GGGG RRRRR AAAAAA NN NN
GGGGGG RRRRRR AA AA NNN NN
GG GG RR RR AA AA NNNN NN
GG RRR RR AA AA NN NN NN
GG GGG RRRRRR AAAAAAAA NN NN NN
GG G RR RR AA AA NN NN NN
GG GG RR RR AA AA NN NNNN
GGGGGG RR RR AA AA NN NNN
GGGG RR RR AA AA NN NN
TTTTTTTT U U RRRRR IIII SSSS MM MM OOOO 44
TTTTTTTT UU UU RRRRRR II SSSSS MMM MMM OO OO 444
TT UU UU RR RR II SSS MMMM MMMM OO OO 4 44
TT UU UU RRR RR II SS MM MMM MM OO OO 4 44
TT UU UU RRRRRR II SSS MM M MM OO OO 444444
TT UU UU RR RR II SS MM MM OO OO 44
TT UU UU RR RR II SSS MM MM OO OO 44
TT UU UU RR RR II SSSSS MM MM OO OO 44
TT UUU RR RR IIII SSSS MM MM OOOO 44
Gran Turismo 4: The Real Driving Simulator
License Test Guide
Version/Disclaimer: This guide is for the North American version of Gran
Turismo 4 (released February 22, 2005). The cars used
and times required for the license tests may be
different in the Asian and/or the International/PAL
versions. As of now, I believe there is little
significant difference as far as the License Tests go,
but since this is a disclaimer, I have to put this here
anyway.
Version/Update: A current rumor regards a change in the vehicle used a
License Test. In the Asian release, the test car was
supposedly the Mercedes Sauber Formula Car. This car is
not used for any license test in the North American
release.
Version/Update: One prize car is different in the North American release.
For getting at least silver in the A License, you receive
the Acura DN-X '02, whereas in the Japanese release, you
receive the Honda Dualnote '01.
Three prize cars have small differences in their names.
In the Japanese release, the prize car for All Gold in
the A License is the NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R '01, while in
the North American release, it is the "GRAN TURISMO"
SKYLINE GT-R '01. Also, the prize car for earning all
Silver in the IB License in the Japanese release is
called the Mazda RX-8 Concept (Type-II) '04, while in the
North American release, it is called the Mazda RX-8
Concept (Type-II) "'01" (only the year is different). In
addition, the prize car for earning all Silver in the IA
License in the Japanese release is called the Nissan GT-R
Concept '01, while in the North American release, a small
addition is made and it is called the Nissan GT-R Concept
(TokyoShow) '01.
Last Update: May 3, 2005
Note: This guide is approximately 81% finished (81/100 sections complete).
Sections in the Table of Contents ending in a * are not yet complete.
Table of Contents
0.0 Introduction / Contact Information / General Tips
1.0 B License
1.1 B-1 - Acceleration and Braking: 1
1.2 B-2 - Acceleration and Braking: 2
1.3 B-3 - Basics of Cornering: 1
1.4 B-4 - Basics of Cornering: 2
1.5 B-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Tsukuba)
1.6 B-6 - Acceleration and Braking: 3
1.7 B-7 - Acceleration and Braking: 4
1.8 B-8 - Basics of Cornering: 3
1.9 B-9 - Basics of Cornering: 4
1.10 B-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Laguna Seca)
1.11 B-11 - Basics of Dirt Driving: 1
1.12 B-12 - Basics of Dirt Driving: 2
1.13 B-13 - Basics of Cornering: 5
1.14 B-14 - Basics of Cornering: 6
1.15 B-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Infineon Raceway)
1.16 B-16 - Graduation Test
1.17 Completion Prizes
2.0 A License
2.1 A-1 - Complex Corners: Beginner 1
2.2 A-2 - Complex Corners: Beginner 2
2.3 A-3 - Tackling High Speed Corners: 1
2.4 A-4 - Tackling High Speed Corners: 2
2.5 A-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Grand Valley East)
2.6 A-6 - Complex Corners: Intermediate 1
2.7 A-7 - Complex Corners: Intermediate 2
2.8 A-8 - Applied Cornering: 1
2.9 A-9 - Applied Cornering: 2
2.10 A-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Suzuka)
2.11 A-11 - Applied Dirt Driving: 1
2.12 A-12 - Applied Dirt Driving: 2
2.13 A-13 - Tackling Blind Corners: 1
2.14 A-14 - Tackling Blind Corners: 2
2.15 A-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Trial Mountain)
2.16 A-16 - Graduation Test
2.17 Completion Prizes
3.0 International B License*
3.1 Test IB-1 - Braking During Turns: 1
3.2 Test IB-2 - Braking During Turns: 2
3.3 Test IB-3 - Advanced Level Complex Corners: 1
3.4 Test IB-4 - Advanced Level Complex Corners: 2
3.5 Test IB-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Costa di Amalfi)
3.6 Test IB-6 - Cone Slalom 1
3.7 Test IB-7 - Cone Slalom 2
3.8 Test IB-8 - City Street Challenge: 1
3.9 Test IB-9 - City Street Challenge: 2
3.10 Test IB-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Hong Kong)
3.11 Test IB-11 - Competition Dirt Racing: 1
3.12 Test IB-12 - Driving on Snow: 1
3.13 Test IB-13 - Tackling Undulating S-bends
3.14 Test IB-14 - Tackling Corner Sequences over Undulating Surfaces
3.15 Test IB-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Citta di Aria)*
3.16 Test IB-16 - Graduation Test
3.17 Completion Prizes
4.0 International A License*
4.1 Test IA-1 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 1
4.2 Test IA-2 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 2
4.3 Test IA-3 - Guide to Chicanes: 1
4.4 Test IA-4 - Guide to Chicanes: 2
4.5 Test IA-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (El Capitan)
4.6 Test IA-6 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 3
4.7 Test IA-7 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 4
4.8 Test IA-8 - City Street Challenge: 3
4.9 Test IA-9 - City Street Challenge: 4
4.10 Test IA-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Fuji Speedway 2005)*
4.11 Test IA-11 - Competition dirt racing: 2
4.12 Test IA-12 - Driving on Snow: 2
4.13 Test IA-13 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 5
4.14 Test IA-14 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 6
4.15 Test IA-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Nurburgring North Course)*
4.16 Test IA-16 - Graduation Test
4.17 Completion Prizes
5.0 Super License*
5.1 Test S-1 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Twin Ring Motegi Road Course)
5.2 Test S-2 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Citta di Aria)
5.3 Test S-3 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Special Stage Route 5)*
5.4 Test S-4 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Costa di Amalfi)*
5.5 Test S-5 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Seattle)*
5.6 Test S-6 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Ice Arena)
5.7 Test S-7 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Trial Mountain)
5.8 Test S-8 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Tokyo Route 246)*
5.9 Test S-9 - 1 Lap Time Trial (El Capitan)
5.10 Test S-10 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Grand Canyon)
5.11 Test S-11 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Opera Paris)
5.12 Test S-12 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Suzuka Circuit)
5.13 Test S-13 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Infineon Raceway - Sports Car Course)*
5.14 Test S-14 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Chamonix)
5.15 Test S-15 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Circuit de la Sarthe)*
5.16 Test S-16 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Nurburgring North Course)*
5.17 Completion Prizes
6.0 Coffee Breaks*
6.1 B License Coffee Break - Maneuver around the cones*
6.2 A License Coffee Break - Knock over the cones laid out in a spiral*
6.3 IB License Coffee Break - Knock over the cones laid out in a spiral(2)*
6.4 IA License Coffee Break - Cones - Gymkhana*
6.5 S License Coffee Break - Cone Maze Challenge*
7.0 Record Time Submissions
8.0 Credits/Submissions
9.0 Copyright Information
0.0 Introduction / Contact Information / General Tips
Welcome to my License Test Guide for Gran Turismo 4. I have always felt
that one of the most fun things about Gran Turismo games has been trying to
get all of the gold prizes in the license tests. In this guide, you will find
what each license test requires of you, as well as strategies to get the gold
prizes.
If you have any information about the license tests that I may have
missed OR a correction/addition/submission/other input about anything else in
this guide, please e-mail me at:
[email protected]. Thanks and happy
driving!
I have also added section 6.0, where players can submit their best times
on the individual tests. To start with, I will put down my best times, and as
readers submit theirs (with a screenshot please), I will post them here. Have
fun trying to beat others' records!
The License Tests are the starting point for the Simulation Mode for Gran
Turismo. To enter most races, you must have the associated License. You must
earn at least a Bronze Prize on each test in each license to earn the license.
Here's a good general tip that Darren Frith has brought to my attention:
If you are using an analog controller then you have to press very hard on the
buttons to get the full effects of braking and acceleration. I played one
game (can't remember which) that allowed me to calibrate the force on my
controller. The little calibration meter showed that the signal output is
logarithmic, so to get 75% signal you need about 2 times the force of a 50%
signal, but to get 99% signal you need about 10 times the force of a 50%
signal. Try it out for yourself in the braking tests. First do a run with
your normal level of force, and then do it again but really mash the brake as
hard as you can! You should see an improvement in braking distance.
Also, Steven says that it's always a good idea to watch the demos. This
is especially helpful when the test is long and features split times, as this
will help you to pinpoint the sections of the course that you need to improve
on. Get a pad of paper and write down the split times that the demo runs, and
improve the sections of the track accordingly.
Finally, Kinglink has brought to my attention probably the single best
piece of advice you can find in this guide: On the B and A License Tests, you
can push the R3 button to bring up the track marks for the Gold Prizes. Blue
dashed lines mean acceleration, red dashed lines mean braking, and white
dashed lines mean neither. Thanks, Kinglink!
One on other quick note on the licenses: Once you have finished a test
run (not necessarily a passing test run), the next time you do the test, you
will have a ghost car to show you what you did previously. You can toggle the
ghost ON or OFF by pushing UP on the control pad (D-pad). Note: There will
be no ghost car on the 1 Lap Guide Runs featuring the pace cars.
1.0 B License
1.1 Test B-1 - Acceleration and Braking: 1
Description: After a standing start, accelerate to the 100-meter finish line,
then bring the car to a complete stop. Your elapsed time from
the moment you start to the point you stop the car will be
measured. Finding the exact point to brake and how much braking
force to apply are the key points here.
Test Car: Mazda DEMIO (J) '99
Tips: Do NOT NOT NOT put full throttle down from the starting line. It is
probably impossible to reach the Gold Prize time this way. You must
start your throttle around 4000 RPM to get a really good start. Then
proceed at full throttle and brake after approximately 8.3 seconds. It
really REALLY helps if you turn the car to one direction as you put the
brakes on all the way. I was able to get my time VERY low with this...
I got 0'10.099!
Bronze Time: 0'11.300
Silver Time: 0'10.400
Gold Time: 0'10.150
1.2 Test B-2 - Acceleration and Braking: 2
Description: This test consists of another standing start. Now rush to the
200-meter line and bring the car to a full halt as near to the
finish ine as possible. Because the distance is greater than in
the previous test, your rate of travel will be faster; thus,
braking distances will be also be increased (typo here). Use
the braking point from the previous test as a guide and make the
necessary adjustments.
Test Car: Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 Turbo (J) '95
Tips: Follow the same tips as Test B-1 except put your brake down at
approximately 8.0 seconds. If you'd rather watch the speedometer,
brake when you hit 72 mph (My peak speed in the test when I got the
gold was 72.4 mph; I know this from using the Analyzer). Keep trying
that and you'll eventually get it.
From Greg Sluder a.k.a. Omnibus: Starting with License B-2, players
should use the R2 key to allow their revs go a little higher before
shifting for a little more acceleration.
Bronze Time: 0'12.200
Silver Time: 0'11.220
Gold Time: 0'11.000
1.3 Test B-3 - Basics of Cornering: 1
Description: We'll tackle the essentials of the "out-in-out" racing line for
this test using the first corner of the Deep Forest Course. As
you run flat out on the straight, veer to the outside edge of
the track. Look for the curbing and the apex. If the car runs
over the curbing, keep the throtle constant, because if you're
too aggressive with the gas pedal, you'll invoke understeer.
This will result in going off at the exit.
Test Car: Honda CR-X del Sol SiR '92
Tips: Follow the directions in the description to the letter. It will help
you immensely. The key to getting the Gold Prize here (which is very
easy to do) is braking during the turn. This car has good grip with
the road surface, so the wheels won't spin out of control. When
exiting the turn, aim your car for the right edge and don't let your
car slide. This will give the car the maximum acceleration needed for
the Gold Prize.
Bronze Time: 0'33.500
Silver Time: 0'31.500
Gold Time: 0'30.900
1.4 Test B-4 - Basics of Cornering: 2
Description: Using the same section of the Deep Forest Course, this time,
we'll try it in a powerful front-engine/rear-wheel drive car
(FR). Always remember that more power means faster rate of
travel. Drive the same line as you did in the previous test;
however, you'll need to brake harder because of the car's
faster speed. And as before, once you're on top of the curbing,
keep the throttle even. If you get on the gas too much, this
time you'll oversteer and spin out.
Test Car: Nissan SILVIA Q's AERO (S14) '96
Tips: This test is identical to License Test B-3; the only thing that has
changed is the car. Fortunately, this doesn't affect the test that
much; it only makes it 1 second faster. You should employ the exact
same tactic. Brake DURING the turn, tap the gas as you come around the
apex, then point your car toward the outside and accelerate out of the
turn. Don't slide as you accelerate, because this causes you to NOT
get maximum acceleration. Don't believe me? Try it yourself both ways
and prove it to yourself!
Bronze Time: 0'32.300
Silver Time: 0'30.400
Gold Time: 0'29.800
1.5 Test B-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Tsukuba)
Description: In order to memorize tricky Tsukuba Circuit, do a few laps
following the pace car. Try and mimic its exact racing line.
The pace car will adjust its speed to yours, so if you choose to
go slower, the pace car will also. Kick it up a notch and the
pace car will do the same. Again, no passing or hitting the
pace car. Although it's a tight, short track, Tsukuba is
essential in learning the basics of high-performance driving.
Go slowly to learn the track first, then gradually increase your
pace.
Test Car: MINI ONE '02
Tips: Treat the Mini very gingerly in the sharp turns. This car won't slide
very much, so don't even try a powerslide. Note that it is impossible
to overtake the pace car because your car is so slow, and you fail
automatically for doing this anyway. There are four major turns in
this race: the first turn, the next hairpin, the hairpin right after
the second split, and the last turn. For the two hairpins, brake
heavily so that you can accelerate THROUGH the turn (this is key! do
NOT try to slide through these turns!). For the last turn, brake very
briefly before entering it and graze the inside of the turn until you
spot the outside curbing, then aim for it and accelerate through. You
can ease up on the gas a couple of times during the final turn to keep
you on the apex. You are doing this perfectly if you car is around
66-68 mph at the slowest through this turn.
Bronze Time: 1'37.000
Silver Time: 1'29.300
Gold Time: 1'27.200
1.6 Test B-6 - Acceleration and Braking: 3
Description: We've returned to the drag strip. Now for an even longer
acceleration/braking run. This time, from a standing start,
accelerate to the 500-meter line and bring the car to a complete
stop. Because of the higher speeds, it'll prove more difficult
to find the proper braking point. Again, use the 100-meter
point as a guideline and make the necessary adjustments.
Test Car: Renault Megane 2.0 16V '03
Tips: Another go-and-stop test. You know the drill by now. Brake after
approximately 19.2 seconds of acceleration.
Bronze Time: 0'25.500
Silver Time: 0'23.300
Gold Time: 0'22.800
1.7 Test B-7 - Acceleration and Braking: 4
Description: This is the final acceleration/braking test. For this finale,
we'll use the super high-output frong-engine/rear drive (FR)
Dodge Viper. Our distance: 1000 meters. Because you'll be
braking from a peak speed of more than 125 mph, finding the
ideal braking point will be very difficult. Master this test,
and you'll find that when racing, this experience will prove
quite beneficial.
Test Car: Dodge VIPER GTS '99
Tips: The final stopping test. Brake after approximately 20.7 seconds of
acceleration. If you're interested in maximum speed before braking,
mine was 143.0 mph (using the analyzer). And remember: DON'T put full
throttle down at the start of the test!
From Mark Olsen: After accelerating constantly, braking should start
at about 820-880 meters, and if necessary, one should turn in order to
avoid hitting the cones (at the end of the stopping area).
From DMC: Start in 2nd gear and brake at 820 meters. Gold.
Bronze Time: 0'30.000
Silver Time: 0'27.810
Gold Time: 0'27.000
1.8 Test B-8 - Basics of Cornering: 3
Description: Let's learn the basics of cornering using the final turn of Twin
Ring Motegi's last Loop. Your test car will be the Maxda Eunos
Roadster. Unlike that of the Deep Forest Course, this hairpin
is a right-hander. The corner is a decreasing-radius type, so
make sure you apply plenty of brakes before going in. Don't try
to dive into the apex. Instead follow a line similar to that of
a large semicircle.
Test Car: Mazda MX-5 Miata J-Limited (NA, J) '91
Tips: Here's how you do it: After the start, go the outside of the track.
Just before you reach the turn, veer right and start to brake. Steer
yourself into the apex of the turn. As you come around, look for the
outside curbing, straighten out the Miata and aim for that curbing. If
your car continues to slide, you'll never get the gold. You have to
stop the Miata from sliding quickly so that you can hit the outside
curbing with maximum traction and speed.
Bronze Time: 0'16.600
Silver Time: 0'15.500
Gold Time: 0'15.400
1.9 Test B-9 - Basics of Cornering: 4
Description: Now we'll run the same section in a more powerful car. Our
mount is the BMW M3 CSL. Because speeds are much higher in this
car, you'll need to be more aggressive with the brakes. Use the
distance markers on the side of the track as guide points. If
you're too quick and hard on the throttle at the corner's exit,
the rear end will most likely come around, so use caution.
Driving over the curbing too much also may result in a spin.
Test Car: BMW M3 CSL '03
Tips: Very easy Gold Prize to get here. You need some prolonged braking, but
that's the only real sticking point here. Take the extreme inside and
then float your car to the outside without sliding to get maximum
acceleration. This shouldn't be hard because the BMW you're given is
very good at taking this turn.
