The Assetto Corsa Ferrari DLC and Stefano Casillo Interview

[Paul Jeffrey]

Amidst all the excitement of the 2017 Sim Racing Expo, Kunos Simulazioni released the epic Ferrari 70th Anniversary DLC pack for Assetto Corsa, and we caught up with the devs for an interview..

Assetto Corsa is a proudly Italian simulation in its core routes, and with two dynamic Italian developers in the form of Stefano Casillo and Marco Massarutto running things from the head of the ship, it is perhaps in no doubt that the brand new Ferrari 70th Anniversary Celebration DLC was something of a big thing for the developers, bringing to the simulation an incredible selection of the biggest and best cars Ferrari have produced over the last 70 years.

Coming bungled together with another interesting and sizable update to the core PC Assetto Corsa game, the Ferrari Celebration DLC pack was released a couple of days ago to the Steam network, and retails for £5.59. Containing seven new cars, including the 2017 Formula One machine of Sebastien Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, a first time a current generation Formula One car has appeared outside of an officially licenced Grand Prix game.

Prior to the DLC drop, we had the chance to chat with Stefano Casillo of Kunos Simulazioni about what the DLC means to the developers, and what goes on behind the scenes to create such content in Assetto Corsa. Check out the interview below, and stay tuned to RD and our YouTube page for more from Stefano on the future of AC in the coming days...

The Ferrari 70th Anniversary Celebration DLC can be purchased here.

About the new DLC:

The Ferrari 70th Anniversary Celebration Pack introduces seven iconic cars, one of which has been chosen by our community. Gamers have voted in your thousands: coming out on top with over 15% of the total votes, we're pleased to announce that the SF70H, the sixteenth car produced by Ferrari to compete in the F1 World Championship, has been included in the Ferrari 70th Anniversary Celebration Pack.

The package as a whole will include a selection of seven of the most iconic cars ever produced by the Italian car manufacturer through its glorious history, which joins the amazing line-up of Ferrari models already available in the simulation.

The Ferrari 70th Anniversary pack will introduce the following models:

1962 250 GTO
1967 330 P4
1967 312/67
1984 GTO
2004 F2004
2017 812 Superfast
2017 SF70H

THE CARS

Ferrari 250 GTO

The 250 GTO model was the pinnacle of the development of the 250 GT series in competition form, whilst still remaining a road car. It made its public debut at the annual pre-season Ferrari press conference in January 1962, and was the only front-engined model on display, with its monoposto and sports racing counterparts all having a mid-engine configuration.

The 250 GTO was the ultimate expression of the Ferrari 250 GT car. It was equally at home on the road or track – perhaps the last dual-purpose road/race car produced – and has achieved legendary status amongst aficionados of the marque. With only a relatively small production run of thirty-six cars, and with many of the examples produced having a great racing pedigree, it has become one of the icons of Ferrari's production history, with a revered position in collectors' circles.

Ferrari 312/67

Scuderia Ferrari started the 1967 Championship with the 312/67. The car's official debut was at the Champions' Race in Brands-Hatch with Bandini and Scarfiotti behind the wheel.The Scuderia's best results came courtesy of New Zealander Chris Amon, who managed third position on the podium on three occasions.

Ferrari 330 P4

With a styling very similar to that of the 330 P3, this model was powered by a V12 engine that had been radically redesigned by Franco Rocchi. The most obvious modification was the introduction of a three-valve cylinder head – two inlet and one exhaust.

Fuel feed was provided by a Lucas injection system. The chassis was slightly shorter than the 330 P3's, and the new suspension system improved roadholding. The car won numerous races and earned its place in the history books after a memorable 1-2-3 at Daytona.

Ferrari GTO

Announced by Enzo Ferrari in September 1983, and unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1984, the GTO (also unofficially known with the 288 prefix) sparked off a wave of enthusiasm. The legendary name, the stunning styling by Pininfarina, the engine with its seemingly inexhaustible power (2.8 litres and 8 cylinders) and the widespread use of composite materials made the GTO the closest thing to a racing car.

To meet customer demand, 272 were built instead of the planned 200: all were sold before production began.

The 288 appellation refers to the total cubic capacity of the engine and number of cylinders, 2.8 litres with 8 cylinders. Obviously, the \"GTO\" model name was a retro touch referring to the legendary 250 GTO of the early sixties, to which it was intended to be the spiritual successor in GT racing.

