Skid_Marc_

Staff member
Admin
The thing I am struggling the most with the boost is that I seem not to be able to regenerate as much later in the stint as I can earlier in the stint, not lap, stint. I am not sure why this is but in later laps, I come off the starting line with less in the blue box and can't regenerate enough to use up the red box. This is not a problem in laps say 1 - 6 but later on. I don't think that it is a change in my driving style because the reduction is very consistent across stints and across traffic patterns. So I am running out of boost in the blue box sometimes, i..e, it goes down to zero, particularly at La Florandiere and Mulsanne. I do often use some boost after Tertre Rouge, depending on what I have in the blue box and may use it after the L'Arche Chicane, but generally later in the stints, I don't have extra. So, should boost be managed not only over a lap but also over a stint?
This could be a result of a few factors, but there are two common things that bite me;

1.) The computer is always calculating your "end of straightaway" speed, and then using as much boost as it thinks you will need to get there. This means that if you consistently take a corner and hit a top speed of 320kph at the end of the following straight, it will continue to get you to 320kph. However, if you hit the corner extremely well one time, and end that straightaway at 325kph, then every time after that, the computer will continue to try to boost me to 325kph, even though I don't nail the corner that well the majority of time. That means, the computer needs to use more boost to get me there and I run out quicker.

2.) The longer the run goes on, the more of a drone I start to become. Complacency sets in; I'm not braking as hard, which means I'm not building up as much boost. Also, I may become sloppy with my lines which goes back to point number one. Maybe I'm willing to back off and "take it easy", coast a little bit, but the computer doesn't understand that concept. The computer is just programmed to do one thing, hit specific top speeds throughout the lap. So it's constantly trying to compensate for my complacency through the corner by using the hybrid engine to pull be back up to where I should be, until, finally, it runs out of allotment and it can't help anymore.

This is a car that you have to drive at 100% all the time, because the computer is assuming you're running at 100% all the time. What you could do is just turn the Trim down for a lap or two. Instead of "Manual,4", try running in "Manual,5-6" for a lap or two to rebuild the allotment back up.

Also, look for places in the lap where the car may be using boost that aren't really worth it. If you hit Indianapolis right, the car shouldn't use any boost between Indy and Arnage, but if you're a little slow through Indy, the computer may use a little boost to try to make up the difference. The same happens in the middle of the Ford Chicane. Usually I don't use any between the two chicanes, but every once in a while, it will use a little squirt. These little squirts add up over time, taking away your allotment but not really contributing to the lap time.

You could counter these sections with the "No Boost" button, but A.) there is no indicator whether "No Boost" is activated or not, so it's up to you to remember to turn it on/off, B.) if you're going to hit a button that much, it may as well be the "Boost Hold" button you're pushing instead, as you always know when you're using it and you'll always be using it on a straight.
 
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Brainling

Hardcore
I'll try manual 12 tonight. I'm pretty comfortable manually managing my boost from LeMans last year, I just need to commit the efficient pattern to muscle memory.

Oddly I'm not really having any issues regenerating. The only change I think I am running, relative to everyone else, is that I have IBS at 5, meaning my brakes are more aggressively balanced to the rear as I release the brakes, because I trail brake and that helps. It might be a braking technique thing, but I'd let Marc or Nejt coach you with that. They seem to have it down, I still have my moments on the brakes in this car.

edit: Question: If we're comfortable doing it, and have the easy access steering wheel controls to manipulate it, would it be less work over the course of the race to stick to manual 4 when dealing with slower traffic and regular laps, and switching to manual 12 when you are getting in to a battle with an LMP1?
 
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Skid_Marc_

Staff member
Admin
edit: Question: If we're comfortable doing it, and have the easy access steering wheel controls to manipulate it, would it be less work over the course of the race to stick to manual 4 when dealing with slower traffic and regular laps, and switching to manual 12 when you are getting in to a battle with an LMP1?
On a hot lap, by ourselves, Nejt and I can't out compute the computer. It applies the boost faster and more precisely than we can. We could boost more, get about 10-15 extra KPH out of the straights, but at the end of the lap, the computer at "Manual,4" always beats us manually boosting.

