UKGTR Season 6 Upper Sprint - Monza (GP) - Sep 25

[Jure]

Right.

Quali: disaster, 1.8 secs off my PB (with ballast!). Oh well, I guess 16th should do, was still confident (wrongly) since my race pace should be in high 43s-low44s.

Didn't happen. Race pace with clean track is one thing, passing on the straights in a 1-3 winged lambo is a no-no. Was destroying competitors through chicanes but little did it help since they could pull away on the straights. Sitting duck. I suspect my gearing was wrong too (low gears, long 5th and 6th). Anyway, good lap times were only achievable when running freely (since it was impossible to gain time on my "best" parts of the track with cars in front... or behind )

Had a run on EdamSpeed into first corner (I think it was him), then did a classic Jure in lap 2 or 3 (was waiting for med-med to heat up but clipped the grass on braking into 2nd chicane, slammed into the barrier and ruined aero on front right of the car. With all those straights I pick braking points to check tyre pressures... argh. Guess how it felt entering Variante Ascari later on with parts of the splitter missing, lol. Major drama. )

Had a huuuuuge battle with few of the drivers (EdamSpeed in particular, was determined he's not getting inside line... EVER!), enjoyed it thoroughly, thanks guys. Great racing, best race so far (for all of us imho, must watch the replay, should be a blast)  

Rest I don't remember. Started 16th, finished 12th (barely, spun in Parabolica on last lap). 

Now... what's Adria all about... anyone? 

@Jonzo: LOL. I was thinking about your setup yesterday night during the race, giggle. You either had a poor exit speed or (more likely, I did drive behind you, exit was fairly fine imho) your car was in, erm, I call it speedboat mode (C). I.e. while at speed, front side of the car was higher then back end, hence you were pushing air below the car. Nothing kills top speed more than that. Should be it, you were losing in 5th-6th gear territory, was quite visible (I went:"Aha, he's in same deep S**T as I am"  ). Did it feel like the car was drunk at top speed? You know, just like a speed boat, front end was... well, speedboating while trying to change direction (even slightly)?

Check it with Motec (and no, I don't know how, you're on your own  ). Add loads of rear packers on your existing setup and check top speed diference (just to quick-test it, it's not a real cure for it). My guess is you were having unstable rear end (1-2 wing, logical) so u lowered your rear end (which probably also gave you a bit of understeer exiting onto the straights). Right? (been there, did that, didn't work)

[Simon Gymer]

Ignoring the obvious setup stuff these are some of the more specific things I do for Monza...

1) A long 1st gear so I can get out of the first chicane without two bites at the cherry. In a GT car this goes up to about 80-85mph before changing to 2nd. My philosophy for race setups is I'd rather have a stable car over an unstable faster car.
2) Then the rest of the gears are pretty close, BUT, I always make sure I don't need 4th through the Lesmos. I gear 3rd long enough to make it through the Lesmos without changing gear.
3) Put 1.0 unit of packers on the rear and 0.5 at least on the front.
4) Reduce castor so the car is less lively round the bends in low downforce configuration.
5) Don't have the ride height so low that the bottom of your car rubs so often. You are much more likely to get the old "spit off" the circuit thing with too low a ride height at Monza because you do use the curbs and there are lots of bumps. Again goes back to my philoshopy of a  having a stable car over an unstable faster car.

Maybe these things won't work for everyone, but that's some of my experience of setting up for the unusual nature of Monza.

[psuedo]

You could have told us all this BEFORE all the races at Monza finished

So whats your setup for Adria

[Jeffrey]

Some other tips:

1) At Variante Rettifilo aim solely on exit speed. Flying into that chicane and getting wide before the lefthander is deadly. Brake quite early and get a good straight exit out of the 2nd part. That way you can, along with a long 1st gear (as Simon said), get out of the corner quicky.
2) At Varianta della Roggia you should be carefull with the curbs. Take the first curb alot as taking it a little will unsettle the car more than while taking it alot. Obviously keep the cut track rules in mind. When you get the first part right, the car will be very stable and you can take some nice curbs on the right at the 2nd part. Stay off the yellow/black stripes as you'll bottom out on those things and come to a stop. Carefull on the exit as you'll get sucked in the grass and armco.
3) Unlike Simon, I take Lesmo 1 and 2 in 2nd gear (dependant on gearring). That way I decide how wide I want to run, as I use the shifting to be precise with the exit. Take the curb on the outside, but be carefull as it's less banked than the track and will suck you in a bit, just gently steer to the right and brake at the 100m marker for Lesmo 2, avoiding the curb on the inside to prevent the car from bouncing. Lesmo 2 is all about exit speed, so never miss the apex there.
4) Between Lesmo 2 and Variante Ascari there are alot of bumps, so do not lower the ride height too much, as you'll bottom out and lose all the speed gained.
5) Ascari needs to be handled with care. It's very easy to throttle too early and get a wide entry for the last part, resulting in running wide and clipping the gravel and armco. I take the first part in 2nd gear, and while waiting to floor it for the exit, I put it in 3rd and before  hitting the exitcurb at Ascari I'll shift up to 4th.
6) Parabolica might be the most important corner at this track. It's very long and needs a precise approach. You can really brake into the corner, right upto the apex, and when you are finished with braking, immediatly floor it. There should not be a moment of coasting at that corner, it's brake....floor it.


