Lexus RC F GT3 Release Notes

Welcome to the Lexus RC F 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 Lexus 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

• Wheel alignment metas used.
• Fast dampers stiffened to lessen the bouncing effect over the racing surface.
• Suspension and roll bars softened to increase grip and operating window.
• Less wing and higher rake used to improve mid-high speed corner rotation.
• Stiffer bumpstops to manage bottoming out, giving more overall grip.
• Safe setup uses softer rear springs for rear stability and traction.
• Quali setup uses higher rake and wing, maximising aggressiveness with aero balance along with other changes to bumpstops and roll bars to optimise pace over driveability.

Misano 

• The car has been set up to run quite aggressively off throttle which helps in rotation through the narrower high speed corners of the track.
• This makes the car quite easy to run through the final corner with a tight line. Try to avoid running too wide however on the exit kerbs as this can catch the car and make it bounce. 
• The bumpstops and range have been specifically adjusted to provide optimal actuation and enough rotation on the kerbs with just enough room to spare before bottoming out, hence making the car more agile with the heavy fuel load. 

Nurburgring

• The car can bottom out in some places and kerbs so be wary of going too low on the front ride height as well as too soft on the mechanical grip.
• Tuning the diff and rear arbs can help the most with traction whereas ride heights can be better utilised for balance changes.
• As the chicane can make or break your lap, you have to get the line right to prevent the car bottoming out over the kerbs. Be patient on entry, and release the brakes early to get to the first apex.
• You might find the car is prone to understeer onto the back straight. Turning in later and using inputs to rotate the car will help, else you will be slow.
• In general, rotating with a small amount of throttle will keep the car balanced and help keep lap times reasonably quick.

Paul Ricard

• Low wing/rake doesn’t always give you the straight line speed you need and you will lack the downforce for S1 and S3 if you go too low.
• A higher wing would be more beneficial in mixed conditions. Adjust the rake accordingly to get the rotation you need.
• The front has a tendency to bottom out, particularly on kerbs on corner exit. Try to avoid going softer or lower on the front as it will make this worse unless you are happy to make compromises and changes elsewhere with the setup.
• A click extra on the rear wing for the safe set won’t be too harmful for straight line speed but will give you more stability in high speed corners if you are struggling.

Silverstone

• Wheel alignment metas added.
• More aggressive roll bar balance than the last setup along with shorter, stiffer rear bumpstops to eliminate corner exit understeer.
• Lower wing and less rake, albeit with a more forward placed aero balance. Not only to add better mid-corner balance but also lower the CoG/roll centre for the high speed direction changes.
• Stiffer damping (especially in rebound settings) used for driveability.
• Safe setup uses higher preload for entry stability and longer rear bumpstops for stability on exit.
• Qualifying setup uses lower front ride height and stiffer rear bumpstops to optimise front end grip and exit rotation, if the RS/RF setups feel to understeery, then use Q setup with fuel.

Spa Francorchamps 

• Traction control varies quite a lot for the optimum lap. TC4 around the track is a good balance, but for specific values try TC 1 at the bus stop & TC5 for the rest of the lap. 
• Tests were done with a lower wing angle, but the compromise has not been favourable for the car. 
• The setup uses quite a low bumpstop range on the front suspension, similar to other tracks, in order to maintain stability under braking through the off cambered corners.

Zandvoort

• The main focus for this setup was to make the car much more compliant on the hilly sections of the track whilst still maintaining enough high speed rotation and braking stability. 
• The suspension is set up to be quite softer with stiff high speed damping. It also utilises low bumpstop ranges in order to improve stability and pitch control for the car. 
• The dampers have been adjusted to be quite heavily bump biased in order to maintain front pitch stability while going over kerbs as well as generate enough rotation on throttle through the high downforce corners. We observed general kerb instability by running a balanced damper setup using higher rebound values to the current configuration. The car runs better when the rears get loaded quicker and the front runs less rebound damping.   
• The bumpstop rates have been adjusted to reduce traction issues which could arise from the higher rear bump damping. 
• The safer alternative runs a slightly lower front range to reduce extra pitch in the track, but if you require even more stability, consider raising the front ride height another click.

