Gran Turismo 7 Daily Races return, and this week Polyphony Digital take advantage of new content added to the game in its recent v1.31 update.
Race A sees the Mazda3 X Burgundy Selection ’19 and Nürburgring Sprint car and track used in Races A and B respectively, while Race C is a traditional strategic test with Gr.3 cars around Watkins Glen’s Long Course configuration.
Sport Mode offers ranked online racing where you will be placed within races based on your previous performances.
RACE A
The Mazda3 used in Race A is a solid family hatchback with a twist. Featuring four-wheel-drive and an attractive exterior, the Japanese car has around 190bhp on tap from its two-litre petrol engine.
Added to GT7 in the v1.31 update, the Mazda3 exemplifies Mazda’s recent success in terms of styling, with the manufacturer’s CX-30 even bearing a surprising resemblance to the new, £312,845 Ferrari Purosangue.
How much is a CX-30? Errr… it’s available from £24,360. I call that a bargain.
The Mazda3 X Burgundy Selection (as it’s known by Polyphony, but oddly not mentioned in-game) handles the slow hairpins of Tsukuba with ease thanks to total traction, but it’s a road car, so expect plenty of body roll and tyre squeal from its Soft Comfort rubber.
Recommended car: Mazda3 X Burgundy Selection ’19 (Brand Central, 37,000 Credits or free rental)
Race B
We’re off to the Nürburgring GP circuit for Race B, but this time we get to use the new ‘Sprint’ layout.
This version of the track splits off the GP loop just before the Valvoline Kurve and re-joins beyond the Michael-Schumacher S, cutting out the famous Dunlop hairpin completely. In their place is a double-apex hairpin called the Kurzanbindung which still provides a decent overtaking opportunity.
Since this is a Gr.4 race, expect four-wheel-drove cars to dominate (although the front-wheel-drive Audi TT Cup has been a favourite in recent times), and in particular the Mazda Atenza Gr.4.
Yes, it’s another Mazda, and this one was the standout Gr4 performer for several months after GT7’s release. And now it’s back. Its four-wheel drive makes it a great choice for maximising braking grip into Turn 1’s tight hairpin while also providing strong traction out of the slow NGK-Schikane towards the end of the lap.
Recommended car: Mazda Atenza Gr.4 (Brand Central, 350,000 Credits or free rental)
Race C
Watkins Glen is the venue for Race C and its Long Course layout gives the Gr.3 cars a chance to stretch their legs.
Our car of choice is the Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept. Although it’s fictional, Toyota has produced a GT4 version of the car for real-world racing and has serious plans to create a GT3 equivalent too, so the Gr.3 Supra Racing Concept may not be quite as outlandish as first thought.
2x fuel consumption and 6x tyre wear multipliers are in play for Race C, but the pit stop strategy is simplified somewhat by the Racing Hard compound being the only dry tyre available.
Watkins Glen features a lot of long, banked, high-speed turns so tyre wear will be high, making Hards seem like a sensible choice. A different option would have spiced the racing up a little more in our opinion, however.
Recommended car: Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept ‘18 (Brand Central, 450,000 Credits or free rental)
Lap Time Challenge
This fortnight’s Lap Time Challenge features the Toyota Alphard Executive Lounge at Autopolis’ Short Course layout.
A new Lap Time Challenge will become available on the 13th of April at 7 am GMT.
Recommended car: Toyota Alphard Executive Lounge ’18 (Brand Central, 75,000 Credits or free car rental)
Race A
Race Information
Track: Tsukuba Circuit
Laps: Six
No. Of Cars: 12
Start Type: Grid Start
Duration: 15 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Useable Tyre and Types: Comfort: Soft
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Regulations (Specified Car)
Mazda3 ’19
Car restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Low-speed (L)
Car Used: Garage Car, 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
Penalty for collisions with other cars: On
Pit Lane Line Cutting Penalty: On
Race B
Race Information
Laps: Six
Track: Nürburgring Sprint
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Rolling Start
Duration: 15 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 1x
Tyre Wear: 1x
Regulations
Useable Tyres & Types: Racing: Hard, Intermediate, Wet
Category: Gr.4
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
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
Laps: 12
Track: Watkins Glen Long Course
No. Of Cars: 16
Start Type: Rolling Start
Duration: 25 Minutes
Fuel Consumption: 2x
Tyre Wear: 6x
Regulations
Useable Tyres: Racing: Hard, Intermediate, Wet
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Required
Category: Gr.3
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
Track: Autopolis International Racing Course – Short Course
Entry Period: 30th March – 13th April 2023
Regulations
Useable Tyres Sports: Hard
Wide Body: Prohibited
Nitrous: Prohibited
Regulations (Specified Car)
Toyota Alphard Executive Lounge ’18
Car Restrictions
BoP/Tuning Forbidden: Mid-speed
Car Used: Garage Car, Event-Specified Car
Car Settings: Specified
Race Settings
Track Limit: Normal
Penalty Settings
Shortcut Penalty: Light
