Peugeot 306 Maxi Guide by Heiko Schwalm, Text version for Sega Rally 2 Championship
Heiko's Notes
Compared to the other Sega Rally 2 cars, people think the Maxi doesn't slide. That is wrong. It does. It just doesn't drift very much, it tends to understeer (you slide over the front wheels to the outside of the corner). BUT: on gravel or snow the back of the 306 will sometimes try to be faster than the front and the car will be going sideways.
The tendency to understeering makes the 306 difficult to drive when changing from another car, because the corners seem to be tighter than before. Three words of encouragement: they are not! You have to change your way of driving.
With the 306, you turn the steering wheel to the Maxi where you hardly moved it with a Lancer. And you have to steer a fraction of a second earlier with the 306 than with the other cars.
For me, the 306 is the perfect car for inside view as you can always see where you are going (I hate the Stratos - sorry, Marrow, but that damn thing goes too much sideways - I can't see a thing).
Most of it will be obvious, but speeds are only given where I had a chance to have a peek while driving and where I find them useful (full speed corners while accelerating are full speed corners - whatever the speed is).
205+ as a speed means that this is the minimum speed I drive when passing that corner "correctly". The top speed may be 5 km/h higher (sometimes even more - I don't look when driving a really good one, forgive me).
My personal best at the moment of typing is on top of every course guide so you can see whether there is a better driver's guide out there (if you find one, please mail me at: fn167@fen.baynet.de) and what time is achievable with this technique.
Below the stage name are the key corners of the stage - the ones who deserve special concentration. After that I will tell you my way to drive. If you have other techniques that you think are faster, tell me. Also tell me if I could help you improve your time (I'm curious).
May you never suffer a flat while driving Sega Rally 2!
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General Advice Starting Method Desert Stage Mountain Stage Riviera Stage
If you drift, you will lose speed - even the slightest drift will cost!
TAKE CORNERS OUT-IN-OUT
For beginners: from the very outside aim at the inside wall of the corner and hope you miss - that's the way to drive.
NEVER HIT OUTSIDE WALLS
If you hit the outside wall, you will lose speed after the corner and this will slow you down for the next 10 secs of the game (time loss: up to one sec!).
If you hit the inside wall instead, you can slow down within the corner and have enough time to gain speed again. This can be used in several occasions to "brake" the car and save time (gain: some 0.3 secs)!
If you see you are going to hit the outside - off-accel! The car will have more grip on the front wheels and thus your turn be tighter. If you still hit the wall, change your timing of steering. You're way too late!
DON'T CRASH
Hopefully, this guide helps to avoid crashes ;^)
AVOID GRASS - EVEN ON THE INSIDE OF THE CORNERS
As a general rule: if you get all your wheels on grass, you will slide and your turn be wider than if you missed the grass. Sometimes you will have to run grass, sometimes it doesn't matter - but as a general rule it's true.
AVOID WATER
On straights, water will keep you from accelerating, in corners it will send you flying out of the corner.
NO UNNECCESSARY SHIFTING
Beginners often shift at every corner. Don't! I shift down 7 times (always to third) throughout the whole game - and that might be still too often!
SLOW IN - FAST OUT
You better enter too slow than too fast (see: never hit outside walls).
DON'T PANIC!
This might not be the hitchhiker's guide through the galaxy, but this is the monsterman's guide through Sega Rally 2, which is just as hard to survive without severe mental defects.
Most time can be won or lost in the S-curve after checkpoint. 2 corners later, at the long easy left with the brick wall on the outside, you must avoid hitting this wall.
EASY LEFT, EASY RIGHT
When having shifted to 4th turn wheel slightly to left, run over grass in both turns.
First time compare should be: 11"38 - 11"42
EASY LEFT
Out-in-out, keep adhesion (?), no drift.
Target: ~245 km/h after corner
LONG MEDIUM LEFT, WATER
Aim at fence, keep adhesion as long as possible, run grass. At apex, full steering.
Target: ~235 km/h after corner
CHECKPOINT
MEDIUM RIGHT, (First Part of S-Curve)
Approach from the very outside, aim at fence, at fence full countersteering.
Target: 230+ km/h at that point
LONG MEDIUM LEFT, (Second Part of S-Curve)
From last corner aim at fence (again), short off-accel (a second time when neccessary), aim at middle of street because of water hazards after jump
Target: 220-225 km/h out
EASY RIGHT
From where you are right, aim carefully at inside. When car starts drifting, countersteer immediately. Grass may be, must not.
Target: ~240 km/h after turn
LONG EASY LEFT
Out-in-out, steer early, aim at mountain (not too close - grass!), full steering, avoid brick wall! (better off-accel).
Target: 225-230 km/h
LONG EASY LEFT, in Tarmac
Out-in, avoid drifting, countersteer as early as possible to set your car up for a straight run to goal.
Target: speed within corner (just before countersteering): 230-232 km/h
Be careful in hairpins and control speed in S-turns (left-right) after second narrow bridge (caution: grass!). Start as in Desert, but put in 4th at 185- 190 km/h (in the first right turn).
