Learning center
Source: Official F1 Challenge '99-'02 manual.
Finding the limit
As drivers approach the limit and their car's tires experience ever increasing stress, the fact that te tires are reaching
the limit of grip can actually be felt and therefore responded to accordingly. During high speed cornering, so much stress
builds up in the tire that the area in contact with the road becomes stretched like a piece of elastic. This has the effect
of pulling the remainder of the tire (and the car) sideways. This happens despite the fact that the tire itself is not actually
sliding. The angle between the direction in which the tire is traveling and the direction it is pointing is commonly referred
to as the "slip angle."
In F1 Challenge '99-'02, the effects of slip angle cannot be felt, but are instead relayed to you through audio. As the tires
begin to screech in the corners, they are beginning to be stretched and are either at (or very near to) their limit of grip.
Tip: If you never hear the tires squeal, you're not pushing hard enough!
Racing lines
The main objective of a race driver is to win. To do that the driver has to be able to drive a car quickly around a circuit
by taking the "Racing Line." Each corner, chicane, and even straight has a particular line each driver should follow to achieve
the optimum lap time. Detailed below are the most common types of corners found in F1 today, and the racing line suited to each.
Fast corner
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By its nature, a fast corner is shallow. It is important to turn in early and smoothly, as dramatic changes of direction can
lead to a catastrophic spin. The objective is to carry your speed into and all the way through the corner.
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90-degree corner
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The apex of a 90-degree corner is right in the center. Approach the bend on the outside of the track, brake early, head for
the apex, and feed the throttle to the exit.
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The "S" bend or chicane
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The line through a chicane is dictated by whether it comes before or after a long straight. If it follows a long straight,
brake late and carry your speed into the corner, sacrificing your exit speed, which is less important. If it precedes a long
straight, brake early and sacrifice your entrance speed so that you can get on the power earlier and make a fast exit.
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Hairpin
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Brake in a straight line, keeping to the outside of the track on the approach. Turn in late, sacrificing entry speed for the
chance of getting on the power early for a fast exit. Remember that the fastest line in qualifying may not be the best line in
a race when you may be closely followed by a rival. Under these circumstances you must protect your position by remaining on the
inside while approaching the hairpin.
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Double-apex corner
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A double apex corner usually exist where there is a short straight between two corners. Although they appear to be two corners,
this type of layout should be treated as one corner by running wide in mid-corner. This technique allows you to get the power
down earlier for the best possible exit.
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Constant radius corner
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Position yourself on the outside approaching the corner and turn in early. Follow the inside of the corner, creating a long
apex, and accelerate out. The steering wheel should be held in one position from entry to exit because the curve of the corner,
as its name suggests, remains constant.
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Opening corner
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At an opening corner, go to the apex early and allow the car to run wide as you feed in the power towards the exit. The shallower
angle of the exit phase should allow you to accelerate earlier on the exit and carry more speed through it.
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Tightening corner
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On a tightening corner, turn in late and go to the apex extremely late. Brake very briefly just before reaching the apex and then
put the power down for a good clean exit.
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Rain completely alters your driving experience. Grip is reduced, resulting in less weight transfer and exaggerated handling
problems. Add reduced visibility to this and it is easy to see how even the very best FORMULA ONE drivers can struggle in the
wet. To be successful in these conditions you must be more aware of what is going on around you.
Reduced weight transfer means that you need to brake earlier and lighter in order to slow the car sufficiently and avoid locking
up the wheels. In addition to this, with the horsepower of the engine remaining the same as in the dry, you need to be very
smooth with the accelerator in order to avoid spinning the wheels (which almost always leads to a catastrophic spin). You should
also adopt the wider "Italian" racing line in order to decrease the angle of attack into corners. It is also advisable to stay
away from the rumble strips to ensure you have complete control of the car in wet weather conditions.
A wet weather setup can also help. First ensure that you have rain tires fitted and then experiment with lowering Spring Rate,
the Front and Rear Anti-Roll Bar, and Tire Pressure one by one in order to make the car less twitchy. After making these
adjustments, brake bias should be moved towards the rear in order to increase the amount of weight transfer to the front under
braking, which in turn helps prevent the front wheels from locking up during braking. Finally, you might use extra wing and
slightly longer gear ratios to gain more grip and reduce the chance of wheel spin when accelerating.
You can improve your lap times considerably by optimizing the setup of your car to suit your own driving style and the unique
characteristics of each circuit. Unfortunately, the process of setting up your car is not an exact science. Every adjustment
you make is an exercise in compromise - everything affects something else and changes you expect to help may often have the
opposite effect.
The following tables provide a detailed summary of each and every aspect of car setup that can be adusted within the
Advanced Vehicle Setup pages.
