GT7 Online Time Trial/Lap Time Challenge Discussion

[250Cal]

I'm completely lost with the new physics. The choice of time trials this week seems to really highlight the issues.

The Hyundai does some incredibly strange snapping, which at it's worst just throws me off the track. I've never lost a car on the brakes the way I do now. I can't understand it and there are no visual or audible clues as to what's happening. Having to remap the controller buttons to have a comfortable boost finger position is just another distraction. It took me 10 goes to get off the GP circuit without invalidating the lap. The same old problems with left to right/right to left transitions remain, but now with the added bonus of horrific snapping and lurching.

The Caterhams's response appears to be totally random. Now, I know that's not the case because at the end of the day it's just code, but I am nowhere near skillful enough to be able to reel off consistent laps. I feel like I'm doing the same things but the game is clearly telling me I am not. I am too old and lacking in ability to be competitive in what this game has become.

It's not fun anymore. It has crossed the line into frustrating and torturous which makes me question why I am playing it. I'm not sure where the demand for a physics change came from, but it's killing the game for me.

The fact that some of the fastest people are now going faster using driver aids just seems wrong to me.

 

[nostradavor2]

I tried to play on triggers after years and years .. since there's boost I also put on AT .. so kinda noob lap but my time at ring was even worse at 9:51.. I don't think I'll play this TT again, Caterham was easy gold tho

 

[2cam16]

Was able to sneak into Silver today after turning on CSA.

 

[MP81]

Wow, a short (only ~33 miles) but effective session on the Caterham tonight - I think I can finally say I figured this lil monster out, and how it works with the..."physics".

Got myself down to a 1:14.379 with a .362 optimum, and actually didn't do any swearing at inanimate objects (the TV, the car in the TV, GT7's new loose interpretation of physics, etc) and...had fun!

I'm just glad I chose this instead of attempting the Hyundai one, which I am absolutely dreading.

 

[PowerJunkie]

Got the Caterham down to what I think is a safe 15.5. I am absolutely clueless how folks are in the 14s, let alone 13s, i feel like i am on the absolute ragged edge.

The more the aliens complain about the physics, the more it suspect they may suit me. Hard to tell so far but in the few road cars I've tried as I farm cedits on the weeklies, the cars feel pretty good to me.

I get that, I have no idea how 1:13s are happening, none. You will get faster, don't struggle with it, relax, learn the slow in - fast out, what it really means, and you will pick up a ton of time.

Wow, a short (only ~33 miles) but effective session on the Caterham tonight - I think I can finally say I figured this lil monster out, and how it works with the..."physics".

Got myself down to a 1:14.379 with a .362 optimum, and actually didn't do any swearing at inanimate objects (the TV, the car in the TV, GT7's new loose interpretation of physics, etc) and...had fun!

I'm just glad I chose this instead of attempting the Hyundai one, which I am absolutely dreading.

Great lap, I kinda enjoy this one, but man, hard to get there where you just went. I did my 13hr shift today, and I am beat, so laps tonight, so I will give another shot tomorrow. I did a (DUI) lap on the Nurb one, actually, I don't dread it now, I think it will be fun, for what it is. The boost button is going to be annoying AF, but whatever.

 

[MP81]

I get that, I have no idea how 1:13s are happening, none. You will get faster, don't struggle with it, relax, learn the slow in - fast out, what it really means, and you will pick up a ton of time.

Yeah, my optimum was not really much faster, and I didn't see spots where I was gaining a ton of time. It's like the MR2 in some ways: it's the tiniest little variation in how you let off the brake, let the car roll, get back on the throttle...and immediately countersteer to prevent the oversteer that's going to happen.

@NevilleNobody: CSA is a must here - even the top time uses it - as this car is just all over the place. You kinda just need to get the car stopped, come off the brakes entirely to let it rotate, and then get on the throttle (usually 80-90% in most cases to start with) and be ready to countersteer (even with CSA on Strong). Also, try and upshift just as the car is almost rotated into place in the corner, that way you can get on power a lot sooner.

Great lap, I kinda enjoy this one, but man, hard to get there where you just went. I did my 13hr shift today, and I am beat, so laps tonight, so I will give another shot tomorrow. I did a (DUI) lap on the Nurb one, actually, I don't dread it now, I think it will be fun, for what it is. The boost button is going to be annoying AF, but whatever.

As usual, it seems a lawn-mowing day somehow helps me here...the hell am I gonna do in winter.

I am shocked I got down into the .3s. I got into the .5s several laps in, and thought that'd be my best for the night, and then it was pretty obvious I had time to be gained in almost all sectors, so I kept going and somehow managed that. A few laps of trying after that, it was obvious (especially based on the optimum) that I was at my limit for the session, so I stopped while I was still a happy person, haha.

