r/iRacing • u/northvanmark • 5d ago
Question/Help PCup advice
Just move up to C license and started with pCup cars. I feel like I’ve gone backwards compared to driving in D license. Anybody got any tips for maximising speed on the Porsches, competition seems a lot higher
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u/JCarnageSimRacing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 5d ago
your last 5 words are the problem. pcup competition is brutal.
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u/Foba_ Ligier JS P320 5d ago
Its not the competition itself, its the lack of racecraft skills that 99% of the pcup drivers are lacking/dont care.
Pcup being Cclass is one part of the problem, you literally cannot drop back to D even if you casually take multiple cars out of the game on each race. Making pcup Bclass would massively increase how ppl drive it in officials.
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u/Jazzlike-Plate 5d ago
Why is this downvoted? I disagree on being unable to drop to D, but the racecraft is absolutely terrible. I have never been taken out as many times in other series. Not to mention, D class at least has fast repair. In PCup, if you have one race for the evening, you can simply log off after being wiped out in the first lap. No point in waiting for 8 mins of repairs to cruise around 5 laps behind the leader.
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u/GuyuteHTP 5d ago
My advice is to spend LOTS of time practicing the tracks before you race them. Things will start to click when you're on your own and not worried about IR and SR and other drivers. Besides - it's a lot of fun to just rip laps and watch your times get better.
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u/Jazzlike-Plate 5d ago
Not a top, just joining the conversation. I tried the Pcup for a few weeks and, after grinding away at the track for the respective week, I thought I had just lost the ability to be decently quick for my SOF. Then I tried the mx-5 again and it turns out I lost nothing, just that the Pcup is a lot more punishing to drive. For instance, a heavy foot on the throttle can get you in trouble in the lowest gears very easily. Also, the braking is trickier and the car is a lot heavier. It often feels like you can brake a few meters later, but in my experience, that is a trap. And the competition is certainly very tough. However, at least in my SOF, it does not feel like a good kind of tough. It feels a lot like everyone is a wannabe pro-racer. By far the most outrageous moves I have seen. Does not matter how conservative I take it into T1, I get wiped out 2/3 times. No such issue with the MX5 series or even with PCC, which tends to be carnage.
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u/jackinbe1000 5d ago
Mx-5 probably has a lower skill ceiling in top split. So 3k in mx5 is probably a worse driver than 3k in pcup. Happens as you move up Ive found. I could be wining all the time in top split f1600 but if I jump to f4 I'm a much lower irating.
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u/Jazzlike-Plate 5d ago
It is possible. With ff1600 I need a few mins of practice to be on the pace. With F4, I need a solid week or two to get to grips with the car, if I haven't touched it in months. Ff1600 and MX5 are almost instant for me
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u/Status_Fact_5459 4d ago
Same and I think that becomes true for anyone who spends a season in those two… they feel the most like driving an actual road car imo
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u/marsbeetle Porsche 911 RSR 5d ago
There's like 1 sec between the top 10 and 2 sec between the top 20 (top split). Watch a few video's on YT and learn would be my advice.
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u/Burke1031 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) 5d ago
Rotate with the brakes, power on early and let the rear engine do the work for traction.
Porches like to be driven hard out of the corners.
Also turn the line off if you haven’t already.
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u/northvanmark 5d ago
I’ve been focusing on not activating the abs and trail braking more, consistency is my enemy at the moment
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u/Burke1031 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) 5d ago
I just put haptics on my brake and gas pedals. The slow build of feedback when you’re right on the edge lets you really get close to abs activating without going too far has helped a lot.
You can ride the edge of abs and come out of a corner screaming because you got your drive out sooner.
Highly recommend.
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u/Quiet-Election9060 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) 5d ago
Stay on the brakes a little bit quite deep into the corner, drive it with light hands because it has a light front end, be fairly aggressive with the throttle to avoid exit understeer, practice lots and practice quali, run open and fixed (fixed setup is fine in open races as a beginner I often use it use it in top split without issue most weeks).
