GGGGG A M M EEEEE GGGGG U U IIIII DDDD EEEEE
G A A MM MM E G U U I D D E
G GG AAAAA M M M EEEE G GG U U I D D EEEE
G G A A M M E G G U U I D D E
GGGGG A A M M EEEEE GGGGG UUUUU IIIII DDDD EEEEE
F1 2001 GAME GUIDE
BY
Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather
feather7@ix.netcom.com
Initial Version Completed: October 19, 2001
Version 1.0 Completed: October 19, 2001
SPECIAL NOTE: This game guide is for the year 2001 F1 game
released by EA Sports, NOT the one released in the same week
(in the States) by 989 Sports. Also, I DO NOT intend to
write a guide for the 989 Sports F1 game, as I find it to be
severely lacking in many areas, and quickly returned it to
the store.
PERSONAL NOTE: I would like to give a personal thank you to
those who have e-mailed me asking if I would be writing a
guide for F1 2001; obviously, I have!!! My duties as a
graduate student come first, which has not left me much time
this semester to play F1 2001 and work on this game guide,
which means that this initial version of the guide is being
released MUCH later than I would have liked. The e-mails
have shown me that my small contributions to the PS2 gaming
community are appreciated, and have also given me an idea of
the circulation of my guides. Again, thank you!!!
CONTENTS
Spacing and Length
Permissions
Introduction
Assumptions and Conventions
Race Order: 2001 Season
The New Physics Engine
Quick Race
Challenge Mode Tips
Grand Prix
General Tips
Completely Subjective Section
Grand Prix of Australia: Albert Park
Grand Prix of Malaysia: Sepang
Grand Prix of Brazil: Interlagos
Grand Prix of San Marino: Imola
Grand Prix of Spain: Catalunya
Grand Prix of Austria: A1-Ring
Grand Prix of Monaco: Monte Carlo (Temporary Street Circuit)
Grand Prix of Canada: Gilles Villeneuve
Grand Prix of Europe: Nurburgring
Grand Prix of France: Nevers Magny-Cours
Grand Prix of Great Britain: Silverstone
Grand Prix of Germany: Hockenheim
Grand Prix of Hungary: Hungaroring
Grand Prix of Belgium: Spa-Francorchamps
Grand Prix of Italy: Monza
Grand Prix of the United States: Indianapolis
Grand Prix of Japan: Suzuka
Wish List
Wrap-up
Contact Information
SPACING AND LENGTH
For optimum readability, this driving guide should be
viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier.
Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters
below line up:
This guide is extremely lengthy - this initial version is 68
pages long in Microsoft Word 98 using single-spacing in
Courier 12 font. Therefore, it may not be a very economical
idea to print out this guide in its entirely!!!!!
==============================================
PERMISSIONS
Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or
print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use.
However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving
guide may not be such a good idea.
This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides,
GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com,
gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe,
InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire,
a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, neoseeker.com,
ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for
permission to post elsewhere on the Internet.
Should anyone wish to translate this driving guide into other
languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me
with a copy when complete.
Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!!
INTRODUCTION
F1 2001 is the continuation of EA Sports' line of F1-based
games for the PlayStation and now the PlayStation2. F1
Championship Season 2000, the game immediately preceding F1
2001, marked EA Sports' first foray of the series to the PS2,
but F1CS2K was actually released in two 'flavors:' PSX and
PS2. F1 2001 is thus the first PS2-only game of the series.
And what an introduction it is for the PS2 line of the
series!!!!! The graphics and sounds are better than before,
the creativity behind the game (especially the unlockable
features) provide far more repeat gameplay, multitudes of
options have been added to customize gameplay much more than
ever before in the series, the computer-controlled drivers
REALLY dice for position (sometimes going four-wide!!!), and
the game's controls (using a standard controller) are much
more challenging than in previous incarnations of the series
without stepping beyond what can be reasonably expected of
the average gamer.
Most likely, if you play F1 2001, then you are at least a
casual fan of Formula 1 racing, and have at least basic
knowledge of many or all of the currently-used F1 courses.
That knowledge does indeed help when first playing F1 2001,
and vice versa - extensive gameplay helps in determining
where the drivers are on each course when races are
televised.
The main part of this driving guide provides information to
help you to cleanly drive each course. Even those who know
the courses fairly well and/or play the game regularly can
always use tips.
There is specifically NO information on car set-ups in this
initial version of the guide. That will be added in
subsequent updates as I have time to experiment with the
various set-up options.
Please note that much of this information comes from the
driving guide I wrote for F1 Championship Season 2000 (the
predecessor to F1 2001), also by EA Sports. Those who have
read and/or downloaded the driving guide for F1CS2K will
already have the same basic information covered in this
driving guide. This driving guide has been modified and
expanded to reflect the many additions in F1 2001, including
the minor circuit alterations included in the game (such as
the initial chicane at Monza).
==============================================
ASSUMPTIONS AND CONVENTIONS
Most racetracks outside the United States name most corners
and even some straightaways. Where these names are known,
they will be included in parentheses and referenced in the
explanatory text. These names have been gathered from course
maps available on the courses' official Web sites, my memory
of how F1 races have been called by American TV sportscasters
(Fox Sports Net and SpeedVision, in 1999 and 2000), and/or
from the Training Mode of F1 Championship Season 2000
(corner/segment names are listed at the bottom of the
screen). To the extent possible, these names have been
translated into English.
==============================================
RACE ORDER: 2001 SEASON
F1 2001 presents the courses in the order in which they were
presented for the 2001 Formula 1 season. This driving guide
will follow the same convention, which will be especially
useful for those playing in Championship Mode. However,
Quick Race presents the circuits in a different order, and
all but the first three must be unlocked.
F1 Race Schedule, 2001 Season:
March 4 Australia Albert Park
March 18 Malaysia Sepang
April 1 Brazil Interlagos
April 15 San Marino Imola
April 29 Spain Catalunya
May 13 Austria A1-Ring
May 27 Monaco Unnamed (Street Circuit)
June 10 Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
June 24 Europe Nurburgring
July 1 France Nevers Magny-Cours
July 15 Great Britain Silverstone
July 29 Germany Hockenheim
August 19 Hungary Hungaroring
September 2 Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
September 16 Italy Monza
September 30 USA Indianapolis
October 14 Japan Suzuka
NOTE: The 2002 F1 race schedule is available at the official
FIA Web site (http://www.fia.com/). The race schedule also
has links to the official Web sites of most of the permanent
and temporary (street) circuits hosting F1 races.
==============================================
THE NEW PHYSICS ENGINE
F1 2000 and F1 Championship Season 2000 both essentially used
the same physics engine; the physics engine for F1CS2K was
tweaked to provide more options and more realistic handling
over its predecessor, but the differences were certainly not
colossal. F1 2001 presents a brand-new physics engine which
itself renders the game more difficult than any of the
earlier incarnations in the series. Anyone trying to drive
in F1 2001 the same way as in earlier versions of the game
will find the corner workers scraping the car off the
barriers. However, there are a few survivability tips for
the new physics engine:
1.) For the standing starts, try to time the use of the
accelerator with the exact millisecond the lights go out.
This is extremely important for both reducing wheelspin and
making several excellent passes at the beginning of a race,
especially important for those at the back of the grid.
2.) Braking is always important in racing. However, the new
physics engine demands SMOOTH braking, which often means
braking rather early compared to prior versions of the game.
Slamming on the brakes often results in wheel lock, which can
itself induce flat-spotting on the tires.
3.) Similarly, the use of the accelerator is much more
important in F1 2001. By exercising extreme care with both
the brakes and the accelerator, anyone can soon learn to
essentially glide through corners at a rather quick speed.
4.) The new physics engine also demands a very clean racing
line, especially if attempting to clear tight chicanes at
high speed.
5.) I personally find it sometimes easier to take tight
corners WITHOUT braking. In these cases, simply let off the
accelerator and coast toward and through the corner until the
appropriate exit point. One very good place to attempt this
strategy is at the initial corners at Sepang (Malaysia),
although this tactic can have nasty consequences at the start
of a race with all the cars bunched together.
==============================================
QUICK RACE
One of the more interesting additions to F1 2001 over
previous incarnations of the series is the need to acquire
points to unlock new Quick Race circuits. Initially, only
Silverstone, Hockenheim, and Monza are available. By placing
sixth or better in races at these circuits, you can earn
points which will accumulate, allowing you to eventually open
more circuits in Quick Race Mode.
Points are distributed in accordance with FIA regulations:
First Place: 10 points
Second Place: 6 points
Third Place: 4 points
Fourth Place: 3 points
Fifth Place: 2 points
Sixth Place: 1 point
Others: 0 points
The final circuit in Quick Race Mode - Monaco - can only be
opened by accumulating 100 points. This means a minimum of
ten WINS can unlock ALL Quick Race circuits. If your goal is
to unlock all Quick Race circuits as quickly as possible, you
may wish to simply keep playing one or two circuits
repeatedly if you are a 'natural' at those circuits and can
win consistently. Also, to unlock as many circuits as
quickly as possible, you MUST stay out on the circuit for the
entire race (if it is a short race, 4 or 8 laps), as you will
not have any time to change to/from rain tires.
Of the three initially-available courses, Silverstone is the
most technical, while Hockenheim and Monza are both fast,
high-speed circuits tempered with a few tight corners. For
those new to F1 racing games, I suggest beginning with the
Monza circuit, followed by Hockenheim and Silverstone, in
that order.
==============================================
CHALLENGE MODE TIPS
General: To truly learn how to handle an F1 car, Challenge
Mode is perhaps the best place for beginners to start with F1
2001. No matter how much F1 racing experience you might have
from other games (within or without the EA Sports F1 series),
it is always a good idea to watch the Demonstration video
before attempting each challenge for the first time;
subsequent viewings may also be necessary. In general,
leaving the circuit is automatic disqualification in
Challenge Mode; unfortunately, the CPU is not very consistent
in determining when you are 'off the course,' as I have both
been in the grass and not disqualified, and 'on' the circuit
when the CPU has decided that I should be disqualified.
The Basics
Challenge 1.1 (The Start): Try to time the use of the
accelerator with the exact millisecond the timer hits zero
(the starting lights are not used for this challenge).
Wheelspin can cause your car to inadvertently change its
initial trajectory angle, so if you do get wheelspin on
the start, be prepared to countersteer immediately to stay
on the pavement.
Challenge 1.2 (Braking): Make use of stationary objects
around the circuit to judge the timing of your braking.
This is a good, general tip for every racing game you ever
play.
Challenge 1.3 (Cornering): This challenge takes place in
the Lesmo corners (Turns 7 and 8) at Monza. Beware the
barrier on the inside of each corner, and take care not to
oversteer due to excessive speed.
Challenge 1.4 (Chicane): Fortunately, F1 2001 does not
have nearly as much of an uphill approach to the Bus-stop
Chicane (Spa-Francorchamps) as the real circuit. Still,
you need to slow enough to not overshoot the exit of the
initial part of the Bus-stop. For the latter portion,
beware the barrier on the right on exit.
Challenge 1.5 (Hairpins): The hairpin here is a blind
right-hand corner, so your braking zone is actually much
earlier than you might otherwise anticipate. Also, do not
be fooled by the extension of road continuing straight
ahead along the approach trajectory to the hairpin.
Wet Conditions
Challenge 1.1 (Start/Stop): Make use of stationary objects
around the circuit to judge the timing of your braking.
This is a good, general tip for every racing game you ever
play. This challenge takes place on the oval portion of
the U.S. Grand Prix circuit at Indianapolis.
Challenge 1.2 (Cornering): Be extremely gentle with the
throttle here in the second section at Sepang. If you are
attempting to complete all the challenge events in order,
this will certainly be the most difficult and frustrating
thus far.
Challenge 1.3 (Chicane): This is the start of a lap at
Interlagos (Brazil) with its famous and deadly blind
steep-downhill left-hand Turn 1. Make use of stationary
objects around the circuit to judge the timing of your
braking. This is a good, general tip for every racing
game you ever play.
Challenge 2.1 (Dry Tires, Wet Road): While even a moderate
F1 driver will NEVER be caught out on a wet circuit with
dry tires, you need to know how to use the throttle to
accelerate AND brake, especially through the Stadium
section at Hockenheim.
Pit Stops
Challenge 1.1 (Braking/Empty Tank): If you can survive the
chicane at the top of the rise just beyond the starting
point, you should do well here, especially if you refrain
from braking.
Challenge 1.2 (Braking/Full Tank): Similar strategy to
Braking/Empty Tank.
Challenge 2.1 (Interactive Pit): This challenge begins
literally several meters from the entry to the next-to
last corner at Hungaroring, which means that your most
difficult task will actually be navigating this tight
left-hand J-turn while still carrying significant speed.
If you can clear this turn and not oversteer yourself into
the left-side barrier, simply follow all the on-screen
prompts within several milliseconds of their appearance to
even have a CHANCE of successfully completing this
challenge.