Gearing
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Lengthen gears | None | Increased potential maximum speed; decreased acceleration |
| Shorten gears | None | Decreased potential maximum speed; increased acceleration |
Mechanical and aero
Brake duct size
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase | None | Increased engine cooling; decreased straight line speed |
| Decrease | None | Decreased engine cooling; increased straight line speed |
Engine rev limit
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase | None | Increased horsepower; higher engine temperatures |
| Decrease | None | Decreased horsepower; lower engine temperatures |
Radiator size
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase | None | Increase engine cooling; decreased straight line speed |
| Decrease | None | Decrease engine cooling; increased straight line speed |
Steering lock
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase | None | Decreased turning circle |
| Decrease | None | Increased turning circle |
Differential lock
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase | Increased understeer in corners | None |
| Decrease | Increased oversteer in corners | None |
Wings
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front | Increased oversteer in corners | Increased front grip in corners; increased front tire wear; reduced straight-line speed |
| Increase rear | Increased understeer in corners | Increased rear grip in corners; increased rear tire wear; reduced straight-line speed |
| Increase front and rear | None | Increased grip in corners; reduced straight-line speed |
| Decrease front | Increased understeer in corners | Decreased grip in corners; decreased front tire wear; increased straight-line speed |
| Decrease rear | Increased oversteer | Decreased grip in corners; decreased rear tire wear; increased straight-line speed |
Anti-roll bars
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front (stiffen) | Increased understeer in corners | Decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased front tire wear; more responsive handling |
| Increase rear (stiffen) | Increased oversteer in corners | Decreased grip when exiting corners, decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased rear tire wear; more responsive handling |
| Increase front and rear (stiffen) | None | Decreased grip when exiting corners, decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased front and rear tire wear; more responsive handling |
| Decrease front (soften) | Increased oversteer in corners | Increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased front tire wear; less responsive handling |
| Decrease rear (soften) | Increased understeer in corners | Increased grip when exiting corners; increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased rear tire wear; less responsive handling |
| Decrease front and rear (soften) | None | Car may bottom out more often; increased grip when exiting corners; increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased front and rear tire wear; less responsive handling |
Weight distribution
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Adjust to front | Increased oversteer | None |
| Adjust to rear | Increased understeer | None |
Brake pressure
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase | None | Increased brake pedal sensitivity, increased braking ability and increased brake wear |
| Decrease | None | Decreased brake pedal sensitivity, decreased braking ability and increased brake wear |
Brake bias
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Adjust to front | Increased understeer under braking | Front wheels can lock up, increasing brake distances |
| Adjust to rear | Increased oversteer under braking | Rear wheels can lock up, increasing brake distances |
Tire pressure and camber
Camber
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front | None | Increased grip in corners |
| Increase rear | None | Decreased grip in corners |
| Decrease front | None | Decreased grip in corners |
| Decrease rear | None | Increased grip in corners |
Tire pressure
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front | Increased understeer | Decreased grip in corners; decreased front tire wear |
| Increase rear | Increased oversteer | Decreased grip in corners; decreased rear tire wear |
| Increase front and rear | None | Decreased grip in corners; decreased front and rear tire wear |
| Decrease front | Increased oversteer | Increased grip in corners; increased front tire wear |
| Decrease rear | Increased understeer | Increased grip in corners; increased rear tire wear |
| Decrease front and rear | None | Increased grip in corners; increased front and rear tire wear |
Toe in
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front (Positive) | None | Improved turn-in; increased tire wear; decreased straight line speed |
| Increase rear (Positive) | None | Improved stability; increased tire wear; decreased straight line speed |
| Increase front (Negative) | None | Decreased turn-in; increased tire wear; decreased straight line speed |
| Increase rear (Negative) | None | Decreased stability; increased tire wear; decreased straight line speed |
Springs and ride height
Ride height
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front | Increased understeer in fast corners | Car may bottom out less often |
| Increase rear | Increased oversteer in fast corners | Car may bottom out less often |
| Increase front and rear symmetrically | None | Car may bottom out less often |
| Decrease front | Increased oversteer in fast corners | Car may bottom out more often |
| Decrease rear | Increased understeer in fast corners | Car may bottom out more often |
| Decrease front and rear | None | Car may bottom out more often |
Packers
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front | Increased understeer | Allows front ride height to be reduced without bottoming out |
| Increase rear | Increased oversteer | Allows rear ride height to be reduced without bottoming out |
| Increase front and rear symmetrically | None | Allows ride height to be reduced without bottoming out |
| Decrease front | Increased oversteer | Car may bottom out more often |
| Decrease rear | Increased understeer | Car may bottom out more often |
| Decrease front and rear | None | Car may bottom out more often |
Spring rate
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front (stiffen) | Increased understeer in corners | Decreased grip in corners; decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased front tire wear; more responsive handling |
| Increase rear (stiffen) | Increased oversteer in corners | Decreased grip in corners; decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased rear tire wear; more responsive handling |
| Increase front and rear symmetrically (stiffen) | None | Decreased grip in corners; decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased front and rear tire wear; more responsive handling |
| Decrease front (soften) | Increased oversteer in corners | Increased grip in corners; increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased front tire wear; less responsive handling |
| Decrease rear (soften) | Increased understeer in corners | Increased grip in corners; increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased rear tire wear; less responsive handling |
| Decrease front and rear (soften) | None | Increased grip in corners; increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased front and rear tire wear; less responsive handling |
Bump damping
Fast & slow bump
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front (stiffen) | Increased understeer in bumpy corners | Increased front tire wear |
| Increase rear (stiffen) | Increased oversteer in bumpy corners | Decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased rear tire wear |
| Increase front and rear symmetrically (stiffen) | None | Decreased grip on bumpy surfaces; increased front and rear tire wear; unpredictable and nervous handling |
| Decrease front (soften) | Increased oversteer in bumpy corners | Decreased front tire wear |
| Decrease rear (soften) | Increased understeer in bumpy corners | Increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased rear tire wear |
| Decrease front and rear (soften) | None | Increased grip on bumpy surfaces; decreased rear tire wear |
Rebound damping
Fast & slow rebound
| ACTION | EFFECT ON BALANCE | OTHER EFFECTS |
| Increase front (stiffen) | Increased understeer during entry/exit to corners | Increased front tire wear |
| Increase rear (stiffen) | Increased oversteer during entry/exit to corners | Increased rear tire wear |
| Increase front and rear symmetrically (stiffen) | None | More responsive handling |
| Decrease front (soften) | Increased oversteer during entry/exit to corners | Decreased front tire wear |
| Decrease rear (soften) | Increased understeer during entry/exit to corners | Decreased rear tire wear |
| Decrease front and rear (soften) | None | Less responsive handling |
Source: Official F1 Challenge '99-'02 manual.
