+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
! Car SET UPS !
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
! for !
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
! F O R M U L A O N E 2 0 0 4 !
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
GAME: FORMULA ONE 2004
PLATFORM: PLAYSTATION 2
GENRE: Racing
CREATOR: SONY
AUTHOR OF THIS FAQ: Raffaele Busa
E-MAIL: raffostar(at)libero(dot)it
FAQ VERSION: FINAL
1. LEGAL STUFF
2. VERSION INFORMATION
3. INTRODUCTION
4. THINGS YOU MUST KNOW
5. CAR SET UPS
6. TEAMS OVERVIEW
7. UNLOCKABLES
8. TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE A GOOD SET UP
9. THANKS
10. CONCLUSION
______________________________________________________________________________
This guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advanced permission from the author. Use of this guide on
any other web sit or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited,
and a violation of copyright. All content in this guide is Copyright 2004
by Raffaele Busa. Only the sites listed below have permission to publish
this work or to display it:
If you wish to put this guide on your site, e-mail me and ask. Save yourself
the headache of putting up with lawsuits and whatnot because you failed to
ask a simple "Can I post your guide on <insert site>?". If you wish to use
info in this guide, please acknowledge that you have done so. If I don't
respond or I say no, accept it as fact. In addition, do not modify this
guide in any way whatsoever to suit your purposes.
The latest version can always be found at www.gamefaqs.com,
www.neoseeker.com and www.supercheats.com.
If you see this guide on any other site then the one listed above, please
e-mail me. If you wish to ask questions or give input to this guide, please
e-mail me. Just have Formula One 2004 as the subject so I know it isn't
spamming or another advertisement of a porno site who wants to connect me to
Hawaii..
I must apologize for all of the grammar mistakes you will find, but my English
is only fair, so just, please, tolerate me.
+**************************+
! 2. VERSION INFORMATION !*************************************************/
+**************************+
Version 1.00 08/16/04: Born of this guide.
Version 1.10 08/17/04: Some minor fixes in Hungaroring, added team overview
section, unlockables and the "your posted set ups"
section (still empty), completed some parts of "tips
on how to make a good set ups".
Version 1.20 08/18/04: Changes in Nurburgring and Australia set up, gave the
permission to post this faq at the web site
www.neoseeker.com, added the "things you must know"
section, completed the "tips on how to make a good
set up" section.
Version 1.30 08/21/04: Added all missing transmissions of 6 gears cars,
started testing the default set ups (just for compare
their times with my set ups times; under request by
First Ascent), gave the permission to post this faq
at the web site www.supercheats.com.
Version 1.40 08/24/04: Only minor fixes, working on the implementation of
some suggestions and explanations.
Version FINAL 09/01/04: Removed the "Your posted set ups" section, completed
the suggested set ups, with some surprises for Albert
Park and Magny Course. As you can see this is the
final version of this faq, i'm just going to leave F1
04 for a while, cos I'm about to play at Energy
Airforce Aimstrike, another simulation, another
genre.. I hope you all can have fun with Formula 1
2004 as much as i had when playing and, of course,
winning..
Here it is, my first FAQ. It is born cos there isn't anyone already available
for this wonderful game, and cos there are always people asking about some
good set ups for improve thier lap times, while obviously driving a user-
friendly car (with good speed, acceleration and handling, of course.
The presented set-ups may or may not work for everyone, depending on chosen
car, driving style, level of concentration, positioning of the planets, etc,
so don't bother me with mail saying "hey, u're damn set up sucks, it it
terrible, i can't manage to pass my grandmother while in the straightway
at full speed" an so on..
By this time, not all the set ups are the best one i can suggest, but i'm
continuosly working for improve them all. I found that they doesn't work
well for ferrari, dunno why, but i will open a new section when i will have
finish to set them for all the tracks.
+**************************+
! 4. THINGS YOU MUST KNOW !*************************************************/
+**************************+
Here are some hints and things you must know about the game: they will help
you alot!!!
.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
L1 = this is the launch control button. When a race is about to start, and the
lights are turning on, hold the L1 button down and accelerate (hold down
the X button or pull up the right analogue stick), and at the moment the
lights turn off, release the L1 button while still accelerating, and you
will have a great start without losing in acceleration and with no
penalties.
