F1GP/WC Track Guides
This document describes each track in the game, along with information
on how to drive a good lap there (assuming you put the many hours
requied into testing), and the behavior of the computer cars at certain
corners. Note that not all of these tracks are present in the current
FIA calendar, and most of the ones that are have been changed somewhat.
Still, after getting familiar with the ones that are still raced at, you
should feel quite at home riding with Michael Schumacher or Damon Hill
via their in-car cameras.
Some replays are provided by top drivers showing how they handle some of
the tricker parts of the circuits. These replays are currently only
available via the WWW; they will be uploaded to the didnt.doit FTP site
soon.
1. Phoenix Grand Prix Circuit, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
A street course, with a good combination of sharp hair-pins, fast
corners and quick straights. The main problem with the race is that it
is very stop/start with no real flow. Tough on tyres through all the
braking and acceleration this course requires a well set up car to cope
with the straights and corners. The first corner is where you will do
most of your out braking though the course is well suited to overtaking.
The hardest corners to take fast are the ones before Washington Street,
if the car is unbalanced then you will clip all the walls, the computer
takes this in 3rd or 4th gear but you should be able to do it in 5th or
even 6th!
2. Autodromo Jos, Carlos Pace, Interlagos, Brazil
Gizmo does a "thought lap" round this tricky circuit where avoiding the
grass is more of a concern than passing other cars.
Moving across the start/finish line at full speed, you brake at or just
after the 100 yards marker into the left/right Descida do Sol (now
renamed the Senna S). This is a great place to try an outbraking
maneuver, but care should be taken not to tangle with anyone leaving the
pits. It's better to be slower through the left-hander and then power
through the right-hander, or you may end up on the grass on the left as
you exit and spin out. You then take the Curva do Sol flat out, sliding
out onto the curb on the right as you exit onto the Rete Oposta, a very
long straight where there's plenty of scope for slipstreaming.
At the end of the Rete Oposta, you brake down to 3rd for Subida da Lago,
a nasty left-hander where it's all to easy to go in a little too hot and
wind up on the grass. You can try outbraking an opponent into here but
often they will simply drive into you. This corner is followed by
another left-hander taken at full speed, followed by a short straight
where you might be able to draft a car, before braking late into Ferra
Dura, a totally evil fast extended right-hander which it's vital to take
at speed, but which will reward the slightest bit of over-exuberance
with a trip across the grass followed by a meeting with the wall. This
is followed by a slow right hander which is made tricky both by the AI
cars, who brake ridiculously early for it, and by the fact that there
are no brake markers, which will typically result in the inexperienced
driver under-braking and ending up mowing the grass.
Immediately after comes Pinheirinho, a slow left-hander where you may
just be able to slip past an opponenet, especially on the exit where you
may be able to blast through on the left before they move over for Bico
de Pato, a right-hand hairpin where late-brakers are again liable to end
up on the grass. It's important not to take this too fast, so that you
can move quickly back over to the right to take Mergulho, a left-hander
which with a light fuel load (or a high-downforce setup) can be taken
flat out. Yet again, you should beware that over-cooking it here will
result in asphalt turning to grass on the way to the wall. Brake late
into Jun^nao, a left-hander taken in 3rd which exits onto Subida dos
Boxes, the segmented curves which form the start/finish straight. For a
really hot lap you need to travel across the pit entrance; this is
dangerous enough itself, but you also need to be careful not to go so
far left that you go across the grass where the pit lane peels in.
3. Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy (San Marino)
A very quick circuit, which is most notable for the long curved straight
(!) which stretches from Traguardo through Tamburello and up to the
Rettifilio, which end with a first gear corner. This is not surpassingly
the main passing place on a circuit that encourages slipstreaming
instead of late braking. The hardest corners are the Acque Minerale
which is VERY hard to take quickly, the car will tend to drift onto the
rumble strip, and any attempt to correct will send you skidding over to
the other side of the course. If there are going to be any computer
controlled crashes in the game they will probably happen here.
4. Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco
One of the classic Grand Prix of the year takes place on this extremely
tight street course, every corner contains famous memories for GP fans
and some of the best races have taken place here. The lap starts with
the Ste Devote, where there WILL be a crash on the first lap, the best
technique for this corner is to get out the way quickly and avoid any
trouble... The tight corners make it very easy to pass and there is no
excuse for not doing well here, indeed the Net Lap record is 8 seconds
under the 1991 record. For a quick lap you have to be quick through the
tunnel, and onto the end of the lap. The swimming pool complex is the
most crucial part, with left-right flick, taking the slightly wrong line
means you will brush every wall and lose a few seconds, but basically it
just takes practice.
5. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada
Gizmo slides his way round Montreal, with Ren, Smit giving him hints
over the pit radio.
