BMW M4 GT3 Release Notes

Welcome to the BMW M4 GT3 release notes blog. In this page you will find the detailed notes compiled by the team after each session when creating the fast and safe variants of the new CDA3 BMW M4 setups. In addition, a complete list of the driver and engineer combinations for each track is present so customers can see which driver and engineer worked on that circuit when looking for setup trends.

Note, some tracks required more notes and instruction than others. This is determined by how the car behaved in the session or how much scope for change in the setup there was.

To view the notes and team list, see below:

Brands Hatch

• The suspension is run softer than the previous baseline and follows a similar damper approach to that used at COTA. 
• For more traction consider adding a few clicks on the rear bumpstop range and increasing the slow and fast bump damping by 3 clicks.
• The car is quite sensitive to front bumpstop ranges changes for the current suspension configuration in the setup so it is recommended not to change it too much. The safe setup however runs slightly less front range and slightly more positive rear toe to maintain better stability on entry as well as more traction on exits. 
• If you require more high speed rotation try adding 1 click of rear ride height increasing the rear bumpstop range by a few clicks. 

Misano 

• A Stiff rear roll bar seems to be the preferred option on the M4, giving better grip than lower settings.
• TC6+ recommended, slip angles need to be too high to kick in TC on anything lower.
• Safe setup aimed towards getting rid of the snap on-throttle oversteer in slower corners, although not eliminated, it is much improved compared to a standard setup at Misano.
• Quali setup has slightly more of a rotation/oversteer bias compared to race setups, but with the softer springs of the safe setup to maximise traction.

Nurburgring

• Slightly less wing used than previous version of the setup, along with shorter rear bumpstops. This to try to mitigate the inherent understeer the car had here.
• Dampers tuned to give most consistent reactions, and to give very slight oversteer over kerbs, if this is too sensitive, try increasing front fast bump/rebound rates until it feels comfortable.
• Higher TC values along with reasonably rear brake bias gives most performance, if turn in oversteer is high try moving brake bias forward.
• Qualifying setup aims for more aggressive rotation than race setups.

Paul Ricard

• Setup is based around a lower wing philosophy for help in races on the long mistral straight. Also, the low wing, low rake balance seems to suit the car well.
• High preload to help with stability on entry to the faster turns, higher preload should also (in theory) help to even out the tyre wear to improve the balance over a stint.
• Lower, stiffer front bump stops are used to minimise pitch sensitivity due to the high speed entry nature of the corners, this could be decreased/increased to change turn-in balance.
• Qualifying setup goes for all out rotation and speed over stability, lower wing, softer front springs and an aggressive brake bias all help to deliver the headline lap times.
• If you are struggling with traction, a higher TC can also be used (TC8 would be a good recommendation)

Silverstone

• The M4 doesn’t run quite as low damping as some of the other tracks since it requires more rotation in high speed and optimal direction changes through the faster corners. Nonetheless the rear bumpstops and dampers have been adjusted to get away with as much on throttle rotation as possible without snapping the rear of the car. 
• Despite having slightly unbalanced damper curves the car is quite compliant and also responsive through direction changes. It is quite sensitive however to bumpstop rates, front rebound damping and rear bump damping so it is advisable not to change these parameters too much. 
• In order to get more stability through Copse and T1 it is recommended to run slightly higher preload and then increase the rear bumpstop range by a few clicks to regain on throttle stability out of slow speed corners.

Spa Francorchamps 

• The BMW is quite sensitive to TC changes so for a competitive edge it is worth trying different TC settings depending on the corner. TC 8 has the most optimal balance throughout most of the lap here at Spa. For the Bus Stop chicane and T1 harpin, consider using TC4 in order to get the best acceleration without the TC getting in the way. 
• The M4 works well with a low wing at Spa so the main differences between the previous CDA version and the current 04 release lies in the aero of the car. The wing has been dropped by a few clicks and the ride heights/springs have been adjusted accordingly to regain the right balance. 
• For more stability consider increasing the rear bumpstop range by a few clicks, softening the rear bumpstop rate and decreasing the front bumpstop rate. This will help in controlling excessive vehicle pitch into corners and gives decent rear grip on traction. 
• For qualifying we have opted to reduce the wing to 0 with a lower rear ride height to maximise top end speed, since the rear end is already quite well planted through the higher speed corners. If you require more stability, you can try adding 1 more click of wing and a bit more differential preload.

Suzuka 

• Suzuka requires agility through the first sector, stability & tractions on the kerbs & off cambered sections of sector 2 and high speed rotation through sector 3. Hence the major changes in the setup includes softer ARBs for kerbs stability, higher rear spring and differential preload for high speed rotation and rear bumpstop range for traction. 
• Changes have also been done to the rear dampers to make the traction even smoother out of slow speed exits and to increase rear suspension compliance through off cambered corners such as spoon and the top of the hill in sector 1. 
• If you require more rotation on throttle in general, consider dropping the rear bumpstop range by 5-10 clicks and then reducing the preload. The car is more sensitive to front bumpstop range changes compared to the rear for the current setup configuration.

