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TABLE OF CONTENT:

The Grand Prix Legends Setup Guide is an informative guide in helping the most serious "automotive simulation racer" in extracting the most performance out of his/her driving style. All reference to guide is based upon, "Grand Prix Legends by Sierra Sports", racing Formula 1 back in the era of the late 1960s. The era where racing was basically a "driver's race not a technology race".

NOTE: You can also use this setup guide on other racing simuations.

  Click here to download GPL SETUP GUIDE in MS Word format.
 "IT'S MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY"

"All drivers are not created equal!" Though some are similar in driving styles. There are still going to be some differences in how he/she reacts to a setup. Simple because in the area of usage of his/her wheel and footwork.
Some drivers like to have more of an "understeering/tight" car. While other drivers prefer a "oversteering/loose" car.
In GPL, Grand Prix Legends, the drivers in that era drove their cars in more in line with "four wheel drifts and being loose". In order for you to execute better laptimes, you are going to have to learn handle a "tail happy" car. Meaning you are going to have to get use to having a car to be "loose". You are going to have some "quick" reflexes in order for you to correct the car. Don't forget that gas pedal! Use that throttle! Time for change in driving style.
This sim will "separate the men from the boys". Gone are the days of 2D physics. Just keep in mind, that there is a point of a car of being "too loose".
 "CAN YOU KEEP UP"
As with all types of PC simulations, your hardware will be as a great importance in your success for being competitive.
With the current "6º physics technology" from GPL, the physics need more computations done in order to get the simulation to run right. There are more computations being done in GPL, than there are in NASCAR 2, F1RS or any "older, outdated racing simulation!"
So this means if your machine is a bit dated. I suggest a plan for you to update your hardware. This simulation is very hard on hardware. Let me give you a comparison, Quake and it's sequel, Unreal, are noted to be hard on your system, well, GPL is more stringent on hardware! In other words, this sim is harder on your system than those "shoot'em ups" are! For drivers with less than a P55-233 expect to have; low frame rates (which means you are going to have to turn off some eye candy, especially when the AI are on the track!) and an uncontrollable car.
Because of the lag in computing power in the floating point department. Not only does the new physics need more FP power, but also the new AI engine. Please keep that in mind. If you want the frame rate, you need hardware, especially in the CPU and 3D graphics card departments.
 
"BACK IN SCHOOL"

Sections Covered:
 "DRIVING IN MY MIND"
Before you jump right into GPL, or for any other racing simulation out there, it is very imperative that you think what the car is doing in the corners. If you don't, you are really going to be lost. You just can't drive the sim and expect results. In order for you to be successful, you are going to have to think on what the car is doing. So let's analyze on what the car does going in and out of a right hand turn.

As you approach the corner, you apply the brakes and then sooner or later you downshift. Correct? So what did the car just do?

- When you slow down, the weight transfers to the front of the car. The front springs, rubber, dampeners and the tires receive this load.
When turn the car to the right, how has the suspension reacted?

- The weight has transferred to the "left" side of the car. Now the left side of the car is loaded. The left front tire is receiving the entire load. So this tells you that the left sides of the car is a matter of importance in a right turn, makes sense?

- So now, the left front wheel assembly is now compressed more than the left rear assembly. The right front assembly is uncompressed more than the right rear.

- The right side of the car is unloaded.

When at the apex of the corner, what is next?

- The is where the weight of the car is now evenly transferred to both left side tires. And the right side of the car is equally unloaded.

As we exit the corner.

- Weight is applied back to the right side of the car; thus the weight is being applied to the right side, equally to the left side of the car. (The right sides of the car start to compress and the left sides start to uncompress.)

- As you apply throttle, the weight moves to the rear. The front assemblies uncompress and the rear assemblies compress.

Let me get some terminology out of the way:

- Understeer, tight: Is when the front tires of the car, no longer respond to a turning command. The car proceeds to go straight.

