The developer of Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC), KUNOS Simulazioni, is on a constant journey to provide the closest, most accurate experience of the GT World Challenge series in videogame form.
Part of this drive for realism has resulted in the simulation of throttle and ECU maps in each of the sim’s GT3 vehicles. For those not in the know, these control the aggressiveness of throttle input, engine power and fuelling – changing the car’s behaviour depending on the setting.
The general idea is; for qualifying you’d pick the most aggressive throttle map that uses the most fuel, as this will provide the quickest lap times, naturally helped by new tyres and low-fuel loads.
However, in a race situation, where consistency and tyre wear are massive influences on your finishing position, you may need to use a less aggressive ECU & throttle map to help prevent wheelspin – thus extending tyre life, as well as conserving fuel.
This is common in real-life racing, especially endurance races. It’s something that’s properly simulated in ACC, but more importantly, will it make you faster?
The roadmap to success
In Asetto Corsa Competizione, many of the GT3 cars have eight different ECU/throttle maps; with 1 being the most aggressive map with the highest fuel consumption and maximum power delivery, and 8 having the lowest power and fuel consumption.
Maps 5-7 are set aside to be used exclusively in wet conditions, so have the most forgiving throttle response, aiding traction.
Maps 1-4 are for dry conditions, with varying levels of driveability and fuel consumption.
Lastly, map 8 is intended for use in safety car periods, where fuel-saving can be the difference between making an extra pitstop or not, and definitely not to be used during a race (and it’s certainly not a good idea to forget to switch from map 8 to map 1 on the formation lap, then plunge back down the grid until you spot your stupid mistake, AND THAT DEFINITELY DID NOT HAPPEN TO ME.)
However, not all the cars have the same range of maps, with some having four, five, six, nine, ten or even twelve, in the case of the McLaren 720S. Generally, though, lower numbers = more aggressive maps, with maximum power and fuel consumption – except for the Honda NSX, where map 4 is the most aggressive.
Odd.
Must be all those VTECs…
Will playing with engine mapping make me faster?
Not really.
I guess if you’re talking from the start of the race to the end, changing throttle maps can get you there quicker, so I guess my first sentence was a total lie. Whoops. In reality, though, using different maps rarely gains you lap time, and is more useful for fuel-saving.
For example, even in a sixty-minute sprint race at Monza, the Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo can barely go the distance on a full tank of fuel. This is where using a more fuel-friendly map comes into play, and prevents the need to pit for a splash and dash, thereby losing at least 40s to the opposition.
Interestingly, the difference in performance between map 1 and map 2 in the AMG is pretty marginal, so it’s not such a hardship.
I’ve described in my recent wet weather driving guide an instance where switching engine maps genuinely helped gain me lap-time. In that case, I used map 5 while driving the Bentley in the opening sector at Misano – which features slow, tight corners relying on traction – then switched back to map 1 for the rest of the lap.
To get the fastest lap times however, the majority of the top ACC drivers use the most aggressive maps and concentrate on developing a setup to get the best out of the power available instead. It’s an option worth trying though.
Another example where altering ECU maps helped in a race was the Apex Online Racing 8 Hours of Laguna Seca in 2020, where we found that using map 2 in the BMW M6 GT3 resulted in slightly quicker lap times than map 1, and used less fuel to boot.
The reason for this was perhaps the high track temperatures accentuating the effects of tyre wear, so using a less aggressive map kept the tyres alive for longer. It also helped that we could fill the car with less fuel, making the car lighter throughout the stint. Very helpful on a tight and twisty circuit such as the ‘Knockhill of California’ as I think it should be known.
Map of the Problematique
Below is a list of all the ECU & Throttle maps for all the GT3 cars in Assetto Corsa Competizione, quoted directly from the legendary developer, Aristotelis.
It’s quite a list, and it speaks volumes about the dedication to realism Kunos Simulazioni has for ACC and its real-life counterpart, the GT World Challenge. In some cases, using different maps can help you with race strategy – especially in fuel-saving endurance tests– but for the most part, the majority of ACC players can live with the most powerful and aggressive map just fine, even in the wet.