I guess tomorrow will be Nurburgring time. I keep hoping for a @Tidgney video, but I know he's been super busy this last week, so I don't expect one, especially since his feelings on Nurburgring TTs mimic my own.

I am definitely taping down that ****ing boost button, though.

 

[Stormbreaker]

This is my time after SIX SEVEN km
The Caterham is a funny go kart to drive and this track suits it well
Unfortunately i had big problems with the ghost loading miles behind me, seems it got broke after the updates
I could go a bit faster but SIX SEVEN 😂

Here it is

 

[NAXEHT]

Not gelling with these physics, everything just feels very odd. Got this weird floaty, wobbly wiggle going on which is very off-putting. Many others seem up to speed but I’m clearly behind where I “should” be..

 

[MP81]

Not gelling with these physics, everything just feels very odd. Got this weird floaty, wobbly wiggle going on which is very off-putting. Many others seem up to speed but I’m clearly behind where I “should” be..

In my mind, they're "lumpy", especially when sliding or braking (and thus, sliding, because doing that causes that now), and the car like wobbles violently back and forth.

I attempted Nurburgring. It was unpleasant as expected, especially because the GP section is there to ruin the beginning of your lap. Really need this ghost **** fixed now, but found a ghost that was running in the 9:43s to follow and that kept me pretty close to it on my last lap, where I got to a 9:44.158. Would like some more cushion there, but it's really sketchy with these physics...and the second you touch a blade of grass, the car goes instantly spinning, despite the fact it has three other tires on the road.

No idea what my optimums were because I had to keep restarting. I think I had two valid laps.

Again I say: someone at PD needs to be punched in the nuts. Hard. I want a message sent. I want his children to feel this message.

 

[Metalgear9493]

Not gelling with these physics, everything just feels very odd. Got this weird floaty, wobbly wiggle going on which is very off-putting. Many others seem up to speed but I’m clearly behind where I “should” be..

I experienced that weird floaty sensation during my first outing with the new physics at Autopolis, especially when braking. Eventually after half an hour I got used to this foreign resistance by holding the wheel tighter under braking.

There's always a solution to everything, keep pushing mate!

 

[zaxs]

Improved my best time by .150s this morning, but still failed to enter 1:14

But not bad result, I can't be disappointed, though I will try again tomorrow morning because I want enter 14.

 

[ZEE]

Tried the Nurburg Hyundai IONIQ 6 N TT and didn’t have too much patience, so did 1 Full Lap, but the car was pretty fun, a tad little understeery for my liking on these tyres. A neat detail in game is the cars lap timer on the dashboard, very cool touch!

 

[half_sourly]

Well, that went better than I thought it would. The car is quite forgiving and you can get on the power very early. I had an elastic band over the steering wheel holding down the overtake button. There is a bit more time available, but that's me done to next week Thursday.

 

[Tidgney]

Yeah, my optimum was not really much faster, and I didn't see spots where I was gaining a ton of time. It's like the MR2 in some ways: it's the tiniest little variation in how you let off the brake, let the car roll, get back on the throttle...and immediately countersteer to prevent the oversteer that's going to happen.

@NevilleNobody: CSA is a must here - even the top time uses it - as this car is just all over the place. You kinda just need to get the car stopped, come off the brakes entirely to let it rotate, and then get on the throttle (usually 80-90% in most cases to start with) and be ready to countersteer (even with CSA on Strong). Also, try and upshift just as the car is almost rotated into place in the corner, that way you can get on power a lot sooner.

As usual, it seems a lawn-mowing day somehow helps me here...the hell am I gonna do in winter.

I am shocked I got down into the .3s. I got into the .5s several laps in, and thought that'd be my best for the night, and then it was pretty obvious I had time to be gained in almost all sectors, so I kept going and somehow managed that. A few laps of trying after that, it was obvious (especially based on the optimum) that I was at my limit for the session, so I stopped while I was still a happy person, haha.

I guess tomorrow will be Nurburgring time. I keep hoping for a @Tidgney video, but I know he's been super busy this last week, so I don't expect one, especially since his feelings on Nurburgring TTs mimic my own.

I am definitely taping down that ****ing boost button, though.

Ye sorry won't be doing the Nurburgring one, maybe Caterham but it's so busy at work at the moment would be difficult. Will be doing tomorrows though!

 

[MP81]

Well, that went better than I thought it would. The car is quite forgiving and you can get on the power very early. I had an elastic band over the steering wheel holding down the overtake button. There is a bit more time available, but that's me done to next week Thursday.