- Oversteer, loose: Is when the rear tires lose traction and the rear of the car decides to come around to the front of the car. Now go picture it over and over.
 "NEED A RIDE?"
In GPL, you have several F1 manufacturers that raced in 1967. They are the following; Brabham, British Racing Motors, Coventry, Eagle, Ferrari, Lotus, and Murasama.
It's imperative that you pay close to the specifications of each chassis. They are not similar! In GPL, it lists the specifications in the following format; track front/rear, wheelbase, weight, and engine horsepower. Each chassis has it's own characteristics and attitudes. Some of the chassis do have advantages over another, such as the Lotus as being the lightest of the bunch, yet, the most twitchiest. The Brabham has characteristics of a better handling car, yet lack of horsepower. The Murasama, the heaviest of the bunch, but is very forgiving, chassis specification wise. Has the horsepower, but the weight is it's drawback. Also, keep in mind, that there will be a chassis better suited for a particular track.
So if you do plan on changing chassis during your testing, expect to drive at least 30 or more laps to get the feel of that chassis.

NOTE: When switching to another chassis, your setup for the chassis you started with, will no longer be available for the new chassis. You can rename the setup file though to its proper extension.
 "FILL'ER UP"
Formula 1 in the 1960s-late 80s, weren't heavily dependent on pitstops. Formula 1 teams would use the amount of gasoline to run the whole race!

TIP: Put as much gallons of petrol, to make to the end of the race.
 "THEM RUBBER BALLONS"

Ahh, those "rubber" hides that create friction onto the tarmac. Your attempt here is to have "equal tire temperatures across the tire, longevity and grip" in extracting the most out of your tires.
Currently, the only way for you to gauge the performance of your tires is by the following: your feel of the car in transition from entry/exit of the turn, and the tire temperature - which is located in the "Garage" area on the simulation. Your goal is to have the each tire in its "optimum operating temperature range". Which is roughly between 200º-230º in "past" Papyrus simulations.
In GPL, it's really going to be chore to get the temps up in the front tires, because how the cars are laid out. If the tire temperatures are less than what is mentioned, the tire(s) have will less grip and has more of a tendency to "slip" due to the lack of "heat" built up onto the tire. Thus creating more "wear" onto the tire.
If the tire temperatures are "higher or overheating" than the optimum temperature range, the tire will exhibit more wear characteristics quickly. The tires here will have more of a tendency to slip more. Please keep mind that are other variables the help tire wear and temperature. They will be noted later in this guide.

GOAL: Even tire temperatures on the surface of the tire in the "optimum tire temperature" range.
 "CANTED TO ME"
Uhh, the necessity in making the car turn in/out in the corners. This setting is very valuable as it can also lead to drastic tire wear, if not set properly.
If the top of the tire is tilted from the centerline of the tire inward to the centerline of the car, this setting is to be known as "negative" camber. The aggressive the angle, the more tendency for the tire temperatures to be uneven. The inside of the tire, the area closest to the centerline of the car, will read higher in temperature than that of the outside of the tire. For "positive" camber, it is exactly the opposite. The outside of the tire becomes "hotter" and the inside is "cooler". What needs to be emphasized here, is "even" tire temperatures.
Adjust properly for the correct solution. Keep in mind, that with excessive camber, the car will not track straight, thus creating more tire wear. You will have to make steering corrections on straight-aways. For the rear camber settings, you will not be using as much camber as you did for the front settings.
 "THE PIGEON TOE WALK"