Zandvoort

• A softer suspension setup works better around Zandvoort to make the car more compliant over the undulations of the track surface. 
• To regain overall rotation and agility, the rear ride height is run quite high compared to other tracks. Damper adjustments have also been done to compliment the suspension changes. 
• The car also runs quite high rear bumpstop range to ensure better traction on throttle through the second sector. To make the car more stable at the top of the hill at the end of sector 1 consider increasing the preload and reducing the front bumpstop range. 
• Adding a few clicks of rear rebound damping should also help in achieving the same affect.

Zolder

• A very different setup philosophy compared to the previous version, with softer springs and roll bars along with larger front bumpstop ranges.
• Softer springs and roll bars help over the kerbs in chicanes and mid-corner speed in the long sweeping turns.
• Larger front bumpstop rate helps with entry rotation.
• Dampers tuned using current metas for best traction and response.
• The car is quite sensitive to rear bumpstop rates, advised not to go lower due to snap traction loss when accelerating out of a corner.
• Safe Setup uses different bumpstop rates and ranges to stabilise the car over the fast setup.

Barcelona 

• Minor adjustments vs R03 setup.
• Slightly less wing to help high speed rotation, along with some damper and bumpstop tweaks.
• On RF setup be careful on entry as there can be a tendency to over-rotate a little, this can be tuned out with a short front bumpstop.
• Qualifying setup uses much more aggressive rear bumpstop settings to eliminate power-on understeer.

Donington Park 

• Be careful with steering/vehicle angle in T1 as too much causes the car to overload the front tyres and understeer.
• Softer springs with medium roll bars to cope with the high cornering loads and low grip surface. Stiffer springs cause issues with traction and composure over the kerbs.
• Max wing used due to the short straights and long corners needing maximum downforce performance.
• Quali setup uses stiffer rebound settings along with some bumpstop changes to give better response into and out of corners at the sacrifice of driveability.

Laguna Seca

• The ARBs and springs have both been softened compared to the previous version of the setup for Laguna. This has been done to make the car more compliant over the kerbs on track. 
• In order to regain agility, the ride height has been increased. Damper changes were tested, especially the front rebound and rear bump in order to improve stability on the faster kerbs of the track but the car seems to be quite sensitive to damper changes around here.
• If you require more entry stability, try to increase the preload value and then decrease the front bumpstop range. This will however cost you entry response into some of the faster corners. Further reducing the front bumpstop range and increasing the rear ride height by 1 click should help in regaining general rotation. 
• These changes can have an effect on grip since the track surface is quite slippery, so it is advisable not to make too many changes in this direction. For this combination, a stiffer setup will tend to cost you more lap time than a softer slightly less responsive car.

Kyalami

• The RF variant required minimal changes with respect to the previous CDA version of the setup. The main highlight was extra understeer in the car was running a stiffer ARB combination with the front being more stiff.
• Despite having more initial turn-in and grip, the front tended to understeer earlier. The bumpstops have also been adjusted to match the softer roll rates of the car with the rear bumpstop range being increased more than the front to get better traction. The M4 has had a gear ratio adjustment which causes more traction loss. This is the reason why the setups have mainly been softened with more rear range. 
• The rear ride height has been increased to regain high speed rotation succeeding the above mentioned changes. Damper adjustments were not required in the faster setup, but small changes have been made for the safer setup to make the car more compliant on kerbs and direction changes at the cost of overall agility. It also has better bump bias on the front to make the car more stable under braking.

Hungaroring

• Max wing due to high amount of corners and 1 very short straight.
• Rear damper metas used for traction.
• Low preload to aid rotation, could be increased for turn-in stability.
• Longer rear bumpstops to help traction out of turns, too short and snap power-on oversteer occurs on exit.
• Low value roll bars, although slowing response, gave better overall performance.

Monza

• The car is very sensitive to the preload on this track so it is advisable not to change it too much from the RF setup variant. In comparison to the previous CDA version, the car has been softened on the front and significant changes have been made to the bumpstop ranges. 
• The rear range has been decreased by quite a margin to ensure that the car has sufficient rotation and the rear bumpstop rate & fast dampers have been adjusted to regain traction on throttle for the lower range. 
• The front range has been increased to get better pitch into the corner and the front dampers have been adjusted to increase the load on the front axle while trail braking in order to get more response and initial performance from the front end into the corners, especially in sector 2. 
• Fast dampers have also been adjusted to stabilise the car better through Ascari. 

