Ranking GT sport tracks

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Hi all, I was thinking about which tracks I like and dislike on the game today, and ended up spending a few minutes putting them into ranks. I thought it might be fun to share what I think of the various circuits we have on the game and hear which tracks other people like (or dislike).

I haven't included the dirt tracks, or SSRX. I also didn't include the alternate versions of tracks that aren't significantly different (ie Monza, Sarthe and Fiji) or reverse layouts.

I've based the ranks on how much i enjoy both racing and time trialling (If it were just racing the Nordschleife would be much lower, for example).

Rank A
Laguna Seca, Spa, Interlagos, Brands Hatch, Suzuka, Sardegna A, Dragon Trail Seaside, Lago Maggiore, Lago Maggiore West, Nurburgring Nord.

Rank B
Barcelona, Fuji, Red Bull Ring, Tokyo South, Sarthe, Monza, Nurburgring GP, Sardegna B, Sardegna C, BMB infield A

Rank C
Tokyo East, Autopolis Short, Tsukuba, Brands Hatch Indy, Suzuka East, St Croix A, B and C, Kyoto Yamagiwa

Rank D
Goodwood, Autopolis, Red Bull Ring short, Bathurst, Tokyo Central, Lago Maggiore East, BMB infield B, BMB Speedway, Alsace.

Rank E
Willow Springs, Streets of Willow, Horse Thief Mile, Dragon Trail Gardens, Broad Bean Raceway, Kyoto Miyabi, Lago Maggiore Central, Northern Isle Speedway.

Obviously it's all a matter of opinion. I'm going to guess that a lot of people will think Bathurst is REALLY low, but I just don't like it! I think the St Croix circuits would be higher but I don't really know them that well.

Thanks for reading :gtpflag:
 
Interesting read.
Just curious, do you use a wheel or pad?
I always stuggled on Willow Springs with a pad, tried it with a wheel and it was a much more enjoyable experience, especially the last corner. Never used to get near the apex on a pad, lost all my monentum for the final stretch. Totally different story with a wheel. Long corners are so much easier.
I don't like Fuji, well the last few corners anyway, can never seem to get them right.
Spa is the best, always loved that track. First time I played a game with that track was Geoff Crammonds Micropose Grand Prix on the Amiga from 1991. The sense of speed through Blanchimont just blew my young mind, I'd never experienced anything like it!
I'd have Bathurst higher, maybe a B track.
 
I'd have Bathurst higher, maybe a B track.
This might be controversial but I think this is the ugliest track in the game. I love the layout and the real deal but in GTS, wow, low res textures, track details and bad lighting really ruin the experience for me, I do wonder if that has an impact on others as well who might not be interested in learning the track because it's such an eyesore.
 
Interesting read.
Just curious, do you use a wheel or pad?
I always stuggled on Willow Springs with a pad, tried it with a wheel and it was a much more enjoyable experience, especially the last corner. Never used to get near the apex on a pad, lost all my monentum for the final stretch. Totally different story with a wheel. Long corners are so much easier.
I don't like Fuji, well the last few corners anyway, can never seem to get them right.
Spa is the best, always loved that track. First time I played a game with that track was Geoff Crammonds Micropose Grand Prix on the Amiga from 1991. The sense of speed through Blanchimont just blew my young mind, I'd never experienced anything like it!
I'd have Bathurst higher, maybe a B track.
Cheers, I use a wheel. I sometimes feel like I'm starting to enjoy willow, then I make a micro-mistake and end up in the middle of the desert, crying out for water and looking for a camel, and I remember how I hate it so!

Yeah I know Bathurst gets a lot of love, I just find it too narrow for racing, and too alternately fiddly on the mountain and then tedious everywhere else.
 
Cheers, I use a wheel. I sometimes feel like I'm starting to enjoy willow, then I make a micro-mistake and end up in the middle of the desert, crying out for water and looking for a camel, and I remember how I hate it so!

Yeah I know Bathurst gets a lot of love, I just find it too narrow for racing, and too alternately fiddly on the mountain and then tedious everywhere else.
Banned.

Tracks I enjoy, in rough order;
  • Spa
  • Bathurst
  • RBR
  • Seaside (though the COD really drives me nuts)
  • Yamagiwa
  • Sardegna
  • Interlagos
  • Monza
  • NGP
  • Gardens
  • Tsukuba
Nod to Suzuka, Maggiore and Brands as great tracks but I just stink at them.

Tracks i cannot stand at all:
  • Fuji
  • Laguna Seca
  • Willow Springs
  • Autopolis
  • Barcelona
 
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Well there is one on Tiermaker afterall.

Here's mine.
1637272801131.png

Take these as the tracks shown rather than the variants. Sardenga for example. A is rank A but C would be lower. But the thing only has the tracks shown.

On previous games Tsukuba would be in rank A. But Sport mode has tarnished her for me.
 
don't like Fuji, well the last few corners anyway, can never seem to get them right.
I find to attack the last corners of Fuji, you need to go deep to the outer edge of curves and come inside to make these turns while keeping appreciable speed up.
I use DS4 always....
 
