[Wally]

2 x 14 lap sprints (no pit stops). You will need the OSRW PIT MOD.

Weather Forecast (long range outlook is 20° and sunny).

WR lap times in AC are in the 2:03's.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7dXIURDkyk[/youtube]

[marty]

Practice server is up, tyre blankets are still off as I find the graining does greatly effect the balance and so is something to consider setup wise, In these cars early laps fronts will grain a bit more then rears so tend to make the car a bit more pushy then if you set the car up with tyre blankets on. I think there was a server up with this combo a while back so will likely already have some times on the board, that would have been 26c and tyre blankets, grip on server is set at 99 start +-1 so should be starting at 98 to 100 but if people would rather optimal grip I can change this. Temperature is at 20c +-1c so will likely cover temps of the race night and these temps will likely struggle to get front temps up here but a few high speed corners maybe they will get to temp fairly quickly.

[Gratulin]

Would it be possible to carry each session's finishing grip level through to the next session? Low grip is ok but I have a lot of trouble adjusting to the immediate lower grip in each session change.

Isn't it more realistic to progressively increase grip through the race weekend?

[Wally]

Would it be possible to carry each session's finishing grip level through to the next session? Low grip is ok but I have a lot of trouble adjusting to the immediate lower grip in each session change.

Isn't it more realistic to progressively increase grip through the race weekend?

You can, but with a long practice session, you'll find that the race will most likely start at 100% grip. You can carry a percentage of the gained grip to the next session. The difficulty is practice is about 2 hours, then qually is 15 mins. I can always restart the practice session when there's 15 minutes left, to get closer session durations. I'll look into it. It will probably mean that the races will start at a higher grip level than they currently do.

[marty]

Would it be possible to carry each session's finishing grip level through to the next session? Low grip is ok but I have a lot of trouble adjusting to the immediate lower grip in each session change.

Isn't it more realistic to progressively increase grip through the race weekend?

You can, but with a long practice session, you'll find that the race will most likely start at 100% grip. You can carry a percentage of the gained grip to the next session. The difficulty is practice is about 2 hours, then qually is 15 mins. I can always restart the practice session when there's 15 minutes left, to get closer session durations. I'll look into it. It will probably mean that the races will start at a higher grip level than they currently do.

I do like the idea and would almost suggest maybe have a not so low start level but then make it so the build up is quite slow over the entire race night, If practice starts at very low grip then qualy and race will be a bit higher the practice session is almost pointless really. If say Practice started at 98% then had a track build up figure that may not even get to 100 by the end of the race or only just it would be a more gradual and believable build up. The way it is now even qualy the last lap is the one that counts as if it was f1 qualy where track evolution is much higher, then in the race it starts again quite low but gets to 100 pretty early on in the race and so the race is nothing much like practice was. Slow build up qualifying could be worth 2 runs but in the current format with no tyre blankets I just fill it up for the session and stay out til the end. The tyres and track comes to you and no point wasting 2 more laps then needed warming tyres if the fist half of the session the track is 1 to 2 seconds slower then it is on the last lap. It is fun though trying to time this lap at the end and traffic in the last couple of laps can easily cost 5 to 10 spots on the grid if you cant get a lap in at the end.

If you do some calculations on the number of laps expected to be completed in all the session for the night starting at 97 or 98 working close to 100 the last few laps of the race would be pretty cool. You could try carry over all the new grip or at least most of it for the next session.

[Wally]

Would it be possible to carry each session's finishing grip level through to the next session? Low grip is ok but I have a lot of trouble adjusting to the immediate lower grip in each session change.

Isn't it more realistic to progressively increase grip through the race weekend?

You can, but with a long practice session, you'll find that the race will most likely start at 100% grip. You can carry a percentage of the gained grip to the next session. The difficulty is practice is about 2 hours, then qually is 15 mins. I can always restart the practice session when there's 15 minutes left, to get closer session durations. I'll look into it. It will probably mean that the races will start at a higher grip level than they currently do.

I do like the idea and would almost suggest maybe have a not so low start level but then make it so the build up is quite slow over the entire race night, If practice starts at very low grip then qualy and race will be a bit higher the practice session is almost pointless really. If say Practice started at 98% then had a track build up figure that may not even get to 100 by the end of the race or only just it would be a more gradual and believable build up. The way it is now even qualy the last lap is the one that counts as if it was f1 qualy where track evolution is much higher, then in the race it starts again quite low but gets to 100 pretty early on in the race and so the race is nothing much like practice was. Slow build up qualifying could be worth 2 runs but in the current format with no tyre blankets I just fill it up for the session and stay out til the end. The tyres and track comes to you and no point wasting 2 more laps then needed warming tyres if the fist half of the session the track is 1 to 2 seconds slower then it is on the last lap. It is fun though trying to time this lap at the end and traffic in the last couple of laps can easily cost 5 to 10 spots on the grid if you cant get a lap in at the end.

If you do some calculations on the number of laps expected to be completed in all the session for the night starting at 97 or 98 working close to 100 the last few laps of the race would be pretty cool. You could try carry over all the new grip or at least most of it for the next session.

Yes, I'll look into some kind of gradual progression like you suggest. It's already a pretty slow grip build up. I have it set to start about 98% and reach 100% about half way through the race, but I can stretch that out to reach 100% a bit later in the race. It depends always on how many people turn up too.

[Wally]

OK, I'll try some settings that will make the track grip go from 96% at the start of the final 15 mins of practice to reach 100% midway through race 1, steadily increasing the whole time. This means that qually will stay relatively slippery (in the 97/98% range). Reaching 100% midway though the race is more realistic, as from my earlier research a track will be fully rubbered up 1/3 to 1/2 way into a race and won't get any grippier.