This is mostly down to setup, and creating a setup that works well in the wet and dry takes a bit of experience, so in that regard using different maps can be beneficial to the less-experienced ACC racer unsure of what to do when facing changeable weather.
It’s awesome to have this kind of thing simulated in Competizione and it does work to an extent, but ultimately one feels that using different maps doesn’t have a huge impact on one’s driving style, especially with Traction Control taking the sting out of any wheelspin.
I guess esports is all about finding small gains, so I think it’s definitely worth exploring to see what works for you and your car of choice.
So turn that VTEC all the way up to 4 and give it some throttle!
Every GT3 ECU and Throttle Map in Assetto Corsa Competizione
Aston Martin Vantage V12 GT3 – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
- 1 fastest high fuel consumption
- 2 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, aggressive throttle map
- 3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption progressive throttle map
- 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, progressive throttle map
5-7 wet maps
- 5 similar to dry 2&3 map, normal fuel consumption with slightly progressive throttle map
- 6 a bit slower, less fuel consumption and progressive wet throttle map
- 7 identical to 6 with more progressive throttle map
8 Pace car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Aston Martin Vantage V8 GT3 (EVO) – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption
• 2 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, aggressive throttle map
• 3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption progressive throttle map
• 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, progressive throttle map
5-7 wet maps
• 5 similar to dry 2&3 map, normal fuel consumption with slightly progressive throttle map
• 6 a bit slower, less fuel consumption and progressive wet throttle map
• 7 identical to 6 with more progressive throttle map
8 Pace car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Audi R8 GT3 & Audi R8 GT3 EVO – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption
• 2&3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption 2 different throttle maps
• 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, same throttle map as level 3
5-7 wet maps
• 5 fast map, normal fuel consumption with slightly wet throttle map
• 6&7 a bit slower map with less fuel consumption and 2 different wet throttle maps
8 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Bentley 2016 – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption
• 2&3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption 2 different throttle maps
• 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, same throttle map as level 3
5-7 wet maps
• 5 fast map, normal fuel consumption with slightly wet throttle map
• 6&7 a bit slower map with less fuel consumption and 2 different wet throttle maps
8 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Bentley 2018 – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption
• 2&3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption 2 different throttle maps
• 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, same throttle map as level 3
5-7 wet maps
• 5 fast map, normal fuel consumption with slightly wet throttle map
• 6&7 a bit slower map with less fuel consumption and 2 different wet throttle maps
8 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
BMW M6 – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-3 dry maps
• 1 fastest very high fuel consumption, aggressive throttle map
• 2&3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, 1 linear throttle map, 1 gradual throttle map
4 Reserve engineers map, don’t use. Very low power
5 Pace Car Fuel consumption map. Low power, low consumption
6-8 wet maps
• 6 fastest high fuel consumption, wet throttle map
• 7&8 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, 2 different wet throttle map
Ferrari 488 GT3 – 12 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest normal fuel consumption
• 2 a bit slower, less fuel consumption
• 3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption
• 4 slowest, lowest fuel consumption
5-8 wet maps
• 5 fastest normal fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
• 6 a bit slower, less fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
• 7 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
• 8 slowest, lowest fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
9-12 Reserved and Pace Car levels very low power maps and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Ferrari 488 GT3 EVO – 12 ECU and throttle map levels
1-5 dry maps
• 1 fastest extremely aggressive throttle and power delivery, high fuel consumption
• 2 a hint slower, still very aggressive throttle and high fuel consumption
• 3 normal, aggressive throttle and normal fuel consumption
• 4 normal, moderately aggressive throttle slightly less consumption
• 5 normal, almost linear throttle, slightly less consumption
6-8 wet maps