Challenge 3.1 (Tire Wear/French Tires): Beware the final
corners of this challenge, where it is a little more
difficult to see the pavement turning ahead.
Challenge 3.2 (Tire Wear/Worn Tires): Too much braking
will result in heading off-circuit.
Race Craft
Challenge 1.1 (Manual Transmission): Listen closely to the
engine to determine when to upshift.
Challenge 2.1 (Damage): All that matters is beating the
pre-set time, not keeping the car off the barriers (which
is nearly impossible at Monaco even when the car is NOT
damaged in any way).
Challenge 3.1 (Oil Leaks): Try not to lean on the
accelerator too much. Coasting through corners is a good
idea.
Challenge 4.1 (Penalties): Very similar to entering Pit
Lane in Interactive Pit (PIT STOPS, Challenge 2.1).
Challenge 4.2 (Flags): You must be EXTREMELY attentive
here, as some waving flags are difficult to see,
especially when shown by corner workers standing directly
in front of a grandstand along the circuit.
Track Experience
This section consists of seventeen challenges - one for
each circuit of the 2001 F1 season, in season order. For
each circuit, the challenge is to complete a lap at or
better than the posted time. Please see the detailed
driving instructions for each circuit, listed later in
this guide.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX
Grand Prix offers several possibilities, but all pay out
points in accordance with FIA rules:
First Place: 10 points
Second Place: 6 points
Third Place: 4 points
Fourth Place: 3 points
Fifth Place: 2 points
Sixth Place: 1 point
Others: 0 points
These points are assigned to the cars finishing in the top
six positions, with the points given to both the cars'
drivers AND the cars' teams (constructors) for the Drivers
Championship and Constructors Championship. Those concerned
about winning both championships should elect to play as a
driver from a team with a strong track record (pardon the
pun) for winning: McLaren, Ferrari, etc.
Single Grand Prix allows the player to engage in a full grand
prix weekend, from Practice to Qualifying to Warm-up to Race.
One or more sessions can be skipped, allowing the player to
start immediately with Race. However, those who do not
attempt to qualify will be immediately placed at the back of
the starting grid, which can present its own challenges -
especially in a short (4- or 8-lap) race.
Teammate Challenge has really only one rule: You must finish
each race ahead of your teammate; while winning each race is
certainly a nice and perhaps lofty goal, that is not the
actual challenge in these races. Playing with damage, flags,
etc., all turned off will give you a bit of an advantage,
allowing you to shortcut corners without penalty, etc.
Teammate Challenge takes place on the 2001 F1 circuits,
presented in order (as if in Full Championship).
Custom Championship allows players to create their own F1
season by selecting two or more circuits in any order. Want
to start with the 'easy,' high-speed circuits (Hockenheim,
Monza) and end with the difficult, technical circuits
(Monaco, Suzuka)? Want to have a season in reverse of the
2001 order? This is the place to use one's creativity!!!
Full Championship follows the 2001 F1 season in order. Each
venue includes Practice, Qualifying, Warm-up, and Race. One
or more sessions can be skipped, allowing the player to start
immediately with Race. However, those who do not attempt to
qualify will be immediately placed at the back of the
starting grid, which can present its own challenges -
especially in a short (4- or 8-lap) race.
==============================================
GENERAL TIPS
A general tip for ALL racing games is to successfully
complete ALL the license tests in any game of the Gran
Turismo series. This is a great way to learn how to handle
cars of all drivetrain formats and horsepower ratings in a
wide variety of situations - starting and stopping, J-turns,
right-angle corners, chicanes, blind turns, wet racing
conditions, etc. This will all be very handy for virtually
ANY racing/driving game you ever play, and the Gran Turismo
games are also extremely good to have in your PSX/PS2
collection (especially GT3).
The most important tip for those who have played the previous
games in EA Sports' F1 series is to mentally throw out
everything you learned from the other games in terms of
handling and course configurations. The physics engine of
this game is so incredibly different from previous
incarnations of the series that using the exact same driving
style is a great way to find yourself plowing into an
immovable barrier (or another car) at top speed. While the
circuit configurations are in essence the same, the details
(of both the circuit itself and surrounding objects, such as
hills and sand traps) have changed at most venues.
When first playing F1 2001 (irrespective of whether or not
you have played the preceding games in the series), play with
flags, damage, etc., set to off, and with weather set to dry.
This will give you the best possible (and most forgiving)
conditions for learning how to handle the cars in F1 2001.
Because of the new physics engine, the use of the accelerator
becomes much more of an issue in F1 2001 than in earlier
games of the series. In fact, I find that using the brakes
is sometimes counterproductive, while cautious regulation of
the accelerator is often a better choice.
F1's standing starts can either give you a great advantage,
or put you at the back of the pack. To reduce or eliminate
wheelspin from a standing start, try to time the use of the
accelerator with the exact millisecond the lights go out. If
you use the accelerator too soon, you WILL have wheelspin,
which can cause flat-spotting in the rear tires and can even
cause your car to go askew so that it points in a trajectory
taking you directly OFF the circuit (or into a barrier).
The new AI in F1 2001 produces some interesting challenges in
terms of action on the track. For example, I have several
times seen a group of cars four-wide on the Pit Straight at
Monza (coming off the Curva Parabolica) as they dice for
position. If you are coming up quickly upon a pack of slower
cars involved in a heated battle for position, this can be a
particularly challenging situation, especially if you are
yourself being pursued rather aggressively.
Speed Assist (which automatically handles braking when
cornering) can be great when first learning a course.
However, to be truly effective in races, Speed Assist should
be turned off. This will allow YOU to handle braking (if
wanted) while cornering, and will generally allow you to have
MUCH more speed in corners. This translates to more
difficult handling, as cars will always handle better when
going slow than when going fast (assuming the car set-up has
not been changed). This also means that passing while
cornering will be much easier - and much more dangerous. For
those who wish to shortcut corners, deactivating Speed Assist
will also help to keep your momentum as you drive through
sand and/or grass. If you REALLY want to achieve fast lap
times and generally be much more competitive in a race, then
Speed Assist simply MUST be deactivated.
==============================================
COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE SECTION
My favorite courses are:
Albert Park
Imola
Monaco (to watch a race, not to actually race - especially
since I was able to visit Monaco in 1991)
Hockenheim
Spa-Francorchamps
Monza
Suzuka
My least favorite courses are:
Interlagos (but NOT because of any falling billboards!!!)
Nurburgring
Monaco (to race)
A1-Ring
Sepang
My favorite corners:
Albert Park: Turns 11 and 12
Silverstone: Bechetts
Monaco: The Tunnel, and the entry to the Swimming Pool
Chicane
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve: Nurburgring and Turns 12 and 13
Hockenheim: The Stadium
Spa-Francorchamps: La Source, Red Water, and Blanchimont
Monza: Curva Parabolica
Indianapolis: Turn 13 (Indy/NASCAR Turn 1)
Suzuka: Degner and 130R
My least favorite corners are:
Monaco: Everything but The Tunnel and the entry to the
Swimming Pool Chicane
Spa-Francorchamps: Bruxelles
Most hairpins (especially at Nurburgring)
My favorite Pit Lanes (based on Pit Entry) are at:
Imola
Spa-Francorchamps
Monza
Indianapolis
My least favorite Pit Lanes (based on Pit Entry) are at:
Albert Park
Interlagos
Monaco
A1-Ring
Hungaroring
Sepang
My least favorite Pit Lane (based on Pit Exit) is at:
Interlagos
GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRALIA: ALBERT PARK
The 2001 F1 racing season begins with a set of 'flyaway'
(non-European) races. This fast, flat, attractive circuit is
built around Melbourne's beautiful Albert Park Lake, using
actual city streets which generally receive little traffic.
There are usually plenty of trees on both sides of the track,
with a nice view of Melbourne's buildings as you come through
Turns 12 and 13. The Albert Park circuit features many long,
gentle, no-braking corners, allowing for incredible top-end
speed all around this completely-flat circuit. However,
these are tempered with several moderate- and hard-braking
corners, and dark shadows (especially in wet conditions)
obscuring long stretches of the pavement.
Pit Straight: The front straight is fairly long, following a
moderate-braking corner (Turn 16). However, Turn 1 requires
an early braking zone.
Turn 1: A moderate-braking right-hand corner. If you miss
the braking zone here, there is a wide area in which you can
recover. Traffic will often bunch up entering Turn 1, even
beyond the start of a race.
Turn 2: Immediately following Turn 1, this is a gentle left-
hand turn which can be taken at full speed. Excellent
acceleration out of Turn 1 makes the exit of Turn 2 and the
ensuing straightaway a prime passing zone. Beware the
barrier on the right on exiting Turn 2; do not hit the
throttle too soon exiting Turn 1.
Turn 3: This is a hard-braking right-hand semi-blind corner
following a long straightaway; the braking zone begins
earlier than it would otherwise appear, so make use of the
distance-to-corner markers. Again, there is a wide recovery
area here. A little speed can be made coming out of Turn 3,
but the straightaway is virtually non-existent, requiring
moderate braking for Turn 4. This is definitely NOT a place
to pass (safely) unless you have EXCELLENT brakes and little
or no tire wear. Traffic tends to bunch up here for Turns 3
and 4.
Turn 4: A left-hand corner requiring at least moderate
braking. To the outside of the corner is a wide, paved
recovery area; however, driving too far out to the right or
remaining on this paved area beyond the painted advertisement
will result in a Stop-Go Penalty. The inside of Turn 4 is
also a wide paved zone, but short-cutting Turn 4 by more than
one car length will also result in a Stop-Go Penalty. Good
acceleration out of Turn 4 can set up a good passing
opportunity.
Turn 5: A gentle right-hand corner through the trees which
leads to a nice straightaway. With a flawless racing line,
no braking is necessary here; otherwise, a quick lift of the
accelerator will be needed to keep the left side of the car
off the barrier.
Turn 6: A semi-hidden moderate-braking right-hand corner.
Traffic will sometimes bunch up here, as drivers try to spot
the corner. A wide recovery zone is available here as well,
but take care not to shortcut the corner. Blasting through
Turn 6 without braking will almost certainly result in loss
of control (with subsequent spinning, sliding, and/or
crashing) due to the angle of the rumble strips.
Turn 7: Immediately following Turn 6, Turn 7 is a very gentle
left-hand corner which brings you alongside the northernmost
end of Albert Park Lake. Beware the barrier on the right.
Turn 8: This is almost not a turn at all, as it curves
extremely gently along the shoreline, but the course map on
the race's official Web site lists this as a corner.
Turn 9: This corner is a tight right-hand turn which requires
moderate or hard braking. Traffic almost always bunches up
here. If you miss the braking zone here, you will end up out
in the blue-green dust-covered area.
Turn 10: This is almost not a turn at all, as it curves
extremely gently to the left and back along the shoreline.
There is absolutely NO room for error on the right side of
the track, as the pavement runs directly up against the
barrier. Once you pass underneath the second pedestrian
bridge and see the grandstands ahead on the right, drift to
the right to set up the best racing line for Turns 11 and 12.
Turns 11 and 12: If you are not navigating traffic, Turns 11
and 12 can be taken at full speed, although some drivers may
feel more comfortable with tapping the brakes once in each
turn. However, sliding even one pixel across the rumble
strips on either side of the chicane results in a Stop-Go
Penalty. It is very easy to slide off the pavement exiting
this chicane if taken at top speed, so a flawless racing line
is crucial.
Straightaway: The pavement runs directly up against the
barrier on the left side of the course here, creating
problems for cars on the left whose engines suddenly expire.
Turn 13: This is a semi-blind right-hand corner requiring
moderate braking if you are alone; traffic tends to bunch up
here. The recovery area again is quite wide, with a long
run-off strip if needed. This leads to a short straightaway
which can be a prime passing zone if acceleration out of Turn
13 is strong. Note that if you were able to take Turns 11
and 12 without braking or navigating traffic, you can reach
over 210MPH just before entering Turn 13, making braking even
more important.
Turn 14: A light-braking, right-hand corner with a wide
recovery area. Experts should be able to take this corner at
top speed (if not in traffic) with a flawless racing line, or
by dropping the right-side tires onto the grass. This is a
good place to pass on braking upon entering the corner.
Turn 15: Do not be fooled by the run-off lane which proceeds
directly ahead into an unmoving barrier; there IS a turn to
the left here, requiring hard braking. This is also a good
place to pass on braking when entering the corner. Note that
the Pit Entry is immediately to the right upon exiting the
corner, so be sure to look for cars moving slower than
expected as they enter Pit Lane.