.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
SELECT = it is assigned for pit stops: when you press it, the icon of the
garage in the bottom left turns red, and the assistant will tell you to
wait for his order to get in the pit lane; when the icon will turn green,
and the assistant will tell you they're ready, you can go for the pit
stops, with no risk of a blank passage in the pit lane.
If you're playing with the 50% of the total laps (while in simulation
mode), or more, of the track, you will be asked to choose the strategy
for the race, between 1, 2, 3 or 4 pit stops during the race. If you
choose 1 pit stop, you will drive a heavier car, with less acceleration
than other cars, but you will lose less time comparised to other pilots
who decided 2 or 3 pit stops; if you choose 4 pit stops, you will have a
very accelerating car, but you will have to pit often than others, so you
will lose time during the pit stops. 2 and 3 choises are a middle way
between the other two ones..
During the race, the lap before the programmed pit stop, your garage icon
will turn blue, and the assistant will remember you to stop the next lap,
but NOT IN THAT LAP! You only have to do another lap, and when you come
close to pit lane, the assistant will tell you to come in, and so you
will be able to do the pit stop, without having to push the SELECT
button.
.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
RIGHT ANALOGUE STICK = it allows you to accelerate and brakes, as the X and []
buttons, but it is more accurate than the other two, so it is preferrable
to learn how to master it. It will allows you the possibility of easily
better your lap times, and it will give you a very big and happy smile!!
.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
TEST DRIVER OR 1st/2nd DRIVER? = It appears that many of you can't choise if
accept a place as a test driver in a good team, or stay in a bad team but
trying to win the championship: the answer is simple. If you choise the
test driver contract, you will miss at least 4 GPs, and in all of them M.
Schumacher will win or go on the podium (except for Catalunya: when the
CPU simulates it, it always go to some poor team, like jordan or minardi
or sauber.. Why???), so if you're going to accept this one, you must be
sure to be able to win all of the remaining tracks, or at least to go
draw with the pilot championship number one.. And remember you must pass
2 tests before becoming the 2nd driver.
If you remain to your old team, you can have more offer in the end of the
season, so you will be able to go for points in all of the remaining
tracks, maybe winning the championship, and then the next season you can
accept a better contract with another team, miss the first 5 GPs and,
after passing 2 tests, becoming the 2nd driver just in time for the
monaco GP..
.... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
TURNS = when you become close to a turn, if you have activated their icon in
the option menù, you will be advised of how much the turn is dangerous,
only by the color the turn it is represented: if it is bright green, you
can take it at the high speed you can have, but if it is bright red, you
must brake at all! The color, when braking, passes from red to dark red,
dark green and bright green, so you know how well you can take that turn
at your current speed.
+******************+
! 5. CAR SET UPS !*********************************************************/
+******************+
Here they are, I hope you can find them useful!
Generally:
Tyres: always SOFT
Brake Bias 1: always 35/65 (only used while testing default set ups, another
good choice if u don't like 30/70 brake bias)
Brake Bias 2: always 45/55 (2nd useful one)
Brake Bias 3: always 30/70 (1st useful one, usually, THIS must be
used, except when contrarily indicated in brakes setting)
Default Traction control: always FULL
Steering Angle: always 80°
All the best laps were done without the use of any short cuts, they can easily
be improved by skilled drivers, co I'm not so good if driving in games,
however best AI times are the lowest i have ever found, but they manage to run
as indicated only in qualyfing session, cos during the race they drive with at
least 1 sec more slow (unfortunately, this isn't true in all the tracks).
About the "Default Set Up Best Lap": I'm testing all the tracks' default
settings, just for be sure my set ups are useful, every time I let the
settings as they are, except for tyres (-->soft), brakes (-->thin), downforce
and ride height (as I suggest in my set ups: for example, in Australia I will
set front wing to 6° and rear wing to 13°, and ride height at 3.6), I always
use a BMW car (so, I only test them with a 7 gears car..).
All my set ups are of the oversteering (and, often, VERY oversteering) kind,
so if u don't like oversteering cars, these settings are not a good choise for
you; the default settings are of the neutral kind, and often quite a bit
understeering too.
I also added a symbol near all of the tracks, that will help you deciding if
use one my set ups, or a default set up with some changes, or indifferently
one of the two choises. I placed them on the extreme right of the name of the
track.
