Feature: Shootout #2: The Caterhams

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Simbin RACE Caterham

Top-modeling as per the usual standard from Simbin and great engine sounds, even though there is no rushing sound of wind as you drive.

To go really fast, you have to take this car into the realm of almost losing control of it. The car inherently understeers below and on the limit, and as we know, driving close to the limit is the fast way around the circuit. Setting the car up for corner entry you turn the wheel and attempt to trail-brake briefly to aid the turn-in. This kick-starts an oversteer condition which is caused by the sudden weight-transfer. The car starts feeling lighter, signaling that the corner apex and exit must be controlled by careful and judicious application of the throttle and steering wheel. Too much throttle will send you spinning. Not enough throttle and you will lose momentum and speed. During the exercise the car will feel light and responsive, as if its weight had suddenly been reduced. As we know from physics class, mass will be unchanged and if you started the corner by entering too fast or have the driving line wrong, a quick trip to the kitty-litter is inevitable.

I can only describe the driving experience as top-drawer and very crisp.

The only regrets I have is the lighting in the sim, which to me seems artificial and dark, and the fact that RACE was locked down tight by the developers. As a consequence we are destined to drive the tracks that come with RACE and the Caterham expansion pack, and those tracks only. Cars like these need very long, very fast sweeping corners to deliver the ultimate thrill in my opinion, and there are not too many of those corners around on FIA tracks anymore.

rFactor Caterham Mod

This mod certainly takes the top spot where diversity and optional customization is concerned. It comes close to actually going to the factory and ordering your very own Caterham.

"Would you like a full windscreen or the dual-type screen, Sir? Or perhaps just the carbon fibre wind-breaker for lowest possible drag? Now, if you would like to tell me; would you prefer your car with or without a roll-over-bar? When you're ready, we should also discuss engine choices."

Being a mod provided for free and made by enthusiasts in their spare time, I find the result excellent, and hesitate to mention some minor issues in the form of not quite boasting the finishing touches that we expect from commercial enterprises. Primarily, slightly "unrounded" steering wheels and rear view mirrors. I know, I'm unfair to bring up such minor items in an overall brilliant mod.

The experience of driving the mod is quite unique to other mods for rFactor however, due to the fact that this mod breaks new ground by being the first mod to fully utilize new tools for building tire and suspension files. The Hayabusa and Powertec Caterhams are built with the Kangaloosh! CarFactory tools.

The effect of all this "tech-talk" is a complete by-pass of the stock suspension geometry code for suspension properties and values that are properly calculated transferred to the steering and force feedback wheel.

If you also make use of the "RealFeel" FFB plug-in and the provided controller settings, you can rest assured that you will experience this mod as the creators intended.

With or without the RealFeel plug-in, all the Caterhams in this mod respond to the throttle in a very nice, progressive, and consequently very workable manner, but up-to-a-point of course where no amount of extra throttle will save you from a spin.

The Powertec version is seriously, I mean really seriously over-powered, and well-suited to put your driving skills to the test!

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