Which is more Challenging - Laguna Seca or Nurburgring?

  • Thread starter Thread starter FishHunters
  • 82 comments
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Which is more of a challenge?

  • Laguna Seca

    Votes: 17 6.2%

  • Nurburgring

    Votes: 248 90.2%

  • They're about the same

    Votes: 10 3.6%
  • Total voters
    275
I say they are fairly equal simply because laguna is such a finnesse track. Where as the 'ring totally balls out. Laguna is more techniqual but smoother. Where as the 'ring has many more corners but also much more "down time". I would probably have said laguna if I hadnt have been there. It gives you a great perspective of how, if your insanly good, the track "straightens out" in that the corners become a lesser challenge.
On the other hand, the ring appears to be just as techniqual no matter how good you are.
 
I would say that for me neither is 'challenging' in honesty as I know them both well and enjoy them both. For this topic I'll consider I'm in the Cobra in which case most tracks are a challenge.
The one which causes me to concentrate more is the 'Ring as it has more corners and elevation change so I guess I'd have to say that I find that one more 'challenging'.
 
I think laguna seca is harder cause I race on it with finesse and no room for error. On the nurburgring I am like a bat out of hell. Nurb requires bollocks to hit those corners at 100 odd mph whereas, you try that on laguna and you are done for. Interesting topic though. How about la sarthe?
 
I don't believe there is much to compare here. Laguna Seca in its own respect is a tough and demanding track, but the Nurburgring has everything(elevation, off camber corners, banked corners, high/low speed corners, uneven track surface, etc.)

I personally only find Laguna Seca interesting cause of the "corkscrew."
 
The 'Ring is so long that all the corners could be fairly easy and it'd still be harder. It's just hard to memorize the order of all the corners, and location of bumps, the braking points, etc.

I do like Laguna Seca more though.
 
freedomweasel
The 'Ring is so long that all the corners could be fairly easy and it'd still be harder. It's just hard to memorize the order of all the corners, and location of bumps, the braking points, etc.

I do like Laguna Seca more though.
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I got 'em memorized. How long did it take? 3 or 4 months. I've run that course maybe 100 times or so. Is it the key to making it easier? Definitely has an impact. But Kaz ran it over 1000 times in GT before he ever drove it. When he did drive it he was the best on the team at it.

Here's where I think the difference really lies. On Nurb you make your mistakes, you learn the track and the only time you make a mistake going forward is from lack of concentration. But again, you can recover from that mistake. A small mistake is not fatal to the overall run.

On Laguna you learn the track, you make your mistakes and correct. First turn if you're too hot you'll wind up in the dirt. 2nd turn you'll wind up in the dirt and can't accelerate. 3rd turn same as 2nd, 4th turn dirt, 5th turn sliding down the knoll, 6th turn if you hit it late you'll end up in the tires. Too soon and you'll lose time on the corkscrew. 7th turn you can't accelerate, same for the 8th turn. 9th turn you'll slide into the tires. Mistakes on Seca are much, much less forgiving then a mistake on the ring.
 
FishHunters
I got 'em memorized. How long did it take? 3 or 4 months. I've run that course maybe 100 times or so. Is it the key to making it easier? Definitely has an impact. But Kaz ran it over 1000 times in GT before he ever drove it. When he did drive it he was the best on the team at it.

Here's where I think the difference really lies. On Nurb you make your mistakes, you learn the track and the only time you make a mistake going forward is from lack of concentration. But again, you can recover from that mistake. A small mistake is not fatal to the overall run.

On Laguna you learn the track, you make your mistakes and correct. First turn if you're too hot you'll wind up in the dirt. 2nd turn you'll wind up in the dirt and can't accelerate. 3rd turn same as 2nd, 4th turn dirt, 5th turn sliding down the knoll, 6th turn if you hit it late you'll end up in the tires. Too soon and you'll lose time on the corkscrew. 7th turn you can't accelerate, same for the 8th turn. 9th turn you'll slide into the tires. Mistakes on Seca are much, much less forgiving then a mistake on the ring.
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Mistakes are less forgiving on Laguna Seca because there are terrible crash physics. Go off track on the Ring and you nail a wall at 80+mph. In GT5 you bounce off and continue on with a second or so loss. In most other games, or, gasp, reality, and your car is totaled.

Ignoring all that, simply put, there are more corners, and more miles. More opportunity for mistakes. You may lose 6 seconds on one corner at LS, but you can lose .5 seconds on each corner on the Ring.
 
You can conclude that the less corners on the track, the less forgiving it is.