View attachment 1560924

I folded part of the top of a sleeve of Nespresso pods and shoved into the small slot that exists when you press the R3 button in on a G923 wheel. That does the trick for me!

I can likely still stand to get on power quicker, but I'm running into issues carrying speed in sections (especially the super-technical area after the carousel, where I always struggle), as the car goes all sorts of everywhere and I have to panic stop just to keep it from crashing and invalidating the lap.

The inability for a ghost to properly reset 0.4 seconds in front of me does not help.

Ye sorry won't be doing the Nurburgring one, maybe Caterham but it's so busy at work at the moment would be difficult. Will be doing tomorrows though!

Caterham ends in ~half a day, but you definitely should tackle the TT, as it's fairly enjoyable once you get used to the incredible twitchiness of the thing and how it combines with the new "physics".

 

[NicoGmbh]

I thought I could do better... so yes, as for the opti, but not to tie them on a single lap.

Alien’s badge refuses me… again (1.14.051 = rank #49 😭)

Congratulations to the guys who broke in. 1.13.xxx

 

[linksracer]

First 220km gave me my best time and an optimum of 14 flat, next 270km gave me nothing but pain and misery.

Not even confident this will hold for top 100, it was in the 60s when I set the time on Monday.

This trial brought me to the unthinkable... giving countersteer assist a try. Safe to say I won't be doing that again, what a horrible driving experience. Don't know how anyone goes faster with that on, couldn't even get within 4 tenths of my best time using it.

First trial with the new physics, while I would say overall positive, the re-centring of the nose of the car when you release the steering really needs adjusting, it is way too snappy and unnatural and can cause the nose of the car to wiggle around weirdly. This is particularly noticeable with the rally physics, completely ruined rallying in this game, not that it was previously in a good state.

Onto the Nurburgring, love a good Nurburgring session and looking forward to trying the Ionic 6N which seems to be quite popular with automotive journalists.

 

[NAXEHT]

I experienced that weird floaty sensation during my first outing with the new physics at Autopolis, especially when braking. Eventually after half an hour I got used to this foreign resistance by holding the wheel tighter under braking.

There's always a solution to everything, keep pushing mate!

Thanks, man. Yeah, in the end you can of course get used to it which I guess most of us eventually will. Still not quite sold on how floaty and wiggly things are but we’ll see... Sometimes it almost feels like someone’s been messing with my chase camera settings, pretty strange. Give it some time, I suppose. Gr.3’s another story though...

I was probably pretty frustrated and disillusioned with the change (generally I’m not one for changes). Low on time and patience in that Monday session. Yesterday went at it with a calmer mindset and started getting a bit more accustomed to it and slowly biting off some time and nearing my recent average delta of about 0,6%. Got a 14.069 after a couple of hours but had left about a tenth in the first corner on that lap... of course. Got that sorted eventually and held it together with a decent enough final corner to enter the 13’s.

And yeah, about that final corner... It got a bit annoying that the start of a lap couldn’t be the end of a previous lap. Barely ever finished due to aborting them all, once you finally had a good run it was easy to throw it all away by virtue of not having done the final corner properly for a long time.

First 220km gave me my best time and an optimum of 14 flat, next 270km gave me nothing but pain and misery.

Not even confident this will hold for top 100, it was in the 60s when I set the time on Monday.

This trial brought me to the unthinkable... giving countersteer assist a try. Safe to say I won't be doing that again, what a horrible driving experience. Don't know how anyone goes faster with that on, couldn't even get within 4 tenths of my best time using it.

First trial with the new physics, while I would say overall positive, the re-centring of the nose of the car when you release the steering really needs adjusting, it is way too snappy and unnatural and can cause the nose of the car to wiggle around weirdly. This is particularly noticeable with the rally physics, completely ruined rallying in this game, not that it was previously in a good state.
View attachment 1560956

Onto the Nurburgring, love a good Nurburgring session and looking forward to trying the Ionic 6N which seems to be quite popular with automotive journalists.

You’re also on pad, aren’t you? Yeah, I don’t really like CSA either, only use it on very rare occasions whereas I see and know others using it very often. I have a feeling it works better on a wheel. What I find with CSA and why it seldom works for me is that it interferes with how I correct the car through corners, when CSA then jumps it to try and help it’s kind of like it “double corrects” which makes me go off track and lose it when I felt like I had done a successful correction.

 

[PowerJunkie]

Alright, I give up. This is all can squeeze out of it. Been using CSA strong and Weak ABS. I have OPT in the .1xx but just can't grab it. Time to move one to Nurb.

