GRAND PRIX CHALLENGE: DRIVING GUIDE by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Initial Version Completed: March 11, 2003 Version 2.0 Completed: March 30, 2003 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Assumptions and Conventions Gameplay Modes AI Levels Race Order: 2002 Season Tuning Options Grand Prix Challenge Mode General Tips F1-speak Driving Tips: Braking Driving Tips: Cornering Driving Tips: Rumble Strips Driving Tips: Concrete Extensions Driving Tips: Coasting Driving Tips: Drafting/Slipstreaming Driving Tips: Wet-weather Racing/Driving Traction Control and Handling Options Traction Control and Tires Traction Control Tests Team Vehicle Differences Grand Prix Of Australia: Albert Park Grand Prix Of Malaysia: Kuala Lampur Grand Prix Of Brazil: Interlagos Grand Prix Of San Marino: Imola Grand Prix Of Spain: Catalunya Grand Prix Of Austria: A1-Ring Grand Prix Of Monaco: Monte Carlo (Temporary Street Circuit) Grand Prix Of Canada: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Grand Prix Of Europe: Nurburgring Grand Prix Of Great Britain: Silverstone Grand Prix Of France: Nevers Magny-Cours Grand Prix Of Germany: Hockenheim Grand Prix Of Hungary: Hungaroring Grand Prix Of Belgium: Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix Of Italy: Monza Grand Prix Of The United States: Indianapolis Grand Prix Of Japan: Suzuka Circuit Histories Circuit History: Albert Park Circuit History: Kuala Lampur Circuit History: Interlagos Circuit History: Imola Circuit History: Catalunya Circuit History: A1-Ring Circuit History: Monte Carlo Circuit History: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit History: Nurburgring Circuit History: Silverstone Circuit History: Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit History: Hockenheim Circuit History: Hungaroring Circuit History: Spa-Francorchamps Circuit History: Monza Circuit History: Indianapolis Circuit History: Suzuka Diagrams Wrap-up Contact Information ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ============================================== PERMISSIONS Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use. However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving guide may not be such a good idea. This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, GameReactors.com, RedCoupe, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, ComputerUnderground.com, Gameguru, CheatHeaven, IGN, cheatingplanet.com, RobsGaming.com, Infogrames Australia, neoseeker.com, ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this game guide into other languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete. Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION Grand Prix Challenge is the latest F1-based game to come to the North American market, and it is definitely one of the best the PlayStation2 has seen to date. EA Sports has dominated F1-based PS2 games in North America, but with its great F1 franchise coming to an end, Atari has come up to the starting grid with Grand Prix Challenge, which is both friendlier to the newcomer to F1 racing games and adaptable enough to accommodate a nice array of F1 gaming experience. This is not to say that this is the 'next' V-Rally 3, Atari's take on rally racing. V-Rally 3 is certainly excellent in its own right, but Grand Prix Challenge is not quite up to the level of V-Rally 3. Nonetheless, even casual F1 gamers should find a healthy mixture of fun and challenge in playing Grand Prix Challenge. Please note that some of the information in this guide comes from my F1 2002: Driving Guide, General Racing/Driving Guide, and Pro Race Driver: Circuit Histories Guide. ============================================== ASSUMPTIONS AND CONVENTIONS Most race circuits outside the United States name most corners and chicanes, and even some straightaways. Where these names are known, they will be referenced in the Notes section of each circuit's suggested set-up. These names have been gathered from course maps available on the courses' official Web sites, my memory of how F1 races have been called by American TV sportscasters (Fox Sports Net and SpeedVision, in 1999-2001, and Speed Channel in 2002), and/or from the Training Mode of F1 Championship Season 2000 (corner/segment names are listed at the bottom of the screen). To the extent possible, these names have been translated into English. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== GAMEPLAY MODES There are six gameplay modes available in Grand Prix Challenge. Each has its own 'quirks,' whereas some features are common to most if not all of these gameplay modes. Quick Race Here, the player can participate in a single race, but the player will automatically begin the race in last position. Beforehand, the player can select a race venue, AI and handling difficulty, a team, and a driver. In Quick Race Mode, car tuning is not permitted, which could give the player a severe handicap compared to the rest of the cars in a race depending upon the car/team and the circuit selected. Grand Prix This is a full grand prix weekend, from practice to qualifying to warm-up to the race itself. Beforehand, the player can select a race venue, AI and handling difficulty, a team, and a driver. Championship This is the entire 2002 F1 season in order; essentially, this is a set of seventeen consecutive Grand Prix Mode events. Time Trial This gameplay mode is useful for learning a circuit and for testing vehicle set-ups by racing against the clock with no other vehicles on the selected circuit. The player can select the number of laps permitted; the more laps a player chooses to use (up to Unlimited), the longer the player can stay on the circuit trying to score lower and lower lap times, allowing for the player to see how the chosen team's car will handle on long runs during a race as the fuel is depleted, the tires become worn, etc. As a player exits Time Trial Mode, the sector and total time for each lap is given. Grand Prix Challenge This gameplay mode presents ten challenges; each challenge must be successfully completed (by having the most points at the end of the challenge) in order to unlock the next challenge. See the Grand Prix Challenge section below for more specific information on each of the ten challenges in this gameplay mode. Multiplayer Here, two players can race simultaneously with split screen action. All circuits are available, and the players can choose to work through an entire grand prix weekend (practice, qualifying, warm-up, and race). Common to multiple gameplay modes are the following: 1.) The length of the qualifying session depends on the chosen AI difficulty level. Only on Hard does the player have the actual sixty minutes for qualifying as allotted in real-world F1 racing in the 2002 season. 2.) If a player chooses to qualify for a better starting position in a race, the player can still opt for a different tire compound just before the race itself. This is counter to the real-world F1 rules in 2002, under which a car can only use the same tire compound in a race which was also used in qualifying. 3.) There is a TV helicopter at each race. Its cameras are trained upon the car in the lead. Therefore, a player deep in the pack can still have some idea of the distance between the player and the leader by looking ahead for the TV helicopter. 4.) Quick Race Mode and Grand Prix Mode both begin with only the first six events of the 2002 season (at Albert Park, Kuala Lampur, Interlagos, Imola, Catalunya, and A1-Ring) initially available; all other circuits in these gameplay modes are initially locked. To unlock the other eleven circuits in these gameplay modes, the player must win races at any of the first six event venues in either Quick Race Mode or Grand Prix Mode. There is no need to proceed through the initially-available circuits in order, although diehard F1 purists may choose to do this since the circuits are presented in the same order used in the real-world 2002 F1 season. ============================================== AI LEVELS Grand Prix Challenge presents FOUR levels of opponent AI. The back of the game's case announces that four levels are available, but only three levels are initially available; the fourth level is an unlockable feature. The fourth and final level of AI is called 'Ace AI,' and is unlocked by winning Championship Mode. ============================================== RACE ORDER: 2002 SEASON F1 2002 presents the courses in the order in which they were presented for the 2002 Formula 1 season. This driving guide will follow the same convention. F1 Race Schedule, 2002 Season: March 3 Australia Albert Park March 17 Malaysia Sepang March 31 Brazil Interlagos April 14 San Marino Imola April 28 Spain Catalunya May 12 Austria A1-Ring May 26 Monaco Unnamed (Street Circuit) June 9 Canada Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve June 23 Europe Nurburgring July 7 Great Britain Silverstone July 21 France Nevers Magny-Cours July 28 Germany Hockenheim August 18 Hungary Hungaroring September 1 Belgium Spa-Francorchamps September 15 Italy Monza September 29 USA Indianapolis October 13 Japan Suzuka ============================================== TUNING OPTIONS In many gameplay modes, the player can tune the selected car to maximize its performance at each circuit. Unfortunately, there is no provision in Grand Prix Challenge to save tuning options for each car/circuit combination, so tuning will need to be done every time the player changes circuits and/or cars. Tires There are four tire compounds available in Grand Prix Challenge: Hard: These tires have the longest life, which means that the player can remain on the circuit longer between pit stops. However, hard tires have rather little pavement grip, so the player can expect the car to slide around a bit when cornering. Hard tires also provide a minor increase in top-end speed. Hard tires should ONLY be used in dry racing conditions. Soft: Soft tires have superb pavement grip, which moderately lowers top-end speed. Unfortunately, soft tires also have relatively short a lifespan, thus requiring more trips to pit lane during a race. Soft tires should ONLY be used in dry racing conditions. Wet: If racing in the rain, these are the tires to use. The vehicle's overall speed and handling will still be poorer than if using hard tires or soft tires in dry racing conditions, but the car will be better able to stay on the circuit in wet conditions when using wet tires. Intermediate: These tires are best for the 'in-between' period, when rain first begins to fall or as the circuit is drying after the rain. The trick to using intermediate tires is correctly guessing just how long the 'in-between' period will last, and judging whether it is best to waste the time with two trips to pit lane (to change both to and from the intermediate tires) or to only come to pit lane once - the latter occurring hopefully within a scheduled pit window. Downforce Downforce is what keeps these lightweight speed machines on the ground, and the amount of downforce directly affects vehicle handling. Using high downforce will lower the vehicle's top-end speed, but cornering will be easier. Conversely, lowering downforce will increase top-end speed at the sacrifice of cornering ability. Gear Box Ratio Lower gear ratios are best for fast and strong acceleration, but will reduce a vehicle's top-end speed. On the other hand, higher gear ratios raise the top-end speed at the sacrifice of acceleration. Suspension A softer suspension setting provides more pavement grip, but will reduce the car's overall speed. A harder suspension setting provides faster top-end speed but less pavement grip. Soft suspension is best for bumpy circuits or for driving styles which make heavy usage of the many rumble strips, whereas hard suspension is best for relatively smooth circuits and those driving styles which generally avoid the rumble strips. Brake Balance The brake balance can be moved closer to the front or the rear of the vehicle. Strong rear bias can cause oversteer and strong front bias can cause understeer; however, all braking should be done in a straight line as much as possible to minimize the occurrence of oversteer and understeer. Traction Control System (TCS) Traction control was re-implemented in the 2002 F1 season, beginning with the Spanish Grand Prix (held at Catalunya). This system reduces the chances of the vehicle sliding during acceleration, and is of particular importance for the standing start of a race and for recovering when the vehicle has left the pavement. For the purposes of Grand Prix Challenge, however, traction control is available for ALL events in the season. In Beginner handling, TCS is always set to high. In Intermediate handling, TCS can be toggled between low and high. In Expert handling, TCS can be set to off, low, or high. In Intermediate handling and Expert handling, TCS settings can be changed during any session or race, meaning that a player can experiment with various traction control settings for each corner or area of a circuit and make a mental note to always have the TCS at a particular setting in various parts of a lap for every lap of a race. Generally speaking, traction control works quite well for accelerating out of tight, slow corners, especially when running through consecutive tight, slow corners. Monaco is perhaps the best example in current F1 racing of a circuit where a high TCS setting is highly favorable. High-speed circuits, such as Monza or Catalunya, are generally best served by using either a low traction control setting or NO traction control at all, as this will provide a little more speed on the many lengthy straightaways. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ABS theoretically prevents wheel-lock during severe braking. In Expert handling, ABS can be set to on or off. Unlike traction control, ABS cannot be toggled on and off during a race. Transmission In Expert handling, the transmission can be set to Automatic or Manual. ============================================== GRAND PRIX CHALLENGE MODE This gameplay mode presents ten challenges; each challenge must be successfully completed (by having the most points at the end of the challenge) in order to unlock the next challenge. As in other gameplay modes, the player is able to begin by choosing a team and driver. There are ten challenges total, each with its own specific circuits and 'constraints.' The 'constraints' listed are the official settings for each challenge. However, if the Weather setting appears with an asterisk (*), this means that the weather conditions are actually variable within the challenge. In the Hand./AI (Handling and Opponent AI) column, E stands for Easy, M for Medium, and H for Hard. As a player progresses through Grand Prix Challenge Mode, the available handling modes become fewer and fewer, thus making the races more and more difficult. Similarly, the AI options follow the handling options in Grand Prix Challenge Mode. Challenge Circuits 'Constraints' Hand./AI -------------- ----------------- ------------- -------- Passion Rosa Monza 5 laps EMH Imola Weather dry Fuel use off Damage off Tire wear off Asia-Pacific Sepang 5 laps EMH Suzuka Weather dry Fuel use off Damage off Tire wear off Deutsche Nurburgring 10 laps EMH Hockenheim Weather dry Fuel use on Damage off Tire wear on Americas Gilles-Villeneuve 10 laps MH Indianapolis Weather dry Interlagos Fuel use on Damage off Tire wear on Street Circuit Albert Park 10 laps MH Monaco Weather dry Gilles-Villeneuve Fuel use on Damage off Tire wear on Western Europe Silverstone 10 laps MH Magny-Cours Weather wet* Spa-Francorchamps Fuel use on Damage on Tire wear on Blue Skies Albert Park 15 laps H Gilles-Villeneuve Weather dry Catalunya Fuel use on Magny-Cours Damage on Tire wear on Mediterranean Monaco 15 laps H Catalunya Weather wet Monza Fuel use on Imola Damage on Tire wear on Grey Skies Sepang 15 laps H Silverstone Weather wet Spa-Francorchamps Fuel use on Suzuka Damage on Tire wear on Central Europe Nurburgring 20 laps H Hockenheim Weather wet A1-Ring Fuel use on Hungaroring Damage on Tire wear on ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== GENERAL TIPS A general tip for ALL racing games is to successfully complete ALL the license tests in any game of the Gran Turismo series. This is a great way to learn how to handle cars of all drivetrain formats and horsepower ratings in a wide variety of situations - starting and stopping, J-turns, right-angle corners, chicanes, blind turns, wet racing conditions, etc. This will all be very handy for virtually ANY racing/driving game you ever play, and the Gran Turismo games are also extremely good to have in your PSX/PS2 collection (especially GT3). Another general tip for ALL racing games is to read through my General Racing/Driving Guide, available EXCLUSIVELY at FeatherGuides (http://feathersites.angelcities.com/) and at GameFAQs (http://www.GameFAQs.com). This presents many of the same information the Gran Turismo license tests present in practice, plus plenty of other information ranging from judicious use of rumble strips to typical tuning options to tire management. During pit stops, the player is given the choice to change to a different tire compound, but there is also the Don't Change option available. 'Don't Change' DOES NOT mean 'do not change the tire compound;' instead, it means 'do not change the current tires.' This is VERY important to keep in mind in order to avoid any surprises later in the race. F1's standing starts can either give you a great advantage, or put you at the back of the pack. To reduce or eliminate wheelspin from a standing start, try to time the use of the accelerator with the exact millisecond the lights go out. If you use the accelerator too soon, you WILL have wheelspin, which can cause flat-spotting in the rear tires and can even cause your car to go askew so that it points in a trajectory taking you directly OFF the circuit (or into a barrier). Traction control can help reduce the amount of wheelspin and help to prevent the car from sliding during the standing starts, but one must not rely solely upon traction control to keep the car pointed forward. Also related to the standing starts, if you are deep in the pack, the car directly in front of you is likely to produce A LOT of smoke (and spray, if in wet conditions at the beginning of a race) due to wheelspin. If at all possible, swing to the edge of the pavement immediately to avoid an early accident if you can get off the line a lot sooner than the car in front. Some circuits are set up so that there is either wide pavement on the Pit Straight or an expanse of pavement unofficially part of the main circuit itself (such as the right side of the pavement at Monza and at Suzuka); making use of these areas can allow you to swing out wide to avoid incidents, and also get you clear of traffic so that you can REALLY slam on the accelerator and pass huge numbers of cars before the initial corners of the circuit. Braking is always important in racing. However, Grand Prix Challenge demands SMOOTH braking (especially if using Expert Handling), which often means braking rather early. Slamming on the brakes often results in wheel lock and/or car spin, which can induce flat-spotting on the tires and tremendously increases the risk of collision - especially with the Tire Wear option activated. Even after the standing starts, the use of the accelerator is extremely important in Grand Prix Challenge. By exercising extreme care with both the brakes and the accelerator, anyone can rapidly learn to essentially glide through corners at a rather quick speed. A pristine racing line is also important in these situations, as the changes in G-force and velocity need to be constantly kept in check if you want to remain on the official course. I personally find it sometimes easier to take tight corners WITHOUT braking. In these cases, the player can just simply let off the accelerator and coast toward and through the corner until the appropriate acceleration point (usually at or just beyond the apex of the corner). One very good place to attempt this strategy is at the initial corners at Sepang (Malaysia), although this tactic can have rather dire consequences at the start of a race with all the cars bunched together. Some circuits have distance-to-corner markers in anticipation of tight and/or (semi-)blind corners. While these markers are useful, DO NOT completely rely on them, as they may 'disappear' as the race progresses. These markers can be knocked down by a car which slips off the circuit or is forced off the pavement, and the markers are not replaced during the session. Therefore, it is highly important that the player try to use permanent objects (such as grandstands or trees somewhat away from the circuit) to judge the proper braking zone for a corner or chicane. If playing with Medium or Expert Handling, traction control can be varied during a race. In most cases, traction control should be low initially during a run. As the tires wear down (if the tire wear option has been activated), raising the traction control level can help to counteract the inherent slippage from the tire wear... but only to a certain extent. A player who relies on this strategy and does not alter the driving style in any way WILL inherently be dragging the car out of the grass and sand quite often!!!!! ============================================== F1-SPEAK F1 racing has a somewhat specialized vocabulary. Here are some of the more common terms: ARMCO: The type of barriers generally used at F1 races. Information on these crash barriers can be found at Hill and Smith Web site (http://www.hill-smith.co.uk/). Blowed up: A car's engine has expired. This is characterized by a massive plume of white-grey smoke pouring from the rear of the car. Also, there is often oil deposited all over the race circuit, so if a blowed up car does not instantly pull off the pavement, that section of the circuit will be very dangerous for the remainder of the race. Catch: In any form of auto racing, it is quite common to see a car slide off the course, often at high speeds. Generally, this results in a car either being essentially beached in a sand trap, stuck in the grass if the area has recently experienced a significant rainfall, or a collision a barrier. Even if the car does not slide off the course, spins on the racing circuit itself also occur with relative frequency. A 'catch' is when one of the above incidents occurs, but the driver is able to either keep the car from hitting a barrier (or another car) and/or is able to keep the car from getting stuck in the sand or grass before returning to the circuit. Lollipop Man: The man holding the Brakes stick in a Pit Stop. This stick essentially looks like a long lollipop, with its long handle and rounded end with instructions for the driver. Off: A car has gone off-course. A minor off means that only one or perhaps two wheels have slipped off the pavement, and the driver can generally recover quickly. However, a major off involves a trip well off the pavement, and usually also occurs at very high speed. P#: This indicates a driver's race position. P1 is Pole Position; P6 is the final points-paying position; P22 is last place. Points-paying Positions: These are the Top 6 places in a race. At the end of a race, P1 awards 10 points, P2 awards 6 points, P3 awards 4 points, P4 awards 3 points, P5 awards 2 points, and P1 awards 1 point. There are NO points awarded to drivers not finishing in the Top 6. This also the reason why the TV Panels at the bottom of the screen update by six positions at once. Shunt: A collision, generally between cars. This term could also be used for cars swapping paint, but that is EXTREMELY difficult to do in open- wheel racing (such as F1) without inducing an accident. Team Orders: Each F1 team runs two cars at each race weekend. Team orders involve one or both drivers purposely altering driving style or changing race positions for the betterment of the team. While team orders are NOT illegal in F1 competition (in 2002; team orders are illegal in some other forms of motorsport), many generally have a strong dislike (and even a nasty hatred) for team orders, especially in those situations where team orders actually change the results of a race. The most notable incidence of team orders - and likely the most controversial use of team orders in F1 history past, present, or future - involved Ferrari's Reubens Barrichello, who had dominated the entire race weekend, pulling over in the final meters of the 2002 Grand Prix of Austria (at A1-Ring) so that his teammate Michael Schumacher could instead take the win, thus gaining an extra four points over his strong rival Juan Pablo Montoya in the Drivers' Championship. This use of team orders severely angered F1 fans at the circuit and around the world, but was justified by Ferrari by the team's desire to protect Schumacher's lead in the Drivers' Championship. World Feed: Because F1 races are televised (generally live) worldwide, FIA has implemented the World Feed system, in which the images of grand prix weekends are provided by the FIA- licensed F1 broadcaster for the country hosting each grand prix; all other F1 broadcasters must then use these images and sounds for their F1 coverage. There are provisions for the many F1-licensed broadcasters worldwide to include Pit Lane reports, but once a race begins, FIA prohibits any images from Pit Lane which are NOT provided by the World Feed system. Since each race is essentially 'televised' by a different country's F1-licensed broadcaster, the World Feed coverage between races definitely varies in quality. The World Feed for races in Malaysia is generally rather poor, with images often focusing on action away from what is most significant for the race or the overall season standings, reflecting Malaysia's F1-licensed broadcaster's lack of experience and knowledge in televising live F1 races. Races held in Western Europe - where most F1 races are held - generally have a very high quality World Feed due to extensive experience and knowledge in televising F1 races. However, each country's licensed broadcaster has the option of having its own commentary team at each event, so that the World Feed images are overlayed with commentators recognized in each country and in that country's language(s). There are still a number of countries or regions of the world which tend to use the standard British F1 broadcasts; Murray Walker was the primary commentator for these broadcasts until his recent retirement. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: BRAKING The first step in driving fast is knowing when, where, and how much to slow down (braking). In some games, a brake controller can be acquired or purchased, allowing the player to customize the brake strength by axle or by adjusting the bias of the brakes toward the front or the rear of the car. The use of a brake controller will affect the braking zone, as will other factors. Specifically, the car's speed on approaching a corner, the amount of fuel in the car at a given moment, the drivetrain of the car, the weight of the car, and even the car's center of gravity can all affect the braking zone. Similarly, the driving conditions - sunny, overcast, damp, wet, icy, snowy etc. - will affect the braking zone for each corner (as well as the car's ability to attain high speeds). Except for purely arcade-style games, the braking zone will differ somewhat for each car depending upon its strengths and weaknesses. It certainly helps for the player to try a Free Run or a Time Trial (if these modes exist in a given game) to learn the circuit(s) - including the braking zones. When looking for braking zones, try to find a particular stationary object near the entry of each corner; it helps tremendously if this object is far enough away from the circuit that it will not be knocked over during a race. To begin, try using the brakes when the front of the car is parallel with the chosen stationary object. If this does not slow the car enough before corner entry or if the car slows too much before reaching the corner, pick another stationary object on the following lap and try again. Whenever changes are made to the car - whether to the brake controller or to other aspects of tuning and/or parts - it would be a good idea to go back into Free Run mode and check that the braking zones still hold; if not, adjust as necessary using the method in the paragraph above. For those races which include fuel loads, the car will become progressively lighter during a race. The lesser weight can often mean a slightly shorter braking zone; however, if tire wear is excessive (especially if there have been numerous off-course excursions), that might dictate a longer braking zone. Cars with a higher horsepower output will inherently attain faster speeds, and will therefore require a longer braking zone than cars with a lower horsepower output. Try a Volkswagon New Beetle, a Mini Cooper, a Dodge Viper, a Panoz Esperante GT-1, a Corvette C5R, and an F-2002 (all in stock/base configuration) along the same area of a circuit and note how their braking zones differ. A final note on braking: To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake in a straight line. If braking only occurs when cornering, the car will likely be carrying too much speed for the corner, resulting in the car sliding, spinning, and/or flipping. (Some games purposely do not permit the car to flip, but a slide or spin can still mean the difference between winning and ending up in last position at the end of a race.) If nothing else, players should strive to become of the 'breakers' they possibly can. This will essentially force a player to become a better racer/driver in general once the player has overcome the urge to constantly run at top speed at all times with no regard for damages to self or others. Also, slowing the car appropriately will make other aspects of racing/driving easier, especially in J-turns, hairpin corners, and chicanes. ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: CORNERING Ideally, the best way to approach a corner is from the outside of the turn, braking well before entering the corner. At the apex (the midpoint of the corner), the car should be right up against the edge of the pavement. On corner exit, the car drifts back to the outside of the pavement and speeds off down the straightaway. So, for a right-hand turn of about ninety degrees, enter the corner from the left, come to the right to hit the apex, and drift back to the left on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample standard corner. For corners that are less than ninety degrees, it may be possible to just barely tap the brakes - if at all - and be able to clear such corners successfully. However, the same principles of cornering apply: approach from the outside of the turn, hit the apex, and drift back outside on corner exit. For corners more than ninety degrees but well less than 180 degrees, braking will certainly be required. However, for these 'J-turns,' the apex of the corner is not the midpoint, but a point approximately two-thirds of the way around the corner. J-turns require great familiarity to know when to begin diving toward the inside of the corner and when to power to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample J-turn. Hairpin corners are turns of approximately 180 degrees. Braking is certainly required before corner entry, and the cornering process is the same as for standard corners: Approach from the outside, drift inside to hit the apex (located at halfway around the corner, or after turning ninety degrees), and drifting back to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample hairpin corner. If there are two corners of approximately ninety degrees each AND both corners turn in the same direction AND there is only a VERY brief straightaway between the two corners, they may be able to be treated like an extended hairpin corner. Sometimes, however, these 'U-turns' have a straightaway between the corners that is just long enough to prohibit a hairpin-like treatment; in this case, drifting to the outside on exiting the first of the two corners will automatically set up the approach to the next turn. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample U-turn. FIA (the governing body of F1 racing, World Rally Championship, and other forms of international motorsport) seems to love chicanes. One common type of chicane is essentially a 'quick-flick,' where the circuit quickly edges off in one direction then realigns itself in a path parallel to the original stretch of pavement, as in the examples in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Here, the object is to approach the first corner from the outside, hit BOTH apexes, and drift to the outside of the second turn. FIA also seems to like the 'Bus Stop' chicane, which is essentially just a pair of quick-flicks, with the second forming the mirror image of the first, as shown in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Perhaps the most famous Bus Stop chicane is the chicane (which is actually called the 'Bus Stop Chicane') at Pit Entry at Spa- Francorchamps, the home of the annual Grand Prix of Belgium (F1 racing) and the host of The 24 Hours of Spa (for endurance racing). Virtually every other type of corner or corner combination encountered in racing (primarily in road racing) combines elements of the corners presented above. These complex corners and chicanes can be challenging, such as the Ascari chicane at Monza. See the Diagrams section for an idea of the formation of Ascari. However, in illegal street/highway racing, the positioning of traffic can 'create' the various corners and corner combinations mentioned here. For example, weaving in and out of traffic creates a virtual bus stop chicane (see the Diagrams section at the end of this guide). Slowing may be necessary - it often is - depending on the distance between the vehicles. See the Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above Corner Types Combines in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide; note that this is a diagram for a very technical circuit. At some race venues, 'artificial chicanes' may be created by placing cones and/or (concrete) barriers in the middle of a straightaway. One such game which used this type of chicane is the original Formula1 by Psygnosis, an F1-based PlayStation game from 1995, which used this at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve along Casino Straight (shortly after passing the final grandstands at the exit of Casino Hairpin). One thing which can change the approach to cornering is the available vision. Blind and semi-blind corners require ABSOLUTE knowledge of such corners. Here is where gamers have an advantage over real-world drivers: Gamers can (usually) change their viewpoint (camera position), which can sometimes provide a wider, clearer view of the circuit, which can be especially important when approaching semi-blind corners; real-world drivers are obviously inhibited by the design of their cars and racing helmets. Great examples of real-world blind and semi-blind corners would be Mulsanne Hump at Le Mans, Turns 14 and 15 at Albert Park, and each of the first three corners at A1-Ring. Also important to cornering - especially with long, extended corners - is the corner's radius. Most corners use an identical radius throughout their length. However, some are increasing-radius corners or decreasing-radius corners. These corners may require shifting the apex point of a corner, and almost always result in a change of speed. Decreasing-radius corners are perhaps the trickiest, because the angle of the corner becomes sharper, thus generally requiring more braking as well as more turning of the steering wheel. Increasing-radius corners are corners for which the angle becomes more and more gentle as the corner progresses; this means that drivers will generally accelerate more, harder, or faster, but such an extra burst of speed can backfire and require more braking. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for sample images of a decreasing- radius corner and an increasing-radius corner. For traditional road racing circuits, increasing-radius and decreasing-radius corners may not be too much of a problem; after several laps around one of these circuits, a driver will know where the braking and acceleration points are as well as the shifted apex point (should a shift be required). However, for stage-based rally racing, where the roads are virtually unknown and the driver knows what is ahead only because of the navigator's instructions (which - based upon notes - may or may not be absolutely correct), the unknown can cause drivers to brake more often and/or more heavily. For rally-based games, such as the Need for Speed: V-Rally series (PlayStation/PSOne/PlayStation2) or for World Rally Championship (PlayStation2), there is often specialized vocabulary used: 'tightens' generally designates that a corner has a decreasing radius, whereas 'widens' or 'opens' indicates that a corner has an increasing radius. This need for 'extra' braking is also tempered by the fact that in much of rally racing, corners are either blind or semi-blind, due to trees, buildings, cliffs, embankments, and other obstacles to clear vision all the way around a corner. One particularly interesting aspect of cornering is one which I honestly do not know if it works in reality (I am not a real-world racer, although I would certainly LOVE the chance to attend a racing school!!!), but which works in numerous racing/driving games I have played over the years. This aspect is to use the accelerator to help with quickly and safely navigating sharp corners. This works by first BRAKING AS USUAL IN ADVANCE OF THE CORNER, then - once in the corner itself - rapidly pumping the brakes for the duration of the corner (or at least until well past the apex of the corner). The action of rapidly pumping the accelerator appears to cause the drive wheels to catch the pavement just enough to help stop or slow a sliding car, causing the non-drive wheels to continue slipping and the entire car to turn just a little faster. Using this rapid-pumping technique with the accelerator does take a little practice initially, and seems to work best with FR cars; however, once perfected, this technique can pay dividends, especially with REALLY sharp hairpin corners, such as at Sebring International Raceway or those often found in rally racing. ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: RUMBLE STRIPS Depending on car set-up and weather conditions, rumble strips (sometimes also called 'alligators') can be either useful or dangerous. The purpose of rumble strips is to provide a few extra centimeters of semi-racing surface to help keep cars from dropping wheels off the pavement, which can slow cars and throw grass and other debris onto the racing surface (which makes racing a little more dangerous for all involved, especially in corners). Generally, rumble strips are found on the outside of a corner at corner entry and corner exit, and also at the apex of a corner - these locations provide a slightly better racing line overall. If a car is set with a very stiff suspension (i.e., there is not much room for the suspension to move as the car passes over bumps and other irregularities in the racing surface), hitting rumble strips can cause the car to jump. Even if airborne for only a few milliseconds, at speed, it could be just enough so that the driver loses control of the car. Obviously, if one or more wheels are not in contact with the ground, the car is losing speed, which could be just enough of a mistake for other cars to pass by, and the lack of contact with the ground could result in excessive wheelspin which risks to flat-spot the tire(s) when contact is regained with the ground. When the racetrack is damp or wet, however, it is generally best to avoid using the rumble strips. Since rumble strips are painted (usually red and white), ANY amount of moisture will make the rumble strips extremely slick as the water beads on the paint, so that hitting a rumble strip in the process of cornering (especially at the apex of a corner) will cause the tire(s) to lose traction and often send the car spinning. ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: CONCRETE EXTENSIONS Similar to rumble strips are concrete extensions. These are generally (much) wider than rumble strips, and may or may not be painted (at FIA-approved F1 circuits, for example, these are generally painted green). Also, whereas rumble strips protrude slightly above the level of the racing surface, concrete extensions are at the same level as the racing surface. Concrete extensions can be used in the same manner as rumble strips. However, if painted, concrete extensions should be avoided for the same reasons listed above for rumble strips n the event of wet or damp racing conditions. Players should note that in some games - especially where challenges or license tests are involved - concrete extensions are often NOT designated as part of the official track, resulting in an 'Out of Bounds' designation. This is true, for example, in EA Sports' F1-based series (F1 2000, F1 Championship Season 2000, F1 2001, and F1 2002) and in the Gran Turismo series. ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: COASTING Some players may believe that a good racer is ALWAYS either accelerating or braking. However, this is not always the best way to approach a given section of a circuit or rally stage. Coasting can sometimes be beneficial. First, consider standard street or highway driving. Street- legal cars are designed for the same foot to be used for both acceleration and braking (with the other foot used for operating the clutch if the vehicle uses a manual transmission). There is always a slight delay between acceleration and braking as the driver moves the foot from one pedal to the other; during this time, the vehicle is essentially coasting - that is, the vehicle's current momentum is the only thing moving the vehicle. In real-world racing, there are a number of drivers who use 'left-foot braking.' In other words, one foot is used for the accelerator, while the other foot is used for the brake pedal. Yet even in left-foot braking, a driver must take care to NOT be pressing both the accelerator pedal AND the brake pedal simultaneously, as this could cause the engine revs to spike and/or cause undue tire wear. Therefore, even though for a much shorter duration (perhaps best measured in hundredths of a second) than in standard 'right-foot braking,' there is always a short period of coasting. In many racing games, I find that coasting through tight corners (including tight chicanes) can sometimes be the best method to safely navigate these difficult sections - and this is true in both pavement-based games and in rally-based games. Certainly, braking properly (i.e., in a straight line BEFORE reaching the corner or chicane) is key to successfully coasting. However, using NEITHER the accelerator button NOR the brake button will cause the vehicle to coast, thus using the natural momentum of the vehicle to perhaps swing the vehicle around the corner or through the chicane. This is actually somewhat tricky to explain in words, and is really something that each player should try several times (especially on tight, technical circuits, such as Monaco and Bathurst, or virtually any stage of a rally-based game) to truly understand this technique. Once learned, however, players may easily find themselves adding this technique to their gaming repertoire :-) ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: DRAFTING/SLIPSTREAMING One very useful racing technique is drafting, also known as slipstreaming. In some forms of motorsport, especially in oval track racing such as NASCAR and IRL, drafting is essential to making passes; NASCAR even raises drafting to an art form at its restrictor plate races by forcing cars to draft