This week’s Gran Turismo 7 Lap Time Challenge takes place at one of Japan’s smallest permanent race tracks: Tsukuba Circuit.
The 1.271-mile long course is best known as the home of Time Attack, where heavily modified cars tackle a course in a single-lap showdown against similar opponents.
The circuit hosts several of these types of series; including Battle Evolve, Super Battle, Attack Tsukuba and the now-defunct Battle Evome meetings.
Tsukuba also has Gymkhana and Oval tracks, with the latter being used for the quirky Japanese Auto Race series – primarily a gambling-based sport featuring brake-less motorcycles!
For this Lap Time Challenge, players are tasked with threading the Garage RCR Civic between Tsukuba’s claustrophobic barriers – a big ask considering this little pocket rocket packs a lot of speed into a very short wheelbase.
The Garage RCR Civic was added during GT7’s latest v1.38 update, and is notable for being the final SEMA ‘Gran Turismo Award’ winner to be re-created for the GT series.
Being based on a front-wheel-drive 1992 Honda Civic means it’s quite agile, but thanks to a two-litre, Honda K-series engine swap it punches well above its weight in the performance stakes. It’s prone to wheelspin, however.
Gran Turismo 7 Tsukuba Circuit track guide
Head into Tsukuba’s first hairpin in second gear, easing off the brake as you approach the apex. Remember, as it’s a front-wheel-drive car it will noticeably understeer while on the power, so only commit to full throttle when you feel like you won’t run out of road on exit.
Wind your way through Turns 2 and 3 at full throttle, cutting the kerbs as much as possible for a straighter entry into the left-hand hairpin at Turn 4.
Again, brake all the way to the apex and use the camber of the road to help turn and slow the car down, sacrificing some exit speed to shift the car over to the left of the track to get a shallower entry to Turn 5.
Brake slightly and maintain the Civic in third gear for the right-hander, before keeping it pinned through Turns 6 and 7. Approach the Turn 8 hairpin braking zone on the far left of the track before shifting to second gear and trail braking deep into the corner, maximising your corner exit speed for the longest flat-out section of the track.
Rev the glorious naturally-aspirated engine out in fourth gear before changing down a ratio for the final, double-apex right-hander. Keep a tight line and short-shift into fourth on exit to prevent speed-sapping understeer as you head to the finish line.
Gran Turismo 7’s Lap Time Challenges explained
GT7‘s Lap Time Challenge is a time trial mode where you compete against other players to set the fastest time on the leaderboard. However, there’s a caveat: setting a lap within three per cent of the fastest time nets players 2,000,000 Credits.
If you aren’t quite quick enough, then lapping within five per cent gains you 1,000,000 Credits, while a time inside 10 per cent of the fastest results in a 250,000 Credit payout.
Gran Turismo 7 Lap Time Challenge video guide and car choice
The fastest lap at the time of publication has been set by Hungarian player B. Hencsei, with a 1:00.583 lap time as shown below.
Recommended car: Garage RCR Civic (Brand Central, 300,000 Credits or free rental)
Lap Time Challenge
Race Information
Track: Tsukuba Circuit
Entry Period: 28th September – 12th October
Regulations
Useable Tyres: Sports: Medium
Wide body: Prohibited
Nitrous/Overtake: Prohibited
Car Restrictions
Bop/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed
Car used: Garage RCR Civic
Car Settings: Specified
Race Settings
Track Limit: Normal
Penalty Settings
Shortcut Penalty: Invalidate Time
Wall Collision Penalty: Off