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1637294763969.png


A
  • Nürburgring / Nordschleife (Nordschleife takes it to a clear A for me, only GP/F would be B)
  • Willow Springs: Big Willow (pure love, not ranking Horse Thief & Streets)
  • Suzuka (classic quality track)
  • Bathurst/Mount Panorama (really enjoy driving and racing here)
  • Kyoto Driving Park Yamagiwa (lovely flow and racing)
  • Circuit de la Sarthe (classic quality track)
  • Dragon Trail Seaside (though the CoD can be infuriating at times this is the best original track PD has created in a long time)
  • Spa-Francorchamps (classic quality track, personally not so great here but it’s lovely to drive)

B
  • Brands Hatch (short is too short, GP is pretty great, borderline impossible to overtake though)
  • Monza (first chicane really isn’t that good, rest is great)
  • Laguna Seca (not one I’ve thought of as a top top favourite but usually enjoying myself there a lot)
  • Interlagos (pretty good, just never really a big favourite)
  • Tokyo Expressway (only at this level thanks to East Outer Loop and East Inner Loop, both excellent, the other four I can do without)
  • Alsace (seems to get a lot of critique by many but hey, I usually think it’s pretty good fun racing and driving there)
  • Blue Moon Bay (perhaps slightly biased due to the lack of ovals but it is quite a fine tri-oval even if the first corner is a bit slow and brake heavy, not a fan of the infield variants)

C
  • Special Stage Route X (perhaps a taaad long but it’s certainly unique and a cool experience when it appears)
  • Northern Isle Speedway (barely appears and consequently difficult to rank but it’s not bad, very similar to Bristol Motor Speedway)
  • Goodwood (not bad but to be frank, not a fan of the final chicane)
  • Tsukuba (it’s OK)
  • Sardegna (they’re alright but nothing spectacular)
  • Lago Maggiore (GP’s pretty good but short cut variants... mjaah, not so much)

D
  • Red Bull Ring (really not a fan, personally racing there is almost never enjoyable)
  • Catalunya (could’ve been B were it not for the RACC chicane which destroyed this track)
  • Sainte-Croix (though certain sections are fairly good they’re not that good overall IMO, sorry)

E
  • Fuji (can’t stand the horrible final sector, rest doesn’t exactly lift it from E)
  • Autopolis (really don’t like this one, flow doesn’t sit well with me at all and racing is often poor in my experience)

Noticed BB Raceway wasn’t part of the tiermaker, would probably but in D. Skipped the rally tracks as far as ranking goes as I barely drive them.

/Yours truly
 
Fuji (can’t stand the horrible final sector, rest doesn’t exactly lift it from E)
Autopolis (really don’t like this one, flow doesn’t sit well with me at all and racing is often poor in my experience)
Autopolis is really like they said let's take the arse-end of Fuji and make it a full track
 
My track ranks, based on my driving habits which are often more hot lapping than out-and-out racing.

1637308352267.png


Rank A
  • Brands Hatch: love the GP circuit, not great for close-quarters racing but an awesome track with some wicked corners. The Indy circuit would drop down to C.
  • Nurburgring: specifically the Nordschliefe, the ultimate testing ground! Nurburgring GP circuit I would put in Rank C.
  • Spa-Francorchamps: Eau Rouge. Enough said!
  • Laguna Seca: some challenging corners like The Corkscrew and loads of space for tight racing.
  • Lago Maggiore: for me the best PD-original track in a long time. Big Banky Boy is loads of fun too!

Rank B
  • Mount Panorama: an epic circuit, immensely challenging and hugely popular, but not great for racing and always seems too bright.
  • Interlagos: home of the legendary Senna Esses, loads of tight twisty stuff and great for racing, but a bit short.
  • Suzuka: the best Japanese circuit by far - if only I could nail the last sector and a bit!
  • Catalunya: I love this track, aside from the last chicane section.
  • Red Bull Ring: if it wasn't so short and that second (third?) corner this would rank higher. The short circuit isn't the greatest.
  • Circuit de la Sarthe: a legendary track, but boring in anything but Gr.1. The perfect place to take the Group C cars out for some nostalgic racing.
  • Kyoto Driving Park: the tiny short track is too short, and the longest combination is a bit of a slog, but the Yamagiwa variation is great for some fun racing.

Rank C
  1. Monza: just a bit bland at times, and Turn 1 always results in absolute mayhem. Fun for time trialling though.
  2. Willow Springs: when you have the rhythm it's fun, but get it slightly wrong and it's time for a desert holiday.
  3. Tsukuba: great for racing in the lower-powered cars, but just super flat and not great for Gr.4 and above.
  4. Alsace Village: another solid track for racing, but can be really tricky in some of the MR cars with all the banked turns and massive elevation changes.
  5. Goodwood: too flat and side-by-side racing can be really difficult, but fun for lapping around in the classic cars.
  6. Fuji: if it weren't for the difficulty of those last few turns and the constant dive bombs into the first turn and into the Dunlop corner, this would be ranked higher.
  7. Sardegna Road Track: a solid choice for close-quarters racing, but not the best of layout choices. Too many right-angle turns.

