Don’t get hung up on team rankings early in the racing season; what truly matters are the results you achieve on the track. It’s about crossing the finish line first and improving your race performance. Even if your initial component ratings seem average, focusing on key areas can propel you to the top. In racing, and especially when considering Car Direction Parts, strategic upgrades are crucial for success.
Race reports often highlight the engine, gearbox, and brakes as critical for optimal performance. From a racing perspective, engine power directly translates to top speed, while a well-designed gearbox converts that power into acceleration. Brakes, of course, are essential for deceleration and precise cornering. While aerodynamic elements like wings influence handling and efficiency, the fundamental car direction parts—engine, gearbox, and brakes—form the core of your car’s competitive edge.
Understanding the research and development cycle in racing is key to long-term improvement. At the end of each season, your two best performing parts are carried over, providing a head start for the next season. However, “best” in this context refers to the inherent design quality, not temporary performance boosts achieved through in-season development. Focus on designs that offer a strong base performance (+X), rather than those with temporary “Max” improvements (+20 to Max), as the base performance is what you retain. Seasonal bonuses, whether positive or negative, are reset with the season upgrade. Interestingly, even illegal parts can be strategically used. While the illegal aspect is removed for the next season, the underlying performance bonus remains. Designing an intentionally illegal part with significant performance gains can be a clever tactic to acquire a superior base component for the following season. Just be careful not to get caught racing with illegal parts, as penalties include confiscation and fines.
When it comes to designing car direction parts, starting with a top-tier designer is paramount. Look beyond just their numerical ratings and consider their design bonuses. Bonuses like reduced illegal part penalties or faster build times are beneficial, but those that add extra quality parts are exceptionally valuable. Access to designers is often limited by your racing series level and team management stats, so aim for the best available designer with impactful bonuses. Recruiting designers from other teams is a viable strategy, as contract buyout costs are relatively low compared to driver acquisitions.
Once you have a skilled designer and the capacity to create new components, assess your design options each season. The initial design offerings appear to be random and remain static throughout the season. If the options are limited to illegal designs or those focused solely on temporary “Max” boosts, it might be worth waiting. Prioritize designs with a solid base performance improvement (+X) to maximize carry-over benefits. Initially, don’t be overly concerned with reliability or minor performance fluctuations. A slight dip in reliability can be managed by your mechanics, allowing you to prioritize acquiring superior car direction parts.
Focus your initial design efforts on a single, crucial car direction part, aiming for the highest possible quality. Engines are often the most impactful, and designing multiple engine iterations within a season is a worthwhile strategy. The design bonuses accumulated through multiple attempts are invaluable. While engine design is costly, chairman cash boosts can offset the expense, and utilizing available credit can allow for further development. In a successful season, you might produce a significant number of engines, maximizing your chances of obtaining exceptional designs. Remember the “illegal part trick” to carry over a high-potential base design to the next season.
If engine design options are unfavorable, shift your focus to gearboxes, the next most critical car direction part, followed by brakes. Brakes are relatively inexpensive and quick to design, allowing for multiple iterations within a season. Depending on your engine design progress, creating several brake designs can be a cost-effective way to enhance your car. Aerodynamic components like wings can be addressed later, perhaps when progressing to higher racing series.
After designing new car direction parts, begin development if immediate deployment is planned. Prioritize reliability until it reaches a stable level, around 80%, before focusing on performance enhancements. Maintain concurrent development in both reliability and performance areas, allocating worker resources accordingly. Remember that your designer provides an indirect performance bonus, even when workers are solely focused on reliability. Avoid developing parts that won’t be used immediately. Design multiple parts to leverage design bonuses, but only invest development resources into the most promising ones. An 80% reliability target is generally sufficient for initial races. Once reliability is secured across all car direction parts, shift development focus entirely to performance.
Persistence and strategic management are key to long-term success in racing. Progressing through racing series takes time and dedication, but a focused approach to car direction parts design and development, combined with smart management, will pave the way to victory.