off each other simply to stay in contact with the leaders. Drafting works because of the aerodynamic vacuum which occurs behind a vehicle moving at a high rate of speed. As air flows around Car A, there is an area around which the air is forced as it flows off Car A's rear end. If Car B can get close enough to Car A, its front end can get into this vacuum area. Since vacuums prefer to fill their void with anything possible, Car B is drawn closer and closer to Car A. If the driver of Car B does not do anything or does not react fast enough, then Car B will eventually crash in to the back of Car A. However, once sufficient vacuum-assisted momentum has been gained, Car B can pull out to the side, exiting the vacuum with added momentum/speed, and rocket past Car A. By using Car A's natural high-speed vacuum in this manner, Car B will emerge from the draft with a major advantage in terms of speed without ever pressing harder on the accelerator. Often, drafting results in an additional 5MPH/8KPH over Car A; while this may not seem like a lot of extra speed, it is often enough to make a successful pass. Drafting is a great tactic for oval and tri-oval courses. However, its effectiveness at road racing venues is essentially limited to just long straightaways. In this case, it is highly important that Car B safely make the drafting pass well before the braking zone for the next corner, as the added speed will require earlier and/or stronger braking. Also, cars with variable downforce - especially cars with wings, such as CART and F1 cars - seem better able to make use of the draft. Specific to F1 2002, there is a draft/slipstream meter on the right side of the screen during races and other events (such as challenges) in the game. This can be useful, with the meter lighting up from bottom to top as Car B approaches the rear end of Car A. When the meter is fully lit, the player should quickly pull out of the draft/slipstream or risk an accident. ============================================== DRIVING TIPS: WET-WEATHER RACING/DRIVING Almost everything written to this point in the guide focuses solely upon dry-weather racing/driving conditions. In fact, most racing/driving games deal ONLY with dry-weather conditions. However, simulation-based games will include at least a few wet-conditions situations. This can range from Gran Turismo 3 - which uses two circuits (hosting a total of eight races between Simulation Mode and Arcade Mode) where the roadway has A LOT of standing water, as if the races take place just following a major prolonged downpour - to F1 2002 - where in most situations, players can purposely select the desired weather conditions for a given race. In wet-weather racing/driving conditions, it is IMPERATIVE to use tires designed for wet-conditions usage. For example, in F1 2002, in a full 53-lap race at Monza, I purposely tried running as long as I could with Dry Tires, then switched to Rain Tires when I could no longer handle the car's inherent sliding about... and my lap times instantly dropped by more than five seconds. In games which offer Intermediate Tires, such as Le Mans 24 Hours, the period when the racing circuit is simply damp (at the start of a period of rain, or when the circuit is drying after a period of rain) can be tricky in terms of tires. Intermediate Tires are certainly best for these racing conditions, but the time in Pit Lane spent changing to Intermediate Tires can mean losing numerous race positions, especially if the weather conditions change again a short time later and require another trip to Pit Lane to change tires yet again. Tires aside, simulation-style games simply will not allow a player to drive a circuit the same way in wet-weather conditions as in dry-weather conditions. The braking zone for all but the gentlest of corners will need to be extended, or else the car risks to hydroplane itself off the pavement. Throttle management is also key in wet-conditions racing. Due to the water (and perhaps even puddles) on the circuit, there is inherently less tire grip, so strong acceleration is more likely to cause undue wheelspin - which could in turn spin the car and create a collision. If a car has gone off the pavement, then the sand and/or grass which collect on the tires provide absolutely NO traction at all, so just the act of getting back to the pavement will likely result in numerous spins. In general, cornering is more difficult in wet conditions than in dry conditions. To help ease this difficulty in cornering, simulation-style games will sometimes allow the player to change the car's tuning during a race (if not, the player will be forced to try to survive using the tuning set- up chosen before the beginning of the race). Tuning is covered in more detail in another section below, but the main aspect to change for wet-weather conditions is to raise the downforce at the front and/or rear of the car; this will help improve cornering ability, but will result in slower top-end speed and slower acceleration. If the car's brake strength can be adjusted, it should be lowered, as strong braking will raise the likelihood of hydroplaning off the pavement; lowering brake strength will also mean an additional lengthening of the braking zone for all but the gentlest corners of a given circuit. When the circuit is damp or wet, rumble strips and concrete extensions (which are usually painted) should be avoided as much as possible. The water tends to bead on the paint used for rumble strips and concrete extensions, making them incredibly slippery, especially if a drive wheel is on a rumble strip or concrete extension while the player is in the process of turning the car; this will cause undue wheelspin in that particular drive wheel, usually resulting in the car spinning. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== TRACTION CONTROL AND HANDLING OPTIONS Grand Prix Challenge allows the player to adjust the traction control setting, depending on the chosen level of vehicle handling difficulty. By default, the TCS can be moved to another setting by pressing the Triangle button on a standard DualShock2 or compatible controller. Some players may find it useful to practice swiping the right index finger across the Triangle button until this becomes second nature, so that the TCA setting can be changed at will without disrupting player concentration and moving the right hand out of position on the controller. In Beginner handling, TCS is always set to high, and cannot be adjusted by the player. In Intermediate handling, TCS can be toggled between low and high. In Expert handling, TCS can be set to off, low, or high. In Intermediate handling and Expert handling, TCS settings can be changed during any session or race, meaning that a player can experiment with various traction control settings for each corner or area of a circuit and make a mental note to always have the TCS at a particular setting in various parts of a lap for every lap of a race. Turning the traction control system off will provide the fastest speeds possible for a given vehicle, since there are NO checks of wheelspin to potentially slow the car. A low TCS setting will allow for a large rate of wheelspin before power is lessened or eliminated to the drive wheels, and this results in a moderately slower straight-line top-end speed. A high TCS setting will show a significant decrease in top- end straight-line speed. (All this assumes that the car's set-up is not changed, and the player's driving style remains consistent.) The traction control setting also greatly affects cornering. If set to off, the player must be EXTREMELY careful not to press the accelerator too hard too quickly, as there is nothing to counter any excessive wheelspin from harsh acceleration out of a corner (especially if this occurs when the rear of the vehicle is already sliding around the corner). Set to low, TCS will allow a long range of wheelspin before traction control takes effect, so harsh acceleration should still be avoided to the extent possible. A high TCS setting is definitely the best for those just becoming accustomed to F1-based games, as there is an extremely shallow range of permissible wheelspin before the TCS takes effect. Note that even with TCS set to high, it is still quite possible to send the vehicle into a spin, or to at least slide the rear of the car around corners (purposely or otherwise). Often, this is because one or more wheels of the car are on a rumble strip (which provides generally less tire grip than pavement), and the imbalance of tire traction across the four wheels combined with a potential awkward angle of the vehicle in relation to the pavement itself, the amount of power applied to the rear (drive) wheels at that very moment, and the vehicle's downforce setting and chosen tire compound exceed the vehicle's inherent capabilities to gain sufficient grip to remain securely on the ground. In such a case, only the player's quick experience-honed reflexes can prevent the vehicle from sliding (uncontrollably) or spinning... or potentially even flipping. Note that those with A LOT of experience with racing games (and F1-based games in particular) should be able to actually induce a slide of the rear wheels to actually ASSIST in fast, precise cornering, but this is done at the risk of accelerated tire wear (if tire wear has been activated) and a greater chance of losing vehicle control. Finally, F1 is well-known for its standing starts. The need to go from a complete standstill to the highest-possible speed in the shortest amount of space and time is crucial, as those who can consistently do this well can pull away from the field if at the front of the grid, or make numerous passes before the first corner of a circuit if starting further back in the field at the beginning of a race. Setting the traction control system to high for the standing starts is crucial for reducing wheelspin and applying maximum traction to the pavement to assist in accelerating as quickly as possible. Once the vehicle is well in motion (perhaps at about 60MPH/96KPH), TCS can generally be switched to low or off to maximize top-end straight-line speed. ============================================== TRACTION CONTROL AND TIRES If tire wear has been activated for a race, the tires will slowly lose their ability to grip the pavement. This is due to the natural tendency of the tires to shed tiny pieces of rubber during use. Tire wear is further accelerated with every excursion (intended or otherwise) off the pavement. Traction control can - at least in theory - help to slow the rate of tire wear. Since excessive wheelspin causes more small bits of the tire to wear away, traction control can somewhat reduce the rate of this inherent tire wear by its intended purpose of reducing excessive wheelspin. If the player begins a long run with traction control either off or on a low setting, raising the traction control setting late in the run can help to 'fix' tire wear. As tire wear continues, the tires' ability to adequately grip the pavement plummets, which in itself can result in excessive wheelspin. Thus, raising the traction control setting can provide a temporary 'fix' to the tire wear issue, but this 'fix' is definitely only temporary and the player will likely still need to adjust driving style between the beginning and end of the run. If the traction control setting is raised for this reason toward the end of a long run, the player needs to remember to change the traction control setting back to a lower setting once the tires have been changed. ============================================== TRACTION CONTROL TESTS I have conducted several (obviously unofficial) tests in Grand Prix Challenge to see how traction control affects a vehicle's speed and lap times. In these two tests, the ONLY change to a car's set-up is to the traction control setting; all other settings are the default settings used by the game for each vehicle. Expert handling and automatic transmission is used for all the tests below. Default parameters used in Expert Handling: Tire Type: Soft Downforce: Center position Gear Box Ratio: Center position Suspension: Five positions from the right Brake Balance: One position left of center Traction Control: Variable Anti-lock Braking System: Off Transmission: Automatic Test #1: Monza This first test uses the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher to test how various traction control settings affect top-end speed. Here, the 'test zone' runs from the flagstand on the right side about 1/4 of the way along the Curva Parabolica (the final corner) to the Start/Finish Line; the test results here are the product of the vehicle beginning from a standing start alongside the flagstand and the speed of the car with each traction control setting at the Start/Finish Line. Traction control off: 201MPH/322KPH Traction control low: 199MPH/318KPH Traction control high: 198MPH/317KPH Note that the speeds are somewhat close together at the Start/Finish Line. A total of 3MPH/5KPH separates these test speeds. While this may not be much of a difference in a single lap, 3MPH/5KPH across, say, fifty laps (for example) can make a major difference if these speeds can be attained consistently, potentially affecting the finishing order of a race. (Of course, other variables need to be considered during a race, such as Yellow Flags, tire wear, slipstreaming/drafting, pit strategy, weather conditions, etc.) Test #2: Suzuka This second test reflects the best of five hot laps at Suzuka using each of the three traction control settings (off, low, and high). This test is done using the Jordan of Takuma Sato. Traction control off: 1:40.430 Traction control low: 1:36.609 Traction control high: 1:33.803 These test results attest to the difficulty of Suzuka with no traction control used. Specifically, the initial S-curves are where time can be significantly lost at Suzuka, as each corner in this section is quite different from the others, and an extreme amount of countersteering is required exiting each of these corners in order to even have a chance of keeping the car on the pavement. With low traction control, nearly four seconds are shed, with much of that reduced time coming from the lessened amount of vehicle sliding in the S-curves section of the circuit. Using high traction control, the S-curve section is made even easier, shedding almost another three seconds from the overall lap times as vehicle slippage is nearly negated. Note that while higher traction control settings tend to bring down top-end straight-line speed, the difficulty of the S-curves section of Suzuka is a significantly greater issue in terms of vehicle set-up, with Hairpin and Chicane also causing a high level of concern. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== TEAM VEHICLE DIFFERENCES This is intended to be an overview of how each team's vehicle performs based upon the best lap time of five hot laps at Albert Park (Melbourne, the host site of the Grand Prix of Australia). These tests are all done in dry weather with the default vehicle set-up using Intermediate Handling, the handling option for which I am definitely most comfortable so as to make these tests as fair as possible. The traction control setting is generally set to High by default, but was purposely set to low for all vehicles in this test in an effort to lower overall lap times, thus hopefully more accurately simulating real-world F1 racing conditions. Also, at the driver selection screen, the team's lead driver was always selected. Results by team order (in the game): Ferrari 1:16.363 Rank: 1 McLaren Mercedes 1:18.315 Rank: 6 BMW Williams 1:17.626 Rank: 2 Sauber Petronas 1:18.018 Rank: 3 BAR Honda 1:18.219 Rank: 4 Jordan Honda 1:18.279 Rank: 5 Renault Elf 1:19.981 Rank: 10 Jaguar Racing 1:20.817 Rank: 11 Orange Arrows 1:19.230 Rank: 9 KL Minardi 1:19.051 Rank: 7 Toyota Racing 1:19.095 Rank: 8 Results by ranking (fastest speeds at top of the list): 1.) Ferrari 1:16.363 2.) BMW Williams 1:17.626 3.) Sauber Petronas 1:18.018 4.) BAR Honda 1:18.219 5.) Jordan Honda 1:18.279 6.) McLaren Mercedes 1:18.315 7.) KL Minardi 1:19.051 8.) Toyota Racing 1:19.095 9.) Orange Arrows 1:19.230 10.) Renault Elf 1:19.981 11.) Jaguar Racing 1:20.817 Not surprisingly, Ferrari came out on top, besting the next- fastest lap time by roughly 1.3 seconds. In general, the top teams in real-world F1 racing are grouped together in these tests. However, McLaren Mercedes 'finished' in the middle of the results, pointing to perhaps some aspect of the vehicle which is not very well suited to Albert Park. The middle and lower teams in real-world F1 racing are somewhat mixed together in the bottom two-thirds of the ranking, although Sauber Petronas 'finished' quite admirably in third position. Jaguar Racing never really performed well in real-world F1 racing in 2002, so it is perhaps not at all surprising that the Jaguar in this test finished last, nearly a full second behind tenth-place (Renault Elf). ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRALIA: ALBERT PARK The 2002 F1 racing season begins with a set of 'flyaway' (non-European) races. This fast, flat, attractive circuit is built around Melbourne's beautiful Albert Park Lake, using actual city streets which generally receive little traffic during the year. There are usually plenty of trees on both sides of the track, with a nice view of Melbourne's buildings as you come through Turns 12 and 13. The Albert Park circuit features many long, gentle, no-braking corners, allowing for incredible top-end speed all around this completely-flat circuit. However, these are tempered with several moderate- and hard-braking corners, as well as many dark shadows obscuring long stretches of the pavement, especially in wet conditions. Pit Straight: The front straight is fairly long, following a moderate-braking corner (Turn 16). However, Turn 1 requires an early braking zone. Turn 1 (Jones): A moderate-braking right-hand corner. If you miss the braking zone here, there is a wide area in which you can recover. Traffic will often bunch up entering Turn 1, even beyond the start of a race. Turn 2 (Brabham): Immediately following Turn 1, this is a gentle left-hand turn which can be taken at full speed if the car had slowed enough for Jones. Excellent acceleration out of Turn 1 makes the exit of Turn 2 and the ensuing straightaway a prime passing zone. Beware the barrier on the right on exiting Turn 2; do not hit the throttle too soon exiting Turn 1. Turn 3: This is a hard-braking right-hand semi-blind corner following a long straightaway; the braking zone begins earlier than it would otherwise appear, so make use of the distance-to-corner markers on the left side of the raceway (however, the distance-to-corner markers are difficult to spot due to their coloration). Again, there is a wide recovery area here. A little speed can be made coming out of Turn 3, but the straightaway is virtually non-existent, requiring moderate braking for Turn 4. This is definitely NOT a place to pass (safely) unless you have EXCELLENT brakes and little or no tire wear. Traffic tends to bunch up here for Turns 3 and 4. Turn 4: A left-hand corner requiring at least moderate braking. To the outside of the corner is a wide, paved recovery area. The inside of Turn 4 is also a wide paved zone, but short-cutting Turn 4 by more than one car length will also result in a Stop-Go Penalty. Good acceleration out of Turn 4 can set up a good passing opportunity. Turn 5 (Whiteford): A gentle right-hand corner through the trees which leads to a nice straightaway. With a flawless racing line, no braking is necessary here; otherwise, a quick lift off the accelerator will be needed to keep the left side of the car off the nearby barrier. Turn 6 (Albert Road): A semi-hidden moderate-braking right- hand corner. Traffic will sometimes bunch up here, as drivers try to spot the corner. A wide recovery zone is available here as well, but take care not to shortcut the corner. Blasting through Turn 6 without braking will almost certainly result in loss of control (with subsequent spinning, sliding, flipping, and/or crashing) due to the angle of the rumble strips. Turn 7 (Marina): Immediately following Turn 6, Turn 7 is a very gentle left-hand corner which brings you alongside the northernmost end of Albert Park Lake. Beware the barrier on the right on corner exit. Turn 8 (Lauda): This is almost not a turn at all, as it curves extremely gently along the shoreline, but the course map on the race's official Web site lists this as a corner. Turn 9 (Clark Chicane): This corner is a tight right-hand turn which requires moderate or hard braking. Traffic almost always bunches up here. If you miss the braking zone here, you will end up out in the blue-green dust-covered area. The important thing to remember here is that the official corner is the SECOND turn of the pavement to the right; using the first turn to the right is a shortcut, and a penalty will ensue. Also, there is a white traffic line from the left- hand side of the pavement on approach curving to follow the left-hand side of the first turn to the right; this can cause significant confusion, so the driver must be constantly aware that this is not an official race marking and thus NOT follow it to the shortcut. Turn 10 (Clark Chicane): This is almost not a turn at all, as it curves extremely gently to the left and back along the shoreline. There is absolutely NO room for error on the right side of the track, as the pavement runs directly up against the barrier. Once you pass underneath the second pedestrian bridge and see the grandstands ahead on the right, drift to the right to set up the best racing line for Turns 11 and 12. Turns 11 and 12 (Waite): This extended left-right chicane is tricky. Turn 11 can be taken flat-out, but Turn 12 (Waite) CANNOT be successfully navigated at full speed without either shortcutting the corner (using the pavement inside the rumble strips) or ending up beached in the kitty litter on the exit of the chicane. Sliding even one pixel across the rumble strips on either side of the chicane generally results in a Stop-Go Penalty. A flawless racing line is crucial to success here and in the ensuing straightaway. Straightaway: The pavement runs directly up against the barrier on the left side of the course here, creating problems for cars on the left whose engines suddenly expire. Turn 13 (Ascari): This is a semi-blind right-hand corner requiring moderate braking if you are alone; traffic tends to bunch up here. The recovery area again is quite wide, with a long run-off strip if needed. This leads to a short straightaway which can be a prime passing zone if acceleration out of Turn 13 is strong. Turn 14 (Steward): A light-braking, right-hand corner with a wide recovery area. Experts should be able to take this corner at top speed (if not in traffic) with a flawless racing line, or by dropping the right-side tires onto the grass at the apex of the corner. This is a good place to pass on braking upon entering the corner. Turn 15: Do not be fooled by the run-off lane which proceeds directly ahead into an unmoving barrier; there IS a J-turn to the left here, requiring hard braking. This is also a good place to pass on braking when entering the corner. Note that the Pit Entry is almost immediately to the right upon exiting the corner, so be sure to look for cars moving slower than expected as they enter Pit Lane. Turn 16 (Prost): But, be careful with the approach and exit angles for this right-hand turn, as the barrier (and a grandstand) is just a few feet off the pavement on the left as you exit the corner. A new addition from previous versions of the game, the Pit Lane barrier begins at the entry of Turn 16, so shortcutting is not a possibility, and dropping the right-side tires off the pavement is also not a good option. This leads onto the Pit Straight. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right shortly after Turn 15. It is possible to enter at a fairly high speed, but there will be a sharp turn to the right very quickly, requiring moderate or heavy braking. Before entering the main Pit area, however, is a tight right-left chicane, so be prepared to truly slam on the brakes, or else the nose of your car will slam into the Pit Lane barrier. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA: KUALA LAMPUR Kuala Lampur includes very wide recovery zones all along the course, on both sides of the pavement, with very few exceptions. The main grandstands are nestled 'within' the course itself, as the 'back straight' and the 'Pit Straight' flank each side of the main spectator seats, linked by a tight left-hand hairpin. While the pavement is rather wide for an F1 circuit (with its width widely considered as the 'future' of F1 racing venues), it is actually more difficult to drive than it appears on television, especially the 'back' part of the course (behind the main grandstands). Pit Straight: The main grandstands are to the left as you fly down the Pit Straight. Slam on the brakes at the end of the Pit Straight, as the first two corners are VERY tight. Turns 1 and 2: Turn 1 is a TIGHT right-hand corner, followed immediately by the not-as-tight-but-still-difficult left-hand Turn 2. If there is traffic ahead, the cars will certainly bunch up here. The first corner on the opening lap of any F1 race is characterized by cars bunching up together; given the downhill slope of Turns 1 (beginning at the exit) and 2, cars are even more likely than usual to bump each other and/or the barrier here. Fortunately, the outside of Turn 2 has a wide (sand-filled) recovery area, so if a major accident takes place, it might be wise to (carefully) take to the sand to avoid the worst of the chaos and debris. Remember that Turn 2 is slower than Turn 1, so if following another car, it is imperative to allow plenty of room to keep from ramming the other vehicle. Turn 3: Accelerate hard through this sweeping right-hand corner. No braking is necessary here. The course begins a gentle uphill climb here. Turn 4: It is easy to overrun this corner, either on entry or on exit, but the wide patch of sand to the outside of the corner is available to slow you down in these situations. This right-hand corner is the crest of the uphill climb which began in Turn 3. Moderate braking will be required here. Turns 5 and 6: Turn 5 is an easy left-hand corner, followed by the similarly-shaped right-hand Turn 6. In Turn 5, the barrier comes very close to the pavement on the inside of the corner, so be careful not to roll up on the grass here. There is plenty of space for recovery on the outside of each corner, which may be important exiting Turn 6 as it is rather easy to run too wide on exit. Both corners can be taken either flat-out or with simply a slight lifting off the accelerator. Turns 7 and 8: These two right-hand corners are best taken in a wide 'U' formation. There is plenty of kitty litter on the outside of the corners here should you lose concentration and drive off the pavement. While experts with a death wish may be able to speed through these corners at full throttle, braking or significantly lifting off the accelerator would be a far better choice. Turn 9: This tight left-hand J-turn is made even more difficult by the brief uphill slope leading to the corner itself, which hides the view of the pavement as the course turns to the left here. Early braking is key, or else you WILL be caught out in the sand trap. Moderate or heavy braking will be needed here, depending on your top speed coming out of the 'U' formation of Turns 7 and 8. If you have excellent confidence in your braking ability (especially with fresh tires after a pit stop), this is a great place to pass other cars on braking, but only if attempted near the inside of the corner - otherwise, you will be far off the racing line, and any car(s) you try to pass will force you out into the sand. Turn 10: After the tightness of Turn 9, Turn 10's right-hand corner can be taken at full throttle. The course climbs gently uphill here, cresting shortly after the exit. Turn 11: The course begins a gentle downhill slope near the entry of Turn 11, then turns to the right as the downhill slope continues. Moderate braking will be needed here, as Turn 11 is tighter than Turn 10. This is also a good place to pass other cars on braking. It is also easy to overrun the corner, so there is plenty of sand to the outside of the corner to slow you down in this instance. Turn 12: After a short straightaway, the course turns to the left. If you hug the apex tightly, you should be able to take Turn 12 without braking. Again, plenty of sand awaits those who slide off the pavement here. Turn 13: This is a nasty right-hand decreasing-radius hairpin with no paved swing-out area on exit, making the corner far more difficult than it at first appears. The first 60 degrees can be taken at top speed, although some braking is greatly recommended here. After that, moderate or heavy braking is required to keep from rolling out into the kitty litter on the left side of the pavement. Strong acceleration is key on exit. Straightaway: This straightaway runs along the 'back side' of the main grandstands. This is a very long straightaway, so powerful acceleration out of the Turn 13 hairpin can provide good passing opportunities here, especially for those using a low-downforce set-up. Near the end of the straightaway, a line of pavement leaves to the right, but this is NOT the Pit Lane entry used for F1 races. Turn 14: This is the final corner of the course, and certainly the most important in a close race. Following the long straightaway on the 'back side' of the main grandstands, this is a left-hand hairpin, much tighter than Turn 13. It is key here to approach from the extreme right side of the pavement, tightly hug the apex, and accelerate strongly while drifting back out to the right on exit. The Pit Lane entry begins here about halfway through the hairpin, so beware of slower cars going in for servicing. This is also a good place to pass on braking, but be ready to block any aggressive drivers trying to pass you as they slam on the throttle on exit. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins halfway through the Turn 14 hairpin (the final corner of the course). Keep tight to the right entering the hairpin, to allow those passing you to dive to the left-hand apex of the corner; after the first 90 degrees of the corner, drive straight ahead along the Pit Lane. However, you will quickly find the Pit Lane curving to the left, so make sure you have slowed enough to not bang the front wing or front-right tire against the barrier. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF BRAZIL: INTERLAGOS Most F1 courses are driven clockwise; built on a steep hillside, Interlagos is driven counter-clockwise, which causes 'undue' fatigue to drivers' necks as the race progresses. The upper part of the course features two extensive segments of flat-out, full-throttle, high-speed driving. Conversely, the lower part of the course (where the most clock time is spent per lap) features tight corners and several significant elevation changes. However, despite these two very different sections of the circuit, the car set-up is not quite as tricky or as key here as at Indianapolis. Pit Straight: This is the highest point of the course in terms of elevation. There is no room to pull off the course here if there is a problem with a car, as the barriers rub against the pavement on both sides of the track. This is also the fastest portion of the course, leading into the most dangerous set of corners in all of F1 racing. There are several left-hand fades along the 'Pit Straight.' This 'straightaway' is the longest stretch of flat-out acceleration of this course. The optimal racing line is hard to the left, so be careful not to rub the left-side tires against the barriers, especially when passing the Pit Lane Entry. The Pit Entrance is also to the left; beware of slower cars entering Pit Lane. Turn 1 (S do Senna): Especially since this corner follows an incredibly long and fast 'Pit Straight,' this is by far the most dangerous turn on the course, and thus perhaps the most dangerous corner in all of F1 racing. This is a tight, left- hand, semi-blind, downhill corner requiring severe braking long before reaching the turn. Unless you have PERFECT confidence in your car's braking AND turning ability, this is definitely NOT a place to pass!!! For those who overrun the corner, there is a continent-size patch of kitty litter. Turn 2 (S do Senna): Following immediately after Turn 1, it is perhaps best to coast through this right-hand corner, with strong acceleration on exit to set up prime passing opportunities in Curva du Sol or along the following straightaway. Beware the Pit lane barrier practically rubbing up against the pavement here on the left. (Historical note: The Pit Lane used to rejoin the main course at the exit of Turn 2, but FIA and the drivers deemed that this was too dangerous, so Pit Exit was moved to beyond the exit of Turn 3.) Turn 3 (Curva du Sol): Immediately following S do Senna, Turn 3 is a gentle left-hand corner which can also be taken at top speed. Just beyond the exit of Turn 3, the Pit Lane rejoins the main course on the left. Curva du Sol leads into the second-longest straightaway of the circuit. Straightaway: This long straightaway presents a gentle downhill slope leading to the lower portion of the course. Keep to the right on exiting Curva du Sol so that cars rejoining the race from the Pit Lane can blend in without incident. Turn 4 (Lago): This corner truly begins the lower portion of the course in terms of elevation. Lago is a semi-hidden left-hand corner with a slight downward slope. Moderate braking is necessary here to keep from sliding the car into the recovery zone, especially if the track is wet. Good acceleration out of Lago sets up great passing in the next corner and along the following straightaway. Do not overrun the course, or you will be slowed severely by the sand and grass. Turn 5: A gentle left-hand turn, this can be taken at full throttle. The course begins to slope upward again. However, do not try to take this corner too sharply on the apex, as the barrier may not agree with your tactics. Straightaway: This is effectively the last straightaway before the Pit Straight at the beginning of the course. The course here slopes upward, so cars with excellent acceleration out of Turns 4 and 5 can pass those with poor uphill speed. Turn 6 (Laranjinha): This is the beginning of a pair of right-hand corners which effectively form a 'U' shape. The entry of this corner can be taken at full throttle, but be ready to touch the brakes at the exit of this corner. Turn 6 is also on the crown of a hill. Turn 7 (Laranjinha): The final corner of a 'U' shape in the course, this is a right-hand decreasing-radius corner with a gentle downward slope. Turn 8 (Curva do S): After an almost negligible straightaway, this incredibly tight right-hand corner requires hard braking. The course also begins to slope downhill at the beginning of Turn 8. Pinheirinho immediately follows. Turn 9 (Pinheirinho): Immediately upon exiting Turn 8, slam on the brakes again (or simply coast) for the sharp left-hand Pinheirinho. This may potentially a good place to pass other cars. Turn 9 is a long corner, however, so it is important to hug the apex much longer than usual. Extreme caution must be taken here if racing in wet conditions, or you will find yourself sliding into the sand. The exit of Pinheirinho leads to an upward-sloping straightaway. Turn 10 (Bica do Pato): The entrance of Turn 10 begins the final downward slope of the course, making this right-hand corner even more difficult to navigate. Heavy braking and excellent vehicle control are required to maneuver the car safely through this corner, especially in the rain. Good acceleration is needed exiting Bica do Pato to pass traffic in the next corner and ensuing straightaway. The kitty litter is available if you overshoot the corner, but then you will quickly find yourself rubbing against a barrier. Turn 11 (Mergulho): This left-hand corner almost immediately follows Bica do Pato and can be taken almost flat-out to provide good speed along the next (very short) straightaway. Good acceleration out of Bica do Pato makes this a good passing zone if you have a decent racing line, otherwise you may find yourself off the course on the outside of the corner. Turn 12 (Juncao): This is a tight left-hand corner requiring moderate to heavy braking. The final, steep uphill slope begins here, and the exit of the corner is hidden (even in chase view). It is extremely easy to run off the outside of the corner here, but a small patch of grass and another paved lane provide some run-off relief here. This corner leads to the incredibly long Pit Straight. Pit Entry: As you climb the long 'Pit Straight,' the Pit Lane begins on the left. Pit Exit: The Pit Lane once emptied onto the exit of Turn 2; it now rejoins the main course just after the exit of Curva du Sol. This makes Pit Lane extremely long, which makes it extremely important to select your pit strategy carefully in long races. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF SAN MARINO: IMOLA The Grand Prix of San Marino begins the 'European Season' for F1. The Imola circuit is challenging but rather fun. Again, this is a 'counterclockwise' circuit, but, oddly, the Pits and Paddock are located on the outside of the circuit and not on the inside. There is extremely little tolerance for shortcutting the chicanes. Due to the slope of the grass on the inside of the corner, Turn 6 (Tosa) is essentially a blind corner unless traffic is present to mark the course for you. Pit Straight: This is a long straightaway, which enables high speeds as the cars cross the Start/Finish Line. Good exit speed out of the final chicane makes for prime passing and a good show for the spectators. The Pit Straight fades to the left at the exit of Pit Lane (which is aligned with the Start/Finish Line). Once past the Pits, there is a barrier directly against the right side of the track. Turns 1 and 2 (Tamburello): This is a left-right chicane. Turn 1 requires moderate braking, but if you slow enough in Turn 1, you should be able to drive at full throttle through Turn 2 and beyond. If you try to take the entire chicane at full speed, you may be able to make it through Turn 1 fairly well, but you will quickly find yourself in the grass on the outside of Turn 2 and banging against the nearby barrier. If you completely miss the braking zone for Turn 1, there is a huge patch of kitty litter to help you recover. Turn 3 (Tamburello): Immediately following Turn 2, Turn 3 is a soft left-hand corner which can be taken at full speed. Strong acceleration out of Turn 1 and through Turn 2 makes this a good passing zone. Following this corner is a significant straightaway. Turns 4 and 5 (Villeneuve): This is another left-right chicane, though not nearly as lengthy as the first chicane. Care must be taken not to slide off the course at the exit of Turn 5. It is possible for experts to fly through this chicane at top speed (if not encumbered by traffic) by rolling up on the rumble strips, but doing so produces a significant chance of losing control of the car and crashing into the barrier on the left side of the circuit as the sandy recovery area severely narrows on approach to Tosa. The course slopes upward at the exit of this chicane. Turn 6 (Tosa): This is a semi-blind left-hand corner which continues the upward slope of the course. Moderate or even severe braking is required here, or else your car will be in the kitty litter and bounding toward the spectators. Traffic is actually a benefit in approaching this corner, as the course is largely hidden from view given the slope of the grass on the inside of the corner, but other cars are easy to see. Straightaway: The course continues up the hill here. Just beyond the overhead billboard, the track fades to the right as it begins its gentle downward slope, but then leads directly into Piratella. Turn 7 (Piratella): The course continues downward here, with the slope increasing. This is a left-hand semi-blind corner. It is rather easy to slip off the pavement here and into the kitty litter on the outside of the corner. Any passing here is best made tight to the apex of the corner, perhaps with only the right-side wheels on the pavement or rumble strip. Turn 8: Barely a corner at all but more than a fade, the course gently turns to the left here. This is a full-speed 'corner,' but the racing line is still very important here. Turns 9 and 10 (Mineralli): This is a pair of right-hand corners which effectively function as a decreasing-radius 'U' formation and are best taken in this manner. Turn 9 can probably be taken at full speed, but upon exit to the outside of Turn 9, severe braking is needed and extra steering to the right is required to safely navigate around the decreasing- radius Turn 10. The track begins another (steep) uphill slope in Turn 10. Tightly hugging the apex allows for prime passing through Turn 10. Care must be taken not to enter Turn 10 too fast, or else you will be off the course on the left. Turn 11 (Mineralli): Immediately following Turn 10, the left- hand Turn 11 continues the upward slope of the course. Care must be taken not to slip off to the right of the track on exit. Turns 12-13 (Alta Chicane): This is a tight right-left chicane. Other cars generally slow significantly for this chicane, so a full-speed maneuver here in traffic is NOT advised. In fact, attempting to take this chicane at top speed will require rolling up on the rumble strips, and you will almost certainly lose control and either spin, flip, or collide with the all-too-close barrier to the right side of the course. The barrier to the outside of Turn 13 is very close to the track, so be careful not to slip off the course. Alta Chicane, due to its placement just slightly beyond the crest of the circuit, is also 100% unsighted on approach, so it is very easy to miss the chicane and either overshoot it or turn too early. Straightaway: The course begins its final downhill slope here, fading gently first to the left, then to the right. Turns 14 and 15 (Rivazza): This is a left-hand 'U' formation. Moderate braking is required entering Turn 14, but then Turn 15 can be taken at full speed (IF you slowed enough in Turn 14), although some may feel more comfortable lightly tapping the brakes here. Caution must be taken to use enough braking entering the 'U' formation, or else you will end up in the sand on the right side of the track. Straightaway: This is the final long straightaway before reaching the Pit Straight. However, the official course fades to the right just after passing underneath the Helix banner; driving straight ahead (the pavement of the old course) and thus missing the entire final chicane results in a penalty. The end of this straightaway provides two options: 1.) Keep driving straight ahead onto Pit Lane; 2.) Turn left for the final chicane. Turns 16 and 17 (Bassa Chicane): This is the final chicane (left-right) of the course. To the outside of Turn 16 is the Pit Lane entry, so be mindful of slower cars entering Pit Lane as you approach the chicane. Moderate braking is required entering Turn 16, but then Turn 17 requires light braking. Be VERY careful riding the rumble strips in Bassa Chicane, as wheelspin on the rumble strips is likely to force the car out of control, which means either getting caught in the kitty litter inside Turn 17, or colliding with the barrier (which is VERY close to the pavement) on exiting the chicane. Pit Entry: Instead of turning left for Turn 16, keep driving directly ahead. However, there is no room for slowing once you leave the main course, so stay tight to the right side of the pavement as you slow to enter Pit Lane. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF SPAIN: CATALUNYA The Catalunya circuit is challenging, especially the two hairpins and the final corners of the race. For observers and drivers alike, plenty of action can be found at the Spanish Grand Prix. In the real-world 2002 F1 season, traction control was not permitted until the Grand Prix of Spain (EVERY event in Grand Prix Challenge permits traction control). Intertextal Note: The Catalunya circuit is also used in the PS2 game Le Mans 24 Hours. Pit Straight: As usual, incredible speeds can be attained here. Watch for cars rejoining the race from the right side of the straightaway about two-thirds of the way along its massive length. Turn 1 (Elf): This is a right-hand corner which requires moderate braking. Strong acceleration out of Turn 1 creates great passing opportunities all the way to Repsol. Attempting to take Turn 1 at top speed will either cause you to lose control as you run up on the rumble strips, or send you too far off course to survive Turn 2 intact. Turn 2 (Elf): Immediately following Turn 1, the left-hand Turn 2 can usually be taken at top acceleration. With strong acceleration out of Turn 1, this is a prime passing zone. Turn 3 (Seat): A sweeping right-hand increasing-radius corner which can be taken at full speed with a flawless racing line. This is also a good place to pass slower cars, especially if you have the inside line. Turn 4 (Repsol): This is a semi-blind right-hand hairpin corner which requires moderate or heavy braking. The barrier on the inside of the corner rests almost directly against the track, and blocks your view around the corner. This can actually be a good place to pass on braking, but only with extreme caution (and usually only if the car you wish to pass takes the wide line around the corner). Don't come too hot into this corner or else you will find yourself in the sand. After clearing the first 90 degrees, you should be able to accelerate fairly well if not encumbered by traffic. Turn 5: After a very short straightaway, this is a semi-blind left-hand hairpin, a bit tighter than Turn 4. Moderate or heavy braking will be needed here, or you will definitely find yourself in the kitty litter. Straightaway: This straightaway fades to the left. Strong acceleration out of Turn 5 can create passing opportunities, especially in the braking zone for Wuth. Turn 6 (Wuth): With a good racing line, you should be able to brake lightly to clear this semi-blind, slightly-downhill, left-hand corner. Beware the barrier on the inside of Wuth. The exit of Wuth has an immediate fade to the right, so do not commit too much to turning left here, or the front-left of the car will be shaking hands with the barrier. Turn 7 (Campsa): This right-hand corner can be taken at full speed with a flawless racing line. Note that the official circuit is to the right; do not drive directly ahead onto another patch of pavement, or you will be assigned a Stop-Go Penalty. Turn 8 (La Cacsa): Severe braking is required for this left- hand corner. While not suggested, you may be able to pass other cars on braking here. As with Wuth, stay off the rumble strips and grass on the inside of the turn, or you will risk losing control of the car. This is a 'J' turn, and the corner seems to go on forever before you reach the exit. Turn 9 (Banc Sabadeau): Shortly following Turn 8, moderate or heavy braking will be needed here for the right-hand, upward- sloping corner. This is also a 'J' turn which is nearly a double-apex corner. If you need a recovery area anywhere on the course, it will most likely be here. It is possible to pass slower cars here by tightly hugging the inside of the turn, even running the right-side tires on the rumble strips or just slightly in the grass. Turn 10: Light braking may be needed for this right-hand corner. The key here is to truly hug the inside of the turn and accelerate strongly through the exit. Watch for slow cars here preparing to go to Pit Lane for servicing. Turn 11: Entering this right-hand corner, the Pit Lane begins on the right, so be on the lookout for very slow cars here. If you take this final corner too tightly, or make a VERY late decision to go to the pits, you will certainly damage the front of the car on a barrier. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRIA: A1-RING This course may only have seven corners, the fewest of the circuits used in the 2002 racing season, but it is still a highly-challenging technical course for the drivers. The circuit itself is built on a steep hillside, with the Paddock area and the Pit Straight located at the lowest elevation of the course. The significant elevation changes and poorly- placed barriers make this a particularly challenging circuit to safely navigate for 90+ minutes. Pit Straight: Long and straight; main grandstands to the left, Pit Lane to the right. Rather mundane, except that the entire Pit Straight has a slow uphill climb into the Castrol Curve. The beginning of the Pit Straight (coming off Mobilkom Curve) is also a bit bumpy. Turn 1 (Castrol Curve): After a rather mundane Pit Straight, the Castrol Curve is anything but mundane. This is a right- hand uphill corner which requires moderate braking. The Pit Lane rejoins the main course on the right at the exit of the corner. Because of the steep slope of the hill, it is all too easy to drive off the outside of the corner and into the massive sand trap. If you lose your concentration and forget even to slow down, you will likely find yourself airborne once you hit the rumble strip; similarly, if you try to take this corner at top speed, you may indeed find yourself fearfully looking up at the ground. Note: The inside edge of the rumble strip along the apex of Castrol Curve has a short vertical blade. Running the right-side tires up against or onto this vertical blade is likely to cut one or both right-side tires. Straightaway: There are a few fades in the straightaway as the course continues its uphill climb. The end of the straightaway (approaching Remus Curve) has a suddenly steeper grade and demands total concentration. Turn 2 (Remus Curve): This is a TIGHT right-hand 'J' turn requiring heavy or even severe braking, and complete concentration to navigate safely (even when not dealing with traffic); any speed over 30MPH is definitely too fast for Remus Curve. The uphill climb of the circuit continues through most of the turn, making high or even moderate speeds impossible here. Rolling the right-side tires up on the thin patch of grass on the inside of the Remus Curve will almost definitely result in loss of control of your vehicle. Even worse, this is a blind corner due to the barrier. Aggressive drivers will certainly end up overrunning the Remus Curve on exit and find themselves beached in the kitty litter. If you use the accelerator too soon on exit, you WILL find yourself off-course. Straightaway: Located at the highest elevation of the course, this straightaway has a fade to the right, then another to the left. After the second fade, prepare for braking before arriving at the Gosser Curve. Make use of the distance-to- corner markers, or else you risk overrunning Gosser Curve. Turn 3 (Gosser Curve): Another tight right-hand corner, heavy braking will be required here to avoid sliding off the course and into yet another sand trap. This is also a blind corner, due to the barrier on the inside of Gosser. The circuit begins to slowly descend in elevation here. Straightaway: This is actually NOT a straightaway at all; the course map does not list the right-hand turn, but it is definitely more than just a fade. If you overrun this, you will end up in the same sand trap as before - it is simply extended along the left side of the course from the outside of Gosser until well beyond this unofficial corner. Turn 4 (Niki Lauda Curve): This is a wide left-hand corner which will require moderate or heavy braking, especially since this is a blind corner due to the slope of the hill on the inside of the turn; even if you slow greatly before entering the corner, you will likely be tapping the brakes as you progress through Niki Lauda. There is another wide patch of sand on the outside of the corner, stretching almost all the way to the entrance of the Gerhard Berger Curve. A short straightaway separates Turns 4 and 5. Note that the circuit does indeed turn to the left here; the patch of pavement which continues straight forward will lead you into a barrier. Turn 5 (Gerhard Berger Curve): This is almost identical to the Niki Lauda Curve, but with an additional sand trap which begins on the inside of the corner. Straightaway: Again more than a fade but not listed as an official corner, there is a 'turn' to the right shortly after exiting the Gerhard Berger Curve. About two-thirds of the way along, the course enters a scenic forested area; this 'transition' section is also rather bumpy. Turn 6 (Jochen Rindt Curve): This is a blind right-hand corner which can be taken with light braking, or just a small lift of the accelerator; the best way to judge this corner is by using the right-side barrier as a guide. Another sand trap awaits those who run off the outside of the corner. A short straightaway follows Jochen Rindt. Turn 7 (Mobilkom Curve): This is a right-hand corner which will require light or moderate braking. The Pit Lane begins on the right just before the entry to Mobilkom, so be careful not to bump cars slowing before going to the pits. Pit Entry: Located just before the entrance to the Mobilkom Curve, the Pit Lane is to the right. This is a very long pit lane, so plan to stay out of here as much as possible!!! ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF MONACO: MONTE CARLO (TEMPORARY STREET CIRCUIT) 'To finish first, first you must finish.' The Monaco circuit is a highly daunting temporary street course, especially from the Driver View, as the barriers are FAR too close for comfort, and passing is virtually impossible for even expert drivers. If there is a problem with a car, there are extremely few places to safely pull aside, so all drivers must be constantly wary of damaged vehicles, especially slow or stationary cars around the many blind corners. The most significant key to simply finishing a race at Monaco is SURVIVAL, which means a slow, methodical, patient race. Aggressive drivers (like myself) would almost certainly end up dead - or at least driving an extremely beat-up vehicle - driving the Monaco circuit for real!!! For a comparison, the Surfer's Paradise circuit in the old PlayStation game Newman- Haas Racing is a sweet dream compared to the Monaco circuit!!!!! The circuit is extremely narrow, to the point that if a car bangs a barrier, there is a rather good chance that it will ricochet into the opposite barrier (if not into a nearby vehicle). While driving this circuit, players may want to have 'I Will Survive' playing on auto-repeat!!! Pit Straight: Not straight at all, the 'Pit Straight' fades to the right along its entire length. Near the end, the Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the right. Turn 1 (Sainte Devote): This is a tight right-hand semi-blind corner; heavy braking is required long before reaching Sainte Devote. To the left on entering this corner is one of the few areas to pull off the course if there is a problem. Overshooting the corner results in smashing the front wing against the unmoving barrier. The uphill portion of the course begins here. Straightaway (Beau Rivage): Not really straight with its multi-direction fades, the circuit climbs steeply uphill here. Because of the fades, this is actually NOT a passing zone; you may think you have enough room to pass a slower car and actually pull up alongside it, but then you and the slower vehicle will end up bumping each other and/or a barrier because of a fade. Three-wide racing is definitely NOT an option here!!!!! Turn 2 (Massanet): This is a sweeping decreasing-radius left- hand blind corner requiring moderate or heavy braking on entry and light braking (or coasting) as you continue through the turn. If you come in too fast, the corner workers will be scraping the right side of your car off the barrier at the end of the race; if you take the corner too tightly, the same will happen for the left side of the car. The exit of Massanet is the highest elevation of the circuit... which has only just begun, even if it IS 'all downhill' from here!!! Turn 3 (Casino): Moderate braking will be needed for the right-hand Casino. This corner almost immediately follows Massanet, and begins the long downward trajectory of the course. This corner is actually wider than most, to the extent that a car in trouble may be parked along the barrier on the outside of the corner. Be careful not to scrape the left-side barrier while exiting Turn 3; similarly, do not overcompensate and scrape the right-side barrier at the apex of Casino. Turn 4 (Mirabeau): Following a medium-length downhill straightaway, heavy braking is needed for this right-hand blind 'J' turn. If you miss the braking zone, your front end will be crushed up against yet another barrier. This corner continues the course's downhill slope, which adds to the difficulty of the turn. Turn 5 (Great Curve): Following an extremely short straightaway, this left-hand hairpin is one of the slowest in all of F1 racing (even 40MPH is a dangerous speed here). If you have excellent braking ability, you can actually PASS (a rarity!!!) by taking the tight inside line; otherwise, it would be best to drive through the Great Curve single-file. If there is traffic ahead, it may simply be best to fall in line, as two-wide cornering here is extremely difficult to do without damaging the car. Turns 6 and 7 (Portier): This pair of right-hand corners form a 'U' shape, but neither can be taken at any respectable speed. Between these two corners is a pull-off area on the left, with another to the left on exiting the 'U' formation. Turn 7 is the slowest of the two corners, and is the most difficult in terms of the almost-nonexistent view of the track (made even worse by the coloring of the barriers and advertisements in this portion of the circuit). Accelerating too soon out of Turn 7 means banging the left side of the car against yet another immovable barrier. Do not let the beautiful view of the water distract you from the race. The circuit is a little bumpy exiting Portier, especially if you stay tight to the inside of the corner on exit. Straightaway (The Tunnel): This 'straightaway' is actually a very long right-hand fade in a semi-tunnel (the left side provides a view of the water). However, even on a sunny day, visibility here is poor due to the sun being at a 'wrong' angle compared to the circuit, and this is made even worse should you be following a car with a malfunctioning or expired engine; even brightly-colored vehicles are difficult to see due to the inherent darkness in The Tunnel. Start braking shortly after entering back into the sunlight (assuming Dry Weather is active) for the chicane. Chicane (Nouveau Chicane): The course narrows as you come around the chicane, but then 'widens' back to 'normal' at the exit. There are several barriers in the chicane area, thus preventing drivers from simply plowing through and shortcutting the chicane. Turn 8 (Tobacco): This left-hand corner is best taken with moderate braking. Turns 9-12 (Swimming Pool): This is essentially a double chicane around the swimming pool in the classic 'bus stop' configuration. Turns 9 and 10 form a tight left-right combination, for which moderate braking is required, although little or no braking can be used if you roll straight over the rumble strips with a solid racing line and no encumbering traffic. After an extremely brief straightaway, Turns 11 and 12 form the opposite configuration (right-left), but are even tighter and require moderate braking at best. This opens out onto a short straightaway where you MIGHT be able to pass ONE car. Turns 13 and 14 (La Rascasse): This is a tight left-right chicane requiring moderate braking for Turn 13 and heavy braking for Turn 14. Even worse, Turn 14 is a 'J' turn, so the racing line is also very important here. The Pit Lane is to the right at the exit of this chicane. Turns 15 and 16 (Anthony Hoges): A tight right-left chicane, these are the final corners of the Monaco circuit. The course narrows here through the chicane, then 'widens' to 'normal' for the Pit Straight. Pit Entry: The entrance to the Pit Lane is to the right immediately after clearing La Rascasse. Given that La Rascasse is a blind section, on every lap, expect a slower car here headed for the pits. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF CANADA: CIRCUIT GILLES-VILLENEUVE This incredible circuit is built on an island, accessible to spectators only via subway. Much of the course runs along the southern and northern shores of the island. This course is also unusual in that the paddock area is to the outside of the course (as at Imola), along the northern shore of the island. The long, sweeping straightaways provide for excellent top-end speed - a much-welcome change from the slow, tight corners and the many unforgiving barriers of the streets of Monaco (the previous race venue in the season) - but there are several tight corners here to challenge both drivers and vehicles. Mind the Casino Hairpin (Turn 10), the westernmost corner of the course. Also tricky is the Senna Curve, as it immediately follows the first corner of the race. Pit Straight: This follows the final chicane of the circuit. As the Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the left, the Pit Straight fades to the right, setting up Turn 1. Turn 1 (Senna Curve): This left-hand corner will require moderate braking, and immediately flows into the Senna Curve. Turn 2 (Island Hairpin): This is a right-hand hairpin corner requiring heavy or severe braking. It is very easy to run too wide here, slipping off into the grass. Likewise, it is rather easy to overcompensate and cut the corner, which can cause the car to spin if taken too fast. Extreme caution is required here if racing in wet conditions, as the severity of Island hairpin can itself cause the car to slide. Perhaps the best tactic is to enter Turn 1 from the extreme right of the pavement, and brake smoothly all the way through to just beyond the apex of Senna Curve before accelerating again. Beware the barrier to the left on exit. A moderate straightaway follows the Senna Curve, so acceleration from the exit is important. Turns 3 and 4: This right-left chicane can provide a good passing zone. Turn 3 is tight and semi-blind, but passing on braking is an option for those who know the chicane well. Turn 4 is an easier corner, allowing good acceleration on exit, but it is still easy to overshoot the exit of the chicane and bang the right side of the car against the nearby barrier. Expert drivers MIGHT be able to blast through this chicane at full acceleration by making judicious use of the rumble strips. This chicane begins the segment of the circuit closely bounded by barriers. Turn 5: This sweeping right-hand corner can be taken at full speed, unless you are coping with traffic. Be careful not to hug the apex too tightly, or your right-side tires will be on the grass here. Turn 6: Finally coming out of the section of Monacoesquely- close barriers, this left-hand corner will require moderate braking, or you will be flying through the grass toward the spectators in Grandstand 33. This leads out to a very brief straightaway. Turn 7 (Concorde): Following a very short straightaway, Turn 7 is a light-braking right-hand corner. On the outside of Turn 7 is a short, steep hillside with a barrier, so DO NOT run wide entering the corner, as it is possible to send the vehicle airborne!!! It is easy to run wide on exit and slip off the course and into the barrier on the left, so be careful. Straightaway: The course runs along the southern shore of the island here. Unfortunately, the extremely tall barrier prevents much of a view, which actually forces your eyes to be transfixed on the road and any other cars ahead. Once you pass underneath the pedestrian bridge, begin braking for the upcoming chicane. Turns 8 and 9: This right-left chicane is similar to Turns 6 and 7 in that overrunning the chicane leaves you driving through the sand directly toward another grandstand full of spectators. Moderate braking will be needed to safely enter the chicane's tight right-hand corner. The second corner of the chicane is a gentler left-hand turn, but you might still run off the pavement on exit and grind the right side of the car against the barrier, or roll up on the rumble strips on the inside of the corner and lose control of the car. Accelerate strongly out of the chicane to set up passing possibilities along the following straightaway and into Casino Hairpin. Straightaway: About two-thirds of the way along this straightaway, the raceway fades to the left. Begin braking early for Casino Hairpin unless you really want to beach the car in the kitty litter; to begin braking after passing underneath the second pedestrian bridge is almost certainly too late for this braking zone. Turn 10 (Casino Hairpin): This is a tight right-hand hairpin requiring heavy or even severe braking, depending on when you begin braking for the corner. Somehow, this corner seems to be longer than it really is, so be judicious with the accelerator until you see clear, straight track ahead. Straightaway: On exiting Turn 10, the course fades to the right, then back to the left. However, no braking is required here. Turn 11: Officially marked on course maps as a corner, the course actually only fades to the right here, thus no braking is required. You should be fairly high up in the gearbox by the time you reach Turn 11. Straightaway (Casino Straight): The Casino Straight (named for the casino in the middle of the island) runs parallel to the northern shore of the island on which the course is built; there is not much of a view to the left, but it is not very interesting anyhow (especially when compared to Albert Park Lake in Melbourne). This is by far the longest straightaway of the entire course, so much of the time spent here will be in your car's top gear, quite likely achieving speeds over 200MPH. The Casino Straight leads to the final (right-left) chicane of the course, as well as the entry for Pit Lane. Turns 12 and 13: This is a right-left chicane which can be cleared (without traffic) with light or moderate braking. The exit of the chicane flows onto the Pit Straight. The Pit Lane entry runs straight ahead in line with the Casino Straight, so cars slowing on the left are likely heading in for servicing, and may block your optimal racing line if you are continuing on-course. Unfortunately, Grand Prix Challenge does NOT have the bright-green concrete extension at the exit of Turn 13, which makes precision cornering imperative here. Pit Entry: As you enter the final (right-left) chicane, the Pit Entry runs straight ahead. Once clear of the main course, there is very little room for deceleration before the Pit Lane's own tight right-left chicane, so it is very important to slow down on Casino Straight before reaching the Pit Entry. Keep as far to the left as possible when slowing on Casino Straight, allowing other cars to keep to the right as they prepare for the final chicane. Pit Exit: Pit Exit comes at about one-third of the way around Island Hairpin (Turn 2). Note that this configuration for Pit Exit was first used in the 2002 F1 season. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE: NURBURGRING From a driving standpoint, the hilly Nurburgring circuit is very much characterized by its tight corners, some of which are semi-blind turns. Tire wear is a definite issue in long races here, especially in wet conditions. Even more important, however, is braking early for almost every corner; perhaps only the narrow streets of Monaco require more (early) braking than does the Nurburgring circuit. Fortunately, Grand Prix Challenge presents the new circuit configuration, first used in the 2002 F1 season. The new configuration severely changes the initial corners of the circuit so that the course briefly doubles back behind the Paddock area with a twisting section of tight, near-hairpin corners. Pit Straight: This straightaway is fairly long, but the Start/Finish Line is near the exit of the final corner. The Pit Lane rejoins the course near the end of the Pit Straight, just before the Castrol S. Mercedes Arena Turn 1 (Castrol S): This first corner is a tricky right hand J-turn leading into the Mercedes Arena. It is VERY easy to miss this corner for those with a high degree of familiarity with F1 games covering the pre-2002 season. There is a solid white line which emerges from the left- hand side of Pit Straight and forms the left-hand edge of Castrol S itself, so drivers can make use of this line to ensure that they keep to the right for the actual corner. Severe braking will likely be required for Castrol S. Turn 2: This is a left-hand corner which will require moderate braking. Fortunately, the outside of this corner and the lead-up to Turn 3 is a wide paved area, providing plenty of recovery room for vehicles sliding off the official circuit pavement and allowing those vehicles to quickly rejoin the race. Turn 3: This left-hand hairpin corner is the tightest corner in Mercedes Arena. There is not much straightaway between Turns 2 and 3, so only moderate braking should be required for this hairpin corner. Turn 4: This right-hand right-angle corner leaves the Mercedes Arena and rejoins the pre-2002 configuration of the Nurburgring F1 race venue. Light braking may be useful for Turn 4, but it should also be quite easy to power out of Mercedes Arena at full throttle. Turn 5: Light braking or a quick lift of the accelerator will be necessary for this left-hand corner. However, hard braking will be required for the Ford Curve ahead. Beginning at the top of Turn 5, the course moves downhill. Turn 6 (Ford Curve): This is a hard right-hand corner, practically a 'J' curve. The course continues its downhill slope here, which significantly adds to the difficulty of the turn, especially in wet condditions. Braking too late here means a trip through the kitty litter, while riding up on the inside rumble strips usually means losing control of the car. This is definitely NOT a place to pass unless absolutely necessary. Straightaway: The course fades to the left here. If you can accelerate well out of the Ford Curve, you should be able to pass several cars here as you continue downhill. Turn 7 (Dunlop Curve): Severe braking for this hairpin is a must, unless you really want to drive through the sand. Again, rolling up on the rumble strips on the inside of the curve may cause you to lose control of the car; however, I have several times induced slight wheelspin of the right-side tires on the rumble strip, which helped to swing the car around the corner just a little faster. The course continues gently uphill here toward the Audi S. Turns 8 and 9 (Audi S): Entering the left-right Audi S, the uphill slope of the course increases, making it very difficult to see the course more than a few feet ahead. The exit of Turn 8 is the crest of this hill. Unless traffic blocks your racing line, the entire Audi S section can be taken at top speed if you have a good racing line, so good acceleration out of the Dunlop Curve will be very beneficial for passing entering Turn 8 and/or exiting Turn 9. Turn 10 (RTL Curve): With the rise in the course entering the left-hand RTL Curve, this appears to be identical to Turn 8 on approach. However, you MUST use moderate braking entering the RTL Curve, or you will definitely be off in the grass on the outside of the curve. After a short straightaway, this corner is followed by the gentler BIT Curve. Turn 11 (BIT Curve): This right-hand curve will require light or moderate braking, depending on how much acceleration was used in the brief straightaway following the RTL Curve. Turn 12 (Bilstein-Bogen): This is a gentle right-hand semi- corner which can be taken at full throttle. From here to the Veedal S, the course makes its final and steepest upward slope. Turns 13 and 14 (Veedal S): This is an extremely tight left- right made even worse for the drivers by its placement at the very crest of the hill. For those who overshoot the chicane, there is a newly-added barrier to collect you and your car. Turn 15 (Coca-Cola Curve): A 'J' turn to the right, moderate braking is required here to keep from sliding off the course. The entry of the Coca-Cola Curve is also where the Pit Lane begins, so cars may be slowing on approach to go to Pit Lane for servicing. This is the final corner of the circuit. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins at the entry of the final corner. It is extremely important to slow down before entering Pit Lane; if you come in too fast, you will certainly damage the front of the car on the barrier. Keep tight to the right for Pit Entry, to allow those continuing the race to have the prime racing line to the left of the pavement. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN: SILVERSTONE Built on an airport site which is contracted to host the Grand Prix of Great Britain until at least 2010, this historic course features wide run-off areas in most places. The final segment of the circuit is very similar to - but also VASTLY different from - The Stadium at Hockenheim. Pit Straight: T