Bronze Time: 0'13.500
Silver Time: 0'12.900
Gold Time: 0'12.550
1.10 Test B-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Laguna Seca)
Description: Let's do a lap of the historic Laguna Seca Raceway following the
pace car. The prime objective here is to learn the track, so
don't worry about setting lap records just yet. Follow the pace
car and memorize its exact racing line. The infamous Corkscrew
is a blind downhill left-right S curve, and getting the braking
point correct is imperative in establishing a good lap time.
Make sure you memorize where to apply the brakes before turning
in.
Test Car: Citroen C3 1.6 '02
Tips: This is one of those pace car tests that is NOT annoying, overly hard,
or virtually impossible. That having been said, here are some keys to
getting the Gold Prize. In general, the Citroen does not need much
braking because at no time in the race is it going very fast at all.
For the first turn, of course, watch out for the double apex. The pace
car does a good job here. Cut your car across the second apex for
maximum exit speed. For the second turn, brake right before the "1" on
the side of the road before turning in. For the next turn, DON'T BRAKE
AT ALL (even though the pace car does). You can make up a few tenths
of a second here. The next turn is arguably the most difficult. Brake
slightly BEFORE the pace car does, take the inside and float to the
outside curbing for maximum acceleration. Every other turn in this
test is gravy. On the infamous chicane, brake as you come over the
hill. For the very last turn, take care not to lose too much speed by
cutting across the apex as much as possible. Have fun!@
Bronze Time: 2'28.800
Silver Time: 2'18.000
Gold Time: 2'14.400
1.11 Test B-11 - Basics of Dirt Driving: 1
Description: Let's gauge your car-control ability on dirt using the hairpin
corner of the Grand Canyon Course. After taking the first
right-hander flat out, go as far to the outside edge of the
track as possible before turning into the corner. Try to keep a
high rate of speed through this corner. Remember that on dirt,
the car's steering and brakes aren't as effective as when
driving on tarmac, so adapt your driving style accordingly.
Test Car: Toyota CELICA 2000GT-FOUR (ST165) '86
Tips: It is possible to get through the first corner while staying on the
gas. Once your past this, and you have a straight entry to the next
curve, BRAKE EARLY and swing the car around. Put the gas on once you
clear the apex. If done correctly, you won't even hit the right wall.
Bronze Time: 0'19.400
Silver Time: 0'18.000
Gold Time: 0'17.650
1.12 Test B-12 - Basics of Dirt Driving: 2
Description: See how quicly you can take the super-fast right-hander of the
Swiss Alps Course. Because the level of grip is much lower on
dirt than on tarmac, you'll need to rely on more than just
steering to guide the car effectively. Controlling the car's
balance and efficient use of the brakes are key to pointing the
car's nose in the correct direction. There are lots of surface
irregularities here so try not to get knocked off your racing
line.
Test Car: Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 '85
Tips: Your thumb should never leave the gas button during this test.
Bringing up the R3 tracklines helps determine the proper line, and you
will notice that no braking is required. Controlled drifting is how
you must follow the line around the corner. It should be noted that to
get the gold, you pretty much must avoid bumping the wall on the
corner's exit. The best I ever did when bumping that wall was
0'17.513. When I missed bumping it, I got the gold.
Bronze Time: 0'19.500
Silver Time: 0'18.000
Gold Time: 0'17.500
1.13 Test B-13 - Basics of Cornering: 5
Description: The final corner of Tsukuba Circuit will test your
high-speed-cornering skills on asphalt. You'll start the test
traveling 50 mph. From the outside edge of the track, brake
slightly as you approach the corner. Get to the inside of the
corner as soon as possible and straddle the curbing. Keep the
throttle even through this part of the corner. Just as the
curbing ends, get on the throttle, and head for the outside part
of the track. Make effective use of the signs located at the
edge of the track to determine your braking point. Then find
the optimal entry speed.
Test Car: Fiat Barchetta Giovane Due '00
Tips: I hate this test, as far as trying to get the Gold Prize. I probably
ran this one 70 or 80 times before I got it. The key is to brake WHILE
beginning to turn (as the R3 track lines shows you). If you do not do
this, you'll go off the track. However, balance is needed because you
also do not want to hug the inside curbing. You should stay just off
the curbing so that you can get some acceleration at the very end
(without sliding) in order to have maximum speed out of the turn.
Bronze Time: 0'25.000
Silver Time: 0'23.100
Gold Time: 0'22.650
1.14 Test B-14 - Basics of Cornering: 6
Description: The first corner of the El Capitan course is also quite fast;
another ideal place to test your competence of high-speed
corners. Unlike Tsukuba, the apex is deeper into the turn here,
so the key is patience. Starting from the right edge of the
track, look for the apex and turn in. Keep the car on the
inside of the corner, and refrain from getting back on the
throttle until you're almost out of the corner. Throttle on too
early and you get understeer, which will cause the car to go off
the track. Practice this corner a few times to find the correct
throttle - on point.
Test Car: Infiniti G35 COUPE '03
Tips: The Gold Prize time here is very tight. You have to do the turn
basically perfectly to get the gold here. Fortunately, that's not too
difficult. :-) First, make sure you graze the right curbing after the
start. Then, begin to turn in to the left turn, brake hard for a short
period, and take the apex of the turn while tapping the gas. Once you
are almost around, you can accelerate fully until the end. This car
exhibits lots of understeer, so pinpointing the moment when you can put
on full acceleration is important, and is the key to getting the Gold
Prize here.
From Darren Frith: I must have been half asleep because I missed the
turn entirely. Instead of turning in towards the apex, my car hit the
concrete wall on the outside of the track at full speed. Because of
the shallow angle it didn't register as a hard hit and cause a failure.
Get off the gas and at the end of the concrete wall there is some
concrete curbing or "rumble strips". These slow your car down a lot
and you can then turn left and then take a very straight line to the
end. Because of this car's incredible acceleration I was able to get
a Gold time.
Bronze Time: 0'20.200
Silver Time: 0'18.800
Gold Time: 0'18.100
1.15 Test B-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Infineon Raceway)
Description: One of America's most popular tracks, Infineon Raceway (formerly
known as Sears Point), is the site for this test. Follow the
pace car to find the proper racing line and braking points.
This track features a number of high-speed corners where only a
tap of the brakes is necessary. There's also plenty of
elevation changes and blind corners hidden behind hills, so
drive with caution. And no passing or hitting the pace car.
Test Car: Chrysler PT-Cruiser '00
Tips: Don't you hate it when the game gives you a car that you would never,
ever use for the track given? Me too. But I digress. There are a few
keys to this race. The first is the very first blind turn. Brake
slightly after the left curbing is passed and cut across the inside
(ignore the pace car!). On the next turn, take it as if it were a
chicane that needs minimum braking (again, ignore the pace car!) and
you will be WAY ahead of the line that the pace car shows you. Follow
the pace car's lead through the rest of the track EXCEPT for the last
hairpin. You can brake slightly later than the pace car does to catch
up a little bit more on time. Finally, after this turn, cut across the
left wall to make up just a little bit more time that will be necessary
when going for the Gold Prize.
Bronze Time: 2'35.000
Silver Time: 2'22.600
Gold Time: 2'19.000
1.16 Test B-16 - Graduation Test
Description: In order to get your B-Class Racing License, you'll need to
tackle the middle section of Tsukuba. The right-hander directly
beneath the Dunlop Bridge can be taken flat if you follow the
proper driving line. A tricky hairpin follows; be sure you
don't dive into the apex too aggressively. It looks simple and
straightforward, but looks can be deceiving. The apex is quite
late, so be patient and practice, practice practice.
Test Car: BMW 120d '04
Tips: The best tip I can offer you is to master the first turn and the last
turn. For the first turn, no brake is required, but you don't want
your car to slide too much; you will lose precious acceleration. Make
sure you let the car go all the way out to the left curbing for maximum
exit speed. For the last hairpin, start braking early and turn in to
the apex while braking. Then point your car for the left curbing and
put the pedal to the metal. This is a good test.
Bronze Time: 0'25.680
Silver Time: 0'24.200
Gold Time: 0'23.700
1.17 Completion Prizes
B License All Bronze or Better: Volkswagen Lupo 1.4 '02
B License All Silver or Better: Mazda Kusabi '03
B License All Gold: Honda S500 '63
Note: You can only win these prize cars ONCE!
2.0 A License
2.1 Test A-1 - Complex Corners: Beginner 1
Description: This test measures your ability to negotiate S-curves on a
high-speed track. Immediately upon launch, take note of the red
and white curbing on your right. At the end of this curbing is
the first corner, a left-hander. This corner's curbing reveals
the location of the apex. Take the correct line and you should
be able to get through it flat out. Cross the bridge, and then
you'll come upon a right-hander. Stay as far left as you can
when entering the corner and then look for the apex. Remember,
this is a late-apex corner. You should also be patient with the
throttle here, as you don't want to upset the car's balance in
mid-turn. At the corner's exit, don't bother getting set up on
the far right before the next left-hander because you don't have
time. Go straight for the apex. Give a light tap of the brake
pedal as you enter the corner. It's paramount you be patient
with the trottle here because if you get on it too quickly,
you'll provoke understeer, which will keep you from making the
last turn smoothly.
Test Car: Mitsubishi FTO GPX '94
Tips: One of the best tips I can offer you is: Ignore the R3 guidelines! It
is possible to do way better than that. I will admit that on the first
turn, the R3 lines are pretty good, but you don't have to brake as much
as it says. On the second turn, you should turn into the apex much
later because you can get so much more acceleration by drifting to the
outside of the track with several minor steering inputs (tapping left).
The key here is to use the first turn to set yourself up for the second
turn, which sets you up for maximum exit speed. Since the last
straight is so long, exit speed is incredibly important, and is the
deciding factor in going for the Gold Prize.
Bronze Time: 0'33.080
Silver Time: 0'31.100
Gold Time: 0'30.750
2.2 Test A-2 - Complex Corners: Beginner 2
Description: Now let's run the same section of the previous test in the Lotus
Elise 111R. Remember that because the Elise is a powerful
mid-engine sports car, its behavior through the esses will be
different than that of a front-engine car. When going through
the right-hander after the bridge, make sure you hit the brakes
to transfer the car's weight to the front tires, otherwise,
you'll get a lot of unwanted understeer. If you get too wide at
this corner's exit, you won't be able to stay on the correct
line for the following left-hander. Correctly utilizing the
car's fore/aft weight balance is important here.
Test Car: Lotus Elise 111R '04
Tips: I believe this is one of the easier license tests. Use the Elise's
powerful brakes as soon as you hit the red-and-white striping on the
left side of the track, and tap the gas as you hit the apex of the
first turn. Do the same for the second turn, and aim for the outside
edge coming out of the second turn. I got this gold prize on my second
try.
Bronze Time: 0'30.290
Silver Time: 0'28.400
Gold Time: 0'28.000
2.3 Test A-3 - Tackling High Speed Corners: 1
Description: This test will see how well you negotiate the Deep Forest
track's final corner, a high-speed left-hander. We'll use the
high-output front-engine/front-drive Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder
for this test. After launch, set yourself on the right side of
the track, then start turning the wheel early to make up for the
car's understeering tendencies. Tap the brake pedal to control
your speed through the corner. Unless you exit the corner at
the optimum speed, you'll probably go off. Starting off slowly,
then gradually raising your pace as you get accustomed to the
car and the corner is recommended here.
Test Car: Mitsubishi ECLIPSE Spyder GTS '03
Tips: The first key to this test is to take the first slight left-hand turn
full throttle while grazing the left curbing. While the R3 guidelines
take a more conservative line, you can make up a little time by doing
this. For the big turn, liberal braking is required (while turning)
and again, you should turn over the apex curbing (which the R3 lines do
not do) for maximum exit speed. A fun little test.
Bronze Time: 0'12.700
Silver Time: 0'12.300
Gold Time: 0'12.000
2.4 Test A-4 - Tackling High Speed Corners: 2
Description: This is one of Suzuka Circuit's most challenging corners, called
the t30R. You'll start on the back straight, going about 80
mph. Set yourself up on the right side of the track. The
approaching corner is tight here, so start turning immediately
after you're off the brakes. If you're late turning in, you
won't be able to hit the apex. As a result, you'll more than
likely go off at the corner's exit. As you practice this
corner, look for the optimum turn-in point for therein lies the
key to mastering this corner.
Test Car: Subaru LEGACY B4 3.0R '03
Tips: Contrary to what you might think after a few runs, the amount of
braking needed here is not very much. You should have a short period
of braking, then turn hard to the inside. You should graze the apex,
then drift to the outer curbing (don't accelerate all the way through
or you'll go off the track). Once here, accelerate through to the end.
Bronze Time: 0'23.700
Silver Time: 0'22.500
Gold Time: 0'22.050
2.5 Test A-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Grand Valley East)
Description: For this test, we'll do a lap of Grand Valley East along with a
pace car. Although Grand Valley is a fairly flat course, the
East section, with its many shortcuts and hills, is in some ways
more fun and rewarding than the full version. The first
shortcut comes right after the first corner. Take caution
approaching the next corner because it's a blind one, hidden
behind a hill. The next shortcut is equally challenging, coming
right after the tunnel. Make sure you're set up correctly on
the left side of the road while you're still in the tunnel.
Test Car: Audi A3 3.2 quattro '03
Tips: This test didn't give me that much grief, so I'll just give you a few
words of advice. The pace car does an excellent job on the first big
hairpin, so follow exactly what it does (the small tap of the brakes
followed by the longer braking). In the middle section of the course,
there is a place where the pace car brakes and you don't have to. This
is the 3rd turn before the tunnel, or the 4th turn after the first big
hairpin (it is the turn where the cones are on the left side of the
road). By eliminating braking on this turn, I was able to get my time
very low. On the whole, though, the pace car is excellent, so follow
it throughout except on the turn described above. Furthermore, don't
slide very much, as this destroys your acceleration.
Bronze Time: 1'36.800
Silver Time: 1'32.000
Gold Time: 1'30.500
2.6 Test A-6 - Complex Corners: Intermediate 1
Description: Twin Ring Motegi's S-curves is the site for the test. Taking
the correct racing line is paramount when negotiating these
corners. If your exit through the first corner is too
aggressive, you'll have a difficult time taking the proper line
into the next corner. And getting away quickly from the second
corner is vital because it leads into a long straight. Use the
full track when exiting the second corner, going all the way to
its edge. Set yourself up on the right side for the final
left-hander while you're still on the straight.
Test Car: Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 Kompressor '98
Tips: From the start, continue to drift right. Brake right after you enter
the dark part of the track. Cut to the inside with NO GAS, then put
the gas on when your car is straight. The right turn doesn't require
braking, but you do need to let off the gas. For the third turn, mimic
what you did for the first turn. However, you need to brake more
before turning the car. Drift to the outside WITHOUT sliding so that
you can start your final acceleration.
Bronze Time: 0'33.500
Silver Time: 0'31.900
Gold Time: 0'30.800
2.7 Test A-7 - Complex Corners: Intermediate 2
Description: We'll use the Nurburgring's technical section for this test.
Exit the first left-hand corner at full throttle, and then get
on the brakes as you enter the esses. The first turn here has a
late apex, so you'll have to be ready to steer the other way as
soon as you exit to make it in time for the turn-in point for
the second corner. If you take the correct line, you can get
through the second corner flat out. Finding a nice rhythm is
important when tackling this section.
Test Car: Volkswagen Golf V GTI '05
Tips: This is also an easy Gold Prize to get. On the first turn, don't use
the brake; simply drift through the turn, make sure you hit the inside
curbing. Then brake hard before the next turn. Don't let your wheels
slide; then hit the gas hard until you reach the finish. This one
shouldn't present much challenge. I got it on my second try.
Bronze Time: 0'18.600
Silver Time: 0'17.400
Gold Time: 0'17.200
2.8 Test A-8 - Applied Cornering: 1
Description: This section utilizes the hairpin at El Capitan, which leads to
a challenging corner immediately before the bridge. Effectively
guide your car through the various left-handers to pass this
test. The first left-hander actually consist (typo) of two
turns, leading onto a tighter exit. Don't panic and go to the
inside right away. Stay to the middle of the track, and drive
on the curbing to hit the apex. Then the next left-hander,
which comes immediately after the straight, can be cleared
without touching the brakes.
Test Car: Mazda RX-8 Type S (J) '03
Tips: I think this is one of the easiest license tests to get gold on. I
never once used the brake in this test. From the beginning, float to
the outside. When the big turn comes into view, turn hard to the
inside with no brake, straighten your wheels out, then put the gas on
hard. Take the inside curbing on the small final left turn. Aim for
the right side of the finish line. This should also help you: You
DON'T have to worry about what happens to your car after the finish
line. If you aim for the right, you will get better speed, but your
car will crash afterwards. But that is OK, because the test is over by
then! Enjoy.
Bronze Time: 0'17.150
Silver Time: 0'16.400
Gold Time: 0'15.880
2.9 Test A-9 - Applied Cornering: 2
Description: Here, you'll be faced with real-life racing conditions.
Suzuka's famed esses is the venue. The corners are aligned in a
relatively simple manner: left, right, left. However, you
won't be able to get through them at full throttle. You'll need
to brake properly for each corner to effectively negotiate this
section. Keep the nose of the car pointed in the correct
direction--that is key. Establishing a good rhythm is also
important. And do not upset the car's chassis. The final
left-hand corner has a tendency to invoke understeer, so be
ready to accommodate accordingly.
Test Car: Honda CIVIC TYPE R (EP) '04
Tips: In truth, the only turn you MUST brake on is the second one. On the
first turn, I started outside and turned hard with no brake. On the
second turn, you MUST brake slightly in order to avoid going off the
track. On the third turn, no brake is required as long as you hang on
to the inside curbing before drifting to the outside edge for maximum
exit speed. I did NOT follow the R3 guide lines to get gold on this
license test.
Bronze Time: 0'18.900
Silver Time: 0'17.617
Gold Time: 0'17.200
2.10 Test A-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Suzuka)
Description: We'll use Suzuka Circuit again; but this time we'll run the
entire course, for a flying lap with the pace car. Suzuka is a
long course, so be sure to memorize its layout and learn the
proper racing lines before going all out. A variety of
difficult and challenging corners exists here, such as Reverse
Banking, Degner, and t30R. The best way to learn the course
quickly and better your lap times is making full use of the pace
car. And as before, hit or pass the pace car, and you fail.
