Timelines races - mission impossible?

[Cheshire Cat]

Has anyone tried completing Timelines races with the new flight model? Flying fast and with the inertia makes turning corners hard if not impossible. Are bots even affected by the flight model?

[Doom]

I haven't done that yet, but you have movement indicator, so it should be easier, not harder. In one of the races the ship you fly has absurd acceleration, so the idea is not using full throttle and slow down from time to time. Make sure the indicator is aimed at the center of the ring.

[Grimelex]

They're not too bad, just take it steady til you know the course

[saber1]

I just did the 3rd race, and got 1st place with flying WITHOUT using boost, just flying on normal max speed, using mouse steering mode, and overcorrecting (and strafing) on turns, so I flew inside the rings - got 4 stars on this race...
The 2 races before I flew with boost, and needed looping back for the missed rings finished both last, and 1st race was with 1 star, the 2nd with 3 or 2 stars (don't remember exactly).

Edit:
And the bots are affected by the new flying model - in the 2nd race I saw one getting stuck in the ring structure...

[Sea Base]

Yeap, I love the new model while using a joystick and keyboard. You really gotta lean into "drifting". As in, treating your thrust vector as independent to your direction of travel and manually controlling your thrust levels, rather than relying on the flight assist to turn.

[Dunkler Messias]

Not impossible but maybe a bit harder if you are still used to the old flight model.

[flywlyx]

These racing ships were intentionally tuned to be more slippery, even in previous versions. I think the biggest change is the engine boost—it's much harder to regain boost now. As others have mentioned, use the speed indicator. As long as it aligns with the ring, you should be able to pass through. Just keep in mind that the indicator works best in first-person view; third-person view has some offset issues.

[Cheshire Cat]

I think I got the gist of it. Gotta drift and as soon as movement direction indicator is moving on the gate, I have to boost. Boosting pushes me forward where my ship is aiming, cancelling the drift movement. Kinda hard to explain on text...
Also yes, bots are also affected, saw one overshoot the gate right in front of me

[slyfox991]

for me the gimmick to win the races was only using about 1/2 - 3/4 thrust less thrust made the turns much better less like sliding on ice then hit the after burners when you get a straight then cap your thrust to about half once you need to start turning

[Prowl]

Like driving a car you have breaking distances based on speed. After a while you get a feel when to take your foot off the gas, pivot your ship in a new direction and boost so that you drift and boost out.

It's not always accurate but it is usually close enough for me.

[FT]

Do some slow runs to get the hang of it, you have to start turning very early and be careful with the boost.

[Pathogenic]

I've completed several with 5 stars with the new flight model. So yes it is possible. Don't try to boost too much.