AUTO MODELLISTA: SUZUKA CIRCUIT GUIDE by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Initial Version Completed: March 27, 2003 Version 1.0 Completed: March 27, 2003 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Circuit History Driving Instructions Sample Lap Times Contact Information ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ============================================== PERMISSIONS Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use. However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving guide may not be such a good idea. This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides, and GameFAQs.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this game guide into other languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete. Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION Why a guide specific to a single circuit in Auto Modellista? Suzuka Circuit can be a bit tricky; those who have raced the circuit in other games (such as F1 2002 or Grand Prix Challenge) are already quite familiar with the technical expertise required to be successful at this venue. Suzuka Circuit is likely to be a challenge for those who have never raced at this venue in other racing games. This world-famous circuit in figure-eight style is used for many forms of auto and motorcycle racing. One of the most famous sights of the 'circuit' is the large Ferris Wheel on the left side behind the main grandstands as cars pass along the Pit Straight. In terms of racing action, Suzuka Circuit is perhaps best known to Westerners for the annual F1 Grand Prix of Japan, generally the final race - and sometimes also thechampionship-deciding race - of a given F1 season in recent years. Suzuka was once the official test circuit for Honda, with the figure-eight configuration ensuring that there were a near- equal number of both left-hand and right-hand turns. Similarly, the circuit was purposely designed to include as many types of corners and situations as possible, which makes the Suzuka circuit more technically difficult than it might at first appear to Suzuka novices. All this makes proper vehicle set-up a bit of a challenge, as a car must be able to brake quickly, corner with as little effort as possible, and still be able to attain high speeds in several key areas of the circuit. Those with extensive experience at Suzuka Circuit in other auto racing games - especially simulation-based games, where proper vehicle tuning is often crucial to success - will be better able to find the right vehicle set-up to produce success in races at this famous and challenging venue. Please note that some of the information in this guide come from my Circuit Histories Guide and my World-famous Racing Circuits Guide, with appropriate modifications. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CIRCUIT HISTORY In operation since at least 1962 and the proud host of F1 races since 1987, Suzuka Circuit is the host of many forms of motorsport - including F1 and other Formula series, and motorbikes (including MotoGP) - as well as several racing schools. Suzuka comprises two different circuits: the 5.821- kilometer (3.638-mile) International Racing Course (used for F1 events) and the 1.264-kilometer (0.790-mile) Southern Course (which itself contains numerous configurations). F1 winners at Suzuka: Gerhard Berger (1987 and 1991), Ayrton Senna (1988), Alessandro Nannini (1989), Nelson Piquet (1990), Riccardo Patrese (1992), Ayrton Senna (1993), Damon Hill (1994 and 1996), Michael Schumacher (1995, 1997, and 2000-2002), and Mika Hakkinen (1998 and 1999). Japanese fans will long remember the 2002 F1 Grand Prix of Japan, both because only ONE Honda-powered car finished the race, and because it was driven by Japanese driver Sato Takuma, scoring his first points of the season (at the final race of the season) and catapulting the Jordan team ahead of Jaguar in the Constructors Championship. Simply listening to the thousands of spectators whenever Sato drove past a grandstand was incredibly inspiring even to those watching the race on television :-) Unfortunately, the official Web site (http://www.suzukacircuit.co.jp/) is almost exclusively in Japanese. Many section titles are also given in English (such as Event Calendar, Group Enjoy!, and Circuit Queen), but the only truly-English area is a single page with downloadable files of information for buying tickets to the next Grand Prix of Japan. ============================================== DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS Pit Straight: Good speeds can be achieved here with strong acceleration out of the chicane. The Pit Lane rejoins the course from the right near the end of the Pit Straight. The solid white line protruding from the right at Pit Exit and bisecting the raceway up to the entry for Turn 1 is the blend line used for the F1 Grand Prix of Japan; cars exiting Pit Lane must keep to the right of this blend line until the line ends, or else a penalty is assigned to the driver. Turn 1: This right-hand (almost double-apex) hairpin requires moderate braking on approach, and you will likely be tapping the brakes through the hairpin itself. This begins an uphill climb, and it is difficult to see the left side of the pavement on exit, so it is imperative to be careful not to run too wide and end up out in the sand. There is really no reason to overrun the hairpin on entry, as the corner is quite easily identifiable. Turns 2-5 (S Curves): This is by far the hardest section of the course - tight left-right-left-right corners - except in the lowest-powered vehicles in Auto Modellista. The first of the 'S' curves can likely be taken at full speed, with light or moderate braking for Turn 3. Turn 4 can be taken either flat-out (not suggested) or with light braking. No matter what, slam HARD on the brakes for Turn 5, the tightest corner of the 'S' section. This entire segment of the course continues the uphill