It’s business as usual this week, as Gran Turismo 7‘s Daily Races are back to a pure Balance of Performance (BoP) format. That means there’s zero chance of upgrading your car and adjusting its set-up, which is a shame.
To start things off, we have a single-make race for Mazda RX-8s at Sardegna’s Road Track B Reverse layout (catchy name), with further races for Gr.3 and Gr.4 cars at Willow Springs and Dragon Trail respectively.
Polyphony Digital’s BoP calculations have been unsuccessful at equalising performance between cars, but at the very least Gr.3 racing is now closer than it’s ever been. On the other hand, the Gr.4 class is still dominated by four-wheel-drive vehicles.
As a reminder, we are now using GT7‘s new Balance of Performance (BoP) system, introduced in the v1.19 July update. BoP is now split into three categories depending on the type of track used: High-speed (H), Mid-speed (M) and Low-speed (L).
As of the 30th of May, Race A will not affect players’ Driver Rating (DR) and Sportsmanship Rating (SR). This means it’s ideal for newcomers to online racing, or those simply unwilling to risk their hard-fought DR and SR
RACE A
Race A is a single-make battle involving Mazda’s flagship sports car produced between 2002 and 2012 – the RX-8.
Designed as a follow-up to the truly extraordinary RX-7, the RX-8 garnered a solid reputation as a fun, well-equipped high-revving runabout… Until unreliability struck.
The cars used a rotary-equipped Wankel engine (named after its inventor, German engineer Felix Wankel), which although light and efficiently powerful, also tended to wear out quickly and consume vast amounts of oil. This is why it’s possible to pick up a decent example for as little as £3,000 these days.
The reputation for unreliability is a little harsh on the rotary engine, however, as Mazda used one in its 787B to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 1991. Although it must be noted that Mazda hasn’t produced a rotary-engined production car since discontinuing the RX-8…
Still, its handling shines through in GT7, and a sporty run through Sardegna will help blow away those weekend cobwebs.
Recommended car: Mazda RX-8 Spirit R ’12 – (Brand Central, 32,500 Credits or free rental)
Race B
We continue the Mazda theme in Race B, as we return to Willow Springs’ Big Willow layout. The BoP in Gr.3 races seems to be much fairer now than it has ever been, and the car selection for Race B is wide open as a result.
However, our pick of the bunch is Mazda’s RX-VISION GT3 Concept, which even though is fictional uses a rotary engine similar to that of the afore-mentioned Le Mans-winning 787B. The car also has a Stealth Model variant – a pre-order bonus car – which looks a bit cooler but offers no performance benefits over the base model.
Willow Spings’ Big Willow course is the track’s main layout. It’s the USA’s oldest permanent raceway and features fast, flowing corners with plenty of elevation changes. It’s perhaps best recognised for its desert location – every corner has a literal sand trap!
Race B uses the Mid-speed (M) BoP format.
Recommended car: Mazda RX-VISION GT3 Concept (Brand Central 450,000 Credits or free rental)
Race C
This week, Race C is for the Gr.4 class. Alas, the tendency for Gr.4 races to be dominated by four-wheel-drive cars returns, and the Alfa Romeo 155 2.5 V6 TI re-enters the fold as the fastest Gr.4 example.
In contrast to the current Lap Time Challenge’s use of Dragon Trail’s Seaside configuration, we’re using its Gardens Reverse layout. This still plays into the hands of four-wheel-drive cars, however, as the tight hairpins and late-apex medium-speed corners favour total traction under both braking and acceleration.
The Alfa was a supreme car in the DTM championship in its heyday, thanks to its lightweight construction and high-revving 2.5l V6 engine. This 1993 variant alone took 13 wins out of 22 races in the renowned German Touring Car series.
Race C uses the Mid-speed (M) BoP format.
Recommended car: Alfa Romeo 155 2.5 V6 TI ’93 (Legend Cars, 800,000 Credits or free rental)
Lap Time Challenge
The current Lap Time Challenge takes place at Dragon Trail’s Seaside layout, using Gr.4 cars.
A new Lap Time Challenge will begin on the 1st of September.
Recommended car: Nissan GT-R Gr.4 (Brand Central, 350,000 Credits or free rental)
Race A
Race Information
Car: Mazda RX-8 Spirit R ’12
Track: Sardegna – Road Track – B Reverse
Laps: Four
No. Of Cars: 12
Start Type: Grid Start with False Start Check
Duration: 15 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Wide Body: Allowed
Nitrous: Prohibited
Tyre Choice: Sports: Hard
Specified Car: Mazda RX-8 Spirit R ’12
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Low-speed (L)
Car Used: Garage 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
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
Race B
Race Information
Car: Gr.3
Track: Willow Springs International Raceway: Big Willow
Laps: Six
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Rolling Start
Duration: 15 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Categories: Gr.3
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Tyre Choice: Racing: Hard, Intermediate, Wet
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed (M)
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
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
Race C
Race Information
Car: Gr.4
Laps: 12
Track: Dragon Trail – Gardens Reverse
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Rolling Start
Duration: 25 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Categories: Gr.4
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Tyre Choice: Racing: Hard, Intermediate, Wet
Required Tyre Type: Racing: Hard, Medium
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed (M)
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
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
Lap Time Challenge
Race Information
Car: Gr.4, Mid-speed (M) BoP
Track: Dragon Trail – Seaside
Entry Period: 18th August – 1st September
Regulations
Categories: Gr.4
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Tyre Choice: Racing: Hard, Intermediate, Wet
Car Restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed (M)
Car Used: Garage Car, Event-Specified Car
Car Settings: Specified
Race Settings
Track Limit: Normal
Penalty Settings
Shortcut Penalty: Light
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