Turn 16: But, be careful with the approach and exit angles
for this right-hand turn, as the barrier (and a grandstand)
is just a few feet off the pavement on the left as you exit
the corner. A new addition from previous versions of the
game, the Pit Lane barrier begins at the entry of Turn 16, so
shortcutting is not a possibility, and dropping the right-
side tires off the pavement is also not a good option. This
leads onto the Pit Straight.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right immediately after
Turn 15. It is possible to enter at a fairly high speed, but
there will be a sharp turn to the right very quickly,
requiring moderate or heavy braking. Before entering the
main Pit area, however, is a tight right-left chicane, so be
prepared to truly slam on the brakes, or else the nose of
your car will slam into the Pit Lane barrier.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA: SEPANG
This is the second-newest F1 course currently in use, as its
construction was completed just in time for the end of the
1999 F1 season. Sepang includes very wide recovery zones all
along the course, on both sides of the pavement, with very
few exceptions. The main grandstands are nestled 'within'
the course itself, as the 'back straight' and the 'Pit
Straight' flank each side of the main spectator seats, linked
by a tight left-hand hairpin. While the pavement is rather
wide for an F1 circuit, it is actually more difficult to
drive than it appears on television, especially the 'back'
part of the course (behind the main grandstands).
Pit Straight: The main grandstands are to the left as you fly
down the Pit Straight. Slam on the brakes at the end of the
Pit Straight, as the first two corners are VERY tight.
Turns 1 and 2: Turn 1 is a TIGHT right-hand corner, followed
immediately by the not-as-tight-but-still-difficult left-hand
Turn 2. If there is traffic ahead of you, the cars will
certainly bunch up here. The first corner on the opening lap
of any F1 race is characterized by cars bunching up together;
given the downhill slope of Turns 1 (beginning at the exit)
and 2, cars are even more likely than usual to bump each
other and/or the barrier here. Fortunately, the outside of
Turn 2 has a wide (sand-filled) recovery area, so if a major
accident takes place, it might be wise to (carefully) take to
the sand to avoid the worst of the chaos and debris.
Turn 3: Accelerate hard through this sweeping right-hand
corner. No braking is necessary here. The course begins a
gentle uphill climb here.
Turn 4: It is easy to overrun this corner, either on entry or
on exit, but the wide patch of sand is available to slow you
down in these situations. This right-hand corner is the
crest of the uphill climb which began in Turn 3. Moderate
braking will be required here.
Turns 5 and 6: Turn 5 is an easy left-hand corner, followed
by the similarly-shaped right-hand Turn 6. In Turn 5, the
barrier comes very close to the pavement on the inside of the
corner, so be careful not to roll up on the grass here.
There is plenty of space for recovery on the outside of each
corner, which may be important exiting Turn 6 as it is rather
easy to run too wide on exit. Both corners can be taken
either flat-out or with simply a slight lifting of the
accelerator.
Turns 7 and 8: These two right-hand corners are best taken
in a wide 'U' formation. There is plenty of kitty litter on
the outside of the corners here should you lose concentration
and drive off the pavement. While experts with a death wish
may be able to speed through these corners at full throttle,
braking or significantly lifting off the accelerator would be
a far better choice.
Turn 9: This tight left-hand J-turn is made even more
difficult by the brief uphill slope leading to the corner
itself, which hides the view of the pavement as the course
turns to the left here. Early braking is key, or else you
WILL be caught out in the sand trap. Moderate or heavy
braking will be needed here, depending on your top speed
coming out of the 'U' formation of Turns 7 and 8. If you
have excellent confidence in your braking ability (especially
with fresh tires after a pit stop), this is a great place to
pass other cars on braking, but only if attempted near the
inside of the corner - otherwise, you will be far off the
racing line, and any car(s) you try to pass will force you
out into the sand.
Turn 10: After the tightness of Turn 9, Turn 10's right-hand
corner can be taken at full throttle. The course climbs
gently uphill here, cresting shortly after the exit.
Turn 11: The course begins a gentle downhill slope near the
entry of Turn 11, then turns to the right as the downhill
slope continues. Moderate braking will be needed here, as
Turn 11 is tighter than Turn 10. This is also a good place
to pass other cars on braking. It is also easy to overrun
the corner, so there is plenty of sand to the outside of the
corner to slow you down in this instance.
Turn 12: After a short straightaway, the course turns to the
left. If you hug the apex tightly, you should be able to
take Turn 12 without braking. Again, plenty of sand awaits
those who slide off the pavement here.
Turn 13: This is a nasty right-hand decreasing-radius hairpin
with no paved swing-out area on exit, making the corner far
more difficult than it at first appears. The first 60
degrees can be taken at top speed, although some braking is
greatly recommended here. After that, moderate or heavy
braking is required to keep from rolling out into the kitty
litter. Strong acceleration is key on exit.
Straightaway: This straightaway runs along the 'back side' of
the main grandstands. This is a very long straightaway, so
powerful acceleration out of the Turn 13 hairpin can provide
good passing opportunities here, especially for those using a
low-downforce set-up. Near the end of the straightaway, a
line of pavement leaves to the right, but this is NOT the Pit
Lane entry used for F1 races.
Turn 14: This is the final corner of the course, and
certainly the most important in a close race. Following the
long straightaway on the 'back side' of the main grandstands,
this is a left-hand hairpin, much tighter than Turn 13. It
is key here to approach from the extreme right side of the
pavement, tightly hug the apex, and accelerate strongly while
drifting back out to the right on exit. The Pit Lane entry
begins here about halfway through the hairpin, so beware of
slower cars going in for servicing. This is also a good
place to pass on braking, but be ready to block any
aggressive drivers trying to pass you as they slam on the
throttle on exit.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins halfway through the Turn 14
hairpin (the final corner of the course). Keep tight to the
right entering the hairpin, to allow those passing you to
dive to the left-hand apex of the corner; after the first 90
degrees of the corner, drive straight ahead along the Pit
Lane. However, you will quickly find the Pit Lane curving to
the left, so make sure you have slowed enough to not bang the
front wing or front-right tire against the barrier.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF BRAZIL: INTERLAGOS
Most F1 courses are driven clockwise; built on a steep
hillside, Interlagos is driven counter-clockwise, which I
understand causes 'undue' fatigue to drivers' necks as the
race progresses. The upper part of the course features two
extensive segments of flat-out, full-throttle, top-speed
driving. However, the lower part of the course (where the
most clock time is spent per lap) features tight corners and
several significant elevation changes. However, despite
these two very different sections of the circuit, the car
set-up is not quite as key here as at Indianapolis.
Pit Straight: This is the highest point of the course in
terms of elevation. There is no room to pull off the course
here if there is a problem with a car, as the barriers rub
against the pavement on both sides of the track. This is
also the fastest portion of the course, leading into the most
dangerous set of corners in all of F1 racing. There are
several left-hand fades along the 'Pit Straight.' This
'straightaway' is the longest stretch of flat-out
acceleration of this course. The optimal racing line is hard
to the left, so be careful not to rub the left-side tires
against the barriers, especially when passing the Pit Lane
Entry. The Pit Entrance is also to the left; beware of slow
cars entering Pit Lane.
Turn 1 (S do Senna): Especially since this corner follows an
incredibly long and fast 'Pit Straight,' this is by far the
most dangerous turn on the course, and thus perhaps the most
dangerous corner in all of F1 racing. This is a tight, left-
hand, semi-blind, downhill corner requiring severe braking
long before reaching the turn. Unless you have PERFECT
confidence in your car's braking AND turning ability, this is
definitely NOT a place to pass!!! For those who overrun the
corner, there is a continent-size patch of kitty litter.
Turn 2 (S do Senna): Following immediately after Turn 1, it
is best to coast through this right-hand corner, with strong
acceleration on exit to set up prime passing opportunities in
Curva du Sol or along the following straightaway. Beware the
Pit lane barrier practically rubbing up against the pavement
here on the left. (Historical note: The Pit Lane used to
rejoin the main course at the exit of Turn 2, but FIA and the
drivers deemed that this was too dangerous.)
Turn 3 (Curva du Sol): Immediately following S do Senna, Turn
3 is a gentle left-hand corner which can also be taken at top
speed. Just beyond the exit of Turn 3, the Pit Lane rejoins
the main course on the left. Curva du Sol leads into the
second-longest straightaway of the circuit.
Straightaway: This long straightaway presents a gentle
downhill slope leading to the lower portion of the course.
Keep to the right on exiting Curva du Sol so that cars
rejoining the race from the Pit Lane can blend in without
incident.
Turn 4 (Lago): This corner truly begins the lower portion of
the course in terms of elevation. Lago is a semi-hidden
left-hand corner with a slight downward slope. Moderate
braking is necessary here to keep from sliding the car into
the recovery zone, especially if the track is wet. Good
acceleration out of Lago sets up great passing in the next
corner and along the following straightaway. Do not overrun
the course, or you will be slowed severely by the sand and
grass.
Turn 5: A gentle left-hand turn, this can be taken at full
throttle. The course begins to slope upward again. However,
do not try to take this corner to sharply on the apex, as the
barrier may not agree with your tactics.
Straightaway: This is effectively the last straightaway
before the Pit Straight at the beginning of the course. The
course here slopes upward, so cars with excellent
acceleration out of Turns 4 and 5 can pass those with poor
uphill speed.
Turn 6 (Laranjinha): This is the beginning of a pair of
right-hand corners which effectively form a 'U' shape. The
entry of this corner can be taken at full throttle, but be
ready to touch the brakes at the exit of this corner. Turn 6
is also on the crown of a hill.
Turn 7 (Laranjinha): The final corner of a 'U' shape in the
course, this is a right-hand decreasing-radius corner with a
gentle downward slope.
Turn 8 (Curva do S): After an almost negligible straightaway,
this incredibly tight right-hand corner requires hard
braking. The course also begins to slope downhill at the
beginning of Turn 8. Pinheirinho immediately follows.
Turn 9 (Pinheirinho): Immediately upon exiting Turn 8, slam
on the brakes again (or simply coast) for the sharp left-hand
Pinheirinho. This may potentially a good place to pass other
cars. Turn 9 is a long corner, however, so it is important
to hug the apex much longer than usual. Extreme caution must
be taken here if racing in wet conditions, or you will find
yourself sliding into the sand. The exit of Pinheirinho
leads to an upward-sloping straightaway.
Turn 10 (Bica do Pato): The entrance of Turn 10 begins the
final downward slope of the course, making this right-hand
corner even more difficult to navigate. Heavy braking and
excellent hands are required to maneuver the car safely
through this corner, especially in the rain. Good
acceleration is needed exiting Bica do Pato to pass traffic
in the next corner and ensuing straightaway. The kitty
litter is available if you overshoot the corner, but then you
will quickly find yourself rubbing against a barrier.
Turn 11 (Mergulho): This left-hand corner almost immediately
follows Bica do Pato and can be taken almost flat-out to
provide good speed along the next (very short) straightaway.
Good acceleration out of Bica do Pato makes this a good
passing zone if you have a decent racing line, otherwise you
may find yourself off the course on the outside of the
corner.
Turn 12 (Juncao): This is a tight left-hand corner requiring
moderate to heavy braking. The final, steep uphill slope
begins here, and the exit of the corner is hidden (even in
chase view). It is extremely easy to run off the outside of
the corner here, but a small patch of grass and another paved
lane provide some run-off relief here. This corner leads to
the incredibly long Pit Straight.
Pit Entry: As you climb the long 'Pit Straight,' the Pit Lane
begins on the left.
Pit Exit: The Pit Lane once emptied onto the exit of Turn 2;
it now rejoins the main course just after the exit of Curva
du Sol. This makes Pit Lane extremely long, which makes it
extremely important to select your pit strategy carefully in
long races.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF SAN MARINO: IMOLA
The Imola circuit is challenging but rather fun. Again, this
is a 'counterclockwise' circuit, but, oddly, the Pits and
Paddock are located on the outside of the circuit and not on
the inside. There is extremely little tolerance for
shortcutting the chicanes. Due to the slope of the grass on
the inside of the corner, Turn 6 (Tosa) is essentially a
blind corner unless traffic is present to mark the course for
you.
Pit Straight: This is a long straightaway, which enables high
speeds as the cars cross the Start/Finish Line. Good exit
speed out of the final chicane makes for prime passing and a
good show for the spectators. The Pit Straight fades to the
left at the exit of Pit Lane (which is aligned with the
Start/Finish Line). Once past the Pits, there is a barrier
directly against the right side of the track.
Turns 1 and 2 (Tamburello): This is a left-right chicane.
Turn 1 requires moderate braking, but if you slow enough in
Turn 1, you should be able to drive at full throttle through
Turn 2 and beyond. If you try to take the entire chicane at
full speed, you can make it through Turn 1 fairly well, but
you will quickly find yourself in the grass on the outside of
Turn 2 and banging against the nearby barrier. If you
completely miss the braking zone for Turn 1, there is a huge
sand trap to help you recover.
Turn 3 (Tamburello): Immediately following Turn 2, Turn 3 is
a soft left-hand corner which can be taken at full speed.
Strong acceleration out of Turn 1 makes this a good passing
zone. Following this corner is a significant straightaway.
Turns 4 and 5 (Villeneuve): This is another left-right
chicane, but not as lengthy as the first. Care must be taken
not to slide off the course at the exit of Turn 5. It is
possible for experts to fly through this chicane at top speed
(if not encumbered by traffic) by rolling up on the rumble
strips, but doing so produces a significant chance of losing
control of the car. The course slopes upward at the exit of
this chicane.
