F1 2017: Tips and Tricks thread.

[PJTierney 4,908]

Hi everyone,

F1 2017 is finally here, and I'm sure we're all eager to hit the track this weekend  ;)

This is a vast and complicated racing game with many features and options to make the most of.
It's easy to miss something hidden away in the menus that can make your life easier, or find something that others may find useful.

To help give people a head start, let's use this thread to share any minor tips and tricks we've come across so far  B)

[PJTierney 4,908]

Here's a few from myself to begin with:

Controller users: Quick Fuel Mix adjustments.
If you play on a controller, managing the MFD can be quite a challenge as your hands are usually taking care of throttle, steering and gearshifts all at the same time.
One way to make all of this easier is to use the right analogue stick for the new MFD shortcuts options.
Here is what I have set:

• Lower Fuel Mix Setting: Move Right Stick to the left

• Higher Fuel Mix Setting: Move Right Stick to the right

I have also adjusted my main controller configuration so that I open the MFD by moving the Right Stick up.
The main benefit of all of this is that I can adjust my Fuel Mix without letting go of the steering/throttle, which is useful when needing to make changes through a tricky infield section or while driving in the rain, where full throttle/steering control is needed at all times. I lose the ability to Look Left or Look Right, but the game's proximity arrows do a good enough job to let me know where others are, and I can still Look Behind with the Right Stick (down).

T-Cam Settings for Multiple Car Types
For the first time in a long time, we're playing an F1 title which features multiple distinct body shapes.
This means that the T-Cam positioning for Classic F1 cars may be different to what you find on Modern F1 cars, sometimes resulting in the airbox clipping through the nearpoint of the screen, the front wheels being much closer or further than you're used to etc.
Settings for each camera can be adjusted independently, which lets you use the Offset T-Cam as a "secondary T-Cam" for those cars that have an odd perspective when using normal T-Cam.

• Head into a Modern F1 car of your choice (I go with the Red Bull).

• Set up your T-Cam settings (offsets, FOV etc.) as you normally would.

• For the Offset T-Cam, change the Horizontal Offset setting left/right so that the camera is in the exact center of the car.

• Adjust your other Offset T-Cam settings as you see fit.

You will find that as the Offset T-Cam is placed in a different position to the regular T-Cam you will have a slightly different field of view and angle, even with the same settings as your normal T-Cam. 
For me my normal T-Cam has a viewpoint that suits what I want from a Modern F1 car, but I can use the Offset T-Cam when driving something like the Red Bull RB6 or the 90s cars to give me the extra angle I am used to with a Modern F1 car.
Overall, you shouldn't need to head into the pause menu to customise your T-Cam for every different era of car you drive, as your 2 T-Cams should take care of pretty much everything.

Finding the right AI difficulty for the beginning of your Career.
This year we have a far greater range of AI difficulty settings than before, 110 in total.
That can be a little intimidating but thanks to the addition of Spec Racing and Classic F1 cars we can run a quick test to match our driving pace to that of the AI drivers, resulting in closer racing and more realistic results based on your car's performance level.

• Head to Grand Prix mode and select Catalunya with short Qualifying.

• Choose the 2010 Red Bull RB6 and change the Class setting to Spec Racing.

• Do your Qualifying Session with the default setup.

As everybody's in the same car, the only difference is driver/AI skill.
When I did this I kept running the Qualifying at different AI levels so that my time would match Pole Position as close as possible (I eventually settled on 65%).
What I found was that when I started my Career (Red Bull) I would match the pace of my team-mate (Verstappen) in Qualifying and Races.
This ultimately meant that whenever I was hitting the times of Ferrari/Mercedes I knew I was doing really well in that session, and to maintain that level I'd have to push harder on each successive lap. The battles I have had in the Career have been enjoyable so far purely because the AI feels "just right" for my pace level and the results are fair.

[trodders 0]

Really appreciate the comment you've made here about choosing your difficulty.

