How to Master Spanish Tarmac - Techniques, Tips & Tricks - DiRT Rally 2.0

This is a video where I try to help people with improving their stage times on the Spanish stages in DiRT Rally 2.0.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:06 Overview
Topic 1 - Overall techniques, tips & tricks to improve stage times:
01:19 Approaching a practice session
03:25 Focus
04:43 Ghosts
05:17 Wheel rotation
Topic 2 - Setups
05:40 Setups
Topic 3 - Techniques, tips & tricks for Spanish tarmac
06:10 Techniques, tips & tricks for Spanish tarmac
06:50 Driving Style
07:20 Braking
09:20 Cornering
11:15 Corner cuts
12:58 Handbrake turns
18:00 Outro
If you have any further questions, feel free to write them down in the comments below.
Facebook: / simsracingdesign

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Check the description below the video to see the different chapters. Unfortunately, for some reason they aren't appearing on the progress bar.

[@somebody1828]

that music is annoying

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@somebody1828 people seem to enjoy the background music, so I've been told. It comes down to personal preference I suppose.

[@somebody1828]

dude this is a really good educational video but the music is pure fucking cancer

[@somebody1828]

@@SimsRacingDesign They just didn't want to hurt your feelings or potential serial killers, background music in educational videos makes people get ear cancer that is scientifically proven, the braking part was really informative tho thanks

[@mizuneiro]

This kind of explanation is GOLD for someone who knows the very basics and want to improve. Great video.

[@toadalthug4055]

hidden gem of a channel

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thank you very much! Hope that there are some helpful videos in there for you. 😉

[@gavancorrigan8813]

Great video. I’m a handbrake junkie. I’ll have to start going cold-turkey.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Haha going cold-turkey is the quickest way around. On fun runs you can get your handbrake fix though. 😂

[@Blackbird_Rally]

Mate, this is going in the saved pile for sure, can't believe I've not noticed it until now. As always, a fantastic bit of content and a real asset to the community. Bravo sir.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks mate! Appreciate the compliment. I hope it helps you out.

[@majslokar5872]

Best video ever. Thank you so much man. Not just the great tips and technics but also an awesome explanation and video quality. Very underrated content.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks mate! Appreciate the compliment. I will revisit these types of videos when Codies releases their WRC game at the end of 2023.

[@tormit]

Thank you! I hope these techniques help. I'm really bad on tarmac, even though driving on the limit.

[@reyJohnny]

Mister Vansevenant! What a battle we got in the quarter finals! My nerves betrayed me, so I was not competitive at all, but the experience there was awesome, the first one to me, and looking for some more! Nice to see you have a KZbin channel with tips, tricks and more of Dirt Rally 2.0! Keep it up mate! Cheers!

[@SimsRacingDesign]

We've had a great battle indeed. I was tremendously nervous as well and made plenty of mistakes. Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate that a lot! Good luck to you in the future!

[@reyJohnny]

​@@SimsRacingDesign Yeah! Me too, 5 or 6 seconds away from my "record" with all cars excepting the Golf H2, knowing that I did an awful job in the previous ones, I did it full throttle and nerves off! Thank you very much, I wish the best of luck to you too!

[@shurar6150]

amazing video i found it so helpful, how do you only have a thousand subscribers, you literally make some of the best content for sim racing keep it up

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Wow thanks mate! Appreciate the compliment! I hope my time will come at some point. 😁

[@manic_driver8751]

This is an excellent guide for tarmac! I appreciate your comments about setups especially, it's not something you hear often and something I try to convey to beginners who think they can just copy someone else's setups and get faster. Look forward to your future videos and race events

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks mate! Appreciate that a lot! And yes, sometimes it's hard for people to understand that fact about setups... I even got someone who gwas really angry and called me names when we discussed that topic...

[@manic_driver8751]

@@SimsRacingDesign sorry to hear that! Racing fans and drivers can be incredibly protective of their beliefs.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@manic_driver8751 Absolutely, doesn't matter how rationally and logically you're explaining it, they keep clinging to what they feel is right.

[@igorbolev1553]

Thanks for putting your effort mate❤

[@SimsRacingDesign]

You are welcome. Hopefully it helps you out.

[@wallieshere]

so detailed!.. nice... time to practise

[@SimsRacingDesign]

You are welcome! And good luck!

[@vexationpb]

great vid. thanks

[@Bondjara]

Yo were awesome in tarmac and dirt rally series! Thumbs up mate!

