AC Multiclass Audi TT/Mazda MX5 @ Barbagello, Wednesday 21st July 2021

[a_murel]

Well done Allan, @Allan Ramsbottom little I could do, you just slowly disappeared up the road. But my advantage was all those couple of years racing in the Mazda with all those past fast people, I was so practised at seeing you disappear into the distance. I just drove with a rye smile on my face, been here before.
That smile did not last long, those pesky Audi's soon appeared and my comfortable gap to Andre soon disappeared. Bugger, I could not shake him, eventually, @a_murel Andre overtaking me.
An easy race had long gone out of the window, I knew once he had a gap I was fried toast.
So I put everything into getting back past, which I very luckily managed to do after 3 hectic laps of trying. Then ensued many many laps of Andre trying to return the compliment to me.
Then those very nice Audi boys gave me a small gap to Andre, so we entered into stalemate, he closed the gap on parts of the circuit, I opened it up on other parts of the circuit until those very very nice Audi boys gave me a bit more of a gap.
So I just then chased Allan for pointless sport.
One of the best races I have had for ages, in the end, got to trust completely Andre I think he trusted me too, so that made it a great battle to remember.
well done all podiums and a truly great event Han @HF2000

PS
the Mazda race as a whole was very closely fought with not much time gap between all of us.

Guys what a nice and pleasant 3rd race in AC I had! I watched the race at the replay and saw I was locked up at the start, with Doug and Ernie doing a great move on the inside. After settling I started to attack Doug who was really up to speed, but I managed to get a better exit going up the hill and get past him! Then i thought what the heck! I'm going for it and started to attack Ernie who had a littlebit trouble with an exit caused by the passing Audi's. From there I was going for every gap I saw, and I thought because one guy sayd "If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver."

And this was for me the hight of AC so far, this battle with Ernie, like you said, trusting each other for 100%! First I managed to get into 2nd place and for a moment I thought I was pulling away just 0,5s, but then I made a mistake in the 1st corner and it seems, if you are not within 1sec of each other its very hard to attack your competitor. But I was attacking every gap, driving different lines, braking later or earlyer... but Ernie made very clear where he was going to defend and leaving me no options. Later on I lost momentum because of one of the Audi's passing me and that was it.

Like I said, pleasant, nice racing and a fight to remember. Also with nice people !

 

[Allan Ramsbottom]

@Keke700,
Thanks Ernie,i had no idea you were in the Mazda until Quali..Bit of a blast from the past i thought..Had a good start and we were on the Audis into the first corner,kept on the inside saw the gap opening so pushed hard to keep others at bay.After that i started to pull away leaving Andre,Douglas and Ernie to fight it out..I messed my replay settings up so only got 32mb of it,lesson learned always check b4 a race.Another great combo from Hans,looking forward to next week and the Fat Alfie series,that should be a blast..See you all soon...

 

[Shed 17]

next thing you know you are thinking about a sim-lab aluminium extrusion, then proper racing seat, then triple monitors, then you have to flog the wife to pay for it all.

Yes, been there and done that (including the wife bit)! But the trouble is that one thing can lead to another.

I started of with the Logitech G29 a desk and a laptop. Later went for a Playseat that I could fold away in a cupboard when not on use. Problem was that it was always in use so built a wooden frame to keep everything firm and commandeered a spare bedroom for a permanent man cave. This was an improvement over the desk but one thing leads to another and I was lucky enough to find a guy who was selling up his whole rig for a reasonable price so bought most of it. That included a Fanatec DD1, V3 pedals, Formula Carbon wheel, shifter button box and handbrake. The biggest investment was a PC which I have upgraded.
With the extra torque of the DD you need a solid base and a sim lab GT1 followed, then of course you need a seat and a Sparco racing seat was acquired. I have the seat and pedals on runners so they are adjustable for when the Grandson comes over but like a lot of hobbies there is no end to it if you want to expand.

