Time Trial League - Rd 6 - Baku

Welcome to round 6 at Baku! 

For this round we are using the beautiful track created by Tojepo and Gezere. The graphics on this track and superb, it's hard not to admire them whilst driving down the boring long straights as the walls jump out at you and you have to start your run again. 

CC-lines

For this round I want to talk about CC-lines. I've mentioned them a few times before, and I'm really no expert, but it is an important consideration in time trialing. The CC-line is created by the track makers, and it controls the racing line for the computer cars (CC). It's also the line that appears when you activate steering help. But it also the main factor in the steering help. On the steering wheel, you can turn this aid off, but you can't if you're using the keyboard (although it is possible with GP4 Tweaker but it is impossible to drive quickly without it). I know many have complained in the past that driving in GP4 is like driving on rails, the steering help governing how much steering angle you put in on around the corner, and that is largely governed by this CC-line. 

A good CC-line, in my opinion, ought to be as close to the drivers' lines in real life, and they ought to be smooth and natural. On top of that, how they work when you are off line matters too. F1 Virtual are, in my opinion, among the best at creating CC-lines, they work great when you are on the right line and it's slightly forgiving when you are off it. It's not always the case, a limitation of GP4, like turn 10 in Sakhir, if you're too fast into there, there is no way to recover the lap time. 

If there was to be some improvement to this Baku track, it would be the CC-line. Ultimately, what it means is that those who run with a steering wheel and turn steering help off will have an advantage in this round. 

Hot Lap reactions and thoughts

Once again, I spent some time on setup on the keyboard, for me a lower downforce configuration gained so much time in the final sector that it was a no brainer for me, but it means you have to be more patient in the twisty stuff. Tyre wear is not an issue here, but it takes around 1.5 'laps' of fuel to complete 1 actual lap. I chose to start off with 6 laps of fuel and run 2 timed laps and that made sure I had 1 lap of fuel remaining after my hot lap. I also ran with extremely forward brake bias for the long straights, but in the end I think that cost me lap time in locking up and I should have run a more normal brake bias. 

This track is so long, the amount of times I crash out of boredom just getting round to start the hotlap, in the end I saved it on the straight and just reloaded each time, but the nice graphics do take a lot longer to load. 

32bobo32 said it best when he described this track as 'enigmatic'. There are times when you think you're on a great lap, and the time sheet says you were 2 seconds a lap slower. Some corners are so sensitive to the CC-line that you end up doing unusual things to get around a corner without hitting a wall. 32bobo32 reports "when you think you have no grip, the car starts to have it and you can push 😳." Duffer was struggling with finding braking points saying 'have you got the impression the car don't brake'. 

Soon despair hit most of us:

32bobo32: "Aaaarghhhh.... stupid baku.... I hate it"
Duffer: "I can't drive on it"
Carl: "there is NO grip on this track"
Even Gildoorf: "I give up...Enough 😂...Baku... (sigh)"
Duffer, after converting to using a wheel: "But i really hate this track 😭😭😭"

As the week went on, everyone was taking chunks out of their lap time, no more so than Gildoorf who amazingly found 0.727 on his previous best time right at the end! 

In comparison, I had two short attempts on the wheel, the first session I only managed 3 complete laps, the fastest lap being 1.5 seconds faster than anything I attempted on the keyboard. The second session was also short, but I managed to take 6 tenths off my time and that was the lap I submitted. I went back to the keyboard but I could only manage a 1:46.220. 

The Laps

First thing to mention is that Prblanco remains in the pits because he's on paternity leave, congrats to you on the birth of your baby, hoping you, the baby and the mother are keeping well. For other personal reasons, Carl did not have much time to set his lap, and Duffer is attempting a lap on the wheel for the first time. No sign of 32bobo32's eagerly anticipated wheel yet though. 

Once again, thanks to Carl_gpgames for putting together the video, I'm really enjoying these. Watch along with me as I analyse each lap corner by corner. 

0:08 - As is customary now, we look at the top speeds. Being the only Brit in this competition, I run in mph, but that's problematic for the video as everyone else is on kph, so I'll try and remember to amend it next round. But doing a quick conversion, and I am running at 342kph, meaning I am running the lowest wing levels along with Kerley (who is using my extreme setup). After last round where I put on too much wing, and with the long straights here at Baku, I was hoping it would pay off. 32bobo32 is the slowest in the straight line, let's see how he gets on around the lap. Into turn 1, and all the wheel drivers are putting in lot's of steering lock on. But it's me and Gildoorf out of turn 1 first, followed by Carl, Duffer and Kerley. 4 drivers have their traction control off on the exit, trying to maximise acceleration. 