EASY RIGHT, in Tarmac
Cut in, at apex shift to 4th. After turn aim at left of bridge
EASY LEFT
Approach from the middle of the street, not from right, at the middle of the bridge steer fully to the left. Stay close to the inside, end turn inside (left lane) - full speed.
K-RIGHT
From the very left aim at fence, climb brick part of street (out-in-out...). At the apex, I lift my gas foot a little. This may be 'chicken' driving. However, it helps me to avoid crashing into the outside wall after that turn - full speed.
K-RIGHT
Do this one the same way like the one before. You can't do these 2 turns in one big turn. Before entering this one, hesitate, then enter - full speed (I play 'chicken' here as well).
EASY LEFT
Enter from middle, end left.
Target: 215-221 km/h
MEDIUM RIGHT, in Gravel
Do out-in-out. Pass the com car left, if you were fast until here (as a rule of thumb: if you did the last one with 219+...), pass right, if you were slow. Full speed.
Target: 227-230 km/h, before entering next turn
VERY LONG EASY LEFT, in Tarmac
Stay left, do an in-in-turn. Minimum drift, if you start drifting, do a hook to keep car in line and recover grip as fast as possible.
Target: 220-226 km/h, when entering tarmac
HAIRPIN RIGHT
Enter from outside. After some 50m of tarmac, put in 3rd, hand- and foot brake. Pass com car on the inside - yes, there is enough room - release foot brake, not handbrake, and begin accelerating. Release handbrake and shoot out of that corner! Holding the handbrake while accelerating keeps the car in lane and lets you accelerate earlier and with more control. If you were fast until here, you will have no problems passing that com car. If you were slow, it may cause problems when exiting the hairpin. Just forget that 'hold-the- handbrake'-part in that case and lean comfortably against the Subaru :^)
Target: 135-145+ km/h, at apex
EASY LEFT, Narrow Bridge
Do out-in-half out, don't forget to change into 4th gear
MEDIUM LEFT, MEDIUM RIGHT (S-Corner)
Out-in in the first part, off-accel at apex, quickly steer right, off-accel again, line: out-in-out. Do not enter the grass too much - keep left side of the car on tarmac! Work with accelerator to keep constant speed. Speed:
Target first part (Medium Left): 205-210 km/h, Target second part (Medium Right): 203-208 km/h Target out: 212+ km/h
MEDIUM RIGHT
Out-in, stay on right side of street. full speed
OPEN HAIRPIN LEFT
Right between last corner and this one, change into 3rd and off-accel. Now do a simple out-in-out without any change, just steer to the very inside, avoid hitting the brick wall and entering the grass after the turn, and you're done with this one. Accelerate again and shift to 4th gear.
Target: 165-175+ km/h
NOTE: I am experimenting with a 4th-gear-technique in the moment that will speed this turn up (last try I did it with 181 km/h, but it's not safe, so I don't want to publish it until I know for sure how it can be done without crashing).
MEDIUM RIGHT
Simple out-in-out, keep accelerating. Don't go too wide. Full speed.
LONG EASY RIGHT, in Gravel
Out-in-out, keep accelerating. Don't go too wide, better drive 'chicken' at apex.
Target: 208-213 km/h
MEDIUM LEFT
From middle or outside, steer early (aim at inside wall), in the second half of the turn, oversteer a little. Countersteer to straighten car out. Good style would be not to hit the fence here.
NOTE: Watch as your car crosses the finishing line in the middle of the street - shouldn't it be at the left of the screen? - Try to drift into goal and watch then: the tracks of your 306 will have interesting shapes...
In Snowy stage you must not slide out of any turn or you will lose a lot of time. Drive over the inner shoulder of the turns but don't bump. Most time can be won at K-left after checkpoint, hairpin and the final S.
LONG EASY RIGHT
Mount the inner shoulder of right turn, shift to 4th when half finished turn. Full speed.
VERY VERY LONG EASY LEFT
From within the right turn before, aim at the first spectator (and hopefully miss) at the moment he starts running. That is approximately the moment and line - you fully steer left to make a nice turn on the inner side. Always try to keep on the inner side, you will have to correct the line every now and then. Only scratch the shoulder in this turn - if you climb to high you lose speed.
Target: 195-197 when entering, full speed
EASY RIGHT
Was there a turn? - Just run over the shoulder and ignore it... full speed.
EASY LEFT
Yes, there was a turn... Run over this shoulder as well if you want, you don't have to. If you do, be sure to leave the shoulder early enough to be on the outside before entering next turn. Full speed.
Target: 215 km/h
LONG MEDIUM LEFT
This is best taken out-in with shoulder. The car will oversteer, try to keep it left for next turn. Do not climb the shoulder too early! A nice crash and a time loss of ~1.5 sec will be the result! If you are not sure if you can take this turn correctly, control speed by off-accelling when you enter.
Target: 208-215 km/h
MEDIUM RIGHT, MEDIUM RIGHT
Those two turns must be done in the old fashion Out-in-out style. They cannot be done in one turn so you will have to countersteer a little between them. I do the second one 'chicken-way' to have better control of my line. After the second turn stay right for K-left.
