The lap time was a 1:31.624 which is about 8 tenths down on my fastest so far, but the basis are there for you to learn.
So here we go, corner by corner:
Sector 1
Turn 1
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| For the first proper turn in the track, the breaking point is pretty much as soon as you touch the white line, you want to be breaking the tiniest amount after that, so you can stay nice and tight into the corner. |
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| When you reach the corner, the line that must be taken, is to be as tight into this corner as possible, but keep two wheels on the track at all times people! I personally like to take this corner in 1st gear, but I know a lot of people who take it in 2nd, most do, and it is down to you to decide what gear suits you. The time lost/gained through both would be minuscule. Coming out of this corner is flat out even through the left hander, just keep nice and tight and get on that DRS as soon as you can! |
Turns 3 and 4
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| The turn 3/4 complex is a tricky one to master, and the first part is the breaking zone. After coming out of turn 2, you should be either maxing out in 5th gear or in the low 6th before whacking on the breaks down to 2nd. The breaking point is on/just after the UBS advertising board which is just in shot at the top of the picture. |
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| The key to nailing these corners is to not carry apex speed, but focus on your exit out of turn 4. Keep it in 2nd throughout, and don't worry if you feel slow going through the corner, that is the idea! Just hug the apex and remember, it is a 90 degree corner so you probably want to do more turning than you think. |
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| You can see that my speed has only changed by 4 mph from turn 3 to turn 4, again showing it is not about carrying speed through the corner. Here it is the same as turn 3, just hug the apex, and remember this is also a 90 degree corner, so you wont be able to get on the power as soon as you would like, but when you can, just slam down that throttle and open the DRS! After that turn, it is full throttle and DRS open through the next bit, and that is the end of the sector! Aiming for a 1:31.000 total lap time, you should be around the 23.7 mark.
Sector 2
Turn 7
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| A very simple breaking zone, just need to break on, or a tiny bit after the 100 meter board. |
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| A corner where you need to be fairly precise, but it is not the hardest part of the track. Just aim for the inside curb, try getting 2 wheels (and only 2) onto the white part, and just maintain your speed, and full throttle out the other side! I take this corner in 1st, but just like turn 1, it is personal preference. The next turn is flat, I would open DRS just after it, but not important as it is a short run to the next corner.
Turn 9
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| Break when those 2 concrete triangles start, and shift down to 1st! Hug the apex, and don't do what I did and completely miss it and run onto the outside of the track, I always condone you to do your best to keep 2 wheels on the track at all times, or you are just cheating! The back straight is where you have time for a breather, open the DRS early, and you should use about half of your KERS when you get into 7th gear or use them until you hit the limiter. It is actually better to use KERS in high gears, because it makes the acceleration reasonably fast, where as at low speeds, it is so fast anyway it does not make much of a difference.
Turns 10, 11 and 12
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| A crucial bit of the track here, and breaking is half the battle. Break a bit before the safety car board, which is a bit before the 100 meter, and shift down to either 1st or 2nd. It is really important to get your breaking right for this corner complex! |
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| Hopefully you have got your breaking right going into this part of the track, and as I have already said, it is really important that you do, because to me, this is the bit where a lap is won or lost, just like in turns 3 and 4. Very tricky parts of the track! Just like in turns 3 and 4, corner speed is not important, but getting a good exit is vital. So keep it slow through this corner, hug the apex like it's your favourite granny (to quote Mr. Brundle) and just aim for getting a good entry for the next corner which is immediately after. |
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| If you get the first bit right, your speed should be quite low already, which will give you a tighter and better line through this next corner, and the kink that follows. If you haven't already, shift up to 2nd, or keep it in 2nd, which ever is relevant. Just like the corner before, you want to hug the initial apex, but then there are multiple ways of tackling the kink, you can either hold it really tight, and get a very good entry into turn 12, but lose a little bit of time in the straight in between. You can keep it in the middle (my preferred way) which is a good compromise of both good entry and not losing too much time, or you can run it out wide to get the most out of the small straight, and you will slightly, ever so slightly, compromise your entry into turn 12. |
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| Which ever way you decide to tackle the kink, you should be in 4th gear before you get to this corner. Now it is a 3rd gear corner, but I find it easier to shift to 2nd to scrub off the speed, and then quickly shift back up to 3rd so I can take it faster. Just like choosing the gear for those tight corners, it is a case of what suits you! You really want to hug the apex for this corner, keep it tight and launch your self onto the straight, where you will use DRS and the rest of your KERS when you get into 7th gear. |
If you are still going for a 1:31.000, this sector should take you about 40.8 seconds, with a combined sector time of 1:04.5.
Sector 3
Turn 14
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| Well finally the track has opened up a bit, and we have picked up some speed for easily the most fun sector of the track. The breaking here is not too difficult, but you want to be fairly accurate, and not break too early. I would recommend breaking just after the 100 meter board, which is just after the safety car board. Shift down to 1st or 2nd, your choice! |
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| I missed the apex quite a bit here, but it does not actually cost you much lap time if you do, so don't worry too much if you do. Just hold it tightly all the way round, and aim on the exit, for the entry to turn 15.
Turn 15
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| Not too difficult of a corner, just flat out, hit the apex and get ready for the next one. I would shift up through the gears here rather than hitting the limiter. You wont bog down, and unless your tyres are dead, you wont lose traction.
Turn 16
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| Just like the corner before, hit the apex and just keep shifting through those gears, you don't want to run wide as it will affect your next corner badly! |
Turn 17
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| Just like 15 and 16, keep it on the apex, the corner is flat like the other 2, and you can run 2 wheels out on the exit, that is fine, just make sure you get on that DRS early! You can do it pretty much just after this screen shot. Also, I am stupidly close to that wall, if you can do that every lap, kudos! Just be careful as you can get thrown out of the corner if you clip it. |
Turns 18 and 19
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| There are many ways of tackling this little kink, but because it is quite a big part of the next corner, I am actually classing it as a corner! I like to break just before the corner and shift into 6th, then get round the corner before I do my main breaking for turn 19. Some people just close the DRS and do it flat, but be warned if you do that, there is a high chance you will lock up and miss turn 19! |
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| Just your average hair pin! Kiss the apex and cut it nicely, run 2 wheels out onto the exit curb and run off area, open that DRS and power for the line, and get ready to start another lap! This final sector should be done in about 26.5 seconds, giving you a total time of 1:31.000 Well I hope that was helpful and that you can get a better understanding of the track from it! I know my lap was far from perfect, and I know I have not named the corners correctly, but if a corner is not named, it usually means you can just do it flat with DRS, and there was no point writing it down! I will be writing back in the next few days with my next track! I hope you enjoyed the read, and get practising! JesstheBear |
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