Carl: "just saw that @Alexandre  locks the brake way less than the rest (brake / tyre smoke)."
Duffer: "No secret with this crappy track i brake before everybody 😭😂"

0:18 - Turn 2 is another 90 degree corner, but it leads onto another long straight, so it's important to get a good exit. On the turn in, I am brushing the inside barrier. Gildoorf is right on the limit on the exit barrier, and 32bobo32 taps it slightly. At the end of the straight at 0:29, Carl and I both reach 323kph, 5kph more than Gildoorf and then the rest. Into the braking zone, and we all brake hard initially, and then feather the brakes as we turn in, trying not to lock the brakes too much. Duffer is running in fifth place coming into turn 2, but by the exit of turn 3, he is up to third, a very close battle developing between him, Carl and 32bobo32. I had a great lead coming into turn 3, but I turn in too soon in turn 3 and I'm way too cautious, leaving loads of room on the exit of turn 4, Gildoorf closes in. Kerley hits the wall on the exit of turn 4. 

0:43 - Into turns 5 and 6, and it's important to get a good line through 6, which means not going too fast around turn 5, particularly difficult on the keyboard and we can see Kerley struggle with the entry into turn 6. Neat and tidy for everyone else though, but it's Gildoorf who blasts into the lead, and it's still very close between Duffer, Carl and 32bobo32, with Kerley now dropping back. 

0:53 - Sector 1 times are set:

1	Fongu	47.440
2	Gildoorf	47.449
3	Duffer	48.145
4	Carl_gpgames	48.282
5	32bobo32	48.328
6	KerleyF1	49.645

It's going to be another tight fight at the front, just 0.009 seconds in it. A little behind that and there's a tight fight in the midfield. 

Into the tricky castle section, the cc-line is particularly difficult here and you have to go a lot slower than you think. Duffer takes a very wide line in Turn 7, but Gildoorf takes it the best and takes the lead. 32bobo32 moves into third and Duffer drops back to fifth. 

Turns 8-12 are tight, you have to cut the kerb at turn 8, but not so much that you unsettle the car, or you're in the barrier at turn 9. Patience is required in turn 11, and use as much exit to get a good exit out of turn 12. Gildoorf and I are the most aggressive into turn 8, but I take back the lead in this section, and Carl also does this section well, taking back third spot. This section clearly favours those on a wheel, look at the steering lock they can put on through turn 11, but Duffer is not so confident in turn 8 and is wide out of turn 11 and loses out in the midfield battle. Kerley is struggling too, the kerbs spitting him out of turn 8 which he needs to correct and he too is wide out of turn 11, compromising his turn 12 and that all important exit.

Gildoorf: "Right before Turn 8 I was able to catch the front...Unsurprisingly, at the end of the slope leadership was gone.😂😂😂"

1:13 - Turn 13 is flat with the right downforce levels, but for me, I had never managed it once in all of my attempts, except for my flying lap. It's even trickier on the keyboard you have to be 100% accurate on turn in otherwise you are in a wall. 

Gildoorf: "Only Fongu and I pushing full throttle at turn 14"
Kerley: "Impresive you guys, with low downforce, do it. 😳😳"
32bobo32: "I was able only in few laps... You had to find the right point to start to turn in order to reach full throttle...otherwise... i loose the count of times I crashed to the right wall ahahahahah"

1:20 - Turn 15 is tricky, being down hill, plus you have the kerb on the right that can make you slide straight on. The cc line is a bit odd to be honest, and the kerb can send you flying into the exit barrier. Though I'm clearly ahead into turn 15, I am super cautious, still buzzing I made it through turn 13 flat for the first time and knowing this was by far my best lap to date. Gildoorf throws caution to the wind:  does he or does he not tap the exit barrier? so close! Carl had made great gains too and is pulling away from 32bobo32 and Duffer. 