Ferrari F2004

The year 2004, the record season for Ferrari, went into a second act with the 2004 Championship: out of the 18 GPs, the Scuderia won 15 races (13 by Schumacher, 2 by Barrichello), 8 one-two wins, 12 pole positions for a total of 262 points in the Constructors' Championship. Already in August, Ferrari archived the Championship files: at the Hungarian GP the Scuderia won the Constructors' Title – the 14th in its history – with a one-two win, while Schumacher gained his fifth title in a row, the seventh of his career, in Belgium, on the same track where he debuted in the year 1991.

The season made history also thanks to one of the most competitive single-seaters ever built: the F2004, fitted with the new engine dubbed 053, a 10-cylinder unit with 865 bhp at 18,300 rpm, which exceeded all expectations in terms of performance and reliability, also regarding the new challenge set by the regulations, which aimed at reducing costs: one engine per race weekend, with an average lifespan of 800 instead of 350 kilometres.

Ferrari 812 Superfast

Ferrari chose the 87th edition of the Geneva International Motor Show for the world premiere of the new 12-cylinder berlinetta, the 812 Superfast, the most powerful and fastest Ferrari in the marque's history. This new car not only introduces a plethora of innovative features but is also particularly significant as the V12 series marked the official start of the glorious Prancing Horse story in 1947, 70 years ago.

The 812 Superfast thus ushers in a new era in Ferrari 12-cylinder history, in doing so building on the invaluable legacies of the F12berlinetta and F12tdf. It is aimed at clients demanding the most powerful and exclusive Ferrari in the range: an uncompromising sports car that will deliver exhilarating driving both on road and track yet also be comfortable enough to allow its owners to enjoy it as an all-round experience.

Ferrari SF70H

The 63rd single-seater designed and built by Scuderia Ferrari to take part in the 2017 Championship is born out of a regulation change that is without precedent in this category of motor sport. In the past, regulations generally went in the direction of slowing the cars down. However, in the year 2017 the rule changes went in the opposite direction, meaning the cars can have more aerodynamic downforce and more mechanical grip.

There are several differences between the 668 project and Ferraris from the recent past: the lengthened nose and the arrow-shaped wing are a consequence of the regulations, as is the obvious fin on the engine cover and more complex aero appendages ahead of the air intakes on the sidepods.

The layout of some of the mechanical components on the hybrid power unit has been revised, while other areas maintain a similar layout to the 2016 car.

As is often the case with new Assetto Corsa content the newly released DLC comes with a nice update too, bringing the game to version 1.15. The full update change log can be seen below:

• New Ferrari 250 GTO (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• New Ferrari (288) GTO (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• New Ferrari 312 F1-67 (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• New Ferrari 330 P4 (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• New Ferrari F2004 (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• New Ferrari 812 Superfast (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• New Ferrari SF70H (Ferrari Anniversary Pack)
• Templates for Ferrari 250 GTO, GTO, 312 F1-67, 330 P4 and 812 Superfast
• Official Kaspersky team livery added for Ferrari 488 GT3
• Updated template for Ferrari 488 GT3 (related to rear wing shape, it might affect a low % of mod skins)
• Alpinestars gloves are introduced in Porsche cars
• Fixed reflection issue on Corvette C7R skins
• Minor graphical and skin-related fixes across all content
• Updated Lotus 49 minimum weight
• Updated Mazda RX-7 Spirit R rear wing setup and aero figures
• Added automatic Force Feedback configuration for old wheels (ie MS Sidewinder)
• MODDING REQUEST: Added blanket temperature to tyres.ini under [ADDITIONAL1] BLANKETS_TEMP
• MODDING REQUEST: Added pressure vs temperature gain in tyres.ini. under [ADDITIONAL1] PRESSURE_TEMPERATURE_GAIN
• MODDING REQUEST: Added camber spread tweak value in tyres.ini under [ADDITIONAL1] CAMBER_TEMP_SPREAD_K (AC default is 1.4, higher numbers=more spread)
• MODDING REQUEST: Added new LUT based system to handle camber D variations. Example, (for every compound):
  DCAMBER_LUT=(|-145=0.8|-15=0.9|-3=1.01|0=1|3=1.005|15=0.9|145=0.8|)
  DCAMBER_LUT_SMOOTH=1
  This will override DCAMBER_0/1 behaviour (values still need to be there tho)
• MODDING REQUEST: Added explicit inertia instead of box based. Use
  [EXPLICIT_INERTIA]
  INERTIA=1300,1400,500
  in car.ini
  * Suspension travel is now recorded at 166Hz in telemetry
  * Fixed AI not exiting pitlane at full speed in some cases
  *Added “ABS” FF enhancement effect
  *Added FF enhancement effects controls in-game in the “Force Feedback Controller” app
  * Added track models ini checksum on server. In order to gain full protection from cheating the server needs to include kn5 files
  * Added optional COMBINED_FACTOR value per compound. Thanks to Stereo & Jackson Papageorge (mclarenf1papa)!
• MODDING REQUEST: Added variable throttle response as function of RPM. Add:
  [THROTTLE_RESPONSE]
  RPM_REFERENCE=6000
  LUT=throttle_max.lut
  to engine.ini. throttle.lut will be used for 0 RPM and whatever LUT you specify will be used at RPM_REFERENCE
• MODDING REQUEST: Added progressive bump stop rate. In suspensions.ini under [FRONT] and [REAR] add BUMP_STOP_PROGRESSIVE . Look for “Using progressive bump rate…” in the log for confirmation