 

[linksracer]

You’re also on pad, aren’t you? Yeah, I don’t really like CSA either, only use it on very rare occasions whereas I see and know others using it very often. I have a feeling it works better on a wheel. What I find with CSA and why it seldom works for me is that it interferes with how I correct the car through corners, when CSA then jumps it to try and help it’s kind of like it “double corrects” which makes me go off track and lose it when I felt like I had done a successful correction.

Yep on pad, and have exactly the issue you described with CSA. If you tried to self-correct at all it would send you flying off in the other direction, very unintuitive. Only seemed to provide benefit out of low speed corners for me where it would keep the car straight when it wanted to snap. High speed it was far too obtrusive.

 

[MP81]

Alright, I give up. This is all can squeeze out of it. Been using CSA strong and Weak ABS. I have OPT in the .1xx but just can't grab it. Time to move one to Nurb.

View attachment 1560976

Yep...I love how it taunts you.

I got my optimums down into the .199s tonight, and I did improve, but not down into the .2s or anything.

Still, after ~70+ laps (the car was a solid half a second slower in my first, short session, that I left because of that, came back and was immediately faster...theory continues to be proved...), I did manage to at least improve a little...first down to a .366 and finally down to a 1:14.316.

It gets really annoying and frustrating once you're getting this close to your limits...I definitely had what could've been a .2 lap a few times ruined by that big LH sweeper near the end and the car just...completely understeering through it instead of rotating, since it just wobbles around when sliding.

But hey, I guess it's better than nothing. Would've liked more, but oh well!

Annoyingly, I think I would have just dipped into the high .2s on that lap...if my dumb ass didn't hit the limiter right before the line. 😐

 

[zaxs]

220 more kilometers and improvement of 50 thousands, still not in 14!

Optimum was 14.800, but couldn't achieved

Last on leaderboards with 1:15

But ok, got 6 ⭐ roulette ticket!

 

[linksracer]

Sports Soft

 

[Jeje6410]

First day test in this new TT at Laguna Seca

With optimal time at 1'25'6xx

 

[Tidgney]

I folded part of the top of a sleeve of Nespresso pods and shoved into the small slot that exists when you press the R3 button in on a G923 wheel. That does the trick for me!

I can likely still stand to get on power quicker, but I'm running into issues carrying speed in sections (especially the super-technical area after the carousel, where I always struggle), as the car goes all sorts of everywhere and I have to panic stop just to keep it from crashing and invalidating the lap.

The inability for a ghost to properly reset 0.4 seconds in front of me does not help.

Caterham ends in ~half a day, but you definitely should tackle the TT, as it's fairly enjoyable once you get used to the incredible twitchiness of the thing and how it combines with the new "physics".

Woops didn't realise that was a short one! Doh! Never mind haha!

Here's this weeks guide for those interested. a VERY Fun time trial this, thoroughly enjoyed it!

 

[half_sourly]

The results for TT221 at Autopolis International Racing Course - Short Course in the Caterham Seven Superlight R500 '08 are over here. I have updated the opening post with the index of all TTs and the second post with the community scoreboards. A reminder that each driver's results for every TT are in the Excel file attached to the latest results post.

 

[Nakano219]

New time trial is the standard 2 weeks, by the way, in case anyone was thinking they were going to tip off a physics revert/rework by making it a week again.

 

[Met Entso]

Wouldn't it be good now to have a 2% platinum medal? Gold still challenging for most of us, but having something beyond to aim for...

 

[half_sourly]

Is there a slight shift downward in participation numbers for the TTs? Is this a sign that we've gone beyond peak player numbers? I used TT end dates rather than numbers to show that there is no clear seasonal trend. There may be a slight dip in Jul/Aug annually, but this year it is off a lower base.

The numbers are still high, but the average participation before the latest Mercedes cross-platform event ending Jul 2026 was 159,914, while the average for the 8 events after that is 152,456.

There is no clear indication of trend using those two larger events that happen more or less annually, so maybe I'm reading too much into recent data points:

Mercedes cross-platform:
Aug 2024 - 186,368
Jul 2025 - 268,097
Jul 2026 - 242,391

Honda eMS:
5 Nov 2023 - 114,114
1 Sep 2024 - 156,261
28 Sep 2025 - 225,169
This event does show a clear upward trend, but it would be interesting to see, if the event happens in Sep 2026 too, what the numbers are.

Spoiler: Participation over time.

The red line is a 10-event moving average.

 

[coolazz18]

I’ll take it for now on D pad. CSA strong, ABS weak. It might not be enough but the sense of achievement was strong 😅