Super Formula - Fuji race difficulty

[GlockPants]

If you think this race is frustrating, don’t go anywhere near the Alcase race in the Human Comedy Mission …it makes the Fuji SF race seem like a stroll in the park on a summer's day. After trying a few laps each with a US muscle car and a Ferrari 308, and realising that I might have to 'cheat' by using the Honda RA272 because the road cars were clearly being outpaced by the unfeasible AI again (as with the Fuji race), I just spent an hour spinning four times and coming 12th with no pit-stops. This is going to be another race (like the Fuji SF) where you can’t afford to make a single mistake, except that the comfort tyres are way, way more difficult to master at speed round a twisty circuit, and the race is an hour long! I like a challenge, and I will win this race if it kills me, but whoever said that GT7 was too easy (on a recent Facebook post I made), clearly hasn’t played the entire game!

I look forward to starting the human comedy missions. I was planning to start sometime after I Gold the final drift trial. But I haven't attempted that recently after I earned silver.

 

[GlockPants]

Ran this race again today.

AI on hard
Strategy: RS, planned one stop
SF23 and using this tune ...

Exeter GT Tuning

Jaguar F-Type Gr.4 630PP Racing Hard Tyres A easy to drive and fun Gr.4 car. Really nice and safe on the 630PP chilli races. Transmission Set TS to 300 Set gear ratios as per image Set FG as per image As they say, the proof is in the pudding.

www.gtplanet.net

I didn't notice until later that it was for the SF19. But figured it would be fine.

FL was 1:22.6xx set by an AI on RS on Lap 14.

My best lap was 1:22.9xx so the tune was effective.

The tune also allowed me to use the RS tires until the end of Lap 10, by that time I reached P2. Too bad no rain arrived to force the other drivers to pit. I'd ultimately finish P6 behind all the drivers who did a no stop.

Reading some older posts, it's mentioned the SF19 is faster and the stock PP corroborates this. I'm curious if with the above tune I'd have more success ...

 

[roytheboy]

Why don’t you try and win it with the AI in normal mode first, then try the impossible of 'hard'?

 

[GlockPants]

Why don’t you try and win it with the AI in normal mode first, then try the impossible of 'hard'?

I've finished P2 before on hard. 3 seconds behind P1. I'm mostly trying to see if it's possible to have repeatable success and win not just on dumb luck from weather or AI order.

Also, stubbornness. I've always had it on hard from the beginning, I don't want to change it.

 

[Uday9479]

I've noticed in other café menus or race categories, the Fuji race is always the hardest to win or even get a podium. If you've to make his race so hard where we need to change the 'Difficulty' level just in order to get a podium then I feel it's gone wrong somewhere. After all, this isn't a final License test or something where achieving a win takes multiple tries on end.

 

[roytheboy]

I've finished P2 before on hard. 3 seconds behind P1. I'm mostly trying to see if it's possible to have repeatable success and win not just on dumb luck from weather or AI order.

Also, stubbornness. I've always had it on hard from the beginning, I don't want to change it.

I know what you mean about beating the challenge; I’m the same. But with regards to repeatable success over dumb luck, I have concluded that with this particular race, you are sadly going to be repeatedly disappointed.

 

[GlockPants]

I know what you mean about beating the challenge; I’m the same. But with regards to repeatable success over dumb luck, I have concluded that with this particular race, you are sadly going to be repeatedly disappointed.

You might be right!

But after going through most of this thread no one seems to have put much effort into helping people trying to beat this on Hard further than "I did it on my first try." We don't know what their lap times were, they could be Alien fast. Were they using a stock tune or something else? Was there weather? Were they using the SF19 or SF23? Was it even on Hard difficulty?

I'm not so much disappointed that I'm not coming in first, but if I can find a strategy that has moderately better results than hoping for a good roll of the dice and help some people try and figure out this challenge, that would be much more satisfying. And at this point, I haven't 100% decided that it can't be done.

