Mazda MX-5 Cup

TYRES

• Semislick, Front 27.0 PSI cold / 31 PSI hot target, Rear 27.0 PSI cold / 31 PSI hot target. Optimal operating temp: 80–90°C. Blankets off — expect a cold out-lap; pump the tyres hard on the warm-up lap to get pressure/temp into range before the flying lap.

ELECTRONICS

• TC: N/A (none fitted)
• ABS: N/A (none fitted)
• Engine braking: fixed (not adjustable on spec MX-5)
• Brake Bias: 58% front

SUSPENSION

• // FRONT
• Ride Height: 55 mm
• Wheel Rate FL / FR: 58000 N/m / 58000 N/m
• ARB: 14000 N/m
• Brake Torque Multiplier: 100%
• Brake Bias: 58%
• // REAR
• Ride Height: 60 mm
• Wheel Rate RL / RR: 50000 N/m / 50000 N/m
• ARB: 9000 N/m
• Diff Preload: 30 Nm
• Diff Coast: 0.4
• Diff Power: 0.6

DAMPERS

AERO

• N/A — no adjustable aero on MX-5 Cup. No splitter/wing elements to set.

KEY SETUP NOTE

• Monza's low-grip-at-speed, high-kerb-aggression layout rewards a slightly rear-biased ride height split (rear 5mm higher than front) and softer rear ARB relative to front — this keeps the inside rear loaded over Ascari and Rettifilo kerbs and lets you rotate the car hard on entry without snap-oversteer mid-kerb, which is the single biggest time-loss risk in this low-power car where you must carry min-speed through every chicane.

TRACK GUIDE

• Rettifilo (T1/2): brake as late as physically possible in a straight line — trail off brake pressure smoothly while turning in; use the inside kerb at the chicane exit aggressively, the MX-5's soft suspension absorbs it well and carrying speed here matters more than a clean line.
• Curva Grande (T3): taken essentially flat or with only a tiny lift — commit early, this is a momentum corner where any lift costs multiple tenths down the straight to Roggia.
• Roggia chicane (T4/5): similar to T1/2 but entry speed is lower — prioritize a straight, stable brake release and get back to throttle early for the short straight to Lesmo 1.
• Lesmo 1/2: Lesmo 1 wants a confident, rotated entry (trail-brake lightly to help the nose in); Lesmo 2 is where understeer creeps in — be patient on throttle, don't add steering lock, let the car run slightly wide to protect exit speed onto the back straight.
• Ascari chicane: this is a lap-time corner — flat, stable entry over the kerbs is critical; any vertical disturbance here unsettles the car into Parabolica's approach. Smooth hands, trust the setup's compliance.
• Parabolica: this is THE lap-time corner — patient, progressive throttle application from apex, sacrifice a little entry speed to maximize exit speed onto the longest