Suzuka 

• The main focus for this setup was to make the car much more compliant on the hilly sections of the track whilst still maintaining enough high speed rotation and braking stability. 
• The suspension is set up to be quite softer with stiff high speed damping. It also utilises low bumpstop ranges in order to improve stability and pitch control for the car. 
• The dampers have been adjusted to be quite heavily bump biased in order to maintain front pitch stability while going over kerbs as well as generate enough rotation on throttle through the high downforce corners. We observed general kerb instability by running a balanced damper setup using higher rebound values to the current configuration. The car runs better when the rears get loaded quicker and the front runs less rebound damping.   
• The bumpstop rates have been adjusted to reduce traction issues which could arise from the higher rear bump damping. 
• The safer alternative runs a slightly lower front range to reduce extra pitch in the track, but if you require even more stability, consider raising the front ride height another click.

Zolder

• For Zolder, quite stiff fast damping was required in order to get the car stable on kerbs. Despite having a good suspension configuration for initial impact, the car tends to get tricky once the rear tyre goes over the crest of the chicane. 
• The rear bumpstop range and rate have been adjusted in order to optimise the launch off the first chicane with maximum stability, for the given aero configuration. 
• The differential preload is also quite sensitive, so if you need fine adjustments for more/less mid corner rotation, try to go on 1 click down/up respectively, in order to maintain the car in the right window. 

Barcelona 

• The traction is a little tricky through turn 1, so be careful with throttle application with the fast setup. The setup uses TC1 for maximum acceleration, but feel free to go up a few clicks if needed (not more than TC4 or 5)
• The rear bumpstop range is run quite low with a stiffer rear bumptop rate since the track has less crossfall changes on the track compared to tracks like Zandvoort and Oulton Park. Therefore the compliance requirement is slightly less around Barcelona. 
• Dampers have also been fine tuned to give better turn in through corners in sector 2 and 3. The ARBs are also run slightly stiffer for the above mentioned reasons.

Donington Park 

• RS is much more stable on entry and exit, which results in an easier driving car but also in slower lap time
• Raw lap time difference between RF and RS is 3 tenths.
• Overall you want to use TC 4.
  • If you want go go for ultimate lap time I recommend going down on the TC in the last sector
• T1: Use second gear + make sure to maximise the pit exit to open up the corner as much as possible.if you have issues with traction on corner exit you can try a higher TC, keep in mind that the reason for it is your driving and not the setup

• T2/3 drive the tightest line possible to save lap time by travelling less distance at the same time.
• T4: It´s important that you don’t run wide on the exit of the previous corner as you need to bring the car over to the left side in order to get a good entry for T4. The less weight transfer is still going on, while you are bringing the car over to the left, the better. Try to clip the inside curb, especially the green part, which will help you to pull the car around the corner. Be careful to not run wide on the exit, as you´ll face pressure loss by going off-track.
  • If you have stability issues here you can try to reduce the front bumpstop range or rear ride height.
• T6: Stay tight to open up T7
• T7: Use all the space at the insight of the corner. The banking will help you to pass the corner and carry more speed than you actually think is possible
  • If you have exit oversteer you can try to reduce the rear bumpstop rate or rear ride height
• T8: Use the left curb on entry to open up the corner. Try to cut as much as the car allows you at the apex. The earlier you can floor the car the better.
• T9/10: Maximise all the track at T9 so you can open up the exit of the chicane as much as possible. The goal is to have as less steering angle as possible while driving over the insight sausage at T10.
• T11/12 requires a V line. Try to brake into the corner instead of waiting to long before turning in
• If you find yourself having mid corner understeer you can try to reduce the diff
• The car likes overall a soft suspension as it gives you overall more grip without a big compromise in the high speed sections
  • Don´t try to alter the balance with stiffening the car up, preferably you want to soften it
• High Speed understeer can be fixed with less bs range on the rear or more rear rh
  • Keep in mind this will make the car more harder to drive