Here it is the explanation of the three symbols:
XXX = Not a porno, but u might prefer my suggested set up, instead of the
default one..
OOO = Better the default set up (+ some changes, read notes on the selected
track) than my set up (d'oh!).
[][][] = It is indifferent to choise one or another (very near best times).
______________1) Circuit: Australia (Albert Park)______________________--> OOO
Brakes: medium
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +2.5°
Ride Height: 3.6
Front Bump: -7200
Rear Bump: -6500
Front Rebound: -9600
Rear Rebound: -9400
Front Anti-roll Bar: 60000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 190000
Gearbox: speed
1- 16.5 1- 19.6
2- 14.2 2- 16.6
3- 11.9 3- 14.0
4- 9.9 4- 11.4
5- 8.3 5- 9.6
6- 7.0 6- 8.0
7- 7.0
Best Lap: 1:25.301
AI Best Lap: 1:25.475
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:25.099
Lap in Career Mode: 12
Note: it is the first of 2 tracks where it is preferrable to use the default
settings, with (as minor changes), the use of my suggested downforce, ride
height, and of course the implementation of thin brakes and soft tyres.
______________2) Circuit: Malaysia (Sepang)_________________________--> [][][]
Brakes: thin
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +6.0°
Ride Height: 3.7
Front Bump: -6500
Rear Bump: -7200
Front Rebound: -9300
Rear Rebound: -9900
Front Anti-roll Bar: 75000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 180000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:29.361
AI Best Lap: 1:29.619
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:29.440
Lap in Career Mode: 12
______________3) Circuit: Bahrain (Sakhir)_____________________________--> XXX
Brakes: medium
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: -6.0°
Ride Height: 4.8
Front Bump: -7800
Rear Bump: -7300
Front Rebound: -10000
Rear Rebound: -9700
Front Anti-roll Bar: 30000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 150000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:29.480
AI Best Lap: 1:30.022
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:30.401
Lap in Career Mode: 12
______________4) Circuit: San Marino (Imola)___________________________--> XXX
Brakes: medium
Front Wing: 7°
Rear Wing: 14°
Camber Angle: -6.0°
Ride Height: 4.1
Front Bump: -7400
Rear Bump: -6800
Front Rebound: -9600
Rear Rebound: -9600
Front Anti-roll Bar: 60000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 165000
Gearbox: speed
1- 20.0 1- 19.6
2- 17.1 2- 16.6
3- 13.5 3- 14.0
4- 10.9 4- 11.4
5- 8.1 5- 9.6
6- 7.0 6- 8.0
7- 7.0
Best Lap: 1:15.720
AI Best Lap: 1:17.634
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:17.879
Lap in Career Mode: 13
______________5) Circuit: Spain (Catalunya)____________________________--> XXX
Brakes: medium
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: -4.0°
Ride Height: 4.5
Front Bump: -7000
Rear Bump: -7000
Front Rebound: -9300
Rear Rebound: -9700
Front Anti-roll Bar: 60000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 165000
Gearbox: speed
1- 16.5 1- 19.6
2- 14.2 2- 16.1
3- 11.9 3- 13.0
4- 9.9 4- 10.4
5- 8.3 5- 8.6
6- 6.5 6- 7.0
7- 6.0
Best Lap: 1:12.661
AI Best Lap: 1:13.204
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:13.580
Lap in Career Mode: 14
______________6) Circuit: Monaco (Monaco)______________________________--> XXX
Brakes: medium, 45/55
Front Wing: 8°
Rear Wing: 16°
Camber Angle: -3.0°
Ride Height: 6.2
Front Bump: -7500
Rear Bump: -7300
Front Rebound: -9500
Rear Rebound: -9300
Front Anti-roll Bar: 70000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 220000
Gearbox: acceleration
1- 20
2- 16.7
3- 13.9
4- 11.4
5- 9.3
6- 7.5
Best Lap: 1:11.980
AI Best Lap: 1:12.496