Your test vehicle is the Acura Integra Type R, DC5 version.
Test Car: Honda INTEGRA TYPE R (DC5) '03
Tips: This test is really not very much fun, but I hope you take consolation
in the fact that at least it's not one of more annoying pace car tests.
Of course, you should follow what the pace car does throughout, except
for these exceptions. The esses that occur after the first corner are
not done well by the pace car. You should be grazing the inside
curbing on every one of them while tapping the gas. This will help you
catch up by a few tenths of a second. Also, you can do better on the
turn right before the split (the second turn after the esses). Brake
hard, turn in aggressively, and drift to the outside curbing to get
maximum acceleration. The pace car is good up until the very end. The
turn right after the second split has an interesting feature: you can
go over the grass to the right of the curbing and not fail. Use this
to your advantage to get faster exit speed. Also, the most important
thing I can tell you is that for the final chicane, brake a little
later than the pace car, and bump him slightly (yes, you can do this!)
to help you turn. Just be very careful not to overtake him, because
that will fail you. On the second turn in the chicane, you can run
over the curbing fully and not fail. This is the single biggest area
where the pace car does horribly, but don't be faint-hearted about
hitting the pace car. It can turn a mediocre lap into a Gold Prize
Lap. On this test, I achieved 2'47.152 with this method.
Bronze Time: 3'00.000
Silver Time: 2'51.000
Gold Time: 2'48.000
2.11 Test A-11 - Applied Dirt Driving: 1
Description: The cliffs of the Grand Canyon is the site for this off-road
test. Your capability of cornering on dirt will be gauged here.
This section consists mainly of a series of right-hand corners.
There's a slight left-hander soon after the start, which you
should take more or less in a straight line. Then you'll come
upon the first right-hander. Make sure you have the car pointed
in the correct direction as you enter the turn. Immediately
after this corner, the car will veer toward the edge of the
track. Don't panic. Carefully aim for the inside of the next
corner. Keep a consistent steering angle through both
corners--like it's one big half-circle-- and you should be
successful here.
Test Car: Lancia DELTA HF Integrale Evoluzione '91
Tips: I don't know how this Gold Prize can be won without bumping the outside
wall on the cliff. Therefore, I'll tell you how to do exactly that.
There doesn't need to be any braking at all during this test, and the
only time you have to let up off the gas is during the first turn.
This will cause your Lancia to drift outside toward the cliff wall with
the fence. If you try to avoid the wall, you will lose time and not
make the Gold time. If you slightly bump the wall, it will immediately
help you change direction and accelerate through in a straight line
toward the finish.
Bronze Time: 0'14.000
Silver Time: 0'13.100
Gold Time: 0'12.800
2.12 Test A-12 - Applied Dirt Driving: 2
Description: Safely and quickly get through the three corners of the uphill
winding section of Tahiti Maze to pass this test. The key here
is to control your car as it slides through the corners. Brake
before getting to the corner; if you transfer the car's weight
to the front, and get on the throttle, the car will slide.
Control the slide with the steering and throttle, and get
through the turn without dropping your speed. Do this and
you'll not only pass this test, you'll master the art of
drifting.
</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
Test Car: Subaru IMPREZA Sedan WRX STi (GD, Type-I) '02
Tips: This test has appeared in the last two Gran Turismo games, with
different cars every time. The key here is learning how to drift on
dirt. For each hairpin, brake then immediately turn the car in the
direction of the turn. Your back end will swing around. Point the car
toward the exit, then put your foot on the gas. You may swing to the
outside unexpectedly; when this happens, just gently hit the wall with
your back end and continue forward. The game won't fail you for small
bumps. You can use this to great advantage in this test.
Bronze Time: 0'32.770
Silver Time: 0'30.600
Gold Time: 0'29.500
2.13 Test A-13 - Tackling Blind Corners: 1
Description: Rocks and stones abound on this mountain trial, as do blind
corners, so proceed with caution. After you exit the first
tunnel, you'll be faced with the first of two blind corners.
Make sure you slow the car down properly and get to the inside
of the turn. Enter the second tunnel on the right side, and
exit at the left edge, straddling the side of the tunnel wall.
This will set you up properly for the next corner, which is
marked by yellow lines. If you're on the inside of this turn,
you should be able to enter the straight at a good clip.
Practice makes perfect, so try it over and over until you get
the perfect run.
Test Car: Nissan SKYLINE GT-R Vspec II (R32) '94
Tips: Ugh. I hate this test. The R3 guidelines here are somewhat rubbish.
On a few of the turns, you can do much better by taking a tighter line
(inside the blue dashes). For the first turn, for instance, you should
swing out, then cut hard inside, taking your foot off the gas for a
very brief moment. This will put you well ahead of the R3 car. For
the second turn, hard braking is needed, but again, you can go inside
the R3 dashes to just graze the corner for maximum speed. For the
third sweeping turn, follow the dashes: brake slightly and hug the
inside. For the last big turn, brake hard and briefly, swing your rear
around, point your car for the outside edge, and gun it. This should
give you maximum acceleration which is needed for the long straightaway
ahead.
Bronze Time: 0'48.300
Silver Time: 0'45.300
Gold Time: 0'44.600
2.14 Test A-14 - Tackling Blind Corners: 2
Description: Within the Nurburgring's middle section are a series of tricky
downhill corners. You'll be tested on how well you handle these
high-speed corners. The first section consists of esses.
They're not only blind, they're canted. If you choose to run on
the outside edge here, you'll more likely go off, so be cautious
of your driving line. After the esses are a series of
right-handers. Don't stay left when setting up to turn in here;
instead hug the inside of the corners. A short straight
follows, which is then followed by a chicane-like left-hander.
Slow down accordingly, then get back on it as you hit the apex.
Make sure you're on the throttle quickly. Choose the line that
allows you to get on the gas earliest. You'll get a sense of
the Nurburgring's unique character through this section.
Test Car: Audi TT Coupe 1.8T quattro '00
Tips: For this test, it is very handy to bring up the R3 guide lines so that
you can see which turns require no braking. Specifically, the first
left and the quick right require no braking. The next turn requires
light braking to get you to the inside of the track, then you just need
to ride the inside around until the long straight. Don't let your
wheels slip off the left hand side here, even if it doesn't fail you,
because your speed will be irreparably affected. Heavy braking is
needed for the big turn coming up. The key to this turn is to come out
of it as quickly as possibly by stopping your skid early in the turn,
that way you can accelerate out of it. Good luck!
Bronze Time: 0'36.490
Silver Time: 0'33.000
Gold Time: 0'32.350
2.15 Test A-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Trial Mountain)
Description: We'll take a flying lap of the Trial Mountain Course with the
pace car. The key to successfully lapping this course is to
nail the numerous blind corners that appeared in our previous
test. Don't be intimidated by the stone walls and make use of
the entire track. Take the last corner, a chicane, with plenty
of caution. Normally, driving on the curbing is not a bad
thing, but on this section, you're in danger of losing control
of your car. Lose control here and you may hit an imposing
concrete wall ahead; therefore, you'd best take the safer route.
Passing or hitting the pace car results in automatic
disqualification. Your car is the Mazda 6.
Test Car: Mazda Mazda 6 5-door '03
Tips: Everyone knows that the pace car tests are very annoying, but this one
is better than most of the others. This is because the pace car
actually goes pretty fast in this race and rarely is the means of
failure by collision or passing. That said, there are a few places to
be aware of. The first few turns can be taken with full gas; the first
place to brake is right before the first checkpoint. You must take the
following turn very close to the apex, and exit with maximum
acceleration by getting as close to the left cliff wall as possible.
The turn before entering the tunnel is tricky; it is blind so you
should find your own key braking point (I ignored the pace car here).
After the long straight, do exactly what the pace car does, because he
does it perfectly. Finally, for the very last chicane, you may ignore
the pace car and use full gas to graze first the left apex, then the
right apex. You may find that you have to let up on the gas for a very
brief moment, but you can basically go full throttle here.
Bronze Time: 2'16.000
Silver Time: 2'07.000
Gold Time: 2'05.000
2.16 Test A-16 - Graduation Test
Description: Pass this test to obtain the A-Class Racing License. The
section after the Carrousel of Nurburgring's North Course is our
test venue. It's the more interesting technical portions of the
Ring. The first thing to do here is to observe the
demonstration car. Pay close attention to its speed through
every turn. The wrong entry and exit speed through any of these
corners will result in going off. There are also a few blind
spots, so try and memorize when and where to brake and turn in.
Test Car: Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A (FD) '02
Tips: This test IS difficult. Without the track lines up (R3), I was able to
manage a Silver Prize. Now, I'm not one to advocate using the track
lines, every time, but it did help me here. I used them once to get a
feel for when I should brake and turn in, but I turned them off after
that. Very few of these turns require braking. The large turn near
the beginning does, as do the middle three bigger turns halfway past
the test.
Bronze Time: 1'02.700
Silver Time: 0'56.000
Gold Time: 0'54.150
2.17 Completion Prizes
A License All Bronze or Better: Pontiac Sunfire GXP Concept '02
A License All Silver or Better: Acura DN-X '02
A License All Gold: GRAN TURISMO SKYLINE GT-R '01
Note: You can only win these prize cars ONCE!
3.0 International B License
3.1 Test IB-1 - Braking During Turns: 1
Description: Trail braking is the term used when you apply the brakes as you
make your turn. Let's try our hand at trail braking through the
first corner of Tsukuba Circuit. After the start, stay to the
left side of the track, then look for the point where the grass
on the right ends. Then steer for the curbing. Brake lightly
as you turn into this uphill corner, and get to the inside of
the corner. If you're too early on the throttle, you won't make
the turn. Keep even throttle, and look for the corner post up
ahead for your exit. The key here is find the ideal cornering
speed (typo here).
Test Car: Hyundai Tiburon GT '01
Tips: What an enjoyable test. The title of the test should give you an
indication as to what you need to do. After you climb the hump in the
roadway, turn hard to the inside WHILE braking. You should graze the
curbing. Then ride the curbing around with mild acceleration before
aiming the car for the outside curbing at the turn's exit. This gives
you maximum exit speed and should earn the Gold Prize fairly quickly.
Bronze Time: 0'15.570
Silver Time: 0'14.870
Gold Time: 0'14.440
3.2 Test IB-2 - Braking During Turns: 2
Description: Now we'll try high-speed trail braking using the corners of the
Nurburgring. Accelerate on the straight upon launch. Take the
first left-hander flat out. Then veer to the left side of the
track to set up for the upcoming right-hander. There's a sign
post on your right, use that as your braking marker. You'll be
steering as you brake, but because the corner is a late-apex
one, try to keep your general driving line to the inside here.
If you don't slow the car down enough or you're too quick
getting back on the throttle, you'll go off at the corner's
exit. Practice slowing the car down as you corner to master
this section.
Test Car: Mercedes-Benz SL 500 (R129) '98
Tips: I found that you don't actually have to brake while turning your wheels
during the big turn, so keep that in mind. From the start, you don't
need to brake (or even let up off the gas) during the first left. Then
brake hard to enter the big turn. Stop turning your wheels halfway
through, brake again, then point your car at the outside curbing and
accelerate smoothly out of it. If done right, this will earn you a
very good time, and after some more practice, the Gold Prize.
Bronze Time: 0'27.300
Silver Time: 0'26.000
Gold Time: 0'25.200
3.3 Test IB-3 - Advanced Level Complex Corners: 1
Description: Two turns blend into one here at Suzuka's Spoon Corner. After
the start, take the sweeper flat out, then you'll approach the
first left-hander of Spoon Corner. Brake appropriately and get
on the curbing here. Then get back on the throttle, giving your
car momentum at the exit. Now you'll need to turn into the next
corner. It's tighter than the first one, and it's slightly
downhill, so watch out for understeer. Tap the brakes to slow
the car down and stabilize the chassis. If you're in a
manual-transmission car, don't drop down to 2nd, keep it in 3rd
and you'll get through quicker.
Test Car: Honda PRELUDE Type S '88
Tips: This test gives you a good feel for what understeer really is. In this
front-wheel drive car, on a downhill turn, the understeer is almost
overwhelming. In order to get the Gold Prize, you will need to brake
WELL before the first big turn. Then graze the apex and head out to
the outside curbing. Then turn hard to the inside when you see the
curbing on the left. You may brake if you like; if you don't want to,
just let off the gas. Either way, turn as hard as you can, fighting
the understeer, and aim your car for the outside for maximum exit
acceleration. A few tries of this should net you the Gold Prize.
Bronze Time: 0'30.230
Silver Time: 0'28.430
Gold Time: 0'27.600
3.4 Test IB-4 - Advanced Level Complex Corners: 2
Description: The very difficult middle section of the Deep Forest Course is
the venue for this test. You'll drive through a tunnel after
the start. Then the course will bend to the right. Don't get
worked up here and get on the throttle too quickly or you'll get
understeer. After you clear the second tunnel, there's a corner
after the large hill. You'll have to start steering before you
can actually see the corner, or you won't be able to get to the
inside. Start braking as you're cresting the hill, too. For the
last corner, keep your steering inputs minimal and use the
throttle to guide your car around the bend.
Test Car: Audi S4 '03
Tips: This test is supremely annoying. The key to this race is the last,
large, sweeping turn. For the first turn, brake once, then hug the
inside to get through. There is a slight chicane on the next part that
can be taken straight through with no turning. Then comes the big
turn. You should brake briefly but firmly at the top of the hill so
that you don't induce a slide. If you begin to slide, your bid for the
Gold Prize is over. Follow the dark lines in the track in order to
navigate the very last turn in the most effective manner possible.
Good luck on this one!
Bronze Time: 0'30.600
Silver Time: 0'28.840
Gold Time: 0'28.000
3.5 Test IB-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Costa di Amalfi)
Description: We're back to the pace car lap again. This time follow the GT-R
around a lap of Amalfie (sp) Circuit. This track is known for
its elevation changes and tight corners. Observe the pace car
carefully and memorize the racing line. You'll need to
carefully control your speed through the downhill portion of the
track. And for the tight esses that come at the end of the lap,
you'll need to use the entire width of the track to get through
successfully.
Test Car: Peugeot 206 RC '03
Tips: It is possible to do MUCH better than the Gold Prize time on this test.
That having been said, this test is not the easiest in the world. It
is imperative that you take every hairpin with a focus on exit speed,
because that makes or breaks this race. There is one particular turn
that you need to watch out for, because the pace car takes it terribly.
This is the hairpin after the middle section of the course, right
before the third split time. Why, oh why, does the pace car slow down
so much here?! I failed many times when I hit the pace car's rear on
this turn. This is also the turn where you can make up the most time.
This is how you do it. When entering the turn, don't follow the pace
car, but start the turn more on the right side of the track. You need
to brake heavily, but later than the pace car. Then cut across the
apex of the turn with much more exit speed than the pace car manages to
exit with. If you do this just perfectly, you will be in danger of
passing the pace car and failing, but you can make up at LEAST 1 to 1.5
seconds on this one turn alone.
Bronze Time: 3'02.500
Silver Time: 2'50.000
Gold Time: 2'46.000
3.6 Test IB-6 - Cone Slalom 1
Description: Using the straight at Fuji Speedway, we've arranged some cones
to create a slalom course. Weave your way through the cones and
get to the finish line as soon as possible. Touch a cone and
you're disqualified. As your car gains speed, it'll become more
and more difficult to control. Get off the throttle as you pass
one cone, then on it as you approach another. Developing a good
rhythm is key here. Your test car is equipped with ASM (Active
Stability Management) turned on. This system uses the brakes to
stabilize the car's balance. It'll compensate for light under-
and oversteer, keeping your car's chassis composed through most
of the run.
Test Car: BMW Z4 '03
Tips: Nerveracking. Pure and simple. At least this test is short. If you
want the Gold Prize on this one, you're going to have to be very
patient, because you're probably going to have to do quite a few runs.
As for tips, if I were you, I would practice how to start the car.
There is a split time right off the starting line here, so try
different amount of beginning throttle. You will see here how big a
difference it makes. If you start with full throttle, you'll lose
around 0.02 seconds, while if you start with medium or a little lower,
you'll gain some time. As for the cones, try to cut each turn very
very thin, risking failure every time, because that's the only way to
get Gold. The ideal speed to have during a turn is about 70 to 72 mph.
You also never need to use the brake in this test. When you reach the
next-to-last turn, put the throttle down fully, because at the finish
line, all you have to do is make it through the opening. Good luck!
From Kinglink: After you get going fast enough, take your foot off the
accelerator through each turn, then put it back on.
Bronze Time: 0'20.890
Silver Time: 0'18.560
Gold Time: 0'17.700
3.7 Test IB-7 - Cone Slalom 2
Description: You'll perform the same slalom as the previous test; however,
this time ASM will be switched off. Your test vehicle is the
BMW Z4. Once you start gaining speed, the car will have a
tendency to spin, so you need to be very steady with your
driving inputs here. And it's imperative that you do use the
throttle abruptly in mid-turn. Keep an eye on the speedometer,
and figure out the optimal speed toget through the slalom
successfully. And note how different the car reacts with ASM
switched off as to when it was on.
Test Car: BMW Z4 '03
Tips: This test is basically identically to IB-6; and it is still a pain. I
actually did very well on this test, but only after many, many tries.
The key is to "point" your car at the opening of each turn well before
you get to it. In other words, you are not turning to miss the cones,
you are turning in order to make the turn. If you have the first
mentality, you will probably start turning way too late. So the advice
here is to begin your turns as EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
From Kinglink: The car needs better steering here than in IB-6 but it
is almost the same. Learn how to identify the difference between
having ASM on and ASM off, because therein lies the key to this test.
Bronze Time: 0'20.890
Silver Time: 0'18.560
Gold Time: 0'17.700
3.8 Test IB-8 - City Street Challenge: 1
Description: Now we'll use the street course in New York to gauge your
ability on taking city turns. Unlike corners on a race track,
you'll get onto the curbing for an instant through these
90-degree corners, so make sure your entry speed is optimal.
Determing the exact braking point is vital in controlling the
speed of the car, so concentrate on when and how hard to apply
the brakes. In the middle section of the track, there's a place
where a narrow pass leads onto a large, wide road. Make sure
you use all of the track here to find the most effective line
possible. The last part of the track consists of a series of
90-degree corners. Don't think of these corners as separate
entities, but one long connected pass. Don't be intimidated by
the barriers on the side of the road, use as much as the track
as possible to get through quickly.