Turn 6 (Tosa): This is a semi-blind left-hand corner which
continues the upward slope of the course. Moderate or even
severe braking is required here, or else your car will be in
the kitty litter and headed toward the spectators. Traffic
is actually a benefit in approaching this corner, as the
course is largely hidden from view given the slope of the
grass on the inside of the corner, but other cars are easy to
see.
Straightaway: The course continues up the hill here. Just
beyond the overhead billboard, the track fades to the right
as it begins its gentle downward slope, but then leads
directly into Piratella.
Turn 7 (Piratella): The course continues downward here, with
the slope increasing. This is a left-hand semi-blind corner.
It is rather easy to slip off the pavement here and into the
kitty litter on the outside of the corner. Any passing here
is best made tight to the apex of the corner, perhaps with
only the right-side wheels on the pavement or rumble strip.
Turn 8: Barely a corner at all but more than a fade, the
course gently turns to the left here. This is a full-speed
'corner,' but the racing line is still very important here.
Turns 9 and 10 (Mineralli): This is a pair of right-hand
corners which effectively function as a decreasing-radius 'U'
formation and are best taken in this manner. Turn 9 can be
taken at full speed, but upon exit to the outside of Turn 9,
severe braking is needed and extra steering to the right is
required to safely navigate around the decreasing-radius Turn
10. The track begins another (steep) uphill slope in Turn
10. Tightly hugging the apex allows for prime passing
through Turn 10. Care must be taken not to enter Turn 10 too
fast, or else you will be off the course on the left.
Turn 11 (Mineralli): Immediately following Turn 10, the left-
hand Turn 11 continues the upward slope of the course. Care
must be taken not to slip off to the right of the track on
exit.
Turns 12-13 (Alta Chicane): This is a tight right-left
chicane. Other cars generally slow significantly for this
chicane, so a full-speed maneuver here in traffic is not
advised. In fact, attempting to take this chicane at top
speed will require rolling up on the rumble strips, and you
will likely lose control and either spin or collide with the
all-too-close barrier to the right side of the course. The
barrier to the outside of Turn 13 is very close to the track,
so be careful not to slip off the course.
Straightaway: The course begins its final downhill slope
here, fading gently first to the left, then to the right.
Turns 14 and 15 (Rivazza): This is a left-hand 'U' formation.
Moderate braking is required entering Turn 14, but then Turn
15 can be taken at full speed (IF you slowed enough in Turn
14), although some may feel more comfortable lightly tapping
the brakes here. Caution must be taken to use enough braking
entering the 'U' formation, or else you will end up in the
sand on the right side of the track.
Straightaway: This is the final long straightaway before
reaching the Pit Straight. However, the official course
fades to the right just after passing underneath the Helix
banner; driving straight ahead (the pavement of the old
course) and thus missing the entire final chicane results in
a Stop-Go Penalty. The end of this straightaway provides two
options: 1.) Keep driving straight ahead onto Pit Lane; 2.)
Turn left for the final chicane.
Turns 16 and 17 (Bassa Chicane): This is the final chicane
(left-right) of the course. To the outside of Turn 16 is the
Pit Lane entry, so be mindful of slower cars entering Pit
Lane as you approach the chicane. Moderate braking is
required entering Turn 16, but then Turn 17 requires light
braking.
Pit Entry: Instead of turning left for Turn 16, keep driving
directly ahead. However, there is no room for slowing once
you leave the main course, so stay tight to the right side of
the pavement as you slow to enter Pit Lane.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF SPAIN: CATALUNYA
The Catalunya circuit is challenging, especially the two
hairpins and the final corners of the race. For observers
and drivers alike, plenty of action can be found at the
Spanish Grand Prix.
Intertextal Note: The Catalunya circuit is also used in the
recent PS2 game Le Mans 24 Hours.
Pit Straight: As usual, incredible speeds can be attained
here. Watch for cars rejoining the race from the right side
of the straightaway about two-thirds of the way along its
length.
Turn 1 (Elf): This is a right-hand corner which requires
moderate braking. Be careful not to hug the inside of the
corner too tightly, or you will damage your right-side tires
on the barrier. Strong acceleration out of Turn 1 creates
great passing opportunities all the way to Repsol.
Attempting to take Turn 1 at top speed will either cause you
to lose control as you run up on the rumble strips, or send
you too far off course to survive Turn 2 intact.
Turn 2 (Elf): Immediately following Turn 1, the left-hand
Turn 2 can usually be taken at top acceleration. With strong
acceleration out of Turn 1, this is a prime passing zone.
Turn 3 (Seat): A sweeping right-hand increasing-radius corner
which can be taken at full speed with a flawless racing line.
This is also a good place to pass slower cars, especially if
you have the inside line.
Turn 4 (Repsol): This is a semi-blind right-hand hairpin
corner which requires moderate or heavy braking. The barrier
on the inside of the corner rests almost directly against the
track, and blocks your view around the corner. This can
actually be a good place to pass on braking, but only with
extreme caution (and usually only if the car you wish to pass
takes the wide line around the corner). Don't come too hot
into this corner or else you will find yourself in the sand.
After clearing the first 90 degrees, you should be able to
accelerate fairly well if not encumbered by traffic.
Turn 5: After a very short straightaway, this is a semi-blind
left-hand hairpin, a bit tighter than Turn 4. Moderate or
heavy braking will be needed here, or you will definitely
find yourself in the kitty litter.
Straightaway: This straightaway fades to the left. Strong
acceleration out of Turn 5 can create passing opportunities,
especially in the braking zone for Wuth.
Turn 6 (Wuth): With a good racing line, you should be able to
brake lightly to clear this semi-blind, slightly-downhill,
left-hand corner. Beware the barrier on the inside of Wuth.
The exit of Wuth has an immediate fade to the right, so do
not commit too much to turning left here, or the front-left
of the car will be shaking hands with the barrier.
Turn 7 (Campsa): This right-hand corner can be taken at full
speed with a flawless racing line. Note that the official
circuit is to the right; do not drive directly ahead onto
another patch of pavement, or you will be assigned a Stop-Go
Penalty.
Turn 8 (La Cacsa): Severe braking is required for this left-
hand corner. While not suggested, you may be able to pass
other cars on braking here. As with Wuth, stay off the
rumble strips and grass on the inside of the turn, or you
will risk losing control of the car. This is a 'J' turn, and
the corner seems to go on forever before you reach the exit.
Turn 9 (Banc Sabadeau): Shortly following Turn 8, moderate or
heavy braking will be needed here for the right-hand, upward-
sloping corner. This is also a 'J' turn which is nearly a
double-apex corner. If you need a recovery area anywhere on
the course, it will most likely be here. It is possible to
pass slower cars here by tightly hugging the inside of the
turn, even running the right-side tires on the rumble strips
or just slightly in the grass.
Turn 10: Light braking may be needed for this right-hand
corner. The key here is to truly hug the inside of the turn
and accelerate strongly through the exit. Watch for slow
cars here preparing to go to Pit Lane for servicing.
Turn 11: Entering this right-hand corner, the Pit Lane begins
on the right, so be on the lookout for very slow cars here.
If you take this final corner too tightly, or make a VERY
late decision to go to the pits, you will certainly damage
the front of the car on a barrier.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRIA: A1-RING
This course may only have seven corners, the fewest of the
circuits used in the 2001 racing season, but it is still a
highly-challenging technical course for the drivers. The
circuit itself is built on a steep hillside, with the Paddock
area and the Pit Straight located at the lowest elevation of
the course. The significant elevation changes and poorly-
placed barriers make this a particularly challenging circuit
to safely navigate for 90+ minutes.
Pit Straight: Long and straight; main grandstands to the
left, Pit Lane to the right. Rather mundane, except that the
entire Pit Straight has a slow uphill climb into the Castrol
Curve. The beginning of the Pit Straight (coming off
Mobilkom Curve) is also a bit bumpy.
Turn 1 (Castrol Curve): After a rather mundane Pit Straight,
the Castrol Curve is anything but mundane. This is a right-
hand uphill corner which requires moderate braking. The Pit
Lane rejoins the main course on the right at the exit of the
corner. Because of the steep slope of the hill, it is all
too easy to drive off the outside of the corner and into the
massive sand trap. If you lose your concentration and forget
even to slow down, you will likely find yourself airborne
once you hit the rumble strip; similarly, if you try to take
this corner at top speed, you may find yourself looking up at
the ground.
Straightaway: There are a few fades in the straightaway as
the course continues its uphill climb. The end of the
straightaway (approaching Remus Curve) has a suddenly steeper
grade and demands total concentration.
Turn 2 (Remus Curve): This is a TIGHT right-hand 'J' turn
requiring heavy or even severe braking, and complete
concentration to navigate safely (even when not dealing with
traffic). The uphill climb of the circuit continues through
most of the turn, making high or even moderate speeds
impossible here. Rolling the right-side tires up on the thin
patch of grass on the inside of the Remus Curve will almost
definitely result in loss of control of your vehicle. Even
worse, this is a blind corner due to the barrier. Aggressive
drivers will certainly end up overrunning the Remus Curve on
exit and find themselves beached in the kitty litter. If you
use the accelerator too soon on exit, you WILL find yourself
off-course.
Straightaway: Located at the highest elevation of the course,
this straightaway has a fade to the right, then another to
the left. After the second fade, prepare for braking before
arriving at the Gosser Curve. Make use of the distance-to-
corner markers, or else you risk overrunning Gosser Curve.
Turn 3 (Gosser Curve): Another tight right-hand corner, heavy
braking will be required here to avoid sliding off the course
and into yet another sand trap. This is also a blind corner,
due to the barrier on the inside of Gosser. The circuit
begins to slowly descend in elevation here.
Straightaway: This is actually NOT a straightaway at all; the
course map does not list the right-hand turn, but it is
definitely more than just a fade. If you overrun this, you
will end up in the same sand trap as before - it is simply
extended along the left side of the course from the outside
of Gosser until well beyond this unofficial corner.
Turn 4 (Niki Lauda Curve): This is a wide left-hand corner
which will require moderate or heavy braking, especially
since this is a blind corner due to the slope of the hill on
the inside of the turn; even if you slow greatly before
entering the corner, you will likely be tapping the brakes as
you progress through Niki Lauda. There is another wide patch
of sand on the outside of the corner, stretching almost all
the way to the entrance of the Gerhard Berger Curve. A short
straightaway separates Turns 4 and 5. Note that the circuit
turns to the left here; the patch of pavement which continues
straight forward will lead you into a barrier.
Turn 5 (Gerhard Berger Curve): This is almost identical to
the Niki Lauda Curve, but with an additional sand trap which
begins on the inside of the corner.
Straightaway: Again more than a fade but not listed as an
official corner, there is a 'turn' to the right shortly after
exiting the Gerhard Berger Curve. About two-thirds of the
way along, the course enters a scenic forested area; this
'transition' section is also rather bumpy.
Turn 6 (Jochen Rindt Curve): This is a blind right-hand
corner which can be taken with light braking, or just a small
lift of the accelerator; the best way to judge this corner is
by using the right-side barrier as a guide. Another sand
trap awaits those who run off the outside of the corner. A
short straightaway follows Jochen Rindt.
Turn 7 (Mobilkom Curve): This is a right-hand corner which
will require light or moderate braking. The Pit Lane begins
on the right just before the entry to Mobilkom, so be careful
not to bump cars slowing before going to the pits.
Pit Entry: Located just before the entrance to the Mobilkom
Curve, the Pit Lane is to the right. This is a very long pit
lane, so plan to stay out of here as much as possible!!!
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF MONACO: MONTE CARLO (TEMPORARY STREET CIRCUIT)
'To finish first, first you must finish.' The Monaco circuit
is a highly daunting temporary street course, especially from
the Driver View, as the barriers are FAR too close for
comfort, and passing is virtually impossible for even expert
drivers. If there is a problem with a car, there are
extremely few places to safely pull aside, so all drivers
must be constantly wary of damaged vehicles, especially slow
or stationary cars around the many blind corners. The most
significant key to simply finishing a race at Monaco is
SURVIVAL, which means a slow, methodical, patient race.
Aggressive drivers (like myself) would almost certainly end
up dead - or at least driving an extremely beat-up vehicle -
driving the Monaco circuit for real!!! For a comparison, the
Surfer's Paradise circuit in Newman-Haas Racing is a sweet
dream compared to the Monaco circuit!!!!! The circuit is
extremely narrow, to the point that if a car bangs a barrier,
it will almost certainly ricochet into the opposite barrier
(if not into a nearby vehicle). While driving this circuit,
players may want to have "I Will Survive" playing on auto-
repeat!!!
Pit Straight: Not straight at all, the 'Pit Straight' fades
to the right along its entire length. Near the end, the Pit
Lane rejoins the main course from the right.
Turn 1 (Sainte Devote): This is a tight right-hand semi-blind
corner; heavy braking is required long before reaching Sainte
Devote. To the left on entering this corner is one of the
few areas to pull off the course if there is a problem.