But to answer your question Colin, as Ernie said, the CSL or Clubsport seems like a sensible upgrade while several people go for Thrustmaster's latest offerings. I did look at the Simcube systems and would have probably gone down that route but the Fanatec 'Eco' system is plug and play with it all working well together and expandable at a future date. But having the most expensive wheelbase still don't make you the fastest. Being an engineer by trade I personal like things to be mechanically right with minimal flex while at the same time being as close to a real cockpit to add to the immersion. I even have the shifter on the right as most race/rally cars are left land drive. Gets interesting when I hop into my own real road car!.

 

[davejevons]

I really enjoyed that one - thanks all.

It was a great battle for last place with @Dzul who was definitely quicker than me but I managed to make my Mazda as wide as possible. We both swapped paint with Han as @HF2000 was making his way through. Nobody seemed phased going 3 wide into the final corner.

There are not many communities you can have that close racing and be confident you won't get punted off!

@HF2000 made me laugh after he warned us all about how difficult it would be to overtake in Sector 1 and the first time he came past was a tight but beautifully executed move through all of sector 1!

 

[Dzul]

That's our "Spa-2000" moment

 

[a_murel]

View attachment 490132
That's our "Spa-2000" moment

Hahaha! the "HAN SANDWICH"

 

[Kek700]

If I could and you never can have all my back ground experiences before hand.
Stating out afresh with that knowledge

1) aluminium extrusion rig, new or second hand
2) sparco race seat, new or second hand ?
3) triple 25” 1080p 144Hz monitors, would be very tempted by 25” 1440p monitors, no need for more than 144hz
Even then I am not a 100% convinced.
3) best PC I could afford.
4) my truly great wireless Corsair virtuoso ( something like that ) headset.
5) H engineering pedals, a must for me.
Nothing wrong with Fanatec, I need something that generates a bit more feel. Personal.
5) Fanatec Latest mini DD drive motor + a selection of wheels as and when I could afford them.
6) my Logitech k400 wireless keyboard
Not a patch on a good back lighted manual key board and a really good manual mouse.
But the reality is that the K400 is such a simple user friendly alternative.

the short of it is that I basically agree with you @Shed 17

 

[HF2000]

If I could and you never can have all my back ground experiences before hand.
Stating out afresh with that knowledge

1) aluminium extrusion rig, new or second hand
2) sparco race seat, new or second hand ?
3) triple 25” 1080p 144Hz monitors, would be very tempted by 25” 1440p monitors, no need for more than 144hz
Even then I am not a 100% convinced.
3) best PC I could afford.
4) my truly great wireless Corsair virtuoso ( something like that ) headset.
5) H engineering pedals, a must for me.
Nothing wrong with Fanatec, I need something that generates a bit more feel. Personal.
5) Fanatec Latest mini DD drive motor + a selection of wheels as and when I could afford them.
6) my Logitech k400 wireless keyboard
Not a patch on a good back lighted manual key board and a really good manual mouse.
But the reality is that the K400 is such a simple user friendly alternative.

the short of it is that I basically agree with you @Shed 17

Estimated total costs (new)? As a G27 desk attached user with singlescreen, I'm thinking of upgrading.

 

[Interslice]

Can you not just mount a DD to a desk and turn the max torque down to the same as the g29? Maybe they only go so low?

 

[Kek700]

Don’t ask that question @HF2000 , if I was to work it out I would almost certainly jump off my balcony.




there are some things , like the car you drive that are total nonsense, in fact virtually everything about a road car is nonsense.
I bought it all as individual items, selling for reasonable money the replaced items, so the cost has been distributed over 5 years.
Even the PC was hybrided together using old and new, replacing as and when, like the memory was upgraded from 2600mhz to 3600mhz when I discovered I could get 10 more FPS, but I had to save for ages before I bought it.
I always try and upgrade as often as I can , because I am trying not to get to the point we’re I ask the question you just asked.
A good example is mr H engineering pedals that cost me a whooping £350, really struggled to justify that. But now they seem cheap, and because I bought the best, they still are right up there with the best. So I don’t think I will ever be replacing them.
Unfortunately that does not always work.