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks mate! Appreciate it!

[@SimRacer82]

Awesome bud! Like!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks man! Means a lot to me!

[@TheSoomalainen]

Really good and throughout video.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks a lot! Truly appreciate that!

[@ZombieMagnum]

great video! :)

[@FarzanasLaw]

Really interesting video!!!

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thank you very much!

[@Pyllymysli]

I hope you do more of these. Even if I'm not aiming to be competitive in Dirt 2.0. I'm more just having fun it, it's just the fact that going faster equals more fun. I don't even drive these tarmac rallies that much. What I mean is that I do like them, monte carlo is one of my IRL and dirt 2.0 favorites. Spanish is fun also, tho I haven't got that much experience on it. I just find these videos fascinating, and following your progress is highly interesting for me. I'd even want to see you go over some rallies that I'm accustomed to. Like i.e wales, finland or new zealand. If you've already done these, I hope someone gives me an URL since I didn't find much of these "How to master" videos by glance. Anyways, thanks. These videos are sim rally gold.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks man! Appreciate it! These videos are on the list of future projects and will come at some point.

[@Pyllymysli]

@@SimsRacingDesign Glad to hear it!

[@stephenwalsh6205]

Nicely done pal 👌👍liked and subbed 👊

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thanks, mate! Appreciate it!

[@merrick51]

Great vid dude

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Thank you! Appreciate it!

[@mtj-blue6368]

hey super helpful video! i managed to lower my time to in the "Descenso por carretera" stage to 2:11.108 which brings me roughly in the 800th position with group A cars :D , i was wondering for the tip that you gave about doing each split separately at 2:09, if you feel like you want to practice only the 3rd split for example, can this be done in the game settings or only manually?

[@fahimshariff795]

Tops👏👏👏

[@MaxRank]

I absolutely suck on tarmac. 100% correct I’m fast on gravel, snow, but the minute I hit the sticky stuff it all goes to crap. Thanks for this even though I’m 2 years late!!

[@SimsRacingDesign]

You are very welcome, mate.

[@johjoh9270]

just how? I can do well in tarmac, not super fast but decent enough, put me on any of those loose bits of our planet and I can't even stay in the track 😑

[@MaxRank]

@@johjoh9270 pick a long stage, then stay in a single gear and drive the course, never going super fast just a speed your comfortable with. Rinse and repeat and I promise the speed and control will increase without you even thinking about it. Pick a FWD car the turbo fiesta in the R2 category is my go to, and master it before you jump into 4WD. Oh and stiffen the front suspension and loosen the rear, it will make the car feel a little more oversteerey.

[@fridonina]

Great scala of information, thanks for this! I'm still driving in semi automatic mode, it takes away a large distraction, my favorite is Germany and I love Spain too, and I practice 1 stage over and over for weeks in different cars to get used to approaching corners in various ways. Still can't find the last 15 seconds or so .....will shifting make me faster ?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Shifting with H-pattern and clutch or paddles on the steering wheel?

[@fridonina]

That would be the paddles on my trustmaster t300. Have to get a handbrake though, couse I'm using my right paddle as handbrake.....🤔 (this actualy works surprisingly well in semi- and automatic transmision mode) in semi auto mode I can shift down with the left peddle, so I can engine brake some what. I'm also used to left foot braking, some thing that in my real car can conflict some what with my muscle memory 😂

[@Miniman074]

Thank you so much, this helped me to get better at tarmac. Keep the work up👍 What car are u useing?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

You are very welcome. What do you mean exactly by which car I'm using?

[@Miniman074]

@@SimsRacingDesign I meant like the car is in the thumbnail

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@Miniman074 that's the VW Polo GTI R5 with my personal custom livery I designed on it.

[@cudakRS]

Thanks for the video mate, I really appreciate the part about braking, will try to apply it more in my own driving. I was really hoping for some insights into setup, mostly for differential part of it, as I see totally opposite camps for it. I'm not an expert, but I think I got a bit of understanding how it works, and I do have some experience IRL driving with completely locked diff (welded) as well as open diff and some kind of LSD diff (viscous I guess), but only in RWD cars. Now I see real-life rally champion setting his skoda r5 for spain in DR2.0 with 100% locked diffs, and I wonder why is that? As I understand it, the tarmac has the most grip available for the tires of all the surfaces, then why would one close the diff so much? As I see it, locked diff makes the car understeer and oversteer (depending on situation) more. How do you see it ?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

I would love to help you with setups but I'm not an expert at all. I don't know what most things affect which is why I'm so thankful I can rely on EXR Technical's setups and then adjust things like gearing and braking, something which is very simple to understand.

