========================================================= = = = FFFFF 11 CCCCC SSSSS 222 000 000 000 = = F 1 1 C S 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 = = FFF 1 C SSSSS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 = = F 1 C S 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 = = F 11111 CCCCC SSSSS 22222 000 000 000 = = = = = = F1 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 2000 DRIVING GUIDE = = = = By = = Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather = = FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM = = = = =============================================== = = = = Initial Version Completed January 25, 2001 = = = = FINAL VERSION Completed: August 20, 2001 = = = ========================================================= UPDATE NOTE According to workers at a local mall gaming store, F1 2001 is now set for release September 25 - go to your favorite gaming store and reserve your copy now!!!!! However, I understand that Sony will finally be releasing its own popular European F1-based game (Formula1 2001) in the States about the same time, so when you place your reservation, make sure it is a reservation for the EA Sports game. Given that F1 2001 is about to be released and that this particular game guide has been greatly expanded since its initial release seven months ago, this is the FINAL VERSION of the F1 Championship Season 2000 Driving Guide. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have sent me e-mails, initiated conversations concerning tires and wheelspin, and just even wrote to thank me for my efforts. Finally, if you are looking for the perfect racing game to fill your time until F1 2001 is released, I strongly suggest Le Mans 24 Hours (for PS2). It is certainly a very different experience from driving open-wheel cars, but the semi- simulation game is both fun and challenging, and gives players a chance to experience endurance racing. For those skeptics who remember Test Drive: Le Mans, rest assured that Le Mans 24 Hours is FAR superior!!! Also, the game focuses on more than simply the famous annual Le Mans race, adding the Petit Le Mans (held annually at Road Atlanta), as well as several world-famous circuits (including Suzuka, Catalynua, and Donington) and their variations. Le Mans 24 Hours was just released this past week, and I already have a driving guide prepared for it, available at FeatherSites (http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/) and many of the same Web sites where this guide is located. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions E-mail List Introduction Assumptions and Conventions Car Set-ups Completely Subjective Section General Tips The 2000 Courses Course Difficulty and Drivability Rankings Differences and Additions Training Mode Scenario Mode Grand Prix of Australia: Albert Park Grand Prix of Brazil: Interlagos Grand Prix of San Marino: Imola Grand Prix of Great Britain: Silverstone Grand Prix of Spain: Catalunya Grand Prix of Europe: Nurburgring Grand Prix of Monaco: Monte Carlo (Temporary Street Circuit) Grand Prix of Canada: Gilles Villeneuve Grand Prix of France: Nevers Magny-Cours Grand Prix of Austria: A1-Ring Grand Prix of Germany: Hockenheim Grand Prix of Hungary: Hungaroring Grand Prix of Belgium: Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix of Italy: Monza Grand Prix of the United States: Indianapolis Grand Prix of Japan: Suzuka Grand Prix of Malaysia: Sepang Wish List Wrap-up 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 Note that this driving guide is well over 70 pages long using Courier 12 font with single-spacing in Microsoft Word. ============================================== 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, GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, neoseeker.com, ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this driving guide into other languages (F1 Championship Season 2000 is also optimized for French and Spanish), please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete (especially important so that I can improve my French and Spanish skills). Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== E-MAIL LIST I have also decided to implement an e-mail list, to notify others when this driving guide is updated (which seems to be at least monthly). I do plan on writing a driving guide for F1 2001, so those on this list will be automatically included in the list for the F1 2001 driving guide. Interested persons should send an e-mail to me at FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM and ask to be included in this list. As always, general comments, concerns, questions, rants, raves, etc., can also be sent to me at this same e-mail address. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION Most likely, if you play F1 Championship Season 2000, then you are at least a casual fan of Formula 1 racing, and have at least basic knowledge of many or all of the currently-used F1 courses. That knowledge does indeed help when first playing F1 Championship Season 2000, and vice versa - extensive gameplay helps in determining where the drivers are on each course when races are televised. The main part of this driving guide provides information to help you to cleanly drive each course. Even those who know the courses fairly well and/or play the game regularly can always use tips. Please note that much of this information comes from the driving guide I wrote for F1 2000 (the predecessor to F1 Championship Season 2000), also by EA Sports. Those who have read and/or downloaded the driving guide for F1 2000 will already have the same basic information covered in this driving guide. This driving guide has been modified and expanded to reflect the differences between the two games, and I am periodically adding more details to the circuit information (especially where there are some minor differences between the two games) as well as a Wish List in case anyone from EA Sports is reading this document. The information within this driving guide is based on the PSX/PS1 version of F1 Championship Season 2000. I have not had the chance (i.e.: funds) to acquire the PS2 version, but I have been told by a local gaming store employee that the only real difference between the two versions is a richer overall color in the PS2 version. Then again, the March 2001 issue of _PSM_ royally panned the PS2 version for its 'cartoony graphics' (page 42). ============================================== ASSUMPTIONS AND CONVENTIONS Several of the official course and segment names used in F1 racing include the use of characters which are not standard to the English language, on which the Internet and standard text-only documents are based. In order to eliminate the potential for 'strange characters' in a standard, text-only, Internet-distributed document, these characters have purposely not been used - much to the consternation of language purists, including myself. This driving guide is designed with the assumption that you (the player) are playing with Dry Weather, Fuel Usage, Flags, Equipment Failures, and Damage all activated. (Weather is randomized if Realistic Weather is chosen.) Most important here is Flags; with the Flags option activated, shortcutting corners, driving too far off-course, passing another car when the yellow flag is displayed, and reckless driving (including driving backward during a race) will instigate a ten-second Stop-Go Penalty; driving backward results in an immediate Black Flag, ending your race). It is not possible to 'accumulate' multiple outstanding Stop-Go Penalties and then serve them all at once (that would be far too easy!!!); if more than one Stop-Go Penalty is outstanding, you will be shown a Black Flag and be forced to end the race prematurely. According to the FIA's rules for F1 competition, a driver may make no more than three complete laps before serving a Stop- Go Penalty once one has been assigned, or else the driver is shown the Black Flag. However, if a Stop-Go Penalty is issued in the last five laps of a race and is unserved, the driver is instead penalized by adding twenty seconds to his or her overall time. F1 Championship Season 2000 also follows the twenty-second penalty in this case, but only if the Stop-Go Penalty was assigned with less than three complete laps remaining in the race. Also, F1 Championship Season 2000 gives a driver the Black Flag for entering Pit Lane from the wrong direction (Pit Exit). Most racetracks outside the United States name most corners and even some straightaways. Where these names are known, they will be included in parentheses and referenced in the explanatory text. These names have been gathered from course maps available on the courses' official Web sites, my memory of how F1 races have been called by American TV sportscasters (Fox Sports Net and SpeedVision, in 1999 and 2000), and/or from the Training Mode of F1 Championship Season 2000 (corner/segment names are listed at the bottom of the screen). To the extent possible, these names have been translated into English. ============================================== CAR SET-UPS First, these set-ups are for the PSX and PS2 versions of F1 Championship Season 2000. It was recently brought to my attention that the PC version of the game uses a different set-up configuration. Unfortunately, I cannot provide any assistance here, as I own a Mac, only use PCs on rare occasions on campus, and do not have access to a PC on which I can play games. Gomen nasaiS During the Test Day, Practice, and Qualifying sessions, sitting in the Pits and pressing the Start button brings up an options screen. Selecting 'Car Setup' brings up dialogues to change Front Downforce, Rear Downforce, Gear Ratios, Steering Lock, and other car settings (press the up, down, and circle buttons to switch between these dialogues). For convention, this driving guide will use the following system to show these settings: Ground Clearance: -1 These dialogues show seven small boxes. The centermost box means a neutral (zero) setting. The three boxes to the left mean progressively lower settings (negative), while the three boxes to the right mean progressively higher settings (positive). The number indicates how many boxes in each direction the red square should move. Each course will have suggested settings to help stabilize the car chosen for that circuit. These are simply suggestions, largely based upon my rather aggressive driving style, with the car truly on the hair-thin edge of its limits. Experiment and find the car set-up which works best for your driving style for each course. I would assume that the bulk of any individual player deviations will be made to the Front Downforce, Rear Downforce, and Rear Diffuser settings. If this makes any difference, these car set-ups were all specifically set playing as Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) in Practice Mode, with dry weather, no damage, no flags, no tire wear, and no failures. The car set-ups presented here are essentially the same ones that I use in actual races, just more fine-tuned with several laps in Practice Mode. Also related to the suggested set-ups, I recently received an e-mail from a highly-observant player asking why I use a Gear Ratio of -3 (fastest acceleration) on every circuit. While I replied to him directly, I assumed others might also be wondering about this consistent setting, to which I can only reply in a two-part answer. First, this was originally an unconscious 'holdover' from playing other racing games, such as the Gran Turismo series. Most importantly, however, it fits my aggressive driving style quite well, providing quicker acceleration - which is especially useful for passing in turns, or for recovering quickly when I brake too deep into a corner. (For those wondering about this last statement, the driving tips for each course are for more 'standard' driving styles, not for highly-aggressive driving styles like mine.) While Gear Ratio of -3 produces fastest acceleration, using the suggested car set-up for each course (except perhaps for Monaco) will still allow players to drive faster than any CPU-controlled vehicle on the track; on long straightaways (such as at Monza and Indianapolis, and especially at Hockenheim), speeds of well over 200MPH/320KPH (even approaching 220MPH/350KPH) are quite commonS and isn't that really fast enough!