Accelerating across the start line, you sweep left round T1 at full
speed (unleess you see computer cars trying to draft each other),
braking just before you straighten out down to 55 mph in 1st for the
Island Hairpin, a tight right-hander which is a good place for
outbraking.
A short straight follows where you might be able to pass, then lift of
the gas momentarily and flick through T3 and T4, which form the first
chicane, a very fast right-left comination, followed shortly by T5, a
right hand flick taken at full speed. Brake late into T6, a sub 90 mph
(145 km/h) 2nd gear left-hander, throwing the car out to the left so
that T7, a right hander, and be taken with the gas floored; don't,
however, try to reverse direction too rapidly or the back end will
momentarily lose traction. It is possible to outbrake someone into T6,
but a better plan is to wait until the straight that follows T7 and
slipstream past them, or outbrake them into T8, a right-hander which,
with the left-hander T9, forms the second chicane; watch out for the
computer cars trying to outbrake each other here, as one usually ends up
on the grass. With skill this combination can be taken in third at over
90 mph (145kn/h); a good plan is not to brake too late but instead set
up so that T9 can be driven through with the gas floored, the car
drifting out to the right so far it looks like it will touch the grass.
The next straight has a left-hand flick, after which you can get a tow
and outbrake opponents into the Pits Hairpin, a sub 50 mph (80 km/h)
right-hander taken in 1st with the car drifting well onto the rumble
strip on the left as you exit. If you're still stuck behind someone, now
is a good time to try to out-accelerate them because the track narrows
and sweeps at full speed through the rapid right-left-right combination
of T11, Casino Bend, and T12, reaching nearly 200 mph (320km/h) before
coming up on the pit entrance. At the last minute, tap the brakes
(making sure there are no cars slowing down for the pits) and fly
through the final chicance, T14/T15, at 170 mph (275km/h) in 5th gear,
avoiding the kerbs until you drift out onto the right hand rumble strip
as you exit; watch out for computer cars trying to slipstream each other
here, as it invariably ends up with one spinning. Move the car smartly
to the left or you'll end up on the grass, and cross the finish line at
close to top speed.
6. Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigeuz, Mexico City, Mexico
The long straight stand out on this track, the combination of quick
section and tight twisty section back section makes this a difficult car
to set up. You have to compromise with downforce for the straight, and
rear wing for the final sweeping corner. Most overtaking will happen on
the straight with the usual outbraking at the slower corners, developing
a good rhythm is hard but is essential if you want to be quick through
the Esses and catch up with the drivers in front. There will always be
the temptation to do a Mansell round the last corner, but one error and
you will run out of road and lose a lot of time, so care must be taken.
7. Circuit de Nevers, Magny Cours, France
Gizmo takes us round this modern circuit shortly after shaving .5s off
his Hall Of Fame lap time with a setup of 59/36:01R:25,33,41,49,57,65.
DG: Magny Cours is sometimes accused of being rather clinical but IMO
it's an exciting circuit that flows surprisingly well.
Moving across the start/finish straight, you sweep left at high speed
round Grand Courbe, where it's not advisable to try and get alongside an
AI car as they're likely to move over into you. Then you let off the
throttle for Estoril, a difficult high speed right-hander where
excessive speed will slide you out to the left, onto the grass, and into
a spin. This is perhaps the single most important bend at Magny Cours,
so it pays to find just how hard you can push the car through here, not
least of all to extend the effective length of the main straight, Golf,
which is divided by two slight right-hand kinks where you do not want to
be alongside an AI car.
At the end of Golf you come to Adelaide, a very sharp right-hand hairpin
where it's easy to outbrake a whole load of AI cars at once. You need to
brake a little before the 100 yard marker or you'll overshoot and wind
up on the grass, undamaged except for your pride and race position. A
brief burst of acceleration must be curtailed whilst you pick your way
through a right-left-right combination; taking it slower through the
first part will allow you to get on the power early for a good exit; the
car will appear to ride across the curb on the right but doesn't; if it
does you'll know about it as you fly off the circuit! A short straight
called Nuerburing where you can often draft past an opponent leads to a
right-left chicane taken at full speed; if you're on the right going in
after passing someone you'll need to let of the power momentarily to
avoid the curbs. After making it through there, hit the brakes a little
after the 100 yards marker for the unimaginatively titled 180 Degrees, a
left-hand hairpin which can be taken in second with plenty of wheelspin
to whip the car round after possibly outbraking another load of cars.
Next is another straight where it's possible to do some more
slipstreaming, but be careful to get back over to the left of the track
before Imola, a high speed right-left chicane taken at very nearly full
speed, where one touch of the curbs will result in an ungraceful meeting
with the wall, usually rear-end first and often resulting in a stalled
engine. There's no rest for the wicked, as upon exiting Imola you need
to get straight back over to the left for Chflorinteau d'Eau, a moderately
slow right-hander where you may be able to outbrake one or two cars
before exiting onto a short straight which leads to Chicane, a right-
left chicane which can be taken fast in fifth, but which needs restraint
in order to be well positioned for Lyc,e, the very sharp right-hander
which leads onto the start/finish straight. It is possible to outbrake
here, but over-cooking it into this corner will at best catch you in a
tiny run-off area, and at worst may strip your car of both its wings
with a whole lap needed to get back to the pits.