But then the amount of rubbering depends on tyre compound too, with soft tyres putting down more rubber on the track. So with the hard tyres on the Porsche, I'll make it reach peak rubber about 3/4 of the way through the race.

This is all approximate, as it depends on how many drivers turn up and put down laps in each session. That will add a nice bit of randomness to the grip.

[marty]

Sounds good Wally, I think some people do have a bit of trouble needing to re adjust as the grip drops at the start of each session. Even if that can be the case in reality at times mostly if it stays dry the track will just get slowly better. If it stays lower grip in qualy its not a big issue as it will just be continuing on from the end of the last session.

If we ever did an F1 type season the really agressive build up would be more realistic, when they run the softer compounds in qualy the track can get 2 seconds or more quicker through just the 3 sessions of qualifying. Even there the track is likely faster in the race when you see how much rubber is down at the end compared to qualy if it stays dry through the weekend. Laptimes for them though will be quickest in qualy due to that being the only laps on softest new compounds running on minimum fuel loads.

[Joe]

Not sure of others preference but I'd prefer tyre blackets on the practise server so i can work on my laps. I can practise low grip starts locally. Lower grip also not good for some of the randoms on the server as just got taken out in first lap of the race.

[Phil.8]

yeah i might have to start practicing off line if too many others on the server wanting to race, Being the slow learner I am I need laps not races and 4 laps waiting for tyers to warm is boring and I find it hard to practice in short races where you only get 2 laps on decent tyers, 

Nothing against the way marty has the server setup, i thank him for running the server,  just doesn't suit me is all

[Joe]

I don't want to practice offline as I like there are often a few XGNers on there. I'd just rather practice online with tyre warmers, then a couple of cold starts offline.

[Wally]

I don't want to practice offline as I like there are often a few XGNers on there. I'd just rather practice online with tyre warmers, then a couple of cold starts offline.

Sounds reasonable to me. So long as people do actually practice with tyre warmers off so they know what to expect. The forecast is looking pretty cold (remember I add 5 degrees to the forecast).

[marty]

I can add tyre blankets but I did find the balance of the car is effected a fair bit by the graining so practicing with tyre blankets the car will drive fairly different and so needs a bit different setup, for me personally I would rather race in mp then hotlap and its not hard to set an offline session temperature and tyre blankets if wanting to work on setup that way even if it will just be a starting point and need changing without blankets. Its pretty hard to practice racing others in an sp session and you don't need to be online to run solo laps on track. I was actually considerably quicker in the practice server then when I tested my setup offline and my setup with tyre blankets is much looser then it is without as without the fronts grain a bit more then rears on the first couple of laps changing the balance quite a bit. through an entire stint needing a few changes.

However once the Euro invasion joins the server then race starts are a mess as they mostly have no clue how to drive on cold tyres, most cant even drive on warm ones in a pretty basic car so not much can be done. Ping limits on the server would be nice but thats not available.

I will add the blankets to the server now as its what a few want and nobody other then me actually wants tyre blankets off. Even with tyre blankets however doing less then 4 laps is pointless in a run because the tyres need a scrub to get to optimal and pressures wont stabilize until the core temps go up. 

[grat]

If I can spend my 2 cents, I was loving the server today without tyre blankets. To tell the truth: I am loving the season without tyre blankets. It adds so much realism to the quali and the opening lap in races is great. If only we had a warm-up lap before the standing start, that would be perfect.

Only thing I can ask is for the server to be as close as possible to the weather forecast. I say this because I often have very little time on Tuesday night before the quali itself, and I sometime get caught by surprise at the last minute with tyre pressures...

[marty]

If I can spend my 2 cents, I was loving the server today without tyre blankets. To tell the truth: I am loving the season without tyre blankets. It adds so much realism to the quali and the opening lap in races is great. If only we had a warm-up lap before the standing start, that would be perfect.

Only thing I can ask is for the server to be as close as possible to the weather forecast. I say this because I often have very little time on Tuesday night before the quali itself, and I sometime get caught by surprise at the last minute with tyre pressures...

I keep the server at whatever Wally has said forecast wise with I think +-2c for track and ambient so it will likely cover whatever will be on the night. Last week race was a bit warmer then initial forecast but I did fix the temps on the last day, weather is weather however and practice server should be close. There is a change it varies a bit on the night but if you can get into the server by 8pm on race night it should give enough time to adjust if needed.

With the server atm I just checked its actually set at 20c +- 1 with clear weather 1pm so track temp should be 8c above ambient. temps will be 19-21c with track 27-29c and this shouldn't effect tyre pressures too much. But keeping an eye on track and ambient temps you can see each run how slightly higher or lower temps can effect pressures. With the 2 race format I am not sure what times of day Wally runs them both but its possible between races it may change up even more so server could have 2 temp presets. This would mean between each session you need to be aware of temps and adjust pressures as needed but even if you don't you can see how much change is needed when temps do go up or down.

For me just being back in traffic or clear air can have quite an effect on temps and pressures if held up and unable to push as hard.

Regarding blankets I have really enjoyed this and found these cars in the few races at ROOZ with blankets much duller as the car starts and pretty much ends perfect and every lap is like a qualy lap other then fuel and a little wear on longer runs. Last race coming out of the pits on cold tyres trying to stay ahead of Phil who had warm tyres was so cool, then trying to get tyres up to temp and fighting back to regain the spot. Those laps on cold tyres are probably the most challenging and also critical to not lose it and to go as fast as you can without putting it in a wall.