Grand Prix of Silverstone

Note: I've been practicing launch control...it seems like everyone else is using it, and it does seem much safer. Just thought I'd mention this for those drivers who were behind me in the last race...again sorry for not knowing how to use launch control or trying hard enough to find out how.

But, it won't help if everyone tries to win the race in the 1st lap much less the 1st corner...keep in mind that this is a simulation and everyone's tires are going to be cold...keep it sane until the 2nd lap...then get crazy.

So which mod are we using then? Need to start practicing!

Cheers

We will use the F1'05 addon with some altered hdv settings for all cars. This will require everyone to download these files or you will get a mismatch. This will also make your F1'05-SE mismatch to any other servers.

Are you going to fix the tire wear problem as well? I'd like to race, but if I have to drive on hards and still have to pit to replace blown tires then I'm just going to be giving some of you guys driving on softs with hacked brakes a car to pass...which may lead to drivers becoming upset that I don't pull over for them. Why not just create a second series instead of hacking the game for the few drivers that are having brake problems. Have you taken a poll to see how many drivers are having problems? I only hear Tim, Todd, and Aubrey having problems, so just create another series with the hacked mod so the 3 of you can have your fun. All the other drivers seem to be doing fine with their brakes. The following covers DNFs at the last two races along with some comments:

At Bahrain:
Brandon Warren crashed, and said, "for some reason i never have had a brake failure"
Allen Cotton spun and hit a wall...destroying his car.
Bob Fay simply pressed escape due to he wrecked car too much.
Francesco Zargani killed his engine in the pits.
Ryan Ansoon crashed.
Jerry Chen spun and killed his engine.
I'm not sure about Ben Worby or Barry Kennedy.

Brake complaints at Bahrain:
Tim, Todd, and Aubrey.

At Montreal:
Tom Rue crashed.
Tristan Bayless spun when braking with two wheels in the grass, but mentioned not properly setting up his brake cooling.
Nick Phillips blew his engine, and indicated no sign of brake problems.
Aubrey Windle encountered a power outage at his home, but indicated the problem of brakes may be they overheat easier when damaged.
Ryan Ansoon couldn't drive due to a controller issue.
Steve Wood was run over in T1 and didn't know he could repair his car.
Dean wrecked at the start.
David Fisher couldn't even make the race, but did post that brakes will definitely last and said his first 2 races had brake problems, but he solved it
Andy also said his brakes were in no jeapardy.
Ryan Hardman had to talk to his girlfriend.
Craig Wise had a serious racing incident and bailed.
Jerry Chen mentioned that with lots of people using the CTDP mod there have been no complaints in the RSC forums and suggested those drivers with problems might try a setup/driving style change.
Ray Gillespie provided some brake tips.

Brake complaints at Montreal:
Allen Cotton, Tommy Gunn, Todd, Tim

Tim & Todd: I feel for you...I really do...because I have to struggle against what I percieve to be impossible odds all the time, but put yourself in everyone else's shoes that have made changes in order to stay in the game. How would you feel if the owners of a league you were in wanted to hack the game just for their own needs and not paying attention to the fact that the vast majority of drivers are not having their problems? I also see from posts that you are trying to save your brakes by braking early and for a longer time...this would not work in real life...in fact it would cause the opposite and put brakes more in jeapardy of exploding due to excessive heat...look at your MoTeC readings and take a look at how much heat it creates...brakes can be saved better by braking hard for a shorter period of time when the brakes are coolest...downshift sooner even before applying brakes to make the engine slow you down.

I'm not trying to defend the game, because I don't know for sure if there is a problem with the software without looking at the source code. But, I do know that most of the drivers have solved their brake problem or have never had one. Perhaps you guys are communicating with real world F1 drivers and teams, or some other source that you aren't sharing with us here at R2P...all I can see is that you guys are having problems and ignoring us drivers who are trying to help you...and instead of trying some of our suggestions you are just going to hack the game...bad...this is bad.