 

[Shed 17]

Estimated total costs (new)? As a G27 desk attached user with singlescreen, I'm thinking of upgrading.

I’m not going to answer that on a public forum just in case the other half reads it ! But to replace my rig with new would be more than the cost of her real car and mine added together.

 

[Shed 17]

Can you not just mount a DD to a desk and turn the max torque down to the same as the g29? Maybe they only go so low?

Yes Brian, you can run the Fanatec DD on low torque or you have a number of different customisable profiles. When my grandson comes over I set it on a low torque profile, hardly feel any ffb, easier for him to turn the wheel and when he crashes ( which happens quite a bit) he doesn’t break his wrists! I also use a low ffb profile in rally so you can get the car to rotate quickly.

 

[JamKart22]

Slight change of subject but I'm looking to upgrade my wheel and I'm looking for recommendation and real life experiences with the kit you have.

I recently got some fanatec csl elite pedals with the load cell brake and they are great.

My wheel is a very old (14year!) "logitech driving force pro" gear driven thing and am wondering what to upgrade to to enhance my enjoyment and hopefully speed and consistency.

With my wheel at the moment I'm not sensing much change with any setup changes I make to the car. Would this be wheel related or am I just not very good and the moment?

Thanks for the feedback so far. Does anyone have a view on my last point...

"With my wheel at the moment I'm not sensing much change with any setup changes I make to the car. Would this be wheel related or am I just not very good and the moment?"

No sure I'm prepared to sell my wife to fund the upgrade, but if can make me faster...

 

[Douglas Aird]

Interesting to hear what everyone is using.

I have always wanted a triple screen setup and have had that for about 5 years now. My latest pc upgrade was from an rx580 to 6800 (I was very lucky to find one in stock, albeit about £250 more than I wanted to pay) to make sure I can get decent frame rates in newer titles.

I have a G27 which for years I hardly used so it's still in great condition. It's getting plenty of use now. I have looked at the new cheap(er) Fanatec DD wheel base, pedals and rim. Aside from cost I would really need a rig for it and I don't have space. For now I am sticking to my sturdy desk and SecretLab chairs.

A rig is top of my "when I retire" list (which I would like to happen sooner rather than later but finances may say different!).

 

[JamKart22]

I have always wanted a triple screen setup and have had that for about 5 years now. My latest pc upgrade was from an rx580 to 6800 (I was very lucky to find one in stock, albeit about £250 more than I wanted to pay) to make sure I can get decent frame rates in newer titles.

I have a G27 which for years I hardly used so it's still in great condition. It's getting plenty of use now. I have looked at the new cheap(er) Fanatec DD wheel base, pedals and rim. Aside from cost I would really need a rig for it and I don't have space. For now I am sticking to my sturdy desk and SecretLab chairs.

A rig is top of my "when I retire" list (which I would like to happen sooner rather than later but finances may say different!).

I've got a triple screen setup cobbled together with two extra monitors I could find around the house.

They are only 60hz so my frame rate is limited to 60fps. Seems ok. Does the extra frame rate look much better?

 

[stigs2cousin]

Hmm,
seems I´m the "yung un" here.
Started simdriving in January 20 with a T300 on PS4, goal was to learn the Nordschleife better to improve irl.
Well, we all know how 2020 panned out, simdriving and since September 20 simracing online helped me through two lockdowns.
In June I escalated from PS4 to PC with triple 1080p 144hz monitors. My Budget PC (1000€ then!! )can do only 80FPS on the triples, but that was a BIG performance jump for me, especially because car control felt naturally and my countersteer reflex showed up in the sim.

I can´t comment on deskracing because I never experienced it, my first installation was a DIY aluminium profile rig for the T300 in front of the TV, then with a TV mount (42" plasma) now with triples.