Target: 200-205+ km/h
LONG K-LEFT
From the very right off-accel and steer left just when you enter the turn (or a little before that - feeling...). In the ideal case the car will approach the inner shoulder and climb it a little. Full accel out of the corner from that moment on.
Target: 185-190 km/h
EASY LEFT
If you have not yet passed the com car, do it now on the left side. You may take the shoulder here, but it's not wise as you have to be left when entering the hairpin turn... full speed, of course.
HAIRPIN RIGHT
When half between last turn and hairpin, shift to 3rd, then turn right, brake and handbrake, all at the same time. Pass the com car on the inside, if not yet done. Hold handbrake while releasing the others. Full accel while holding handbrake (controls your turn) and finally, release handbrake when you almost made it. Be sure to do this turn out-in-out.
Target: 115-125+ km/h
EASY LEFT, EASY RIGHT
As your car still slides at the first of those two, try to be on a straight line to following med left. Pass com car on left side if in left turn, on right if early in right turn. If you have to pass later, pass left. Shift to 4th within these turns. Full speed.
VERY VERY LONG MEDIUM LEFT
You can take this turn in-in, though you need not to do so (see above). Do not mount the shoulder in this turn. Carefully control your line on the inner side of the turn with steering wheel, even when you pass a com car here. Passing the com car when not much faster can be a problem in this turn. If you passed it in the first half of the turn, you must stay on the inside or the com car will push you out of the turn (costs up to over one sec)! In the last meters of the turn you may want to climb the shoulder anyway to have higher speed when leaving the turn. Full speed.
Target: 199-202 km/h
STRAIGH, 2 CREST JUMPS
Stay on the right side to set you up for the S.
LONG MEDIUM LEFT, MEDIUM RIGHT
From the very outside turn left when you land from the last jump. Do not steer while in the air or you will climb the shoulder too early and fly out! When you feel imminent drifting, 'chicken' (off-accel very shortly) to stay on the inside. Look at the ad in the right turn: in inside view (which I prefer) the moment to steer right is just the moment when you look at that sign from the side - when you look 'along' the sign. Climb the shoulder and softly straighten for goal.
As the course is not much more than two (almost) straights and two hairpins, emphasize your training on the hairpins and stay on the inner lane when not doing hairpin turns.
START
Like the starts in Mountain and Snowy, shift to 4th at 185 km/h (first right turn). Stay right.
MEDIUM RIGHT
From right lane (left on this lane) cut in-out to be on the very left of the track way before entering hairpin. In second round you may have to off-accel at apex for a moment in order not to crash at the end of this turn. Full speed.
HAIRPIN RIGHT
Some 50 m before the turn, shift to 3rd. Brake and handbrake while turning in. Hit the inside wall with your headlight. A tangent from the wall would cut your car in half if you hit at the right angle. At the bump, release brake (not handbrake) and start accelerating while holding handbrake. Release handbrake when 3/4 of turn done.
Target Speed: without wall-turn: 115-125 km/h; with wall-turn: 125+ km/h
MEDIUM LEFT, MEDIUM RIGHT
Steer to left as soon as the left wall starts to bend. If there is a com car you didn't pass in Snowy and you can't pass before this S, don't steer all the way - the com car will bump you through the turn. Countersteer soon also to stay on the right lane. Full speed.
Target Speed: around 200 km/h
MEDIUM RIGHT (First part of S-Corner)
This one is a little harder than the one before. Full right when at the beginning of the wooden fence, full left when the car is half through the turn. Full speed.
Target Speed: 205-210 km/h
MEDIUM LEFT (Second part of S-Corner)
From the 'straight' cut inside and shift to 3rd at apex while off-acceling.
Target Speed: 215+ km/h, before shifting
HAIRPIN RIGHT
The shifting should have brought you to the outside of the hairpin. Right after the shifting, brake, handbrake and steer right. Hit wall a left of the vertical stripe on the crash barrier, same angle as before. As in first hairpin, hold handbrake while starting to accelerating. When almost done with turn, release handbrake.
When encountering a com car in that turn, pass on the inside. If this is happening before you reach the hairpin (and this can happen if you're fast), pass left.
Target Speed: without wall-turn; 120+ km/h, with wall turn; 130+ km/h
K-RIGHT
From the outside, simply do an out-in-out-turn at full speed. Aim at apex of inner kerbstone to get right line. When encountering a com car in the turn, go inside, when doing so after the turn, pass left. Following the K-right is a little left bend, but when you come out of the corner correctly (eg. on the outside), you will not have to worry about this. Drive the shortest line to checkpoint/goal (keep right when in first round). Full accel.
Target Speed: 180 km/h
CHECKPOINT/GOAL
Target Speed: 209 km/h
HEIKO'S LAST WORDS ON RIVIERA... (cue dramatic orchestra)
If you can't make these speeds in first try, remember: those are best who train the most! - And have trained quite some time before I established these techniques (which are not the fastest)! Find out for yourself when to enter the turns, when to release handbrake, when and how long exactly to off-accel! I cannot tell as it depends on the situation. (And even if I could tell - don't you think there are secrets to that game you should find out for yourself?)
