After months of waiting F1 2021 players finally got their hands on the Portuguese track Portimao. The overwhelming feedback has been that Codemasters has done an excellent job with the track. Its rolling hills and sweeping corners are a joy to drive.
Like any track though, you need a good setup to get the most out of your lap. Our Portimao setup is built for consistency and driveability, but what about ultimate top speed? For that, we took a look at current F1 2021 champion Jarno Opmeer.
Surprisingly stable
Setups at the very top of the timesheets in Time Trial tend to be on a knife-edge. They require the exact right inputs at the exact right time otherwise they will have you pointing the wrong way.
Opmeer's Portimao setup is surprisingly driveable, but there are a few corners and moments where the car can bite. Turn 4, the uphill left-hander, is a struggle that requires just the right line with just the right throttle level to get through.
It's also vicious on the brakes, with a snap of rear locking if you can't trail off at just the right time.
Let's see what the setup looks like.
Jarno Opmeer's Portimao setup
Jarno's best Time Trial lap is a 1:15.616, just .316 off the top mark currently held by Aston Martin's Lucas Blakeley.
The setup starts with 7-8 wings and an ultra-aggressive 90% on-throttle differential with 54% off-throttle differential.
Suspension geometry is standard, with front camber at -2.50 and rear camber at -2.00. Front toe is set to 0.06 and rear toe is 0.20.
Jarno's suspension is set very soft, with 1-3 suspension and 1-3 anti-roll bars. This is paired with a 2-6 ride height and creates a car that is pliable.
Brakes are supremely aggressive, with 100% brake pressure and 55% brake bias. This leads to some scary rear locking if you aren't stellar with your left foot. We had to move the bias to 57% to ensure we could finish a lap.
Tyres are set to 23.0 psi on the front and 23.5 psi on the rear.
We were able to put together a 1:17.251, albeit with that slight brake change. What can you do with this setup?