Test Car: Chrysler Crossfire '04
Tips: The key to getting this Gold Prize is, of course, taking the corners
correctly. For the first corner, you should brake as you pass the
white line in the roadway, hug the inside of the corner and drift out
to the edge with full acceleration. For the second corner, brake as
soon as your car reaches the right curbing. The third corner is the
fastest of all of them because the inside edge is so large. The next
series of corners should be taken so you get maximum exit speed. For
the final corner, drift out then hug the inside yet again for maximum
acceleration and exit speed, because that is the key to getting Gold.
Bronze Time: 0'46.800
Silver Time: 0'44.440
Gold Time: 0'43.200
3.9 Test IB-9 - City Street Challenge: 2
Description: Now let's see how good you are at finding the right racing line.
We'll use the tight sections of the Italian street course.
Right after the start, you'l come upon a section where you'll
come upon a section where you'll be sandwiched between walls.
There are slight curves here, so tap the brakes and slow the car
down. From there you'll come upon a series of combined corners.
Use as much track as possible and try to go through in as
straight a line as possible. Throttle work is key here, don't
go full throttle and off throttle abruptly, try to stay even
throughout. Learning the corners and maintaining a good rhythm
is the key to success here.
Test Car: Volkswagen Bora VH 4MOTION '01
Tips: This Gold Prize is a lot of fun to get. From the start, go full
throttle before braking slightly and taking the first left turn.
Before the end of the turn, you will need to brake hard. Note that you
are allowed to bump the wall slightly with your back end. The next big
turn is the key to this test. Brake very early so that you can first,
make the turn, and second, set yourself up for the next slow right
turn. From here, you DO NOT need to brake. You can hit full throttle
and take the corners hard to get to the final straight with maximum
acceleration.
Bronze Time: 0'24.000
Silver Time: 0'22.660
Gold Time: 0'22.000
3.10 Test IB-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Hong Kong)
Description: Now for the pace car to make yet another appearance. You'll
follow it for a lap around Hong Kong's street course. The key
to this track is that the width of it varies greatly from one
place to another. Like the street course in New York, when the
width of the track changes in mid-corner, use the wider portion
to the maximum. When going from narrow to wide, don't presume
that the curbing is the end of the corner. Envision the line
all the way to the exit, even before it comes into view. When
the road goes from wide to narrow in mid-corner, get the car
pointed in the proper direction while you're on the wider
portion or you'll be unable to make the full turn. Take in the
beautiful lights of the city as you learn this track.
Test Car: MGF '97
Tips: This pace car test is somewhat annoying, and it's all because of the
hairpin turn about halfway through the course. I can't tell you how
many times I hit the back of his car and failed. My suggestion: on
that particular turn, go a little inside of him, that way if you do
brake too late, you'll miss him and you won't fail. That having been
said, this Gold Prize is not that hard to get. The key to controlling
this little car is not letting it get too upset in the turns. Sliding
is bad and causes you to lose speed. Therefore, do your best to bring
the car out of its slide in every turn as quickly as possible. You
will get a lot closer to the Gold time just by following this one piece
of advice. Also, watch out for the last two turns and how the pace car
takes them. He does it flawlessly, so just follow his lead.
Bronze Time: 2'05.180
Silver Time: 1'57.420
Gold Time: 1'55.200
3.11 Test IB-11 - Competition Dirt Racing: 1
Description: This is a test that utilizes the high-speed section of the Grand
Canyon Course. It'll be run simulating a real race. There are
three successive jumps after the start. Clear these and you'll
approach a left-hand corner. Turn the steering slightly and get
on the brakes, the rear will begin to slide out. Use the
throttle and countersteer to control your drift. You'll use the
momentum of this corner to slide through the following
right-hander. Just don't get too far wide on the first corner's
exit or you'll have a difficult time turning into the
right-hander. Also, not losing control of the car through the
jumps is very important.
Test Car: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR GSR '04
Tips: This Gold Prize is one I found quite difficult to get. After the
start, just go full throttle down the straight, taking care not to get
off center while your car is in the air following the series of two or
three jumps. BRAKE EARLY before the first turn, that way you can graze
the apex and put on the throttle to steer your car in the correct
direction. Do the same for the next turn, although you don't need to
brake quite so early. Also, take note that right before the finish
line, there is an annoying wall outcropping on the left. Be careful
not to hit this, as it'll add about 0.100 seconds to your time. If
you're going for the Gold Prize, this could be the thing that keeps you
from getting it.
Bronze Time: 0'19.800
Silver Time: 0'18.800
Gold Time: 0'18.200
3.12 Test IB-12 - Driving on Snow: 1
Description: We'll test your car-control ability on icy roads through
successive hairpins of the Ice Arena. Cut through the first
left-right corners in somewhat of a straight line. Then you'll
come upon a left-hand hairpin. Swing the car to the right
before going into the corner. Then swing it the other way as
you go in. The momentum of the first swing will enable the car
to drift cleanly through, as long as you countersteer and
throttle properly. If your timing on the throttle isn't
perfect, you'll get unwanted understeer. Use the same technique
for the following right-hand hairpin.
Test Car: Toyota CELICA GT-FOUR RC (ST185) '91
Tips: Well, this is one of those tests where the line between cheating and
not cheating is very blurry. For a very easy Gold Prize, just ride the
wall on the two large hairpins. For a legitimate Gold Prize, a little
strategy must be employed. On the first left, go full throttle and set
yourself up to take the next right on the inside. Don't drift too much
to the wall, because the first hairpin will then be unmanageable. For
the first hairpin, employ similar tactics to drifting on dirt, but you
will have to go at a slower speed. Do the same for the second hairpin.
For the last left, start on the right, steer hard inside and drift to
the outside of the finish line. Don't worry about crashing after the
finish line; the test is over by then, so just go for maximum speed.
Bronze Time: 0'26.450
Silver Time: 0'24.720
Gold Time: 0'24.000
3.13 Test IB-13 - Tackling Undulating S-bends
Description: The latter section of El Capitan is where we'll see how you fare
through intense elevation changes. You'll be faced with a
downhill right-hander after the start. Think of this corner as
a combination of two right-hand corners. After driving onto the
first curbing, go back toward the outside of the track, keeping
the steering constant, then drive over the second curbing.
After taking the next left-hander flat out, you'll come upon a
blind right-hander. Although you can't see through the corner,
you'll need to slow the car down early to be able to make the
turn. The road changes a bit on the exit, so be ready for
understeer. Making the proper adjustments as the road surface
changes is the key to getting good results here.
Test Car: Ford FOCUS RS '02
Tips: I really like this test. For once, you are given a car with a good
setup for the challenge you're set to. So down to business. For the
first and biggest turn, start outside, put the brake on for about half
a second, then turn hard inside and accelerate almost immediately. In
the next section, be careful of taking the left turn too tightly,
because there is some dirt there that will slow you down and it is very
hard to see. When you come to the right turn on a hill, let off the
gas to make the turn. For the next left turn, again let up off the gas
and then point your car to the right edge and put the gas on as soon as
possible for maximum acceleration. Ride the right hand side of the
track from here for the fastest possible time.
Bronze Time: 0'33.170
Silver Time: 0'30.860
Gold Time: 0'29.700
3.14 Test IB-14 - Tackling Corner Sequences over Undulating Surfaces
Description: We'll use El Capitan yet again, this time we'll run through a
challenging hilly section. The key point here is the steep
uphill climb after the tunnel. And at the top of the hill is
the apex of a corner, so you'll need to start braking as you're
still climbing and head for the curbing on the right side.
After this is the downhill part. You'll lose a lot of grip so
be wary of understeer. And the exit for the following
left-hander is tight; finding the right place to get on the
throttle is important here.
Test Car: Mercedes-Benz SL 600 (R230) '04
Tips: There are a few keys to this test, especially since you get no R3
guidelines. From the start, take the course full throttle. You can
take every turn full throttle until you get to the chicane, so don't be
timid here! You need to brake heavily before the third, and this is
the first place you must do so. To take this turn right, brake
heavily, then aim your car to take the next two turn together, then
turn left slightly to enter the tunnel. When you get to the hill,
brake once and firmly. As you come over the hill, turn confidently to
the right and drift out to the left for maximum exit speed. You need
NO braking for the last left, but you must hug the inside. You must
also learn to judge this turn so that you know when the right moment is
to put the gas on fully to get maximum acceleration.
Bronze Time: 0'40.200
Silver Time: 0'37.000
Gold Time: 0'36.350
3.15 Test IB-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Citta di Aria)
Description: Time for the pace car again. Follow it for a lap around the
Italian street course. The entire track is very narrow, so if
you don't take the perfect line, your lap times won't be
impressive. Follow the pace car closely and learn the line and
where to brake. There's a diffcult hairpin corner here. The
corner is deep, with a late apex. Don't get impatient and dive
in too early. Gradually getting to the inside is the way to go.
Test Car: Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA 1600 '65
Tips:
Bronze Time: 2'23.550
Silver Time: 2'14.930
Gold Time: 2'11.000
3.16 Test IB-16 - Graduation Test
Description: In order to get the International B-Class Racing License, you'll
need to tackle a challenging portion of Italy's street course
(that you've just seen). You'll be timed from the back straight
to the point where you exit the hairpin. After starting on the
straight at high speed, use the gate at the bottom of the hill
as a braking point. The road will flatten here; you can also
use this as a guide point. After the gate, there's a right-left
S-curve. Keep your speed in check here. Then you'll approach a
right-hander. Stay on the outside, then go to the inside at the
end of the curve.
Test Car: Lotus Esprit V8 '02
Tips: I found this test to be very fun, because of how short it is. On the
other hand, I'm sure many of you will find it frustrating because of
the very first turn. So here's what you do. It's imperative that you
get the braking point right. After the start, looking above your car
for the Gran Turismo sign. You will see it's perfectly straight shadow
on the ground. Just past this line is another shadow of a tree on the
left side of the road. This is the ideal braking point: start braking
when your car enters that shadow. For the big hairpin turn, use the
wall to point your car in the right direction and accelerate quickly
out of it. For the last section, you can use full throttle, but take
care to take as straight a line as possible to avoid losing time.
Bronze Time: 0'21.300
Silver Time: 0'19.700
Gold Time: 0'19.000
3.17 Completion Prizes
Inter. B License All Bronze or Better: Nike One 2022
Inter. B License All Silver or Better: Mazda RX-8 Concept (Type-II) '01
Inter. B License All Gold: Jensen-Healey Interceptor Mk.III '74
Note: You can only win these prize cars ONCE!
4.0 International A License
4.1 Test IA-1 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 1
Description: You'll be tested on how well you can negotiate your way through
successive corners for this test. We'll be using the latter
half of the midfield. Right after launch, get ready to brake
for a right-hander in the tunnel. For the following corner, a
long left-hand sweeper, keep on the inside and use the throttle
to control the car's balance. After clearing the straight,
you'll come upon S-curves, but be careful of the left-hander
that follows. It's a tight one, and you'll need to begin
braking while you're still in the esses. A good marker to start
braking is during your transition from the first left-hander of
the S-curves to the following right-hander. And remember to try
and brake in a straight line or you'll upset the balance of the
car. Getting your straight-line braking down is the key to
getting a fast time here.
Test Car: Jaguar XJ220 '92
Tips: The car you're given (while extremely beautiful) doesn't steer very
well. It exhibits lots of understeer, so you need to employ the always
handy technique of tapping the gas during turns for maximum exit speed.
This test frustrated me a lot; in fact, I had to come back to it on
three separate occasions before I got the Gold Prize, and it's all
because of the last turn. You need to start braking WELL before you
reach the turn. I suggest beginning to tap the brake when you're in
the middle of the chicane. Once you pass the small right, brake hard
and DON'T lose control. As you round the corner, tap the gas to float
to the outside. If you try to put on full throttle, the back wheels
will ALWAYS spin and you can't get the Gold this way. Be patient with
this one and try not to get frustrated like I did!
From FPH: The Jaguar in this test understeers a lot, so you have to be
patient getting to full throttle through the turns. This means that
there is a narrow window of corner entry and exit speeds that will
allow the car to stay on the track. For the last turn, don't let the
car get too close to the inside or you will spin out badly when you get
on the gas. Even if you are in the right position, the rear tires will
spin if you go immediately to full throttle, so don't just mash the gas
upon exit.
Bronze Time: 0'35.680
Silver Time: 0'33.166
Gold Time: 0'32.200
4.2 Test IA-2 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 2
Description: We'll be using a section of Suzuka for this test, specifically
the part from the esses to Degner Curve. This test will again
gauge your ability through successive corners. Upon launch,
you'll come upon the esses. Use the entire track to get through
these corners, and carry as much speed as possible. You'll be
climbing uphill, but there are some flat sections of the track
here, so be prudent of understeer. Once you're clear, you'll be
faced with a series of left-handers until you reach Degner
Curve. For the first right-hander, use the posted
braking-distance signs to determine your braking point. A tap
is all you need here, then take the corner as if it were a
90-degree street corner. Once you exit, you'll be on top of a
right-hander, so get on the brakes again. If you don't slow the
car down enough, you'll go off at the exit. The speed you carry
through Degner Curve is important for setting a good lap time at
Suzuka.
Test Car: Alfa Romeo Spider 3.0i V6 24V '01
Tips: I was lucky enough to attempt this test after I had already won the
Gold Prize on S-12, which is a full lap at Suzuka Circuit. After that,
this Gold Prize seemed like a piece of cake. That having been said,
the car they give you in this test has lots of understeer, so you must
be very careful on every turn and not start accelerating until you have
cleared the apex. For the first four turns (the esses), you only HAVE
to brake on the first one; every one after that can be taken by just
letting off on the gas. Once you get past this section and the left
turn that follows, it is time for the turn that is the hardest to
judge. You need to brake confidently and turn in so that you just
graze the apex and float your car out to the left curbing. Then brake
heavily again, and run over the inside curbing on the next turn. Put
your foot on the gas IMMEDIATELY after you pass the curbing, and you
should do just fine. Small adjustments may have to be made in the
esses, but this is the general line you should follow to get the Gold.
From FPH: The Alfa used in this test doesn't respond to steering input
all that quickly, so start your turns early. In the demo, the car taps
the brakes through the esses, but I got through by just letting off the
gas, which gets you ahead a little. Of the 5 turns in the esses, the
4th one (the right turn before you turn left uphill) is the most
important. Exit speed out of the 4th turn will determine how much
speed you carry into the next section before Degner curve. For the
last curves, there is more room on the curbing than you think, so
really turn in hard, getting almost all of the car over the curbing --
that will help maximize your speed.
Bronze Time: 0'58.000
Silver Time: 0'53.130
Gold Time: 0'52.000
4.3 Test IA-3 - Guide to Chicanes: 1
Description: We'll be attacking the B-corner chicane of the 90's version of
Fuji Speedway for this test. There's a slight right-hander
after the start, take this in a straight line using the entire
track. Head straight for the sign ahead. Use this sign to
determine your braking point for the next corner. Hold off on
your braking as long as possible, going as deep as you can into
the turn, and get on the right-hand curbing. Once you're clear,
get back on the throttle, and then on the brakes again for the
following left-hander. If you head for the inside of this
corner too early, you won't make the exit, so try to point the
nose of the car toward the exit as soon possible (typo here).
Also, get onto the curbing. The way you approach the first
right-hander here will determine your pace through the rest of
the section.
Test Car: Nissan SKYLINE GT-R V-spec II (R34) '00
Tips: I found this test to be quite difficult to get Gold on. Maybe that's
because I thought it should be easy (reverse psychology). Anyways, if
you watch the demo (which you should do a few times), you will notice
that the proper braking point for the first turn is just when you car
hits 119 mph. Cut across the apex curbing as much as possible, and
don't be timid, because I never once failed when going over it,
although I thought it should have failed me a few times. The second
turn is the key though. Brake once and hard, then try to graze the
left curbing with full throttle so that you also graze the right
curbing of the next turn. This takes a lot of practice. There's not a
lot of places to make up time on this Gold Prize, but there are a lot
of places to lose time. Good luck.
From FPH: The Skyline in this test has lots of grip, so all the turns
here are high speed. The key to getting the Gold is getting the brake
point down just right for the first turn. Also, for the second,
sharper corner, you need to load the front tires to get the proper
grip, so brake hard right before you start your turn. Then, use the
gas to steer the car out of the turn. The demo does a good job here,
so follow it to the letter.
Bronze Time: 0'19.800
Silver Time: 0'17.700
Gold Time: 0'17.350
4.4 Test IA-4 - Guide to Chicanes: 2
Description: We'll be using the final part of Apricot Hill for this test,
which leads from a tight chicane to the final corner of the
track. After the start, take the high-speed left-hander and
right-hander flat out. At the bottom of the hill, there's
another left-hand corner. Set yourself up on the right edge of
the track. This corner leads into the esses. Drive over the
curbing and stay on the inside as you enter the esses. The last
corner of the esses is a tight left-hander. Try to clear this
corner in a straight line, keeping in mind that the way you
brake for this corner will decide on your success or failure.
The key here is not to think of these corners as separate
entities, but one long continuous path.
Test Car: FPV GT '04
Tips: This is a medium-difficulty Gold Prize. Like the description says,
take the first left and right at full throttle. Be careful not to let
your wheels slide, because you will lose precious tenth of a second.
The ideal braking point for the next left is RIGHT AFTER the black
marks on the road end (before the next patch of black marks). Take the
inside curbing here, tapping the gas as you go. Enter the chicane on
the right curbing, then aim for the left curbing, then float out to the
exit curbing. This is how you get maximum exit acceleration. Be
careful not to slide too much, as this slows you down. For the last
big left, no brake is required, but you do need to let off the gas once
or twice to make an ideal turn.
From FPH: The handling of the FPV in this test SUCKS. This car
understeers a ton, so you have to brake a lot to get it to turn through
the curves. The key to getting the Gold is carrying as much speed as
possible through the chicane. When I got Gold, I went through at about
61 mph. Also, I chose to turn in much later than the demo does on the
last turn, and I think it is faster to do it that way. Fortunately,
there is almost 0.4 seconds between the demo time and the gold time, so
you don't have to be 100% perfect to get Gold.