Rank D
  • Dragon Trails: COD on Seaside is a nightmare and the Four Brothers on Gardens is terrible. Not bad otherwise. But definitely far from my favourite PD-originals.
  • Sainte-Croix: can be a lot of fun when you find a rhythm but not a lot of events use this circuit and track knowledge (globally) is fairly poor as a result, meaning races can be very messy.
  • Tokyo Expressway: I can't stand the zero run-off of Tokyo. The sound effects are also annoying - not sure if its a train or passing elements on track but its almost like a slow drum beat and it gets on my nerves!
  • Autopolis: for a real world circuit, this one sucks. Too many turns make no sense and just don't flow.
  • Colorado Springs: I'm not a fan of rally circuits in this game, which is why these three are Rank D.
  • Fisherman's Ranch: as above. Also, very long and overly bumpy.
  • Sardegna: As above, just not as long.

Rank E:
  • Special Stage Route X: the world's most boring race track. I can get through a full pint can on each straight, without trying too hard!
  • Northern Isle Speedway: So short, so pointless.
  • Blue Moon Bay Speedway: an oval that's not an oval. Boo.
  • Broad Bean Raceway: can you tell I don't like ovals? (NOT SHOWN IN THE RANKER)

For me, ovals are the worst, dirt circuits aren't great in this game and don't have much purpose, and the real world circuits are generally the best!
 
A
Nordschleife - best track in the world period. Terrible for racing, but doesn't make it any less good to drive.
Barcelona - for some reason my driving style really suits this track. Would be even better without the final chicane.
St Croix B - best flowing St Croix, especially the last sector.
DTG - good flow and some unique corners, equally enjoyable forward & reverse. Only thing I would change are sausage kerbs in the first chicane.
Bathurst - mini Nordschleife, nuff said.
Tokyo South - I really like city tracks in general because you can't abuse track limits, and unlike the other 2 layouts you can actually race here. Docks area and esses are always fun to drive. The chicane kerbs in Outer layout is the only bad part.

B
Maggiore - great track in all configs and directions, but the mickey mouse T1-4 knocks it down a rank.
Interlagos - flowing old school track with elevation change, but can be a bit of divebomb paradise.
Spa - nice flowing track if you have downforce, otherwise it's a bit meh with slower cars. Also Eau Rouge track limits are a pain and the old bus stop chicane is better.
DTS - good track for racing but chicane of death is dumb. Remove the high kerbs and it's easily A rank.
Kyoto Yamagiwa - pretty much Maggiore's cousin with higher kerbs.
Sardegna B - good flow, especially in reverse. Almost a mini Barcelona.
Suzuka - similar to Spa, need a high DF car to properly enjoy it.
Laguna - love the flow and technicality, but very hard to overtake and the sausage kerbs on every apex kinda ruins it.

C
Alsace - a bit meh, flows decent once you learn it but some corners are a bit awkward. Also track width makes people think they can overtake in every corner.
Autopolis - last sector is fun to drive, but the whole track is terrible for racing and can be divebomb paradise.
Sarthe - only fun if you have a fast car and can stay in slipstream.
Kyoto Combined - the transitions between Yamagiwa and Miyabi ruins the flow of the track. Yamagiwa on its own is better.
Nurb GP - can't stand the first sector and final chicane. Also divebomb paradise.
Sardegna A - basically mini Sarthe.
Tokyo East & Central - East again basically mini Sarthe. Central is a time trial track only due to width.
Tsukuba - good track for slow cars but way overused in dailies despite being a hard track to overtake.
Big Willow - very hard to find consistent lines through the long corners, and the last corner sandpit always gets you eventually.

D
Monza - the ultimate divebomb paradise and cut the chicken penalty lottery.
Brands - for some reason I just never liked this track. It's like the Nurburgring but the corners are just slightly off rhythm.
St Croix A & C - the constant repeating 90 degree corners in the first sector ruins the track. The rest of the track is passable but nothing special.
Fuji - see Monza, only slightly less bad.
Goodwood - it's basically Tokyo Central without the walls. The chicane kills the flow of the track.
Kyoto Miyabi - almost an oval. Thank god High Speed Ring is returning as the proper beginner track in GT7.
RBR - see Monza.
Sardegna C - basically a triangle oval without banking.
SSRX - avoids being a D rank because it's useful for acceleration & top speed testing. Also the meme races.
Streets of Willow & Horse Thief - barely used, more a drift/autocross track than proper race track.

E (basically all ovals + dirt, no explanation needed lol)
Blue Moon
Broad Bean
Northern Isle
Colorado
Fisherman
Sardegna Windmill
 
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