I was at the racetrack yesterday to help a friend sell his race bike. Over 50 riders were on site, ready to test their skills despite the scorching heat. I rode in similar conditions last year and nearly passed out once I got off the bike.
Staying indoors was the most sensible thing, even though I had hoped to film a Hot Wheels unboxing session for you. Seeing that Gran Turismo 7 unveiled a new challenge yesterday, I couldn’t ignore it. I knew using the VR2 headset would almost be painful as I don’t have an AC unit in my house. But I still wanted to go at it to see how fast I could be this time.
Testing New Cars
Photo: autoevolution
I noticed that the action was about to go down at Fuji International Speedway. I have had very little practice here and am much more experienced with Tsukuba and Suzuka. My bank account looked pretty good after my Weekly Challenge tour last week. Some people have been quite vocal about that story, pointing out other ways to make quick cash in the game. I am well aware of that, just as I realize I’m not even close to being one of the fastest GT7 players in the world.
I’m just conveying my experience with the game, as I hope it will help slower drivers or entertain people who are here just for that. When opening Sport mode, I saw the results from the previous two Time Trials. I received the Bronze Record Reward for both but got 500,000 credits for the one at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. I was the 69,002nd fastest driver out of almost 154,300 players worldwide. I wasn’t as good at the Red Bull Ring but was happy to bank another 250,000 credits. So, I started looking for three new vehicles to train at Fuji Speedway.
The 2002 Honda NSX Type R was my first choice, and I bought it for 431,600 credits from the Used Car lot. Despite not testing it to its fullest via the VR2 set yet, it’s as formidable as I thought it would be. I didn’t expect to set any records on the Japanese race track, and I was quite slow at first, with a 2:08 lap. As with any Honda, it loves revving to the moon, but don’t forget it can still start sliding if you’re too enthusiastic with your throttle inputs.
Photo: autoevolution
I will tell you this: pushing it hard via the controller is difficult. It will reach 152 mph (245 kph) down the main straight before you need to get on the brakes, and I ran it for a total of 10 laps before moving on to the next vehicle. My fastest one was a 2:01.883, but you can take it down to a 1:55 or better with the right skills. Knowing that the new Time Trial would put me behind the wheel of a single seater, I went down the same road for my next two vehicles.
I bought the Gran Turismo Racing Kart 125 Shifter for just 10,000 credits! I have never gone faster than 28 mph (45 kph) in a go-kart, so reaching 108 mph (175 kph) in the virtual world was quite fun. But driving on the controller is very tricky; there’s no way you can be as smooth as needed with your steering inputs. After three laps, I was only 1.5 seconds slower in this than I was in the Honda. But that makes perfect sense considering the 0.917 mile-long (1.475 km) main straight. I opted for the Gran Turismo F1500T-A for my third car of the day. This ’80s F1 tribute vehicle isn’t cheap at one million credits, but it packs a serious punch.
The turbocharged 1.5-liter V6 engine has a maximum output of 986 bhp and 485 lb-ft (657.6 Nm), with the whole car weighing just 1,191 lbs (540 kg). I was a big fan of using the Lotus 98T in Assetto Corsa, so I knew what this car could do. It’s one of the most ludicrous machines in Gran Turismo 7, so you should avoid pinning your right foot to the floor while still in first or second gear. I discovered this vehicle could reach 348 kph down the main straight, and there was still plenty of space to tackle the first corner with relative ease. I recorded a 1:30.550 on my fourth lap, but I’m probably still at less than 75% of its maximum potential.
Fuji International Speedway Time Trial
Photo: autoevolution
The latest Time Trial will be online until July 25, and over 50,000 people have signed up for it in the first 24 hours. At 2.835 miles (4,563m), Fuji is longer than all three previous race tracks we’ve visited recently. Thankfully, the car for the job is pretty fast and ready to go. The Dallara SF23 Super Formula ’23 costs as much as the F1500T-A but packs less punch. The turbocharged 2.0-liter engine inside has a maximum output of 625 bhp and 397.8 lb-ft (539.3 Nm).
The car weighs 1,477 lbs (670 kg), and I remember driving it around Laguna Seca before. Within the first 30 hours, 19 drivers dipped below the 1:20 mark. Unsurprisingly, the leader is a Japanese gamer (K. Morimoto) with 33 Gold Record Rewards.
There’s no hope of me reaching that level anytime soon, but seeing how far some people have pushed the limits in Gran Turismo 7 is inspiring. Right off the bat, power delivery is more manageable than the ’80s F1 monster. The top speed isn’t as high at 179 mph (288 kph), but the car is much more stable throughout the track. Of course, you can expect occasional snap oversteering if you become overconfident.
Photo: autoevolution
Scoring a 1:32.033 on my second lap with the controller made me confident I could at least score another Bronze Record for this Time Trial. You’ll need to increase the rhythm to 1:27.517 for that. Switching to the G29 didn’t make things easier, and I faced the wrong direction multiple times. Driving a single-seater is not quite the same as driving a normal car.
I made a huge leap forward when I realized I could go through the 100R section at full throttle. I was at 1:27.692 after 81.4 miles (131 km) of practice time at Fuji (with four cars), but I needed to go faster. Several tutorial videos will give you pointers on how to score the Gold Record Reward. I picked Tidgney’s one, as he is inches away from scoring a 1:19 lap. I was almost mindblown when I realized he is also flat out through the Coca-Cola corner, and you’ll need a bit of practice to get that one right.
Short-shifting seems to be the way to go forward here, as that prevents unnecessary wheelspin or facing the wrong direction. After six more laps, something finally clicked, and I stopped the time at 1:25.652. I’m quite proud of that result, given my almost non-existent experience at Fuji. And I’ll gladly listen to any tips you might have for me. Also, let me know how you did in this Time Trial and where you struggled to improve throughout your sessions. I’d love to hear all about it.