8. Silverstone, Northamptonshire, Great Britain
Ivanhoe Vasiljevich takes us round Silverstone. His car is running on Q
compound tyres, his setup is 64/38:03R:36,42,48,53,58,63, he's using the
keyboard, and has turned traction help off. Yes, off. Replays are
replay08.zip on the WWW.
Crossing the starting line at 280 km/h (175 mph) in 5th gear you
approach the famous Copse, an extremely fast right right-hand bend, from
completely over to the left in 6th gear. It is extremely important to
begin steering in the right moment. If you steer to early to the right,
the right rear tyre will drive over the slippery white-painted line
denoting the track boundary, causing the car to oversteer a lot. In any
case, it is necessary to lift off the throttle for a moment before
driving through the apex; your speed should not drop below 295 km/h (184
mph) doing so. Exiting the curve you are forced to drive over the outer
boundary line and the curbs on the left side, making oversteering likely
again. Lifting throttle is unacceptable here because of the following
straight leading to the Maggots. The best method to avoid skidding is to
stop steering in a very special moment that can be found only by
experimenting (approximately when the front wheel seems to touch the
curbs). Joystick drivers probably only have to ease on the stick a bit.
[DG: I don't yank the stick the whole way over anyway, so I don't have
to do anything.] Then finish steering and enter the straight at 307-312
km/h (192-195 mph).
Weave through the Maggots/Becketts right-left-right combination at full
speed always keeping close to the inner curbs; this does not itself pose
any threat, but after driving through the last left turn, the car will
begin oversteering strongly. (If it doesn't, you just aren't driving
fast enough *grin*.) Don't Panic! Let the rear come a bit, but steer to
the right in time to catch the skid at approx. 260 km/h (162 mph). Do
not brake, it is not necessary. Instead, shift from 6th to 4th gear.
Because the track is so broad at this place, the curve is very
forgiving. However, if you have to drive in an outer lane because you
steered too late to the right, you will lose time because of the longer
distance. The opposite, driving an inner lane, is not good either
because you need some maneuvering space to set up for the Chapel Curve
left-hander which comes next. If you keep in the middle of the road in
the Becketts right-hander you can accelerate quite early and drive
through the Chapel, which leads to the long Hangar straight, with full
throttle. Now is the time to take a look at the first split-time: 15.7
is very good, 16.1 is okay.
Enter the Hangar straight at 260 km/h (162 mph), pass the bridge at 23
seconds and take a position at the left of the track. Coming next,
sitting atop a rise, is Stowe Corner ,a double apex right-hander. Begin
driving into it at full speed and then, while steering, brake hard to
about 220km/h (138mph). Do not brake _too_ late or you will drift too
far outwards. Then let the car roll free until a speed of 180-190 km/h
(113-119 mph). Shift down to 2nd gear doing so. What makes this curve so
difficult is that you have to hit the throttle before seeing where the
curve leads to. As a rule it can be said that if you drive 180 km/h (113
mph) at the middle part of the curve it is safe to accelerate again.
From then on race through Vale and prepare for the dangerous and
slippery Club corner. The second splittime usually lies between 33.6 and
34.4. (This section is the 08-iv-01 replay.)
The sign announcing the left turn is a good reference point for braking.
As soon as you pass it, brake hard but release the brakes before
steering to the left or you'll lose the back end and wind up cutting
grass. The entry speed should not be higher than approximately 140 km/h
(88 mph), driven in 1st gear. Pull close to the left curbs, accelerate
(this will push you to the middle-part of the road automatically) and
then try to keep close to the right curbs in the right turn. Shift to
second early but take your time shifting to third. Because the curve is
so slippery the wheels will spin in second gear and the revs will stay a
long time at 13000 rpm. When the tyres grip again, the revs will drop
drastically and then rise again. From here on you accelerate a long time
down a straight, past the Abbey left-hander, under the Bridge on Farm
straight and through the Bridge End right-hander. Try driving close to
the apex of these very fast curves to shorten the track. Third
splittime: 53.7 to 54.4
Coming next are several slow, closely packed curves. Although it is very
forgiving, the first left-curve, Priory, is problematic because there
are no good reference points for braking. Distances are hard to guess,
but the braking point should be some 20 metres before the sign on the
right side of the road. Brake into the curve to a speed of 170 km/h (106
mph) in second gear, shift to first and roll/brake into the next left
curve, Brooklands. Because the next two curves are right turns, it is
necessary to enter them from the left of the track. To do so, you must
not accelerate too early out of the Brooklands, but put all effort into
changing lanes. Once you are on the left side (or at least in the middle
of the road), brake and enter the first right turn in first or second
gear at a speed that places you onto the curbs, in order to be in an
even better position for the next right turn, Luffield. Shift to second
gear and roll through the first part of the curve, then accelerate
wildly, using every bit of space available. In the very last curve,
Woodcote, keep on the inside to shorten the way and cross the finishing
line.