Laguna Seca

• RF setup has more rotation in the high speed which allows for a higher min cornerspeed.
  • As this makes the car more loose it is advisable to use the RS setup if you are struggling with the balance.
• TC: 4 is overall advisable
  • if you struggle with that you can try TC5.
  • Keep in mind this will be safer but also slower because of the higher TC interaction.
• Raw pace potential between the race setups 2 tenths.
• If you struggle with bottoming you can try to increase the overall rh while maintaining the same aero-variation
  • 51-53 is recommended on the front rh
• T1-2: Use the first gear.
• T3: Maximise the track on the left side and don’t wait too long before turning in otherwise you won’t make the corner.
• T3/4/6: If you struggle with snap oversteer on corner entry you can reduce the rear ride height or increase the diff to make the car more planted. Bear in mind this will compromise every other corner.
• T5: Use the banking of the corner to go early on the power
• T7/8: Use your throttle modulation to help the car go over the track bumps. You want to time the upshift as late as possible without running into the limiter in 1st gear.
• T9: Make sure you use the camber of the road and don’t hesitate with the turn in.
• T10: Don´t brake too hard. Try to introduce the car smoothly into the corner. Don´t go lower than third gear.
• T11: Make sure you finish the rotation early enough, as it´is important to floor the car as soon as you hit the apex.
• If you struggle with exit traction you can decrease the rear arb or increase the rear bumpstop range.
• Give the tyre at least 2 laps until you start to push. As it´s a short track the tyre pressures won´t be already in the first lap in their window. You don’t want to risk a pressure loss that early in your stint.
• If you want the car to rotate more you can try to increase the front rebound damping or soften the front arb

Kyalami

• Wheel alignment metas added.
• Higher rake used along with softer springs and more aggressive roll bar settings to aid mid-corner rotation.
• Damper tweaks to help with car behaviour on kerbs and increase responsiveness on entry to corners.
• Stiffer, shorter rear bumpstops used to assist in mid to exit rotation. Along with longer, stiffer front bumpstops for entry performance.
• Safe setup uses shorter front, and longer rear bumpstops to aid stability on entry and exit.
• Quali setup has stiffer bumpstops and slightly more agressive dampers than race setups.

Hungaroring

• Lexus is a good car at this track and can take the kerbs quite well.
• A high front end helps prevent bottoming out and gives it a nice feeling over the chicane kerbs.

Monza

• If you require more entry stability consider moving the brake bias forwards by a few clicks as a compromise on general braking performance. 
• While taking the exit of Parabolica with the fast setup, be very careful with steering inputs and throttle application on exits, especially in the beginning of the stint. The setup has been made to be quite aggressive on mid and exit rotation in order to maximise speed through sectors 1 and 2. 

Imola

• Base setup taken from personal archive, albeit reasonably similar to previous CDA setup.
• Alignment metas added to setup.
• Higher ride height and slightly less wing/rake than previous CDA setup.
• Stiffer springs used along with softer front and stiffer rear roll bars.
• Stiffer and marginally shorter bumpstops all round.
• Bump dampers softened and rebound dampers stiffened on the front for better exit rotation, along with some minor tweaks to fast dampers. Car now glides nicely over kerbs, especially final chicane.
• Safe Setup uses slightly more wing and longer rear bumpstops to help with traction on exit and predictability in transition phases of cornering.
• Quali setup uses more aggressive aero, dampers and bumpstops to optimise corner speed over stability.

Mount Panorama 

• Alignment metas used
• Higher wing is used to help stability on the bumps/bottoming out. The lexus suspension geometry is very unsuited to Bathurst, which causes lots of bottoming, so a high wing for stability is needed. Thankfully its performance on the straights mean this only causes a 2-3mph slow down vs very low wing.
• Shorter rear bumpstops compared to last setup to help to reduce understeer on exit.
• Stiffer front spring and bumpstops to try to lessen bottoming out over the top of the mountain, as this was causing grounding and splitter-stall which resulted in high speed understeer just when it isn’t needed.
• Some tuning was also made to reduce the effect of the bump before Skyline, as before this was kicking the car into the air.
• Safe setup uses a little more wing and longer rear bumpstops for stability and traction.
• Asymmetrical bumpstops used in the qualifying setup to compensate for more aggressive suspension settings.

