Skip Barber Formula 2000 v1.54 Now Available!

88mphTim

88mphTim

racesimcentral.net
Download: http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/cars/
Car info: http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/rf2dl/skip-barber-2000/

Changes from 1.46:
– Revised tyres
– Moved to ultra chassis (with flex)
– Updated to ModelWheelsIncludeAllTireMass=1 fix
– Bumpstop fix
– Tweaked undertray locations
– Minor AI correlation tweaks
– Updated shaders
– Updated textures
– Updated liveries
– Helmet no longer goes through cockpit
– New car icons
– Added rim blur
– New tire textures
– New tire damage textures
– Moved to new steering system
– Added descriptions and new variables

The Skip Barber Formula 2000 is the perfect car for either a complete rookie or a seasoned expert to hone their skills. A true racers car, it is balanced in such a way that it works well when driven well, and will work badly (often spinning off the track) when driven badly. If you don’t drive with good technique, it punishes you: It teaches you how to best drive almost every race car you will ever drive…

The first thing to note is that of the two configurations, the National version is both easier and faster to drive. The Regional version takes significantly longer to warm the tires, etc, but both configurations do have the same handling traits overall.


It is very important to keep the throttle down while turning, as this will keep the rear suspension loaded and the car more stable. Weight transfer is also critical, and any changes to throttle input on entry or mid-way through a turn, which will shift the weight away from the rear and cause “lift off oversteer”, will often lead to a spin.


Smooth input is probably the most important aspect of this car, and any car. You must smoothly turn in, carefully feed in the power, try not to fight it too much in the corner, then smoothly let the wheel run as you exit the turn. Always be aware how much the car moves around underneath you, the car will not react well if you put a wheel on the grass on turn-in: That loss of grip will be devastating.


Most importantly: Don’t give up on it. If you can adapt your driving style to this car, and drive it well, you will become a better driver in everything you drive. The frustration of spinning out will all be worth it if you can beat this car.


Additional recommended reading material is Going Faster, which documents a lot of the techniques required in good detail.
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Thanks ISI, two pressies in a few days...love it!

Just one query, anymore information on this line please:
– Moved to new steering system

Sounds intriguing! thanks
 
MarcG said:
Thanks ISI, two pressies in a few days...love it!

Just one query, anymore information on this line please:
– Moved to new steering system

Sounds intriguing! thanks
Click to expand...
That's been in new and updated cars (where not already present) for months. Don't understand much more than to say that it's a more realistic model of the steering column and everything attached to it. FFB was the major benefactor, especially the super, duper (I'll never have enough $$) wheels. :( Though it should feel better all-around.
 
Tim Wheatley said:
That's been in new and updated cars (where not already present) for months. Don't understand much more than to say that it's a more realistic model of the steering column and everything attached to it. FFB was the major benefactor, especially the super, duper (I'll never have enough $$) wheels. :( Though it should feel better all-around.
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Oh goodie, I'm sure that'll translate nicely through the T500 that will arrive at my door in a few days. :)
 
Tim Wheatley said:
That's been in new and updated cars (where not already present) for months. Don't understand much more than to say that it's a more realistic model of the steering column and everything attached to it. FFB was the major benefactor, especially the super, duper (I'll never have enough $$) wheels. :( Though it should feel better all-around.
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aahh ok cool thanks, will give the old version a bash tomorrow before updating and see if I can notice anything in my el cheapo G25 :P
 
I can't wait to try this...

I think that although the previous version had the basics correct, it executed those basics very poorly. The handling wasn't just sensitive (which these cars definitely are), but was extremely sloppy and "lazy", and drove extremely similar to how a very similar-type of "school" F2000 - which I often drove in anger in real-life - drove while it had a blown rear-left shock. (I drove these cars hard for an entire year, and did about 40 20-minute sessions including around 10 races - each session consisting of around 20 laps).

Also, on hard "warm-up" style driving where you are very aggressive turning left-and-right really hard at fairly low speeds, the RF2 version would easily start to loose rear lateral grip even with low amounts, and steady amounts, of throttle. This is not the case at all in real-life where you can crank the steering hard and fast, left-and-right, Fernando Alonso style on slow warm-up lap style speeds. Having said that, this seems more like an overall physics engine flaw rather than specifically the Skippy as I notice this trait in almost every car (must be some sort of low-speed physics [probably tyre] issues/in-accuracies).
 
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Very nice! Downloading and trying tomorrow because is too late here for making noise with the wheel. ;)

Thank you ISI.
 
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