Full review of the new Ferrari 296 GT3 car in Assetto Corsa Competizione
A new expansion pack. Great. I've fallen in love with ACC's expansion packs over the past few years. Minimal? Sure, don't expect an entirely new game for just $12.99 ... But all things considered, it does make racing a little more interesting after countless miles on the oh-so-familiar tracks.
What stood out most in this new DLC was obviously the Circuito Ricardo Tormo. The famous Valencian racetrack has been a favorite of mine for some decades. The miles I've raced on that track in the several MotoGP titles are countless, and the fun I've had too. Though different in a car, the track still delivers. It's swooping, fast, narrow, and you need to be very precise to get the best out of the car. My first few attempts weren't all that bad, but I wasn't getting anywhere near a competitive lap time. The BMW M4 GT3 seemed to struggle in most areas and just didn't feel like the perfect fit at first.
And so, I decided to move to the brand-new Ferrari 296 GT3. I also happen to follow the real-life races. As it happens with brand-new cars, the Ferrari at first wasn't turning any heads on the grid. But by now, she's won her first 24h at the Nurburgring. And not to mention her looks because, boy ... she's stunning. She looks like an SF90 on steroids in full race trim. I was drawn to it with low expectations because come on, how good would it be? Joke's on me ...
Image credit goes to: Kunos Simulazioni
Performance 5/5
As with many new supercars, the 296 has ditched the trusted V8 and cut back two cylinders. She now boasts a turbocharged mid-mounted V6. The result is a smaller engine that gets a good low center of gravity.
Apart from the new engine, Ferrari has also spent some extra time in the wind tunnel, improving aerodynamics to give the car more downforce than its predecessor. So, expect good performance from both the V6 and a more stable body. And that's noticeable from the get-go. The 296 is balanced. And that goes a very long way in ACC.
Apart from her balance, the Ferrari is incredibly consistent. I wouldn't go as far as calling it predictable, but it surely behaves similarly lap after lap. That makes it fairly easy to understand where the limit is and where you can find a bit more time.
Overall, the car performs excellently as you'd expect from a brand-new car. She's up with the best on the straights and throughout corners. Although you no longer get the V8 power, the V6 seems to be a perfect alternative, if not even slightly better, albeit you might experience some turbo lag on corner exit.
Just recently, I've finally upgraded to a Fanatec DD CSL with the matching CSL V2 pedals. The combination seemed perfect, and I can't recall the last time I've had so much fun driving a car in the virtual world.
In no time, I was up to speed. In fact, I was doing PBs everywhere. I even broke several of my own track records after struggling for several months to get within one second of them.
Image credit goes to: Kunos Simulazioni
Handling 4,5/5
There's no perfect car ... in every area, there's something small to point out. But the Ferrari seems to hit quite a few sweet spots.
A car with a good overall balance gels with most tracks naturally, before you have to start messing with the setups to find that sought-after balance. The 296 is a perfect blend of a precise front end and a stable body. It feels alive when you're putting her through her paces. But never does the 296 feel twitchy or incoherent like the Mercedes AMG does at times. Most of the time, the front and rear-end are in sync, allowing you to try different racing lines and braking points.
Apart from a snappy rear-end (which I'm still trying to tame) and the occasional off-throttle understeer, it really gets the job done. The only difficulty I have with it is the weight transfer. Every time I get off the brake, the car seems to need a bit of time to settle into the corner. The front is firmly pointed towards the exit, but mid-corner, I find myself often making corrections with the throttle.
I'll probably be able to fix that with some setup tweaks, but I'm still trying to figure out the limits of the aggressive setup first. Once I've found the sweet spot, I'll be sure to let you know.
Image credit goes to: Kunos Simulazioni
How to make the Ferrari 296 GT3 faster in ACC?
- Soften the front and stiffen the rear mechanical grip
- Play around with the TC cut levels. I found that the sometimes going for TC 4-6 works well, finetuning it with the TC cut.
- Lower the bumpstop rate at the front to help you with mid-corner understeer.
- Lower the front aero for improved turn in.
Image credit goes to: Kunos Simulazioni
Conclusion
In short, I'm a fan. Like I've said above, I've been setting PBs with the Ferrari. I've had trouble getting back at that level for a while. The 296 is a great car to drive and have fun with. It's a confidence-inspiring, stable, and exciting car to race!
Oh, and the lap times at Valencia? Still not great. It appears (judging from the massive online presence) that the new Porsche 992 outperforms the Ferrari here. I'll get to that later...
Image credit goes to: Kunos Simulazioni