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ============================================== COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE SECTION My favorite courses are: Albert Park Imola Monaco (to watch a race, not to actually race - especially since I was able to visit Monaco in 1991) Hockenheim Spa-Francorchamps Monza Suzuka My least favorite courses are: Interlagos (but NOT because of any falling billboards!!!) Nurburgring Monaco (to race) A1-Ring Sepang My favorite corners: Albert Park: Turns 11 and 12 Silverstone: Copse and Stowe Monaco: The Tunnel, and the entry to the Swimming Pool Chicane Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve: Nurburgring and Turns 12 and 13 Hockenheim: The Stadium and the Ayrton Senna Chicane Spa-Francorchamps: La Source, Pouhon, and Blanchimont Monza: Curva Parabolica Indianapolis: Turn 13 (Indy/NASCAR Turn 1) Suzuka: Degner and 130R My least favorite corners are: Monaco: Everything but The Tunnel and the entry to the Swimming Pool Chicane Spa-Francorchamps: Bruxelles Most hairpins (especially at Nurburgring) My favorite Pit Lanes (based on Pit Entry) are at: Imola Spa-Francorchamps Monza Indianapolis My least favorite Pit Lanes (based on Pit Entry) are at: Albert Park Interlagos Monaco A1-Ring Hungaroring Sepang My least favorite Pit Lane (based on Pit Exit) is at: Interlagos My favorite teams are: Ferrari Prost Jaguar My least favorite team is: McLaren ============================================== GENERAL TIPS Knowing each circuit extremely well is essential to success in F1 Championship Season 2000S as it is an any racing game. This is especially important when driving in overcast/wet conditions at circuits with significant numbers of trees near the track itself, such as at Hockenheim and at Spa- Francorchamps, as the numerous trees will cast dark shadows across much of the visible track ahead. Also, in any weather condition, The Tunnel at Monaco is a lengthy stretch of darkness despite the view of the water to the left. These shadows can obscure not only changes in track elevation and the placement of corners, but also the position of vehicles ahead (especially darker-colored vehicles, such as the Prost and McLaren cars). Also important for wet racing conditions, look for the single red taillight on the back of each car. In wet and other poor-visibility conditions, F1 cars are required to turn on the taillight so that the vehicles can be seen by those behind them. Especially in wet conditions, this is extremely helpful, as it is not always possible to see the actual car ahead and judge its distance from you as it kicks up a large 'rooster tail' of spray, especially when on lengthy straightaways. In general, bumping other cars is a bad thing: You might damage your own car, and, if it occurs too much, you will likely be assigned a Stop-Go Penalty. If you ram another car's backside at full speed, you will almost definitely receive a Stop-Go Penalty. The best way to avoid Stop-Go Penalties is to keep at least two wheels on the approved driving surfaces (pavement, rumble strips, and the rare green-colored concrete swing-out extensions) at all times, and to refrain from colliding with other cars. Remember that you need only be 'out of bounds' by ONE PIXEL to receive a Stop-Go Penalty, and the 'out of bounds' lines rarely coincide with actual physical features (rumble strips, different types of grass, etc.). The rumble strips can be your friends or your enemies. If you attempt to drive across rumble strips at a near- perpendicular angle (such as shortcutting Chicane at Suzuka), they will almost certainly be your enemies, causing your car to slide, spin violently, and/or even throw your vehicle into the air. If driving in wet conditions, even using rumble strips as intended can be dangerous, as the water greatly reduces the amount of grip they will provide for your tires. Normally, the best way to approach a turn is from the outside. At the apex of the turn, your car should be as close as possible to the inside of the turn. As you leave the turn, edge back toward the outside. This is obviously made more difficult on really tight and/or blind corners, especially at Monaco. An excellent way to learn how to navigate various types of corners is to complete all the license tests in any game of the Gran Turismo series. If playing with Fuel Usage activated, it may be a good idea to set your Pit Stops for late in the race. This way, should you need to pit early to repair damage or replace worn tires, you can also take on 'extra' fuel at that time and eliminate a later-scheduled Pit Stop. Note that this is not possible when serving a Stop-Go Penalty, as the Pit Crew is not permitted to touch the vehicle while the Penalty is being served (although in actual races, the Pit Crew will often surround the car for a visual inspection, taking care not to touch the vehicle). Braking is of utmost importance, especially when approaching a tight chicane or a blind corner. If you are not sure of where a corner is (especially with other cars in front of you), brake early. For a real-world example of what can happen by missing a braking zone, refer to the 2000 Grand Prix of Italy at Monza (Lap 1, Roggia Chicane; this is the massive accident in which the resultant flying debris struck and killed a volunteer corner worker). If you come into a (tight) corner too fast, several things may happen. First, if you slam hard on the brakes, you may have brake-lock (the white-gray smoke coming up from one or more of the wheels) and slide straight ahead into whatever is there to stop you - hopefully sand or grass, but perhaps a barrier or (worse) one or more cars. Second, if you keep your speed up and try to take the corner anyhow, you will likely spin and/or slide the car. With the new physics engine of F1 Championship Season 2000, spins and/or slides are far more likely now than in the preceding version of the game. This second scenario is also (subjective statement coming) 'more true' to actual F1 racing, as the line between maintaining and losing control of the vehicle - especially at the incredibly high average speeds of most of the circuits - is not only gray and hazy, but thinner than a strand of Homer Simpson's hair. This further demonstrates the importance of early braking (again, refer to the 2000 Grand Prix of Italy). There are a number of corners with uphill or downhill slopes in F1 racingS and even a banked corner (Turn 13 at Indianapolis). At Indianapolis, the Turn 13 banking fortunately keeps the cars from mowing down the fans in the grandstands and should prevent vehicles from going airborne. However, most sloped corners do not have such "nice" barriers, so if you speed through one of these corners and hit the rumble strip(s) at the right angle (or wrong angle, depending on your point of view), your will certainly spin, slide, and/or flip the vehicle. Are you wearing your seat belt and helmet? Activating the Flags option in F1 Championship Season 2000 causes the game to use the same flags and related rules as an actual F1 race. If shown a Blue Flag, you are to allow the car(s) behind you to pass. When shown a Yellow Flag, you are to slow down and not pass anyone until you see a Green Flag (normal racing conditions); however, when the Yellow Flag is displayed, you are certainly permitted to pass a vehicle with obvious problems, such as a car with a blown engine. Amazingly, in F1 Championship Season 2000, a car can still be driven even after a wheel has fallen off!!!!! If you do lose a wheel, it will usually be on the front of the car, due to bumping another car or smashing against a barrier. Turning the car toward the missing wheel (i.e., turning left if the left front wheel is missing) is not very difficult, but turning away from the missing wheel (turning right in this example) is nearly impossible at any speed faster than a crawling snail. Fortunately, this means that you can drive back to the Pits for repairs, so long as you drive slow enough to keep the engine revs down so it doesn't expire. However, once any two wheels have separated from the car, your race immediately ends. It is rare that your rear wing will ever be damaged; the most probable means of damaging the rear wing is spinning and hitting a barrier or another car with the backside of your vehicle. However, if you are too aggressive or are not careful entering the Pit Lane (especially if coming in at full speed at Monza, with a rather narrow Pit Lane Entry), you may damage your front wing. If a wing only has 'a slight knock' and is labeled yellow in the damage indicator, you can still drive normally, although serious caution must be taken on downhill turns (such as the first corner at Hungaroring). One significant change from F1 2000 is that, should you lose a wing, your car still handles as if the wing was still intact, which reduces the realism of the game, but does allow you to stay out of the pits, which is highly important in a close race. Also concerning the front and rear wings, it takes approximately twenty seconds to change a wing. If both wings are damaged, expect to sit in the Pits for about forty seconds before you are able to rejoin the race. TAKE CARE OF THE WINGS!!!!! If a car is trying to pass, there are several methods to keep from losing a position (as long as you are not shown a Blue Flag). If the pass attempt is in or near an upcoming corner, take away the inside or outside line, depending on where the opposing vehicle is in relation to yours. If the other car does get a wheel in front of you, edge TOWARD the opposing vehicle, and eventually, the other car will be out in the grass or sand and will fall back. Aggressive drivers may simply wish to bump wheels, causing the other car to spin and/or crash, especially if there is a barrier on the opposite side of the opposing vehicle; however, you may damage your own car, particularly the wheels and/or the suspension. While not particularly successful, those driving with automatic transmissions can quickly switch to Neutral (Shift Down button) and then back to the previous gear (Shift Up button), creating a 'smokescreen' cloud as brake dust flies out from behind the car; however, this can cause flat- spotting and undue tire wear on your own car, as well as potential damage to the engine and/or transmission, especially when this maneuver is performed in top gear on a truly quick straightaway (such as most of Hockenheim). If playing Championship Mode, points are awarded for the top six cars at the end of the race; these points are given to the driver (for the Drivers Championship) and the team (for the Constructors Championship). The points are awarded as follows, in accordance with FIA regulations: First Place: 10 points Second Place: 6 points Third Place: 4 points Fourth Place: 3 points Fifth Place: 2 points Sixth Place: 1 point Each team has two cars starting each race; a team could conceivably receive a maximum of 16 points in a given race. Thus, if you are concerned about winning the Constructors Championship, race as a driver for an historically good team, such as Ferrari or McLaren. Whichever driver and team you select to represent you in the race, you will periodically be given radio updates as to your teammate's status during the race (i.e., if you race as Jean Alesi, you will be given status updates on Nick Heidfeld's track position and pitting schedule). It is extremely important to listen to this information, especially during the window(s) for pit stops, as each team can only service one car at a time in Pit Lane. If you come into Pit Lane while your teammate is being serviced, you cannot pit and will be forced to drive straight through Pit Lane without receiving serviceS which itself will likely set you back severely in track position, but you will also be set back even further when you come around again to make your true pit stop. If racing in wet conditions using a chase-view camera, looking behind you is practically useless due to the 'rooster tail' of spray kicked up behind your car. To get a clear view of traffic behind you, first change quickly to driver view or front-wing view, then use the rear view button. When finished, release the rear view button and quickly return to your favorite chase view position. This 'stunt' is best performed on a straightaway with no cars immediately in front of you. Also important for racing in wet conditions, brake earlier than usual. If you continue to use the same 'dry conditions' braking, you will likely slide and/or spin the car as you attempt to navigate (sharp) corners. It may also help to pump the brakes through tight corners, especially for hairpins such as 'Mickey' and 'Mouse' at Indianapolis. If you are a visually-oriented person, it may help you to go to the FIA's official Web site (http://www.fia.com/ - the site is available in both English and in French) and go to the current season's race schedule. From here, the official Web sites (available in at least English and the host country's official languages; sometimes other language options are also available) of most of the race circuits can be accessed, and course maps can be downloaded and printed for you to study. Note that some online course maps are in very high resolution, thus file size is large; this may be a concern for those using a slow computer and/or modem. Always use caution when passing, cornering, or even breathing, as auto racing is an inherently dangerous sport!!! ============================================== THE 2000 COURSES F1 Championship Season 2000 presents the courses in the order in which they were presented for the 2000 Formula 1 season. This driving guide will follow the same convention, which will be especially useful for those playing in Championship Mode or Scenario Mode. F1 Race Schedule, 2000 Season: March 12 Australia Albert Park March 26 Brazil Interlagos April 9 San Marino Imola April 23 Great Britain Silverstone May 7 Spain Catalunya May 21 Europe Nurburgring June 4 Monaco Unnamed (Street Circuit) June 18 Canada Gilles Villeneuve July 2 France Nevers Magny-Cours* July 16 Austria A1-Ring July 30 Germany Hockenheim August 13 Hungary Hungaroring* August 27 Belgium Spa-Francorchamps September 10 Italy Monza* September 24 USA Indianapolis October 8 Japan Suzuka October 22 Malaysia Sepang *These circuits are not used in Scenario Mode. NOTE: The 2001 F1 race schedule is available at the official FIA Web site (http://www.fia.com/). The race schedule also has links to the official Web sites of most of the permanent and temporary (street) circuits hosting F1 races. Please note that the 2001 race schedule uses the same courses as the 2000 season (on which F1 Championship Season 2000 is based), but in a different order. For example, the Grand Prix of Malaysia was the final race of the 2000 season, but is the second race of the 2001 season. ============================================== COURSE DIFFICULTY AND DRIVABILITY RANKINGS This section is highly subjective - take this information with several grains of salt. The courses here are listed by their order in the 2000 F1 racing season. Australia Easy Extreme fun, extreme SPEED Brazil Medium