GT5 Racing Guide

What is this racing guide for?

These pages are an attempt to make the Gran Turismo 5 racing experience more challenging. This is done by using weight-to-power ratios and various parts suggestions to configure cars and trucks to more competitive levels.

How to use this racing guide

First of all, everything has been calculated by me via the English standard system of measurements. This means I use pounds (lbs.) instead of kilograms (kg). I grew up with standard, it makes more sense to me, and I find it easiest to use. But I understand lots of people grew up with metric. Problem is, you'll wind up having to convert the pound/horsepower ratios if you want to totally convert to metric. That's a lot of work.

To use this guide most conveniently (with the least math) it's best to convert a car's weight from metric to standard. Do this by multiplying kg by 2.204. So if you've got a car which weighs 1,425 kg...

1,425 kg x 2.204 = 3,141 pounds

It is also possible to convert from standard to metric. Everything will still work.

Most of the ratios in this guide must be derived logarithmically. In other words, a car which weighs 1,800 pounds will often need to have a different weight-to-power ratio than one which weighs 2,100 pounds. I have created these ratios by racing a variety of cars of different weights over time. So to figure out a car's ratio, use the following guide.

Let's say you have a Mazda Demio, and you're wanting to run it in the 2nd FF Challenge. The Mazda weighs 2,116 pounds. The ratios for this particular race currently look like this:

Clubman Route 5--3 Laps
(1,700) 19.77 -- 86 hp

(2,500) 21.18 -- 118 hp

This means I have so far driven cars which weigh 1,700 pounds and cars that weigh 2,500 pounds. I have calculated a pound-to-power ratio for both ends of this spectrum. Since the Demio falls somewhere in the middle of these ratios, let's find out how much power it should have to be competitive in this race.

1). We have 2,500 pounds and 1,700 pounds. First, subtract 1,700 from 2,500. This leaves us with 800 pounds.

2). Look at the lower pound number for the Clubman race. In this case, it is 1,700 pounds. How much over 1,700 pounds does the Demio weigh? Well it weighs 2,116 pounds. Subtract 1700 from 2116. 2,116 - 1,700 = 416 pounds.

Write that number (416) down, unless you can remember it for a few seconds.

3). Now, let's subtract the horsepower (hp) figures. 118 hp - 86 hp = 32. Leave this number on your calculator.

4). We must divide this number (32) by the weight difference from Step 1. 32 / 800 = 0.0400448536. Just leave that on your calculator's screen.

5). Now retrieve that number you wrote down (or kept in your head) for the last 20 or 30 seconds, which was 416 pounds.

6). Back to the calculator, which still has that huge fractional number on its screen. Multiply 416 by this number. So 0.0400448536 x 416 = 16.64. Leave this number on you calculator.

7). 16.64 is added to the minimum horsepower for the Clubman race, which is 86 hp. So 16.64 + 86 = 102.64.

8). THAT FINAL NUMBER (102.64) is how much horsepower the Clubman race requires, assuming we keep the Demio's weight of 2,116 pounds intact. We can round 102.64 up to 103.

The Mazda Demio, with its weight of 2,116 pounds, should have 103 hp to compete in this race.

Does this guide actually work?

I find most of the time it does, although I also realize it's merely my way of challenging myself. ;-) Those of you who slog through all that math and then head to the tracks may find it's perfect, or that it's too easy or too hard, depending on your level of game mastery.

This guide is, therefore, more of a guideline than an absolute rule. It is a place to at least start each race series. PD doesn't actually give us any guidelines as to what is fair and what isn't. A driver can enter a Honda NSX into the Sunday Cup if they want to, putting on racing tires and using as much power as the game allows. My racing guide will outlaw such a car! The Performance Point (PP) system PD added for this game is guesswork, in my experience. You won't know where to zero in your power without lots of experimentation. Why not get a decent, workable number right from the getgo? That's what I'm saying.

Anyways, good luck and keep going.


