IB License No. 5 Gold medal acquired.
Time: 2'43.389
License Center : IB License Tests : IB5 "1 Lap Guide Run (Costa di Amalfi)"
Test Car: Peugeot 206 RC '03
Venue: Costa di Amalfi
Gold: 2'46.000
# Failed Attempts: 0
3 mins
Please keep in mind that these are not necessarily my best times (CLICK HERE for my best times/replays).
This is quickly becoming a favorite track of mine. I really like the uphill hairpins, the speed section at the top of the mountain, the downhill section, the "Monaco" section... a whole lot of fun.
I launch around 5000, and start to scoot to the right. The left side wall will start to creep back into the track, so I'm careful not to nudge it. I fall into the Pace Car's draft, and head up the hill into the first corner.
Along the left side, there are some lamp posts. I use the 3rd-to-last one as my braking point marker, which is also near where the Pace Car begins its braking. I slow from 92 to around 47, and begin turning in after passing the last lamp post. I ease back into the gas with speed dipping to 32 before I start digging up the hill again.
I try to follow in the draft, and approach the left hander from the right. There is a palm tree on the right that casts a shadow onto the track. I use this shadow as a braking point into this turn, slowing from 69 to 38, coasting to 32, then jumping back on the gas in 2nd gear to complete the turn.
The braking point for the next right hander is just after where the right-side wall changes from "stucco" to "cobblestone". This is also near where the 2nd-to-last tree on the left starts to go off screen. I brake from 70 to 36, then quickly get back on the gas for the exit. I try to keep it steady, ending up on the outside and primed to draft the Pace Car.
I cross T1 at 0'55.666, and prepare for the last of the uphill hairpins. I don't start braking until after the road flattens out. There's a tree along the right that makes a "shadow bump", beyond the wall's shadow. This is the braking point I use, and I go from 70 to 30, then ease back into the gas for the exit. I try to take a straight line from there that sets me up for the looping right turn.
For this turn, braking isn't necessary. It's a short distance from the exit of the previous turn to the entry of this one, and going uphill without gassing will slow the car enough. I get back to full throttle early enough, but I usually have trouble finding the right line for the exit. I manage to come out clean for this run, but usually I'm nudging either the inside or outside wall.
I pass T2 at 1'26.729, then I lift a little to enter the left hander. I brake for the right hander, going from 83 to 68, then I get back on the gas. I think a little more subtlety with the braking and a better entry angle would've worked well. Anyway, I follow the pace car along the left, to prepare for the upcoming right.
I begin braking for the long right hander when the right-side wall turns to cobblestone. I brake from 85 to 48, then try to ease back into the gas. I get way too erratic with it, and end up going wider than I want to. After finally getting back to full throttle, I begin to hound the Pace Car's tail.
After making a couple of runs in this test, you'll know to be careful to not collide with the Pace Car. Sometimes, you can press right up against it's rear bumper, and it can be used to help slow your car down. Mostly I found this to be too risky, as it's usually better to take it easy through this section, minimizing the risk of spinout or a collision. I decided to take it easy on this run (I was too far from the Pace Car on exit, anyway), and started braking a little earlier than the Pace Car. I take the left hairpin at the bottom of the hill very deep, but manage a smooth exit from there.
I lift a little before entering the "T3" section, as it's really easy to lose grip along the sandy sidewalks. The cones along the left can be a pain, and the wrong angle can cause a head-on crash into the right-side barrier for the exit. Generally, I found it best to try to keep speeds in the mid 60s through these turns. I cross T3 at 2'08.219.
Braking into the sharp right hander should be done at the same time as the Pace Car. The following distance is usually really tight, so being late can ruin a gold run. I brake from 87 to 40, then slowly get back on the gas as the car makes its way around. I make my way back to the right hand side, to prepare for the haripin left.
Braking for this turn can be done much deeper than the Pace Car. There is a storefront with steps near the street, as well as some billboards on the inside of the turn. These can be used as braking points (passing the beginning of the steps, or when the last of the billboards start to go off screen). I brake from 63 to 23, then slowly coast around the turn in 1st gear. I get back on after clearing the inside wall, and keep things tight to the left.
Staying in first, I stick to the outside while approaching the final right. When the red banner along the left side goes off screen, I stab the brakes and try to coast through the final right hairpin. Apparently, I didn't brake enough (from 38 to 25), and I dip as low as 16 before finally digging out the rest of the turn in 1st gear.
After straightening out, I fall back into the Pace Car's draft, and head for the finish. I cross the line at 2'43.289, going 82 mph in 3rd gear.
Here's a video of my run:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-917973271414314477
Thanks for reading. Thanks for watching. And Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/