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:12.620
Lap in Career Mode: 16
Notes: for 7 gears cars, only ACCELERATION
______________7) Circuit: Europe (Nurburgring)_________________________--> XXX
Brakes: heavy, 25/75
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +2.0°
Ride Height: 5.7
Front Bump: -6500
Rear Bump: -7100
Front Rebound: -9400
Rear Rebound: -9600
Front Anti-roll Bar: 55000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 175000
Gearbox: speed
1- 16.5 1- 19.1
2- 14.2 2- 16.1
3- 11.9 3- 13.0
4- 9.9 4- 10.4
5- 8.3 5- 9.1
6- 7.0 6- 7.5
7- 6.5
Best Lap: 1:26.401
AI Best Lap: 1:26.073
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:27.000
Lap in Career Mode: 12
______________8) Circuit: Canada (Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve)___________--> XXX
Brakes: thin
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: -3.5°
Ride Height: 4.6
Front Bump: -7100
Rear Bump: -6900
Front Rebound: -9400
Rear Rebound: -9100
Front Anti-roll Bar: 75000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 200000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:08.900
AI Best Lap: 1:11.198
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:10.099
Lap in Career Mode: 14
______________9) Circuit: United States (Indianapolis)______________--> [][][]
Brakes: heavy
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +6.0°
Ride Height: 3.8
Front Bump: -6600
Rear Bump: -6300
Front Rebound: -9200
Rear Rebound: -9400
Front Anti-roll Bar: 50000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 165000
Gearbox: speed
1- 17.5 1- 19.6
2- 14.2 2- 16.1
3- 11.4 3- 13.0
4- 9.4 4- 10.4
5- 7.3 5- 8.6
6- 6.0 6- 7.0
7- 6.0
Best Lap: 6 gears --> 1:08.279
7 gears --> 1:07.600
AI Best Lap: 1:08.258
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:07.880 (remember, 7 gears car)
Lap in Career Mode: 15
______________10) Circuit: France (Nevers Magny-Cours)_________________--> OOO
Brakes: heavy
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +2.5°
Ride Height: 6.0
Front Bump: -6500
Rear Bump: -6900
Front Rebound: -9200
Rear Rebound: -9400
Front Anti-roll Bar: 55000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 175000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:12.079
AI Best Lap: 1:12.302
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:12.081
Lap in Career Mode: 14
Note: here is the second track where it is preferrable to use the default
settings, with the same changes as in Australia; it could seems strange, cos
my time and the default ones are about the same, but when doing tests, i was
able to obtain the default time at the 3rd lap, while for the "my set up" time
it came only at the 10th or 11th lap.. So just make your own conclusion..
______________11) Circuit: Great Britain (Silverstone)_________________--> XXX
Brakes: heavy, 45/55
Front Wing: 7°
Rear Wing: 14°
Camber Angle: -6.0°
Ride Height: 5.0
Front Bump: -6700
Rear Bump: -7200
Front Rebound: -9100
Rear Rebound: -9300
Front Anti-roll Bar: 70000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 165000
Gearbox: speed
1- 17.0 1- 19.1
2- 14.2 2- 16.1
3- 11.9 3- 14.0
4- 9.9 4- 11.9
5- 8.3 5- 9.6
6- 7.0 6- 8.0
7- 7.0
Best Lap: 1:16.739 --> I could have cutted the track, must test this 1 again
AI Best Lap: 1:18.480
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:20.319
Lap in Career Mode: 12
Notes: watch out for the first "red" chicane, it is indicate too late!
(For chicane I intend a fast sequence of 2 turns, one opposite the other. In
Silverstone, they're the turn 8 and turn 9, also named the "CLUB" turns; it is
something like this:
(_
)
It is the first very bright red turn)
7th gears doesn't work well on best cars, for them it is better the default
SPEED setting.