				GRAN TURISMO CAR REVIEWS *GT5 Racing Guide*



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		A-Spec Events B-Spec Events Special Events GT5 Hybriding ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ What is this racing guide for? These pages are an attempt to make the Gran Turismo 5 racing experience more challenging. This is done by using weight-to-power ratios and various parts suggestions to configure cars and trucks to more competitive levels. How to use this racing guide First of all, everything has been calculated by me via the English standard system of measurements. This means I use pounds (lbs.) instead of kilograms (kg). I grew up with standard, it makes more sense to me, and I find it easiest to use. But I understand lots of people grew up with metric. Problem is, you'll wind up having to convert the pound/horsepower ratios if you want to totally convert to metric. That's a lot of work. To use this guide most conveniently (with the least math) it's best to convert a car's weight from metric to standard. Do this by multiplying kg by 2.204. So if you've got a car which weighs 1,425 kg... 1,425 kg x 2.204 = 3,141 pounds It is also possible to convert from standard to metric. Everything will still work. Most of the ratios in this guide must be derived logarithmically. In other words, a car which weighs 1,800 pounds will often need to have a different weight-to-power ratio than one which weighs 2,100 pounds. I have created these ratios by racing a variety of cars of different weights over time. So to figure out a car's ratio, use the following guide. Let's say you have a Mazda Demio, and you're wanting to run it in the 2nd FF Challenge. The Mazda weighs 2,116 pounds. The ratios for this particular race currently look like this: Clubman Route 5--3 Laps (1,700) 19.77 -- 86 hp (2,500) 21.18 -- 118 hp This means I have so far driven cars which weigh 1,700 pounds and cars that weigh 2,500 pounds. I have calculated a pound-to-power ratio for both ends of this spectrum. Since the Demio falls somewhere in the middle of these ratios, let's find out how much power it should have to be competitive in this race. 1). We have 2,500 pounds and 1,700 pounds. First, subtract 1,700 from 2,500. This leaves us with 800 pounds. 2). Look at the lower pound number for the Clubman race. In this case, it is 1,700 pounds. How much over 1,700 pounds does the Demio weigh? Well it weighs 2,116 pounds. Subtract 1700 from 2116. 2,116 - 1,700 = 416 pounds. Write that number (416) down, unless you can remember it for a few seconds. 3). Now, let's subtract the horsepower (hp) figures. 118 hp - 86 hp = 32. Leave this number on your calculator. 4). We must divide this number (32) by the weight difference from Step 1. 32 / 800 = 0.0400448536. Just leave that on your calculator's screen. 5). Now retrieve that number you wrote down (or kept in your head) for the last 20 or 30 seconds, which was 416 pounds. 6). Back to the calculator, which still has that huge fractional number on its screen. Multiply 416 by this number. So 0.0400448536 x 416 = 16.64. Leave this number on you calculator. 7). 16.64 is added to the minimum horsepower for the Clubman race, which is 86 hp. So 16.64 + 86 = 102.64. 8). THAT FINAL NUMBER (102.64) is how much horsepower the Clubman race requires, assuming we keep the Demio's weight of 2,116 pounds intact. We can round 102.64 up to 103. The Mazda Demio, with its weight of 2,116 pounds, should have 103 hp to compete in this race. Does this guide actually work? I find most of the time it does, although I also realize it's merely my way of challenging myself. ;-) Those of you who slog through all that math and then head to the tracks may find it's perfect, or that it's too easy or too hard, depending on your level of game mastery. This guide is, therefore, more of a guideline than an absolute rule. It is a place to at least start each race series. PD doesn't actually give us any guidelines as to what is fair and what isn't. A driver can enter a Honda NSX into the Sunday Cup if they want to, putting on racing tires and using as much power as the game allows. My racing guide will outlaw such a car! The Performance Point (PP) system PD added for this game is guesswork, in my experience. You won't know where to zero in your power without lots of experimentation. Why not get a decent, workable number right from the getgo? That's what I'm saying. Anyways, good luck and keep going.