Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO Paul Ricard Hot Lap Analysis

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Let’s take a look at this hot lap of Paul Ricard in the Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO driven by HYMO.

The Track

Circuit Paul Ricard, located at Le Castellet near Marseille in France, is a prominent racetrack known for its distinctive blue and red runoff areas. Opened in 1970, it was the brainchild of pastis magnate Paul Ricard and quickly became a symbol of French motorsport innovation.

The circuit has a highly configurable layout, but the most commonly used is 5.861 kilometres (3.64 miles) long, featuring 15 turns. Notable for its long Mistral Straight, split by a chicane, the track combines high-speed sections with technical corners, offering a comprehensive test of both driver skill and car performance.

Paul Ricard has a history of hosting various top-level motorsport events, including Formula 1’s French Grand Prix, which it began hosting in the 1970s and saw a return to the F1 calendar in 2018. The track is also a regular feature in GT3 racing, including events in the GT World Challenge Europe.

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

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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 2. Here the community driver gets a little wide off the left hander and this causes them to brake a little later than planned, turning in from a tighter position. This causes them to run slightly wide of the apex and out towards the exit. By running wide they are unable to get back on the throttle as soon as the reference and it means they go from being 0.1s ahead of the reference to 0.15s behind the reference in the space of one corner.

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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.

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Sim Racing Top Tips

Car balance in GT3 racing and sim racing, like in Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC), varies significantly with speed due to several factors:

1. Aerodynamics: Higher speeds increase downforce, enhancing stability and grip in fast corners but can cause understeer in slower ones depending on the Centre of Pressure (COP).
2. Suspension Dynamics: At high speeds, the suspension copes with more downforce and centrifugal forces, impacting balance, while at low speeds, mechanical grip is more significant.
3. Weight Transfer: Speed affects how weight shifts during acceleration, braking, and cornering, influencing understeer or oversteer tendencies.
4. Tyre Performance: Tyre grip changes with speed; higher speeds improve grip due to downforce but increase wear and heat.
5. Driver Input: Sensitivity to steering, throttle, and braking inputs varies with speed, requiring more precision at higher speeds.

Understanding these dynamics is crucial for effective car setup and driving technique, helping drivers adapt to changing balance at different speeds in both real-world and virtual racing scenarios.

Don't know where to improve? 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.

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