Bronze Time: 0'37.000
Silver Time: 0'35.298
Gold Time: 0'34.270
4.5 Test IA-5 - 1 Lap Guide Run (El Capitan)
Description: The pace car will be making a presence once again. This time it
will be the Seat Ibiza Cupra running a full lap of El Capitan.
The elevation changes at El Capitan are quite intense,
especially the latter half of the track after the tunnel where
the undulations play havoc with the fore/aft balance of the car.
Try not to invoke understeer when running here. There are many
corners on this track where you'll have difficulty finding the
proper racing line, so observe the pace car carefully.
Test Car: Seat Ibiza Cupra '04
Tips: This test brings into focus a big mistake made by Polyphony Digital.
Here the pace car does at least two turn very wrong, and yet if you
pass the pace car, you fail. These turns are the turn right before the
first split/tunnel, and the blind right turn after the split/tunnel. On
the first, brake before the pace car, and cut across the right side
(grazing the curbing), and you will get much better speed than the pace
car. For the blind downhill right, you don't HAVE to brake, but you
had better because you will pass the pace car if you don't, and fail.
I can't tell you how many times this happened to me. The best you can
do is just accept it, and move on. The rest of this course is fairly
simple, and I didn't honestly spend too much time getting the Gold
Prize on this. One other word of advice, brake early on the large
turns, and let your car drift to the outside for maximum exit speed.
From FPH: Here is another prime example of why I hate the pace car.
It does an OK job on this course except in the turns leading up to the
tunnel/blind downhill turn. The line the pace car takes leading up to
the tunnel is just wrong -- check out the demo for a better one. Also,
you don't need to brake to make the turn going downhill, but if you
don't, you'll pass the pace car and fail. So, just carry as much speed
as you can and wait for the pace car to pick it up, and then hit the
gas. The pace car's line through the 2nd half is pretty decent, so
just follow it. For this test, there are 2 full seconds between the
demo time and a gold time, so you don't have to get everything perfect.
Carry as much speed through the last left hand turn as you can.
Bronze Time: 2'42.980
Silver Time: 2'32.440
Gold Time: 2'28.000
4.6 Test IA-6 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 3
Description: We'll use the first part of the Autumn Ring for this test. A
combination of unconventional corners await. After the start,
take the first left-hander flat out, then you'll arrive at the
succession of corners. The first right-left should be treated
as one corner. Drive as if you're getting on the curbing for an
instant, then cut through to the exit in a straight line. On
the following straight, brake lightly for the next succession of
corners. Take this left-right combination in the same way you
took the first one. Do this and you can carry good speed
through the right-hander that leads you onto the straight.
Don't think about going through one corner at a time, rather
think how you can go quickly through the entire stage. That's
the key to succeeding here.
Test Car: Honda S2000 Type V '00
Tips: This test has made me not want a Honda S2000. The Autumn Ring is a
tricky racetrack, and nothing brings that into clearer focus than this
license test with this car. You are facing a series of left-right-left
turns, as well as a sweeping right, and a final hairpin right. The
best advice I can offer you is not to let the car slide very much. I
know that's difficult, because driving aids have been disabled for this
test. However, it's necessary to keep your car under some semblance of
control. Don't upset your car's balance during the turns, and always
aim for the apex (except on the last hairpin). On the last hairpin,
the proper braking point is right after you pass the opening to the
pavement on the left of the track. As usual, aim for the inside with</pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
acceleration and drift to the outside for maximum exit speed. However,
don't run over the inside curbing on this turn because it may upset the
balance of your car and cause you to enter a slide.
From FPH: I hate this test. If you've been using driver aids a lot up
until this point, you are in for a rude awakening. The TCS and ASM are
turned off for this test, and boy does the S2000 need them. This car
oversteers very badly, and almost without warning. It took me many,
many tries to get the gold on this one, and my only suggestion is use
the curbs as much as you can. The car is so difficult to keep under
control, its hard to develop a consistent plan of attack. Like other
tests, carry as much speed as you can into the short straight, because
you'll lose a lot of time if you are spinning out or sliding.
Bronze Time: 0'33.600
Silver Time: 0'31.724
Gold Time: 0'30.700
4.7 Test IA-7 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 4
Description: The latter half of the Trial Mountain Course is the venue here.
We'll be using a corner with a high difficulty rating. Be aware
that the elevation changes will likely affect the fore/aft
balance of the car. After the start, use the 100-meter sign to
determine your braking point for the first corner. Stay on the
inside here, making full use of the yellow zone. The slight
right-hander that comes next should be taken at full throttle,
but be prepared for the next right-hander. The first part of
this corner is blind so make sure you start braking before the
corner becomes visible. You'll be trail braking so be mindful
of oversteer. After clearing this corner, you'll come upon the
final turn, at the bottom of a steep hill. Controlling your
speed through this corner is vital. If you go in with too much
throttle, you won't make the turn.
Test Car: RUF CTR "Yellow Bird" '87
Tips: For the first turn in this test, brake while you are still in the
shadows and take the inside (drive over the yellow). On the exit of
this turn, go way inside again, so that you can get straight line
acceleration out of the turn. The next right can be taken with no
brake, but begin tapping the brake immediately before you go over the
hill. This is the trickiest turn to get right. Just slide a little
bit, and accelerate out to the left side of the track. For the last
turn, brake while you are still in the shadows and follow a tactic
similar to the very first turn of this test.
From FPH: The RUF in this test has loads of power, so be careful of
power oversteer. When you come to the top of the hill, be careful,
because it is easy to lose control of the car. For the final left
turn, wait until you are completely through the turn and accelerate in
a straight line, or else you will spin out, go off course, or both.
Bronze Time: 0'37.000
Silver Time: 0'35.020
Gold Time: 0'34.000
4.8 Test IA-8 - City Street Challenge: 3
Description: Now we'll test you on a quirky street-course section, from the
hairpin to the final corner of the Hong Kong Circuit. After the
start, the first corner, a hairpin, will become visible. The
road is narrow here, especially when you consider the speeds you
can carry, so be careful that you're not going too fast. Now
you'll come upon a series of 90-degree corners. Carry as much
speed as possible through these corners, using all of the track.
Note that when the road goes from narrow to wide, the corners
become easier to see and judge thanks to the red-and-white
curbing, so you can really get on the throttle. Make full use
of the braking distance signs on all the corners.
Test Car: Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6 24V '98
Tips: This test is long for a non-full lap, but I'm sure you'll manage. For
the first turn, I have found the idle braking point to be about 65m
from the turn (you can estimate where this is by the 100m and 50m
marks). On every subsequent turn, the goal is to brake very early and
not skid your tires through the turn so that you get maximum exit
speed. This is especially difficult in the final three turns. Just
try to pinpoint your braking so that you can turn in and always run
over the inside curbing on every turn.
From FPH: The brake point for the first hairpin is right before the
50m marker. Try to drive over the curbing on the first two 90 degree
turns, with an emphasis on corner exit speed. For the final
left-right-left series, slow down more than necessary on the second
turn (the right) so you can take a good line at higher speed for the
final turn.
Bronze Time: 1'14.900
Silver Time: 1'08.570
Gold Time: 1'06.200
4.9 Test IA-9 - City Street Challenge: 4
Description: This test takes place in the middle section of the Opera Paris
street course. Let's see how well you can negotiate its wide
variety of turns. Accelerate out of the box, and you'll come to
a plaza with a chicane. Brake in a straight line, and drive on
top of the left- and right-side curbing. Use some throttle
steer here. After the following straight, you'll get to the
Opera House. Trail brake into this corner. Make sure you slow
the car down enough to get on top of the curbing on this first
corner in the open square. For the following hairpin, be
patient with the throttle and stay to the inside of the corner.
The road surface has many irregularities, so if you go to the
outside edges in some places, you will get understeer.
Test Car: Citroen Xsara VTR '03
Tips: I was lucky enough to attempt this Gold Prize after I had already
completed S-11, which is a full lap on the Opera Paris course. There
are two main keys to this test. By now, you should know how to take a
chicane properly, so I'll just tell you that the proper braking point
after the start is over the last crosswalk before the turn. Stay as
close to the apex of each of these turns as possible, and DON'T hit the
wall on the final exit because you'll lose a lot of time that way. The
next turn is by far the trickiest. Brake once slightly before the
small right, and brake heavily after you have passed its apex. Then
ACCELERATE through this turn. This is pretty much the ONLY way to get
the Gold Prize. I've seen too many of my friends lose speed in this
turn because they insist on sliding around it (sometimes bumping the
wall with their back end; sometimes not). This is suicide on a Gold
Prize run. For the final hairpin, take the extreme inside curbing and
again, accelerate around this curve so that you get maximum exit speed.
If you're having trouble with this one, maybe you should try to do S-11
first . . .
From FPH: This test is hard. For the first chicane, stay as close to
all the curbs on the inside of the turns as you can. I was able to
beat the demo through this part by at least a car length, so work hard
to get this part fast. For the last section, try to emulate what the
demo does, although I found it difficult to accelerate, because the car
spins out. If you are using a manual transmission, shift down to avoid
this.
Bronze Time: 0'45.760
Silver Time: 0'43.827
Gold Time: 0'42.550
4.10 Test IA-10 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Fuji Speedway 2005)
Description: Let's use the pace car once again for this test. Follow the
pace car for a lap of Fuji Speedway 2005F. The overall layout
of the track is similar to the 90's version of the track, but
there are changes in the details, so don't take this new version
lightly. For example, on the latter half of the track, there's
a new tight corner, hidden from view, so you must exercise
caution. Observe the racing line of the pace car and memorize
the track's layout.
Test Car: Toyota CALDINA GT-FOUR '02
Tips:
From FPH: There is a full second between the demo time and the gold
time, so again you don't have to be perfect. In several areas, there
is a thin strip of grass between the main road and another paved
surface. I found that if I overshot the turn and went across the
grass, I didn't fail for some reason, so maybe you can use this to your
advantage. The last turn in the course is very important, and it's
hard to see, so practice to get as much speed as you can. It takes
about 22 seconds to get to the finish line from the final turn.
Bronze Time: 2'25.000
Silver Time: 2'16.300
Gold Time: 2'13.000
4.11 Test IA-11 - Competition dirt racing: 2
Description: We'll now test your ability through high-speed corners on dirt.
The site is the final portion of the Swiss Alps Course. You'll
jump two hills after the start, then come upon tight S-curves.
Start braking on the outside of the first corner and the prepare
to slide through the turn (typo here). Once you swing the rear
end out and establish your drift, use the momentum to slide and
drift smoothly through the left-hand corner. If you slow the
car down too much before the first corner, you won't have the
momentum to change the direction of the slide for the second
corner. Try it over and over to find the optimum entry speed.
Repeat the same technique for the next right-hander, but keep in
mind that this corner is quite deep, so the key is to maintain
your drift to the end of the corner. Use the steering and the
throttle to keep the car pointed in the correct direction.
Test Car: Mitsubishi PAJERO Evolution Rally Raid Car '03
Tips: This is an easy test overall, but one of the harder rally tests to get
the Gold Prize on. Preparing for the turn is just as important as
taking it correctly. Set yourself up on the middle left of the track
after the start, and tap the brake to have your car just graze the wall
on the right. NOW BRAKE HARD. You can gain A LOT of time by braking
here, so again, BRAKE HARD. This allows you to gain traction MUCH more
quickly than you would if you slide through the big turn. Follow this
advice again for the last turn, although you don't need to brake quite
as hard as for the previous turn, mainly because you're not going as
fast as you were before. It's possible to do VERY well on this test.
From FPH: This test isn't too hard. For the first turn, slow down and
hug the inside of the rail and get on the gas as soon as you can. For
the last sweeper, use the handbrake to initiate drift -- I tried using
the normal brake, but it just slows you down and doesn't cause the car
to drift very well.
Bronze Time: 0'33.000
Silver Time: 0'30.694
Gold Time: 0'29.800
4.12 Test IA-12 - Driving on Snow: 2
Description: The latter section of Chamonix is the venue for the high-speed
test on ice and snow. The level of friction of snow and ice is
lower than dirt so car control is of the essence. The key here
are the hairpins. Set the car up for the drift, swinging the
car out in the opposite direction, then swinging it back toward
the turn. The momentum caused by the change of direction should
allow you to slide through the corner more effectively. Start
the slide in one direction using the steering wheel as you
either hit the brakes or lift off the throttle. This feint will
help you achieve a smooth powerful drift. Usually, drifting
through a corner means going in at high speed, but on snow, if
you don't slow the car down properly, you'll get lots of
understeer.
Test Car: Toyota CELICA GT-FOUR Rally Car (ST185) '95
Tips: This test really isn't all that hard. The game will not let you hit
the walls too hard here, although as long as you're not going over 30
mph or so, you can bump the walls with your back end to give you some
direction. The two key turns here are the two hairpins about halfway
through the test. Make sure you brake heavily before each of them
BEFORE turning; otherwise, you will probably spin out and miss your
chance for the Gold Prize.
From FPH: I personally have no problem just riding around the rails to
get gold on this. There are plenty of other tests that are hard enough
to get gold (like the next one, for example), so I say enjoy the easy
one. Don't hit the walls too hard or you'll fail.
Bronze Time: 1'04.800
Silver Time: 1'00.770
Gold Time: 0'59.000
4.13 Test IA-13 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 5
Description: For our high-speed cornering test, we'll go to the super
high-speed section of the Nurburgring's North course. Make sure
you're in constant control of your high-speed car's speed on
this course. After the start, the first left-right-left can be
taken flat out. Start braking for the esses when the road
begins to climb. There isn't much to the first right-hander,
but the following left is rather tight, so make sure you get the
car slowed down enough to clear this corner. Trail braking is
necessary, therefore, keeping the car on the driving surface
when slowing the car down is a must. If you don't stick to the
inside of the corner, you won't be able to establish a good
time. The two left-hand corners are rather deep so be careful.
Test Car: BMW M5 '05
Tips: This test is a bit challenging, although once you have the two keys
down, it's really not too much worse than the others. After the first
gentle left-right-left (which should be taken at full throttle), set
yourself up on the right side of the track next to the curbing. Brake
after you pass the beginning of the curbing BRIEFLY, and then
accelerate through the turn. This is the first key turn here, and much
practice will be needed to get this down with any consistency. After
you're through the turn, get ready to brake hard, because the next turn
is a slow one. Then you have a slow left. This is the second key.
You need to set yourself up on the extreme outside edge here to cut
inside across the apex curbing. Once you've done these two things
right, you should be relatively home free.
From FPH: This test is pretty hard. The M5 in this test is
super-powerful, and it handles well, but the Nurburgring is a narrow
course and it is designed to upset the balance of a car. The only tips
I can offer are these:
1. The first rule of the Nurburgring is DO NOT DRIVE ON THE GRASS!
2. The second rule of the Nurburgring is DO NOT DRIVE ON THE GRASS!
3. Try to get as much speed as you can when exiting a corner.
Bronze Time: 0'28.500
Silver Time: 0'27.030
Gold Time: 0'25.580
4.14 Test IA-14 - Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 6
Description: Now for S-curves with a high degree of difficulty. We'll use
the latter part of Twin Ring Motegi's road course. After the
start, take the first left-hander flat out. Then immediately
get on the brakes as you approach the esses. For the first
left-hander, try to get onto the curbing as deep into the corner
as possible or you won't be able to make the turn for the next
right-hander. If you get too anxious with the throttle for the
right-hander, you'll get understeer and go off. Try to get the
car in a straight line as soon as possible. Your test vehicle
is a high-powered front-engine/rear drive car, which means if
you get on the gas too abruptly, you'll invoke power oversteer.
Test Car: TVR Tamora '02
Tips: What a delightful test, amidst so many annoying and tough ones. First
off, this test is just plain short. I suppose this is a blessing and a
curse. On the one hand, there's not many places to mess up. On the
other hand, there's not many places to make up time! I tend to agree
with the first assessment, however. From the start, you don't need to
brake to take the first left. As soon as you clear the apex, let off
the gas and prepare to brake. Brake hard, and aim to take the chicane
as straight as possible. The real key here is timing the chicane
perfectly so that you can accelerate out of it to the outside curbing.
This is the key to getting the Gold Prize.
From FPH: I found this test to be fairly easy, so there isn't a lot of
strategy to learn. Let off the gas briefly before the 1st corner, and
make good use of the curbing throughout, and you should be able to get
gold here without much problem.
Bronze Time: 0'15.340
Silver Time: 0'14.472
Gold Time: 0'14.200
4.15 Test IA-15 - 1 Lap Guide Run (Nurburgring North Course)
Description: Now for a session with the pace car again. Let's take a lap
around the challenging Nurburgring's North course. It's an
incredibly long course, with one lap measuring about 12 miles.
There are more than 170 corners here, so don't try to set a
blistering time right away. You'll need to memorize the course
first. Not only will you need to remember the sections you've
seen before, but you'll need to learn some new bits as well.
Make sure you input every inch of this track into your brain
before going all out. Memorize the location of the curbing and
the width of the track in various places for these bits of
information will come in handy. Once you've done this, then
start finding the proper line through the course. Observe the
pace car carefully, and follow its line precisely.
Test Car: Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5 - 16 Evolution III '91
Tips:
From Kinglink: If you take it slower on corners, you can beat the test
on your first try. Just remember that you do have a WHOLE minute from
the absolute fastest time to just beat it for the Bronze prize.
From FPH: If you want the gold on this test, then you need to be
patient, and have some time to spend to memorize the layout. Keep in
mind that the demo time finishes in 8'50.00, so you have 12.6 seconds
between the demo time and the gold time. There are 11 split-times that
are posted during the run, so aim to lose, at most, 1 second per split.
I got the gold by working this one section at a time. To learn a
particular section, simply take it easy through the earlier parts, and
then pick up the pace on the section you are working on. The splits
from the demo run are:
T1: 0'59.700
T2: 1'41.400
T3: 2'16.200
T4: 3'19.400
T5: 4'07.500
T6: 4'41.800
T7: 5'44.000
T8: 6'36.000
T9: 7'02.200
T10: 7'54.000
T11: 8'21.600
Bronze Time: 10'00.000
Silver Time: 9'23.000
Gold Time: 9'02.600
4.16 Test IA-16 - Graduation Test
Description: To obtain your International A-Class Racing License, you'll need
to successfully run the Sarthe Circuit at full wick in a Group C
racing car. You'll start on the Mulsanne Straight. From here,
you'll be running flat out for about 4 miles. Despite being a
straight, there are slight kinks here, as well as road
irregularities; be ready at all times on the steering wheel.