Lower course frustrating Imola Medium Fun and FAST Silverstone Medium Good Catalunya Easy Fun Nurburgring Medium Somewhat frustrating Monaco Difficult Highly annoying (tightness) Gilles Villeneuve Medium Fun Nevers Magny-Cours Easy Quite fun, quite fast A1-Ring Medium Very challenging Hockenheim Easy Fun and EXTREMELY FAST Hungaroring Medium Upper course challenging, but fun overall Spa-Francorchamps Medium Enjoyably challenging Monza Easy Fun and FAST Indianapolis Medium Depends on set-up Suzuka Medium Fun challenge Sepang Medium Not too bad, but not my favorite ============================================== DIFFERENCES AND ADDITIONS There are some notable differences from F1 2000, as well as significant additions. The first major difference is the sleeker design of the game's menus. I have been playing F1 Championship Season 2000 (PSX version) on a PlayStation 2, and the colors are also much more vivid; whether this is due to the game itself and/or the PS2 I do not know. The video footage of actual F1 races is also much better on the eyes than in the original game. Along the same lines, the opening video of actual F1 races is much nicer than the opening of F1 2000, although the original game's initial focus on a particular driver in its opening video certainly helped to position the player within the F1 environment. The music is also different, as one would probably expect. The music is good overall, but I personally do prefer the music from F1 2000. The physics model has been modified for this newer game. This is especially good for racing on the streets of Monaco, as the newer physics model makes simple survival at Monaco MUCH easier!!!!!!!!! Speaking of Monaco, the chicane after leaving The Tunnel now has only rumble strips marking the official course; the barrier used in F1 2000 has thankfully been removed. Even better, the CPU does not assign a Stop-Go Penalty for driving in a straight line over the rumble strips and bypassing the chicane, so this is a new passing zone. However, if you blast through here at top speed, the angle of the rumble strips will almost certainly force your car into a spinS and an inevitable collision with the barrier(s) and/or other cars. The car set-up options have been expanded. However, it is unrealistically possible to drive at top speed with a missing wing. The most significant additions for F1 Championship Season 2000 are Training Mode and Scenario Mode. Training Mode allows you to learn each course's intricacies by using colored cones to mark braking, turning, apex, and exit for each corner, and by providing interactive commentary. Scenario Mode presents realistic racing situations which range from fairly easy to expert. Training Mode and Scenario Mode are both discussed further below. Another set of additions to this newer game is the new potential problems you can face. The original game's problems of a blown engine and lost and damaged wing(s) and tire(s) are still available, but new problems have been added: brake failure, suspension failure, engine misfire, missing gears, punctured tire(s), etc. Some of these problems can be fixed in a Pit Stop, but each fixable problem takes approximately twenty seconds to repair or replace. For example, if you have damaged both wings and the engine has a minor misfire, expect to spend a full minute sitting in your pit stall. These problems are most significant in Scenario Mode. As you progress through Championship Mode, you may be given the option to change the difficulty setting of Championship Mode based upon your performance. You are also given the opportunity to view the race analysis (lap-by-lap positions of each car/driver, with crashes and pit stops marked) after each race. Finally, the engines sound a bit closer to realistic than they did in F1 2000. The sounds are more piercing, and carry very well through the air - to the point that if you are driving all alone in one section of the course, you are far more likely to hear the competitors driving on the opposite side of the course. This can also make it difficult in some instances to determine exactly where the next batch of traffic is on the course, especially at a circuit as small as A1-Ring, or at Suzuka due to its figure-eight formation. ============================================== TRAINING MODE Risking to make this driving guide obsolete is the Training Mode, which was not available in F1 2000. Even expert-level drivers from F1 2000 should begin here, as the physics engine of F1 Championship Season 2000 is somewhat different, thus the overall handling of the cars is also a little different. The biggest driving change between F1 2000 and F1 Championship Season 2000 is that this newer game requires more use of the brakes, especially for aggressive drivers. Training Mode uses the following colored cones to help you see how to handle each corner of a given course: Blue Cone Begin braking here Orange Cone Begin cornering here Yellow Cone This is the apex; begin acceleration White Cone This is the exit; accelerate hard Note that after a quick combination of corners or a chicane, there will not be a white exit cone for each corner. Instead, the white cone will follow that segment of the course. ============================================== SCENARIO MODE One of the more interesting aspects of the 'upgrade' to F1 Championship Season 2000 is the new Scenario Mode. There are fourteen total scenario races, each progressing in the level of difficulty. Each scenario race takes place at a different course, so it would be wise to become quite familiar with ALL the courses before attempting Scenario Mode. Note that the initial scenarios are set at the same level of difficulty as Championship Mode. Each scenario presents a realistic F1 situation, ranging from simply finishing at or above a certain position, to simple survival. As you progress through Scenario Mode, you will also be presented with different types of weather, thus affecting your driving and your overall strategy. Further, for each Scenario race, you race as a different driver from the 2000 F1 season (some drivers are 'repeated;' see below). Many of these Scenario races are 'simple,' in that you need to just drive and finish at or above a certain position. However, some of the later Scenario races require quite a bit of strategy, especially to receive a Gold Award; here, it might be best to read the scenario, then wait and consider the potential strategies for several hours first. The initial Scenario races are fairly short, and can be completed well within thirty minutes. The later Scenario races will likely take longer. The fourteenth and final Scenario race is a FULL race, so do not even attempt the final scenario unless you have about two hours during which you will not be interrupted by siblings, telephones, bathroom breaks, hyperactive pets, etc. Without giving away the challenges presented in Scenario Mode, this is where the Scenario races are held, and the driver you will be playing as: 1.) Grand Prix of Australia Villeneuve 2.) Grand Prix of Brazil Gene 3.) Grand Prix of San Marino Coulthard 4.) Grand Prix of Great Britain Button 5.) Grand Prix of Spain Trulli 6.) Grand Prix of Europe Coulthard 7.) Grand Prix of Monaco Hakkinen 8.) Grand Prix of Canada Wurtz 9.) Grand Prix of Austria Verstappen 10.) Grand Prix of Germany Alesi 11.) Grand Prix of Belgium M. Schumacher 12.) Grand Prix of the United States Irvine 13.) Grand Prix of Japan Salo 14.) Grand Prix of Malaysia M. Schumacher In most of the Scenario races, obtaining the Gold Award is fairly easy, so long as you keep the car on the track and in good condition, and fix any initial problems at a strategic time. However, a few races present significant challenges, as you will start having already been lapped once by the race leader. In order to win these races and obtain their Gold Awards, two potential tactics come into play: 1.) Hope (pray to every deity you know, wish upon a star before beginning the Scenario race, etc.) for the race leader to retire early, or at least experience a serious problem slowing him significantly and forcing him into the Pits for servicing. 2.) Drive aggressively and get into position to unlap yourself, then purposely try to knock the leading car off the track and into a barrier, hoping that a major mechanical failure will cause him to retire early. This tactic will likely need to be used several times in a single race. Of course, the latter option also presents a serious risk of eliminating YOU from the race; similarly, the race stewards (i.e., the CPU) may well assign you a Stop-Go Penalty for unsportsmanlike driving. Note that you will likely need multiple tries to obtain a Gold Award when you start a Scenario race one lap behind, so prepare to be highly frustrated, and try not to throw the controller/wheel through the television screen!!!!!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRALIA: ALBERT PARK The 2000 F1 racing season begins with a set of 'flyaway' (non-European) races. This fast, attractive circuit is built around Melbourne's beautiful Albert Park Lake, using actual city streets which generally receive little traffic. There are usually plenty of trees on both sides of the track, with a nice view of Melbourne's buildings as you come through Turns 12 and 13. The Albert Park circuit features many long, gentle, no-braking corners, allowing for incredible top-end speed all around this completely-flat circuit. However, these are tempered with several moderate- and hard-braking corners, and dark shadows (especially in wet conditions) obscuring long stretches of the pavement. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: -3 Ride Height: -3* Rear Diffuser: +3 *This is an ABSOLUTELY FLAT circuit, so the only reason to raise ride height is to slow the car for better cornering. At Albert Park, this is really only an issue at Turns 3 and 15, and in the odd-formation Pit Lane Entry. Pit Straight: The front straight is fairly long, following a light-braking corner (Turn 16). However, Turn 1 requires an early braking zone. Turn 1: A moderate-braking right-hand corner. If you miss the braking zone here, there is a wide area in which you can recover. Traffic will often bunch up entering Turn 1. Turn 2: Immediately following Turn 1, this is a gentle left- hand turn which can be taken at full speed. Excellent acceleration out of Turn 1 makes the exit of Turn 2 and the ensuing straightaway a prime passing zone. Beware the barrier on the right on exiting Turn 2. Turn 3: This is a hard-braking right-hand corner following a long straightaway. Again, there is a wide recovery area here. A little speed can be made coming out of Turn 3, but the straightaway is virtually non-existent, requiring moderate braking for Turn 4. This is definitely NOT a place to pass (safely) unless you have EXCELLENT brakes and little or no tire wear. Traffic tends to bunch up here for Turns 3 and 4. Turn 4: A left-hand corner requiring at least moderate braking. To the outside of the corner is a wide, paved recovery area; however, driving too far out to the right or remaining on this paved area beyond the painted advertisement will result in a Stop-Go Penalty. The inside of Turn 4 is also a wide paved zone, but short-cutting Turn 4 by more than one car length will also result in a Stop-Go Penalty. Good acceleration out of Turn 4 can set up a good passing opportunity. Turn 5: A gentle right-hand corner through the trees which leads to a nice straightaway. No braking is necessary here. Turn 6: A semi-hidden moderate-braking right-hand corner. Traffic will sometimes bunch up here, as drivers try to spot the corner. A wide recovery zone is available here as well, but take care not to shortcut the corner. While it is possible to blast through Turn 6 without braking, doing so will almost certainly result in loss of control (with subsequent spinning, sliding, and/or crashing) due to the angle of the rumble strips. Turn 7: Immediately following Turn 6, Turn 7 is a very gentle left-hand corner which brings you alongside the northernmost end of Albert Park Lake. Turn 8: This is almost not a turn at all, as it curves extremely gently along the shoreline, but the course map on the race's official Web site lists this as a corner. Turn 9: The first piece of pavement to the right is NOT the official corner; taking this bypass area results in a Stop-Go Penalty if playing with Flags activated. The official corner is a tight right-hand turn which requires moderate or hard braking. Traffic almost always bunches up here. Turn 10: This is almost not a turn at all, as it curves extremely gently to the left and back along the shoreline. There is absolutely NO room for error on the right side of the track, as the pavement runs directly up against the barrier. The view of Albert Park Lake is actually quite serene from here (and the water is oh-so-blueS), but don't take your eyes off the course!!! Once you pass underneath the second pedestrian bridge and see the grandstands ahead on the right, drift to the right to set up the best racing line for Turns 11 and 12. Turns 11 and 12: If you are not navigating traffic, Turns 11 and 12 can be taken at full speed (even at 200+ MPH), although some drivers may feel more comfortable with tapping the brakes once in each turn. However, sliding even one pixel across the rumble strips on either side of the chicane results in a Stop-Go Penalty. It is very easy to slide off the pavement exiting this chicane if taken at top speed, so a flawless racing line is crucial. Straightaway: The pavement runs directly up against the barrier on the left side of the course here, creating problems for cars on the left whose engines suddenly expire. Turn 13: This is a semi-blind right-hand corner requiring moderate braking if you are alone; traffic tends to bunch up here. The recovery area again is quite wide, with a long run-off strip if needed. This leads to a short straightaway which can be a prime passing zone if acceleration out of Turn 13 is strong. Note that is you were able to take Turns 11 and 12 without braking or navigating traffic, you can reach over 210MPH just before entering Turn 13, making braking even more important. Turn 14: A light-braking, right-hand corner with a wide recovery area. Experts should be able to take this corner at top speed (if not in traffic) with a flawless racing line, or by dropping the right-side tires onto the grass. This is a good place to pass on braking upon entering the corner. Turn 15: Do not be fooled by the run-off lane which proceeds directly ahead into an unmoving barrier; there IS a turn to the left here, requiring moderate braking. This is also a good place to pass on braking when entering the corner. Note that the Pit Entry is immediately to the right upon exiting the corner, so be sure to look for cars moving slower than expected as they enter Pit Lane. Turn 16: Without traffic, this right-hand corner can be taken at full speed if you slowed enough in Turn 15. But, be careful with the approach and exit angles for this turn, as the barrier (and a grandstand) is just a few feet off the pavement on the left as you exit the corner. This leads onto the Pit Straight. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right immediately after Turn 15. It is possible to enter at a fairly high speed, but there will be a sharp turn to the right very quickly, requiring moderate or heavy braking. Before entering the main Pit area, however, is a tight right-left chicane, so be prepared to truly slam on the brakes, or else the nose of your car will slam into the Pit Lane barrier. Special Note: It is possible to start down Pit Lane and then return to the main course, or vice-versa. However, depending on where you attempt to make this transition, you may be given a Stop-Go Penalty. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF BRAZIL: INTERLAGOS Most F1 courses are driven clockwise; built on a steep hillside, Interlagos is driven counter-clockwise, which I understand causes 'undue' fatigue to drivers' necks as the race progresses. The upper part of the course features two extensive segments of flat-out, full-throttle, top-speed driving. However, the lower part of the course (where the most clock time is spent) features tight corners and several significant elevation changes. However, despite these two very different sections of the circuit, the car set-up is not quite as key here as at Indianapolis. Also, this is the circuit where an advertisement billboard fell on a Prost car in 2000. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: +1 Rear Downforce: +1 Ride Height: -1 Rear Diffuser: +2 Note: This set-up is designed to take advantage of the lower portion of the circuit. Pit Straight: This is the highest point of the course in terms of elevation. There is no room to pull off the course here if there is a problem with a car, as the barriers rub against the pavement on both sides of the track. This is also the fastest portion of the course, leading into the most dangerous set of corners at Interlagos. There are several left-hand fades along the 'Pit Straight.' This 'straightaway' is the longest stretch of flat-out acceleration of this course. The optimal racing line is hard to the left, so be careful not to rub the left-side tires against the barriers, especially when passing the Pit Lane Entry. The Pit Entrance is also to the left, and cars may enter here at top speed. Turn 1 (S do Senna): Especially since this corner follows an incredibly long and fast 'Pit Straight,' this is by far the most dangerous turn on the course, and thus perhaps the most dangerous corner in all of F1 racing. This is a tight, left- hand, semi-blind, downhill corner requiring severe braking long before reaching the turn. Unless you have PERFECT confidence in your car's braking AND turning ability, this is definitely NOT a place to pass!!! For those who overrun the corner, there is a continent-size patch of kitty litter, but there is also a two-level barrier; the first barrier is a short segment, so it is possible (if necessary) to drive behind this first barrier and come out on the other side in the middle of Turn 3. Turn 2 (S do Senna): Following immediately after Turn 1, this right-hand corner can be taken at full speed (unless slower traffic blocks the path) to set up prime passing opportunities in Curva du Sol or along the following straightaway. Amazingly, there is a small paved path between the main track and the Pit Lane where the old Pit Lane met the course (drivers used to rejoin the race at the outside of Turn 2). F1 Championship Season 2000 does not penalize you for leaving the main course via this short piece of pavement and driving along the rest of the Pit Lane, which makes this a great method for passing a large group of cars at once (the Pit Lane rejoins the course just beyond the exit of Turn 3) or for just reducing lap times; however, extreme caution must be taken not to ram the barrier immediately on the left of the Pit Lane when attempting this maneuver at full speed. (Historical note: The Pit Lane used to rejoin the main course at the exit of Turn 2, but FIA and the drivers deemed that this was too dangerous.) Turn 3 (Curva du Sol): Immediately following S do Senna, Turn 3 is a gentle left-hand corner which can also be taken at top speed. Just beyond the exit of Turn 3, the Pit Lane rejoins the main course on the left. Curva du Sol leads into the second-longest straightaway of the circuit. Straightaway: This long straightaway presents a gentle downhill slope leading to the lower portion of the course. Turn 4 (Lago): This corner truly begins the lower portion of the course in terms of elevation. Lago is a semi-hidden left-hand corner with a slight downward slope. Moderate braking is necessary here to keep from sliding the car into the recovery zone, especially if the track is wet. Good acceleration out of Lago sets up great passing in the next corner and along the following straightaway. Do not overrun the course, or you will be slowed by the sand and grass. Turn 5: A gentle left-hand turn, this can be taken at full throttle. The course begins to slope upward again. Straightaway: This is effectively the last straightaway before the Pit Straight at the beginning of the course. The course here slopes upward, so cars with excellent acceleration out of Turns 4 and 5 can pass those with poor uphill speed. Turn 6 (Laranjinha): This is the beginning of a pair of right-hand corners which effectively form a 'U' shape. The entry of this corner can be taken at full throttle, but be ready to touch the brakes at the exit of this corner. Turn 6 is also on the crown of a hill. Turn 7 (Laranjinha): The final corner of a 'U' shape in the course, this is a right-hand decreasing-radius corner with a gentle downward slope. Turn 8 (Curva do S): After an almost negligible straightaway, this right-hand corner requires moderate braking. The course also begins to slope downhill at the beginning of Turn 8. Pinheirinho immediately follows. Turn 9 (Pinheirinho): Immediately upon exiting Turn 8, slam on the brakes again for the sharp left-hand Pinheirinho. This is potentially a good place to pass other cars. Turn 9 is a long corner, however, so it is important to hug the apex much longer than usual. Extreme caution must be taken here if racing in wet conditions, or you will find yourself sliding into the sand. The exit of Pinheirinho leads to an upward-sloping straightaway. Turn 10 (Bica do Pato): The entrance of Turn 10 begins the final downward slope of the course, making this right-hand corner even more difficult to navigate. Heavy braking and excellent hands are required to maneuver the car safely through this corner, especially in the rain. Good acceleration is needed exiting Bica do Pato to pass traffic in the next corner and ensuing straightaway. The kitty litter is available if you overshoot the corner, but then you will quickly find yourself rubbing against a barrier. Turn 11 (Mergulho): This left-hand corner almost immediately follows Bica do Pato and can be taken flat-out to provide good speed along the next (very short) straightaway. Good acceleration out of Bica do Pato makes this a good passing zone if you have a decent racing line, otherwise you may find yourself off the course on the outside of the corner. Turn 12 (Juncao): This is a tight left-hand corner requiring moderate to heavy braking. The final, steep uphill slope begins here, and the exit of the corner is hidden (even in chase view). It is extremely easy to run off the outside of the corner here, but a small patch of grass and another paved lane provide some run-off relief here. This corner leads to the incredibly long Pit Straight. Pit Entry: As you climb the long 'Pit Straight,' the Pit Lane begins on the left. It is possible to fly into Pit Lane at high speed. Pit Exit: The Pit Lane once emptied onto the exit of Turn 2; it now rejoins the main course just after the exit of Curva du Sol. This makes Pit Lane extremely longS and F1 Championship Season 2000 refuses to give you control of your car until you are effectively past Turn 2. This fact makes it extremely important to select your pit strategy carefully in long races. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF SAN MARINO: IMOLA The Imola circuit is challenging but rather fun. Again, this is a 'counterclockwise' circuit, but, oddly, the Pits and Paddock are located on the outside of the circuit and not on the inside. There is extremely little tolerance for shortcutting the chicanes. Due to the slope of the grass on the inside of the corner, Turn 6 (Tosa) is essentially a blind corner unless traffic is present to mark the course for you. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: -3 Ride Height: -1 Rear Diffuser: +3 Pit Straight: This is a long straightaway, which enables high speeds as the cars cross the Start/Finish Line. Good exit speed out of the final chicane makes for prime passing and a good show for the spectators. The Pit Straight fades to the left at the exit of Pit Lane (which is aligned with the Start/Finish Line). Once past the Pits, there is a barrier directly against the right side of the track. Turns 1 and 2 (Tamburello): This is a left-right chicane. Turn 1 requires moderate braking, but if you slow enough in Turn 1, you should be able to drive at full throttle through Turn 2 and beyond. There is slight tolerance for cutting the corners here, but not much. If you try to take the entire chicane at full speed, you can make it through Turn 1 fairly well, but you will quickly find yourself in the grass on the outside of Turn 2 and banging against the nearby barrier. If you completely miss the braking zone for Turn 1, there is a huge sand trap to help you recover. Turn 3 (Tamburello): Immediately following Turn 2, Turn 3 is a soft left-hand corner which can be taken at full speed. Strong acceleration out of Turn 1 makes this a good passing zone. Following this corner is a significant straightaway. Turns 4 and 5 (Villeneuve): This is another left-right chicane, but not as lengthy as the first. Care must be taken not to slide off the course at the exit of Turn 5. It is possible for experts to fly through this chicane at top speed (if not encumbered by traffic) by rolling up on the rumble strips, but doing so produces a significant chance of losing control of the car. The course slopes upward at the exit of this chicane. Turn 6 (Tosa): This is a semi-blind left-hand corner which continues the upward slope of the course. Moderate or even severe braking is required here, or else your car will be in the kitty litter and headed toward the spectators. Traffic is actually a benefit in approaching this corner, as the course is largely hidden from view given the slope of the grass on the inside of the corner, but other cars are easy to see. Straightaway: The course continues up the hill here, cresting underneath the overhead Firestone advertisement. Just beyond the ad, the track fades to the right as it begins its gentle downward slope, but then leads directly into Piratella. Turn 7 (Piratella): The course continues downward here, with the slope increasing. This is a left-hand semi-blind corner. It is rather easy to slip off the pavement here and into the kitty litter on the outside of the corner. Any passing here is best made tight to the apex of the corner, perhaps with only the right-side wheels on the pavement or rumble strip. Turn 8: Barely a corner at all but more than a fade, the course gently turns to the left here as the track passes under an Arexons banner. This is a full-speed 'corner.' Turns 9 and 10 (Mineralli): This is a pair of right-hand corners which effectively function as a decreasing-radius 'U' formation and are best taken in this manner. Turn 9 can be taken at full speed, but upon exit to the outside of Turn 9, heavy braking is needed and extra steering to the right is required to safely navigate around the decreasing-radius Turn 10. The track begins another (steep) uphill slope in Turn 10. Tightly hugging the apex allows for prime passing through Turn 10. Care must be taken not to enter Turn 10 too fast, or else you will be off the course on the left. If you do find yourself off-course, you MUST turn sharply to the right to get back onto the pavement, as Turn 11 immediately follows and the CPU allows virtually no tolerance here for shortcutting. Turn 11 (Mineralli): Immediately following Turn 10, the left- hand Turn 11 continues the upward slope of the course. There is almost no CPU tolerance for