Testing testing testing.

Your virtual desk visit starts here...

So I've been conducting a load of testing around Le Mans. Mostly as my confident world was rocked when my most awesome Vantage decided to plow straight on at random moments in the last league race. And of course, I can't lose to Evan, it's championship over for me...

So here's what I've learnt as a result of my testing:

Track Walk:

Dunlop curve - you can cut this almost completely and not get a penalty. In fact hugging that bend is good as it's adverse camber (or at least neutral) so even a little wide and your car is stuffed going into the Dunlop Chicane.

Make sure you're clean going in, slow in and fast out as you want to be hanging to the right of the track before you hook into the left hand over brow of the start of the Esses. You need to be turning in as you're under the Dunlop bridge otherwise you're too wide for the right hand bend with the cones on it. And that you want to be hugging tight in on the right.

As you drop down into the Esses proper, through the right hander with green cones (apols to those colour blind) don't over cook it. The car needs to be really planted going into the tight left/right of the esses so you're set up nicely for that short straight - there's a fair bit of speed to be had before you get to Tetre Rouge.

The corner that is Tetre Rouge is important as it sets you up for the first long straight. I find slow in fast out is good. But I don't worry overly about going too wide, so long as you're not really wide the penalties aren't applied and you can avoid the rather nasty rumble strips, which if you hit with an unbalanced car under throttle can kick you out completely. Better to let the car you're racing get away and slipstream rather than try and go round the outside here.

Not much to say about the Mulsane straight(s), Hugging a wall can help as it seems a bit smoother, and of course you're only going to be slip stream passed on one side...

The Mulsane corner is the pig corner really - slightly wrong and it's into the frankly vast sand trap. I find as soon as the gear indicator start flashing I slam the brakes on and drop to somewhere around 3rd or 4th. Then whilst on the brake a quick blip on the throttle and down the remainder. Amazingly if you're not on the complete edge trying to scrub speed this is a really easy open corner, 9/10ths and there's position to be had.

Down the next straight is all about just not clipping the curbs, any grass and it's 360.deg spin time. Really hook in on the right through the bends as around 300kph+ they're pretty tight.

Indianapolis is much the same deal as the Mulsane corner above, but you can take it at a reasonable speed - often I find I over brake then blip for a bit between the two sections, not clean and probably a bit of time to be had. If I go proper wide, sometimes it's best to head on to the other side of the sand as there's bitumen there. Also, several times I've had huge moments round that bend, there's heaps of track, so if you think you might make it, turn in and have a go at drifting it. Good luck!

Arnage, well, that's just a slow corner, don't rag it too much down the straight into it, as there's no run off and no room to go wide - a stack here will mean reverse, and that's a lot of wasted time.

The Porsche Curves are best in around 3rd gear and really aim for the apex, going even a little bit wide means that the next bend is more acute - it all builds up to a complete failure three bends in...

My nemesis is the Ford Chicanes, any cutting here and it's crippling penalty time - it took me from hero (almost) to zero in the last race, I won't be making the same mistake again...

Cars:

We all have our own cars of course, and I've been testing all sorts. Here are some observations...

• Min 600Bhp - 640Bhp+ is good. 680Bhp+ will get you down the straights at speed.
• It really is all about horsepower - weight isn't so critical on a straight, and will sit the car down too, so it flicks less. But...
• Corners need a lighter car - I've found 1300kg+ is OK, 1400Kg+ and you'll struggle to stop and turn.
• Mid engined cars have issues around PP points, i.e. they rank higher than a F/R configuration.
• But, 4WD cars are even more highly scored.
• Skylines and similar cars are too high, they wobble. Lambos and other hyper-cars are best by far.
• Overall, I do think that a good 4wd car will probably suit our racing best, they're more forgiving.
• Stopping is an issue down the Mulsane, cars with no wing are faster, but less stable.
• Setting wing to minimum is enough to really sit the car down when hitting the brakes hard - it gave me 3 seconds a lap with the Vantage.
• 5 speed gears are fine in testing, but you need a 6 speed or above to really make use of slipstreaming and subsequent high top end driving.