What made a (not so huge ) difference was the upgrade from Frankenstein T3pa pro with an DIY loadcell mod to Heusinkveld sprints. They just felt better especially on the gas and allowe better brake modulation. But they need a stiff mounting solution for pedals and seat!!

The direct drive wheel ( Simucube2 pro) feels very nice and engaging, but doesn´t really make me faster.
I went with Simucube because I don´t want to be tied into an eco system and I don´t trust Fanatec with availability and customer service. ( Not my personal experience with the service, but several friends had gear arrive late, broken, repair service made them jump through hoops and took ages. may be different for others.)
Another reason was that I wanted to build my own wheels, with Fanatec you have to buy their Universal Hub.

My advice for upgrade path with better driving performance in mind would be:

Triple monitors for better driving precision and better situational awareness.

High end pedals for better brake ( requires solid mounting option and sturdy seat, DIY possible in alu and wood plus used ( high quality) car seat. Uses up a lot of space, doesn´t have to cost your first born child.

DD wheel is nice to have, the fastest guys can do without .

MFG Carsten

 

[Fiberoptix]

I have a CSW 2.5 and I think its great. Pedals are also fanatec inverted v3 and I have their shifter too. I went all in during the pandemic on it. HP G2 for VR, a motion seat and GT cockpit from NLR and a butt kicker rumble thing.

I convinced myself it all had good resale value if I didn't like it... I convinced my wife of the same.

I had dabbled with sim racing (I have a G25 in the garage I had before then for GT on the PS4) but never online. I started out with online lobbies when I bought the kit and hated it, thought why did I do this, it just left me frustrated every time I played which seemed a poor result for the investment! So I did a bit of research and saw the advice to join a club. Found this forum and a great group of individuals who would tolerate and help out a beginner. I have really loved racing here ever since. I don't race anywhere else and the only time I use the rig is to practise for the next race here. Currently my PC doesn't have any other games other than AC! I don't get much free time with my job and child responsibility has been replaced with grandchild but I would like to attend more races than I do and practise more.

The guys like Brian, Han and Chris who put the time into setting up and running these events in this way are what make sim racing great, that attracts the right minded racers and people like me to stick with it and get better.

My setup is very immersive but I would enjoy racing here with this group using the keyboard and my laptop.

 

[Goblin616]

I've never heard of Simcube. I'm going to save up for a new wheel. Mine is old, and while it works, I fear it's day's are numbered. I also bet that a lot has changed in racing wheels in 15 years!

 

[JamKart22]

I'd echo how nice it is to race with you guys. I had a few races this week with the GT4 on some open events and the driving standard was poor. Especially annoying as I'd practiced a lot and then was taken out numerous times.

 

[Dzul]

I still believe that it's not how good the hardware is but how well you use it.

One thing I believe is important is comfort... and i don't mean 'luxury' by that, but the simple fact that during a race you don't get cramps or aches on your wrists, elbows, shoulders, back, knees or ankles. That was my reason to swap my foldable Playseat Challenger for a NLR F-GT with a proper seat. I gotta be honest and say that it's not as comfortable as a "normal" bucket seat but my sitting position is much better and that allows me to be more consistent on a 30+ minute race. That was one thing that improved, but I guess a good chair like Doug's will do the trick.

More important than the wheel are the pedals, I believe... when I bought the TLC for my T300RS I improved my trail braking and had more consistent entries and exits. So, if you want to upgrade in phases, good pedals are a great first investment. I'm still considering upgrading my wheel in the future to Fanatec's new petit-DD. For pedals my ideal choice would be Heusinkveld.

But until I gather the cash for that (not this year for sure) I'm focusing on improving my skills with what I got. And for that I think most important than the hardware itself, and often overlooked (and underrated), are the people that you race with. Because by racing others you learn more, every time. Lucky me I got you lot for that, and because we keep racing together, consistently, I can measure how I'm doing race by race.

Don't believe I need an upgrade for that.