The brakes are very powerful on this car so use the 200-meter
post as the indicator to begin braking. After the right-hander,
you'll be on another straight for about a mile. Then you'll be
confronted with some tricky corners, one of them Indianapolis
and the other, a 90-degree turn called Arnage. Treat the latter
as if you were running a street course, and enjoy the rush of
237 mph on the straight.
Test Car: Nissan R92CP Race Car '92
Tips: What a bitch. What. A. Bitch. Ok, now that's out of the way. On
the very first turn, you MUST be perfect, because this is an easy place
to make up time on the Gold Prize time. Brake as you enter the second
[tree] shadow, then turn hard inside. If done perfectly, you will just
miss grazing the sandy section on the left and you will get maximum
exit speed. After going [really] fast down the straight, brake
slightly after the 100 meter mark on the left side of the road. Cut
across the apex and try your best not to slide (this turn frustrated me
so bad, I hit my desk with my fist a couple of times; ouch!). Then go
[really] fast again, and set yourself up to take the slight right
pretty fast, then brake almost immediately. Cut across the left apex
and again, try not to slide (ouch again . . . more hitting of the
desk). For the last turn, brake before the grass changes color on the
left side of the road and you should be fine. Be patient with this
one . . . and make sure your loved ones are nowhere near you, because
you'll probably curse more than a few times.
From Kinglink: Watch the Demo. There are two different corners in the
180 at the end of the test. The second corner requires a lot of
braking, and the car should only be going less than 50 mph. The two
90-degree turns at the end also need to be taken very slow. Enjoy the
235 mph section!
Bronze Time: 1'52.300
Silver Time: 1'47.000
Gold Time: 1'43.400
4.17 Completion Prizes
I-A License All Bronze or Better: Nismo 270R '94 (S14)
I-A License All Silver or Better: Nissan GT-R Concept (TokyoShow) '01
I-A License All Gold: Dome Zero '78
Note: You can only win these prize cars ONCE!
5.0 Super License
5.1 Test S-1 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Twin Ring Motegi Road Course)
Description: You'll be tested on how quickly you can complete one lap of
Motegi's road course. You've already seen various parts of this
track in previous tests, so try to remember how you ran those
sections when going all out here. Your test vehicle is a race
car, therefore the brakes in particular are very powerful.
There are many corners where you'll need to take a dedicated
line and pace, so try not to dive into these corners too
abruptly or you'll lose precious seconds. The main attraction
of this track is the part from the first overpass to just after
the esses. Your top speed on the straights will depend on the
lines you take through the corners, so always keep in mind entry
and exit speed.
Test Car: Honda Gathers Drider CIVIC Race Car '98
Tips: The Super License Gold Prizes are extremely difficult to get. The
times are very close to perfect, much more so than the other license
tests. You must drive with the utmost precision and patience in order
to earn each of the Super License Gold Prizes (except for the snow
courses, of course). For the first turn in this race, brake as you
pass the shadow in the road. For the second set of turns, brake about
100 feet before the turn-off on the right side of the track. If you
take these turns perfectly, you'll be about 0'39.300 for the first
split time. For most of the turns that follow, the correct braking
point is a little ways after the dark marks in the road (afterwards
because your car is slightly slower than the cars that made these
marks). For the S-curve about halfway through, the first turn should
be made after heavy but brief braking, and the next turn can be taken
with no brake (right before the second split time). It is easy to lose
speed in the hairpin before the third split time; focus on exit speed,
and use the outside curbing! The first time I did this turn right, I
got the gold prize. For the very last chicane, refer to License Test
IA-14 when you saw this turn for the very first time.
From FPH: The splits for this test are 39.4, 1'18.8, and 1'40.2. When
working on this test, I lost a lot of time on the first hard right hand
turn following the two 180 degree turns (right after the first split)
and in the esses that follow this turn. For the hard right turn after
the first split, stay off the curbing, as it caused me to spin out.
Wait until you are through the turn to accelerate. The demo does a
decent job here, so try to follow its line.
Bronze Time: 2'26.700
Silver Time: 2'21.110
Gold Time: 2'17.000
5.2 Test S-2 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Citta di Aria)
Description: You'll be timed through a full lap of Italy's street course. Go
as fast as you can through these narrow city orads. The spots
to gain the most time are the hairpin, which you've already see
before in previous tests, and the downhill tight corner located
between the rock walls. The hairpin is a late-apexer so don't
turn in too quickly here. The numerous tight corners of this
course are challenging, but if you think out-in-out on this
narrow thoroughfare, you'll find that you'll develop a rhythm.
Try and remember how the pace car ran through the course. Your
test vehicle is the Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 Duetto.
Test Car: Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 Duetto '66
Tips: Remember IB-15? Well, this is the same track in a very similar car.
The only two differences are that this car is slower and that there is
no pace car (which was an annoyance in IB-15 anyway). However, I think
this test is much easier and I got the Gold Prize for this one before I
got the one for IB-15. There are few sections to watch out for here.
First off, from the starting line, DON'T start with full throttle.
Start with as little as possible (but greater than 0) and you should
see your car overtake your ghost easily on the very first straight.
After the first big right, treat the next left like a chicane; brake
early and thread the needle between the walls (don't hit them!) for
maximum exit speed. Once you pass the first split, don't be afraid to
bounce your car off the right wall once or twice; you'll gain a LOT
more speed this way (note that this is impossible in IB-15, because you
would have passed or hit the pace car). Don't let your car slide too
much in this section; this is VERY VERY important for your exit speed
out of here onto the long straight. For the proper brake point, go
back and read the tips section for IB-16, and brake slightly after this
because your car is slower here than in that test. Finally, the last
turn might even be the most key, because exit speed is crucial in this
uphill section. Brake earlier than you think you should here so that
you can thread the needle (like earlier in the course) and avoid the
walls to attain maximum exit speed and acceleration.
From FPH: This test is basically IB-15 all over again, in a different
car. This car is even slower than the one you used before, so keep
your speed high! I also found that before the tight section in the
city (the esses before the straight where you get the 2nd split) you
can hit the walls slightly before the 1st hard left turn. If you hit
the walls (not too hard!) you can go through much faster than braking.
Finally, the last left hand turn going uphill in the city is CRUCIAL to
a good time. When I failed, I either didn't brake enough and crashed
into the wall, or I braked too much, and lost too much speed going
uphill. The demo splits are 58.0 and 1'34.7.
Bronze Time: 2'26.440
Silver Time: 2'21.000
Gold Time: 2'17.000
5.3 Test S-3 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Special Stage Route 5)
Description: Making its first appearance in the licensing portion of the game
is Special Stage Route 5, of which you'll be doing one complete
lap. This course has numerous technical sections, such as
S-curves and late-apexers, so make sure you have a plan of
attack before going all out. You'll be piloting the super
high-performance Saleen S7, so all your skills will be put to
the test. The most important part of this track are the series
of corners after the tunnel. Don't concentrate on just one
corner here, rather devise a strategy for getting through the
entire section. There's a hairpin located at the top of the
straight. You'll need to brake while you're still drive uphill.
The following straight and right-hander should be taken in a
similar way. Don't get too aggressive and overcook it on this
track because this track makes you pay for it.
Test Car: Saleen S7 '02
Tips:
From FPH: This test brings back bad memories of GT3, when the
S-license featured this track, except you were driving a lame car in
the rain. The tables are turned this time, as you are driving the
supercar Saleen S7. Thankfully, TCS and ASM are turned on for this
test. This course is peculiar, because I don't think there is one
racing line that is faster than another, especially in the first
section. I tried lots of different lines, and I ended up getting about
the same times. So do whatever you feel most comfortable with. Just
make sure that when you do it, you keep the hammer down, and I mean
with AUTHORITY. I was able to beat the demo to the first split by 0.7
seconds, so you dont have to follow it through the first section. The
very last two turns (the chicane and the right sweeper) are very tough
to do correctly, so watch the demo and try to do exactly as it does
through here. Demo splits are 33.3 and 57.0.
Bronze Time: 1'33.400
Silver Time: 1'27.000
Gold Time: 1'24.500
5.4 Test S-4 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Costa di Amalfi)
Description: Here's a course developed on a resort island. It's called
Amalfi Circuit and you'll be required to run one full lap.
You'll experience a hillclimb that'll take you to the top of the
island, followed by an intense downhill section. The course
layout can be simply characterized as: a bunch of straights
connected by hairpins. Keep in mind that your exit speed out of
the corners will determine your top speed on the straights.
Also remember that on the first-half of the course, the uphill
section, you'll get more understeer than normal because less
weight is on the front tires. Brake hard to transfer weight to
the fronts then point the car in the correct direction. Through
the latter half of the course, the downhill portion, make sure
you brake in a straight line, if you brake while turning, you'll
upset the balance of the car.
Test Car: Lancia STRATOS Rally Car '77
Tips:
From FPH: This test is really easy to get gold on, provided you don't
mind bending the rules a little bit (a la snow courses). The first
thing to note is do not launch this car from the start line at much
above idle. If you do, you'll get a good amount of wheelspin, whereas
if you don't, you'll get lots of acceleration. After making it to the
top of the hill is where the "cheating" part comes in. There are two
long sweepers at the top of this course which you can just ride the
rails around, and you'll pick up 3-4 seconds on the demo time. With
that amount of cushion, you should easily be able to pick up a gold. I
tried riding the rails around the tighter turns, but it usually ends up
in a "fail" or just isn't very fast. Also, you are driving a rally car
through this test, so if you are good at drifting, then by all means do
it (use the handbrake instead of the brake to start your drift). Demo
splits are 44.1, 1'09.4, and 1'44.0.
Bronze Time: 2'27.500
Silver Time: 2'21.110
Gold Time: 2'17.000
5.5 Test S-5 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Seattle)
Description: This is another course you're seeing for the first time in the
licensing portion of the game. It's called the Seattle Circuit,
and you'll be timed doing a full lap. We'll be using the Ford
GT as the test car. It's a tricky city road course with plenty
of challenging corners after another, so make sure you memorize
the layout before seriously going for a good lap time. The
first hairpin after the starting line is your first obstacle.
You'll need to brake about 200 meters before getting to the
corner; make sure you slow the car down enough to make the turn.
The intense uphill straight leads to a blind 90-degree turn, so
you'll have to start braking before the corner becomes visible.
Then there are two places where the car gets airborne. The
course widens here, so make full use of the road and open up the
throttle. Use the curbing that's on most of the corners; let it
help you point the car in the correct direction. This course
gives you a taste of the exhilaration of high speed driving.
Test Car: Ford GT '05
Tips:
From FPH: Another test that brings back bad memories for me from GT3.
The exact same course and car was presented, except you had to run the
course backwards (which is a lot harder), and you had no driver aids to
keep the damn thing under wraps. This test is a lot easier in my
opinion. The first part requires you to brake from high speed and take
a tight 180 degree hairpin. The best point I found to start braking is
as follows: there are 2 crosswalks painted in white (they appear in
sets along the course). Right before the 100m marker on the first
straight, you will see a pair. Hit the brakes hard right as your front
tires cross the 2nd of the two crosswalks. Slow to about 40 mph, then
try to accelerate in a straight line into the next section. The next
part is the jumping section. The right place to brake for this is
right as you crest the last of the 3 hills. For the long straight on
the back on the course, you will again need to brake a lot from high
speed. I found braking right at the 100m marker gave good results.
Finally, the demo does an absolutely wretched job handling the final
left-right chicane. You need to brake in advance, and then hit the gas
through the chicane, without excessive sideslip like the demo. This
will save you a lot of time. The demo splits are 30.5 and 1'12.7.
Also, you have over 1 sec between the demo and the Gold, so it doesn't
have to be perfect.
Bronze Time: 1'43.200
Silver Time: 1'37.500
Gold Time: 1'34.200
5.6 Test S-6 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Ice Arena)
Description: Driving in the snow, that's what it's all about here at the Snow
Arena Course. You'll be timed doing one full lap. Although
it's short in length, this course is quite the challenge. The
reason: the driving surface here is very slick, so steering,
accelerating and braking are less responsive than on dry tarmac.
Accelerating may be the trickiest, so be delicate on the
throttle; remember, the most important thing is making the car
progress forward. And, much in the same manner as previous
tests on slick surfaces, sliding the car is the best way to get
around quickly. Crank the steering as you enter a corner, lift
off the gas or get on the brakes, and you'll get the rear to
break loose. This will get the car to drift. Once you've done
that, use the steering and the gas pedal to control the drift.
If you don't have enough weight on the front tires, you'll
understeer off the track. If you're too aggressive on the
throttle, you'll spin, so be careful.
Test Car: Hyundai Accent Rally Car '01
Tips: This test is really easy. Use the walls to guide your car around
turns, because it's much quicker than drifting through the corners.
Once you master bumping the walls very gently with your back end, this
test becomes a breeze and the Gold Prize is very simple to get.
From FPH: Snow course. You know the drill by now. Drive along the
rails, and be careful switching from left-rail to right-rail, as the
tolerance for hitting the walls is very low.
Bronze Time: 1'00.900
Silver Time: 0'58.710
Gold Time: 0'57.000
5.7 Test S-7 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Trial Mountain)
Description: Now you'll be timed for a lap around the Trial Mountain Course,
with its jagged rocks and stone cliff walls. It's a high-speed
course that requires first-rate driving skills, so use all that
you've learned from the previous tests to clear this stage. The
highlight of this course is a section you've seen previously,
the part after you clear the tunnel. The driving surface of the
first right-hander is slick so make sure you're ready for
understeer when turning in. through the next tunnel, start on
the right and gradually veer to the left. Cut across the yellow
border line at the exit to get as much speed as possible for the
straight. There's a tight blind corner to follow, but if you
find the ideal line here, you'll be able to keep your speed
high.
Test Car: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren '03
Tips: This test is pretty enjoyable, mostly because the SLR McLaren is such
an awesome car! Moreover, the car is pretty fast and handles pretty
well. The only thing remotely wrong with it is its weight and can get
off balance easily if you use too much curbing. The first real
challenge in this course is right after the first split. Brake well in
advance and turn in so that you JUST MISS the inside rock face. This
is key to getting good exit speed. On the next right turn, you should
brake earlier than you have to too (trust me here!) because again, you
get maximum exit speed. For the next left, brake as soon as all four
of your wheels are inside the shadow and cut hard inside. Now you have
the long straight. You need to brake about 100 feet before the shadows
end at the end of this straight, take the inside, and drift outside
again. The most difficult turns are coming up, so get ready. The turn
right before the last split is a devil - it's blind and tricky. I
brake RIGHT BEFORE I go over the hill, and try to be cautious as I let
the SLR drift to the outside before accelerating fully. The next left
hairpin is business as usual (just watch out for too much acceleration
- you could go off the track here). Finally, brake once and firmly for
the last left-right chicane and put the throttle down! Overall, this
is a fun and short test.
From FPH: I liked this test alot, mostly because of the cool spoiler
animations done on the SLR McLaren. The demo does a pretty poor job in
the turn right after the first tunnel. The right way to take this
curve is to brake early and then hit the gas as you cross the apex.
The demo does do a good job through the second tunnel section -- focus
on exit speed here, and try to drive over as much of the yellow
pavement as possible. For the back straight, the braking point is
either 1. When you hit 150mph, hit the brakes, or 2. The back straight
is mostly in the shade, but as you approach the hard left turn, there
is a spot where the course turns from shady to sunny. Hit the brakes
about a car length before this line. If you slow down to about 62-63
mph, then you should be able to hug the inside line, and hit the gas to
accelerate right out -- check the demo for this. Also, at the top of
the hill, it is VERY important that you brake BEFORE you crest the
hill, or the car will lose grip and you'll probably crash into the
walls. The demo splits for this test are 19.8, 41.2, and 1'09.7.
Bronze Time: 1'38.300
Silver Time: 1'32.000
Gold Time: 1'30.500
5.8 Test S-8 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Tokyo Route 246)
Description: For this test, you'll be timed for a full lap of Tokyo Route
246, a street course that cuts through the heart of Tokyo. This
long track can be driven mostly flat out, so finding the right
driving line is paramount. One of the key points here is
getting the braking point correct for the first corner. There's
a 100-meter sign before the corner, start braking right before
you get to the sign. Then you'll come upon an oval section.
Driving on top of the inside curbing here will result in better
lap times. The speed through the final corner under the
overpass is also important. Be careful not to carry too much
speed through certain parts of the track, and make sure you
drive over as much of th curbing as possible. If you drive over
the curbing correctly, you'll get better lap times...not only
here but on virtually any other race track.
Test Car: Honda TAKATA DOME NSX (JGTC) '03
Tips:
From FPH: This test is not too bad, and it's also fun because you
spend most of your time driving really fast. The hardest part of this
course is getting through the turns where you have to brake from high
speed and take a sharp turn (e.g., the 1st corner). For the first
corner, follow this approach: There are two red signs that read
"Firestone" between the yellow 200m and 100m markers. Hit the brakes
right as the second "Firestone" sign is about to disappear at the top
of the screen. Hold the brakes through three (3) gear changes.
Immediately after you switch from 4th to 3rd, start your turn through
the hairpin and nail the gas (you should be doing about 78mph when you
hit the gas). For the long 180 degree sweeper that follows this
section, brake to 110mph and then hug the curbing as you complete the
turn. Apply as much gas as you can, and try to exit this section with
as much speed as you can. After a quick left hand turn, you'll
approach a short back straight, followed by a right-left chicane. For
whatever reason, the NSX really likes to spin out and crash if you
don't drive over the curbing on the left turn, so make sure you go over
it. The demo does a lousy job handling the small left hand chicane
immediately before the final turn that leads to the long straight.
Brake early to 120mph, turn hard and hit the gas to make up a nice
chunk of time. In general, the tolerance for hitting the wall in this
test seems lower than usual, so be mindful of this. Demo splits are
13.9 and 51.1. Also, the demo finishes in 1'31.9, giving you a full
second between that and the gold time.
