PFI closing complex - KartKraft

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Just for fun, I have been running time trials in kart kraft. I managed to put up top 10s in 2/3 tracks and have a top 15 in the other. For this track, I currently hold 57.85 as fastest lap, which is 8th USA. So, decent time.

The most challenging bit of the various tracks has to be the closing complex at PFI.

This is a funny series of turns that requires some lift induced rotation at a couple points. Also, to take the final complex well and fast, you have to enter powerfully into turn 8 to set up the entire closing sector.

Anyways, here’s my crib notes for that turn complex. And a so-so example:https://youtu.be/-CDmuo_mT_U
image

Allrighty Edit time:

I’ve been at it a while now and gotten down to around 57.5. It’s a solid lap time, I think, so I thought I’d revisit with more experienced eyes. I think there’s a few ways to do this part of PFI, but they all work towards the end goal of putting yourself in a good position at the top of the complex.

If you want to break 58s on this track, you HAVE to bomb the exit. In order to bomb the exit, you HAVE to be positioned such that you can powerfully and precisely dive down into the final turn.

Nik’s method of staying close to the inside kerb and using friction to decelerate is sensible, repeatable and fast. I just set my new best of 57.556 using his way, so thumbs up! But, I’ve also set comparable lap times driving in a bit deeper and using some trail. I’ve also seen ghosts run a very wide line and be fast. The key is, none of them over slow.

You have to carry some speed so that you can rotate the kart quickly back to the left after this apex. Likelihood is that you will be very carefully getting back onto throttle as you begin to turn into the right hand apex.

Generally, the speed you are going as you turn into the bottom right apex pretty much dictates what angle upwards you will be taking. Too fast will prevent you from being able to get the kart left quick enough and you will end up taking a very steep angle upwards. There’s an ideal middle ground that you have to find.

Exception time: Mini-lifts. If you want to blast through here, use mini lifts at the points I show on the map B and C. These forced rotations allow you to take steeper lines. Is it faster? Not really, no. But its how you are gonna learn to get around here, most likely.

Eventually, you will learn patience and stop trying to rush through here. Your need to lift and rotate will diminish as you learn to swing round the bottom apex a bit slower to hold the kart right just a touch longer. This allows you to stay on throttle as you complete the bottom section and transition into the final stages of the turn. Since you have a nice long round arc, you can then ride throttle all the way to the final turn. Done right, its a thing of beauty!

The final part takes some getting used to. Assuming you have beautifully looped up and over, you now find yourself halfway on the kerbing outside of the final turn. You now need to lift, turn, and go. Getting the timing right takes practice. Eventually you learn how to squeeze the throttle a bit differently through here depending upon how brilliant your turn in was. But, there is a flow to it, when done right. Get it wrong and you’ll bind up on the run-out. Getting deep on the exit is an interesting risk/reward proposition, at least in Sim. IRL this seems sketchy as heck.

Anyways, feel free to chime in with any suggested edits, observations etc. Also, please don’t take drawn lines too literally. I don’t have GPS or anything so I’m drawing my best guess as to what it feels like.

Decent once piece: https://youtu.be/JUTAb4rGoVY
And one with slo-mo as well: https://youtu.be/HAbUwiE1lV0

PFI%20FInal

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I haven’t played lately, but your analysis seems spot on from my experience. That’s basically how I tackled it too.

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Thanks. One of the bummers is not being able to record stuff. Tried FRAPS but while the video looks ok, in game I was getting a semi-slideshow so very difficult to drive.

The more power you have, the more little lift rotations you need. This is a very interesting track with some really great passing opportunities.

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They need to make the ai stronger. The “legend” setting runs PFI in 1:00 laps, which is glacially slow.
I am guessing they should tune legend to run average mid 58. Or like 57-59 max.

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Agree. The Adaptable AI isn’t fine tuned yet, but that should help when it’s dialed.

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Just checked. X30 record is Louie westover in 2018 with 57.5 approx. Doable in sim for sure.

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This is how I approached it in real life

“f*ck pain… ahhh my neck… oh jeeeezzz the last section is a bit fast…phew the straight”

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Everything else is pretty fast and straightforwards. This bit does take some getting used to, especially in VR.

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As someone who’s driven that section many many times. Its pretty close to spot on.

Now admittedly I was driving in a Formula A but the long corner, we didn’t brake into, you’d just use the front end to slow it down, and I can’t remember clipping the kerb onto the straight ever working for anyone. Although you haven’t mentioned it the trick to the half-on kerb (left before the straight) is to roll up it, not hit it.

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Little factoid for our non-UK readers. If you google earth PFI you’ll notice there’s another kart track (Fulbeck) 600 meters / 2000 feet away. I was at PFi the other day and could hear the 100s rolling out for their meeting at Fulbeck. Must be the closest two seperate kart circuits in the world

3 Likes
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There’s a horse track too, it seems!

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You have my full attention good sir… the perfect run in sim has you just clipping that inside apex.

But, the physics of the game are such that anything other than perhaps what you describe results in bad things happening involving a wall, tears and blood.

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With the x30 in sim, I push the throttle as deep to the bottom as possible. In my case, it’s a short but strong initial deceleration that is followed up with trail. You have to have momentum to hook the left properly. Not too fast or slow.

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Oh I think I misunderstood. You are talking about the left kerb that we go half on right before turn in to 12 or the little bit of curbing that makes the inside of the right into straight? That inside kerb appears to be toxic.

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Interestingly google earth photo also shows the old pre-bridge layout.

For such a well known facility, it is hard to find race results,etc. I think it may be that it’s not called that in the U.K.? It seems that it goes by Trent Valley Kart Club.

http://tvkc.co.uk/beta/

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Track is called PFI (Paul Fletcher International). The club that runs race meeting there is called Trent Valley Kart Club.

https://tagheuer-timing.co.uk/results/trent-valley-kart-club/

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Ah ok that would be like calling etown the f-series. Thank you.

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Nik or Alan,

There is another possibility. One can do the entire thing (up to the mini lift to launch you through 12) in one throttle input (no lift induced rotation).

In order to do so you allow the kart to turn naturally and have to stay heading right a touch longer. This puts you on a flatter arc at the top.

Both work. As I worked through this, I abandoned the one throttle input, opting instead to force direction changes a bit. Do either of you have thoughts as to the preferred method?

image
Green being full throttle but longer travel. Red being what seems faster. Roughly, not great at drawing lines. Exaggerated for effect.

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I had no idea fulbeck was right beside PFI. Mind Blown

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At the 06 (?) Kartmasters GP when Ardigo and co were racing we had to park at Fulbeck and walk across the field because the place was so full there wasn’t any spectator parking haha

I always had this fantasy of TonyKart rocking up for the Euro or Worlds and accidently turning into Fulbeck by mistake

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