The most important thing, regardless of your trim setting, is just going to be spot-checking your boost around the track to make sure you're not using too much.
 
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Brainling

Hardcore
I'm actually writing out a cheat sheet of things to remind people of when they are in the car, and I'll add a reminder about checking manual boost mode to it.
 

Nejtun

Moderator
@Deb The Fanatec Technician said he has never seen this before ( its an old wheel so i guess someone has to have this the first time! ) but he said re install the drivers as they can get corruptedand basically hope for the best , it has been working all day so far , so lets hope it was just a glitch.
New wheel next time this one needs a service though, I think I have had a good run of it tbh :)
 

Brainling

Hardcore
I'll be around tonight once I leave work. So normal time that I tend to show up. I'm fine with some night practice.

I'm also off tomorrow. I plan to get a couple of races in during euro prime, so if you're around Nejt we can hang out while we race (since it's unlikely we'll be in the same split).
 

Nejtun

Moderator
cool , just doing some dinner and some tidying up then I should be on for the as much of the evening as I can stay awake, definitely be on tomorrow for most of the day too.
 

Deb

Moderator
I'll be around tonight as well, usual time, I can do some night practice or do a race. I was thinking the same as @Brainling, I might take tomorrow afternoon off and try to get a race in.

Did we make a decision on Manuel settings? With the new VRS setup, I think the default is 4, is that what we are staying with?
 
Sorry for not replying earlier. I wanted to drive this race but work, school and band all got really busy at the same time so I didn't have enough time to practice and to spend on the race itself.

Good luck this weekend! Will probably hop on one of the streams now and then to see how it's going for you guys.
 

Nejtun

Moderator
Thanks @Noodleguitar :D
Could I trouble you to plug this in if you get a chance please?
Fuel 15 seconds
Tyres 16 seconds (separate)
avg Lap time 3:22
11 lap stints (12 at a push)
in lap 3:29 ish
out lap 4:00 ish
the CSV file attached is at night if that matters
thanks :)
 

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Nejtun

Moderator
Checked the paint this morning and it works just fine (although I was hoping my name was going to be 3 times the size of everyone elses and also dominating the rear wing and windscreen, buut what can you do ;) ) thanks @Kenadian !
 
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Thanks @Noodleguitar :D
Could I trouble you to plug this in if you get a chance please?
Fuel 15 seconds
Tyres 16 seconds (separate)
avg Lap time 3:22
11 lap stints (12 at a push)
in lap 3:29 ish
out lap 4:00 ish
the CSV file attached is at night if that matters
thanks :)
Sure, that's not a problem. I've added the chart to the schedule. Due to rounding it adds another stint of 0 laps by default. I set the target to 36 pit stops (fuel saving chart), which has quite a few 12-lap stints. If you want I can change the target to 37 or 38 pit stops too.
 

Skid_Marc_

Staff member
Admin
Sure, that's not a problem. I've added the chart to the schedule. Due to rounding it adds another stint of 0 laps by default. I set the target to 36 pit stops (fuel saving chart), which has quite a few 12-lap stints. If you want I can change the target to 37 or 38 pit stops too.
@Noodleguitar you calculated the fuel off of a 66.485L tank? The cars only hold 50L.

Is that supposed to be KG?
 
@Noodleguitar you calculated the fuel off of a 66.485L tank? The cars only hold 50L.

Is that supposed to be KG?
Yeah I wasn't sure about that. Nejtun's fuel file showed a conversion rate from kilograms to litres so I figured I had to convert it to litres first. After looking at your stream I see that Nejtun's numbers are in L already, so I'll change it to the correct numbers.
 

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