I drive a 1978 Datsun 280z at the track, one thing I know very well is brake saving techniques :-)

We are not ignoring you Steve, you are not hearing us. None of us have said we are extending out braking by braking earlier and longer, in fact we have said the opposite... "braking earlier and allow the car to coast". My exact procedure is to brake about 50-70 meters earlier then my norm, stab brakes hard for only a few tenths of a second and completely lift off them to allow the car to coast the rest of the normal "braking zone". This is standard and proper brake-saving technique and I used it at Montreal at the cost of 2 seconds per lap. Even with the use of a proper and realistic technique, max ducting, max disc size, massive rear brake bias, engine brake map settings to have the engine do more braking work, major weight changes to take load off the front brakes, reduced brake pressure, and added aero downforce... the brakes still do not make race distance for 30% of the field?

To ensure this decision is being made for everyone and not just me, I will stop participating in the F1 series.

By the way, Bahrain had 5 brake failures (28% of the field). Montreal had 6 (30% of the field). How many had tire failures in each?

The Brake Disk fix will be required for all future F1 races. Please download and install to begin practicing on the servers.

README:

INSTALLING THIS WILL CAUSE MISMATCHES ON NON-RACE2PLAY.COM SERVERS

These files edits the brake disc thickness options, allowing a new maximum brake disc thickness range of 2.4cm - 4.0cm (Originally 2.4cm - 2.8cm) The inertia penalty of the larger brake discs are still in effect, meaning those that can make the 2.8cm brakes last for a race distance may do so with a slight advantage over those that are forced to use larger brake discs due to their drivng style or setups.

I'l try and be there... Be afraid, be very afraid...

I'm really sorry Tim. There's some things that I don't understand. Apparently, this is just one more...especially you not racing after all the complaining and now "fixing" of the CTDP mod.

Yes, I did misunderstand what you were saying when you indicated early braking, and I agree short hard braking followed by just engine braking would be easier on the brakes, and I also agree that you should not have to do that...and don't need to...and it hasn't just been me telling you this...many drivers have offered verified successful tips on how to beat the brake failures because they have done it.

I've poured through the discussions and it looks like an equal number of drivers are baffled that brakes aren't lasting the entire race as there are drivers who are upset that they can't get them to last. I certainly would want to see it "fixed" if it was broken, but it just doesn't appear to be broken...perhaps difficult for some to maintain their alien-like lap times without destroying their brakes...but not broken.

On one hand I'm glad you are "fixing" it instead of cancelling the series, but on the other hand I'm sad that you now won't race with us...in my opinion you are hurting us by not racing. If it won't be fun then I can understand that...I stopped racing GTR2 because it just stopped being fun, but I don't see any reason for you to deny yourself racing with us.

Thanks Steve for the words.

I do love the F1 races, but if I am going to be questioned as to my motives for making any changes, I will remove myself out of the equation. If my motives are not in question, then I would still very much like to race in F1.

The thread in the F1 series discussion group I detail some of the actual math behind the brake wear issues. I think it makes a strong case that even if I adopt every single piece of advice you guys have given to me (which I have actually), the brake wear is an issue anyway. The "stab and coast" technique makes no difference in brake wear in this mod, nor did any setup changes other then using 50/50 bias. Absolutely nothing can reduce the brake wear in this mod except parking your car and not racing at all.

Truthfully, all you guys that have not had brake issues... well, you are the luckiest people in the world because the actual math behind the brake wear in F105 guarantees that you will have brake failures in every race longer then 2/3 Gp distance, as I detail in that post.

I think the route I chose for the fix was a bit ingenious (toot my own horn). I did not alter the brake temp or wear, only the ability to use larger discs for us wacko's that cant make em last. The larger discs are going to be heavier and be a slight penalty to us (un-sprung weight is double bad). So for you that have been able to find a solution to the brake problems, you are now at an advantage (which is proper for R&D in F1). Actually, a 4cm brake disc still wont get me to the end of some races, I would need a 4.5cm disc, so I still have to figure out some more brake saving techniques... somehow.

Stay in the race Tim. All I know is that I had total barke failure less than half way through the race. I know I have only been racing 6 months and it was my first F1 race but, it was also the first time I experienced that problem in either rfactor or GTR2. I say if we could tweek the mod just a bit and everybody has the same fix then what is the problem.