Assetto Corsa is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC now.

Assetto Corsa and online racing = Love! Check out our brilliant Assetto Corsa League and Club racing forum for great racing events suitable for all skills and experiences. We host regular events using popular content and guarantee a great time for all. Additionally we have a very active sub forum for the game where players can catch up on the latest news and engage with fellow community members here at RD. You can download mods from our modding archive, discuss W.I.P projects in our Modding Discussion Forum and try out a selection of car setups for a wide range of vehicles. Come on, get yourself involved in the action today!

Have you tried the new Ferrari DLC yet? What are your first impressions? Which car do you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[CC]

You sure you are able to do that? Also "being shouted at" is a tad exaggerated regarding the tone of your messages

Lets simply stay on topic , I have zero interest in replying any more , soon as someone dares to mention anything wrong anywhere visual , its the end of the world , there made out to be the bad guy , simply was trying to help this is all I care like the rest of us , let someone else point stuff out , I am way too busy for this nonsense each time I mention something .

 

[Ralf Brinkmann]

Lets simply stay on topic , I have zero interest in replying any more , soon as someone dares to mention anything wrong anywhere visual , its the end of the world , there made out to be the bad guy , simply was trying to help this is all I care like the rest of us , let someone else point stuff out , I am way too busy for this nonsense each time I mention something .

That's not true. But you are right, let's move on

 

[Jebus]

I mentioned 3 issues and got practically shouted at each time and made to look a twat , pointing out bugs , lets leave it and move on , DLC is nice

As usual playing the victim role. You were treated exactly as you deserved based on your behaviour as a whole.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Thanks for derailing the thread guys. We have put a lot of time in this coverage so it's fabulous to read all this personal crap you guys are having with each other. That's what we all love to be seeing on a simracing site.

We are returning to the topic now.

 

[ears]

Coming bungled together with another interesting and sizable update

Whoah! Don't hold back there will you! I'm sure they'll release a hotfix soon!

 

[Terry Rock]

More laps... and really loving that 67 / 312 with each one.
Not counting the AMS cars, It's the first time I can recall...in a very long time...being able to drive a vintage car that goes where you 'point' it.
It's simply a blast to man-handle.

 

[Redvaliant]

Yeah, the 312 is the business. I thought I'd love all the old school cars and I do, but the 2004F1 Schumi car is a bloody riot!
I find the stock 330 P4 is somewhat unresponsive to direction changes, it's a bit too stable, but after manhandling it around classic Monza for a few races, returning to the 312 is an even better experience. It's like going swimming in speedos after splashing around in a Michelin Man suit. Hoorah!

 

[MarcG]

Many Thanks @Paul Jeffrey for the Interview and for having so much fun

 

[Ben Lee]

I'm sorry, but there is no excuse for glaring model inaccuracies if you are buying an official commercial product. If it's a mod then fair enough, they are not always professionals producing it, however given the tech available now, the excuses for inaccuracies are pretty flaky for officially produced stuff, and that goes for all software, not just AC.

 

[Leynad777]

I find the stock 330 P4 is somewhat unresponsive to direction changes, it's a bit too stable, but after manhandling it around classic Monza for a few races, returning to the 312 is an even better experience. It's like going swimming in speedos after splashing around in a Michelin Man suit. Hoorah!

The 330 P4 needs a stiffer setup as well as the over historic cars in the pack. I uploaded my ones on The Setup market which i find more responsive and stable.