• 6 a bit slower, less fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
• 7 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
• 8 slowest, lowest fuel consumption, wet throttle map (less linear more gradual)
9-12 Reserved and Pace Car levels very low power maps and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Honda NSX GT3 & Honda NSX GT3 EVO – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 full power, progressive throttle map
• 2 full power, linear throttle map
• 3 full power, aggressive throttle map
• 4 full power, very aggressive throttle map
5-6 wet maps
• 5 full power, progressive throttle map
• 6 full power, more progressive throttle map
• 7 less power and consumption, progressive throttle map
8 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Lamborghini Gallardo REX – 4 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption
• 2 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption aggressive throttle map
• 3 identical to 2, progressive throttle map
• 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, same throttle map as level 3
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 & Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO – 8 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption
• 2&3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption 2 different throttle maps
• 4 slowest, less fuel consumption, same throttle map as level 3
5-7 wet maps
• 5 fast map, normal fuel consumption with slightly wet throttle map
• 6&7 a bit slower map with less fuel consumption and 2 different wet throttle maps
8 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Jaguar XK Emil Frey G3 – 6 ECU and throttle map levels
1-3 maps
• 1 fastest very high fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 2 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 3 slower, less fuel consumption, linear throttle map
4-6 wet maps
• 4 fastest very high fuel consumption, wet gradual throttle map
• 5 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, wet gradual throttle map
• 6 slower, less fuel consumption, wet gradual throttle map
Nissan GT-R GT3 2016 & 2018 – 4 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 2 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 3 slower, less fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 4 fuel saving, linear throttle map
Lexus RC F GT3 – 5 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 2 identical to 1, aggressive throttle map
• 3 identical to 1, progressive throttle map
• 4 fuel saving, wet throttle map
5 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Mclaren 650S GT3 – 9 ECU and throttle map levels
1-4 dry maps
• 1 fastest normal fuel consumption
• 2 a bit slower, less fuel consumption
• 3 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption
• 4 slowest, lowest fuel consumption
5-8 wet maps
• 5 fastest normal fuel consumption, wet throttle map
• 6 a bit slower, less fuel consumption, wet throttle map
• 7 a bit slower, normal fuel consumption, wet throttle map
• 8 slowest, lowest fuel consumption, wet throttle map
9 Reserved and Pace Car level very low power maps and low consumption for Pace Car situations
Mclaren 720S GT3 – 12 ECU and throttle map levels
1-6 dry maps
• 1 Qualifying fastest, aggressive throttle map, high fuel consumption
• 2 Race1 a bit slower, linear throttle, normal fuel consumption,
• 3 Race2 a bit slower, progressive throttle map, a bit less fuel consumption
• 4 Race 1 Fuel save map, less power, linear throttle map, low fuel consumption
• 5 Race 2 Fuel save map, even less power, linear throttle map, even lower fuel consumption
• 6 Race 3 Fuel save map, lowest power, linear throttle map, lowest fuel consumption
7 High Temp very low power and very high consumption, to cool off engine for emergency situations
8-9 damp conditions maps
• 8 Damp Qualifying, progressive throttle map, high fuel consumption
• 9 Damp Race Fuel save map, less power, progressive throttle map, low fuel consumption
10-12 Wet conditions maps
• 10 Wet Qualifying, wet throttle map, high fuel consumption
• 11 Wet Race1 a bit slower, wet throttle map, normal fuel consumption
• 12 Wet Race2 a bit slower, wet throttle map, normal fuel consumption
Mercedes AMG GT3 and AMG GT3 2020 – 3 ECU and throttle map levels
1-3 maps
• 1 fastest high fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 2 a bit slower normal fuel consumption, linear throttle map
• 3 slow, low fuel consumption, linear throttle map
Porsche 991 GT3-R & Porsche 991ii GT3-R (EVO) – 10 ECU and throttle map levels
1-9 maps
• 1 normal power and consumption least progressive throttle map
• 2 normal power and consumption progressive throttle map
• 3 normal power and consumption aggressive throttle map
• 4 normal power and consumption linear throttle map
• 5 Qual power, high consumption, least progressive throttle map
• 6 Qual power, high consumption, progressive throttle map
• 7 Qual power, high consumption, aggressive throttle map
• 8 Qual power, high consumption, linear throttle map
• 9 Low power, low consumption, progressive throttle map
10 Pace Car very slow map and low consumption for Pace Car situations