[@cudakRS]

@@SimsRacingDesign thanks for reply, I guess I'll have to study on my own then, cheers :)

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@cudakRS Best of luck!

[@cudakRS]

@@SimsRacingDesign try skyrex's setups, they work for me just fine and he explains it well.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@cudakRS will do. 😉

[@miroslavpribanic6940]

Can you pleasee help me, where you can change whell rotation in degrees. Thank for the video

[@SimsRacingDesign]

You need to change it in the settings of your wheel because you can't change the rotation in the game itself.

[@myhealthobs5290]

When you corner cut does it reduce traction on the next corner in the opposite direction like it can in real life due to dirty tires. Sometimes I think I feel this but not sure if it's my perception or if the software is doing it ?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

I can't say for sure to be honest. Sometimes I've had that feeling as well.

[@-virux-3093]

2 Questions: 11:20 why did you use this cut in the World Series Run you uploaded 2019? And any tips on how to get into eSports (specific Leagues ect.?)

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Because that one was allowed back then and I had no other choice if I wanted to have a shot. All the others did that one as well and it was allowed. Other cuts weren't though. When it comes to the official eSports competitions, you can enter the official leagues organised by the developers for example or leagues organised by real rally event promotors like the organisers of the Azores Rally. There are also some organised by manufacturers like Citroën or Skoda but I'm not sure if they are still doing that.

[@-virux-3093]

@@SimsRacingDesign thank you really appreciate that

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@-virux-3093 You are welcome.

[@gahb4326]

How can someone do better on snow/ice/gravel than Tarmac?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Those topics are on a list of future videos. ;)

[@CHAPI929292]

I thought the same thing, I started dirt a couple months ago and I do way better in tarmac. Felt much easier and I can drive confidently with any class, while in dirt/gravel I still can't do clean runs on anything past r2

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@CHAPI929292 @gahb, the next video that is coming is "How to master Monte Carlo." 😉

[@makfrags14]

Honestly I'm the quickest on Tarmac and slower on other surfaces..it's just so easy to control the car on tarmac

[@myhealthobs5290]

Same, but the opposite in real competition.

[@codysykes5568]

There's a Nordic lad in a Peugeot 208. I've been chasing in the leaderboards, RallyCross category at Silverstone. One of these days I'll overtake him. >:D

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Best of luck!

[@codysykes5568]

@@SimsRacingDesign Cheers

[@kokzzinl9087]

can u drop your ffb and settings pls ?

[@jurajteluch8662]

Codemasters should first master the tarmac physics in this game!

[@SimsRacingDesign]

I agree it's not as well-developed as their gravel physics for example but with a decent setup you can make up for the worst of it. And from what I've picked up, they are completely overhauling the tarmac physics for the next DiRT Rally, so that's a great thing to look forward to. 😁

[@usefulidiot21]

Yeah, I read somewhere that speculated the issue might be that they didn't include downforce in the physics. Which would make sense to me based on how the cars slide around at high speeds. That wouldn't happen so much if there was downforce acting on them. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it does seem plausable to me. I assume it'll be fixed for their next game because they've got to be sick of hearing the complaints about it by now.

[@landonnice2272]

Soft tires and on the camero

[@Brusherman]

what's the car your using?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

I'm using the VW Polo GTI R5 as you can see from the thumbnail and footage. 😉

[@tiagovillalba4690]

Could you please link me that polo livery?

[@SimsRacingDesign]

That one is my personal car which is not available, unfortunately. So sorry to disappoint you.