Overshooting the corner results in smashing the front wing
against the unmoving barrier. The uphill portion of the
course begins here.
Straightaway (Beau Rivage): Not really straight with its
multi-direction fades, the circuit climbs steeply uphill
here. Because of the fades, this is actually NOT a passing
zone; you may think you have enough room to pass a slower car
and actually pull up alongside it, but then you and the
slower vehicle will end up bumping each other and/or a
barrier because of a fade. Three-wide racing is definitely
NOT an option here!!!!!
Turn 2 (Massanet): This is a sweeping decreasing-radius left-
hand blind corner requiring moderate or heavy braking on
entry and light braking (or coasting) as you continue through
the turn. If you come in too fast, the corner workers will
be scraping the right side of your car off the barrier at the
end of the race; if you take the corner too tightly, the same
will happen for the left side of the car. The exit of
Massanet is the highest elevation of the circuitŠ which has
only just begun, even if it IS 'all downhill' from here!!!
Turn 3 (Casino): Moderate braking will be needed for the
right-hand Casino. This corner almost immediately follows
Massanet, and begins the long downward trajectory of the
course. This corner is actually wider than most, to the
extent that a car in trouble may be parked along the barrier
on the outside of the corner. Be careful not to scrape the
left-side barrier while exiting Turn 3; similarly, do not
overcompensate and scrape the right-side barrier at the apex
of Casino.
Turn 4 (Mirabeau): Following a medium-length downhill
straightaway, heavy braking is needed for this right-hand
blind 'J' turn. If you miss the braking zone, your front end
will be crushed up against yet another barrier. This corner
continues the course's downhill slope, which adds to the
difficulty of the turn.
Turn 5 (Great Curve): Following an extremely short
straightaway, this left-hand hairpin is one of the slowest in
all of F1 racing (even 40MPH is a dangerous speed here). If
you have excellent braking ability, you can actually PASS (a
rarity!!!) by taking the tight inside line; otherwise, it
would be best to drive through the Great Curve single-file.
If there is traffic ahead, it may simply be best to fall in
line, as two-wide cornering here is extremely difficult to do
without damaging the car.
Turns 6 and 7 (Portier): This pair of right-hand corners form
a 'U' shape, but neither can be taken at any respectable
speed. Between these two corners is a pull-off area on the
left, with another to the left on exiting the 'U' formation.
Turn 7 is the slowest of the two corners, and is the most
difficult in terms of the almost-nonexistent view of the
track. Accelerating too soon out of Turn 7 means banging the
left side of the car against yet another immovable barrier.
Do not let the beautiful view of the water distract you from
the race. The circuit is a little bumpy exiting Portier,
especially if you stay tight to the inside of the corner on
exit.
Straightaway (The Tunnel): This 'straightaway' is actually a
very long right-hand fade in a semi-tunnel (the left side
provides a view of the water). However, even on a sunny day,
visibility here is poor due to the sun being at a 'wrong'
angle compared to the circuit, and this is made even worse
should you be following a car with a malfunctioning or
expired engine. Start braking shortly after entering back
into the sunlight (assuming Dry Weather is active) for the
chicane.
Chicane (Nouveau Chicane): The course narrows as you come
around the chicane, but then 'widens' back to 'normal' at the
exit. Fortunately, F1 2001 has removed the barrier on the
inside of the chicane which made this a treacherous
configuration in F1 2000.
Turn 8 (Tobacco): This left-hand corner is best taken with
moderate braking.
Turns 9-12 (Swimming Pool): This is essentially a double
chicane around the swimming pool in the classic 'bus stop'
configuration. Turns 9 and 10 form a tight left-right
combination, for which moderate braking is required, although
little or no braking can be used if you roll straight over
the rumble strips with a solid racing line and no encumbering
traffic. After an extremely brief straightaway, Turns 11 and
12 form the opposite configuration (right-left), but are even
tighter and require moderate braking at best. This opens out
onto a short straightaway where you MIGHT be able to pass ONE
car.
Turns 13 and 14 (La Rascasse): This is a tight left-right
chicane requiring moderate braking for Turn 13 and heavy
braking for Turn 14. Even worse, Turn 14 is a 'J' turn, so
the racing line is also very important here. The Pit Lane is
to the right at the exit of this chicane.
Turns 15 and 16 (Anthony Hoges): A tight right-left chicane,
these are the final corners of the Monaco circuit. The
course narrows here through the chicane, then 'widens' to
'normal' for the Pit Straight.
Pit Entry: The entrance to the Pit Lane is to the right
immediately after clearing La Rascasse. Given that La
Rascasse is a blind corner, on every lap, expect a slower car
here headed for the pits.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF CANADA: CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENEUVE
This incredible circuit is built on an island, accessible to
spectators only via subway. Much of the course runs along
the southern and northern shores of the island. This course
is also unusual in that the paddock area is to the outside of
the course (as at Imola), along the northern shore of the
island. The long, sweeping straightaways provide for
excellent top-end speed - a much-welcome change from the
slow, tight corners and the many unforgiving barriers of the
streets of Monaco (the previous race circuit in Championship
Mode) - but there are several tight corners here to challenge
both drivers and cars. Mind the Casino Hairpin (Turn 10),
the westernmost corner of the course. Also tricky is the
Senna Curve, as it immediately follows the first corner of
the race.
Pit Straight: This follows the final chicane of the circuit.
As the Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the left, the
Pit Straight fades to the right, setting up Turn 1. If you
were successful in flying through the final chicane at top
speed without needing to navigate traffic, you will likely be
pushing 200MPH at the Start/Finish Line.
Turn 1: This left-hand corner will require moderate braking,
and immediately flows into the Senna Curve. There is a patch
of extra pavement on the right before entering Turn 1, but it
is set too far back to be useful in attempting to gain a
better racing line.
Turn 2 (Senna Curve): This is a right-hand hairpin corner
requiring heavy or severe braking. It is very easy to run
too wide here, slipping off into the grass. Likewise, it is
rather easy to overcompensate and cut the corner, which can
cause the car to spin if taken too fast. Extreme caution is
required here if racing in wet conditions, as the severity of
the hairpin can itself cause the car to slide. Perhaps the
best tactic is to enter Turn 1 from the extreme right of the
pavement, and brake smoothly all the way through to just
beyond the apex of Senna Curve before accelerating again.
Beware the barrier to the left on exit. A moderate
straightaway follows the Senna Curve, so acceleration from
the exit is important.
Turns 3 and 4: This right-left chicane can provide a good
passing zone. Turn 3 is tight and semi-blind, but passing on
braking is an option for those who know the chicane well.
Turn 4 is an easier corner, allowing good acceleration on
exit, but it is still easy to overshoot the exit of the
chicane and bang the right side of the car against the nearby
barrier. Expert drivers MIGHT be able to blast through this
chicane at full acceleration by making judicious use of the
rumble strips. This chicane begins the segment of the
circuit closely bounded by barriers.
Turn 5: This sweeping right-hand corner can be taken at full
speed, unless you are coping with traffic. Be careful not to
hug the apex too tightly, or your right-side tires will be on
the grass here.
Turn 6: Finally coming out of the section of Monacoesquely-
close barriers, this left-hand corner will require moderate
braking, or you will be flying through the grass toward the
spectators in Grandstand 33. This leads out to a very brief
straightaway.
Turn 7: Following a very short straightaway, Turn 7 is a
light-braking right-hand corner. On the outside of Turn 7 is
a short, steep hillside with a barrier, so DO NOT run wide
entering the corner, as it is possible to send the vehicle
airborne!!! It is easy to run wide on exit and slip off the
course and into the barrier on the left, so be careful.
Straightaway: The course runs along the southern shore of the
island here. Unfortunately, the extremely tall barrier
prevents much of a view, which actually forces your eyes to
be transfixed on the road and any other cars ahead. Once you
pass underneath the pedestrian bridge, begin braking for the
upcoming chicane.
Turns 8 and 9: This right-left chicane is similar to Turns 6
and 7 in that overrunning the chicane leaves you driving
through the sand directly toward another grandstand full of
spectators. Moderate braking will be needed to safely enter
the chicane's tight right-hand corner. The second corner of
the chicane is a gentler left-hand turn, but you might still
run off the pavement on exit and grind the right side of the
car against the barrier, or roll up on the rumble strips on
the inside of the corner and lose control of the car.
Accelerate strongly out of the chicane to set up passing
possibilities along the following straightaway and into
Casino Hairpin.
Straightaway: About two-thirds of the way along, the course
fades to the left. Begin braking early for Casino Hairpin
unless you really want to beach the car in the kitty litter;
to begin braking after passing underneath the second
pedestrian bridge is almost certainly too late for this
braking zone.
Turn 10 (Casino Hairpin): This is a tight right-hand hairpin
requiring heavy or even severe braking, depending on when you
begin braking for the corner. Somehow, this corner seems to
be longer than it really is, so be judicious with the
accelerator until you see clear, straight track ahead.
Straightaway: On exiting Turn 10, the course fades to the
right, then back to the left. However, no braking is
required here.
Turn 11: Officially marked on course maps as a corner, the
course actually only fades to the right here, thus no braking
is required. You should be fairly high up in the gearbox by
the time you reach Turn 11.
Straightaway (Casino Straight): The Casino Straight (named
for the casino in the middle of the island) runs parallel to
the northern shore of the island on which the course is
built; there is not much of a view to the left, but it is not
very interesting anyhow (especially when compared to Albert
Park Lake in Melbourne). This is by far the longest
straightaway of the entire course, so much of the time spent
here will be in your car's top gear, quite likely achieving
speeds over 200MPH. The Casino Straight leads to the final
(right-left) chicane of the course, as well as the entry for
Pit Lane. if you can spot it through the trees, the Casino
de Montreal is the grayish complex off the course to the
right as you drive between the final two pedestrian bridges.
Turns 12 and 13: This is a right-left chicane which can be
cleared (without traffic) with light or moderate braking.
For experts, this chicane can be taken at full speed and no
braking, but only with a flawless racing line and a perfect
knowledge of the corners. The exit of Turn 13 has a wide
odd-colored lane of concrete to allow for some swing-out;
nonetheless, be careful not to bump the barrier. The exit of
the chicane flows onto the Pit Straight. The Pit Lane entry
runs straight ahead in line with the Casino Straight, so cars
slowing on the left are likely heading in for servicing, and
may block your optimal racing line if you are continuing on-
course.
Pit Entry: As you enter the final (right-left) chicane, the
Pit Entry runs straight ahead. Once clear of the main
course, there is very little room for deceleration before the
Pit Lane's own tight right-left chicane, so it is very
important to slow down on Casino Straight before reaching the
Pit Entry. Keep as far to the left as possible when slowing
on Casino Straight, allowing other cars to keep to the right
as they prepare for the final chicane.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE: NURBURGRING
From a driving standpoint, the hilly Nurburgring circuit is
very much characterized by its tight corners, some of which
are semi-blind turns. Tire wear is a definite issue in long
races here, especially in wet conditions. Even more
important, however, is braking early for almost every corner;
perhaps only the narrow streets of Monaco require more
braking than does the Nurburgring circuit.
Pit Straight: This straightaway is fairly long, but the
Start/Finish Line is near the exit of the final corner. The
Pit Lane rejoins the course near the end of the Pit Straight,
just before the Castrol S.
Turns 1 and 2 (Castrol S): Moderate braking is required
before entering this right-left 'S' curve. It is quite easy
to miss seeing the entry to the Castrol S unless traffic is
present to mark the corner for you. Until you know the
course really well, expect to find yourself driving straight
ahead into the recovery area. Turn 2 is actually somewhat of
a double-apex left-hand corner, so do not go too wide
initially on exit. Also, be careful not to drive too wide
exiting the Castrol S. Caution must be taken here on the
first lap of a race, as the traffic truly bunches up here.
Turn 3: Light braking or a quick lift of the accelerator will
be necessary for this left-hand corner. However, hard
braking will be required for the Ford Curve ahead. Beginning
at the top of Turn 3, the course moves downhill.
Turn 4 (Ford Curve): This is a hard right-hand corner,
practically a 'J' curve. The course continues its downhill
slope here, which significantly adds to the difficulty of the
turn, especially in wet condditions. Braking too late here
means a trip through the kitty litter, while riding up on the
inside rumble strips usually means losing control of the car.
This is definitely NOT a place to pass unless absolutely
necessary.
Straightaway: The course fades to the left here. If you can
accelerate well out of the Ford Curve, you should be able to
pass several cars here as you continue downhill.
Turn 5 (Dunlop Curve): Severe braking for this hairpin is a
must, unless you really want to drive through the sand.
Again, rolling up on the rumble strips on the inside of the
curve may cause you to lose control of the car; however, I
have several times induced slight wheelspin of the right-side
tires on the rumble strip, which helped to swing the car
around the corner just a little faster. The course continues
gently uphill here toward the Audi S.
