Master Momentum and Survival at Okayama International Circuit - Short
How to maximize consistency, safety, and maximizing exit speed for the Ray FF1600 (Formula Ford) at Okayama International Circuit - Short.
November 8, 2025
1) TRACK SNAPSHOT
- Location & layout: Okayama, Japan. Short configuration, clockwise, ~2.314 km / 1.437 mi. Official turn count: 10.
- Character: Smooth surface, generally flat with mild camber that helps rotation at Atwood and the Last Corner. Curbs are mostly flat/moderate; usable, but exit curbs drop to grass quickly.
- Three corners that matter most for lap time:
- T5 Atwood Curve (long right): Most important exit speed—sets up the mid-straight and the Piper braking zone.
- T10 Last Corner (right onto front straight): Clean exit equals free lap time and safe overtakes into T1.
- T6 Piper (left link): Big braking zone and traction test; exit sets the Redman/Hobbs/Mike Knight rhythm.
2) INCIDENT & TRACK-LIMIT HOTSPOTS (Rookie Priorities)
- Front straight into T1: Mid-pack divebombs common. Outside exit curb to grass = easy 1x or spin if you pinch throttle with steering.
- T2 Williams to T3–4 Moss S: Over-attack the first right and run wide at the left—1x and slowdowns. Keep it narrow so you can set up Atwood.
- T5 Atwood exit: Running out to the outer curb/grass while still adding throttle—snap oversteer and 1x.
- T6 Piper braking: Big stop while turning slightly—rear lock and rotation. Easy to out-brake yourself and cut the inside or rejoin into traffic.
- T7 Redman exit: Tempting throttle—exit curb is narrow; a wheel on the grass can hook you into a spin.
- T8 Hobbs: Trail too deep and bounce over inside curb; under-rotation on exit leads to side-by-side contact.
- T10 Last Corner exit: Off-track if you open steering too late or grab throttle too early; spins on cold rears common.
- Safe rejoins:
- After T1 or T6: Stay off the racing line, rejoin parallel once the pack passes. Do not U-turn across the apex route.
- After Last Corner: Stay right, let cars pass on the racing line; blend gently onto front straight.
- Pit entry/exit:
- Entry: Commit before the Last Corner; stay tight right through the corner to enter pits. Do not dart across the apex from mid-track.
- Exit: Blend line runs along T1/T2 right side; stay right of the solid line until it ends. Cars at speed approach T1 on the left—don’t merge early.
3) RACECRAFT PLAN (Ray FF1600)
- Drafting zones:
- Front straight into T1: Best passing chance. Set up early with a run from Last Corner.
- Short straight from Atwood to Piper: Secondary pass zone if exit from T5 is strong.
- Clean passing spots:
- T1: Prefer inside. Show nose early on the straight, brake a car length earlier to ensure rotation and a strong exit.
- T6 Piper: Inside move under braking. Commit to a slightly later apex to keep exit speed for Redman.
- T10 Last Corner: Only if you’re clearly alongside by turn-in; otherwise prioritize exit for T1 pass.
- Defensive lines that preserve exit:
- T1: Defend inside once; brake slightly earlier to avoid mid-corner wash. Release the brake smoothly to rotate and still get a decent launch.
- T6: Inside defense; park it on a late apex to block over-under without killing exit.
- T10: Middle-entry, late apex; force attacker to go the long way and prepare your straight-line exit.
- Start/first-lap survival:
- Brake 15–25 m earlier into T1 and T6. Expect stack-ups.
- Pileups: T1 outside exit, T6 apex, T10 exit.
- Escape routes: T1—use inside runoff/curb; T6—straighten the car and use the paved runoff rather than rotating into traffic; T10—stay right and let chaos clear.
