Career - Subaru WRX STI NR4 - Hawkes Bay (Dry Gravel)

Key Characteristics: 1.Alignment: A front toe-out of -0.20° sharpens turn-in through the continuous corners, while a rear toe-in of 0.20° acts as a geometric stabilizer that keeps the rear planted during high-speed lift-off. Front camber is set to -1.50° and rear to -1.12° to maximize tire contact during hard cornering without hurting straight-line stability. 2.Differential: The centre LSD driving lock is raised to 36% to put more drive to the ground and improve four-wheel traction, while the front driving lock is dropped to 24% to reduce understeer on power. Front preload is lowered to 16.66 N-m for a freer, more agile feel off-throttle. Rear locks are kept at 32% (drive) / 24% (brake) to maintain stable, predictable exit traction. 3.Suspension & Damping: Ride height is raised to 18.74 mm front and rear to cope with the gravel undulations and crests. Spring rates are softened slightly (Front 92.16 N/mm, Rear 52.59 N/mm) and anti-roll bars relaxed (Front 7.87 N/mm, Rear 5.00 N/mm) to keep both axles compliant and glued over bumps. Damping is firmed for the jumps — Front Slow Bump +2 / Fast Bump +4, Rear Slow Bump +1 / Fast Bump +3, with Bump Zone Division at 0.72 mps front and rear — preventing bottoming while controlling rebound (Front Slow Rebound +3, Rear +2). 4.Brakes: Braking force stays at 3,000 N-m, more than enough for dry gravel. Brake bias is set to 58% (slightly rear-biased from the 66% default), allowing aggressive trail-braking to rotate the car into corners without the rear going light. 5.Gearing: The 5th gear is lengthened to 1.009 to lift top speed on the long flowing straights, while the final drive is kept at 0.220 to preserve the strong, sustained acceleration you need out of the corners. The lower gears are left stock for crisp, responsive power delivery. 6.Best For: Drivers looking for a predictable, confidence-inspiring car that stays stable under braking and lift-off, turns in sharply, and pulls hard out of corners — without feeling twitchy or over-stiff. 7.Pro-Tip: On the high-speed flowing sections, if the rear ever feels slightly light under lift-off, keep a small amount of throttle applied to maintain drivetrain load rather than lifting completely. This setup is designed to reward a smooth, momentum-based driving style.