In the run-up to the release of MotoGP 21, we're providing setup guides for all of the circuits on MotoGP 20.
Aside from testing, the first circuit you'll tackle in Career Mode is Qatar's Losail race track. Setups are key to being fast around a racing circuit, especially when you're starting off in the game.
Here's the setup you need to succeed in the Gulf state!
Tyres
Losail's track surface is super-smooth, so you can be aggressive with your choice of tyres.
Either softs on both the rear and front or a medium on the rear axle is best. We'd recommend medium on the rear though, as softs will struggle towards the end of your race.
Suspension
Qatar's long start-finish straight makes it necessary to be aggressive with your suspension setup. This will make the corners of the infield more difficult, but it's what you need for a fast lap time.
We recommend high preload values of 10 on the front and 7 on the rear to increase your grip levels. Your fork values also need to be high, possibly all the way up to 10.
Shock absorbers should be 6 for front and rear, as you'll be using a lot of kerbs around here. The springs need to be hard for steering precision though, we went with 9, 8 on the front and rear.
Steering Adjustment
With your suspension set up to be precise, you can afford to make the bike more stable with regards to the steering adjustment.
A full 10 on the head and 8 on the trail will stabilise the bike through the long corners in sectors two and three.
Gear Ratio
The long start/ finish straight requires your final gear ratio to top out higher than normal. The rest of the gears can be set to a lower speed though, to aid acceleration out of the slow corners.
Brake System
Aside from Turn 1, there aren't many big stops in Qatar. Your braking system shouldn't deviate from the defaults of 340mm and 220mm.
ECU
There are a lot of slow corners to accelerate out of, so traction control is something you're going to be using at this circuit. Turn both TC and the engine braking up to their maximum values.
Anti-wheelie aid can be turned down to 3 though, the front axle shouldn't be lifting off much around here.
Be sure to turn your power up to 2 for the straights and whenever you've got excess fuel in the tank. These can all be adjusted out on-track and during the race though, so feel free to alter these as your race progresses.