______________12) Circuit: Germany (Hockenheim)_____________________--> [][][]
Brakes: heavy
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +6.0°
Ride Height: 5.0
Front Bump: -6900
Rear Bump: -7100
Front Rebound: -9300
Rear Rebound: -9800
Front Anti-roll Bar: 70000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 195000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:14.360
AI Best Lap: 1:14.606
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:14.520
Lap in Career Mode: 14
______________13) Circuit: Hungary (Hungaroring)_______________________--> XXX
Brakes: heavy
Front Wing: 8°
Rear Wing: 16°
Camber Angle: +6.0°
Ride Height: 4.9
Front Bump: -7300
Rear Bump: -7500
Front Rebound: -9600
Rear Rebound: -9600
Front Anti-roll Bar: 35000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 155000
Gearbox: speed
1- 17 1- 19.0
2- 14.2 2- 16.5
3- 11.9 3- 14.3
4- 9.9 4- 11.5
5- 8.3 5- 10.2
6- 7.0 6- 8.3
7- 7.1
Best Lap: 1:13.720
AI Best Lap: 1:13.718
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:14.919
Lap in Career Mode: 14
______________14) Circuit: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)_________________--> XXX
Brakes: medium
Front Wing: 7°
Rear Wing: 14°
Camber Angle: -4.5°
Ride Height: 5.2
Front Bump: -6500
Rear Bump: -6700
Front Rebound: -9300
Rear Rebound: -9600
Front Anti-roll Bar: 70000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 200000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:39.981
AI Best Lap: 1:42.089
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:42.819
Lap in Career Mode: 9
______________15) Circuit: Italy (Monza)_______________________________--> XXX
Brakes: heavy, 45/55
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: -6.0°
Ride Height: 4.0
Front Bump: -6000
Rear Bump: -8000
Front Rebound: -9000
Rear Rebound: -10000
Front Anti-roll Bar: 100000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 125000
Gearbox: speed
1- 16.0 1- 17.1
2- 14.7 2- 14.6
3- 11.9 3- 12.0
4- 9.4 4- 9.9
5- 7.3 5- 8.1
6- 6.0 6- 7.0
7- 6.0
Best Lap: 1:18.761
AI Best Lap: 1:19.979
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:22.239
Lap in Career Mode: 11
______________16) Circuit: China (Shangai International Circuit)_______--> XXX
Brakes: heavy
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: +1.5°
Ride Height: 4.1
Front Bump: -6200
Rear Bump: -7600
Front Rebound: -9200
Rear Rebound: -9600
Front Anti-roll Bar: 90000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 150000
Gearbox: speed
1- 20.0 1- 19.1
2- 16.7 2- 15.6
3- 13.4 3- 13.5
4- 10.9 4- 10.9
5- 8.3 5- 9.1
6- 6.5 6- 7.0
7- 6.0
Best Lap: 1:32.261
AI Best Lap: 1:34.430
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:32.680
Lap in Career Mode: 12
______________17) Circuit: Japan (Suzuka)___________________________--> [][][]
Brakes: medium
Front Wing: 7°
Rear Wing: 14°
Camber Angle: -2.5°
Ride Height: 5.1
Front Bump: -7800
Rear Bump: -7800
Front Rebound: -9200
Rear Rebound: -9200
Front Anti-roll Bar: 40000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 240000
Gearbox: speed
Best Lap: 1:33.161
AI Best Lap: 1:36.168
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:33.360
Lap in Career Mode: 11
______________18) Circuit: Brazil (Interlagos)______________________--> XXX(?)
Brakes: thin
Front Wing: 6°
Rear Wing: 13°
Camber Angle: -5.0°
Ride Height: 7.0
Front Bump: -7700
Rear Bump: -6200
Front Rebound: -9700
Rear Rebound: -9300
Front Anti-roll Bar: 95000
Rear Anti-roll Bar: 130000
Gearbox: speed
1- 16.5 1- 21.5
2- 14.2 2- 18.1
3- 11.9 3- 15.0
4- 9.9 4- 11.9
5- 8.3 5- 9.6
6- 6.5 6- 7.5
7- 6.5
Best Lap: 1:09.840
AI Best Lap: 1:09.787
Best Lap with Default Settings (Career Mode): 1:12.000
Lap in Career Mode: 15
+*********************+
! 6. TEAMS OVERVIEW !******************************************************/
+*********************+
Here is a quick overview for all the cars in the game, just for know pros and
cons while signing a contract with one team or another in career mode, or only
when choosing your car in simulation mode.
This is how all of the teams will be judged; obviously, the rate will also
depends from your driving skills, and if you use a correct set up for your car
(an high downforce on a fast track will obviously penalize you).
I want to make that clear, these votes depend on the feelings the cars gave to
me, but because everyone has a different way of drive, these rates can't be
the definitive ones for all of you out there, so just try every car and then
choose your preferite ones.
Speed: the max it is, the faster your car will go.
Acceleration: quick acceleration allows you to reach your max speed faster
than the opponents, giving you an advantage in time.
Handling: The better it is, the comfortable is driving your car while
cornering turns and passing the other cars.