Bronze Time: 1'42.000
Silver Time: 1'36.330
Gold Time: 1'33.000
5.9 Test S-9 - 1 Lap Time Trial (El Capitan)
Description: Now for a timed lap of the El Captain Course (typo here), pieces
of which you've seen a number of times already. Keep in mind
that this course has intense elevation changes, so maintaining
the balance of the car is vital. The key part of this track is
the section after the first right-hand corner. Because the
driving surface changes abruptly, be careful of sudden
understeer. Also, take note of the blind corner after the
tunnel. Make sure you're set up for this corner before it
becomes visible. In fact, always envision the corner ahead of
the one you're taking. There are parts on this track where
you'll see stones and rubble to the side; there's very little
grip here, so staying away from these irregularities is
recommended.
Test Car: Dodge VIPER SRT10 '03
Tips: This test isn't really that tough, because there are several places
where you can employ some "tricks" to get you through to the Gold
Prize. That having been said, there are some extremely annoying parts!
Namely, the turn right after the first split, which is the blind
corner. The first tip I can offer you is, on the very first sweeping
left turn, USE THE WALL. You can use it to stop your speed and give
you a slight edge which is ever so valuable. Try it a few times both
ways and you will see what I mean. On the chicane before the tunnel,
brake early so that you can take the chicane almost straight on. Brake
once and firmly when approaching the blind curve and stick to the left
side of the track. This will avoid having your car jump and lose
precious traction in this difficult turn. Everything is pretty normal
now until you reach the second split. Right after the bridge ends,
begin braking and accelerate out to the right for maximum speed. This
turn is very difficult to get right, but it is key for obtaining the
Gold Prize. Finally, before the last couple of turns, there is a hill
during a right turn. Brake right before the hill and take this turn
straight on in preparation for the final turn. This will also shave
precious tenths of a second off of your time.
From FPH: I dont think this test is that hard, but it still took me a
while to get the Gold, most likely because I'm just not familiar with
El Capitan's layout yet. As I've mentioned before, the demo still
takes the wrong line in the section just before the first tunnel /
first split. Brake earlier than the demo, and cut across in more of a
straight line for a faster time. I had trouble getting over the hill
reproducably, so the best idea is probably just take it slow. The demo
does a pretty decent job in the second half of the course, so just try
to follow its lead. As always, focus on carrying as much speed as
possible onto the final straight, as that has a lot to do with your
time. Demo splits are 32.0 and 1'09.6, and you have about 1 second
between demo and Gold.
Bronze Time: 2'00.000
Silver Time: 1'51.300
Gold Time: 1'47.800
5.10 Test S-10 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Grand Canyon)
Description: Let's now do a timed lap of the Grand Canyon Course, a long,
dirt track. You'll need plenty of concentration to complete
this 3.5-km circuit. The key point here is the section near
the cliffs. There are many corners where you'll need to slide
the car, so car control is vital in establishing a good lap
time. The important things to remember when sliding your car
are braking and lifting off the throttle. The tight part at the
end of the cliff section can make or break your run. Getting
too flashy with your driving may result in loss of time, so be
as efficient as possible.
Test Car: Mitsubishi STARION 4WD Rally Car '84
Tips: Contrary to what my esteemed colleague, FPH, says in the following
paragraph, I found the walls to be quite useful on this test. In fact,
I got the Gold Prize on only my third completed lap! The thing to be
careful of when using the walls is to find the right amount of force to
hit the wall with without failing and use that to your advantage in</pre><pre id="faqspan-4">
every turn that is larger than or equal to 90 degrees. Do some
experimenting to find the maximum force allowed before failure. You
should remember NOT to use the walls in a few places. Namely, in the
section near the beginning where all the spectator are. Another place
is the beginning of the cliffs section, almost right after the first
section mentioned. Also, it is not necessary to use the walls near the
end of the course, again where the spectators are mostly gathered.
This test shouldn't give you much grief if you're not afraid to use the
walls to steer your car in the right direction.
From FPH: Grrr. I just dont like rally racing, so this test really
ticked me off. At first I tried using the snow course approach, i.e.
just riding the rails, but the best I could do was like 10 seconds off
the Gold. So unfortunately, you are actually going to have to try on
this course. That having been said, there are several turns where
riding the rails will net you a significant gain in time over the demo.
Rather than describe these turns, I will simply list them by the time
at which the demo car reaches them. They are: a right turn at 20
seconds, another right at 27 seconds, a 180 degree turn at 1'58, the
following 180 degree turn at 2'06, and the final pair of 180 degree
turns at 2'26 and 2'33. You may be tempted to ride the rail around
the turn at 2'14, but I think this is a bad idea, because you won't
have good exit speed for the short straight that follows. Be extremely
careful using the ride-the-wall approach, because the walls on this
course are unbelievably sensitive to impacts, which will cause you to
fail a lot (GRR!!). The demo splits are 1'22.0 and 1'54.4. Riding
around the select walls, I was able to beat these splits by 1.5 and 2.0
seconds -- and someone who is actually good at rally driving can
probably do much better.
Bronze Time: 3'02.000
Silver Time: 2'53.000
Gold Time: 2'47.000
5.11 Test S-11 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Opera Paris)
Description: The pristine streets of Paris is the site for this track, the
Opera Paris Course. You'll be doing a timed lap. Although this
course is relatively simple, there are a number of chicanes
placed at open sections of the track. Getting the car slowed
down and effectively negotiating the chicanes are key to getting
a good lap time. Because the performance of the car is so high,
make sure you find the correct braking points for every corner.
There are surface irregularities on this track, which tends to
happen on city streets that collect standing water, so when you
get set up on the outside edges of the road, you may experience
understeer. The Place de la Concord serves as the start and
finish line. Envision and think of this track in its entirety
as you devise your plan of attack.
Test Car: Renault Clio Renault Sport V6 Phase 2 '03
Tips: This is one of the easiest Super License Gold Prizes to get, that is,
if you have much experience driving the Opera Paris course. The key
parts to this race all involve not letting your car slide through
turns, because you gain much more speed by having full traction with
the road surface and accelerating out of them. The first series of
turns (the right-left-right after the start) can be taken with full
throttle. Don't let your car slide, and on the last right, float out
until you almost hit the green barrier. After the first split, there
is a mild chicane. By now, you should how to do these: take it as
straight as possible (with no sliding!). Brake before you even get to
the small right that is next, because it will help you keep control of
your car on the slow left turn. After the second split, tap the brake
VERY briefly, and control your car through the turn. If you do it
right, you can actually acclerate through this turn (you should be
going 97-106 mph through this turn). From here on, the course is
gravy, just make sure you brake heavily before the 135 degree turns
coming up after the straight.
From FPH: This test is fairly easy once you figure out the layout of
the course. By far the hardest part is the first section up to the
second split. The correct braking point for the first hard left turn
is right before the 50m sign disappears at the top of your screen.
Turn hard and hit the gas to make it through quickly. If you have
already done IA-9, then you'll probably have a good idea how to tackle
the next part (if not, look to the tips for that test). I wasn't able
to take the slight left turn on the long back straight as fast as the
demo, so I must be missing something there. In general, be careful
driving over the curbing, as the Clio in this test likes to get "sucked
in" and you'll end up turning a lot more than you wanted to. There are
1.2 seconds between the demo and Gold. Basically if you can get to the
second split within about 0.7 seconds of the demo you are home free.
Demo splits are 20.3 and 54.5.
Bronze Time: 1'44.230
Silver Time: 1'38.500
Gold Time: 1'36.620
5.12 Test S-12 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Suzuka Circuit)
Description: Now for a timed lap of the most famous course in Japan, Suzuka.
You'll be using the Motul Pitwork 350Z that races in the
Japanese Grand Touring Championship. Reverse Bank, Degner,
Spoon, and t30R, are some of the famous corners on this course.
You'll need to use all of your driving skills to get a good lap
time here. The thing about Suzuka is that you can't establish a
good lap time by just concentrating on one corner. To be
successful, you must always be planning for one or two corners
ahead of the one you're on. This means establishing the correct
line and speed well in advance. Envision the course in its
entirety--not just bits and pieces at a time--and then devise
your plan of attack.
Test Car: Nissan MOTUL PITWORK Z (JGTC) '04
Tips: Getting the Gold Prize on this one is very hard. However, now that I
have done it, I feel such a sense of accomplishment; I know you will
feel the same once you get this one. There are a few keys to this
race. In the famed esses after the first turn, you should brake before
turning in on EVERY ONE of them (even though some of them CAN be taken
with no braking). You only need to brake very briefly in the turn
following the esses. You should cut across this corner very sharply;
BE BRAVE! The first very difficult corner is right after the first
split time. Accelerate leading up to it, and as soon as you've passed
the slight right, brake heavy and hard. Make the turn with no gas, but
put on the gas as SOON as you have cleared the apex. The course is
pretty simple until after the second split time. Here, brake VERY
briefly and lay off the gas until you clear the apex and FLOOR IT! You
can make up some time here surely; I did this on my Gold Prize run. Of
course, they make the most difficult turn the very last one . . . the
chicane. Assuming you did the last turn flawlessly, the correct
braking point is about 50 meters before the shadow crossing the road.
Try to run over the apexes as much as possible, but be careful of the
first one; it's very sensitive, and I failed countless times by going
over it too sharply. Good luck!
From FPH: I found this test to be pretty tough, because the amount of
time between the demo and Gold is smaller than usual, at 0.6 seconds,
and because the demo does a pretty darn good job through just about all
of the course. So the first thing to do is to watch what the demo
does, and try and repeat it. The first turn is a two-part,
decreasing-radius turn, so resist the temptation to head right for the
curbing on the second part. There is a line on the straight leading to
this curve (it's white and it crosses the width of the pavement). When
your back tires cross this line, tap the brakes briefly, and slow to
120-125 mph. This should allow you to navigate the turn and put you on
a good line. Now is probably a good time to mention that the Z in this
test understeers a ton, especially under throttle, so you need to pick
your line well in advance, because once the gas is on, you can't really
make any adjustments. For the esses, try your best to drive over the
curbing, because it helps you make the turn and puts you on a better
line for the next turn. The sequence goes L-R-L-R-L, with the last
left going uphill. Sacrifice some speed on the 4th turn (the R), so
that you can take a perfect line for the final left and have the
maximum possible exit speed. The next section is a short straight
leading to Degner corner. This corner is very similar to the first
one, except it is a whole lot tighter and your line must be perfect, or
you are going to give up a lot of time. Check out the demo to get the
general idea. There are 100m and 50m markers leading up to Degner, and
you want to brake just SLIGHTLY, and then dart right at the first right
turn. When you do this, make sure you do it with NO GAS AND NO BRAKES.
Ideally, you should be able to make this turn at 115 mph or even a
little faster. If you hit it just right, then you won't have much time
to apply throttle, so coast for just an instant, and then slow to about
65 mph to take the second part. Drive over the curbing as much as
possible, and focus on exit speed again. The next turn is a 180, so
brake early, and try to ride around the curbing, accelerating in a
straight line once you can make the turn. The following two lefts are
fairly high speed. For the first left, you'll see a small strip of
pavement to the right of the track right before the turn. Hit the
brakes right as your car pulls even with this, and you should be able
to turn right at the curbing. Apply just enough throttle to not go off
course, aiming for the curbing on the opposite side, then take a line
that allows for maximum speed heading to the back straight. The left
hand turn on this straight can be taken at full throttle -- just start
your turn EARLY, and be sure to drive over the curbing or you won't
make it. The demo brakes a little late for the final chicane, which as
far as I can tell is the only mistake in an otherwise flawless lap.
Brake right before the 50m sign disappears, and you'll be able to take
the chicane at higher speed, and make up a little ground. This test is
a lot like S-15, in that you'll probably only make it to the finish a
couple of times before you actually get the Gold, because it's so easy
to go off on this test. Try to stay patient, and good luck. Demo
splits for this test are 0'51.1 and 1'33.3.
Bronze Time: 2'05.730
Silver Time: 1'59.437
Gold Time: 1'55.919
5.13 Test S-13 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Infineon Raceway - Sports Car Course)
Description: California's popular Infineon Raceway is the site for our next
test. We'll be doing a timed lap of the sports-car course known
better as Sears Point. It's a track that has been designed into
the region's rolling hills, resulting in a unique layout. After
the start, you'll have a steep uphill climb. It's difficult to
see the road ahead, with blind corners aplenty, as well as slick
spots where traction is bad, so proceed with caution. About
halfway through the course, you'll be traveling downhill. After
the hairpin, there are a number of slow corners; so establishing
a good rhythm is key to clearing this section. Your test
vehicle is the Audi R8, a race car; needless to say,
speed-control is important.
Test Car: Audi R8 Race Car '01
Tips:
From FPH: While this test may appear intimidating, it's actually not
that hard, once you adjust to the handling characteristics of the race
car. The demo does a pretty good job on this course except for one
spot -- the long left turn sweeper at 27 seconds. I didn't slow down
nearly as much, and my exit speed was over 120 mph. For the following
180 degree right turn, brake right as the blue sign on the left of the
course is about to disappear. Slow to about 53 mph, and then gradually
move to full throttle upon rounding the turn. With that, I was 0.7
seconds ahead of the demo at the second split, and the last section is
really easy, so this test is a breeze. Spend some time getting the
first section down pat, as it is by far the hardest, and the rest of
the course from the first split onwards will seem like cake. For the
last turn, there's no good landmark for a brake point, but you need to
slow down to about 42-43 mph to round the turn quickly and be on a good
line for the finish. There are 1.2 seconds between the demo and Gold,
and if you can beat the demo around the sweeper it's more like 2
seconds -- so even if you are marginal in the first section you should
be able to get Gold without much trouble.
Bronze Time: 1'22.700
Silver Time: 1'17.300
Gold Time: 1'16.120
5.14 Test S-14 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Chamonix)
Description: We'll be running a full lap of Chamonix for this test. Let's
see how quickly you can navigate this long ice track that
stretches for more than 2 miles. The snow is partially cleared
at the start of the course; nevertheless, there's very little
grip and traction here. If you drive on the outside of the
track where there are patches of snow, you're more than likely
to spin, caused by the difference in grip between the right and
left tires. In the tunnel, the snow on the ground and a number
of tight corners will upset the balance of your car. Be
delicate on the throttle and concentrate on the forward progress
of your car, and you should be okay. There are plenty of places
where the car's balance will be compromised as well as the
tires' traction, so refrain from being overly aggressive on the
throttle, otherwise you'll spin. The driving surface is slicker
here than on dirt, so be cautious.
Test Car: Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Rally Car '85
Tips: This Gold Prize isn't that tough to get. This is, of course, because
we're on a snow course, and the walls provide helpful guidance for your
car's direction during corners. However, Polyphony Digital was quite
smart here on two accounts. First, the beginning part of this track is
on pavement, so you have to be extra careful here because your snow
tires will not grip this surface very well. Second, they've severely
reduced the force needed to induce a failure when hitting the walls.
Therefore, proceed with extreme caution in the corners. You CAN hit
the walls; just not very hard. A good time up to the first split is
0'27.500 to 0'28.000. This well set you up with a good enough start to
have a run at the Gold Prize. Good luck, and please don't pull your
hair out too much when you fail time and time again for hitting the
walls very gently. We've all done it multiple times, so just join the
club.
From FPH: Now I know what you are thinking. Snow course, so just ride
the rails right? Not so fast my friend. The first 1/3 of this course
is pavement, with snow on the sides to make things interesting. Also,
the width of the road is rather narrow, and your car is fairly
powerful, which makes it tough to transition from rail to rail without
crashing. So until you get to the snow covered part, you have to be an
honest racer. Sorry. However, once you see the snow, then rail-ride
away! Don't get too crazy with the gas though, or you'll end up
hitting the walls too hard (which is to say, not hard at all), and
you'll fail. All in all, Gold is pretty easy here, just not a gimmie
like the other snow courses.
Bronze Time: 2'40.043
Silver Time: 2'30.895
Gold Time: 2'26.500
5.15 Test S-15 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Circuit de la Sarthe)
Description: The internationally famous high-speed track of Le Mans, Sarthe
Circuit 1, is the venue for this test, one full timed lap. Our
mount is the Bentley Speed 8 race car. This course can be
divided into three main high-speed sections. The first and
longest, the Mulsanne Straight or Hunadiers, has two chicanes,
but the most challenging is the straight that leads onto
Indianapolis Corner. Here, the track is narrow, and there's a
slight bend; therefore, unless you take the proper line, you're
going off. And be careful not to drive on the curbing too much
here. The infield section of the permanent course has elevation
changes with corners that are difficult to see. There are also
corners on a flat plane right after a steep uphill climb.
Remember that without the proper weight on the front tires,
you'll invoke understeer.
Test Car: Bentley Speed 8 Race Car '03
Tips:
From FPH: This test can prove to be quite a challenge, both in terms
of getting the gold and in staying patient. In the end, I was able to
smoke the demo to the finish line by almost a second; however, I only
finished the race 3 or 4 times in the many times I attempted it. The
problem here is that you have basically no room for error on just about
every corner. So, you have to be perfect, or close to it, or you are
going off the course and will be greeted with a "fail". This really
sucks when you have been racing great for over 3 minutes and then you
spit the bit on the last chicane and end up in the sand, finish line in
sight. So, here are some hints to help keep you pointed in the right
direction.
The demo does a relatively poor job on the first part of the course,
leading to the very long Mulsanne straight. For the first series of
esses, brake earlier than the demo, and drive over the curbing in more
of a straight line for significant time savings. The next two corners
are pretty easy, which takes you to the first split, right before the
Mulsanne straight. The demo hits the first split at 30.6, and I was
able to get through at 30.1. The demo does a terrible job of exiting
the turn onto the straight -- brake early and turn over the curbing,
almost onto the grass. You can carry much more speed this way, almost
20 mph more, which will make a huge difference on the straight. Don't
go to sleep on this straight like you did on IA-16, because there are
two chicanes placed in the middle to keep you honest. There are 200m
and 100m markers placed before each chicane. For the first chicane,
brake at approximately 125m and slow to about 95 mph or so, so you can
negotiate the turns -- focus on exit speed here. If you took the
proper line leading onto the straight, you can be as much as 1 second
or even more ahead of the demo by this point. For the second chicane,
the brake point is a little later than the first (I dont know why.
