I’m currently trying to start my own racing team. I’ve been giving it much thought, and I need to do my best to make it happen. I’ve had a few good signs so far. One of my fellow rotary-enthusiasts has donated some money for the RX-7’s engine rebuild. Michelin had already sent over a set of tires for testing.
And something else happened at the city hall when I went in to sign some papers. The lady at the front desk asked what kind of venture I was starting. Upon hearing my plans, she was visibly enthusiastic mentioning she almost walked down the same path herself many years ago.
Her son had apparently graduated from racing school but found something else to do in life in the meantime. So, I promised I’d let her know when my documents and car are ready so I can invite her to the local racetrack for a passenger lap. That should bring back some memories!
Until then, I just have to “survive” on virtual racing alone. I can tell you I’ll be reviewing the new NASCAR 26 title soon, and I’m stoked for the next AC EVE, AC Rally and GT7 updates. Speaking of the latter, it feels strange for me to sign in and not get a Time Trial reward.
It’s because I didn’t set a fast lap at the Nurburgring Nordschleife (invalidated two of them), but I guess I wasn’t the only one who experienced something like that. Less than 80,000 players appear on the global ranking, whereas over 180,000 people registered for the Group 2 Time Trial at Fuji. Let that sink in for a moment.
Practice Session 1
Photo: autoevolution
I’ve seen a few people complaining they didn’t receive their free cars from the Tokyo Viewers Gift Campaign. I had no such problems, and was eager to drive the Stealth Mazda 787B at Suzuka again.
I say again because of the high probability of having experienced this in the past, as I’ve bought and sold this vehicle several times so far. It reminds me of how broken the system feels like.
Using Race Medium tires, it felt like the understeer was more prominent than it was before the physics update. I didn’t even get to pay attention to the top speed, as it can be tough to take your eyes off the road when you’re pushing for a fast lap.
Also, I’m still struggling with Turn One, and it’s probably one of the scariest corners in the game for me. My fastest lap was a 1:58.647, and I assume some of the top drivers out there could be at least five seconds faster overall.
Practice Session 2
Photo: autoevolution
I must confess I sold the Mazda right after my session with it, as I’m still trying to raise enough money for the next Legend Car in the game.
I got 1.77 million credits for it, which is about nine times as much as what I could score for the Toyota FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo.
I knew driving this car for a few laps would be a preview for my what official lap time for the Time Trial would be. The Group 3 version has less power and torque, and also weighs more than the “regular” FT-1 VGT machine. It’s also no longer a hybrid.
I decided on a short, two-lap test, and my fastest one was a 2:06.806. Driving this car made me think about Toyota’s new GR GT. Do you think it could join the game when part two of Spec IV arrives in December?
Practice Session 3
Photo: autoevolution
I didn’t intend on using another GT3 race car for my third practice session, but couldn’t find anything else exciting to drive for now.
I can’t even remember the last time I raced this version of the Ferrari 458, which is still one of my favorite “toys” ever. I noticed there was a turbo upgrade available for it, but decided keeping it NA would be a good start. It’s easier to accelerate out of a corner that way.
With 100 pages of custom liveries to choose from, I stopped at one inspired by the glory days of the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship. Running on RM tires and stock power, the 458 GT3 was fast enough for a 2:04.607. And I just had to see what a big turbo could do to improve that. With these race cars, an upgrade like this won’t ruin the overall balance.
The jump to 790 horsepower was enough to help me shave off four seconds: you can definitely feel the extra kick! Even so, my fastest lap ever at Suzuka was a 1:39.020 in the F3500-A.
Time Trial
Photo: autoevolution
The best part about this sort of Time Trial is that you’re not forced to drive a certain vehicle. For the Group 3 category, the selection consists of 52 cars. Buying all of them would be an expensive affair, but that’s not necessary here. When I first signed in, Calster was leading the Global Rankings. He has since fallen to P5 overall, while K.Morimoto is in P1 with a solid 1:58.545.
Isn’t it insane to think that only seven people out of over 50,000 have managed a sub-1:59 lap so far? You’ll have to be in the 2:02 zone for a shot at the Gold Record Reward, while the target for Bronze is much more relaxed. I went for the BMW Z4 GT3 on my first session, as I hadn’t driven it in a long time. With the BoP rules, power goes down from 522 bhp to 459 bhp, with some extra basalt added as well.
My lap was barely good enough for Bronze, and I switched to the Hyundai Genesis Gr.3 as Tidgney mentioned it’s a formidable weapon. I immediately improved by four seconds, but didn’t necessarily enjoy driving it. I messed up on my lap in the Porsche 911 GT3 R, and kept making more mistakes in the Ferrari 296 GT3. I decided I wouldn’t power off my PS5 before experiencing the McLaren F1 GTR for a few laps.
I couldn’t afford buying one for nearly 18 million credits yet, so it’s refreshing to have fun in it with no obligations whatsoever. It might be that perspective that influenced me to have so much fun, or it might be the overall weight (just 1,180 kg/2,601 lbs). I immediately found myself in the Silver Zone with a 2:04.773, but chances are I’ll have to do a few more laps here to secure that position. I’m already looking forward to the new Weekly Challenges and maybe one extra Power Pack race tomorrow.
