:45.7 with the Porsche (almost a 1:45.5 but messed up last corner). Manfred did a 1:43 with the Datsun, so there's a clear hierarchy between the 3 cars on this track, though who knows how it's going to be in a long run and different fuel levels.

Race results and replay now posted.

Awesome battle with Hristo at the beginning. I had to be on the max to keep him behind at the corners. I was a lot faster on the straights so this gave me the opportunity to wait until my car start working better and pull away. I drove really well during the first 20 laps and i am delighted with the victory.

Grats to Hristo and Manfred on the podium.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwae2fOBuMc

Congrats to Dimitar on the well deserved victory and to Manfred for 3rd in the Porsche!

I tried my best in qualifying and the first 1/3rd of the race, but it wasn't enough. Once I lost the slipstream, it became impossible to keep up with Dimitar's Datsun, plus I felt so exhausted that I had to ease off a little and mind the tyres as well. Still very happy with 2nd, though this being my first point scoring result, I don't have much of a chance in the championship.

Result (https://www.avonrise.co.uk/srou/kurts/_2021//26052021_Imola72)


8)

This went exactly as I feared  :lol:

I had managed to trim my laptime in practise to a 1.45.1, and felt like the 914 was starting to behave a little more consistently with the setup tweaks I had done. But, come race day, using the same setup, I was nowhere close to that, and it was just throwing me off the road again. My race was essentially done early on by flying off whilst trying to remain at least in sight of Manfred, followed by another longer off at Tosa to put me only in front of Clive.

He then quit or got discoed, so it was a traditional chasing Erling scenario for me, always a long process......the car was very much not on my side, partly because it wasn't anyway, but also due to the damage the crashes had caused. I am guessing Erling had some issues also, and towards the of the race I managed to catch him and wander on through.

Such a strange car. There are certain sections where it feels quite quick indeed, but then the next thing you know it has decided to inspect the nearest tree or fence. I love a Porsche, but this one is driving me slightly potty....Kudos to Manfred for finding the way with it......

Thanks Kurt  :thumbup1:

Daz has things about right for the Porsche, in parts of the lap it felt good and reasonably quick, but in the next section it was totally un-cooperative.
I was perplexed by its handling through T1. Not even really a corner, should be just a flat out curve ??? Most laps I could hold the inside line and keep my foot firmly on the gas, but occasionally Mr Porsche decided that we should have more understeer and the car simply drifted off the racing line and threatened to test the outside armco ??!!! Next lap it was back to Harry Flatters in 5th gear again with no drama  ???

As the race progressed I found areas where I could gain chunks of time by adjusting my braking/acceleration points, but again the car appeared to lose interest in the tarmac and developed a sudden desire to study the local botany.  After several of these unplanned excursions, mechanical deficiencies became more noticeable and when DD materialised from hyperspace to lap me, just as I was exploring an experimental line around the final turn, I decided that it was time to quit.

I have noticed a strange anomaly in my graphics in recent races, although I have not made any adjustments to my graphics settings. The central area of the screen has developed a "watery" effect which TBH is very distracting and uncomfortable to look through. Any suggestions??

I have an Nvidea 1080 GPU and 16GB ram running 4060x2190 resolution on a 42" monitor at 60hz. Normally ( and in GPL at only 60FPS ) the picture is crystal clear and sharp. I do not think that it is the monitor as this effect is not visible on youtube/tv/websites etc.

Try shader level DX7? Fullscreen anti aliasing level 4.
If that's what they already are, maybe try some different settings

I have never used vertical sync, but that might help.

That's interesting Matt, think I'm on DX9 with no AA selected. I remember being told many moons ago to make sure it was not set to auto for some reason....

Vertical sync is off, Nvidia 3080 with 32gb on a 34 inch ultra wide at 3440x1440. No issues to report on this track for me.

Had a driver update recently Clive?

Not familiar with Clive's setup. Just in the past DX7 was a "safe" option.
Mine is a 3080 as well with the wide screen, and it runs at hundreds of FPS
but it still helps if I set GTL to use all cores (multithreads in this case)

Not sure what to take away from this round, except you don't turn into an alien overnight!