In the life of weight transfer, turning, there is no "zero toe setting". As the transference of weight moves about in the car, via the suspension, the tires do not stay do not stay at the angle you have set. It's constantly moving.
So keep that in mind with all "steering adjustments". Remember, "camber"? Same thing applies. By moving forward in a straight-line, weight is moved to the rear, thus, the frontend load of the front tires alleviated. If this setting was set to "zero", the tires would face outward. So you need to adjust the toe in/out properly to compensate for the change.
What is "toe"? By looking for the top of the car and using the forward most part of the tire, if you leave the tires in a straight plane, this would be "zero" toe. If you tilt the tires "inward" to the centerline of the car, that would be "negative" toe-in. If you tilt the tire "outward" from the centerline of the car, that would be "positive" toe-out.
 "ARE YOU PLANTED?"
"Wow, Four coiled thingies!" The purpose of the springs is to help in transfer of "weight" to the tires. The "higher" the spring rate, the "stiffer" the ride, and the "quicker" weight transfer. The responsiveness to the chassis and tire wear will be quicker.
For the "lower" spring rate, the "softer" the ride and the "slower" weight transfer. The chassis response will be more "forgiving".
The imperative usage of springs is needed to get the proper "feel" weight transfer going in and out" of the corner". More on this in the "Advance" section of the guide.
 "WALK GRACEFULLY, PLEASE"

"What in the hell are these?" Dampener is the proper engineering terminology of the more known name, "shock absorber". The purpose of the dampener is to govern the rate of the oscillations and weight transfer to the tire.
Dampener are made or adjusted to be at different rates. E.g."50/50, 70/30, 90/10... etc." "Rebound?" Rebound of the dampener is the action of the dampener coming "off" of the curb. Think of it like, "expansion".
"Bump? What bump?" Bump is the part of the dampener that goes up the curb. Or in other words, the dampener is being "compressed". More on dampeners in the "Advance" section of the guide.
 "DO YOU NEED SOLE INSERTS?"
Spring rubbers, a.k.a. "bump rubbers", are located in the coil springs. The purpose of adding the spring rubber, is to fine-tune the spring rate. Since spring rate come in "set" rates.
More on spring rubbers in the "Advance" section of the guide.
 "WIND ME UP PLEASE"

GPL has several types of chassis and engine manufacturers. The goal for you is to set each gear accordingly in the engines "operating range". If you notice there are several options in the gearing department.
What you have available to you are: "final drive, ramp angles and clutch". Final drive is the final differential gearset. This setting influences all gears! The other noted settings will be discussed in the "Advance" section of the guide.
 "DONT LEAN ON ME"
There are front and rear sway bars. These suspension devices prevent the suspension in "rolling or leaning" in the process of turning.
Usage: ARBs are used in the "apex" area of the turn. If the car is exhibiting an "understeer" problem in the apex of the turn, "increase more front ARB". OR "decrease rear ARB". If the car is exhibiting an "oversteer" condition in the apex, "decrease front ARB" OR "increase rear ARB".
 "TURN FOR ME NOW"
This setting is usually driver's preference, but there is a need to make a comment here. In GPL, it gives you from "12:1 to 18:1" in steering boxes. The 18:1 setting is biggest setting of the bunch. This setting is twitcher and yield "less" turning of the steering wheel. With the lower settings, you will physically turn the steering wheel more.
Keep in mind, the more steering ratio you use, the more tire wear is prevalent. Though, tire temperatures do come up. You will have more fine-tuning in the corners versus with a "lower setting".
 
"TIME FOR GRADUATION"