shortcutting here, so it is very important to remain on-course here. Care must be taken not to slip off to the right of the track as you pass underneath the EA Sports banner. Turns 12-13 (Alta Chicane): This is a right-left chicane, beginning underneath the EuroBusiness banner. There is NO tolerance for shortcutting here. Other cars generally slow significantly for this chicane, so a full-speed maneuver here in traffic is not advised. In fact, attempting to take this chicane at top speed will require rolling up on the rumble strips, and you will likely lose control and either spin or collide with the all-too-close barrier to the right side of the course. The barrier to the outside of Turn 13 is very close to the track, so be careful not to slip off the course. Straightaway: The course begins its final downhill slope here, fading gently first to the left, then to the right. Turns 14 and 15 (Rivazza): This is a left-hand 'U' formation. Moderate braking is required entering Turn 14, but then Turn 15 can be taken at full speed (if you slowed enough in Turn 14), although some may feel more comfortable lightly tapping the brakes here. Caution must be taken to use enough braking entering the 'U' formation, or else you will end up in the sand on the right side of the track. Straightaway: This is the final long straightaway before reaching the Pit Straight. However, the official course fades to the right just after passing underneath the Helix banner; driving straight ahead (the pavement of the old course) and thus missing the entire final chicane results in a Stop-Go Penalty. The end of this straightaway provides two options: 1.) Keep driving straight ahead onto Pit Lane; 2.) Turn left for the final chicane. Turns 16 and 17 (Bassa Chicane): This is the final chicane (left-right) of the course. There is NO tolerance for shortcutting here. To the outside of Turn 16 is the Pit Lane entry, so be mindful of slower cars entering Pit Lane as you approach the chicane. Moderate braking is required entering Turn 16, but then Turn 17 requires light braking. Pit Entry: Instead of turning left for Turn 16, keep driving directly ahead. However, there is no room for slowing once you leave the main course, so stay tight to the right side of the pavement as you slow to enter Pit Lane. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN: SILVERSTONE For the 2000 F1 season, the British Grand Prix was moved up in the racing calendar, and resulted in a very wet weekend (although the race itself was semi-sunny). Built on an airport site, this historic course features wide run-off areas in most places. At last, this course is a return to normal, 'clockwise' racing. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -2 Rear Diffuser: +3 Pit Straight: The Start/Finish Line is directly at the beginning of the Pit Straight. There is no room for error on the right side of the track, as the Pit Lane barrier is directly against the pavement. Turn 1 (Copse): This is a moderate right-hand corner which can be taken at full speed, but be careful to not run off the course at the exit of the turn. The best racing line is to tightly hug the apex, but the Pit Lane barrier is right there against the pavement, so it is imperative to keep the right- side tires from rubbing the barrier. Turn 1 exits onto a long straightaway. Straightaway: The Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the right about 1/3 of the way along the straight. Turns 2-5 (Bechetts): This is a set of left-right-left-right 'S' curves. Turns 2 and 4 can be taken at full speed or with very quick tapping of the brakes, but Turns 3 and 5 require moderate or even heavy braking. If using the suggested car set-up, EACH corner of Bechetts will require braking. Turn 6 (Chapel): This is a gentle left-hand corner which can be taken at full speed. This opens onto Hangar Straight. Straightaway (Hangar Straight): At 738.28m, this is the longest straightaway of the course. Good acceleration out of Turn 5 (the final corner of Bechetts) can lead to good passing opportunities along Hangar Straight and/or entering the braking zone for Turn 7 (Stowe). To your left is the Roger Clark Circuit, owned and operated by the same organization which owns and operates this Grand Prix Circuit. Turn 7 (Stowe): Light or moderate braking will be required here in order to remain on the pavement. This is a tricky, sweeping, right-hand corner followed immediately by a left- hand semi-corner. This is the southernmost point of the course. Straightaway (Vale): If you can somehow successfully navigate Turn 7 (Stowe) without braking, then you should be able to continue passing others fairly easily along Vale, especially if they had to brake heavily in Stowe. Turns 8 and 9 (Club): There is a stretch of pavement to the left, but that is NOT the official course; in fact, it has a tall barrier blocking a clear path for those who wish to accumulate a Stop-Go Penalty. The official corner is a tight left-hand turn followed by the increasing-radius right-hand Turn 9, leading out onto another long straightaway (Abbey Straight). Turns 10 and 11 (Abbey): Like the previous set of corners, there is another stretch of pavement to the left which is not part of the official course; as before, this patch of pavement is blocked by a tall barrier, and taking this route will accumulate a Stop-Go Penalty. The official Turn 10 is a tight left-hand corner, but not as tight as Turn 8. This is immediately followed by a light-braking Turn 11, a right-hand corner. Be careful not to slip off the course and rub the nearby barrier on exiting Abbey. Straightaway (Farm Straight): With good acceleration out of Abbey, good passing opportunities can be made here. Turns 12-16: This final segment of the circuit is very similar to The Stadium at Hockenheim. However, these similar segments cannot be approached in the same manner. Turn 12 (Bridge): Immediately after passing underneath the pedestrian bridge, you will enter a complex similar to The Stadium at Hokkenheim. This is a right-hand corner which can likely be taken at full speed. Turn 13 (Priory): This left-hand corner will require light or moderate braking. Turn 14 (Brooklands): Another left-hand corner, this one requires moderate braking. There is a small sand trap for those who miss the braking zone. Turn 15 (Luffield): This set of right-hand corners essentially form a 'U' shape, and both require moderate or severe braking to avoid sliding off into the kitty litter. The exit of Luffield can be taken flat-out all the way to Turn 2. The entry to Pit Lane is on the left shortly leaving Luffield. Turn 16 (Woodcote): Barely a corner but more than a fade, the course eases to the right here. At the exit of the corner is the Start/Finish Line, and the right-side barrier begins abruptly here (be careful not to hit it). Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right between Luffield and Woodcote. The new Pit Lane has a gentle right-hand swing, so you can come into Pit Lane at top speed and have plenty of room to slow. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF SPAIN: CATALUNYA The Catalunya circuit is challenging, especially the two hairpins and the final corners of the race. For observers and drivers alike, plenty of action can be found at the Spanish Grand Prix. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: -3 Ride Height: -2 Rear Diffuser: +3 Pit Straight: As usual, incredible speeds can be attained here. Watch for cars rejoining the race from the right side of the straightaway. Turn 1 (Elf): This is a right-hand corner which requires light braking. Be careful not to hug the inside of the corner too tightly, or you will damage your right-side tires on the barrier. Strong acceleration out of Turn 1 creates great passing opportunities all the way to Repsol. Attempting to take Turn 1 at top speed will either cause you to lose control as you run up on the rumble strips, or send you too far off course to survive Turn 2. Turn 2 (Elf): Immediately following Turn 1, the left-hand Turn 2 can usually be taken at top acceleration. With strong acceleration out of Turn 1, this is a prime passing zone. Turn 3 (Seat): A sweeping right-hand increasing-radius corner which can be taken at full speed, this is also a good place to pass slower cars, especially if you have the inside line. Turn 4 (Repsol): This is a semi-blind right-hand hairpin corner which requires moderate or heavy braking. The barrier on the inside of the corner rests almost directly against the track, and blocks your view around the corner. This can actually be a good place to pass on braking, but only with extreme caution. Don't come too hot into this corner or else you will find yourself in the sand. After clearing the first 90 degrees, you should be able to accelerate fairly well if not encumbered by traffic. Turn 5: After a very short straightaway, this is a semi-blind left-hand hairpin, a bit tighter than Turn 4. Moderate or heavy braking will be needed here, or you will definitely be using the recovery area. Straightaway: This straightaway fades to the left. Good acceleration out of Turn 5 can create passing opportunities, especially in the braking zone for Wuth. Turn 6 (Wuth): With a good racing line, you should be able to brake lightly to clear this semi-blind, slightly-downhill, left-hand corner. Beware the barrier on the inside of Wuth. The angle of the rumble strip along the apex in relation to the short patch of grass is rather odd; if you roll your left-side tires onto the grass, you may quickly lose control of the car, causing the vehicle to slide or even spin. The exit of Wuth has an immediate fade to the right. Turn 7 (Campsa): This right-hand corner can be taken at full speed, although other cars will usually swing wide-left and brake slightly while rounding this corner. Note that the official circuit is to the right; do not drive directly ahead onto another patch of pavement, or you will be assigned a Stop-Go Penalty. Turn 8 (La Cacsa): Severe braking is required for this left- hand corner. While not suggested, you may be able to pass other cars on braking here. As with Wuth, stay off the rumble strips and grass on the inside of the turn, or you will risk losing control of the car. This is a 'J' turn, and the corner seems to go on forever before you reach the exit. Turn 9 (Banc Sabadeau): Shortly following Turn 8, moderate or heavy braking will be needed here for the right-hand, upward- sloping corner. This is also a 'J' turn which is nearly a double-apex corner. If you need a recovery area anywhere on the course, it will most likely be here. It is possible to pass slower cars here by tightly hugging the inside of the turn, even running the right-side tires on the rumble strips. Turn 10: Light braking may be needed for this right-hand corner. The key here is to truly hug the inside of the turn and accelerate strongly through the exit. Watch for slow cars here preparing to go to Pit Lane for servicing. Turn 11: Entering this right-hand corner, the Pit Lane begins on the right, so be on the lookout for very slow cars here. If you take this final corner too tightly, or make a VERY late decision to go to the pits, you will likely damage the front of the car on a barrier. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE: NURBURGRING From a driving standpoint, the hilly Nurburgring circuit is very much characterized by its tight corners. Thus, tire wear is a definite issue in long races here, especially in wet conditions. Even more important, however, is braking early for almost every corner; perhaps only the streets of Monaco require more braking than does the Nurburgring circuit. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -1 Rear Diffuser: -3 Pit Straight: This straightaway is fairly long, but the Start/Finish Line is near the exit of the final corner. The Pit Lane rejoins the course near the end of the Pit Straight, just before the Castrol S. Turns 1 and 2 (Castrol S): Light or moderate braking is required before entering the right-left 'S' curve. It is quite easy to miss seeing the entry to the Castrol S unless traffic is present to mark the corner for you. Until you know the course really well, expect to find yourself driving straight ahead into the recovery area. Also, be careful not to drive too wide exiting the Castrol S. Caution must be taken here on the first lap of a race, as the traffic truly bunches up here. Turn 3: Light braking will be necessary for this left-hand corner. However, hard braking will be required for the Ford Curve ahead. Beginning at the top of Turn 3, the course moves downhill. Turn 4 (Ford Curve): This is a hard right-hand corner, practically a 'J' curve. The course resumes an uphill slope here. Braking too late here means a trip through the kitty litter, while riding up on the inside rumble strips usually means losing control of the car. This is definitely NOT a place to pass unless absolutely necessary. Straightaway: The course fades to the left here. If you can accelerate well out of the Ford Curve, you should be able to pass several cars here. Turn 5 (Dunlop Curve): Severe braking for this hairpin is a mustS unless you really want to drive through the sand. Again, rolling up on the rumble strips on the inside of the curve will likely cause you to lose control of the car. The course continues gently uphill here toward the Audi S. Turns 6 and 7 (Audi S): Entering the left-right Audi S, the uphill slope of the course increases, making it very difficult to see the course more than a few feet ahead. The exit of Turn 6 is the crest of this hill; Turn 7 begins a slight downhill slope. Unless traffic blocks your racing line, the entire Audi S section can be taken at top speed, so good acceleration out of the Dunlop Curve will be very beneficial for passing entering Turn 6 and/or exiting Turn 7. Turn 8 (RTL Curve): With the rise in the course entering the left-hand RTL Curve, this appears to be identical to Turn 6 on approach. However, you MUST use moderate braking entering the RTL Curve, of you will definitely be in the grass on the outside of the curve. This corner is followed by the gentler BIT Curve. Turn 9 (BIT Curve): This right-hand curve quickly follows the RTL Curve, forming an 'S' curve. If you have a good racing line exiting the RTL Curve, you should be able to speed through the BIT Curve without any problem. Turn 10 (Bilstein-Bogen): This is a gentle right-hand semi- corner which can be taken at full throttle. From here to the Veedal S, the course makes its final and steepest upward slope. Turns 11 and 12 (Veedal S): This is an extremely tight left- right made even worse for the drivers by its placement at the very crest of the hill. For those who overshoot the chicane, there is a patch of pavement which bypasses the chicane and rejoins the main course, but those taking this route are greeted with a Stop-Go Penalty. Only experts can fly through the Veedal S at full speed; even then, the car is very likely to spin or careen straight into a barrier. Turn 13 (Coca-Cola Curve): A 'J' turn to the right, moderate braking is required here to keep from sliding off the course. The entry of the Coca-Cola Curve is also where the Pit Lane begins, so cars may be slowing on approach to go to the pits for servicing. This is the final corner of the circuit. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins at the entry of the final corner. It is extremely important to slow down before entering Pit Lane; if you come in too fast, you will certainly damage the front of the car on the barrier. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF MONACO: MONTE CARLO (TEMPORARY STREET CIRCUIT) 'To finish first, first you must finish.' The Monaco circuit is a highly daunting temporary street course, especially from the Driver View or the Front Wing View, as the barriers are FAR too close for comfort, and passing is virtually impossible for even expert drivers. If there is a problem with a car, there are extremely few places to safely pull aside, so all drivers must be constantly wary of damaged vehicles, especially slow or stationary cars around the many blind corners. The most significant key to simply finishing a race at Monaco is SURVIVAL, which means a slow, methodical, patient race. Aggressive drivers (like myself) would almost certainly end up dead - or at least driving an extremely beat-up vehicle - driving the Monaco circuit for real!!! For a comparison, the Surfer's Paradise circuit in Newman-Haas Racing is a sweet dream compared to the Monaco circuit!!!!! Fortunately, the new physics engine of F1 Championship Season 2000 makes the Monaco circuit a little easier than the same course in F1 2000, but this is still - by far - the most challenging circuit in the game. While driving this circuit, players may want to have "I Will Survive" playing on auto- repeat!!! Tip: F1 Championship Season 2000 allows you to toggle the Fuel/Damage Indicator on and off at will. When driving at Monaco, this Indicator should be on at all times. This course is so unbelievably TIGHT that even the most cautious of drivers will likely bump a barrier (or another car) fairly oftenS and all those bumps WILL eventually take their toll. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +3 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: +3* Rear Downforce: +3* Ride Height: -2 Rear Diffuser: +3 *The downforce options are purposely set much higher than at other circuits to assist in cornering. The Monaco circuit simply does not allow for a high-speed set-up. Pit Straight: Not straight at all, the 'Pit Straight' fades to the right along its entire length. Near the end, the Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the right. Turn 1 (Sainte Devote): This is a tight right-hand semi-blind corner; heavy braking is required long before reaching Sainte Devote. To the left on entering this corner is one of the few areas to pull off the course if there is a problem. Overshooting the corner results in smashing the front wing against the unmoving barrier. The uphill portion of the course begins here. Straightaway (Beau Rivage): Not really straight with its varying-direction fades, the circuit climbs steeply uphill here. Because of the fades, this is actually NOT a passing zone; you may think you have enough room to pass a slower car and actually pull up alongside it, but then you and the slower vehicle will end up bumping each other and/or a barrier because of a fade. Turn 2 (Massanet): This is a sweeping decreasing-radius left- hand blind corner requiring moderate braking on entry and light braking as you continue through the turn. If you come in too fast, the corner workers will be scraping the right side of your car off the barrier at the end of the race; if you take the corner too tightly, the same will happen for the left side of the car. The exit of Massanet is the highest elevation of the circuitS which has only just begun, even if it IS all 'downhill' from here!!! Turn 3 (Casino): Light or moderate braking will be needed for the right-hand Casino. This corner almost immediately follows Massanet, and begins the long downward trajectory of the course. This corner is actually wider than most, to the extent that a car in trouble may be parked along the barrier on the outside of the corner. Be careful not to scrape the left-side barrier while exiting Turn 3; similarly, do not overcompensate and scrape the right-side barrier at the apex of Casino. Turn 4 (Mirabeau): Following a long downhill straightaway, heavy braking is needed for this right-hand blind 'J' turn. A small pull-off area is provided on the left on entry. If you miss the braking zone, your front end will be crushed up against yet another barrier. This corner continues the course's downhill slope, which adds to the difficulty of the turn. Turn 5 (Great Curve): Following an extremely short straightaway, this left-hand hairpin is one of the slowest in all of F1 racing. If you have excellent braking ability, you can actually PASS (a rarity!!!) by taking the tight inside line; otherwise, it would be best to drive through the Great Curve single-file. Turns 6 and 7 (Portier): This pair of right-hand corners form a 'U' shape, but neither can be taken at any respectable speed. Between these two corners is a pull-off area on the left, with another to the left on exiting the 'U' formation. Turn 7 is the slowest of the two corners, and is the most difficult in terms of the almost-nonexistent view of the track. Accelerating too soon out of Turn 7 means banging the left side of the car against yet another immovable barrier. Straightaway (The Tunnel): This 'straightaway' is actually a very long right-hand fade in a semi-tunnel (the left side provides a clear view of the water). However, even on a sunny day, visibility here is poor due to the sun being at a 'wrong' angle compared to the circuitS and made even worse should you be following a car with a malfunctioning or expired engine. Start braking shortly after entering back into the sunlight (assuming Dry Weather is active) for the chicane. Chicane (Nouveau Chicane): The course narrows as you come around the chicane, but then 'widens' back to 'normal' at the exit. Fortunately, F1 Championship Season 2000 has removed the barrier on the inside of the chicane which made this a treacherous configuration in F1 2000; however, if you attempt to speed in a straight line over the rumble strips, you are quite likely to lose control of the car and either careen into the right-side barrier following the chicane, or spin and hit barriers on both sides of the chicane's exit. Turn 8 (Tobacco): This left-hand corner is best taken with light braking, although it can be cleared with no braking (not suggested, even for experts) with sufficient downforce, no traffic, and a FLAWLESS racing line. Turns 9-12 (Swimming Pool): This is essentially a double chicane around the swimming pool in the classic 'bus stop' configuration. Turns 9 and 10 form a tight left-right combination, for which moderate braking is required, although little or no braking can be used if you roll straight over the rumble strips. After an extremely brief straightaway, Turns 11 and 12 form the opposite configuration (right-left), but are even tighter. This opens out onto a short straightaway where you MIGHT be able to pass ONE car. Turns 13 and 14 (La Rascasse): This is a tight left-right chicane requiring moderate braking for Turn 13 and heavy braking for Turn 14. Even worse, Turn 14 is a 'J' turn, so the racing line is also very important here. The Pit Lane is to the right at the exit of this chicane. Turns 15 and 16 (Anthony Hoges): A tight right-left chicane, these are the final corners of the Monaco circuit. The course narrows here through the chicane, then 'widens' to 'normal' for the Pit Straight. Pit Entry: The entrance to the Pit Lane is to the right immediately after clearing La Rascasse. Given that La Rascasse is a blind corner, on every lap, expect a slower car here headed for the pits. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF CANADA: CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENEUVE This incredible circuit is built on an island, accessible to spectators only via subway. Much of the course runs along the southern and northern shores of the island. This course is also unusual in that the paddock area is to the outside of the course (as at Imola), along the northern shore of the island. The long, sweeping straightaways provide for excellent top-end speed - a much-welcome change from the slow, tight corners and the many unforgiving barriers of the streets of Monaco (the previous race circuit in Championship Mode) - but there are several tight corners here to challenge both drivers and cars. Mind the Casino Hairpin (Turn 10), the westernmost corner of the course. Also tricky is the Senna Curve, as it immediately follows the first corner of the race. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -3* Rear Diffuser: +2 *The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is almost perfectly flat, so the only reason to raise ride height is for better cornering due to slower top-end speed. Pit Straight: This follows the final chicane of the circuit. As the Pit Lane rejoins the main course from the left, the Pit Straight fades to the right, setting up Turn 1. If you were successful in flying through the final chicane at top speed without needing to navigate traffic, you will likely be pushing 200MPH at the Start/Finish Line. Turn 1: This left-hand corner will require moderate braking, and immediately flows into the Senna Curve. There is a patch of extra pavement on the right before entering Turn 1, but it is set too far back to be useful in attempting to gain a better racing line. Turn 2 (Senna Curve): This is a right-hand hairpin corner requiring heavy or severe braking. It is very easy to run too wide here, slipping off into the grass. Likewise, it is rather easy to overcompensate and cut the corner, which can result in a Stop-Go Penalty or cause the car to spin if taken too fast. Extreme caution is required here if racing in wet conditions, as the severity of the hairpin can itself cause the car to slide. Perhaps the best tactic is to enter Turn 1 from the extreme right of the pavement, and brake smoothly all the way through to just beyond the apex of Senna Curve before accelerating again. A moderate straightaway follows the Senna Curve, so acceleration from the exit is important. Turns 3 and 4: This right-left chicane can provide a good passing zone. Turn 3 is tight and semi-blind, but passing on braking is an option for those who know the chicane well. Turn 4 is an easier corner, allowing good acceleration on exit, but it is still easy to overshoot the exit of the chicane and bang the right side of the car against the nearby barrier. If you overshoot the entry to the chicane, you will be given a Stop-Go Penalty if you attempt to simply edge back onto the main course. Expert drivers can blast through this chicane at full acceleration by making judicious use of the rumble strips. Straightaway: At the end of this moderate straightaway, the course fades to the left, followed by Turn 5. Light braking may be required at the fade if navigating traffic. Turn 5: This sweeping right-hand corner can be taken at full speed, unless you are coping with traffic. Be careful not to hug the apex too tightly, or your right-side tires will be on the grass here. Turn 6: This left-hand corner will require moderate braking, or you will be flying through the grass toward the spectators in Grandstand 33. Minor shortcutting of this corner is allowed by the CPU, which may be beneficial here for passing on braking. This leads out to a very brief straightaway. Turn 7: Following a very short straightaway, Turn 7 is a light-braking right-hand corner. On the outside of Turn 7 is a short, steep hillside with a barrier, so DO NOT run wide entering the corner, as it is possible to send the vehicle airborne!!! It is easy to run wide on exit and slip off the course and into the barrier on the left, so be careful. Straightaway: The course runs along the southern shore of the island here. Unfortunately, the extremely tall barrier prevents much of a viewS which actually forces your eyes to be transfixed on the road and any other cars ahead. Once you pass underneath the pedestrian bridge, begin braking for the upcoming chicane. Turns 8 and 9: This right-left chicane is similar to Turns 6 and 7 in that overrunning the chicane leaves you driving through the sand directly toward another