4) DRIVING LINE & MARKERS (Corner-by-corner)
| T# | Name | Priority* | Approach Ref | Brake Point | Trail? | Apex Type | Min Speed (rookie target) | Throttle On | Exit Trackout | Kerb Use | Risk/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Corner | High | Left side, 100m board | 100–90m, firm, straight | Yes | Late-v late | 45–50 mph (72–80 kph) | As wheel straightens | Full to outer curb | Use inside; avoid exit grass | Big L1 divebombs; protect car. |
| 2 | Williams | Med | Right side exit of T1 | Light brush ~50m | Short | Mid-late | 55–60 mph (88–96 kph) | Early but smooth | Mid-to-outer | Skim inside | Sets Moss/Atwood; don’t over-commit. |
| 3 | Moss (R) | Med | Left side after T2 | Lift/brush pre-turn-in | Feather | Early | 50–55 mph (80–88 kph) | Partial, maintain | Center | Modest inside | Keep car balanced for L kink. |
| 4 | Moss (L) | Med | From R kink | Usually no extra brake | Light | Early-mid | 50–55 mph (80–88 kph) | Feed in | Right setup | Use inside, avoid exit dirt | Don’t run wide—sets Atwood. |
| 5 | Atwood Curve | High | Right side, long right | Small lift/brush entry | Long | Very late | 48–52 mph (77–84 kph) | Gradual, build early | Full, wide exit | Minimal inside | Exit is king; prioritize straight exit. |
| 6 | Piper (L) | High | Right side, 100m board | 90–80m, strong | Yes | Late | 35–40 mph (56–64 kph) | After apex settle | Use full width | Inside ok; exit curb light | Rear lock risk; straight-line brake. |
| 7 | Redman (R) | Med | Left side | Brush ~50m or lift | Short | Late | 55–60 mph (88–96 kph) | Early, smooth | Full to curb | Skim inside, careful exit | Don’t drop an outside wheel. |
| 8 | Hobbs (L) | Med | Right side | 60–50m, medium | Yes | Late | 40–45 mph (64–72 kph) | After rotation | Use width | Avoid big cut on inside | Easy to over-slow; prioritize exit. |
| 9 | Mike Knight (R) | Low | Left side | Lift/brush, optional | Short | Mid-late | 55 mph (88 kph) | Early | Wide | Gentle inside | Keep momentum; set up Last. |
| 10 | Last Corner (R) | High | Left side, 100m board | 80–70m, firm | Yes | Late | 40–45 mph (64–72 kph) | As wheel opens | Full to outer curb | Inside ok; exit curb narrow | Exit > entry; sets T1 pass. |
(*Priority = effect on next straight: High/Med/Low)
5) BRAKING & GEARS (Rookie Baselines)
- Baseline gears (Ray FF1600 4-speed, assumed):
- 2nd gear: T1, T6, T8, T10.
- 3rd gear: T2–T5, T7, T9.
- Short-shift to 3rd if wheelspin in 2nd on exits (especially T6/T10).
- First laps references and technique:
- T1: Brake at 100m on cold tires, firm initial hit, then trail to the apex.
- T2: 10–20% brake at ~50m; prioritize car balance for Moss.
- Moss S: Controlled lift + light brush; no big inputs.
- T5 Atwood: Brief brush entering, long gentle trail to rotate; very late apex.
- T6 Piper: 90–80m, straight-line brake, down to 2nd; release slowly to avoid rear snap.
- T7 Redman: Small brush or confident lift.
- T8 Hobbs: 60–50m, progressive release.
- T9 Mike Knight: Usually a lift or tiny brush.
- T10 Last: 80–70m, trail to rotate; throttle only as you unwind.
- Mid‑stint adjustments:
- As tires warm and grip up, move brake points 5–10 m later, but keep the same slow-release timing.
- If track cools or cloud cover increases, you can brake later; if it heats up, add 5–10 m margin.
- Gear validation:
- If you’re hitting the rev limiter too long before braking, short-shift up.
- If engine bogs on exit, try the lower gear or delay throttle. Check delta gain/loss in successive laps.
6) CAR CONTROL CUES (Momentum Car Emphasis)
- Rotation method: Light trail-braking to the apex at T1/T6/T8/T10. In faster links (T2–T5), use small, early lifts to set yaw rather than stabby brakes.
- Steering-angle discipline: Aim to straighten the wheel early on exits of Atwood (T5) and Last Corner (T10). If you’re adding throttle with more than a quarter-turn still in, you’re scrubbing speed.
- Throttle patterns:
- Atwood: Roll in early at maintenance throttle, squeeze as you pass the very-late apex.
- Piper/Hobbs/Last: Wait for rotation, then a clean, linear squeeze—no spikes.
- Redman/Mike Knight: Early, gentle application to carry speed.
7) CURBING, BUMPS & SURFACE CHANGES
- Curbs to use:
- Inside at T1/T2 lightly, Moss S modestly, Redman light touch, Mike Knight slight.
- Curbs to avoid or treat carefully:
- T6 Piper inside: ok but don’t monster it; can bounce the rear and unsettle braking.
- T8 Hobbs inside: too much can lift the inside wheels; take a shallow bite only.