Turns 6 and 7 (Audi S): Entering the left-right Audi S, the
uphill slope of the course increases, making it very
difficult to see the course more than a few feet ahead. The
exit of Turn 6 is the crest of this hill. Unless traffic
blocks your racing line, the entire Audi S section can be
taken at top speed if you have a good racing line, so good
acceleration out of the Dunlop Curve will be very beneficial
for passing entering Turn 6 and/or exiting Turn 7.
Turn 8 (RTL Curve): With the rise in the course entering the
left-hand RTL Curve, this appears to be identical to Turn 6
on approach. However, you MUST use moderate braking entering
the RTL Curve, or you will definitely be off in the grass on
the outside of the curve. After a short straightaway, this
corner is followed by the gentler BIT Curve.
Turn 9 (BIT Curve): This right-hand curve will require light
or moderate braking, depending on how much acceleration was
used in the brief straightaway following the RTL Curve.
Turn 10 (Bilstein-Bogen): This is a gentle right-hand semi-
corner which can be taken at full throttle. From here to the
Veedal S, the course makes its final and steepest upward
slope.
Turns 11 and 12 (Veedal S): This is an extremely tight left-
right made even worse for the drivers by its placement at the
very crest of the hill. For those who overshoot the chicane,
there is a newly-added barrier to collect you and your car.
Turn 13 (Coca-Cola Curve): A 'J' turn to the right, moderate
braking is required here to keep from sliding off the course.
The entry of the Coca-Cola Curve is also where the Pit Lane
begins, so cars may be slowing on approach to go to Pit Lane
for servicing. This is the final corner of the circuit.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins at the entry of the final
corner. It is extremely important to slow down before
entering Pit Lane; if you come in too fast, you will
certainly damage the front of the car on the barrier. Keep
tight to the right for Pit Entry, to allow those continuing
the race to have the prime racing line to the left of the
pavement.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE: NEVERS MAGNY-COURS
The Magny-Cours circuit is characterized by long, sweeping
straightaways, and fairly quick corners. The Adelaide hairpin
will almost definitely cause trouble, especially for
aggressive drivers, and is one of the slowest corners in
modern F1 racing. This is a very fun course to drive
(admittedly a very subjective statement), but its layout can
produce problems from the standpoint of hearing other cars:
Three of its main straightaways are almost exactly parallel
to each other with little distance and no large obstacles
between them, sometimes making it difficult to determine
where other cars are truly located around you as you try to
anticipate where the next group of traffic that you will need
to navigate is located; listen attentively to the team radio
for useful traffic information. The circuit also has
extremely wide areas along most of the main course for a car
to pull aside should a major malfunction arise.
Pit Straight: Following the tight High School chicane, strong
acceleration through the Pit Straight creates good passing
chances through Great Curve and into Estoril. However, the
tightness of the High School chicane and the incredibly close
proximity of the Pit Lane barrier requires immense caution
and headache-causing concentration as you come onto the Pit
Straight. The Start/Finish Line is about halfway down the
Pit Straight; the Pit Lane rejoins the course from the left
at this point.
Turn 1 (Great Curve): In accordance with its name, this is a
sweeping left-hand corner which can be taken flat-out unless
encumbered by a lot of traffic.
Turn 2 (Estoril): Either light or moderate braking will be
needed for entering the VERY long right-hand 180-degree
Estoril; in either case, you will almost certainly be tapping
the brakes repeatedly through Estoril. It is quite easy to
roll the right-side tires off onto the grass, and it is just
as easy to slip off onto the grass on the outside of Estoril
- both can easily occur, whether navigating traffic or
driving alone.
Straightaway (Golf): The Golf Straight if by far the longest
of the course and includes several fades to the right.
Turn 3 (Adelaide): The right-hand Adelaide hairpin is
EXTREMELY tight. The key here is to brake EARLY, as you will
be downshifting from your top gear to your lowest gear
rapidly; if you begin braking too late, you will be off in
the grass. If you accelerate too soon out of Adelaide, you
will be rolling through the kitty litter and losing valuable
track position. Even 30MPH is likely to be too fast here.
Straightaway: Acceleration out of Adelaide is important for
passing other cars here. There are a few fades in the course
here.
Turns 4 and 5 (Nurburgring): This is a right-left chicane
which will require light braking. It is possible to fly
through Nurburgring without braking by making use of the
bright-green extension on the inside of Turn 5; however, this
extension is significantly shorter than it was in F1
Championship Season 2000.
Turn 6 (180 Degrees): This is quite true - the official name
of this corner is '180 Degrees' according to the official Web
site of Magny-Cours. This is a wide left-hand hairpin
nestled well within the Estoril hairpin. Running too wide
here will put you out in the sand; running too close to the
apex could put you up on the rumble strips and force you to
lose control. While this corner is not as slow as the
Adelaide hairpin, you really do not want to try pushing very
much faster here.
Straightaway: The third of the three parallel-running
straightaways, this 'straightaway' has several fades before
the Imola chicane.
Turns 7 and 8 (Imola): This right-left chicane should require
light braking, except for cars with a flawless racing line.
The bright-green extension on the inside of Turn 8 is longer
than in F1 Championship Season 2000, which could well be used
for top-speed navigation of the chicane. A short
straightaway out of Imola sets up the Water Castle curve.
Turn 9 (Water Castle): Somewhere between a standard 'J' turn
and a hairpin, this is an increasing-radius right-hand corner
leading into the final straightaway of the circuit.
Turns 10 and 11 (High School): There is a false line of
pavement to the right as you near the official chicane; this
false pavement runs directly up to an immovable barrier (I
believe this is the Pit Entry for other forms of racing at
the circuit). The official chicane requires moderate braking
on entering, and allows for a VERY short burst of
acceleration on exit. If you completely miss this chicane,
you will blast through the sand trap and break the front end
on a perpendicular barrier blocking any direct access to Pit
Lane.
Turn 12 (High School): On entry, the Pit Lane begins to the
left. The official corner is a TIGHT right-hand turn which
requires moderate or even heavy braking; wheel lock is very
much a possibility here, especially in wet conditions. If
you miss the corner, you will blast through the all-too-brief
sand trap and ram directly against a barrier and bounce
backward into any cars behind you. Speed is an extreme
concern here; it is virtually impossible to go too slow, but
going too fast will definitely result in a crash (with great
possibility of bouncing into follow-up crashes with other
cars, or with another nearby barrier).
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the left at the entry of
Turn 12. The Pit Lane has its own sharp right-hand turn
almost immediately, so it is best to begin slowing (or
rather, barely accelerating) as you leave the High School
chicane.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN: SILVERSTONE
For the 2000 F1 season, the British Grand Prix was moved up
in the racing calendar, and resulted in a very wet weekend
(although the race itself was semi-sunny); fortunately, FIA
learned its lesson and moved the British Grand Prix further
back in the calendar. Built on an airport site which will
host the race until at least 2010, this historic course
features wide run-off areas in most places.
Pit Straight: The Start/Finish Line is directly at the
beginning of the Pit Straight. There is no room for error on
the right side of the track, as the Pit Lane barrier is
directly against the pavement.
Turn 1 (Copse): This is a moderate right-hand corner which
can be taken at full speed, but be careful to not run off the
course at the exit of the turn. The best racing line is to
tightly hug the apex, but the Pit Lane barrier is right there
against the pavement, so it is imperative to keep the right-
side tires from rubbing the barrier. Turn 1 exits onto a
long straightaway.
Straightaway: The Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the
right about 1/3 of the way along the straight.
Turns 2-5 (Bechetts): This is a set of left-right-left-right
'S' curves. Turns 2 through 4 can be taken at full speed or
with very quick tapping of the brakes, but Turn 5 requires
moderate braking to keep to the pavement.
Turn 6 (Chapel): This is a gentle left-hand corner which can
be taken at full speed. This opens onto Hangar Straight.
Straightaway (Hangar Straight): At 738.28m, this is by far
the longest straightaway of the course. Powerful
acceleration out of Turn 5 (the final corner of Bechetts) can
lead to good passing opportunities along Hangar Straight
and/or entering the almost-nonexistent braking zone for Turn
7 (Stowe). Note: To your left is the Roger Clark Circuit,
owned and operated by the same organization which owns and
operates this Grand Prix Circuit.
Turn 7 (Stowe): Light braking or a quick lift off the
accelerator will be required here (unless blocked by traffic)
in order to remain on the pavement. This is a tricky,
sweeping, right-hand corner followed immediately by a left-
hand semi-corner. This is the southernmost point of the
course.
Straightaway (Vale): If you can somehow successfully navigate
Stowe without braking or lifting, then you should be able to
continue passing others fairly easily along Vale, especially
if they had to brake heavily in Stowe.
Turns 8 and 9 (Club): There is a stretch of pavement to the
left, but that is NOT the official course; in fact, it has a
tall barrier blocking a clear path for those who wish to
accumulate a Stop-Go Penalty. The official corner is a tight
left-hand turn followed by the increasing-radius right-hand
Turn 9, leading out onto another long straightaway (Abbey
Straight).
Turns 10 and 11 (Abbey): Like the previous set of corners,
there is another stretch of pavement to the left which is not
part of the official course; as before, this patch of
pavement is blocked by a tall barrier, and taking this route
will accumulate a Stop-Go Penalty. The official Turn 10 is a
tight left-hand corner, but not as tight as Turn 8. This is
immediately followed by a Turn 11, a right-hand corner which
can be cleared with little or no braking depending on how
much you slowed entering Abbey. Be careful not to slip off
the course and rub the nearby barrier on exiting Abbey.
Straightaway (Farm Straight): With good acceleration out of
Abbey, good passing opportunities can be made here.
Turns 12-16: This final segment of the circuit is very
similar to The Stadium at Hockenheim. However, these similar
segments cannot be approached in the same manner.
Turn 12 (Bridge): Immediately after passing underneath the
pedestrian bridge, you will enter a complex similar to The
Stadium at Hokkenheim. This is a right-hand corner which
can likely be taken at full speed.
Turn 13 (Priory): This left-hand corner will require
moderate braking.
Turn 14 (Brooklands): Another left-hand corner, this one
requires heavy braking. There is a small sand trap for
those who miss the braking zone.
Turn 15 (Luffield): This set of right-hand corners
essentially forms a 'U' shape, and requires moderate or
severe braking to avoid sliding off into the kitty litter.
The exit of Luffield can be taken flat-out all the way to
Turn 5. The entry to Pit Lane is on the right shortly
leaving Luffield.
Turn 16 (Woodcote): Barely a corner but more than a fade,
the course eases to the right here. The right-side
barrier begins abruptly here (be careful not to hit it).
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right between Luffield
and Woodcote. The new Pit Lane has a gentle right-hand
swing, so you can come into Pit Lane at top speed and have
plenty of room to slow.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY: HOCKENHEIM
Surrounded by multitudes of trees which make much of the
circuit rather dark in wet races, this is the fastest course
used for F1 racing in 2001. If not for the Jim Clark, Brems,
and Ayrton Senna chicanes, cars would be flying around the
course in top gear all the way from the North Curve (Turn 1)
to the entry of the Stadium (Turn 10). Except for the right
side of the Pit Straight, there is more than enough room to
pull well off the pavement should a car have a serious
problem on any part of the circuit. It is truly interesting
that the German Grand Prix immediately follows the British
Grand Prix, due to The Stadium here at Hockenheim and its
unnamed similar segment at Silverstone.
Pit Straight: This is an extremely short straightaway
compared to the rest of the course.
Turn 1 (North Curve): This right-hand corner will require
moderate braking to keep out of the expansive kitty litter.
The Pit Lane rejoins the course from the right at the exit of
North Curve. Acceleration out of North Curve is of key
importance due to the length of the ensuing straightaway.
Straightaway: Immensely lengthy and lined with trees, speed
is of the utmost importance here. The entire straightaway is
an extremely gentle fade to the right. Drift to the left
when you reach the grandstands.
Turns 2 and 3 (Jim Clark Chicane): Former games in the series
had a patch of pavement heading straight off Turn 2, allowing
for shortcutting of the chicane; this is no longer possible,
as a nasty barrier blocks any shortcutting attempts.
Moderate or heavy braking will be required for Turn 2 (or
light braking if not in traffic and using a FLAWLESS racing
line which makes judicious use of the rumble strips), but
full acceleration can be taken leading out of the chicane.
Straightaway: Yet another long, sweeping straightaway which
fades calmly to the right, so powerful acceleration out of
the Jim Clark Chicane is imperative to keep from getting
passed. Drift to the left before entering the Brems Chicane,
and begin braking much earlier than for the Jim Clark
Chicane.
Turns 4 and 5 (Brems Chicane): The original course
configuration (used in older F1 racing games) did not have a
chicane here, and the original pavement remains. However,
the official course suddenly cuts tightly to the right and
then cuts tightly to the left to rejoin the old pavement.
Moderate braking will be needed for Turn 4, and light braking
for Turn 5. This right-left chicane has a continual downhill
slope, adding to the difficulty of the chicane. Even with
the Flags option disabled, the angle of the old pavement to
the official chicane is such that it is impossible to blast
through this segment at top speed without spinning the car
through the kitty litter.