It's all about percentage of cornering mistakes from total corners exist.
 
Rico_S
You can conclude that the less corners on the track, the less forgiving it is.

It's all about percentage of cornering mistakes from total corners exist.
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But if the mistake only results in a lower lap time, you could, depending on the race, make up the lost time and still place well. If a mistake ends up with you in a wall that mistake will likely end your day entirely.
 
I think that if you know both circuits well, then a half hour race at either would be equally difficult.

That said, I don't drive Laguna very often because it just leaves me with a feeling that gt3's Laguna would look as good if not better. It's seriously sub-par graphically.
 
For me, Laguna Seca is a "safe" track I know I will drive well on, so it's kinda a relief when it shows up in a championship or seasonal. That said, it took me a long time to get there, having raced it over and over in previous GT games and ****a 1.

I'm just about at the same point now with the 'ring though I do find I am more likely to still make one or two major errors which might lose me the race.

There are other tracks I struggle with much more though, such as Fuji (seems to depend on the car) and Suzuka can be harsh, again depending on the car. Nurburgring GP can be tough sometimes too, but it's growing on me.
 
Tyger
There are other tracks I struggle with much more though, such as Fuji (seems to depend on the car) and Suzuka can be harsh, again depending on the car. Nurburgring GP can be tough sometimes too, but it's growing on me.
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Fuji is ridiculous. That whole hairpin complex just has no flow at all, I never feel like I get it quite right.
 
freedomweasel
Mistakes are less forgiving on Laguna Seca because there are terrible crash physics. Go off track on the Ring and you nail a wall at 80+mph. In GT5 you bounce off and continue on with a second or so loss. In most other games, or, gasp, reality, and your car is totaled.

Ignoring all that, simply put, there are more corners, and more miles. More opportunity for mistakes. You may lose 6 seconds on one corner at LS, but you can lose .5 seconds on each corner on the Ring.
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Agree on the crash physics. This is supposed to be "THE" real driving simulator. We'll you drive differently if you know a serious crash on a 4hr race could end it for you, or make it impossible to win.

freedomweasel
Fuji is ridiculous. That whole hairpin complex just has no flow at all, I never feel like I get it quite right.
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I like Fuji. That harpin complex is tough but you'll get the rythm eventually. I didn't like it at first myself.

Tyger
For me, Laguna Seca is a "safe" track I know I will drive well on, so it's kinda a relief when it shows up in a championship or seasonal. That said, it took me a long time to get there, having raced it over and over in previous GT games and ****a 1.

I'm just about at the same point now with the 'ring though I do find I am more likely to still make one or two major errors which might lose me the race.

There are other tracks I struggle with much more though, such as Fuji (seems to depend on the car) and Suzuka can be harsh, again depending on the car. Nurburgring GP can be tough sometimes too, but it's growing on me.
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I pretty much like all the tracks. Laguna is a pain but it's still fun to drive. The one I CAN'T stand is Tsukuba. It's a drone of a track. Speed-up, slow-down, right hand turn. Speed-up, slow down, right hand turn.
 
Man illd probably have to say Laguna seca for online racing, burg for enduros

, u go off and your traped in the sand very hard to make that time back up also easy track?? maybe for some wait till u get a driver that uses every center meter of the road and makes you have to with very good pace, the Nurb in my opinion is less forgiving when u go off dont get stuck in sand etc and has alot more corners to catch back up.
 
Nurburgring is much more challenging in GT5.

The actual Laguna Seca is my home track and I've logged a ton of miles/K's on it in sports cars, motorcycles and even bicycles IRL.
Of all the tracks I've raced at here in California, Laguna is the most difficult to master. I'm sure the same is true for the real 'ring'.
Btw, nobody here calls it "Seca" for short. It's just "Laguna"...
 
Laguna Seca is one of my favorite courses. It pales in the face of the Nordschlieffe.
 
How could anyone think Laguna Seca is harder, only complicating turn is the plunge from the corkscrew, But still, the Nurburgring is way harder. I've wiped out on it way more times, unlike Laguna Seca, where I never crashed on that circuit once.
 
Vitzio
How could anyone think Laguna Seca is harder, only complicating turn is the plunge from the corkscrew, But still, the Nurburgring is way harder. I've wiped out on it way more times, unlike Laguna Seca, where I never crashed on that circuit once.
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I actually find the turns immediately before and after the corkscrew to be more likely to give me trouble. Go figure.
 
When it comes to Exploiting, LAGUNA SECA beats the 🤬 out of NURBURGRING challenge wise. On the other hand though I will admit the NURB' is a bit more complex yes.
 
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