Ferrari 296 GT3 Spa Hot Lap Analysis

‍

Let’s take a look at this hot lap of Spa in the Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by HYMO.

The Track

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, located in the dense forests of the Ardennes region in Belgium, is a circuit that seamlessly combines fast, sweeping corners, daunting straights, and dramatic elevation changes. Since its inception in the early 1920s, Spa has undergone various transformations to enhance safety and racing quality, with the current track measuring 7.004 kilometres and featuring 19 challenging turns, including the iconic Eau Rouge and Raidillon complex.

Spa is not just known for its challenging layout but also for hosting one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world, the 24 Hours of Spa. This event, part of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, tests the endurance of drivers, the reliability of the cars, and the strategies of teams, as they navigate this fast and complex circuit day and night, often in variable weather conditions.

Thankfully, the HYMO setup used in this hot lap video is available for you to try HERE.

‍

Analysis

The analysis below uses the Track Titan platform to compare a HYMO reference hotlap in blue to one of the Track Titan community drivers through Segment 8 at the corner with no name. This example is a classic case of entering too fast and exiting too slowly. Racing is all about compromise and striking the right balance in one area such to not overstep the mark in another. You effectively have only so many chips to spend and if you spend them all on the corner entry you run out of them for the exit. The goal is to spend them as efficiently as possible to keep good average performance everywhere. In this case the community driver brakes a little to late on entry and carries more speed into the corner and begins to run a little wide after the apex. The community driver saves their chips for the exit, they focus on getting the car slowed down and rotated early to get on the power sooner for more driver on exit. This exit gains the reference about 0.15s on exit, especially by avoiding the AstroTurf on the exit kerb.

‍

You can analyse every other turn in the Track Titan platform; see reference lap here.
You can also take it to the next level and compare it against your own driving, just sign up to Track Titan for FREE today here.

‍

Sim Racing Top Tips

The rear toe angle is a crucial parameter in GT3 racing and sim racing platforms like Assetto Corsa Competizione. The rear toe refers to the angle of the rear wheels relative to the longitudinal axis of the car. A toe-in setting, where the rear wheels are angled slightly towards each other, can enhance straight-line stability and improve corner exit traction. It provides a feeling of stability and predictability during high-speed cornering but can potentially increase tyre wear due to the scrub effect.

Conversely, a toe-out setting at the rear can make the car more responsive to steering inputs and potentially quicker during initial turn-in for corners. However, it may also lead to a less stable rear end, especially under acceleration or at high speeds.

Finding the optimal rear toe angle is about striking a balance between stability, cornering responsiveness, and tyre wear, and it often requires experimentation and fine-tuning based on the track characteristics and driving style. In a challenging and high-speed circuit like Spa, mastering the rear toe setup can significantly contribute to achieving fast and consistent lap times.

Don't know what you can do to go faster? Use the HYMO hotlap to find out.

To see full lap analysis of your own driving, you can sign up to Track Titan for FREE today here.

‍