>>> Ferrari <<<
Speed: very good
Acceleration: wonderful
Handling: good
>>> Williams BMW <<<
Speed: wonderful
Acceleration: wonderful
Handling: wonderful
>>> McLaren Mercedes <<<
Speed: very good
Acceleration: very good
Handling: wonderful
>>> Renault <<<
Speed: very good
Acceleration: very good
Handling: very good
>>> Bar Honda <<<
Speed: very good
Acceleration: good
Handling: good
>>> Sauber Petronas <<<
Speed: good
Acceleration: good
Handling: fair
>>> Jaguar Racing <<<
Speed: good
Acceleration: good
Handling: very good
>>> Panasonic Toyota Racing <<<
Speed: very good
Acceleration: good
Handling: good
>>> Jordan Ford <<<
Speed: good
Acceleration: fair
Handling: fair
>>> Wilux Minardi Cosworth <<<
Speed: good
Acceleration: fair
Handling: very good
And now try to understand what is my preferite team.. Btw, I did all my best
laps with it, only a few others with other teams.
Here it is what I've Unlocked so far, and the way it was found (thanks to
Ferza for refreshing my memory, I wasn't able to remember what cars I've
unlocked in all the modes):
--> Williams FW14B: win a single arcade race.
--> Lotus 72E: win a simulation season at any difficult.
--> Jordan 121: win the arcade season.
--> Renault RE20: complete all 5 career years and, probably, by winning at
least one pilot and one team championship.
--> An alternative intro: by doing a first time in time attack
By what I've read in the web and in the boards, it must be everything there
were to unlock, but i wish there are some hidden tracks to find out, dunno
how.
+****************************************+
! 8. TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE A GOOD SET UP !***********************************/
+****************************************+
This section will allow you to understand some of the secrets of cars settings
in order to make you able to improve my posted set ups, and of course to find
your own ones.
++++ Gear/transmission ++++
Transmission must be adapted correctly to all of the tracks. When you regulate
6th7/th gear, you change the top speed of your car: the longer it is, the
highest is the speed but it also take more time to go to the max allowed; the
shorter it is, the highest is the acceleration, but you will have less max
speed allowed. You have to regulate 6th/7th gear by running the fastest
straightway of the track (or the fastest part of the track), if u reach the
max torque too fast, the gear is too short, if you never reach the max torque
the gear is too long.
For the 1st gear it is also the same: just go to the slowest turn of the
track, then take it at full speed while in 1st gear: if u can't reach the max
torque, the gear is too long, if u reach it too fast, the gear is too short.
By the way, I adjusted only fews 1st gears, but i always controlled the
6th/7th gear, and tried to obtain the best acceleration by calculating the 2/3
of the difference between the 6th/7th gear and the 1st one, and then applying
that result to the 4th gear. An example to explain this:
If I have
1st = 18.0
and
6th (or) 7th = 6.0
the difference will be
18 - 6 = 12.0
So the 4th gear will be
4th = 12.0
and then i divide the other gears from about the same quantity.
++++ Steering angle ++++
Set the steering angle of the car high enough for allowing you to corner
correctly in the slowest turn of the track; the higher the angle, the fastest
you can take the turn, but also you will consume faster your tyres.
By default, I always put this angle at 80° (the max allowed by the game), but
if you want to do from about 50% to 100% of the toal laps of a track, you can
diminish it until you find the correct one, so your tyres will last longer.
++++ Downforce ++++
This is what allows to your car to stay on the ground, while cornering a tight
turn at the max speed you can take it. It is splitted between the front wing
and the rear wing; you can set their angle, so you can raise or low the
downforce they generate: the higher they are, the more stable will be your
car, but also will be slow; the lower they are, the faster will go your car,
but it is also less manoeuvrable. I suggest to regulate gears after you choose
what angle the wings will have. This will also influence your brake time: less
is the angle, faster the brakes must be.
If the car is understeering, raise the front wing; if it is oversteering,
raise the rear wing. Even if there is too much difference between front and
rear wings, you can have an understeering car: the rule is: never use a rear
wing higher than the double plus 1° of the front wing (e. g.: if your front
wing is 7°, your rear wing can be 10°, 11°, 12°, 13°, 14° and 15°, but with
16° there could be some handling problems).
++++ Brakes ++++
Brakes regulation consist in distributing braking force between front and rear
brakes; if it isn't done correctly, wheels don't brake at their full
potential. Brakes regulation influence your turn entrance: if it is regulates
back, rear brakes will block first, and your car will oversteer, but a car
that block front brakes first it is easier to driver.