Turn 6 (East Curve): This is a very wide right-hand corner
which can be taken at top speed. Strong acceleration out of
Brems is key to assist in passing here.
Straightaway: This is yet another long straightaway, but
without any fades. Drift to the right for the Ayrton Senna
Chicane.
Turns 7-9 (Ayrton Senna Chicane): DO NOT follow the old
course pavement directly ahead unless you really WANT to
collide with the brand-new barrier. The official course
turns to the left, cuts to the right, and eases left again.
It is actually possible to speed into Turn 7 at top speed,
lift off the throttle through Turn 8, and accelerate quickly
out of the chicane - but this is certainly NOT recommended.
Straightaway: The final long straightaway of the course has
extra pavement on the left - this could potentially be a
place to pass large numbers of cars. This extra pavement
begins shortly after the exit of the Ayrton Senna Chicane,
and ends at the entry of the Stadium; thus, if you are on
this 'extra' pavement entering the Stadium, you will have a
better racing line for Turn 10, allowing you to navigate the
corner with less.
Turns 10-13 (The Stadium): This is similar to the final
segment of the Silverstone circuit. However, do not expect
to drive The Stadium the same way you would the final segment
at Silverstone.
Turn 10 (Entrance to the Stadium: Agip Curve): Light
braking may be required here, but you should be able to
pass through the Agip Curve without any braking at all
(especially if your racing line began with the 'extra'
pavement on the left before the Stadium). A short
straightaway follows.
Turn 11 (Continuing through the Stadium: Sachscurve): This
is a left-hand wide hairpin turn, requiring moderate
braking. Be careful not to end up in the grass, either
entering or exiting the corner.
Straightaway (Continuing through the Stadium): This short
straightaway has a fade to the left, followed by a fade to
the right.
Turns 12 and 13 (Exiting the Stadium: Opel): The first
right-hand corner is somewhat tight, and heavy braking
will be required here; the old course rejoins the current
course from the left on exit, so if you run wide in this
corner, you can likely recover here using the old
pavement. The final corner of the circuit is a right-hand
turn which will require moderate braking. The Pit Lane
entry is to the right just before the official Turn 13.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right at the entry of
Turn 13 (the final corner of the Stadium).
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF HUNGARY: HUNGARORING
The Hungaroring circuit has wide run-off areas, which can be
quite important, especially for Turn 1. It is imperative to
qualify near the top of the grid and be (one of) the first
through this corner, as traffic backs up tremendously here at
the start of a race - moreso than at most other circuits due
to the extremely nasty configuration of the first turn.
Pit Straight: This is the highest point on the course and a
very long straightaway. Actually, the highest point is at
the very end of the Pit Straight, at the entrance of Turn 1,
due to the continual uphill slope.
Turn 1: It's all downhill from here, almost literally. This
tight right-hand hairpin corner is downhill all the way
through, making early braking a necessity; plus, you will
certainly be tapping the brakes all the way through this
important first turn. If you do overrun the corner, there is
a huge sand trap for your inconvenience. However, if you
roll up on the inside rumble strips, expect your car to spin
violently and collide with anything nearby.
Turns 2 and 3: After a short straightaway, Turn 2 is a left-
hand 'J' turn requiring moderate braking. Turn 2 is quickly
followed by Turn 3, a light-braking right-hand corner which
must be taken at full throttle on exit to set up passing
opportunities through Turn 3 and along the ensuing
straightaway.
Turn 4: This moderate left-hand corner may require light
braking or may be taken flat-out. Plenty of kitty litter
awaits those who overrun the corner.
Turn 5: Moderate braking is necessary for this right-hand 'J'
turn. Plenty of sand is available on both sides of the
pavement here, just in case.
Turns 6 and 7: The CPU is very touchy about this right-left
chicane; virtually ANY short-cutting here results in a Stop-
Go Penalty. There is plenty of sand here as well, just in
case. Turn 6 is tight, requiring heavy braking. Turn 7
requires moderate braking, and beware the barrier on exit if
you happen to swing out too wide.
Turn 8: This moderate left-hand corner may require light
braking, but may also be taken as a full speed passing zone
if using rapid reflexes and a flawless racing line.
Turn 9: Almost immediately following Turn 8, this right-hand
corner definitely requires moderate braking to keep to the
pavement. Accelerate strongly out of Turn 9 to set up good
passing opportunities.
Turn 10: An easy left-hand corner which can be taken at top
speed, but only with a good racing line. This is a prime
place to pass if sufficient acceleration was made out of Turn
9.
Turn 11: Shortly following Turn 10, the right-hand Turn 11
requires moderate braking to stay out of the kitty litter on
the outside of the corner.
Turns 12 and 13: This is a right-left chicane for which the
CPU is again very touchy concerning shortcutting.
Turn 14: This is a narrow 'J' turn to the left. At first,
there is plenty of sand to the outside for those who overrun
the corner, but then a metal barrier rubs up against the
pavement beginning about halfway around the corner, so DO NOT
overrun the corner if you like having the right side of the
car intact. The course begins its steep uphill trajectory
here. A very short straightaway follows.
Turn 15: At the entry of this final corner is the Pit Lane
entry, so beware of slower cars on the right. The official
corner itself is a tight, uphill, right-hand hairpin with
little room for those who overrun the corner. Accelerate
strongly (but not too early) out of this final corner to pass
along the Pit Straight and put on a show for the spectators.
Do not take this corner too tightly, or you will damage the
right-side tires on the Pit Lane barrier.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins at the entry of Turn 15 on the
right; begin slowing (rather, do not accelerate much) at the
end of Turn 14 (the left-hand 'J' turn).
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF BELGIUM: SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
This is a well-storied course used for many forms of racing.
The longest course used in the 2001 F1 season, the forest
setting is rather scenic. This is also home to the famous
Turn 1 - the La Source hairpin - which is deemed the slowest
corner in all of F1 racing. As at Hungaroring, it is very
important to be at the front of the grid on the first lap to
safely navigate the first turn. Due to the forest setting,
much of the circuit is perpetually shadowed, which is
especially significant if racing in wet or overcast
conditions.
Pit Straight: Strong acceleration out of the Bus Stop chicane
allows SOME room for passing here. Fortunately, the
Start/Finish Line has been moved back away from La Source.
The course also slopes downward here, all the way through La
Source.
Turn 1 (La Source): This is an incredibly tight right-hand
hairpin. Fortunately, there is plenty of swing-out room and
plenty of recovery space, both paved, which can provide a
great passing opportunity by taking an extremely wide racing
line. The downward slope of the course is not much here, but
it does add to the difficulty of this hairpin turn. Brake
lock-up and the resultant flat-spotting of the tires is quite
easy to inadvertently accomplish here, especially in wet
racing conditions, so caution is extremely important. If a
car in front of you takes the wrong racing line, passing here
can be easy if you can suddenly dart either to the outside or
the inside of the turn. Passing can also occur here if you
brake REALLY late.
Straightaway (Eau Rouge): Immediately at the exit of La
Source is where the Pit Lane rejoins the main course, so try
to keep away from the inside of the course here, especially
since the barrier prevents cars exiting La Source to see cars
exiting Pit Lane (and vice versa). To the right is the Pit
Lane for the 24-hour races held at Spa-Francorchamps; take
care not to smash into this concrete Pit Lane barrier.
Immediately after passing the 'other' Pit Lane and entering
Eau Rouge (Red Water), the straightaway has several fades
during a semi-blind steep uphill climb into Turn 2. It is
all too easy to misjudge the racing line and wind up out in
the sand and the grass on either side of the pavement here,
so memorization of this segment of the circuit is just as
important as perfect timing in order to keep the car on the
pavement.
Turn 2 (Eau Rouge): This is an easy right-hand corner at the
top of the steep uphill climb. The kitty litter on either
side of the course fades away shortly after the corner.
Straightaway (Kemmel): The course truly enters the forested
area here, with trees lining both sides of the course and
casting lengthy shadows which make this area of the circuit
rather dark when racing in wet conditions. Cars can easily
achieve speeds over 200MPH by the end of this straightaway.
The end of Kemmel is where Mika Hakkinen made 'The Pass' on
Michael Schumacher in the 2000 Grand Prix of Belgium.
Turns 3-5 (Malmedy): This is a right-left-right combination
of corners. Moderate or even heavy braking is necessary
entering Malmedy (Turn 3), but little or no braking is needed
for Turn 4. After an almost non-existent straightaway, light
braking is needed for Turn 5 to keep from running into the
nearby grandstand. The Malmedy complex has plenty of run-off
room, comprised of both sand and grass, with minor short-
cutting permitted by the CPU. Entering Malmedy, be sure not
to keep going straight along another stretch of pavement
(part of the old circuit), which leads to a barrier.
Straightaway: Between Malmedy and Bruxelles (the French
spelling of 'Brussels,' the capital of Belgium), the course
takes a steep downward trajectory. This can be a good
passing zone for those who did not need to use the brakes
(much) leaving the Malmedy complex.
Turn 6 (Bruxelles): The course continues downhill all the way
through this right-hand hairpin, making heavy braking a
necessity before the corner as well as light braking most of
the way through Bruxelles, especially if the tires are rather
worn. If any corner is to be overrun on a regular basis
during the course of the race, this is it, so the wide sandy
recovery area may actually be a blessing in disguise.
However, due to the slope of the hill, running up on the
rumble strips on the inside of the turn may well result in a
spin or other loss of control; if done 'right,' this may also
result in launching the vehicle airborne.
Turn 7: Shortly following Bruxelles, this left-hand corner
requires moderate braking.
Turn 8 and 9 (Pouhon): These two easy left-hand corners
essentially form a wide 'U' shape, and require light or
moderate braking. There is plenty of run-off room here, if
needed, on both sides of the pavement.
Turns 10 and 11 (Fagnes): This right-left complex will
require moderate braking on entry, and possibly tapping the
brakes through Turn 11 as well. Accelerate well out of
Fagnes to pass one or two cars on the short straightaway
which follows.
Turn 12 (Stavelot): This is another right-hand corner,
requiring light or moderate braking. It is highly important
to accelerate STRONG out of Stavelot, as you won't be using
the brakes again until the Bus Stop Chicane.
Turn 13 (Blanchimont): This is a long, sweeping, left-hand
corner which must be carried at top speed (from Stavelot) or
else you WILL be passed by others. The trees here are
pretty, but keep your eyes on the road, especially due to the
shadows cast over the circuit.
Turns 14-17 (Bus Stop Chicane): This is a tight left-right
followed by a super-short straightaway and a tight right-
left. The beginning of the chicane is at the top of a small
rise, so the first two turns are blocked from view on
approach (especially from Driver View) unless other cars are
there to mark the course for you. Moderate braking should be
used for both parts of the Bus Stop, but experts can semi-
easily fly through the Bus Stop at top speed (but be prepared
to save the car should the rumble strips cause you to lose
control).
Pit Entry: While the Bus Stop Chicane begins here with a
tight left-hand corner, the Pit Lane continues straight
ahead, with a quick right-left mini-chicane of its own.
There is not much room in Pit Lane to slow down before
reaching the Paddock, so slow on the main course, but keep to
the right to allow cars remaining in the race to pass you on
the left as they enter the Bus Stop Chicane.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF ITALY: MONZA
This historic high-speed track hosts a highly partial pro-
Ferrari crowd - affectionately known as the 'tifosi.' The
2000 Italian Grand Prix is the race in which a volunteer
corner worker was killed at the Roggia Chicane, due to all
the flying debris from the first-lap multi-car collision
caused by Heinz-Herald Frentzen missing his braking zone.
This is also the final race of the 'European' season; the
final two races are both overseas, 'flyaway' races (at
Indianapolis and Suzuka).
Pit Straight: Strong acceleration out of the Curva Parabolica
can create prime passing opportunities along the Pit
Straight. The Pit Lane begins on the right shortly after
exiting the Parabolica.
Turns 1-3 (Rettifilio): The new chicane here is a tight
right-left with a gentle right turn back into line with the
original pavement. The chicane is blocked by a barrier, but
the inside of Turn 1 has a paved 'extension' which may be of
benefit.
Turn 4 (Biassono): This sweeping right-hand corner among the
thick trees can be taken flat-out. To the left is a long,
wide area of sand, but the corner is so extremely gentle that
the sand should not be needed for any reason unless you blow
an engine or severely puncture a tire.
Turns 5 and 6 (Roggia): Despite the flatness of the Monza
circuit, this chicane is extremely difficult to see on
approach unless traffic is present to mark the pavement for
you, so it is very easy to overrun the chicane. This is a
very tight left-right chicane, so moderate or heavy braking
is required; experts may be able to speed through here at
full throttle by making use of the new, narrow, bright-green
extensions on the inside of each corner. There is a large
sand trap for those who miss the chicane altogether.
Attempting to speed through the chicane at top speed will
almost certainly result in a Stop-Go Penalty and/or severe
loss of car control.