Sections Covered:
 "PUMP ME UP"
As noted from the "Basic" section on springs, it's basically one of the first adjustments that you do to the suspension. The spring has a lot of influence on the attitude and balance of the car going in and out of the turn. So you really need to adjust this setting according to your driving style and chassis. Be leery of having to stiff a spring, this can cause a degradation in traction, an overall very sensitive chassis. Literally a handful!
Once you have a baseline of the springs, you can fine-tune the spring rate with the spring rubbers. Same principle applies. The higher the numerical value, the stiffer the spring is going to get. And conversely vice versa for a lower numerical value. This setting is referred in inches, as in the thickness of the spring rubber.
Once you have these properly adjusted, there's another fine-tuning adjustment you go onto, dampeners.
 "THE UPS AND DOWNS"
In the "Basic" section of the guide, you were given the corresponding terminology to each part of the dampener. The key here is to picture the weight transfer of the car simulating going "in and out" of a turn. Keep the following in mind when you picture the workings of a dampener:
- Entry: Decelerating into a turn: The front bump (compression) and the rear rebound (expansion) will have more of an effect.
- Exit: Accelerating out of a turn: The front rebound (expansion) and the rear bump (compression) will the more of an effect.
Recall that the higher the number, the stiffer the dampener, and of course, the lower the numerical value, the softer the dampener. Here are some situations to also keep in mind:
- The more elevations, bumps, hills, quick transitions on the track, the softer the dampener.
- The stiffer the dampener, the quicker the weight transfer to the tire. Meaning less traction and rapid tire wear.
- The softer the dampener, the less responsive the chassis, slower weight transfer to the tire. In other words, slightly more traction, minimal tire wear.
- Setting the dampener is done after setting the springs and rubbers. This is fine-tuning the springs oscillations and weight transfer.
 "TEETHING YOUR WAY ON THE TRACK"
This one very important area in setting up the chassis, just because your gearing will dictate exactly where you stand in the engine's power band. You are going to have to gear accordingly to each engine/chassis needs.
Not only the gearset in the transmission is important but so is the final drive. The final drive is the gear ratio that is installed onto the differential or rearend. It's important that you gear the final drive to a track's particular layout.

NOTE: Some tracks you don't have to be using 5th gear!

If you notice in the Garage, there are two other items listed, "Ramp Angles and Clutches". These two items are very important for the balance of the car on and off the accelerator. What are "Ramp Angles"? F1, CART, F3000, Indylights, Trans AM or any racing association that races on road courses uses a "limitied-slip" differential. In order for a vehicle to obtain maximum traction in straight-line, both driving wheels would be locked turning the same amount of revolutions. Basically, both driving wheels connected to a common shaft or axle. If there was only one driving wheel spinning, it would take longer for the car to gain forward motion or traction. Thus, two driving wheels would disperse the load evenly creating a shorter amount of time to gain traction. So in a limited-slip differential vehicle, you would have both axled locked on a straight piece of tarmac. Now for turning, it's another story, you can't really successfully lock the rear axles. The car would "hop" about throughout in the turn. For an open rearend vehicle, just using one driving wheel wouldn't be a problem in the turn. Hence, with that in mind, we need our differential to let the inside driving wheel in the inside of the turn to the drive the car and the outside wheel to freewheel. So what we need to have our differential to slip only in turns, hence the name "limited-slip". Now where ramp angles come into the picture, it's the amount of percentage of slip in the differential with torque in mind. In GPL, the higher the numerical value, i.e. 85/85, the harder and quicker the differential locks both driving wheels. The lower, 30/30, the slower and softer the rate it locks both driving wheels. Pretty easy, huh? The key in setting up the ramp angle is comfortability and how much can you handle. The ramp angles are affected going in and out of turns. If you don't have this setting set correctly, the car is going to be a bear to drive! What about clutches? Clutches are located in the differential. The clutch just fine-tunes the rate in which the differential locks. Simply, the more clutch the harder it hits. And the less the softer it hits, there will be more slippage with less clutch.
 "HUG ME, BABY!"
Today racecars use a lot of downforce or aero help to get those spectacular speeds at the various tracks. But, back in 1967 there was no downforce to help the car stick. The hold tried and true tactic that still holds today is playing with a car's center of gravity, a.k.a. CoG. The lower the car, the more the car handles, hugs or sticks to the road. Pretty simple, huh? This setting also helps the balance of the car in the turns. Keep in mind, that the car can bottom out! So watch out for hilly courses or braking.