climb, making Turn 5 particularly more difficult. There is ample recovery room on either side of the course through the uphill 'S' section. The 'S' section is a good place to pass slower cars, if you have enough confidence in your brakes to pass during corner entry. No matter what, you will NOT be surviving the 'S' curves unless you use the brakes generously - or use only second or third gear. Turn 6 (Dunlop Curve): This sweeping left-hand corner is the crest of the initial uphill segment of the course. However, it is best to brake lightly or at least lift off the accelerator to keep from sliding out into the grass and sand on the right side of the long corner. Turn 7 (Degner): Here, the course turns to the right in anticipation of the figure-eight pattern. Light braking will likely be required, but it is possible to speed through here without braking. To the outside of the course is a wide expanse of grass and sand in case you overrun the corner. Turn 8 (Degner): The final right-hand corner before passing underneath the bridge, this turn is tighter than the previous corner, thus moderate or heavy braking and a steady racing line will be required here if using a high-powered vehicle. This is also another prime passing zone. Straightaway: Accelerate strongly out of Degner and you may be able to pass one or two cars as you race underneath the bridge. The course fades to the right here before reaching the tight Hairpin. The fade is a good place to begin braking for Hairpin. Turn 9 (Hairpin): This is a tight left-hand hairpin which begins the next uphill segment of the Suzuka circuit. It is possible to shortcut a little here, but the grass combined with the angle of the hill here will really slow you down and perhaps cause you to spin and/or slide. Be careful not to accelerate too soon, or you will be out in the grass. There is a sizeable patch of kitty litter for those who miss the hairpin completely or lock the wheels. Turn 10: Continuing the uphill run, the course here makes a wide sweep to the right. Any braking here means losing track positions. Turns 11 and 12 (Spoon): This is a tricky pair of left-hand corners, in a decreasing-radius 'U' formation. The first corner is fairly standard, requiring little braking (if any). However, Turn 12 is both tighter AND slopes downhill, so judicious usage of brakes and a pristine racing line are both important here in a medium- or high-powered vehicle, especially if attempting to pass a slower vehicle. If you repeatedly misjudge any single corner at Suzuka, it will be Turn 12; fortunately, there is plenty of recovery room on both sides of the pavement here. However, do not roll up on the rumble strips or the grass on the inside of Turn 12, as that will almost certainly cause you to lose control and likely spin. Straightaway: Power out of Spoon and rocket down the straightaway, passing multiple cars. After you cross the bridge, start thinking about the chicane. Turn 13 (130R): Shortly after crossing the bridge, the course turns gently to the left. Light braking or - even better - a quick lift off the accelerator - is almost certainly required at 130R to keep from sliding off-course, although experts can speed through here at full throttle with an excellent racing line and no encumbering traffic. Turns 14-16 (Chicane): This is the trickiest part of the course (even moreso than Hairpin), and quite likely the one area which will determine whether or not you can execute a good, low, record-breaking lap time. The chicane begins with a moderate turn to the right, then a tight left-hand corner, then ends with a wider turn to the right and empties out onto the Pit Straight; all of this is on a downhill slope, adding to the inherent difficulty of Chicane. Fortunately, the inside of the chicane is filled with only sand, not barriers, but shortcutting the chicane will likely result in a loss of control (due to the rumble strips and the kitty litter), or at least cause you to slow tremendously. Be careful coming out of Turn 15 so that you don't go too wide and bump the right side of the vehicle on the Pit Lane barrier. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SAMPLE LAP TIMES To give readers an idea of the lap times possible at Suzuka Circuit, some sample lap times are presented here. These sample lap times were all accomplished in Arcade Mode: Time Attack, using the Auto Tune feature (which automatically adjusts the chosen vehicle's tuning to what is best suited for the chosen race venue). Base Vehicle Style HP Time --------------------------- ------------ ----- -------- Acura Integra Type R Style 2 190 2:18.321 Chevrolet Corvette Style 1 350 2:12.221 Dodge Viper GTS Style 2 450 2:06.355 Ford Mustang GT Style 1 260 2:27.573 Nissan 350Z Normal 270 2:15.425 Suzuki Alto Works RSX Normal 63 2:35.769 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S Style 2 197 2:03.820 Toyota Sports 800 Normal 44 2:42.955 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTACT INFORMATION For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc., or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving guide, please contact me at: FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address. To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2/DC/Mac game guides, visit FeatherGuides at http://feathersites.angelcities.com/ ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ======================================================================= Wolf Feather Jamie Stafford ======================================================================= Just as there are many parts needed to make a human a human, there's a remarkable number of things needed to make an individual what they are. - Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_ ======================================================================= What isn't remembered never happened. - _Serial Experiments Lain_ =======================================================================