 

[roytheboy]

I'm not so much disappointed that I'm not coming in first, but if I can find a strategy that has moderately better results than hoping for a good roll of the dice and help some people try and figure out this challenge, that would be much more satisfying. And at this point, I haven't 100% decided that it can't be done.

It seems to me that with the the change of physics and the recalibration of PP points not so long ago, a lot of races became harder and a lot of posted information from earlier this year and beyond, is now redundant.

Edit: @GlockPants - I think I've just found a new contender for 'most difficult GT7 race': the last Human Comedy mission, at Lake Maguire, in BOP-adjusted GT3 cars. It doesn't have the impossible physics-bending AI cars of the Fuji race, so pot-luck is not required, just very fast AI cars that consistently do 1:56/7 laptimes on RM and RH tyres. Not only must you not make a single mistake over 60 minutes (as with most of the Human Comedy races), but you must not let your average laptime drop below 1:58, it would seem (AI to normal). I just made my first attempt in a Toyota Supra GT500 '97 and thought my laptimes were quite good. I held my own in the middle of the pack and got to nearly halfway on one tank, so I refuelled, ran leaner and made it to the end ...P15!!! I've read a few posts and many say that this HC race is the most challenging race in the game; not the SF Fuji race which can be won eventually by getting the right AI cars with the right weather (as I found).

 

[GlockPants]

It seems to me that with the the change of physics and the recalibration of PP points not so long ago, a lot of races became harder and a lot of posted information from earlier this year and beyond, is now redundant.

I've only been playing GT7 steadily since last March. I remember there was a physics update but I was still very new to the game so for the most part, I've only been on the latest version. I believe all the AI cars now are running in the SF23, do you know if the SF Cafe menu was out before the SF23 was released last April?

Edit: @GlockPants - I think I've just found a new contender for 'most difficult GT7 race': the last Human Comedy mission, at Lake Maguire, in BOP-adjusted GT3 cars. It doesn't have the impossible physics-bending AI cars of the Fuji race, so pot-luck is not required, just very fast AI cars that consistently do 1:56/7 laptimes on RM and RH tyres. Not only must you not make a single mistake over 60 minutes (as with most of the Human Comedy races), but you must not let your average laptime drop below 1:58, it would seem (AI to normal). I just made my first attempt in a Toyota Supra GT500 '97 and thought my laptimes were quite good. I held my own in the middle of the pack and got to nearly halfway on one tank, so I refuelled, ran leaner and made it to the end ...P15!!! I've read a few posts and many say that this HC race is the most challenging race in the game; not the SF Fuji race which can be won eventually by getting the right AI cars with the right weather (as I found).

I've seen the thread for that race around. I'm curious how I'll fare. I remember a Driving Mission there in GTSport that was about the fuel management, I'm sure the Human Comedy version is much more difficult. I look forward to trying it eventually.

 

[roytheboy]

I've only been playing GT7 steadily since last March. I remember there was a physics update but I was still very new to the game so for the most part, I've only been on the latest version. I believe all the AI cars now are running in the SF23, do you know if the SF Cafe menu was out before the SF23 was released last April?

I only started playing in May this year, so no. My point is that a lot of the GT7 race advice available on the interweb is redundant because of changes to the game earlier this year. When I did eventually win the Fuji race, I did so because the AI played fast but fair, without tearing off into the distance like a roicket and then trying to send me into the next county when lapping me 🤬

 

[Meythia]

ran leaner and made it to the end ...P15!!!

Dont worry, when I first finished it, I wasnt faster than P12 and thought "well, this is impossible".
But being stubborn and going at it again and again made me realize why I was so slow/made me gain seconds, then halves, and then P1.
I really like that single event so much I pretty much dont do any other race, because my stubborn self wants to be in the top 10 there.
I was before, but obviously others are faster - but this doesnt prevent me from hunting to become more consistent.
My fastest lap was 1.56:300 to the digit, my optimal time would be 1.56:001 (oh, come on ...), yet my average lap times do not keep up to this pace (after hundreds of hours, at some point one should admit the limits of his skills, but I dont, I definitly want to improve here).
Also I dont want to use those cars, that are currently on the top 10, just because!
Will I ever be succesful? Who knows, but to me this is time spend doing something I enjoy, so mission accomplished to a degree

BTW: The Toyota Supra GT500 was a car I really enjoyed here.