TIP: If you want the car a bit looser overall, lower the front ride height. Tighter, go the opposite and lower the rear ride height.
 "BEING PROPORTIONATE AREN'T WE?"
This setting is the function of setting up brake pressure, front and rear in the car, proportionately. A perfectly balanced car in theory is 50%, meaning both front and rear brakes get the same amount of brake pressure. The higher the value denotes more brake pressure to the front wheels and the lower value, denotes more to the rear. The default setting in the simulation is 60%. We know now this setting will most likely cause the front brakes to lock up. The one thing you don't ever want to do is lock up the brakes, not only does it wear out your tires and give you flat spots, but it dramatically increases you braking distances. Your goal here is to set the car so that is doesn't lock up the brakes. Usually the first thing to do is working on your braking, meaning physically. Pump the brake pedal! Don't leave your foot on the pedal for long times mashed.
Though... If you have your car setup correctly, you should be able to floor the brake pedal without locking up the car! There are a number of influences that create brake wheel lock up: - High spring rates. (Weight transfer) - High dampeners. (Weight transfer) - Gearing or engine braking. A steep is more in likely to slow the car quickly. - Improper driving technique.
 
"NEED A QUICK FIX"


Legend:

  • "GREEN" Denotes Basic Adjustments
  • "BLUE" Denotes Semi-Advance Adjustments
  • "RED" Denotes Advance Adjustments
Understeer (Push) on Entry of a LEFT Turn:
· Decrease RF WHEEL RATE
· Increase RR WHEEL RATE
· Decrease RF TIRE PSI
· Increase RR TIRE PS
· Decrease RF BUMP
· Increase RR REBOUND
· Decrease RF SPRING RUBBER
· Increase RR SPRING RUBBER
· Increase RF CAMBER
· Decrease FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease BRAKE BIAS
· Increase WHEEL LOCK
Understeer (Push) on Entry of a RIGHT Turn:
· Decrease LF WHEEL RATE
· Increase LR WHEEL RATE
· Decrease LF TIRE PSI
· Increase LR TIRE PS
· Decrease LF BUMP
· Increase LR REBOUND
· Decrease LF SPRING RUBBER
· Increase LR SPRING RUBBER
· Increase LF CAMBER
· Decrease FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease BRAKE BIAS
· Increase WHEEL LOCK
Oversteer (Loose) on Entry of a LEFT Turn:
· Increase LF WHEEL RATE
· Decrease LR WHEEL RATE
· Increase LF TIRE PSI
· Decrease LR TIRE PS
·Increase LF BUMP
· Decrease LR REBOUND
· Increase LF SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease LR SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease LF CAMBER
· Increase FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Increase BRAKE BIAS
· Decrease WHEEL LOCK
Oversteer (Loose) on Entry of a RIGHT Turn:
· Increase RF WHEEL RATE
· Decrease RR WHEEL RATE
· Increase RF TIRE PSI
· Decrease RR TIRE PS
·Increase RF BUMP
· Decrease RR REBOUND
· Increase RF SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease RR SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease RF CAMBER
· Increase FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Increase BRAKE BIAS
· Decrease WHEEL LOCK
Understeer (Push) in the Middle of the Corner:
· Increase FRONT ARB
· Decrease REAR ARB
· Increase RAMP ANGLE
· Increase WHEEL LOCK
Oversteer (Loose) in the Middle of the Corner:
· Increase REAR ARB
· Decrease FRONT ARB
· Decrease RAMP ANGLE
· Decrease WHEEL LOCK
Understeer (Push) on Exit of a LEFT Turn:

· Decrease LF WHEEL RATE
· Increase LR WHEEL RATE
· Decrease LF TIRE PSI
· Increase LR TIRE PSI
· Decrease LF BUMP
· Increase LR REBOUND
· Decrease LF SPRING RUBBER
· Increase LR SPRING RUBBER
· Increase LF CAMBER
· Increase LR CAMBER
· Increase REAR RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Increase CLUTCH
· Increase RR TIRE PSI
· Increase WHEEL LOCK
· Increase RAMP ANGLE
Understeer (Push) on Exit of a RIGHT Turn:
· Decrease RF WHEEL RATE
· Increase RR WHEEL RATE
· Decrease RF TIRE PSI
· Increase RR TIRE PSI
· Decrease RF BUMP
· Increase RR REBOUND
· Decrease RF SPRING RUBBER
· Increase RR SPRING RUBBER
· Increase RF CAMBER
· Increase RR CAMBER
· Increase REAR RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Increase CLUTCH
· Increase LR TIRE PSI
· Increase WHEEL LOCK
· Increase RAMP ANGLE
Oversteer (Loose) on Exit of a LEFT Turn:
· Increase LF WHEEL RATE
· Decrease LR WHEEL RATE
· Increase LF TIRE PSI
· Decrease LR TIRE PSI
· Increase LF BUMP
· Decrease LR REBOUND
· Increase LF SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease LR SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease LF CAMBER
· Decrease LR CAMBER
· Decrease REAR RIDE HEIGHT
· Increase FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease CLUTCH
· Decrease RR TIRE PSI
· Decrease WHEEL LOCK
· Decrease RAMP ANGLE
Oversteer (Loose) on Exit of a RIGHT Turn:
· Increase RF WHEEL RATE
· Decrease RR WHEEL RATE
· Increase RF TIRE PSI
· Decrease RR TIRE PSI
· Increase RF BUMP
· Decrease RR REBOUND
· Increase RF SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease RR SPRING RUBBER
· Decrease RF CAMBER
· Decrease RR CAMBER
· Decrease REAR RIDE HEIGHT
· Increase FRONT RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease CLUTCH
· Decrease LR TIRE PSI
· Decrease WHEEL LOCK
· Decrease RAMP ANGLE
Low Speeds in RIGHT Turns:
· Increase CAMBER
 · Decrease LR TIRE PSI
· Decrease LF TIRE PSI
Low Speeds in LEFT Turns:
· Increase CAMBER
 · Decrease RR TIRE PSI
· Decrease RF TIRE PSI
Inside Tire Temperature Hotter than Outside:
· Decrease CAMBER
Outside Tire Temperature HOTTER than Inside:
· Increase CAMBER
Tire Temperature LOW in MIDDLE:
· Increase TIRE PSI on TIRES in QUESTION
Tire Temperature HIGH in MIDDLE:
· Decrease TIRE PSI on TIRES in QUESTION
Tire Temperatures LOW:
· Increase DAMP./ BUMP/REB. on TIRES in QUESTION
 · Decrease TIRE PSI on TIRES in QUESTION
Tire Temperatures HIGH:
· Decrease DAMP./BUMP/REB. on TIRES in QUESTION
 · Increase TIRE PSI on TIRES in QUESTION
FRONT Brakes Lock Up:
· Decrease BRAKE BIAS
 · Decrease FRONT BUMPS
· Decrease FRONT SPRING RUBBERS
 · Decrease FRONT WHEEL RATES
REAR Brakes Lock Up:
· Increase BRAKE BIAS
 · Decrease REAR REBOUNDS
· Increase FRONT BUMPS
· Increase FRONT SPRING RUBBERS
 · Increase FRONT WHEEL RATES
ERRATIC BRAKING:
· Decrease FRONT BUMPS
LACK OF TOP SPEED:
· Increase FINAL DRIVE RATIO
 · Increase TIRE PSI
WANDERING CAR:
· Decrease WHEEL LOCK
· Increase TOE-IN
· Decrease CAMBER
· Decrease CLUTCH
· Decrease RIDE HEIGHT
· Decrease RAMP ANGLE
POOR ACCELERATION:
· Adjust GEARING
· Decrease REAR TIRE PSI
· Downshift ONE GEAR
· Decrease REAR BUMP
· Increase CLUTCH
· Increase RAMP ANGLE
BOTTOMING OUT:
· Increase RIDE HEIGHT

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