RickBetterley

Assuming no traffic/not racing, what is the right way to get through 5a and 5b at Mosport?
I have only been to Mosport sporadically over the past bunch of years and never felt I have that complex figured out, so suggestions are welcome.
Thanks - this is for my Cayman.

Veloce Raptor

I have always felt that carrying as much momentum through 5a as possible is key, which means possible a seemingly-early apex (and hugging the apex for a bit longer than you think you need to do, in order to get the car better pointed), trying to straighten it out as much as possible, because there is room enough to get the car straight within the trailbrake zone for a proper entry 7 exit into and out of 5b and onto the Andretti Straight.

jdistefa

Like everything, it depends.....

If you want to carry a ton of exit speed out of 4 you release the arc a bit early and drive right to the inside of 5a on a very early apex line. This means you need to rotate the car more between 5a and 5b. This is also a classic defense line into 5a.

If you want to get earlier rotation through 5a-5b then avoid tracking out from 4 and run the car up the middle of 5a. This is a longer, bigger radius, and smoother arc that often lets you carry more speed into 5b because the car is setup in direction, balance, and grip a wee bit earlier. IMHO a better approach for momentum cars but leaves the door open going into 5a.

And then everything in between! The other variable is how much you drive the car to the outside of the arc between 5a & 5b - in other words how much you belly out the turn.

Play with all approaches and get comfortable with 2-3 lines through there. Then look at your section data from 4-6 and end of straightaway speed.

PPo

I have been through 5a/b more times then I have had hot meals... I have raced there, crashed there, passed there, and broke down there... but I am no expert. However, I do have an opinion.

Treat it like one corner, with 5b being the apex. If you keep the car 3-4 feet out from the apex of 5a, you can carry more speed, more momentum, and be properly set-up to take advantage of a solid exit at 5b. I also like to square off 5b as much as possible to get a good solid launch for the straight... so taking the apex of 5a 3-4 feet wide, carrying speed going as wide as possible, brake hard, hard turn in and launch for the straight...

I think I may be saying something similar to the VRaptor...

Hope that helps...

jdistefa

^ yup

pontifex4

I'm no expert, but this is roughly what I do, too, though it's probably more like 2 feet from 5a in my case. There used to be grooves in the pavement going up the hill from the ALMS prototype cars braking there under compression and dragging the chassis. I put my outside wheel just outside them at the 'apex' of 5a.

According to my data, in my cars with my courage (not much) the fastest way from the apex of 4 to the back straight is the shortest reasonable distance.

The two things I would add to it are that, as in the video, you more or less track out from the apex of 4 directly to 5a (or two feet off it, in my case), and there is a crown on top of 5 that tends to keep the fast cars kind of mid-track between a and b instead of going all the way left, even when they're not defending. There's some broken pavement in the brake zone for 5b this year that is evidence of this, though I should note that I haven't driven there this year to see it.

gbuff

Rick, I'm flat through T4 so I'm carrying tons of speed (as much as a MINI on streets can carry, anyway) into 5.....I brake right into the inside curb of 5A; as soon as I'm there it's off the brake then pretty much a straight line to the outside to set up for 5B. Get on the power ASAP and use the (rough) curb out of 5B. Of course, (MUCH) different cars, and like many turns it's whatever feels/works the best for you and your car.

I will say that taking that inside line into 5A can find you staring right at the passenger-side door of the car in front of you if they're taking the wider, mid-track line.....similar to Madness at Mid-Ohio but in that case a left-hand turn.

HTH--
Gary

Veloce Raptor

Yep!

RickBetterley

Thanks, everyone - great ideas.
I'll fire up iRacing and give them all a try.

FFaust

So now that we've figured out 5A, B, what about 8 There are plenty of ways around that one.

pontifex4

There used to be a great video of Pat Long in the Flying Lizard #45, with voiceover of two practice laps. I can't find it on YouTube anymore, though.

Just to add to the debate, then, here's the most extreme "esses" approach to 8-9-10 that I've seen from a pro driver. Note: I'm not advocating this, and don't try this at home.

gbuff

Recently there was a large thread about this very topic.....from what I took from it, basically single apex v-a-v double. My car on streets won't do the double so it's enter T8 roughly mid-track, floor it and steer with the throttle

Gary

jdistefa

Gary I've seen you out there. You're pretty damn capable of driving any line that works in the moment. As Heimrath says, you should also try the grass once in awhile.

gbuff

Thanks Matt--drove with Ludwig at the last EA day--he's as fast as ever! I've found myself running out of track on exit of T8 when trying the double (usually accidentally i.e. screwing up the entry)--that's where the throttle steer comes in as brakes are verboten......we'll try again this week with 6th Gear.

Gary

FFaust

Searched for Mosport, but didn't come up with much. Do you remember what the thread was?

Drove around with Peter Carroll recently and he does it differently (Peter is very fast): All the way left, flat until midway between the bridge and the corner (late), and then trailbrake for what seems like all the way around to the end (?) of the first curbing.

There is no drama when he does it and I can do it if less than WOT, but I don't have the guts to stay on the gas as long as he does. Just seems to me that by doing it this way, there is very little margin for error.

Oh, and no straight between 8 and 9, drive them like esses, with the steering wheel in constant motion.