One of the things I was trying to work out in my mind (given that I'm still anxiously waiting the postman to bring me the game!) - was finding the best way to accurately find my level, and you've given a good indication of how to do this :)

Really think the idea of having a difficulty slider will make for a lot more satisfied customers this year.  There was nothing worse than finding yourself between levels in previous iterations of the game - and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Cheers!

[bladey2k13 0]

The difficulty setup youve described seems a great idea. Is there any reason you chose the 2010 redbull to test with or can we use any car? 

[PJTierney 4,908]

bladey2k13 said:

The difficulty setup youve described seems a great idea. Is there any reason you chose the 2010 redbull to test with or can we use any car? 

It's the most modern classic car and the closest to the 2017 F1 cars pace-wise.

[Jaynerd 0]

PJTierney said:

Finding the right AI difficulty for the beginning of your Career.

This year we have a far greater range of AI difficulty settings than before, 110 in total.
That can be a little intimidating but thanks to the addition of Spec Racing and Classic F1 cars we can run a quick test to match our driving pace to that of the AI drivers, resulting in closer racing and more realistic results based on your car's performance level.

• Head to Grand Prix mode and select Catalunya with short Qualifying.

• Choose the 2010 Red Bull RB6 and change the Class setting to Spec Racing.

• Do your Qualifying Session with the default setup.

As everybody's in the same car, the only difference is driver/AI skill.
When I did this I kept running the Qualifying at different AI levels so that my time would match Pole Position as close as possible (I eventually settled on 65%).
What I found was that when I started my Career (Red Bull) I would match the pace of my team-mate (Verstappen) in Qualifying and Races.
This ultimately meant that whenever I was hitting the times of Ferrari/Mercedes I knew I was doing really well in that session, and to maintain that level I'd have to push harder on each successive lap. The battles I have had in the Career have been enjoyable so far purely because the AI feels "just right" for my pace level and the results are fair.

This was a great tip! Spent some time with this before starting my career and after I got it right, my first career race was super enjoyable! Thanks!

[Finn 0]

Like the tip on the setup for the MFD quick changes. 

[Jockmcbaird 0]

It's nice to read a thread that's positive and helpful instead of the "I'm too slow, gotta be a bug!' Threads

[LeedsUnited21 0]

wow nice tip i am going to give the difficulty thing a go 

[LeedsUnited21 0]

anyone playing on 90 or more. im struggling on 65

[WithinReno 0]

Finding the right AI difficulty for the beginning of your Career.
This year we have a far greater range of AI difficulty settings than before, 110 in total.
That can be a little intimidating but thanks to the addition of Spec Racing and Classic F1 cars we can run a quick test to match our driving pace to that of the AI drivers, resulting in closer racing and more realistic results based on your car's performance level.

• Head to Grand Prix mode and select Catalunya with short Qualifying.

• Choose the 2010 Red Bull RB6 and change the Class setting to Spec Racing.

• Do your Qualifying Session with the default setup.

As everybody's in the same car, the only difference is driver/AI skill.
When I did this I kept running the Qualifying at different AI levels so that my time would match Pole Position as close as possible (I eventually settled on 65%).
What I found was that when I started my Career (Red Bull) I would match the pace of my team-mate (Verstappen) in Qualifying and Races.
This ultimately meant that whenever I was hitting the times of Ferrari/Mercedes I knew I was doing really well in that session, and to maintain that level I'd have to push harder on each successive lap. The battles I have had in the Career have been enjoyable so far purely because the AI feels "just right" for my pace level and the results are fair.

Why Catalunya though? And how exactly do you mean matching pole position time @PJTierney

[sdenbroeder 29]

A tip would be to turn off traction control. Having traction control on punishes you on this game, and compared to F1 2016 the traction is much better. Learning to drive without TC will (eventually) make you much quicker on this game.

[craigmbu 0]

Is it possible to change the difficulty settings during a career? I tried at the beginning of China FP1 but it wouldn't let me? Thanks

[USPBauer24 82]

craigmbu said:

Is it possible to change the difficulty settings during a career? I tried at the beginning of China FP1 but it wouldn't let me? Thanks

When you load the career from the main menu, press start and go into settings. 

