Slow AI on Quali and super fast during Race

@EA_Vendcera Here is a Report Code from a quali/race session at Bahrain today: TAAG-TJJS-XTAK-VSEC

The dev team should be able to see the lap times: Both quali and race top lap times are sitting in the 1:33.6 range in BOTH quali and the race.  During the race however, the fuel loads should be MUCH higher than quali, and the AI should be seeing their pace slow down, same as the player.  So, while the player is slowing down from the fuel load in the race, the AI isn't.  Furthering my suspicion regarding fuel loads, the issue doesn't seem to be as noticeable in F2, where fuel load is fixed.

EDIT: Here's another Report Code from a session at Jeddah with a totally different outcome as before: STCE-KHAA-JEER-EXCD

This one had top quali times around 1:34.2 and the race was in the 1:36.5 range.  So, this one appeared to see pace drop as expected.  Is this a track-by-track issue?

EDIT 2: Here's a 3rd Report Code from Australia: RXBP-XMRT-GAET-ABAD

Top quali time was a 1:21.1 on softs, top race time was a 1:22.3ish on mediums.  So, pace appears maaaaaaybe similar here as well between quali and race when factoring in the tire compound difference and use of DRS/ERS.

Hey everyone,

could you please also confirm what type of Qualifying session you were on? So, for example, if it was One Shot Qualifying, Short Qualifying or Full Qualifying?

Thanks for all your info so far. The team is still investigating, and I'll keep you updated once I know more.

-Vendcera

I honestly don't think what type of qualifying session it is matters in my experience.

I can definitely say the AI are too slow in a full and short session. I never do a one shot qualifying.

For me the reason is pointing to the fact that as a player we now have the option to use the overtake deployment in all types of qualifying, which depending on the track can give the player a huge advantage over the AI as I believe this is something AI don't use? Or if they do then not to it's full potential?

I personally much preferred it when the overtake deployment option was not available in qualifying and just used solely for practice and the race.

I don't understand why the overtake deployment option was implemented into qualifying as we never had this before?

As a general rule of thumb, I'm on average around half a second to one second a lap faster than the AI on most tracks on my difficulty setting.

Then come the races they are the same speed as me. It makes the whole experience so completely unrealistic.

Some may say the answer is not to use the overtake deployment then. To be honest I think that will be the outcome. But to be absolutely honest even using the hotlap deployment only, the AI still struggle to challenge still at times.

I'm really happy this is being looked into. I just hope that if any adjustments are implemented going forward the balance is correct.

I started Career with Williams, Full qualifying all the way through i’ve just started at imola and i’m getting top 3 on medium ERS. I’m not great and have played 94 for the last few years and only just put it to 95. But like I say, I can qualify top 3 in full qualifying but then i’ll finish near the bottom at end of the race. I’ve done a few tests, using no battery for example and I will come 20th in qualifying. 

@EA_Vendcera All of my sessions are full qualifying.

Yep, same problem. Full qualifying, 100% race.
That's why I always drive with AI difficulty plus 5 in qualifying compared to the race to compensate for it. Really annoying

The main problem is that overtake mode should not be available in quali, instead hot lap mode should deploy the whole battery evenly over the lap. This issue has been noted since Beta #1 and it's frankly ridiculous that nothing has been done to fix it!

To read now that AI does not use overtake mode whatsoever, it makes perfect sense as to why the AI is so relatively weak in Q yet strong in the race. The only solution at present is to stick to hot lap mode only during qualifying against AI, which should at least make the whole thing a bit more realistic.

I'm finding in grand prix mode it is the opposite. Qualifying is harder than the race. It is easy to come through to front in the race. Partly due to the silly ers drs trains but also the ai pace is nothing special. Bizarre reading people having complete opposite experience. Haven't tried career though