My point is that a lot of the GT7 race advice available on the interweb is redundant because of changes to the game earlier this year.

Yes, changes have happened, though most of the events that I rerun havent changed that much.
My choices of cars have seen a decrease in PP over course of game updates, which actually made them faster in the events where tuning is allowed. Would need to check if this is still the case, strategy wise there shouldnt be a change.

 

[GlockPants]

P1 on hard!

Car: SF19

Tune: below, note I used anti lag strong.

Exeter GT Tuning

Jaguar F-Type Gr.4 630PP Racing Hard Tyres A easy to drive and fun Gr.4 car. Really nice and safe on the 630PP chilli races. Transmission Set TS to 300 Set gear ratios as per image Set FG as per image As they say, the proof is in the pudding.

www.gtplanet.net

Strategy: RS, no stop ... Yes, you read that correctly.

Weather: entire 15 laps dry

FL: 1:23.705 set by AI

My laps were around 1:25.xxx

My thoughts, so far:
I had the thought about a no stop race with mediums, but why not try the softs first? I think this tune, linked above, with it's maxed out down force makes up for the tires lack of grip. This was with TC0, ABS-default, too. The car felt very stable through Lap 10, but the last 5 I was more cautious exiting slow turns in 2nd gear. I saved the overtake for the main straight once I was in the lead. This tune has a poor top speed from drag and needs some assistance to keep the cars behind from overtaking before Turn 1.

I will see if this is repeatable with the SF23 tomorrow.

I suspect a no stop on RS tires could be the key here. Should any rain arrive, you can pit earlier for the undercut and maybe still win?

Mistakes must be kept to a minimum after Lap 10, the tires are DEAD.

 

[i386]

Finally! P18 without relying on rain (hard difficulty,sf19) after trying once per day the last 6 weeks
(P4 with rain)

In 8 out of 10 races I spin in turn 1 because I got bumped by the ai...
On the straight the ai cars are faster despite my car having downforce on the lowest possible values and reaching 305+ Km/h without that nos thingy 💩

 

[newmedia_dev]

I struggled with this one.

I just turned the difficulty down to easy in the end.

Softs all the way, no stopper and avoided hitting the AI at turn 5 (the slight lift, but the AI over brakes) and walked it.

It's not a fun race for me so I just wanted it done.

 

[Meythia]

the tires are DEAD.

So, how much slower where your laps at this point?
Considering how much time you lose on slow laps vs pitting.

 

[GlockPants]

So, how much slower where your laps at this point?
Considering how much time you lose on slow laps vs pitting.

I wish I could remember, playing in VR you're somewhat deprived of race data while playing and I didn't save the replay so I could investigate this more deeply.

However, if I just go off my feelings and what I think I remember, the lap times at the end were not significantly slower than when the tires were fresh. Maybe 1-2 seconds difference in the last 5 laps? Like I mentioned, the tune improves stability quite well and I didn't have one spin the entire race with TC0, and I'm not a pro or anything.

I don't know off the top of my head how long a tire change takes from pit in to pit out. But all that considered, you might save 10-20 seconds by not pitting.

When I try this strategy with the SF23, I'll save the replay to get a better understanding of what all is happening and report my findings.

 

[Uday9479]

To all those who've won or secured a podium......

Exactly where or when would you activate the Overtake feature of the car? Does it help a lot or just a gimmick?

 

[GlockPants]

To all those who've won or secured a podium......

Exactly where or when would you activate the Overtake feature of the car? Does it help a lot or just a gimmick?

For my runs, I used it very sparingly. When you're not on the front straight, I'd only use it if I was right behind the enemy car. A short burst to get by after the first two hair pin turns. Once I did make it to P1, I'd use it only on the front straight to keep the AI cars from getting too much of a tow.

