Hi All,
I'm fairly new to this game and thouroughly enjoying it. I've had it since January but I can't seem to get my lap times to be competitive. I'm always about 3 or 4 seconds slower than the faster drivers in the race. At the moment I'm concentrating on Blackwood circuit with UFR, FBM and FOX. I've tried downloading different setups but others always have the edge on me round corners and braking. Have also downloaded the setup guides to try my own setups but with no progress.

Generally I find that if I brake to late I understeer into the corner and if I brake earlier I get hit from behind or get overtaken.

Can anybody please give me some advice as I would really like to improve my lap times by 2 or 3 seconds.

It's mainly down to experience/track knowledge. Try downloading some of the WR replays from LFSW, they should give you some idea of the lines and braking points.

If you start braking early do it lightly so the guy behind will hopefully see that and not hit you. You have to find that fine line between braking to hard/late and getting the understeer and beginning the breaking early but to hard. You really shouldn't be bottoming out the brake pedal too often if at all.


Defies all begining racers logic but. SLOW IN- FAST OUT!! The first chicane that leads to that back stretch is THE most important corner on the whole track. The faster you can exit that corner, the more speed you carry ALL the way down that stratch and hopefully pass a few on the way

I know, but I find that chicane really tricky.
Any advice on setups?

Quote from LineR32 :

Try downloading some of the WR replays from LFSW.

Like he says, this should help you get to know the tracks better, and of course, it has made the world record, so how can you go wrong? U nless you don't like the style of setup though. Which leads onto, you should try many different setups to see which ones you like the feel of.

Quote from samforey12345 :

Like he says, this should help you get to know the tracks better, and of course, it has made the world record, so how can you go wrong? U nless you don't like the style of setup though. Which leads onto, you should try many different setups to see which ones you like the feel of.

Actually I find WR setups tend to be a little tricky to drive, very "twitchy" in my book. A good race setup from setupfield.teaminferno.hu seem to be pretty stable. Give some of those a try.


That chicane is really tricky for some reason, I think Scawen covered the curbs in butter. Just practice it, I still can't come out of there with proper speed. The earlier turn-in the better I've found.

Quote from mike61es :

Hi All,
I'm fairly new to this game and thouroughly enjoying it. I've had it since January but I can't seem to get my lap times to be competitive. I'm always about 3 or 4 seconds slower than the faster drivers in the race. At the moment I'm concentrating on Blackwood circuit with UFR, FBM and FOX. I've tried downloading different setups but others always have the edge on me round corners and braking. Have also downloaded the setup guides to try my own setups but with no progress.

Generally I find that if I brake to late I understeer into the corner and if I brake earlier I get hit from behind or get overtaken.

Can anybody please give me some advice as I would really like to improve my lap times by 2 or 3 seconds.

Hi there!

First of all I'd suggest you focus on one car only, preferably the FBM, since it's by far the easiest among the others you listed... even with very low downforce settings. The FOX feels easy in the begining, but in order to move fast u need to lower the downforce quite a bit and this is something this car doesn't really like
The UFR is a little, savaged beast with a rather awkard handling and a bitchy tedency to flip over easily, due its really short track width. Not a very wise choice to start your adventure in LFS

Secondly, try to learn and master trail-braking (alternative link, both good read) as soon as you can, since this is the most important trick most fast guys do and gain time and/or positions at Blackwood's K1. I'd suggest you pratcice trail-braking with the XFG using a fast setup (such as Nilex's or Partyboy's available on teaminfernno pages) until you get the hang of it. In short, trail braking is to brake as late and as hard as you can and gradually release the brake pedal while you're steering into the corner, while you start applying some throttle (I'm assuming you already brake with your left foot, otherwise you'll also need to learn and practice heel & toe)

Thirdly, as others already mentioned, study replays of fast guys, preferably those who also share their setup so you can use it too while practising. Take note of their braking/accelerating points and their entry-apex-exit speeds in corners. Don't try to mimic them instantly, but keep them in mind while practsing so you know the setup's limits and progressively try to reach them.

As for the Blackwood corners, almost all of them are quite crucial for the final laptime. Perhaps the first (needs trail braking) and the last one (doesn't really need trail braking) are a little bit more tricky than the others. Not all corners need trail-braking. When you don't (or until you do) trail-brake, negotiate corners using the slow in, fast out approach. This roughly means: break early and accelerate early (ideally before the apex, or at the apex at the very latest).

I hope I helped a bit! Be patient, methodic and persistant and you'll eat up those 2 secs in no time

Start racing - tips from my friends...
http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=42191

Quote from mike61es :

Any advice on setups?

www.setupgrid.net

Ooh, thanks for that link

I knew about the Team Inferno setups, but the ones there seem much more suited to actual racing rather than hotlapping.


Just tried out one and straight away beat my PB round FE Club by half a second on my third lap..

Personally I find sticking to racing the low powered cars better to learn in... reason is you have to use the correct line to maintain a good average. Try XFG to practice FWD and XRG for RWD.