Top Gear Test Track Lotus Challenge

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Dynamite_Dave, that is the same spot where I passed the lead car, only he didn't go airborn when I passed him lol. This is a tough challange no doubt. Just spent the last 45 minutes smashing my face into the wall trying to do it. Only actually finished the race 3 times. Oh and I use a controller. You gotta drive aggressivly and really push the car. Getting those power slides just right. Im also mad at myself for not saving the replay.
 
Magic numbers for me were ABS at 6, traction control at 5, active steering on strong. Took me almost 100 tries, so frustrating! Got gold after all.
 
Well...at least I know its not just me!
I have had many attempts at this and had pretty much given up but will have another bash at it later.
Must admit it does seem very unrealistic though. Having raced carts in the pouring rain on slicks I know what really out of control feels like and it was still easier than this challenge!
:)
 
I finally completed it after about 50 tries.

No assists, ABS1.

Once you finally know how to control the Elise, it's a great race.
 
have not read all replies, but here is a answer of sorts. The trick with this one is to learn the algorithm of the AI. They do the same thing every race. Go deep and to the outside on corner one and then brake hard to slide in between 11th and 10th. Come out of corner 1 in 9th. inside line on corner 2 taking 1 or 2 more spots. Inside on the tire barrier corner for 2 more places. Pass 2 or 3 more at hamerhead by taking the outside line wit very late breaking. after Follow through get inside the last two cars and take one of them at the little straight coming in to Gambon. This should leave you only one car to pass in lap 2. I am a ****** GT 5 driver for sure, but these races are easy because the are really more about learning the sequence than going fast. Also use the cars ability to drift to your advantage, espesialy to get past the first two cars. If you are not in 8th after the tire barrier start over...
 
BTW, that vid above is the exact method I just described, notice the slide on the first corner... only way to go.
 
Well...at least I know its not just me!
I have had many attempts at this and had pretty much given up but will have another bash at it later.
Must admit it does seem very unrealistic though. Having raced carts in the pouring rain on slicks I know what really out of control feels like and it was still easier than this challenge!
:)

I have driven a Porsche 914, FIAT X1/9 and Toyota MR2 hard IRL, all of which are similar to the Elise: lightweight, mid engine cars. None of them was as hard to control as this Elise in the Top Gear Challenge. Seems to me they put the crappiest tires on this Lotus.
 
I have driven a Porsche 914, FIAT X1/9 and Toyota MR2 hard IRL, all of which are similar to the Elise: lightweight, mid engine cars. None of them was as hard to control as this Elise in the Top Gear Challenge. Seems to me they put the crappiest tires on this Lotus.

That is exactly what they did, you are forced to drive on Comfort Hards. Can't really get any worse than that, maybe dirts? :dopey:
 
BTW, that vid above is the exact method I just described, notice the slide on the first corner... only way to go.

Do not agree, every driver has its method and except when you are drifting, sliding is generally not good. (I'm no good either)

However I got gold, I actually went full throttle through the first right hander, brake a little before the first left (not needed for the left, but to avoid sliding) then finish the breaking when stabilized before the left elbow.

Gives a lot more control for me, must admit might have been a little slower with my limited skills.
 
I went back to this last night trying to pass it (have still failed) I am not a horrible driver have passed most of the other tests I'm up to level 27 but this one escapes me. And on what was one of my best runs, possibly the one that would at least get me a bronze I was in the middle of hammerhead completely within the lines and an AI car hit one of the solid cones which shot over at me and when that solid cone hit my car I was DQ'd so not only do I have to not hit the other cars or the cones I have to avoid the ones they throw at me.
 
I went back to this last night trying to pass it (have still failed) I am not a horrible driver have passed most of the other tests I'm up to level 27 but this one escapes me. And on what was one of my best runs, possibly the one that would at least get me a bronze I was in the middle of hammerhead completely within the lines and an AI car hit one of the solid cones which shot over at me and when that solid cone hit my car I was DQ'd so not only do I have to not hit the other cars or the cones I have to avoid the ones they throw at me.

Yeah, few times that happened to me as well. It's annoying.
For me this challenge is a great test of patience as well as driving skill:nervous:
 
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After a couple of days trying, have finally passed.
I did enjoy it, most of the time.
Will propably do it again.
Gets easier everytime I do it.
 
When I first got the game (on the release day) I had about 20 attempts and only got silver - couldn't get further.