[@carenthusiast6748]

doing the same stage over and over has nothing to do with rallying... its more like time attack. The point shouldnt be to learn each stage in and out like a racetrack.. in rallying you need to concentrate on the pacenotes and driving.. adapting and improvising along the way depending on track, car and weather factors

[@SimsRacingDesign]

Even though I definitely get your point, I do have to disagree somewhat. Don't see this as an attack on you or me pretending to be a know-it-all, because I'm absolutely not. I know people are pretty touchy and sometimes easily offended online but know that I don't have the intension of offending you. See the following as the start of an open discussion. So yes, in real life rally events you can't drive stages over and over. And if I remember correctly, in the video I never said you have to learn the stages by heart in those exact words. Having said that, real life teams and drivers do organise test sessions on short length roads and in conditions that will be representative of what they'll face on the actual event they'll compete in. During those test sessions, they drive the same short stretch of road over and over, somewhat like time attack, in order to get familiar with the car and surface, work on the setup, to get up to pace for the actual event etc. Unfortunately, we don't have a separate stretch of road for each location which represents the actual stage conditions, but isn't part of any of the stages. Thus the only option we have, is to organise our 'test sessions' on the actual stages in the game. Maybe that separate stretch of road for testing would be a nice feature for a future title. What I did mention as well, quite early in the video, was to get comfortable with the car and the stage (meaning surface) in order to increase your pace, make changes to the car's setup and work on using the different techniques correctly. Similar to what real life drivers do during their test sessions. All of this will indeed improve your stage times but more importantly it will improve your overall pace on that surface. That last bit is the most important part. And one final thing I do want to touch on, is a feature which creates that unpredictability in online events you can't really prepare for. It's something that forces you to adapt quickly and takes a kilometre or more to get used to, and that is stage degredation. I know that it has a limited effect on a sealed surface but on loose surfaces such as gravel and snow, it can truly throw a spanner in the works and catch you out or hurt your confidence, pace and times. Practising every stage with each level of degredation is a fool's errand and definitely a waste of time. It's this feature that brings online rally events (clubs) closer to real life rally event than ever before. I'm curious to know what you think of my quite lengthy comment, so I hope to see another reaction from you.

[@carenthusiast6748]

​ @Sim's Racing Man I get your points but I have hundreds of hours in DR and DR2. 90% of corners and crests are in my head. I could drive the Game without pacenotes and be almost as fast as with notes. Your Video is really good to learn how to get fast in DR2 and its obv not your fault that the game only has a very limited number of stages. Driving a real rally stage or just a new stage in Richard Burns feels 100% different. You have to adapt and stay focused. Ofc you have to know how to drive your car over the different surfaces but the DR Games become Time attack sims after some time. Your Brain will safe corner combinations, thats just how the human brain works. You can use DR to learn the basics of car driving techniques. But improving your time on a single stage like in a hotlap modus in assetto corsa is pointless and has nothing to do real Rallying. Btw I really appreciate the work you put in this, cuz Rally Sim community isn't really that big and real Rallying seems to become more unpopular. Sorry for some typos and weird Grammer. I am not a native english speaker.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@carenthusiast6748 I appreciate your reaction and I do agree with you on lots of these points. That's why the stage generator in Dirt4 was a great idea, however it was poorly executed. Hope that the team hasn't thrown the whole idea out of the window and continued working on it. And don't worry about spelling and grammar. Haha I'm not a native speaker either. 😅

[@FirssenSimracing]

Tarmac physics on this game is just WTF... I'm starting to slide and while I do little countersteer the rear tires sudently have 100% grip and I'm going to ambush...

[@SimsRacingDesign]

That never happens when I drive. It's very fluent in my case. How much steering rotation do you use?

[@Tribalhealer]

You need a Logitech steering

[@SimsRacingDesign]

I don't think so... Current Logitech wheels aren't as good as those from Thrustmasters or Fanatec.

[@Tribalhealer]

@@SimsRacingDesign yes I don't even have one & i excel most of this curves & corner with a broken keyboard 🤧

[@jjeeqq]

Dont ever ever select top drivers ghosts, they have reduced weight hacks.

[@SimsRacingDesign]

That's untrue. I've set world records and I don't use any form of 'hacks' and don't take shortcuts. Some people just have more talent than others.

[@jjeeqq]

@@SimsRacingDesign just vecause you have set world records on some stages at some car classes doesn't mean there is no cheaters on some stages with some car claSes. You can detect them easily when they gains grip and acceleration at way not possible. Show me: Group A, Argentina: Las Juntas

[@SimsRacingDesign]

@@jjeeqq there might be some... But suggesting in your first comment that all of them do that, is completely unfair. What's the name of the guy that has the Group A record in Las Juntas?

[@jjeeqq]

@@SimsRacingDesign i have to check when i get back to home. But it was top 1 and others after him were far behind.

[@byggloket2590]

The game become another game when the hud is removed. The progress bar😬🤢🤢

[@SimsRacingDesign]

I know, right? All distractions are gone and you can fully focus on the task at hand.