[SnowLeopard 0]

craigmbu said:

Is it possible to change the difficulty settings during a career? I tried at the beginning of China FP1 but it wouldn't let me? Thanks

Yes, you can bring up those settings while the session is loading (top left) when the Options is shown in bottom right corner.

[PJTierney 4,908]

WithinReno said:

Finding the right AI difficulty for the beginning of your Career.
This year we have a far greater range of AI difficulty settings than before, 110 in total.
That can be a little intimidating but thanks to the addition of Spec Racing and Classic F1 cars we can run a quick test to match our driving pace to that of the AI drivers, resulting in closer racing and more realistic results based on your car's performance level.

• Head to Grand Prix mode and select Catalunya with short Qualifying.

• Choose the 2010 Red Bull RB6 and change the Class setting to Spec Racing.

• Do your Qualifying Session with the default setup.

As everybody's in the same car, the only difference is driver/AI skill.
When I did this I kept running the Qualifying at different AI levels so that my time would match Pole Position as close as possible (I eventually settled on 65%).
What I found was that when I started my Career (Red Bull) I would match the pace of my team-mate (Verstappen) in Qualifying and Races.
This ultimately meant that whenever I was hitting the times of Ferrari/Mercedes I knew I was doing really well in that session, and to maintain that level I'd have to push harder on each successive lap. The battles I have had in the Career have been enjoyable so far purely because the AI feels "just right" for my pace level and the results are fair.

Why Catalunya though? And how exactly do you mean matching pole position time @PJTierney

Catalunya is used as a Formula 1 test track as it is known to contain enough different types of corners to test almost every aspect of a car. It's got high speed turns, low speed, big braking zones, areas where you need to trail brake etc.

As for matching Pole, what I mean is that your time in Qualifying should be as close as possible to that of the fastest car on the grid. 

[PR3D4TOR 1]

A few tips from me (Could improve to Ultimate 105 from my forced turning down the difficulty from 110 to 101 because my pace in Q was horrible):

(Only applicable if you run no ABS): - Use the SAME brake pressure for dry/wet and only slightly adjuste Brake Balance. You have to get used to your brake power/lock up situations in the dry and in the wet. Pick the two Brake Pressures for both wet and dry and get used to them.

That was the biggest problem for me and i improved very much by getting used to my brake pressure. I only fine tune the balance depending on the circuit/Tyre compound/etc. 

- Setup: Try running the same Transmission settings, the same Suspension geometry settings & same brake settings as mentioned above. Only slightly adjust them if you feel the need to do so. I only adjust Aerodynamics (Front/Rear Wings), Tyre pressures, Suspension (not Geometry) and Ballast according to my liking and especially suitable to the track.

Overall i can say that this game is far easier to learn without assists but way harder to master. At least for me. Once you got used to the unrealistic lack of traction without TC in F1 2016 you were good to go. In F1 2017 you need to watch out for more things.  

[craigmbu 0]

SnowLeopard said:

craigmbu said:

Is it possible to change the difficulty settings during a career? I tried at the beginning of China FP1 but it wouldn't let me? Thanks

Yes, you can bring up those settings while the session is loading (top left) when the Options is shown in bottom right corner.

Cheers bro

[Coffer 122]

PR3D4TOR said:

(Only applicable if you run no ABS): - Use the SAME brake pressure for dry/wet and only slightly adjuste Brake Balance. You have to get used to your brake power/lock up situations in the dry and in the wet. Pick the two Brake Pressures for both wet and dry and get used to them.

Biggest problem with this is that putting the bias all the way to the rear is already the fastest in dry conditions.

[craigmbu 0]

USPBauer24 said:

craigmbu said:

Is it possible to change the difficulty settings during a career? I tried at the beginning of China FP1 but it wouldn't let me? Thanks

When you load the career from the main menu, press start and go into settings. 