If you have problems in handling the car while braking (understeer), just
increase rear brakes (for example, from 35/65 to 30/70), but if your car is
unstable when braking and it oversteer, increase front brakes (from 60/40 to
65/35).
Brakes are divided in thin, medium and thick ones: the difference between each
other consist in the duration of them during a race, and in the way they
contribute to the brake velocity while braking. Thin brakes will allow you to
reach higher car speed, but they consume fast and they need to be used some
meters more before the correct start of the braking point, while entering a
turn; otherwise, thick brakes will allow you to brakes correctly some meters
after the correct "starting brake point", but they limit your higher speed.
Medium ones are an halfway from the other two. So, while playing the career
mode, or any other mode with a number of laps less than 50%, you can always
use thin brakes, but when going for longer race i wish you to use the brake
setting i suggested.
++++ Tyres ++++
These are simple: without them you can't go anywhere. You choose them based on
the weather (damn, I want an indication of what the weather is BEFORE entering
the race!!), so you can have the slick (dry tracks), the wet ones (don't
remember their names) and the intermediate (that you use only if it is sunny
or cloudy but the track is still wet, or if it is raining a little). Of
course, you can choose between soft and hard ones, too: soft ones are the best
in grip, but they will consume fast, hard ones will last for about all of the
track but they won't allow you to go faster in turns as the soft ones.
++++ Camber angle ++++
It is positive when wheels at ground level "come back" in direction of the car
(like \/), negative when they "go out" from the direction of the car (like
/\). It allows the tyres to be used at all while in turns.
++++ Ride height ++++
It is the distance of the bottom of the car from the ground; it lowers the
center of gravity, allowing the car itself to roll and pitch less, and also
increase the downforce when the height is lowered, without changing the max
speed (no air turbolence). If u lower the ride height, you better the agility
of the car while entering turns, in direction changes and while braking; you
nedd to raise the height if the car rubs the ground (or you can only harden
bumps and rebounds).
++++ Bumps & Rebounds ++++
They are parts of the suspension, and the anti-roll bar, too. Their work
consist in dissipate shock assorbers' oscillations, and they do this when the
car enter or exit a turn, brakes or accelerate, or when it passes over kerbs
or humps.
What bumps and rebounds do, it is not the same if the wheel comes near the
body (compression) or if it goes away from the body itself (extension); while
in compression, they control the car movements over humps, while in extension,
they control roll velocity and the grip in turns (when entering and exiting
them).
If the car seems to jump over kerbs or humps, when accelerating, soften rear
rebounds, if not the front one, too.
If the car seems to jump over kerbs or humps, when braking, soften front
rebounds, if not the back one, too.
If the car oscillate too much after a hump or a kerb, making tyres slide when
accelerating or braking, harden front and rear rebounds.
If the car is slow while entering or exiting turns, harden front and rear
bumps.
If the car is understeering, soften front bumps, and eventually harden the
rear ones.
If the car is oversteering, soften rear bumps, and eventually harden the front
ones.
Remember that if you have soft suspensions, better they absorb humbs, so you
have better grip, but it will also diminish the power of your brakes. It will
also allow you to have more grip in turns, but you will have more difficult
while entering and exiting turns.
++++ Anti-roll bar ++++
Its work consist in set a limit to the roll the car can have while entering
and, of course, exiting a turn. It is the first setting you must change if
your car is understeering or oversteering.
If the car is understeering, you must soften the front anti-roll bar.
If the car is oversteering, you must soften the rear anti-roll bar.
I must thanks all the people in the board, cos with all their topics I was
able to understand many aspects of the game, and to write this faq.
Thanks to Sony, too, for producing every year a F1 game that is (for about the
90%) the best simulation of real Formula One.
Thanks to my friend Enrico, who transmitted me the passion of race genres, and
at all of the web sites and books I read for learning something in cars set
ups.
Again, i hope to be of any help for everyone out there, I know that most of
you are able pilot who doesn't need a guide for find the right set up, and
win everything there is to win in this game, but for all who doesn't want to
spend their time trying to understand the mechanicals of formula one car
settings, here it is a beginner guide that can, probably, satisfy them.
Have fun with this wonderful game!
