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Best viewed at 800 X 600 |
OR:
How
to survive the greatest racing circuit in history! 
Please note: This is currently under construction!
GRAND PRIX LEGENDS:Without a doubt the finest motorsport simulation created so far. But you haven't truly experienced GPL to its fullest until you've raced competitively at the mighty NURBURGRING. 174 turns through twisting, undulating country roads - a 14.189 Mile lap! Thank you, Papyrus! Firstly, if you're a veteran GPL "hotlapper" looking to shave off a few valuable tenths from your best laptime, read no further. This isn't for you! This guide is aimed at those racers who have so far been bewildered by this magnificent circuit. |
The Pits: If you need the toilet, go now - it's a LONG lap! |
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I was originally going to write this guide with the help of my old mate the Ferrari - as this was the car that gave me my quickest laptime here. But when it comes to racing online and putting in the laps without spinning off, you can't beat the reliable HONDA (or "Murasama" in the game). You can really throw the Honda around, and (with a nice setup) push it over the edge and then recover it. There comes a point with all the GPL cars where you just AIN'T gonna get it back, and away you spin, in a cloud of tire-smoking shame. However, I've found the Honda to be far more forgiving, and have won almost all of my online victories in this car (while many Lotuses have blown up or crashed, heheheh) If you're unfamiliar with this car, try my 'Ring setup - you can download it here. This is a setup I find amazingly easy to drive here, with a lovely high ride-height that cruises over all the bumps! I'm also going to include a few cool replays from online races to show you what you're missing... |
The Straight: Simple enough... |
AND WE'RE OFF!The first part of the lap has two nice straights, both ending with incredibly tight left-hand corners. It's very easy to mis-judge your braking point and say hello to the fence, so get your technique sorted out now! As you know, there's little point in "slamming on the anchors" in GPL - brake gently and gradually, making sure you don't lock the wheels. Handy rule for the Ring: Brake EARLIER than you think you have to! The only way to learn the Ring is to get around the corners - nothing will put you off more than spinning every 100 yards! Approach it as though you are doing a recce for a Rally stage. |
Locking Up: Not clever |
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If you see
your Dad in the crowd, DON'T WAVE. (It's very unprofessional)
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TWISTY BITS:
Turn in sharply, let the car drift, and use the accelerator to
power you round
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All that twisty
stuff at the start (just after the HATZENBACH sign) will be done
in 1st and 2nd gear. Try entering the very slow corners in 2nd,
then as the engine note dips take 1st, allowing the extra revs
to "drive you" out of the corner. This doesn't really work
as well with a car like the Lotus, as it's horribly sensitive in 1st
gear!
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POINT OF REFERENCE! By this I mean something along the way that gives you a clue as to what's coming up next. In this case, the chequered barriers over the bridge signal the oncoming horror that is FLUGPLATZ! The car gets briefly airborne over this little bridge too, so you may even want to short-shift up to 5th to stop the engine over-revving. |
SHORT - SHIFTINGThis is when you whack the car up a gear before you really have to - it helps when you're travelling over nasty bumps that want to throw you into the hedge! Sometimes when you have a "nasty moment," short-shifting can save your life (and keep you in the race). |