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#1 Take one Yaris, perhaps the most expensive in the land.
#2 Sprinkle upgrades of the most exquisite kind lavishly throughout.
#3 Here is the important one:
The first two steps are obvious, but the key I used was to adjust the gear ratios. Don't worry about tuning each one individually, just go to the "level" at the bottom. There will be a number, probably around 30 or so. Knock it down about 5 or 6 levels.
Negatives: Sadly, this'll cut your straight line speed on the straights, so never use this tactic on the test course, but on the regular circuits, it shouldn't cost too much time.
Positives: You'll accelerate faster, and be able to get out of corners much more effectively. It makes overtaking far easier, and you're likely to find yourself ahead from the start.
If none of that works, I'd have to be brutal, and suggest more race training. Sorry!