User blog comment:Sirebel/Firemonkeying About/@comment-27784551-20160411130042/@comment-26249703-20160411134232

Well, I think I made have simplified it a little bit. What I believe FM have done is kept the "bot-slowing" algorithm based on the results of the user, but have made it so that it only takes effect when the PR of the car is close to the recommended PR. I struggled with 6.2 for a long time, with PR 56.2 (R$ only) and a best result of about 5:51.xxx, 14th place (leader running 5:40.xxx, consistently) and the leader's time would not go down. Since I was going to upgrade this car eventually, I put the first row of Gold upgrades plus the following R$ upgrades (PR 60.2 while waiting for R&D), then tried to run the event again.

On my first try, I was 16th by the start of the final lap, and 1st halfway through it. I waited at the line and finished in first with a time of 5:57.xxx

So, while I don't think the leader would have been that slow without my failed attempts, I believe the change only took place by upgrading. I understand the benefit of recommended PR to them justifying the difficulty of certain races, I just don't think they're being totally fair due to what I've depicted.