 

[roytheboy]

To all those who've won or secured a podium...... Exactly where or when would you activate the Overtake feature of the car? Does it help a lot or just a gimmick?

The 'overtake' facility is not really significant enough to overtake in anything other than one place at Fuji, in my humble opinion, and that is the only logical place to use it.

Any long straight on any circuit in any form of racing vehicle is the one part of the circuit where speed gained at the start of that straight can be carried, and effectively multiplied, all the way down that straight. This is why the exit speed from the last bend before a long straight is vitally important to one’s lap times, because an extra 1mph exit speed becomes an extra 1mph all the way down that straight (assuming gearing or aero does not otherwise limit the vehicle), and in fact, if there is gearing and/or aero potential for further acceleration down that straight, then that 1mph becomes multiplied all the way down the straight.

This was one of the very first lessons I learnt in karting, many years ago. As a novice, I would nearly always get overtaken by the 'pros' down the straights. I got angry with the circuit because the karts were supposed to be equal, but these guys obviously had faster karts because they were sailing past me down the straights. I also got mega disgruntled because the tiny lightweights had a clear advantage over my 6'2" frame, and this made things even worse down the straights! But whilst weight was an issue, the bulk of the reason for constantly being overtaken down the straights, was that these guys were taking the bends before the straights much, much better than me, and then carrying that extra speed all the way down the straights, culminating in an overtake at the end of the straights …every time!

So, with all this in mind, Fuji has one really long straight. Gearing and aero does limit the top speed of the SF car, but even 1mph is enough of a difference to make a difference down the long length of that straight. So the exit speed from the bend at the start of the straight is a key element to your lap times. With that in mind, I press the overtake button as soon as my car has stopped rotating at the start of the straight, and I keep it pressed right up to the gantry near the start of the pit garages (if I recall correctly). I seem to remember that whilst there is not enough extra power to do this for every lap, it certainly helps for many of them. And when combined with a tow from the car in front, it makes enough of a difference to sail past that car or group of cars, and to be able to make passes at some point of that straight on most laps.

 

[Tommy_D]

I still have not beat this race in hard difficulty but I have found the best place to use the overtake is on the fast right hander leading down the hill to the bus stop.

I have not found the overtake to be very effective on the main straight because these cars pretty much hit a wall on top speed unless you are drafting someone. If you exit the last turn on to the main straight and aren't within 4 or 5 car lengths to the car ahead of you, you aren't catching them even with the overtake button. However, that fast right hander down the hill is a place where you can use the overtake button and get ahead of 3 or 4 cars leading into the braking zone to the bus stop. That, of course, sets you up to more open track on your next laps and hopefully gets you close to the leader for a pass.

My best race, however, has only net me 6th place on hard difficulty. I've been within 5 seconds of the leader by lap 7 or 8, but my tires are getting pretty clapped out by then, so I pit and come out 50 seconds behind him and can never catch up.

 

[GlockPants]

As far as Where I like to use the overtake feature. I think the most effecting places are going to be after T1 to T3, after T6 to T10, and after T16 down the main straight.

Obviously each situation will vary, for example as @Tommy_D mentions, down the main straight may be a waste if you're not close enough for a slipstream tow. I'd go so far as to extend that to each of the locations I identified. The overtake just isn't powerful enough to make a huge difference in lap times over the entire race if you're not using it to actually overtake the AI.

EDIT: I don't know if the circuit diagram is showing up ... my browser shows an error.

EDIT: Fixed image

 

[praiano63]

SF23 Super Formula / Honda '23 - 947 PP - Racing Soft Tires - Fuji - 1.32

 

[i386]

SF23 Super Formula / Honda '23 - 947 PP - Racing Soft Tires - Fuji - 1.32

View attachment 1281060

I tried your tune, it makes the sf23 a lot better than the stock "version"/"tune". (For me it doesn't fit my drving style )

 

[GT5 Level 41]

I guess I got lucky with weather and lineup. I just ran steady laps and won by the length of the final straightaway on my first attempt. I'm a bronze TT driver who can't get a bronze lap on Mt Panorama. i used the Honda '19, no special tune.

