Traction control is one of the most controversial topics in the history of Formula 1. While it is currently banned in the real thing, newer players on the F1 2020 game can use as a driver aid.
For those players who are looking to take the step up and turn off traction control, this guide will help you keep your car pointing in the right direction.
What is traction control?
Traction control helps cars to accelerate smoothly out of slow corners. It does this by preventing the rear wheels from spinning at vastly different rates.
WHEELSPIN: The rear tyres of an F1 car do a lot of work
Without traction control, cars will lurch one way or the other if too much throttle is applied in the traction zones, I. E. on the exit of a corner. Often, this will result in the driver losing control and spinning off track.
Driving without traction control
The single most important thing you need to know about driving without traction control is that you will need to apply the throttle gently out of slower corners.
This means that you should build up gradually from 1% throttle to 100%. Stamping on the loud pedal will result in a crash.
THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT: The aftermath of a loss of traction
Force feedback is key to knowing how hard to push the car. If you are getting a lot of force feedback, the car is trying to tell you that something is wrong. If you’re on the exit of a slow corner, that something is likely that the rear tyres are struggling with traction.
Listen to the force feedback; if you’re feeling a lot, chances are you’re pressing the throttle too hard.
READ MORE: How to drive without ABS
Be careful when accelerating with your rear tyres on the kerbs. The difference in track surface between one rear tyre and the other will cause one to spin more quickly, causing a loss of traction.
Therefore, make sure that you are extra careful with how you put the throttle down if you are running over kerbs on the exit of a corner.
Setup adjustments
There are several aspects of your car’s setup that you can alter to help you with your acceleration. Of these, two are especially helpful.
STABLE: A high rear wing will keep your car glued to the track
The first of these is your wing settings. Running a rear wing with a significantly higher angle than your front wing will give you a more planted rear end.
With this, you will be able to press the throttle pedal harder, sooner.
SMOOTH OPERATOR: An unlocked off-throttle setting will help you lay the power down
The second aspect of your setup which can help a lot is the transmission settings.
In particular, running a 50% on-throttle differential setting will make your traction far smoother. This will help you to keep the car on the road, and your foot to the floor.
READ MORE: The best steering wheel for F1 2020
Using medium traction control
If you find yourself struggling despite following this advice, consider running medium traction control for a few races. Getting used to this setting first can help you bridge the gap from full traction control to none at all.
MEET ME HALFWAY: Medium traction control can be enable in the assists menu
Once you’re finding medium traction control to be a walk in the park, the time is right to turn it off altogether.
Turning off traction control will give you a more interesting and realistic experience. It will probably help you go faster too. With these steps, you’ll be modulating the throttle like a pro in no time.
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