Sim racing can be complicated: Being fast on track is one thing, adjusting your setup to gain a tenth or two and get more comfortable with certain aspects of your car is another – and it can possibly scare newcomers away if they know that they have to sift through pages of setup options. Fixed setups can help with that, but also open up other problems.
Being comfortable with a car and track combination is essential to having fun in a race, and it can be achieved by putting in enough practice. Some driving styles, however, favor different characteristics of a vehicle, and to get them just right, setup changes may be needed. As you can see, the question of fixed versus open setups can be just as complicated as creating a great setup itself.
This also means that drivers can focus more on learning a combination of car and track without having to worry how much fuel to take for the race or if reducing the rear wing angle a few degrees might make them faster. Especially for beginners, it allows a level playing field and an opportunity to fully concentrate on their driving techniques.
In lower license classes, iRacing uses fixed setups for some of its series - though most of the time, there is an optional open setup variant of a championship. This is true for oval series and events as well, avoiding forcing one of the settings on sim racers.
The opposite could apply to ovals: As setup work on speedways is vastly different from road racing tracks, it can be easier to attract racers to oval grids if they just have to focus on the art of driving on such circuits – which is a lot more intricate than it might look. The effect on pace from setups is much bigger on ovals, especially in downforce cars that can go full throttle for the full lap – or at least close to a full lap – and achieve breakneck speeds.
Being comfortable with a car and track combination is essential to having fun in a race, and it can be achieved by putting in enough practice. Some driving styles, however, favor different characteristics of a vehicle, and to get them just right, setup changes may be needed. As you can see, the question of fixed versus open setups can be just as complicated as creating a great setup itself.
Pros of Fixed Setups
On the surface, the main advantage of fixed setups is obvious, especially in races that use the same car for the entire grid: Everyone has the same conditions to work with, putting more emphasis on the drivers instead of factoring in the engineering talents of them as well. Each participant is going to be on the grid with the same amount of fuel, the same tire compound, and the same settings for suspension, gear ratios, and more.This also means that drivers can focus more on learning a combination of car and track without having to worry how much fuel to take for the race or if reducing the rear wing angle a few degrees might make them faster. Especially for beginners, it allows a level playing field and an opportunity to fully concentrate on their driving techniques.
In lower license classes, iRacing uses fixed setups for some of its series - though most of the time, there is an optional open setup variant of a championship. This is true for oval series and events as well, avoiding forcing one of the settings on sim racers.
A Big Con for Some
Focus on driver skill alone is the idea of fixed setups at least. Of course, different drivers feel comfortable with different characteristics, and not being able to tune out the unwanted ones can put some racers at a bit of a disadvantage if they cannot adjust their driving style or drive around problems they might face. For open lobbies, this could mean that drivers drop out again after noticing that they cannot adjust their car's setup, leading to smaller grids.The opposite could apply to ovals: As setup work on speedways is vastly different from road racing tracks, it can be easier to attract racers to oval grids if they just have to focus on the art of driving on such circuits – which is a lot more intricate than it might look. The effect on pace from setups is much bigger on ovals, especially in downforce cars that can go full throttle for the full lap – or at least close to a full lap – and achieve breakneck speeds.
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