Turn 7 (First Lesmo): This right-hand corner requires
moderate braking. There is a wide sand trap on the outside
of the corner, just in case. Beware the barrier on the
inside of the corner.
Turn 8 (Second Lesmo): This right-hand corner is a little
tighter than First Lesmo, and also has a significant area of
kitty litter on the outside of the corner. Moderate braking
will be needed here. Again, beware the barrier on the inside
of the corner.
Straightaway/Turn 9 (Serraglio): This is really just a fade
to the left, but the official course map lists this as a
curve. Counting this as a fade, this marks about the halfway
point on the longest straightaway of the Monza circuit.
There is sufficient room to pull off the course here on
either side if necessary, except when passing underneath the
first bridge. The circuit is extremely bumpy between the two
bridges.
Turns 10-12 (Ascari): The Ascari chicane is more difficult
than it seems. Turn 11 is a left-hand corner requiring at
least light braking. This is followed immediately by a
right-hand corner requiring moderate braking. Turn 13 can be
taken at full acceleration if you slowed enough in Turn 12.
Wide areas of grass and sand are available for those
overruninng any part of the chicane. Still, unless
encumbered by traffic, experts may be able to take Ascari at
full throttle with a flawless racing line which makes use of
the rumble strips. Unfortunately, F1 2001 does not provide
the real course's paved swing-out area at the exit of Ascari.
Straightaway (Rettilineo Parabolica): This is the second-
longest straightaway at Monza and a prime passing zone,
especially with powerful acceleration out of Ascari.
Turn 13 (Curva Parabolica): This final corner is a very-wide
increasing-radius right-hand hairpin. Light or moderate
braking is required on entry, but once about one-third of the
way around the hairpin, stand on the accelerator all the way
through to Rettifilio. The outside of the Curva Parabolica
has an immense expanse of kitty litter, but this really
should not be necessary unless you suddenly need to take
evasive action to avoid someone else's accident.
Pit Entry: Shortly after exiting the Curva Parabolica, the
Pit Lane begins on the right. This is perhaps the shortest
Pit Lane in all of F1; there is virtually NO room for
deceleration once leaving the main course, so cars going in
for servicing will begin slowing at the exit of the Curva
Parabolica.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF THE UNITED STATES: INDIANAPOLIS
The inaugural U.S. Grand Prix was significant for two
reasons. First, for the first time ever, cars were racing
'backward' (clockwise) at Indianapolis. Second, cars were
racing in the rain, which is virtually unheard-of in American
auto racing (CART is an exception, but only on road courses).
Fortunately, FIA gave the live rights to ABC for the American
audience, a very intelligent move to try to increase F1's
exposure in the American market; this would not have been
nearly as effective if SpeedVision had been permitted the
live rights for the race, as SpeedVision is a cable-
/satellite-only channel, and not all cable systems carry
SpeedVision in their more affordable packages (in Tucson, I
personally pay $25 extra per month just to get the package
which includes SpeedVision). Except the Pit Straight, the
U.S. Grand Prix circuit features wide run-off areas,
especially along Hulman Blvd. According to many of the
drivers, part of the 'mystique' of the U.S. Grand Prix at
Indianapolis is the closeness of the spectators; at no other
F1 circuit are the fans literally 'just across the wall' from
the cars (the main grandstands at Albert Park would come
closest). The U.S. Grand Prix begins the final 'flyaway'
(non-European) races of the 2001 season.
Pit Straight: This is the same as the Pit Straight used for
the Indy and NASCAR races here, but the F1 cars drive in the
'wrong' direction (clockwise). Expect top speeds close to or
even exceeding 200MPH.
Turns 1 and 2: After more than 25 seconds at full throttle,
this tight right-left combination can be deadly if you miss
the braking zone. Brake early and hard to safely navigate
Turn 1 in first or second gear, then accelerate violently
through Turn 2.
Turn 3: This is a sweeping right-hand corner which can be
taken at top speed.
Turn 4: This is a long right-hand 'J' turn requiring moderate
braking to keep to the pavement.
Turn 5: Another right-hand corner, this corner requires light
or moderate braking, and can be a good passing zone with good
braking on entry.
Turn 6: This left-hand hairpin requires good braking
throughout. Accelerating too soon will certainly put you out
on the grass.
Turn 7: This is a right-hand 'J' turn onto the famous Hulman
Blvd., which leads to the Indy Museum. Moderate braking is
need here, but there is fortunately an immense paved swing-
out area on exit which stretches much of the way toward Turn
8.
Straightaway (Hulman Blvd.): This is the longest straightaway
of the infield section of the Indianapolis F1 circuit, so
strong acceleration exiting Turn 7 is key here.
Turn 8: Turning to the left, this corner requires moderate or
heavy braking, depending on your car's top speed on Hulman
Blvd. However, the following straightaway is extremely
short, so do not expect to accelerate much (if at all) before
'Mickey' and 'Mouse.'
Turn 9 ('Mickey'): This is a tight right-hand 'J' turn,
nicknamed 'Mickey' by the sportscasters at the inaugural F1
race at Indianapolis. This is a second-gear corner at best,
but first gear is probably a better choice here.
Turn 10 ('Mouse'): This tight left-hand hairpin corner was
nicknamed 'Mouse' by sportscasters. Any dry-conditions speed
above 40MPH will certainly force you off the course and into
the grass. A strong, short burst of acceleration out of
'Mouse' can set up a good passing opportunity in Turn 11.
Take care not to induce wheelspin on exit.
Turn 11: This long right-hand corner is the final corner of
the course requiring braking. It is still fairly easy to
slip off the course (especially in wet racing conditions), so
be careful here. From here all the way to the end of the Pit
Straight, you should be fully on the accelerator for
approximately 28 seconds before braking for the first corner.
Turn 12: This right-hand corner brings the cars back out onto
the oval used for Indy and NASCAR races, and coming back out
onto the banking may be a little challenging at first. No
braking is required here.
Turn 13: This is the banked 'Turn 1' of the Indy and NASCAR
races here, but taken in reverse (clockwise) for the U.S.
Grand Prix. It is important to hug the apex of the corner
tightly, but keep off the infield grass.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins just before Turn 13. There is
plenty of room to enter Pit Lane and slow down, so keep up to
speed while still on the main circuit.
==============================================
GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN: SUZUKA
This world-famous circuit in figure-eight style is used for
many forms of auto and motorcycle racing; as such, those who
have played other racing games (such as Moto GP World Tour or
Le Mans 24 Hours) may already have some familiarity with the
Suzuka circuit. One of the most famous sights of the
'circuit' is the large Ferris Wheel on the left behind the
grandstands as cars pass along the Pit Straight. This is the
circuit where Michael Schumacher won the 2000 Driver's
Championship. Suzuka was once the official test circuit for
Honda, with the figure-eight configuration ensuring that
there were a near-equal number of both left-hand and right-
hand turns; similarly, the circuit was purposely designed to
include as many types of corners as possible, which makes the
Suzuka circuit more technically difficult than it might at
first appear to Suzuka novices.
Pit Straight: Good speeds can be achieved here with strong
acceleration out of the chicane. The Pit Lane rejoins the
course from the right near the end of the Pit Straight.
Turn 1: This right-hand (almost double-apex) hairpin requires
moderate braking on approach, and you will likely be tapping
the brakes through the hairpin itself. This begins an uphill
climb, and it is difficult to see the left side of the
pavement on exit, so be careful not to run too wide and end
up out in the sand. There is really no reason to overrun the
hairpin on entry, as the corner is quite easily identifiable.
Turns 2-5 (S Curves): This is by far the hardest section of
the course - tight left-right-left-right corners. The first
of the 'S' curves can likely be taken at full speed, with
light or moderate braking for Turn 3. Turn 4 can be taken
either flat-out (not suggested) or with light braking. No
matter what, slam HARD on the brakes for Turn 5, the tightest
corner of the 'S' section. This entire segment of the course
continues the uphill climb, making Turn 5 particularly more
difficult. There is ample recovery room on either side of
the course through the uphill 'S' section. The 'S' section
is a good place to pass slower cars, if you have enough
confidence in your brakes to pass during corner entry. No
matter what, you will NOT be surviving the 'S' curves unless
you use the brakes generously - or use only second or third
gear.
Turn 6 (Dunlop Curve): This sweeping left-hand corner is the
crest of the initial uphill segment of the course, and can be
taken at full acceleration.
Turn 7 (Degner): Here, the course turns to the right in
anticipation of the figure-eight pattern. Light braking will
likely be required, but it is possible to speed through here
without braking. To the outside of the course is a wide
expanse of grass and sand in case you overrun the corner.
Turn 8 (Degner): The final right-hand corner before passing
underneath the bridge, this turn is tighter than the previous
corner, thus moderate or heavy braking and a steady racing
line will be required here. This is also another prime
passing zone. Take care not to overrun Turn 8, or your
front-left tire will be damaged.
Straightaway: Accelerate strongly out of Degner and you
should be able to pass one or two cars as you race underneath
the bridge. The course fades to the right here before
reaching the tight Hairpin.
Turn 9 (Hairpin): This is a tight left-hand hairpin which
begins the next uphill segment of the Suzuka circuit. It is
possible to shortcut a little here, but the grass combined
with the angle of the hill here will really slow you down and
perhaps cause you to spin and/or slide, especially in wet
conditions. Be careful not to accelerate too soon, or you
will be out in the grass. There is a sizeable patch of kitty
litter for those who miss the hairpin completely or lock the
wheels.
Turn 10: Continuing the uphill run, the course here makes a
wide sweep to the right. Any braking here means losing track
positions.
Turns 11 and 12 (Spoon): This is a tricky pair of left-hand
corners, in a decreasing-radius 'U' formation. The first
corner is fairly standard, requiring little braking.
However, Turn 12 is both tighter AND slopes downhill, so
judicious usage of brakes and a pristine racing line are both
important here, especially if attempting to pass a slower
vehicle. If you repeatedly misjudge any single corner at
Suzuka, it will be Turn 12; fortunately, there is plenty of
recovery room on both sides of the pavement here. However,
do not roll up on the rumble strips or the grass on the
inside of Turn 12, as that will almost certainly cause you to
lose control and likely spin.
Straightaway: Power out of Spoon and rocket down the
straightaway, passing multiple cars. After you cross the
bridge, start thinking about the chicane. (If you feel a bit
cocky, try speeding through the Pit Lane for the support
races, located on the right as you start uphill again - this
Pit Lane will be familiar to those who have played Le mans 24
Hours.)
Turn 13 (130R): Shortly after crossing the bridge, the course
turns gently to the left. Light braking or - even better - a
quick lift off the accelerator - is required at 130R to keep
from sliding off-course.
Turns 14-16 (Chicane): This is a very tricky part of the
course. The chicane begins with a moderate turn to the
right, then a tight left-hand corner, then ends with a wider
turn to the right and empties out onto the Pit Straight.
Fortunately, the inside of the chicane is filled with only
sand, not barriers, but shortcutting the chicane will likely
result in a loss of control (due to the rumble strips and the
kitty litter). Be careful coming out of Turn 15 so that you
don't go too wide and bump the right side of the vehicle on
the Pit Lane barrier.
Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right just before
Chicane. Note that the Pit Entry is the SECOND patch of
pavement to the right coming off the main course.
WISH LIST
There are several additions and modifications I hope EA
Sports makes in future versions of their F1 racing games:
1.) Handling options should be given for Normal Handling.
Specifically, braking assist and corner arrows should be
optional.
2.) While I really like the race information at the top-left
and top-right of the screen, most of it is really too small
to be seen easily by those (like myself) who use a small
television with the PS2. This information needs to be
enlarged for easier viewing.
3.) Similarly, I really miss having the running order by
driver on the left side of the screen (as in F1 Championship
Season 2000). Beyond this game itself, this information also
helps players to recognize driver names and teams.
4.) Bring back Scenario Mode and Training Mode!!!!!
WRAP-UP
The official FIA Web site (http://www.fia.com/) has a lot of
good information pertaining to F1 racing, including the
current season's race schedule, rules and regulations, and
links to the official Web sites of most of the courses used.
The FIA Web site is available in both French and English.
I also strongly suggest visiting Formula1.com
(http://www.formula1.com/) for F1 news and race information.
This is a FAR more interactive site than the FIA site,
including games, Flash-based virtual laps of each circuit,
team and driver information, extensive cross-linking between
articles, screensavers, quizzes, and much more.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc.,
or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving
guide, please contact me at: FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if
you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful
to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via
PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail
address.
To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2
game guides, please visit FeatherGuides
(http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/). The
latest version will always be posted at FeatherGuides, while
other Web sites may lag behind by several days in their
regularly-scheduled posting updates.
=======================================================================
Wolf Feather Jamie Stafford
=======================================================================
Just as there are many parts needed to make a human a human, there's a
remarkable number of things needed to make an individual what they are.
- Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_
=======================================================================
What isn't remembered never happened. - _Serial Experiments Lain_
=======================================================================
