We're almost at the end of the season by the time we make it to Malaysia. The penultimate round of the MotoGP season takes place around the challenging Sepang International Circuit.
Sepang has been ever-present on the MotoGP 22 calendar since 1999 and has kept the same layout throughout. The thrills and spills we see for real is also what we can enjoy in the official MotoGP 22 video game.
Milestone have made another great MotoGP game and 22 has been a breath of fresh air for fans of the fastest two-wheeled racing in the world. Here's our setup guide for Malaysia in MotoGP 22.
Tyres
The track temperatures are always sweltering in Malaysia. Couple that with the abrasive tarmac, and you'll need to opt for the hardest rubber available on both the front and the rear of the bike.
You could see a medium last the distance, but you'll need to nurse them to the finish rather than push throughout.
Suspension
The front suspension has to be on the high side to help the responsiveness of the steering. The pre-load is the one exception to this, as this has to be down at 2.
The swingarm compression and extension have to be at 4 each. The spring hardness should be at 5, with the oil quantity cranked up to 6.
The rear suspension should be a mix of high and low values for a good compromise between stability and responsiveness. The rear pre-load should be up at 5, with the shock absorber extension all the way up at 7.
The swingarm connector and the spring hardness are at 3, with the shock absorber compression at 2.
Vehicle geometry
The Vehicle Geometry should be on the low side to help responsiveness. The Steering Head Inclination has to be around 1, as should the trail.
The steering plate position (4) and rear swingarm length (2) should both be set higher to aid stability.
Transmission
In Sepang, the gears should be slightly on the higher side to help overall top speed. However, the sixth gear should be low so that you can have better acceleration down the long straights.
The final ratio, though should be at 5, with the slipper clutch set to 2 to aid stability.
Brake System
The long pit and back straights do have huge braking zones at the end of them, so you need strong brakes in Malaysia. However, since these zones are so spread out, you won't need the very strongest on the front.
So, 340 mm high mass on the front and the 220 mm on the rear are what we've found to be ideal here.
ECU
The electronic aids in MotoGP are definitely your friends around Malaysia. You'll need to make use of them, and that includes 4 on traction control to ensure smooth acceleration out of slow corners.
The same goes for the engine braking, up at 4 to scrub plenty of speed off during long corners like the Turns 5 and 6. The anti-wheelie aid can be down at 3 though, mainly because of the inclines and declines being relatively gentle.
Power mapping is best at 3 for a flying lap, but you'll need to turn this around during some points in the race. This is to save fuel and the engine. All of these can be adjusted out on track using the HUD in the bottom-right of the screen.