Snetterton 

• Softer ARBs have been used for the safe setup in order to improve general compliance throughout. 
• This has also helped in the balancing of the vehicle on entry and exits. The entry is a lot more easy to control and the car can (in this case, usually should) be thrown into the corners and throttle can be applied at the apex. Mistiming this however can cost some more understeer and this is the compromise for the safe setup. 
• The dampers have been adjusted from the Zolder setup to provide more traction given the track has more off cambered and slippery hairpins. 

Oulton Park

• The setup uses the Zandvoort fast setup as a baseline in order to get the car compliant over the bumpier parts of the track. 
• In order to get more rotation in the high speed corners, the rear ARB has been increased and a higher preload is used to stabilise rotation on entry. 
• The track has more low traction zones than Zandvoort, which was the reason for using a slightly lower rear ride height. The rear rebound has also been softened up to get the initial weight biassed towards the front on corner entries.

Watkins Glen

• The high speed nature of most corners requires high downforce, therefore high wing and high rake was the chosen approach. There are not enough long straights to benefit from a low wing set up.
• Kerbs are handled really well by the Lexus but be wary of making the car too low and/or too soft on the front as that will make it bottom out, particularly at T1, the bus stop chicane and some exit kerbs.
• This combination is reasonably easy to drive, especially with the safe setup but there can be more potential with a more aggressive setup by adding more rotation through rake and bumpstop ranges and rates.
• For instance, a higher rear bumpstop range can help with traction but will add understeer through the high speed sections with a lower range achieving the opposite.

COTA

• Safe setup uses softer rear roll bar and higher front ride height to add stability.
• Softer front and stiffer rear suspension, and softer overall ARBs used for mid corner grip.
• Softer bump damping used for better traction and more turn in pitch.
• Shorter front, and longer Rear bumpstops than previous setups.
• Less preload for rotation in tighter corners.
• Quali setup uses slightly more aggressive Aero and mechanical settings.

Indianapolis

• Lower rake and wing compared to previous setup.
• Stiffer shorter front bumpstops to reduce pitch sensitivity under braking.
• Softer roll bars at different front-rear bias to assist in mid corner rotation.
• Damper changes to increase stability on entry/exit
• Car is naturally traction limited, TC4 or 5 recommended.
• Stiffer springs used to give sharper handling in the twisty direction changes.

Team List 

Driver/Engineer Combination	Tracks
Jakob Ostermann/Saiduth Ramesh	Barcelona
Hubert Szymanski/Nick Deeley	Hungaroring
Amedeo Dekeyser/Rob Taplin	Imola
Jakob Ostermann/Saiduth Ramesh	Kyalami
Gregor Schill	Laguna Seca
Luka Berk/Saiduth Ramesh	Misano
Hubert Szymanski/Saiduth Ramesh	Monza
Amadeo Dekeyser/Rob Taplin	Mount Panorama
Hubert Szymanski/Nick Deeley	Nurburgring
Hubert Szymanski/Nick Deeley	Paul Ricard
Jakob Ostermann/Saiduth Ramesh	Spa Francorchamps
Amedeo Dekeyser/Rob Taplin	Suzuka
Hubert Szymanski/Saiduth Ramesh	Zandvoort
Taariq Adam/Saiduth Ramesh	Zolder
Hubert Szymanski/Rob Taplin	Brands Hatch
Gregor Schill	Donington
Hubert Szymanski/Saiduth Ramesh	Oulton Park
Hubert Szymanski/Saiduth Ramesh	Snetterton
Amadeo Dekeyser/Rob Taplin	Silverstone
Hubert Szymanski/Nick Deeley	Watkins Glen
Amadeo Dekeyser/Rob Taplin	Indianapolis
Luke Berk/Miguel Jimenez	COTA