 

[roytheboy]

I guess I got lucky with weather and lineup. I just ran steady laps and won by the length of the final straightaway on my first attempt. I'm a bronze TT driver who can't get a bronze lap on Mt Panorama. i used the Honda '19, no special tune.

Very well done. Now try it again tomorrow ...go on, go on, go on 😂

...what AI level are you set on, and what assists did you use, or not?

 

[GT5 Level 41]

Very well done. Now try it again tomorrow ...go on, go on, go on 😂

...what AI level are you set on, and what assists did you use, or not?

I'm not trying it agin. Not my cup of tea. Normal difficulty, Traction 2? ABS normal and Brake zones and drive line on.

 

[jmopborba]

Did it yesterday with 4 seconds in front of 2nd place (Drumont). It seems that if Inostroza starts in 1st place, the FLs of the AI are a bit lower. Went with RM for the first 9 laps, and remaining on softs. Was doing well enough with low 1:24 as the FL. However on lap 8 (7 seconds chasing 1st) it started to rain A LOT, so I went for the inters (and even that wasn't enough). Most of the pack was on softs and suddenly, 10 laps in, I was with 20 seconds in front. Lap 12 rain stopped and inters were starting to fail from lap 14 as the track was already dry, but it was manageable.

So yeah, it is definitely possible, but you really have to use overtake well in order not to gain places and don't lose track position as well. I used overtake on the straights, specially with a car behind to have that extra boost for them to be more difficult to overtake before T1

 

[GlockPants]

Ran again and won. Sorry in advance for the long post ahead ...

Car: SF23 with @praiano63 tune from above.

Difficulty: Hard

Weather: 15 dry laps

Strategy: No-stop RS tires

- Starting grid -
P1 - Suzuki on RH
P2 - Kawakami on RH
P3 - Mangano on RH
P4 - Miyazono on RM
P5 - Beauvois on RH
P6 - Wong on RH
P7 - Hizal on RH
P8 - Bonelli on RH
P9 - Inostroza on RH
P10 - Drumont on RH
P11 - Okumoto on RM
P12 - Fraga on RS
P13 - Yamanaka on RM
P14 - Gallo on RH
P15 - Sugawara on RH
P16 - Sasaki on RM
P17 - Lopez on RM
P18 - Kokubun on RH
P19 - Blazsan on RH
P20 - Me on RS

All the cars on RH will not put in dry conditions. Here was their lap times ...

The cars on RM would pit at the end of Lap 10.

The cars on RS would pit at the end of Lap 9.

And finally here are my Lap times to compare. You can certainly see a drop off in times as the tires degraded through the race.

I had the FL at 1:24.699 on Lap 3 and my slowest lap on Lap 8 at 1:26.733.

With the tune, you could certainly feel the grip loss, but I never felt like it was ever uncontrollable. This was also at TC0.

 

[Geauxgreddy]

You might be right!

But after going through most of this thread no one seems to have put much effort into helping people trying to beat this on Hard further than "I did it on my first try." We don't know what their lap times were, they could be Alien fast. Were they using a stock tune or something else? Was there weather? Were they using the SF19 or SF23? Was it even on Hard difficulty?

I'm not so much disappointed that I'm not coming in first, but if I can find a strategy that has moderately better results than hoping for a good roll of the dice and help some people try and figure out this challenge, that would be much more satisfying. And at this point, I haven't 100% decided that it can't be done.

A video is worth 10,000 words. Paraino63's tune (butchered his user name Im sure) and the right strat will get you a win. Good luck!

 

[Tommy_D]

Ugg, I am just not fast enough for this race. I easily lose half a second, or more, through turn 3. Then another half a second, or more, through turn 6. I'm probably losing another half second on turn 16 leading to the main straight. My fastest lap is a high 1:23 on softs but my front left tire is completely gone after 6 laps. I tried a no stop on hards and was running 26's only to spin out on the curbing of turn 15 on lap 8.

This is a very frustrating race.