9. Hockenheimring, Heidelberg, Germany
The Hockenheimring circuit is, as every commentator puts it, as clean,
precise, clinical, and boring as all things in Germany. This view seems
slightly unfair as shown by its high position in the top 16. This is
essentially a power circuit consisting of two huge straights joined at
the ends by shorter ones, there are however 3 chicanes which slow the
cars down, and the short twisty complex at the end of the lap. Cars are
usually set up with little downforce and this can make the chicanes hard
to handle, though I find a rough hand on he accelerator allows you to
skid round them. Overtaking will happen just about anywhere with plenty
of slipstreaming. The 2nd and 3rd chicanes are the hardest but a good
line through these will allow you to catch up by several seconds, though
a mistake will be costly.
10. Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary
The only Eastern European takes place here at this slow and narrow
circuit. Passing is very difficult, even with late braking due to the
narrowness of the racing line. Once off this line it can be hard to keep
up are racing speed without going off. Despite all this, a fast lap is
very rewarding and achieving a good set-up is also a nice bonus. Any
passing opportunity should be taken but getting trapped behind a long
snake of cars can be very frustrating, especially if you reach them just
after the main straight. Due to the profusion of corners, the cars are
set up with plenty of downforce.
11. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps, Belgium
The real drivers favorite, this is a long street course with an
excellent lay out, this is the course that features _the_ best corner in
the world, Eau Rouge. Eau Rouge is an amazing left, right, left sequence
which can be taken almost flat out, but will bite you back if anything
goes wrong. The race begins with a short straight followed by a very
tight hairpin where there is almost always a crash on the first lap, the
track is then made up of long straight connected by twisty sections that
test a drivers ability. The lap finished with the Bus Stop chicane which
the computer cars take in 3rd but with the right line, you should be
able to take in 5th.
12. Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Milan, Italy
The home of the Italian Grand Prix, and the Tifosi. Always a large
Ferrari following here, though any Italian driver will get a huge boost
here. This track held the fastest Grand Prix ever, but now the huge
straights have been broken up with chicanes. The track is still quick,
however, so the cars don't carry all that much downforce. Most
overtaking will be done through slip streaming and during slowing down
for the chicanes. It is possible to go quite quickly through the first
chicane if your line is right, but this can be tricky and will certainly
cause a spin if done wrong.
13. Autodromo de Estoril, Portugal
Along with Barcelona, this is one of the least interesting tracks, and
it follows the standard track design for modern tracks, i.e. long
straight, tight back section and no passing places. By the far most
interesting part is the first 2 corners, both taken flat out, and the
third corner taken in second. It is easy to spin off here, since you can
under estimate your speed, but this also makes it easy to pass here.
Beyond that it is a dull course with no points of any note, just that
the cars will not be set up for straight line speed, as it is better to
lose a few tenths on the straight than to lose a few second on the
corners.
14. Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
Strangely similar to Estoril, this circuit follows the same basic
design, except the back section is very twisty, so quite a bit of
downforce is required on the cars. The flat out corner is moved from the
end of the straight to the start, and this resembles Mexico in some way,
although the corner does not have the same length as Peralta.
15. Suzuka, Shiroko, Japan
The season ends with a long haul out to the East for the Japanese and
Australian Grand Prix. Suzuka circuit is the only figure of 8 in the
season, and the track was designed to fit into as small a space as
possible so the track is incredibly twisty with many corners and turns.
The track also features the Casio Chicane, which is infamous for
deciding championships, in past years two championships have been
decided here, and there is always a controversial accident here every
year. A good set up can be hard to achieve, since all the corners look
as if they can be taken flat out, and it isn't until you spin off that
you realize that they cant! Any overtaking chances should be taken as
there are not that many places to overtake, even with out breaking.
16. Adelaide Grand Prix Circuit, Adelaide, Australia
The final race of the season, and usually one of the best, on this
excellent street track that features every corner and straight. The
course is made up of many second/third gear corners with a huge back
straight that ends in a fearsome hairpin. Most passing will happen here
as the cars slow from 200mph down to 40mph! The chicane at the end of
the start/finish straight is one of the trickiest parts, but it can be
taken quite quickly if you are on qualifying tyres or warm race tyres.
The amount of downforce the cars carry is quite hard to judge since you
need speed for the Brabham Straight, but this will make the corners hard
to manage.