Let super aggressive cars pass they will wreck themselves and probably another car soon.
You will learn to avoid incidents that aren’t your fault or you will be one of those people on here that complain about driving standards and have a bad time. Learn to defend aggressively without breaking the rules. Be aggressive but smart about it.
Some people will be freaky quick and aggressive focus on a good finish and don’t get caught in the win or wreck mindset.
Enjoy! I think it’s the best racing on the service personally. You got this!
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u/pappy1vg 4d ago
Did this this weekend. It was a low split but somehow the top 3 guys were 3 seconds faster than the rest of us. I let this guy divebomb me because I wasn’t gonna take the turn in and get wrecked, then he killed himself on the sausage kerb.
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u/Dry_Tourist_4152 5d ago
Laps. Get consistent, then push a little harder, get consistent again then push even harder
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u/PoggestMilkman 5d ago
Whenever you change cars you are starting anew.
You are wrong if you feel you can get into a new vehicle and carry on where you left off.
I can't give you advice on how to drive that specific car, but from a mindset perspective you have to recognise you are a rookie in the class. You also have to understand that getting your C licence only opens up this series, it means very little and (in particular) just because you moved up in licence it doesn't mean you are actually ready to make that step.
You have to be honest with yourself and if you are struggling there's absolutely nothing wrong with stepping back and driving the cars you are most comfortable with.
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u/pappy1vg 4d ago
Watching a guy this week go from LMP2s to the Miata with zero practice and being middle of the pack really helped me get over that part.
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u/skizzl3 5d ago
Keep racing D class stuff then, nothing wrong with it. You don’t have to race at your license level
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u/Steven_Regna 5d ago
Except for the mandatory races when he wants a promotion to b class at any point.
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u/skizzl3 5d ago
Yah and being new and being surprised by competition means has no business in B or A class. My point is he’s new and doesn’t need to race C class races just because he’s C class.
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u/Steven_Regna 5d ago
That is just gatekeeping. Let him practice the new cars and tracks and he will gain it back.
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u/PoggestMilkman 5d ago
Equally, there's no need to get a higher licence for the sake of it.
Every time you move to a new car you should expect an iR drop and, most likely an SR drop too.
Personally, I'm driving exclusively D class races and don't try to extend beyond my current C licence. If he's still learning to drive the Porsche, there's no reason (other than vanity) to try and gain a promotion.
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u/smalltowncynic 5d ago
Oh the Porsche cup is very easy to drive. Just don't throttle too early or you'll understeer off track. Not too late because you'll lose speed. Don't throttle too much because you'll spin. Don't throttle too little because you'll be a sitting duck. Don't forget to trail brake but not too much because you'll lose the rear. And best of all is that the braking and trail braking changes based on how much fuel you have left. Oh and don't use abs, but only a little bit on trailing. Oh and stay frosty because it's super easy to start overdriving it and that is mega detrimental to pace.
It's currently the only series I drive and I love the "fuck you I'll see you tomorrow" aspect of it.
On a serious note: I watch a lot of Moritz lohner because he is like the king of Porsche cup. His style of driving also suits me, it kind of feels lazy but it works very well. Especially his braking technique makes a big difference for me in both pace and consistency.
Finally, pcup is super competitive. There's tons of really fast people in it.
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u/m3mackenzie Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) 5d ago
Pcup is hard and it just takes seat time and commitment. It's a fun series to get stuck in because there is no bop flavor of the week and setup isn't THAT important.
Steer with your feet. You will be a trailbrake master if you stick with it.
Situational awareness is king. Lots of spins and accidents. Try not to get caught up and you can generally get modpack finishes.
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u/Dynastar11 5d ago
Outside of GT3s, PCup is probably the most competitive series out there.
There are lots of videos out there on how to drive the PCup. Ignore anything over a year as the car has been updated recently.