I then came back about 3 weeks ago at level 25 A spec and dominated. Was in 1st before the follow through on my first go.
This either means that GT5 has made me much better or I had a moment of awsomeness...

Either way I was quite chuffed.

Using a DS3 by the way
 
had quite a few attempts at this to begin with and managed 2nd after learning the circuit and avoiding hitting the opponents as much as possible... then left it for a few weeks

tried again the other night and noticed that after having managed to be gentle with the acceleration, that I tended to lose control the most after heavy braking (my favourite overtaking manouvre is late braking into corners)

I then increased ABS up from 1 to 3, kept TCS at 1 and kept SRF on (all other aids off) and bingo! the very next attempt I managed to win gold... then had one of those 'Why did I not think of that earlier' moments :dunce:
 
GAH, this Lotus Elise challenge can eat a bag of dicks. I must have tried about 50 times just to get bronze. Now I'm going for silver and I'm using a DS3 controller, TCS 5, ABS 3, Active Steering 3 and no SRF. I've counted all attempts at silver so far and I'm on my 40th attempt. This challenge is excruciatingly tough and makes me tear my hair out.
 
GAH, this Lotus Elise challenge can eat a bag of dicks. I must have tried about 50 times just to get bronze. Now I'm going for silver and I'm using a DS3 controller, TCS 5, ABS 3, Active Steering 3 and no SRF. I've counted all attempts at silver so far and I'm on my 40th attempt. This challenge is excruciatingly tough and makes me tear my hair out.


Have you tried taking all those assists off? Apart from SRF and ABS, they all make you slower.
 
For me, this track is a friggin' nightmare. It is impossible for me to complete this level :( Can anybody help me?? my PSN is spencer0812. Thanks!!!!!
 
Even with a Logitech G25, I had to turn on the Driving assists, and up the traction to 5 or 7 I believe. the default race settings, IMO are nearly impossible to even "finish" the 2 laps. Finally won it in 1st place after quite possibly 100+ restarts, determination, patience, and a little luck on my side toward the end. Even forcing myself to smile, has somehow helped my concentration mood a little. I think this is a secret to actual pro drivers, ever wonder why Schumacher always has that grin on his face?

This is a scripted race, afterall, with AI breaking early, and often unneccesarily. Find the exploits to win. Although , you'll thank yourself for knowing the track well later on. (except for the last runway curve, always a blindfold mystery to me, at 290kmph)
 
I just finished this race last night after probably 100+ restarts. During my most recent attempt, I spent 4 hours starting at midnight and not finishing until 4am. I kept getting so close, which had me saying, "OK, this is the LAST DAMN TIME".

My final settings were front/rear brake at 8/2 and skid recovery force set to ON with ABS set to 1, and using a DFGT with FFB at 8. The SRF makes the car feel like it has comfort softs.

I was consistently able to get into 7th place at the straightaway before Hammerhead, and I think that's crucial to finishing in the top spots. I actually got lucky the last time I did it and ended up in 6th on that straight, landing me right behind the silver-blue Lotus through Hammerhead.

The last turn from the big straightaway that's blind is tough, and took me awhile to nail it. I think it's best to use the AI as a breaking guide, but come underneath them while they make their big left turn. I used the big X on the runway as a marker, and aimed just to the right of the middle of the X.
 
Have you tried taking all those assists off? Apart from SRF and ABS, they all make you slower.

I finally did it on my 68th attempt! I turned off all assits off except ABS, which was set to 3. I won't be trying gold anytime soon because silver with a DS3 was bad enough
 
I finally got bronze on this last night myself. By far the most frustrating race in the game for me so far (and I'm pretty far along - 95% complete). It took me approximately 400 tries over several weeks. I found it to be much easier with traction control and asm off, abs set to 1.
 
Well, I guess just like the other two specials I attempted, this one is impossible for me. I watched a couple of the vids in this thread and cannot understand why there is no DQ. If I barely touch the rear of an AI car, I am out, but in the vids, they are slamming the backs of the AI and just keep on going without a DQ. I finished the beginner track with gold in less than a dozen tries and got the advanced gold on my first attempt, but this one I cannot even finish one lap without a blasted DQ. Just like the the kart races and Nascar, I am one race away from getting my trophy but it is just out of my reach. It has caused me to struggle with the urge to quit the game altogether.
 
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