Gildoorf: "Turn 15... 🤔... CC line would never let me do the way Fongu does." (referring to how much kerb I ended up taking)

1:28 - Sector 2 times are done:

1	Fongu	32.350
2	Gildoorf	32.618
3	Carl_gpgames	32.929
4	32bobo32	33.331
5	Duffer	33.541
6	KerleyF1	34.719

The castle section has really played into my favour and I carry that advantage around the whole second sector, despite a couple of cautious corners. Carl also sets a strong second sector. Putting that together the total laptimes at the end of sector 2 are:

1	Fongu	1:19.790
2	Gildoorf	1:20.067
3	Carl_gpgames	1:21.211
4	32bobo32	1:21.659
5	Duffer	1:21.686
6	KerleyF1	1:24.364

I take a three tenth lead into the final sector, which is essentially one corner and a long straight. Carl pulls a clear advantage in third, whilst it's still nothing between 32bobo32 and Duffer. Kerley though is in the running for some points (unless Prblanco suddenly pulls out of his pitbox.) 

1:29 - Into the final proper turn, at Turn 16, and I'm cautious again, maximum steering lock and cautious on the exit, whilst Gildoorf is using every bit of track and kerb (possibly slightly over). A minor slide and right on the limit of track limits, but he's OK. Just watch his turn and then compare it to the midfield trio. With that, he has all but erased my advantage going into the straight. 32bobo32 uses his higher downforce to make up ground in turn 16, but can he maintain that advantage down the long straight?

1:39 - Half way down the straight and I'm 5kph faster than my rival Gildoorf. Carl is clear in third, and 32bobo32 is just ahead of Duffer, but he is 2kph faster and closing in. 

1:50 - Gildoorf and I are staying over to the left, keeping the shortest distance to the line. Across the line and Gildoorf sets the fastest final sector time, but it's only 0.031 seconds faster than me, meaning all that effort in turn 16 has been cancelled out by me running slightly less wing down the straight. Carl set's an impressive sector in second, just 0.003 behind Gildoorf but ahead of me. Kerley sets his best sector of the lap, beating 32bobo32 and Duffer by 3 tenths. 

Carl: "only 0.003 between @Pruitt-Igoe and me! thanks to my low downforce setup 🙂"
Gildoorf: "Wow!!! That was close"
32bobo32: "S3 Is everytime my bad One 😳"

This is the final lap times

1	Fongu	1:44.939
2	Gildoorf	1:45.185
3	Carl_gpgames	1:46.332
4	32bobo32	1:47.257
5	Duffer	1:47.366
6	KerleyF1	1:49.719

I'm the only one to break into the 1:44s, but I have to admit there is an advantage to using a wheel on this track and there's clearly more time on the wheel to be found. Gildoorf put in an absolutely tremendous lap, I couldn't get within a second of it on the keyboard with my setup, in fact he's 2 seconds clear of 32bobo32, the next keyboard runner. Honestly, I don't know how you did it, great job. 

Carl makes his first podium finish, a fine lap, and we can see his development as he's mastering his wheel and the car, well done to you on a difficult week.

32bobo32 just holds off Duffer to the line to get fourth place, finishing the lap around one second behind Carl. 

Kerley, after his strong finish, collects more points in sixth place. 

Prblanco never made it out of the pits in the end; no need to rush back, enjoy time with your family. 

Post race reactions

Carl: "Again a super strong drive from Fongu and a well deserved win! congratulations! 🏎️🍾🍾🍾"

Kerley: "SUPERB lap from Fongu and Gildoorf! Another planet!"

Carl: "i must say, i have secretly hoped for Gildoorf to win 😳😃...super close between you two again. i must say it's amazing what you are able to do with keys only (and even on a track which hasnt the best ccline and magic data)"

32bobo32: "This is my 1st hotlap competition ever 🤣 And it's really fun!"

Gildoorf: "Carl! I'm trying, Fongu raised the bar way high, but I have to confess, Just as 32bobo32 says, never raced a contest before and I'm truly happy with my efforts so far. Winning Monaco was such a joy 😃"

Gildoorf: "Just for the record: flawless lap, Carl. Absolutely no mistakes, you deserved that, man!"

Kerley: "Yep! Great lap too Carl 🙂👏👏👏🏎️"

Championship standings

1	Fongu	56pts
2	Gildoorf	40pts
3	32BOBO32	19pts
4	Carl_gpgames	15pts
5	Duffer	13pts
6	Prblanco	10pts
7	KerleyF1	03pts

I get back to winning ways (much to my rivals chagrin obviously🙄), having won 5 of the 6 races so far. Gildoorf continues to impress, but has to settle for second after his debut victory in Monaco. 32bobo32 is just holding onto third place, but Carl moves up into fourth place with his impressive podium placed finish in Baku. Kerley has now earned 3 points.