Just tested this car in pCars 2 as well on the Nordschleife and without SimVibe it was first a tie between the crazy good tyre flex behavior in pCars 2 especially in this car vs the better FFB and connection to the car in AC, but now my SimVibe is running and waiting for tyre-model 15

 

[RaceWasGood]

Whaha, best comment of the week. @Paul Jeffrey will love it

And just to avoid any misunderstandings, i honestly think the guy (Paul?) has a great voice!

 

[Redvaliant]

The 330 P4 needs a stiffer setup as well as the over historic cars in the pack. I uploaded my ones on The Setup market which i find more responsive and stable.

Cheers, will try them out. Chris Amon lent me his car for a few laps of Spa and I managed to blow the engine like a champion. I'm coming around to the need to slow down gear changes and look after the engine but not well enough it seems.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Wondering why RD hasn't mentioned this yet, rather big news

Laserscanned Laguna Seca + 6 car bonus pack will be 100% free. Release by the end of 2017.

That will be coming in another interview and article that is still under editing! We have so much content to produce at the moment, we just don't have the time to get it all together straight away!

 

[Epistolarius]

Are you sure?
Cannot find this statement on Marco Massarutto's Facebook.

He confirmed the track here for example (from minute 4:07):
And the cars here: https://www.facebook.com/marco.massarutto.1/posts/10209874352969442?comment_id=10209874923903715

 

[Leynad777]

Cheers, will try them out. Chris Amon lent me his car for a few laps of Spa and I managed to blow the engine like a champion. I'm coming around to the need to slow down gear changes and look after the engine but not well enough it seems.

Sounds like you are talking about a real car with real financial consequences. My heartly condolence about the loss, but that's the reason why i prefer sim-racing even it will never be like the real thing.

I got very sloppy with the clutch-/H-shifter thanks to AC and had to adjust my timing a lot while driving Dirt 4 with the Group B monsters. Dirt Rally and 4 are unforgiving as hell regarding the clutch and I had miss-shifts most of the times first till i changed my timing. And that's what i like about pCars 2 as well so far. You need clutch, put the gear in and release in this order, not all together at the same time. Sometimes the miss-shift feels scripted in both titles, but it happens less and less, so it's probably just me.

 

[Deleted member 130869]

Nice about free Laguna Seca. It fits in a few series, and despite being a tight track, should be fun with the Sprint C9. Now only to have a Spring 787B done (or v1.4 mod updated).

 

[jeanfrancois12]

Ho testato le 3 formula 1: la Ferrari 312/67 sul circuito Monza '66 fantastica e molto divertente ma molto faticosa per via del cambio e frizione totalmente "manuali"; la F2004 e la SF70H meno "impegnative" per via del cambio elettronico al volante ma molto veloci e piu godibili,velocissime e divertenti sul circuito del Mugello.son daccordo che mancano buoni circuiti fatti bene e qualche altra Formua 1 anni '80. Confermo comunque che il parco macchine attuale è veramente ottimo ed infinito.

 

[Nico]

Is so sad to see that getting classic content in the game is conditioned by what the brands want to promote. I have no doubt the 812 Superfast is part of the pack because Ferrari wanted it to be there. At least, the 512 M prototype reaching second place in the June poll gives me hope of two things: first, there are lots of people in the AC community with good taste and knowledge about cars, and second, we might probably see the 512 M someday in the game, along with more interesting historical content. So tired of the modern mainstream stuff that only appeals to kids...

 

[Amir Vodokotlic]

so I drove the SF70H for hour or so.

and can't understand why FFB feels so different to other openwheel cars from Kunos

comparing the SF70H and formula hybrid S1 its like totally different cars.

I am using G27 with lut and ffb set at 85% gain as it suggests for both.

For some reason it just feels so heavy compared to formula hybrid and when SF70H snaps its un catchable.

Also there is considerable turbo lag with SF70H.

Truth be told Formula Hybrid is much nicer to drive.

 

[Joseph Maxx]

so I drove the SF70H for hour or so.

and can't understand why FFB feels so different to other openwheel cars from Kunos

comparing the SF70H and formula hybrid S1 its like totally different cars.

I am using G27 with lut and ffb set at 85% gain as it suggests for both.

For some reason it just feels so heavy compared to formula hybrid and when SF70H snaps its un catchable.

Also there is considerable turbo lag with SF70H.

Truth be told Formula Hybrid is much nicer to drive.

They are two entirely different cars. From what I understand RSS created their own car by interpreting the FIA 2017 regs and what they ended up with is the Formula Hybrid. So for all intents and purposes the RSS car is fictional as it doesn't exist IRL while the AC SF70 is based on what ever data Ferrari were willing to provide to Kunos. So you really can't compare the two.