Perhaps the chicanes are different, or the markers just aren't
accurately placed). Anyway, the correct point to brake for the 2nd
chicane is right as the 100m sign disappears from the screen. Slow to
about 100 mph this time, and then slow a little more as you approach
the right turn, and again focus on exiting with max speed. The demo
does not make use of the purple area in either of these chicanes, and
I'm not sure why, as it is a lot faster. The next set of turns
consists of a slight right hand kink followed by a very sharp right.
The correct place to brake for this turn is right at the kink. DO NOT
DRIVE OVER THE CURBING ON THE KINK. You need to start braking here,
and if you drive over the curbing, you lose traction and won't be able
to brake enough, resulting in going off course. I like to be in the
left lane heading up to the kink, dart right at it, and start braking.
Once you have slowed to about 60 mph or so, you should be able to turn
around the hard right -- feel free to use the curbing here. At this
point, I was ahead of the demo by 1.5 seconds if I did everything
correctly. Now comes the second half of the course.
Up until now, I've been bad-mouthing the demo pretty hard, because
quite honestly, I'm no expert and I was able to get ahead by over a
second. Well, the 2nd half of the course is the demo's time to shine.
I would watch the demo through the final sections at least once, and
preferably several times so you can get a good idea of what lines to
take. The great thing is, if you have done a good job on the 1st half,
then you should be ahead of the demo by a good margin and can take it
semi-easy. Don't slack too much, though, because the last section is
high speed, and if you are off even a few mph, you'll lose a lot more
time than you think. My only comment here is the demo brakes a little
too much for the very last chicane -- take more of a straight line
through this one. Those two sets of chicanes caused me to fail a
bunch, because I got antsy about finishing with a sweet time. Try your
best to stay focused.
The demo splits for this test are 0'30.600, 1'04.400, 1'31.100,
1'53.200, 2'20.700, and 2'49.000.
Bronze Time: 3'36.600
Silver Time: 3'25.400
Gold Time: 3'19.000
5.16 Test S-16 - 1 Lap Time Trial (Nurburgring North Course)
Description: To obtain your Super License, you'll need to master the ultimate
challenge in sports-car driving, the North Course at the
Nurburgring. Make use of all the skills you've learned thus far
to tackle this test. Your test car has more performance than
the pace car you followed previously, with higher average
speeds, so always be thinking ahead. After crossing the bridge
near the start of the track, you'll come upon a high-speed
section where your driving line must be precise. Then there's a
highly technical section that comes after the off-camber
Carrouset; make sure you hug the curbing through these corners.
By just changing your line slightly, you many gain more speed
through some parts of this track, thus improving your lap time.
You'll find that the more you lap the Ring, the more you'll
discover its profound nature.
Test Car: AMG Mercedes 190 E 2.5 - 16 Evolution II Touring Car '92
Tips:
From FPH: You don't stand a chance at getting Gold on this test unless
you have the entire ring memorized. I suggest doing some races on it
or perhaps even part of the endurance race until you know exactly what
corners are coming up. Once you have the track memorized (Yes, the
ENTIRE TRACK), you need to spend some time getting used to the handling
characteristics of the car, which are much improved over the one used
in IA-15. There aren't any tricks or cheats on this course -- you just
have to be good to do it. So practice. There are almost 8 seconds
between the demo and Gold time, and that means you can be off the demo
by 0.7 seconds per split (which is not alot!). Demo splits are:
T1 0'46.900 T7 4'30.000
T2 1'19.800 T8 5'11.200
T3 1'47.600 T9 5'31.800
T4 2'37.100 T10 6'12.500
T5 3'14.300 T11 6'36.600
T6 3'41.300
Bronze Time: 7'58.300
Silver Time: 7'30.000
Gold Time: 7'07.700
5.17 Completion Prizes
Super License All Bronze or Better: Mercury Cougar XR-7 '67
Super License All Silver or Better: Pontiac Solstice Coupe Concept '02
Super License All Gold: Ford Model T Tourer '15
Note: You can only win these prize cars ONCE!
6.0 Coffee Breaks
6.1 B License Coffee Break - Maneuver around the cones
Description: It's time to take a break and recharge your energy. We call
these fun, relaxing stages, "coffee breaks." You'll see a
number of cones lined up in front of you. Get to the finish
line on the other side of the cones, without knocking them over,
as quickly as possible and bring the car to a dead stop. You
can use any part of the course here, so look for a line you're
most comfortable with.
Test Car: Daihatsu Copen Active Top '02
Tips:
From FPH: I got the gold on this test by driving almost all the way to
the right, and then turning back to the left after about 4 cones (you
should see an obvious opening). If you follow this path, you can
accelerate all out and don't have to brake until it is time to stop the
car in the blue and white zone.
Bronze Time: --'--.---
Silver Time: 0'13.200
Gold Time: 0'11.800
6.2 A License Coffee Break - Knock over the cones laid out in a spiral
Description: We'll follow that up with another "coffee break" to revitalize
your spirits. There are 100 cones placed on the Driving Park
Course. Knock all of them over and head straight for the finish
line. The cones are placed in a spiral where the arc gets
larger and larger. Car control is key to knocking the cones
down. Your test car is the Peugeot 206 CC.
Test Car: Peugeot 206cc '01
Tips:
Bronze Time: --'--.---
Silver Time: 0'29.919
Gold Time: 0'28.510
6.3 IB License Coffee Break - Knock over the cones laid out in a spiral (2)
Description: We'll keep refreshing your spirits with yet another coffee
break. Remember the A License Test? Well, you'll be running
that course backwards for this stage. There are 100 cones
placed in a spiral. This time, knock them down from the
outside. The turn becomes tighter and tighter so the difficulty
level is higher. It's very important that you don't invoke
understeer, so control your speed. Oh, and you don't have to
knock the cones over, simply touching them is okay.
Test Car: TVR Griffith 500 '94
Tips:
Bronze Time: --'--.---
Silver Time: 0'33.333
Gold Time: 0'31.500
6.4 IA License Coffee Break - Cones - Gymkhana
Description: Here's yet another coffee break. There are cones placed on the
lines within the Gymkhana course. After your start, head to
this area and finish the course without touching the cones.
When you get to the finish line, bring your car to a complete
stop. There are a variety of corners here, including a slalom,
as well as 90-degree turns, so all the techniques you've
mastered so far will be put to the test. Skillful use of the
throttle is definitely required. Be mindful of the car's
handling balance when tackling this section.
Test Car: Nissan 350Z Roadster (Zee) '03
Tips:
There is a handy map on the GameFaqs.com FAQ/Guide page for this test
written by Crazyreyn. Here's the link:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/561066.html
Bronze Time: --'--.---
Silver Time: 0'42.230
Gold Time: 0'41.000
6.5 S License Coffee Break - Cone Maze Challenge
Description: This is your final coffee break. We've created a special course
within the Gymkhana course. Inside, there are 50 cones. Your
objective is to hit every one of these cones located within the
special course. You won't be disqualified by hitting the walls
here, but it will result in loss of time, so be careful. You
can even use reverse here, just as long as you hit every cone.
Give it some thought and devise the best route to strike each
one of these cones.
Test Car: Honda BEAT Version F '92
Tips:
There is a handy map on the GameFaqs.com FAQ/Guide page for this test
written by Crazyreyn. Here's the link:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/561066.html
From Vegeta: First of all, don't even pay any attention to the demo
because they just screw the entire thing up. The way to do it is when
you first enter the maze, take a right and then a left. Back up a
little to just barely touch the cone in the corner behind you, then go
straight but don't go into that diagonal area where you need to go
really slow to hit all the cones because we'll come back for those
later. Instead, take a right and then a left onto the straightaway and
go all the way to the end of the straight and take a left. Take
another left onto another straight and at the end of that, take yet
another left and if you've followed this correclty up to this point,
you'll be passing the entrance which will be on your right. At the end
of this straight, take a left and then go into that diagonal area that
I told you to avoid earlier where you have to go really slow to hit
every cone. Upon exiting this area, take another left and pay
attention to the wall on the right because you'll see a break in it.
Go in that break in the wall (if that was confusing it means take a
right) and then another right immediately after that. Now, instead of
going forward you will have to back up a little just like at the
beginning and hit down one or two cones. Make sure your car is lined
up correctly with them or you will miss them and I suggest using your
rear view mirror just in case. Now, go straight until the road ends
and take a right. From here, just follow along the wall on your left
making sure to hit every cone on the way and if you followed everything
exactly as I explained it, you will have the Gold with seconds to
spare. My best time was between 1'24.000 and 1'25.000, so you have
time to go a little slow if you want to be more accurate.
Bronze Time: --'--.---
Silver Time: 1'36.000
Gold Time: 1'33.000
7.0 Record Time Submissions
Note: In the case where two or more people have tied for the record time, I'm
only going to include the first one to submit that time. Oh, and it
is necessary that you include a picture verifying the record time.
Test | Name |Record Time | Submitted by
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B-1 | Acceleration and Braking: 1 | 0'09.978 | Joe&Kaka
B-2 | Acceleration and Braking: 2 | 0'10.958 | Tmz
B-3 | Basics of Cornering: 1 | 0'30.617 | Joe&Kaka
B-4 | Basics of Cornering: 2 | 0'29.662 | FFBeowulf
B-5 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Tsukuba) | 1'26.436 | James R
B-6 | Acceleration and Braking: 3 | 0'22.538 | Joe&Kaka
B-7 | Acceleration and Braking: 4 | 0'26.399 | James R
B-8 | Basics of Cornering: 3 | 0'15.182 | Strider_3X
B-CB | Maneuver around the cones | 0'11.566 | M Laforce
B-9 | Basics of Cornering: 4 | 0'12.472 | Strider_3X
B-10 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Laguna Seca) | 2'13.715 | James R
B-11 | Basics of Dirt Driving: 1 | 0'17.328 | Steve Liddle
B-12 | Basics of Dirt Driving: 2 | 0'17.250 | Chris B.
B-13 | Basics of Cornering: 5 | 0'22.605 | Tmz
B-14 | Basics of Cornering: 6 | 0'18.054 | Tmz
B-15 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Infineon Raceway) | 2'18.256 | M Laforce
B-16 | Graduation Test | 0'23.611 | Strider_3X
A-1 | Complex Corners: Beginner 1 | 0'30.702 | James R
A-2 | Complex Corners: Beginner 2 | 0'27.571 | Oskar J.
A-3 | Tackling High Speed Corners: 1 | 0'11.685 | James R
A-4 | Tackling High Speed Corners: 2 | 0'21.869 | Chris B.
A-5 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Grand Valley East)| 1'29.492 | FFBeowulf
A-6 | Complex Corners: Intermediate: 1 | 0'30.680 | M Laforce
A-7 | Complex Corners: Intermediate: 2 | 0'17.062 | Chris B.
A-8 | Applied Cornering: 1 | 0'15.615 | Enygma 6
A-CB |Knock over the cones laid out in....| 0'28.340 | James R
A-9 | Applied Cornering: 2 | 0'17.118 | James R
A-10 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Suzuka) | 2'46.552 | James R
A-11 | Applied Dirt Driving: 1 | 0'12.689 | M Laforce
A-12 | Applied Dirt Driving: 2 | 0'29.252 | FFBeowulf
A-13 | Tackling Blind Corners: 1 | 0'44.485 | Soilworker
A-14 | Tackling Blind Corners: 2 | 0'32.147 | Soilworker
A-15 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Trial Mountain) | 2'04.615 | FFBeowulf
A-16 | Graduation Test | 0'53.339 | Oskar J.
IB-1 | Braking During Turns: 1 | 0'14.370 | James R
IB-2 | Braking During Turns: 2 | 0'25.051 | James R
IB-3 | Advanced Level Complex Corners: 1 | 0'27.466 | James R
IB-4 | Advanced Level Complex Corners: 2 | 0'27.896 | James R
IB-5 | 1 Lap Guide Run (Costa di Amalfi) | 2'45.195 | Andrew G.
IB-6 | Cone Slalom 1 | 0'17.416 | James R
IB-7 | Cone Slalom 2 | 0'17.424 | FFBeowulf
IB-8 | City Street Challenge: 1 | 0'42.360 | Oskar J.
IB-CB|Knock over the cones laid out....(2)| 0'30.380 | James R
IB-9 | City Street Challenge: 2 | 0'21.248 | FFBeowulf
IB-10| 1 Lap Guide Run (Hong Kong) | 1'54.016 | Oskar J.
IB-11| Competition Dirt Racing: 1 | 0'17.937 | James R
IB-12| Driving on Snow: 1 | 0'23.310 | FFBeowulf
IB-13| Tackling Undulating S-bends | 0'29.447 | FFBeowulf
IB-14|Tackling Corner Sequences over Und..| 0'35.782 | Oskar J.
IB-15| 1 Lap Guide Run (Citta di Aria) | 2'10.809 | Oskar J.
IB-16| Graduation Test | 0'18.494 | James R
IA-1 |Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 1| 0'31.779 | James R
IA-2 |Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 2| 0'51.852 | James R
IA-3 | Guide to Chicanes: 1 | 0'17.287 | James R
IA-4 | Guide to Chicanes: 2 | 0'33.996 | FFBeowulf
IA-5 | 1 Lap Guide Run (El Capitan) | 2'27.170 | James R
IA-6 |Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 3| 0'30.574 | Oskar J.
IA-7 |Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 4| 0'33.742 | James R
IA-8 | City Street Challenge: 3 | 1'05.557 | Oskar J.
IA-CB| Cones - Gymkhana | 0'39.937 | James R
IA-9 | City Street Challenge: 4 | 0'42.244 | James R
IA-10|1 Lap Guide Run (Fuji Speedway 2005)| 2'12.727 | Oskar J.
IA-11| Competition dirt racing: 2 | 0'29.334 | Oskar J.
IA-12| Driving on Snow: 2 | 0'54.465 | Oskar J.
IA-13|Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 5| 0'25.493 | James R
IA-14|Tackling Complex Corner Sequences: 6| 0'13.726 | James R
IA-15|1 Lap Guide Run (Nurburgring North..| 8'55.432 | James R
IA-16| Graduation Test | 1'42.941 | G Beckham
S-1 |1 Lap Time Trial (Twin Ring Motegi..| 2'16.186 | James R
S-2 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Citta di Aria) | 2'14.211 | James R
S-3 |1 Lap Time Trial (Special Stage Ro..| 1'23.989 | James R
S-4 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Costa di Amalfi) | 2'08.347 | James R
S-5 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Seattle) | 1'32.766 | James R
S-6 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Ice Arena) | 0'53.085 | James R
S-7 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Trial Mountain) | 1'30.113 | FFBeowulf
S-8 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Tokyo Route 246) | 1'32.760 | James R
S-CB | Cone Maze Challenge | 1'24.980 | James R
S-9 | 1 Lap Time Trial (El Capitan) | 1'47.392 | FFBeowulf
S-10 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Grand Canyon) | 2'45.415 | James R
S-11 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Opera Paris) | 1'35.657 | FFBeowulf
S-12 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Suzuka Circuit) | 1'55.391 | James R
S-13 |1 Lap Time Trial (Infineon Raceway..| 1'16.111 | James R
S-14 | 1 Lap Time Trial (Chamonix) | 2'15.572 | James R
S-15 |1 Lap Time Trial (Circuit de la Sa..| 3'19.294 | James R
S-16 |1 Lap Time Trial (Nurburgring Nort..| 7'05.930 | James R
8.0 Credits/Submissions
I would like to thank myself for writing this guide, but also to the following
people who were kind enough to provide their criticism, suggestions, and
advice (in chronological order):
Kinglink: For numerous suggestions (general tips, also help on IB-6, IB-7,
IA-15, and IA-16)
Greg Sluder (a.k.a. Omnibus): For tips on B-2
Mark Olsen: For tips on B-7
Steve Liddle: Submission of record times on B-11 and A-2
Enygma 6: For notifying me of a typo in B-8 and for submission of record
time on A-8
Oskar J.: For notifying me of typos in B-10 and IB-15 and for submission of
record times on A-2, A-16, IB-8, IB-10, IB-14, IB-15, IA-6, IA-8,
IA-10, IA-11, and IA-12
FPH: For tips on IA-1, IA-2, IA-3, IA-4, IA-5, IA-6, IA-7, IA-8, IA-9, IA-10,
IA-11, IA-12, IA-13, IA-14, IA-15, S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, S-5, S-6, S-7,
S-8, S-9, S-10, S-11, S-12, S-13, S-14, S-15, S-16, and B-CB
Darren Frith: For general tips, tips on B-14, and notifying me of a typo on
IA-3
Steven: For general tips
Tmz: Submission of record times on B-2, B-13, and B-14
Chris B.: Submission of record times on B-12, A-4, and A-7
Crazyreyn: For allowing me to link to his coffee break maps on GameFaqs.com
Vegeta: For tips on S-CB
Strider_3X: Submission of record times on B-8, B-9, and B-16
DMC: For tips on B-7
James R: Submission of record times on B-5, B-7, B-10, A-1, A-3, A-CB, A-9,
A-10, IB-1, IB-2, IB-3, IB-4, IB-6, IB-CB, IB-11, IB-16, IA-1, IA-2,
IA-3, IA-5, IA-7, IA-CB, IA-9, IA-13, IA-14, IA-15, S-1, S-2, S-3,
S-4, S-5, S-6, S-8, S-CB, S-10, S-12, S-13, S-14, S-15, and S-16
(it should be noted that James R plays the International PAL
version, and occasionally they have different cars and qualifying
times - if you assume that all cars are equal, this does not
diminish his accomplishments in the least)
Joe&Kaka: Submission of record times on B-1, B-3, and B-6
Soilworker: Submission of record time on A-13 and A-14
M Laforce: Submission of record times on B-15, B-CB, A-6, and A-11
Andrew G.: Sumbission of record time on IB-5
G Beckham: Submission of record time on IA-16
9.0 Copyright Information
This FAQ was written solely by me, Eric B. Reiman, and is not to be
submitted or posted on ANY website other than gamefaqs.com. If you are
another website that would like to post it, contact me first at
[email protected]. As of this date, I have six guides/FAQs hosted by
gamefaqs.com and have not yet given permission to post any of them elsewhere.
- END OF DOCUMENT -