- T10 exit curb: narrow with grass right after—respect track-out.
- Surface quirks:
- Atwood has subtle supportive camber—trust a later apex to let the car hook up.
- Slight bumps under braking into T6—keep the car straight as you hit the pedal to avoid rear wander.
8) SETUP / DRIVER ADJUSTMENTS
- FIXED setup assumed.
- Driver adjustments:
- Brake bias start: 60–62% to the front. If rear is lively into T6/T10, increase toward 63–64%. If the car won’t rotate, decrease to ~59%.
- In-car brake pressure: If adjustable via your pedals, map a longer throw for finesse; avoid max spikes.
- Tire pressures: Use session defaults; they stabilize after 2–3 laps. First two laps = extra caution.
- FFB: Set to avoid clipping in T1/T6 braking. You want to feel the micro-slips; better too light than too heavy.
9) TELEMETRY & METRICS TO TRACK
- Sector breakdown (simple):
- S1: Start/Finish to exit of Atwood (T5).
- S2: Atwood exit through Piper (T6) to exit of Redman (T7).
- S3: Hobbs (T8) to finish (includes Last Corner).
- Rookie targets:
- T5 Atwood min speed: 48–52 mph with a strong exit (watch exit speed climb >80 mph before braking for T6).
- T6 Piper apex min: 35–40 mph with clean exit (no wheelspin).
- T10 Last Corner apex min: 40–45 mph with no throttle stabs.
- Lap variance goal: ±0.3–0.5 s over a 5‑lap run; 0x incidents.
- Traces to inspect:
- Brake release: Smooth, continuous trail—no off/on pulses mid-corner.
- Throttle pickup: Short but deliberate delay after rotation in T6/T10; avoid oscillation.
- Steering saturation: If steering angle plateaus and you add throttle, expect scrub; aim for unwind before squeeze.
10) PRACTICE PLAN (45 minutes)
- 0–10 min: Out-lap + references
- Find 100/50 boards for T1, T6, T10. Warm tires gently (no slides).
- Success: Clean laps, no 1x, consistent brake hits.
- 10–25 min: Corner families (exit focus)
- Drill Atwood (T5) exits: late apex, early unwind; log min speed.
- Drill T10 exits: rotate before throttle; aim for no TC-like wheelspin.
- Success: Improve T5/T10 exit speed by 2–3 mph, stable deltas.
- 25–35 min: 2×5‑lap race-pace runs
- No 1x, no dives; practice defensive/attack lines solo.
- Success: Variance within ±0.5 s, same brake points each lap.
- 35–40 min: Pit in/out practice
- Hit pit speed cleanly; stay right of blend line on exit.
- Success: Zero penalties, safe merges.
- 40–45 min: Draft practice + cool-down
- If possible, follow a car and plan a T1 pass setup without contact.
- Success: Execute one clean draft/slingshot attempt; cool-down lap to reset marks.
11) QUICK CHECKLIST (pre‑race)
- Brake bias start point: 61% front (adjust ±2% for stability vs rotation).
- First‑lap brake margins: +20 m at T1 and +15 m at T6.
- Two “free time” fixes:
- Later, calmer apex at Atwood—earlier throttle with less steering.
- Wait for rotation at Last Corner—then one clean throttle squeeze.
- Two safety traps to avoid:
- Over-committing into Piper and rejoining across traffic.
- Pinching T1 exit—let it breathe; don’t gas it with lock on.
- Fuel note: Official rookie sprints typically don’t require stops. If needed, budget ~0.12–0.15 gal (0.45–0.55 L) per lap + 1 lap buffer.
12) ONE‑PAGE SUMMARY
- Protect the car in L1–2; brake early for T1 and T6—survive first.
- Prioritize exits: Atwood (T5) and Last Corner (T10) make the lap and the passes.
- T6 Piper: straight-line brake, slow hands, late apex, clean drive off.
- Keep Moss S tidy to set up Atwood—don’t chase curb-to-curb speed there.
- Use early lifts to rotate in faster corners; save trail-brake for the slow ones.
- Don’t add throttle with big steering—unwind first, then squeeze.
- Use inside defense once at T1/T6; preserve exits for the next straight.
- Respect exit curbs at Redman and Last Corner—grass is unforgiving.
- Build consistent brake references; adjust 5–10 m for temperature and tire state.
- Aim for ±0.5 s lap variance and 0x in practice runs; consistency > one hero lap.