In Tuesday's extensive practice with Hristo coaching, I did a new pb, with an unorthodox change to my setup, of a tall 1st gear to use at Tosa.  Hristo developed my setup (without the tall 1st), and while his definitely felt better, I couldn't match or better my pb, no matter how hard I tried.  I have seen Hristo stress the importance of getting the power down as early as possible, and that's what I have been trying to do in my own way.

After seeing me drive, his suggestion was to turn in later, but sharper, to set the car up for early power-on.  Sounds simple enough, but actually doing it was a different matter.  I may have wanted the car to snap into the corners more sharply, but it had other ideas. It would understeer, causing me to run wide, or I would have to slow down so much to make the sharp turn, that it apparently negated the early power-on.  Hristo's advice was to rotate the car more, but how to do that?  Not something I had any succes with.  Tried and tried and tried after he left, but no success; I remained far from my own earlier pb.  Then finally tried going back to my own setup and drive like before, to see if that would make me match that pb.  It wouldn't however, so I could neither drive the 'new' way, nor the 'old' way..  :-\

Hoped sleeping on it would help, but problems continued Wednesday.  Had to decide what setup to use in race, so did some laps with each.  Was quicker with my own, but still nowhere near that pb from Tuesday.  After much hair pulling I went with my own, although the tall 1st would hurt at the start. 

Race was a meh experience.  All six cars ahead soon disappeared, until a dust plume at Tosa indicated a temporary place might be up for grabs.  Passed Daz extricating himself, only to spin myself the same place a few laps later.  Not once in a 100 laps on Tuesday did I spin that way, but in the race....yep  ::)  That let Daz past again, only for him to repeat the mistake again later.  Had hoped for a better fight once he caught up, but in reality he just went past on the last lap.

Grats to DD, Hristo & Manfred for the win & podiums.

So what to conclude?   Too late to teach an old dog new tricks?   The 914 too much of a razor to try and learn this stuff in?   Too high expectations too soon?  A process that will need much more time?  More skills to be mastered?

Clive, the blur effect you mention, is it on both near and far away objects?

 Erling the blurring is not so much "near or far".

It is almost as if there is a thin film of water in the middle of the screen that is being slightly agitated?, sort of rippling? It almost, but not quite, enough to give me a headache.

I'd say the car is as much to blame, as seems to be common with all these Porsches in GTL. If you recall, I couldn't even get it down to mid 45s, while Daz managed low 45s and Manfred was in the 44s. It has to be a combination of setup and driving, but what exactly, I don't know.

As for rotating the car quicker on entry, you probably already know how it's done - trail braking and avoiding excessive understeer. With some cars I've noticed that you have to actually lift up the brakes almost completely OR completely, otherwise they keep on understeering ever so slightly. And with some there's also the effect of any throttle application pushing the car a bit too wide too.

Another effect I've noticed with some cars is that you can brake much later if you don't use any throttle under braking. When I was watching Dimitar try the Opel in practice, he had one particular lap where he managed to start braking for the hairpin after taking the whole right hander flat out first. I could never do that myself, because of my excessive throttle usage. It seems like keep the revs higher under braking increases the braking distance for some of the cars. Conclusion: can't generalize on how to drive them properly, it depends on the car.

My guess is you'd do much better once you try a non-Porsche car.  ;D

Thanks again Hristo, it's obviously something that will take a lot more time and practice - trail braking for example, is not something I have consciously done, so will have to practice that too.  With the end-swapping cars, going into the corners with the brakes on is something that often ends in tears for me, so something to work on.

Clive, the effect you describe is not something I'm familiar with, at least not from the description.  Maybe try to turn vsync on - it could perhaps be a tearing issue which may be more annoying on such a large screen.  You do that via the GTLConfig.exe program in the GTL folder (or if you have a link for it in menu or elsewhere).  Remember to run it as administrator - otherwise the changes aren't saved.

Reason for distance question was related to Anisotropic Filtering settings - a low one tends to blurr distant objects, while a high one keeps everything sharp.  Thus wouldn't expect it to be the cause of the problem, but you could check in your 3D graphics settings for your video card - should be set to the highest value and to overrule program settings.  Not sure where to find it, but maybe other Nvidia users could chime in on this.