Cheers bro

[RABO129 0]

PJTierney said:

Here's a few from myself to begin with:

Controller users: Quick Fuel Mix adjustments.
If you play on a controller, managing the MFD can be quite a challenge as your hands are usually taking care of throttle, steering and gearshifts all at the same time.
One way to make all of this easier is to use the right analogue stick for the new MFD shortcuts options.
Here is what I have set:

• Lower Fuel Mix Setting: Move Right Stick to the left

• Higher Fuel Mix Setting: Move Right Stick to the right

I have also adjusted my main controller configuration so that I open the MFD by moving the Right Stick up.
The main benefit of all of this is that I can adjust my Fuel Mix without letting go of the steering/throttle, which is useful when needing to make changes through a tricky infield section or while driving in the rain, where full throttle/steering control is needed at all times. I lose the ability to Look Left or Look Right, but the game's proximity arrows do a good enough job to let me know where others are, and I can still Look Behind with the Right Stick (down).

T-Cam Settings for Multiple Car Types
For the first time in a long time, we're playing an F1 title which features multiple distinct body shapes.
This means that the T-Cam positioning for Classic F1 cars may be different to what you find on Modern F1 cars, sometimes resulting in the airbox clipping through the nearpoint of the screen, the front wheels being much closer or further than you're used to etc.
Settings for each camera can be adjusted independently, which lets you use the Offset T-Cam as a "secondary T-Cam" for those cars that have an odd perspective when using normal T-Cam.

• Head into a Modern F1 car of your choice (I go with the Red Bull).

• Set up your T-Cam settings (offsets, FOV etc.) as you normally would.

• For the Offset T-Cam, change the Horizontal Offset setting left/right so that the camera is in the exact center of the car.

• Adjust your other Offset T-Cam settings as you see fit.

You will find that as the Offset T-Cam is placed in a different position to the regular T-Cam you will have a slightly different field of view and angle, even with the same settings as your normal T-Cam. 
For me my normal T-Cam has a viewpoint that suits what I want from a Modern F1 car, but I can use the Offset T-Cam when driving something like the Red Bull RB6 or the 90s cars to give me the extra angle I am used to with a Modern F1 car.
Overall, you shouldn't need to head into the pause menu to customise your T-Cam for every different era of car you drive, as your 2 T-Cams should take care of pretty much everything.

Finding the right AI difficulty for the beginning of your Career.
This year we have a far greater range of AI difficulty settings than before, 110 in total.
That can be a little intimidating but thanks to the addition of Spec Racing and Classic F1 cars we can run a quick test to match our driving pace to that of the AI drivers, resulting in closer racing and more realistic results based on your car's performance level.

• Head to Grand Prix mode and select Catalunya with short Qualifying.

• Choose the 2010 Red Bull RB6 and change the Class setting to Spec Racing.

• Do your Qualifying Session with the default setup.

As everybody's in the same car, the only difference is driver/AI skill.
When I did this I kept running the Qualifying at different AI levels so that my time would match Pole Position as close as possible (I eventually settled on 65%).
What I found was that when I started my Career (Red Bull) I would match the pace of my team-mate (Verstappen) in Qualifying and Races.
This ultimately meant that whenever I was hitting the times of Ferrari/Mercedes I knew I was doing really well in that session, and to maintain that level I'd have to push harder on each successive lap. The battles I have had in the Career have been enjoyable so far purely because the AI feels "just right" for my pace level and the results are fair.

[RABO129 0]

How can u alter the MFD so u can do it how u say sounds a lot easier m8 

[PJTierney 4,908]

RABO129 said:

How can u alter the MFD so u can do it how u say sounds a lot easier m8 

In the controller settings there is an area to map buttons, including MFD shortcuts.

[coolieboy 0]

Don't know if this is considered a tip or a hack but if you want quicker turn in response time then move the horizontal offset slider all the way to +1. 

[jfoy11 0]

Has anyone any tips for how to deal with and reduce engine wear? I’m in the middle of the Russian Grand Prix and I can clearly feel that my engine is about to blow. Cars that would normally not be as competitive as my Renault are right up my gearbox when I don’t have DRS.