Probably obvious hints, but it might help somebody.

[Jeffrey]

So whats your setup for Adria

Good turn in

[Simon Gymer]

So whats your setup for Adria

About a week away.

[Joss]

Was a great race, first of all surprising myself with 2nd right at the end of Q

Then the start was OK, I was mindful of PR gaining on me initially until there were a few corners where the Lambo could fight back a little, unlucky on the spin though

Then it was a race-long battle with Zacari, I felt pretty bad taking the lead in those circumstances (678 secs) but decided to make the pass and then not defend the inside line going into T1 until he'd made a pass stick. Carl had great top speed today and repeatedly got up the inside, so it was only a matter of time until he made the move stick. Apologies for my rough defence not long after you lost the lead, I was on full lock left and only realised you were there at the last minute, by which time you were already on the kerb and grass. My bad.

Was good fun though, and the first time I remember fighting for the lead at Monza!   Jeff started scaring me silly towards the end of the race after Carl had gapped me, but then had his stop/go.....sucks  :'(

Only real down part of the race was lapping....I think we'll see a few reports about that Maybe Stew could practise a bit more offline? It's not all about speed, but understanding the cars and the tracks is important to get close, enjoyable racing. When you don't really know how to handle the cars on the limit, it's dangerous to yourself and others. Keep at it though - these sims are tough at first and most people here have been driving them for years. Maybe try the GT2's and GTC's first too, they're a little easier on the limit (for most people, I'm terrible in them!).

Anyway, gr peeps and see you at *shudder* Adria 

[Paul968]

Only real down part of the race was lapping....I think we'll see a few reports about that  Maybe Stew could practise a bit more offline? It's not all about speed, but understanding the cars and the tracks is important to get close, enjoyable racing. When you don't really know how to handle the cars on the limit, it's dangerous to yourself and others. Keep at it though - these sims are tough at first and most people here have been driving them for years. Maybe try the GT2's and GTC's first too, they're a little easier on the limit (for most people, I'm terrible in them!).

Sorry, but I really think you should leave comments like this to the mods. I wouldn't blame Stew for packing up his kit and joining a friendlier league rather than endure this sort of criticism. I've watched the whole race on replay now (given that 3 team members were involved in incidents with Stew) and from my perspective he drove a considerate and mainly controlled race. As far as I'm aware he didn't cause you any problems at all. Yes, he made a few mistakes, and fate decided that the outcome was unfortunate in each case, but I've seen far worse from novice drivers, even in races without the very high levels of skill and experience shown by other drivers last night. Stew might be the next Freq for all we know, so I suggest we give him the benefit of the doubt and let the mods decide whether any further action is needed.

Paul

[Joss]

Sorry, but I really think you should leave comments like this to the mods. I wouldn't blame Stew for packing up his kit and joining a friendlier league rather than endure this sort of criticism.

I hope Stew doesn't think I'm having a go at him. It's criticism aimed in a constructive way and I'd hope it helps rather than hinders learning. Practising in races is great for learning lines but is also pretty daunting when you've got people going 6 seconds a lap faster. Doing a bit of offline practise is a no-brainer isn't it?

Stick at it Stew, speed comes with practise. Simon and Jeff have also posted some great advise earlier on in this thread for setting up cars at Monza.

Paul - If you've got something to get off your chest, please PM me.

[Simon Gymer]

Paul - If you've got something to get off your chest,

A pair of jellied eels?

[Aagramn]

Stew showed good awareness to let me & SBG past when we were battling on the last lap.

[Kerr]

Thought the earlier attempts I made on you Ruskus, were pretty exciting too, on saying that I still have not looked at replay!

Nice video. A few big crashes!

[Jeffrey]

Thought the earlier attempts I made on you Ruskus, were pretty exciting too, ...

Which one? The one with what the video starts or you overtaking me while I was serving my stop&go?

[BACKO]

Nice video Ruskus!!!Well done

[Gazza49er]

i cant find it on that filefront link. And the you tube wont play 4 me,  would like to see this vid