I've been struggling with motor heating during aggressive racing maneuvers, particularly through tight turns and power loops. Hot Motors: Excessive P or D gains, insufficient filtering allowing noise to pass, or mechanical issues (bent shaft, bad bearing). Running 1600KV motor on a 5-inch, 3-blade prop using a 4S battery but getting thermal shutdowns in races. Should I be focusing more on PID tuning or hardware diagnostics? Current P gains are at 52/54/75 with D at 38/40/35.

Check your Blackbox logs first. Blackbox logs are indispensable. They provide raw data on motor outputs, gyro, accelerometer, and command inputs. Look for excessive motor output spikes during turns - that's usually a sign of aggressive PID settings.

P-Gain: Increase P until you hear or see high-frequency oscillations (motor chatter, prop wash wobbles). Then, back off slightly. Your P values seem high - try backing them down 10-15% and see if thermal issues improve.