Hi…
I just tried to do the trial “Elf on the shelf” 6 times. Each time the first 3 drivatars are seconds ahead of everyone else and absolutely impossible to get close to…
I’ve tried different cars, different tunes, it’s just impossible. They’re much faster than anyone else.
Does anyone else here have that problem too or was it easily done for you guys?
They are indeed far beyond impossible.
But was lucky with a good group, just one drivatar in front of me, short before the finish we were 50 points short, tried to brake down the second drivatar, and somehow my fellows got the needed points.
Second race was a little easier, but still the 800 drivatars are freakingly fast
PS my own tuning skills are off there, had to download one.
No, it was easy with Ranger. I did it 4 times because being first is not enough in trial. 
AI is sometimes very random so maybe you had bad luck.
But like somebody said yesterday, it’s not fair for normal casual players. It’s too hard.
Can confirm, depends on the group. Done it the first attempt, only in 1 race AI drivatar managed a 2nd place, in other 2 races all human racers were ahead of AI
Not only did an AI drivatar manage to place 2nd, the drivatar team must have won that race. That’s the only explanation for having 3 races in total.
Yes, also I think if drivatar win 1st race they slow down in next races.
Almost impossible to enter.
Ridiculously long waits when searching for a lobby, then sat there for an age with no HUD when I eventually find one.
Not forgetting three crashes to dashboard in a row just as the race is about to start - honestly, the entire experience of H5 is best described as a trial. 
ETA:
On XSX
Eventually won with the Mini X-Raid using Saeenu’s tune - 174 834 574
Crazy. Then I must’ve been extremely unlucky. I was mostly ahead of all other players and just the top 3 drivatars had that enormous lead…
Guess I’ll have to try again ^^
I did it twice to help people out, I used 2 different cars, I didn’t find it too hard.
People forget to play as a TEAM in trials
For some odd reason, people ram other players to “win” the race.
I won it the first playthrough by getting ahead and break checking the reds until my teammates caught up, some reds will pass you, but it’s possible to keep a lot of them behind you, slow them down, and help your teammates place better.
Managed it on my second attempt after the first one was without a tuned car.
Finished 2nd overall as the lead AI was just too much on the 2 races and we completed it with a race to spare.
If anyone wants help let me know. We can convoy up and demolish those drivatards.
Car and tune choice seems to be a lot more important in this game than it was in fh4. I was doing some cross country accolades last night and couldn’t get near the first place drivatar in one event until I picked the right car. Then I smoked the field no problem.
If you’re a newish player or don’t pick one of the few vehicles in each category capable of beating the ai, you’re probably going to spend a lot of time on the struggle bus.
I and one other payer could easily take first two places in Ranger T6. I won with more grip oriented tune, while them seem to be on power build. Rest of the team also did well, for comfortable win.
We got gifted second race with 1800 vs 1850, where that power built Ranger took 2nd and I could only manage 4th, starting from last. Rest of the team did struggle more, but we got the gifted win - done and done.
My tune is shared, under my gamer tag or tune code in my post in weekly playlist thread.
I had to do it twice. First time we beat the AI except for the first 2, just couldn’t run them down. First race, we all beat the other 4 AI, giving us the win, second and third race, everyone except me stayed in the back of the field, losing intentionally.
Second attempt, first race was the same, front 2 AI completely untouchable for anyone, few slackers on our team were hanging in the back, we lost first race. Second race got better, just 1 God mode AI, the slackers ended up quitting, giving us the win.
Last race, only 2 of us left, my teammate had the best car for that track, not so technical so top speed paid off, I still managed a 3rd place, giving us the series win. I might have pulled off a second place in the second and third races, but aggressive AI kept either brake checking me or trying to push me into the walls. All in all, much better than the mixed class trash they started with.
Getting to second or third shouldn’t be too difficult, with the right tune. Haven’t found the tune that’s able to get first yet but, having completed the trial successfully already I’m not terribly motivated.
Considering the average Forza Horizon player though yeah the trial might be impossible to do 9 times out of 10 of you’re going in solo. I might do a few queues in as low rated car as possible then quit immediately just to help the community out a bit.
Could not know. I dont do trials anymore, its a complete waste of time, enjoyment and i play games to relax, not to get infurated.
If only the “devs” at the devs team could give us something else to do, to be able to complete the whole season without having to participate in the trial… but no. Thats too hard to do.
For whatever reason they seem focused to ruin the player experience at all costs, instead the opposite. They did it in FH4 and its even worst now.
Apart from you don’t have to do everything now to get both cars, and a seasonal win.
PSA: Here’s a little trick I found out about in FH4. You generally have a better chance of getting teammates who know what they are doing, and often are quite good, the first couple of days of the new season. IE} Thursday and Friday.
Somehow I managed to get onto a winning team yesterday, was happy about that! And by some strange fluke, I was the lead car on my team in both races! I hadn’t come close the front on any other attempt at a Trial, and took three restarts on this one to get the right tune that would let me go fast enough.