Please give me a race start strategy

[Scrogs 97]

The majority of my race starts are from the back end of the grid on F1 2020 so I'm looking for advice about race starts and hopefully gaining some places.

At the moment I'm just concentrating on not being involved in a first corner nudge/crash but this cautious approach usually means that I'm passed by everyone by the second or third corner. Even with this cautious approach I generally get hit from an AI car from behind and I get a time penalty. 😣

 Maybe the answer is to qualify further up the grid....or longer races might give me more opportunity to pass cars. 

[SixtoRodriguez 10]

I think the AI is unrealistically fast in the first 4-5 laps (especially in the first lap!) - even if you're running on "fast" fuel mode and with ERS on. Manual starts are too difficult in my opinion - especially if the AI magically always get it right.

[janbonator 300]

2 hours ago, Scrogs said:

The majority of my race starts are from the back end of the grid on F1 2020 so I'm looking for advice about race starts and hopefully gaining some places.

At the moment I'm just concentrating on not being involved in a first corner nudge/crash but this cautious approach usually means that I'm passed by everyone by the second or third corner. Even with this cautious approach I generally get hit from an AI car from behind and I get a time penalty. 😣

 Maybe the answer is to qualify further up the grid....or longer races might give me more opportunity to pass cars. 

 

1 hour ago, SixtoRodriguez said:

I think the AI is unrealistically fast in the first 4-5 laps (especially in the first lap!) - even if you're running on "fast" fuel mode and with ERS on. Manual starts are too difficult in my opinion - especially if the AI magically always get it right.

It's very important that your tyre temperatures are in the correct window. The AI doesn't give a hoot about temps, they will get going even if it rains frozen frogs.

What kind of race distances are you doing @Scrogs? In a sense I admire your cautious approach. Most drivers can't resist sending it up the inside in the first or second corner against the AI. On many tracks one can jump around ten places doing so, because the AI doesn't cover it off, but instead just drives in a train on the racing line. Sometimes the first corner is fast, like in Silverstone for example. Leave a bit of room at the start (when starting at the back), and just fly through the corner with Rich and Overtake, and outbrake half the field into T3.. But don't do it online please.

[SixtoRodriguez 10]

15 minutes ago, janbonator said:

 

It's very important that your tyre temperatures are in the correct window. The AI doesn't give a hoot about temps, they will get going even if it rains frozen frogs.

Even if my tyre temperatures are a little too low at the start, the temps should be in the perfect window after a few turns. The AI is passing me left and right the first 4-5 laps. 

[janbonator 300]

42 minutes ago, SixtoRodriguez said:

Even if my tyre temperatures are a little too low at the start, the temps should be in the perfect window after a few turns. The AI is passing me left and right the first 4-5 laps. 

It's pretty hard to tell what's the exact problem without seeing a video. Where are they quicker? Braking, apex speeds, straights?

[SixtoRodriguez 10]

17 minutes ago, janbonator said:

It's pretty hard to tell what's the exact problem without seeing a video. Where are they quicker? Braking, apex speeds, straights?

Apex speeds and straights. It sometimes feels like the car is automatically slowing down if the AI is close to me in the slow corner. But I probably just suck at this game so don't put too much thought into it. 

[janbonator 300]

1 minute ago, SixtoRodriguez said:

Apex speeds and straights. It sometimes feels like the car is automatically slowing down if the AI is close to me in the slow corner. But I probably just suck at this game so don't put too much thought into it. 

No worries. I don't mind trying to help. Analyzing someone else's driving can sometimes be beneficial for my own driving as well.

To be honest the slow corners are my Achilles' heel as well, so I might not be the best at trying to help with that. But, if you like, upload a video and I'll give it a shot. No need to worry if the driving is not perfect - none of us started as a Senna and most of us never end up one no matter how we try!

[pacers101 19]

The AI is generally pretty poor at starts in my experience. Possibly a silly question but are you using manual starts? Automatic starts are terrible. Manual starts are very easy to learn. I just get the revs into the right range and steadily press down the accelerator after releasing the clutch. Once I have enough traction, get the ERS into overtake mode.

In terms of moves into the first corner, on most open tracks I like to take a punt around the far outside if my grid position allows. It tends to be a safer bet than up the inside. Gaining multiple places up the inside is often possible, just make sure that you leave enough time to slow down well before the apex.

[Scrogs 97]

4 hours ago, janbonator said:

 

It's very important that your tyre temperatures are in the correct window. The AI doesn't give a hoot about temps, they will get going even if it rains frozen frogs.

What kind of race distances are you doing @Scrogs? In a sense I admire your cautious approach. Most drivers can't resist sending it up the inside in the first or second corner against the AI. On many tracks one can jump around ten places doing so, because the AI doesn't cover it off, but instead just drives in a train on the racing line. Sometimes the first corner is fast, like in Silverstone for example. Leave a bit of room at the start (when starting at the back), and just fly through the corner with Rich and Overtake, and outbrake half the field into T3.. But don't do it online please.

5 lap races usually with assisted starts. Although I've run the occasional 25% race length that I enjoyed. Yeah.....maybe 25% or even 50% races that incorporates a mid session save (for a break and cup of tea). It never occured to me to use rich mix AND overtake from start......will give that a try.

[SixtoRodriguez 10]

17 hours ago, janbonator said:

No worries. I don't mind trying to help. Analyzing someone else's driving can sometimes be beneficial for my own driving as well.

To be honest the slow corners are my Achilles' heel as well, so I might not be the best at trying to help with that. But, if you like, upload a video and I'll give it a shot. No need to worry if the driving is not perfect - none of us started as a Senna and most of us never end up one no matter how we try!

Appreciate your help. Thanks! I assume the best way is to record the video with my mobile phone and upload it to the board here!?

[pacers101 19]

18 hours ago, Scrogs said:

5 lap races usually with assisted starts. Although I've run the occasional 25% race length that I enjoyed. Yeah.....maybe 25% or even 50% races that incorporates a mid session save (for a break and cup of tea). It never occured to me to use rich mix AND overtake from start......will give that a try.

You need to ditch assisted starts if you want to get away from the line quicker. Manual starts are easy to learn and make a huge difference.

[janbonator 300]

5 hours ago, SixtoRodriguez said:

Appreciate your help. Thanks! I assume the best way is to record the video with my mobile phone and upload it to the board here!?

Depends on your platform I suppose. On PS4 it's very easy to record a clip and upload it to Youtube, provided you have a Youtube account. I think it's the same for xbox. Phone is fine though if you can get stable footage.

[PJTierney 4,908]

Here's what I do:

• Get off the line well.
• Set fuel to Rich.
• Push like hell until lap 4.