Welcome to a new article on the Università del SimRacing blog in which we analyze the phases of a corner in Assetto Corsa Competizione.
It's essential to go fast in Assetto Corsa Competizione.
That’s exactly what we’re going to do in this article: break down a corner into its different phases and explain in detail how to handle each one.
For educational purposes, we’ll use a standard corner in ACC as our example.
Some corners in ACC may have one phase shortened in favor of another, but for now, let’s start with a standard corner.
So, what are the phases of a corner in ACC?
Let’s find out!
Phase #1: Braking
Start with 100% braking, where it's crucial to brake in a straight line, fully utilizing the car’s ABS without fear.
This allows you to make the most of the longitudinal grip provided by the brakes, which is essential for preparing the car for the next phase.
At this moment, you’re using the maximum possible grip in terms of braking, setting up for the corner entry.
Phase #2: Turn Entry
As you begin to turn the car into the corner, you need to gradually release the brake.
At this point, you're asking the tire to provide both longitudinal grip (from braking) and lateral grip (for steering into the corner).
Tires can't offer maximum grip in both directions simultaneously.
So, when you start demanding lateral grip, you have to reduce the longitudinal grip and vice versa.
This is the critical moment where top drivers gain precious tenths of a second in every corner by perfectly balancing braking and steering.
Phase #3: Transition
The third phase is the transition phase, where you’re neither braking nor accelerating.
This neutral phase is where you get closer to the apex of the corner and prepare to put your foot on the gas and exit the corner.
It’s crucial to keep the car balanced because if it starts to spin, it means you’ve released the brakes too abruptly or applied too much steering angle.
If the car tends to go straight, it means you entered the corner too fast.
Phase #4: Initial Throttle
The next phase is initial acceleration, also known as partial throttle phase.
This is when you start to accelerate the car, but you’re not yet at 100% throttle.
Remember, the Traction Control activation slows the car down, so you need to be good at applying enough throttle to avoid constant intervention from the electronic system.
Phase #5: Full Throttle
Finally, we have the last phase, which is full throttle and the completion of the corner.
In this phase, you’re already looking at the next corner, preparing to tackle it in the best way possible.
Understanding these phases is crucial.
If you don’t know how to break down a corner into specific phases in Assetto Corsa Competizione, it becomes difficult to grasp driving techniques, steering angle usage, braking, acceleration, hitting the apex, and using the track effectively.
Recap:
- Intense braking, using ABS and keeping the car straight.
- Turn entry with Trail-Braking, managing longitudinal and lateral grip.
- Transition, balancing the car for the apex.
- Partial acceleration, managing Traction Control.
- Full acceleration, preparing for the next turn.
Well, thanks to this article, you've discovered the 5 main phases of a corner in Assetto Corsa Competizione.
It's crucial that you memorize each of these phases and start applying the advice from this article in your next training session.
To continue your training, we invite you to read other articles on our blog by clicking the button you'll find below:
See you soon and remember: you become a Top Driver!