The Secrets Behind Cornering Efficiency

To win a race in Sim Racing, like in racing in general, you must be the fastest on the straight, but also in the turns. This is when a poor chassis, poor setup, worn tyres, or damp tarmac truly hurts.

The “traction circle” is a crucial aspect of cornering efficiency. The grip of tyres is limited. This can include longitudinal grip while braking and transverse grip when cornering. The proper quantity of both forms of grip will guarantee that cornering is not hampered by a lack of grip.

Every weekend, we hear two phrases on the radio if grip evaporates for any reason. They are known as understeer and oversteer. When the front tyres do not behave as expected, the car understeers. This causes the automobile to travel slightly off the line, making attacking the apex of the corner difficult and slowing the corner exit.

Oversteer occurs when the vehicle’s rear undercarriage fails. In colloquial parlance, the vehicle has “lost its back end.” More power is provided to the rear wheels than the tyres can convey to the tarmac in this scenario. The tyres lose grip, causing the automobile to spin in reverse. To prevent losing control of the vehicle, the driver must countersteer. Oversteering causes the rear tyres to degrade faster.

When cornering, the driver must deal with three distinct situations: the approach, the turn, and the departure. When the rider arrives, he or she will brake based on the angle of the bend and the speed that can be maintained. Once within the curve, he must turn to find the apex of the curve, which is the curve’s narrowest point. When you reach the peak, begin accelerating and exit towards the other side of the apex.

Aerodynamics is one factor that has a direct impact on cornering speed. A automobile with more downforce will be able to corner faster than a car with less downforce. As a result, a vehicle with the Monza setup will lap the Hungaroring slower than a car with the proper aerodynamics.

See you on the track!