We head to the Fuji International Speedway in this week’s Gran Turismo 7 Daily Races, with a spec Subaru Impreza WRX STi race in the shadow of an imposing Mount Fuji.
Added in the game’s recent v1.35 update, the 2004 WRX is widely seen as one of the purest versions of Subaru’s long-running range of homologation specials, often dubbed “rally cars for the road”.
In Races B and C, we head to Sardegna and Grand Valley for respective Gr.4 and Gr.3 races, with Race C throwing up 3x and 7x fuel consumption and tyre wear multipliers, providing strategic intrigue to proceedings.
You can find GT7’s Daily Races in the game’s Sport Mode, offering online ranked racing where you will be placed within events based on your previous performances.
Race A
As mentioned previously, the sublime 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi is the subject of Race A this week, and it’s a car that punched well above its weight when first unveiled.
Able to out-pace supercars with double the horsepower, the WRX STi used trick differentials and a clever, torque-splitting all-wheel-drive system to lay waste to pulverise Porsches along the back roads of Europe.
It could do it in all weathers too, with enough space in the boot to handle weekly shopping trips and school runs. And the high-speed curves of Fuji International Speedway, of course.
This is appropriate, given one of the stopping points on the way up Mount Fuji is called the “Fuji Subaru Line”, which is a staging post before the long hike to the summit of Japan’s highest mountain.
The terrain from this point on is rough and traversable by foot only. You wouldn’t bet against the WRX STi making it, though.
Recommended car: Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STi ’04 (Brand Central, 50,000 Credits or free rental)
Race B
It’s back to Sardegna for Race B, with its Road Track B layout in use this time around. Shorter than the full Sardegna configuration, Road Track B totals 2.4 miles and retains the original’s street circuit feel, with metal guardrails in close proximity at every turn.
However, It isn’t like Monaco’s tight lanes, with speeds regularly hitting 100mph-plus in Gr.4 cars. The pick of which – at the time of writing – is the Nissan GT-R.
Although Nissan never made a GT4 version of its insanely capable GT-R road car, the Gr.4 version retains its sure-footedness, giving it an edge over the competition in Sardegna’s tricky braking zones.
Recommended car: Nissan GT-R Gr.4 (Brand Central, 350,000 Credits or free rental)
Race C
We head to the picturesque sea views of Grand Valley for Race C, with a challenging pitstop battle awaiting GT7 players.
Added to the game in February this year, the re-imagined Grand Valley is based on the classic Grand Valley Speedway first introduced in the original Gran Turismo back in 1997.
Although slightly different, Grand Valley Highway 1 still retains the original’s challenging blend of slow and medium-speed turns, with a distinct Californian coastal road vibe adding a nautical theme.
With 3x fuel and 7x tyre wear multipliers in action respectively, players will need to be aware of how hard they push their car, especially as both hard and medium compound tyres have to be used during the 10-lap race.
Our car of choice is the fictional Mazda RX-VISION GT3 CONCEPT. It’ll never be manufactured for the real-world but it’s an effective tool for Race C and looks great against Grand valley’s scenic backdrops.
Recommended car: Mazda RX-VISION GT3 CONCEPT (Brand Central, 450,000 Credits or free rental)
Lap Time Challenges
Two Lap Time Challenges are available at the time of publication. One takes place with Gr.3 cars at Autodrome Lago Maggiore’s West End layout and the other is for the Amuse NISMO 380rs Super Leggera at Broad Bean Raceway Reverse, the latter of which is about the end soon.
Race A
Race Information
Track: Fuji International Speedway
Laps: Five
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Grid Start with False Start Check
Duration: 15 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Useable Tyre and Types: Sports Hard
Regulations (Specified Car)
Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STi ’04
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed
Car Used: Event-Specified Car
Car Settings: Specified
Race Settings
DR Updates: Off
SR Updates: Off
Mechanical Damage: Light
Minimum No. of Pit Stops: None
Track Limit: Normal
Penalty Settings
Shortcut Penalty: Light
Wall Collision Penalty: Off
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
Race B
Race Information
Laps: Six
Track: Sardegna – Road Track – B
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Rolling Start
Duration: 15 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Useable Tyres: Racing Hard, Intermediate, Wet
Category: Gr.4
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Low-speed
Car Used: Garage Car, Event-Specified Car
Car Settings: Specified
Race Settings
DR Updates: Yes
SR Updates: Yes
Mechanical Damage: Light
Minimum No. of Pit Stops: None
Track Limit: Normal
Penalty Settings
Shortcut Penalty: Light
Wall Collision Penalty: Off
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
Race C
Race Information
Laps: 10
Track: Grand Valley – Highway 1
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Rolling Start
Duration: 25 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 3x
Tyre Wear: 7x
Regulations
Useable Tyres: Racing Hard, Medium, Soft, Intermediate, Wet
Required Tyre Type Change: Racing Hard, Medium
Category: Gr.3
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed
Car Used: Garage Car, Event-Specified Car
Car Settings: Specified
Race Settings
DR Updates: Yes
SR Updates: Yes
Mechanical Damage: Light
Minimum No. of Pit Stops: None
Track Limit: Normal
Penalty Settings
Shortcut Penalty: Light
Wall Collision Penalty: Off
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