Imola

• Imola requires enough high speed response for direction changes through sector 1 but still needs a soft enough suspension to be able to attack the kerbs without destabilising the car. 
• The springs are run quite soft and the ARBs have been kept at an average stiffness to achieve the required kerb performance. To get more agility the front bumpstop range and rear ride heights have been increased. 
• For more stability consider increasing the rear bumpstop range by a few clicks to regain rear traction in slow speed and softening the front and rear ARBs by another click. This will make the car less responsive but will make it safer through the bumpier sections of the track. 

Mount Panorama 

• Lower wing and rake than other setups, keeping stability in high speed turns and speed on the straights.
• Lower preload helps with rotation down the mountain and off-throttle.
• Medium stiffness springs the best balance.
• Safe setup designed around having a much higher predictability in car balance over outright pace, higher downforce and softer rear springs plus a few damper tweaks mean the setup is much more consistent without losing too much in laptime, in fact, it seems as fast or slightly faster in S1. Very good for a longer endurance race where maybe concentration will be tested.

Snetterton 

• Front ride height needs to be raised here to avoid bottoming out on the kerbs, too low and it launches you off track.
• Quite soft rear suspension settings to help with traction, which is severely limited here. Longer bumpstops and softer springs on the rear can be used if more traction is needed along with a higher TC setting (8 would be recommended, although may cause you to be slow out of T2).
• Using the higher front to rear spring rate ratio helps to keep the car sharp but stable with all the turns at this track.
• Safe setup uses less rake and more pliancy in the rear to have a more stable traction platform.

Oulton Park

• High wing as it is a tight twisty track, 6th gear is only momentarily engaged over the lap.
• Higher front ride height to enable better kerb use.
• Dampers and rear roll bar adjusted from previous setup to have a more constant balance in the car from entry to exit. Changing the rear roll bar value is probably an easy way to adjust mid corner balance for this setup.
• Avoid kerbs in 2nd chicane as they unsettle the car, 1st chicane is fine to use though.

Watkins Glen

• Lower wing and less rake compared to previous setup. The wing on the BMW seems to have a much more pronounced effect on mid-corner balance at high speed than before.
• Rear springs softened for traction and to minimise mid-corner slides at mid-high speed.
• Qualifying setup running stiffer to sharpen up the handling and precision needed to push the limits in qualifying. Also using a much more aggressive setup for rotation.

COTA

• The main changes that were done to the setup in comparison to the 01 variant is a slightly softer spring configuration with higher ride height and lower rear bumpstop range.
• This has helped in making the car more compliant through camber/elevation changes on the track, maintain better traction on exits and still maintain optimal rotation in high speed corners. 
• In order to get better agility through the final sector of the track we have opted to use a lower differential preload. The rear dampers have also been adjusted to regain on throttle rotation.
• If you require more stability on kerbs and bumpy surfaces on track consider going up on the rear fast damping by a few clicks and then adding a few clicks of preload.
• For the safe setup TC 6 is a viable option to get additional stability at the rear end on power. However going higher than this value will start to affect the acceleration of the car due to the setup configuration being run.

Indianapolis

• While bigger sausage kerbs are best avoided, hitting them just slightly can help rotate the car.
• Due to the flatter nature of the track, the car is set up rather stiff. If the need for more stability is required, we recommend softening the springs by one click depending on what the car struggles with (soften front for fronts washing out, soften rear for oversteer on exit).
• TC6 is recommended as it seems to offer most traction without sacrificing too much speed.
• It’s helpful to have a stiff front wheel rate. That helps to keep the rear stable in the oval corner at the same time as keep an agile change of direction
• Not very high rake will keep the rear stable at all times. It is possible to reduce it even more to make the setup safer, however, it will be more lazy to turn at low speed.

Team List 

Driver/Engineer Combination	Track
Dennis Schoeniger/Rob Taplin	Barcelona
Luka Berk/Rob Taplin	Hungaroring
Taariq Adam/Saiduth Ramesh	Imola
Taariq Adam/Saiduth Ramesh	Kyalami
Luka Berk/Saiduth Ramesh	Laguna Seca
Luka Berk/Rob Taplin	Misano
Taariq Adam/Saiduth Ramesh	Monza
Luka Berk/Rob Taplin	Mount Panorama
Luka Berk/Rob Taplin	Nurburgring
Jakob Ostermann/Rob Taplin	Paul Ricard
Jakob Ostermann/Saiduth Ramesh	Spa Francorchamps
Luka Berk/Saiduth Ramesh	Suzuka
Luka Berk/Saiduth Ramesh	Zandvoort
Taariq Adam/Rob Taplin	Zolder
Taariq Adam/Saiduth Ramesh	Brands Hatch
Dennis Schoeniger/Rob Taplin	Donington
Luka Berk/Rob Taplin	Oulton Park
Dennis Schoeniger/Rob Taplin	Snetterton
Taariq Adam/Saiduth Ramesh	Silverstone
Luka Berk/Rob Taplin	Watkins Glen
Luka Berk/Miguel Jimenez	Indianapolis
Luka Berk/Saiduth Ramesh	COTA