grandstand full of spectators. Moderate braking will be needed to safely enter the chicane's tight right-hand corner. The second corner of the chicane is a gentler left-hand turn, but you might still run off the pavement on exit and grind the right side of the car against the barrier, or roll up on the rumble strips on the inside of the corner and lose control of the car. Accelerate strongly out of the chicane to set up passing possibilities along the following straightaway and into Casino Hairpin. Nowhere on the course is there less CPU tolerance for shortcutting than in this chicane; if you overshoot the first corner, you can certainly expect to receive a Stop-Go Penalty. Straightaway: About two-thirds of the way along, the course fades to the left. Begin braking early for Casino Hairpin unless you really want to slip through the sand trap; to begin braking after passing underneath the second pedestrian bridge is almost certainly too late for this braking zone. Turn 10 (Casino Hairpin): This is a tight right-hand hairpin requiring heavy or even severe braking, depending on when you begin braking for the corner. Somehow, this corner seems to be longer than it really is, so be judicious with the accelerator until you see clear, straight track ahead. Straightaway: On exiting Turn 10, the course fades to the right, then back to the left. However, no braking is required here. Turn 11: Officially marked on course maps as a corner, the course actually only fades to the right here, thus no braking is required. You should be fairly high up in the gearbox by the time you reach Turn 11. Straightaway (Casino Straight): The Casino Straight (named for the casino in the middle of the island) runs parallel to the northern shore of the island on which the course is built; there is not much of a view to the left, but it is not very interesting anyhow (especially when compared to Albert Park Lake). This is by far the longest straightaway of the entire course, so much of the time spent here will be in your car's top gear, quite possibly achieving speeds over 200MPH. The Casino Straight leads to the final (right-left) chicane of the course, as well as the entry for Pit Lane. The Casino de Montreal is the grayish complex off the course to the right as you drive between the final two pedestrian bridges. Turns 12 and 13: This is a right-left chicane which can be cleared (without traffic) with light or moderate braking. For experts, this chicane can be taken at full speed and no braking, but only with a flawless racing line and a perfect knowledge of the corners. The exit of Turn 13 has a wide odd-colored lane of concrete to allow for some swing-out; nonetheless, be careful not to bump the barrier. The exit of the chicane flows onto the Pit Straight. The Pit Lane entry runs straight ahead in line with the Casino Straight, so cars slowing on the left are likely heading in for servicing, and may block your optimal racing line if you are continuing on- course. Pit Entry: As you enter the final (right-left) chicane, the Pit Entry runs straight ahead. Once clear of the main course, there is very little room for deceleration before the Pit Lane's own tight right-left chicane, so it is very important to slow down on Casino Straight before reaching the Pit Entry. Keep as far to the left as possible when slowing on Casino Straight, allowing other cars to keep to the right as they prepare for the final chicane. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE: NEVERS MAGNY-COURS The Magny-Cours circuit is characterized by long, sweeping straightaways, and fairly quick corners. The Adelaide hairpin will almost definitely cause trouble, especially for aggressive drivers, and rivals the La Source hairpin at Spa- Francorchamps as the slowest corner in all of F1 racing. This is a very fun course to drive (admittedly a very subjective statement), but its layout can produce problems from the standpoint of hearing other cars: Three of its main straightaways are almost exactly parallel to each other with little distance and no large obstacles between them, sometimes making it difficult to determine where other cars are truly located around you as you try to anticipate where the next group of traffic that you will need to navigate is located. The circuit also has extremely wide areas along most of the main course to pull aside should a car have a major malfunction. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: +3 Ride Height: -3 Rear Diffuser: -1 Pit Straight: Following the tight High School chicane, strong acceleration through the Pit Straight creates good passing chances through Great Curve and into Estoril. However, the tightness of the High School chicane and the incredibly close proximity of the Pit Lane barrier requires immense caution as you come onto the Pit Straight. The Start/Finish Line is about halfway down the Pit Straight; the Pit Lane rejoins the course from the left at this point. Turn 1 (Great Curve): In accordance with its name, this is a sweeping left-hand corner which can be taken flat-out. Turn 2 (Estoril): Either light or moderate braking will be needed for entering the VERY long right-hand 180-degree Estoril; in either case, you will almost certainly be tapping the brakes repeatedly through Estoril. It is quite easy to roll the right-side tires off onto the grass, and it is just as easy to slip off on the grass on the outside of Estoril - both can easily occur, whether navigating traffic or driving alone. Straightaway (Golf): The Golf Straight if by far the longest of the course and includes several fades to the right. Turn 3 (Adelaide): The right-hand Adelaide hairpin is EXTREMELY tight. The key here is to brake EARLY, as you will be downshifting from your top gear to your lowest gear rapidly; if you begin braking too late, you will be off in the grass. If you accelerate too soon out of Adelaide, you will be rolling through the kitty litter and losing valuable track position. Straightaway: Acceleration out of Adelaide is important for passing other cars here. There are a few fades in the course here. Turns 4 and 5 (Nurburgring): This is a right-left chicane which will require light braking. It is possible to fly through Nurburgring without braking by making use of the bright-green extension on the inside of Turn 5; however, if you remain on the bright-green extension for too long, you will be assigned a Stop-Go Penalty. Turn 6 (180 Degrees): This is quite true - the official name of this corner is '180 Degrees' according to the official Web site of Magny-Cours. This is a wide left-hand hairpin nestled well within the Estoril hairpin. Running too wide here will put you out in the sand; running too close to the apex could put you up on the rumble strips and force you to lose control. Straightaway: The third of the three parallel-running straightaways, this 'straightaway' has several fades before the Imola chicane. Turns 7 and 8 (Imola): This right-left chicane should require light braking, except for cars with a flawless racing line. A short straightaway out of Imola sets up the Water Castle curve. There is not much CPU tolerance for running off the course here. Turn 9 (Water Castle): Somewhere between a standard 'J' turn and a hairpin, this is an increasing-radius right-hand corner leading into the final straightaway of the circuit. Turns 10 and 11 (High School): There is a false line of pavement to the right as you near the official chicane; this false pavement runs directly up to an immovable barrier (I believe this is the Pit Entry for other forms of racing at the circuit). The official chicane requires moderate braking on entering, and allows for a VERY short burst of acceleration on exit. There is yet another bright-green extension on the inside of Turn 10, but taking this risks acquiring a Stop-Go Penalty. If you completely miss this chicane, you will both accumulate a Stop-Go Penalty, and blast through the sand trap and break the front end on a perpendicular barrier blocking direct access to Pit Lane. Turn 12 (High School): On entry, the Pit Lane begins to the left. The official corner is a TIGHT right-hand turn which requires moderate or even heavy braking; wheel lock is very much a possibility here, especially in wet conditions. If you miss the corner, you will blast through the all-too-brief sand trap and ram directly against a barrier and bounce backward into any cars behind you. If you roll up on the inside of the corner, the angle of the rumble strips to the pavement will almost certainly cause your car to spin. Speed is an extreme concern here; it is virtually impossible to go too slow, but going too fast will definitely result in a crash (with great possibility of bouncing into follow-up crashes with other cars, or with another nearby barrier). Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the left at the entry of Turn 12. The Pit Lane has its own sharp right-hand turn almost immediately, so it is best to begin slowing (or rather, barely accelerating) as you leave the High School chicane. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRIA: A1-RING This course may only have seven corners, the fewest of the circuits used in the 2000 racing season, but it is still quite challenging for the drivers. The course itself is built on a hillside, with the Paddock area and the Pit Straight located at the lowest elevation of the course. The significant elevation changes and poorly-placed barriers make this a particularly challenging circuit to safely navigate for 90+ minutes. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -1 Rear Diffuser: +2 Pit Straight: Long and straight; main grandstands to the left, Pit Lane to the right. Rather mundane, except that the entire Pit Straight has a slow uphill climb into the Castrol Curve. Turn 1 (Castrol Curve): After a rather mundane Pit Straight, the Castrol Curve is anything but mundane. This is a right- hand uphill corner which requires moderate braking. The Pit Lane rejoins the main course on the right at the exit of the corner, but the Pit Lane barrier ends just before the entrance to Castrol Curve, meaning that if you really need to avoid an accident (or a large group of cars) on Castrol, you can suddenly jump over to the end of the Pit LaneS without receiving a Stop-Go Penalty from the CPU. Because of the steep slope of the hill, it is all too easy to drive off the outside of the corner and into the massive sand trap. If you lose your concentration and forget even to slow down, you will certainly find yourself airborne once you hit the rumble strip; similarly, if you try to take this corner at top speed, you may find yourself looking up at the ground. Straightaway: There are a few fades in the straightaway as the course continues its uphill climb. The end of the straightaway (approaching Remus Curve) has a suddenly steeper grade and demands total concentration. Turn 2 (Remus Curve): This is a TIGHT right-hand 'J' turn requiring heavy or even severe braking, and complete concentration to navigate safely (even when not dealing with traffic). The uphill climb of the circuit continues through most of the turn, making high or even moderate speeds impossible here. Rolling the right-side tires up on the thin patch of grass on the inside of the Remus Curve will almost definitely result in loss of control of your vehicle. Even worse, this is a blind corner due to the barrier. Aggressive drivers will certainly end up overrunning the Remus Curve on exit and find themselves beached in the kitty litter. Straightaway: Located at the highest elevation of the course, this straightaway has a fade to the right, then another to the left. After the second fade, prepare for braking before arriving at the Gosser Curve. Turn 3 (Gosser Curve): Another tight right-hand corner, moderate braking will be required here to avoid sliding off the course and into yet another sand trap. This is also a blind corner, due to the barrier on the inside of Gosser. The circuit begins to slowly descend in elevation here. Straightaway: This is actually NOT a straightaway at all; the course map does not list the right-hand turn, but it is definitely more than just a fade. If you overrun this, you will end up in the same sand trap as before - it is simply extended along the left side of the course from the outside of Gosser until well beyond this unofficial corner. Turn 4 (Niki Lauda Curve): This is a wide left-hand corner which will require light or moderate braking; even if you slow greatly before entering the corner, you will likely be tapping the brakes as you progress through Niki Lauda. There is another wide patch of sand on the outside of the corner, stretching almost all the way to the entrance of the Gerhard Berger Curve. A short straightaway separates Turns 4 and 5. Turn 5 (Gerhard Berger Curve): This is almost identical to the Niki Lauda Curve, but with an additional sand trap which begins on the inside of the corner. Straightaway: Again more than a fade but not listed as an official corner, there is a 'turn' to the right shortly after exiting the Gerhard Berger Curve. About two-thirds of the way along, the course enters a scenic forested area. Turn 6 (Jochen Rindt Curve): This is a semi-hidden right-hand corner which can be taken with light braking. Another sand trap awaits those who run off the outside of the corner. A short straightaway follows Jochen Rindt. Turn 7 (Mobilkom Curve): This is a right-hand corner which will require light or moderate braking. The Pit Lane begins on the right just before the entry to Mobilkom, so be careful not to bump cars slowing before going to the pits. Pit Entry: Located just before the entrance to the Mobilkom Curve, the Pit Lane is to the right. This is a long pit lane, so plan to stay out of here as much as possible!!! ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY: HOCKENHEIM Surrounded by multitudes of trees which make much of the circuit rather dark in wet races, this is the fastest course used for F1 racing in 2000. If not for the Jim Clark, Brems, and Ayrton Senna chicanes, cars would be flying around the course in top gear all the way from the North Curve (Turn 1) to the entry of the Stadium (Turn 10). The three chicanes all have paved shortcuts, but taking these will amass a Stop- Go Penalty each time. Except the right side of the Pit Straight, there is more than enough room to pull well off the pavement should a car have a serious problem on any part of the circuit. Special Note: To truly discover the speeds and the lap times once possible before the chicanes were added to Hockenheim, turn off the Flags option (if necessary) and purposely drive on the old course pavement through each of the chicanes. Fun and fast!!!!! Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +3 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: -3 Ride Height: -3* Rear Diffuser: -1 *The Hockenheim circuit is almost perfectly flat, so the only reason to raise the Rear Height is for better cornering due to slower top-end speed. Pit Straight: The entire left side of the Pit Straight has a rumble strip, the only course with this design. This is an extremely short straightaway compared to the rest of the course. Turn 1 (North Curve): This right-hand corner can be taken with no or little braking. The Pit Lane rejoins the course from the right at the exit of North Curve. Opening lap aside, if you are not at full acceleration exiting this corner, you will definitely be passed in the long sweeping straightaway leading to the Jim Clark chicane. Straightaway: Immensely lengthy and lined with trees, speed is of the utmost importance here. The entire straightaway is an extremely gentle fade to the right. Drift to the left when you reach the grandstands. Turns 2 and 3 (Jim Clark Chicane): DO NOT keep driving straight ahead here; the mandatory chicane is a right-left pair of corners. Moderate braking should be required for Turn 2 (or light braking if not in traffic and using a FLAWLESS racing line which makes judicious use of the rumble strips), but full acceleration can be taken leading out of the chicane. Straightaway: Yet another long, sweeping straightaway which fades calmly to the right. Again, drift to the left before entering the Brems Chicane, and begin braking much earlier than for the Jim Clark Chicane. Turns 4 and 5 (Brems Chicane): The original course configuration (used in older F1 racing games) did not have a chicane here, and the original pavement remains. However, the official course currently in use advances slightly from the old course, suddenly cuts tightly to the right and crosses the old pavement, then cuts tightly to the left to rejoin the old pavement. Moderate braking will be needed for Turn 4, and light braking for Turn 5. Even with the Flags option disabled, the angle of the old pavement to the official chicane is such that it is impossible to blast through this segment at top speed without spinning the car through the kitty litter. Turn 6 (East Curve): This is a very wide right-hand corner which can be taken at top speed. Strong acceleration out of Brems is important to assist in passing here. Straightaway: This is yet another long straightaway, but without any fades. Drift to the right for the Ayrton Senna Chicane. Turns 7-9 (Ayrton Senna Chicane): DO NOT follow the old course pavement directly ahead unless you really WANT to serve a Stop-Go Penalty. The official course turns to the left, cuts tightly to the right, and eases left again. It is actually possible to speed into Turn 7 at top speed (making use of the thin patch of pavement to the left of the left- side rumble strip), then slam HARD on the brakes through Turn 8, and accelerate quickly out of the chicaneS but this is certainly NOT recommended. Straightaway: The final long straightaway of the course has extra pavement on the left, 'blocked' only by a line of orange cones which unfortunately do not move should you hit them. Surprisingly, the CPU does not assign a Stop-Go Penalty for driving to the left of these cones (nor can the cones be shoved out of place), so this could potentially be a place to pass large numbers of cars. This extra pavement begins shortly after the exit of the Ayrton Senna Chicane, and ends at the entry of the Stadium; thus, if you are on this 'extra' pavement entering the Stadium, you will have a better racing line for Turn 10, allowing you to navigate the corner with less or no braking. Turns 10-13 (The Stadium): This is similar to the final segment of the Silverstone circuit. However, do not expect to drive The Stadium the same way you would the final segment at Silverstone. Turn 10 (Entrance to the Stadium: Agip Curve): Light braking may be required here, but you should be able to pass through the Agip Curve without any braking at all (especially if your racing line began with the 'extra' pavement on the left before the Stadium). A short straightaway follows. Turn 11 (Continuing through the Stadium: Sachscurve): This is a left-hand wide hairpin turn. Be careful not to end up in the grass, either entering or exiting the corner. Straightaway (Continuing through the Stadium): This short straightaway has a fade to the left, followed by a fade to the right. Turns 12 and 13 (Exiting the Stadium: Opel): The first right-hand corner is somewhat tight, and moderate braking will be required here; the old course rejoins the current course from the left on exit, so if you run wide in this corner, you can likely recover here using the old pavement. The final corner of the circuit is a right-hand turn which will require light braking. The Pit Lane entry is to the right just before the official Turn 13. Unless you are headed for the pits, you should be able to accelerate out of the Stadium here and stay on the accelerator all the way to the Jim Clark chicaneS which is quite a long time!!!!! Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right at the entry of Turn 13 (the final corner of the Stadium). ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF HUNGARY: HUNGARORING The Hungaroring circuit has wide run-off areas, which can be quite important, especially for Turn 1. It is imperative to qualify near the top of the grid and be (one of) the first through this corner, as traffic backs up tremendously here at the start of a race - moreso than at most other circuits due to the nasty configuration of the first turn. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -2 Rear Diffuser: +1 Pit Straight: This is the highest point on the course and a very long straightaway. Actually, the highest point is at the very end of the Pit Straight, at the entrance of Turn 1. Turn 1: It's all downhill from hereS almost literally. This tight right-hand hairpin corner is downhill all the way through, making early braking a necessity; plus, you will certainly be tapping the brakes all the way through this important first turn. If you do overrun the corner, there is a huge sand trap for your inconvenience. However, if you roll up on the inside rumble strips, expect your car to spin violently and collide with anything nearby. Turns 2 and 3: After a short straightaway, Turn 2 is a left- hand 'J' turn requiring light braking; do not keep going straight ahead and miss the official corner, as that patch of pavement ends in an immovable barrier. Turn 2 is quickly followed by Turn 3, a right-hand corner which must be taken at full throttle to set up passing opportunities through Turn 3 and along the ensuing straightaway. Turn 4: This moderate left-hand corner may require light braking or may be taken flat-out. Plenty of kitty litter awaits those who overrun the corner. Turn 5: Moderate braking is necessary for this right-hand 'J' turn. Plenty of sand is available on both sides of the pavement here, just in case. Turns 6 and 7: The CPU is very touchy about this right-left chicane; virtually ANY short-cutting here results in a Stop- Go Penalty. There is plenty of sand here as well, just in case. Turn 6 is tight, requiring heavy braking. Turn 7 requires moderate braking, and beware the barrier on exit if you happen to swing out too wide. Turn 8: This moderate left-hand corner may require light braking, but may also be taken as a full speed passing zone if using rapid reflexes and a perfect racing line. Turn 9: Almost immediately following Turn 8, this right-hand corner definitely requires moderate braking to keep to the pavement. Accelerate strongly out of Turn 9 to set up good passing opportunities. Turn 10: An easy left-hand corner which can be taken at top speed. This is a prime place to pass if sufficient acceleration was made out of Turn 9. Turn 11: Shortly following Turn 10, the right-hand Turn 11 requires moderate braking to stay out of the kitty litter on the outside of the corner, but can be taken at top speed with no traffic and a flawless racing line. Turns 12 and 13: This is a right-left chicane for which the CPU is again very touchy concerning shortcutting. While slowing for the corner here is officially preferable, it is possible to speed through at full throttle by making use of the rumble strips; of course, this is virtually impossible to do safely if racing in wet conditions. Straightaway: The straightaway following Turn 13 has a small rise about halfway to Turn 14. This rise can be a good point at which to measure your braking zone, which is very important for the upcoming corner. Cars running a very high downforce set-up can especially benefit from braking at the crest of this small rise. Turn 14: This is a wide 'J' turn to the left. At first, there is plenty of sand to the outside for those who overrun the corner, but then a metal barrier rubs up against the pavement beginning about halfway around the corner, so DO NOT overrun the corner if you like having the right side of the car intact. The course begins its steep uphill trajectory here. A very short straightaway follows. Turn 15: At the entry of this final corner is the Pit Lane entry, so beware of slower cars on the right. The official corner itself is an uphill, right-hand hairpin with little room for those who overrun the corner. Accelerate strongly (but not too early) out of this final corner to pass along the Pit Straight and put on a show for the spectators. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins at the entry of Turn 15 on the right; begin slowing (rather, do not accelerate much) at the end of Turn 14 (the left-hand 'J' turn). ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF BELGIUM: SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS This is a well-storied course used for many forms of racing. One of the longer courses used in the 2000 F1 season, the forest setting is rather scenic. This is also home to the famous Turn 1 - the La Source hairpin - which is the slowest corner in all of F1 racing. As at Hungaroring, it is very important to be at the front of the grid on the first lap to safely navigate the first turn. Due to the forest setting, much of the circuit is perpetually shadowed, which is especially significant if racing in wet/overcast conditions. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -2 Rear Diffuser: +1 Pit Straight: Strong acceleration out of the Bus Stop chicane allows SOME room for passing here, but only experts (or those with a death wish) would ever consider waiting until after crossing the Start/Finish Line to brake for La Source, because the Line is so far down the Pit Straight. The course also slopes downward here, all the way through La Source. Turn 1 (La Source): This is an incredibly tight right-hand hairpin. Fortunately, there is plenty of swing-out room and plenty of recovery space, both paved, which can provide a great passing opportunity by taking an extremely wide racing line. The downward slope of the course is not much here, but it does add to the difficulty of this hairpin turn. Brake lock-up and the resultant flat-spotting of the tires is quite easy to inadvertently accomplish here, especially in wet racing conditions, so caution is extremely important. If a car in front of you takes the wrong racing line, passing here can be easy. Passing can also occur here if you brake REALLY late (after crossing the Start/Finish Line), as CPU cars almost always begin braking well before the Line. Straightaway (Eau Rouge): Immediately at the exit of La Source is where the Pit Lane rejoins the main course, so try to keep away from the inside of the course here, especially since the barrier prevents cars exiting La Source to see cars exiting Pit Lane. To the right is the Pit Lane for the 24- hour races held at Spa-Francorchamps; take care not to smash into this concrete Pit Lane barrier. Immediately after passing the 'other' Pit Lane and entering Eau Rouge (Red Water), the straightaway has several fades during a semi- blind steep uphill climb into Turn 2. It is all too easy to misjudge the racing line and wind up out in the sand and the grass on either side of the pavement here, so memorization of this segment of the circuit is important to keep to the pavement. Turn 2 (Eau Rouge): This is an easy right-hand corner at the top of the steep uphill climb. The kitty litter on either side of the course fades away shortly after the corner. Straightaway (Kemmel): The course truly enters the forested area here, with trees lining both sides of the course and casting lengthy shadows which make this area of the circuit rather dark in wet conditions. Cars can easily achieve speeds over 200MPH by the end of this straightaway. The end of Kemmel is where Mika Hakkinen made 'The Pass' on Michael Schumacher in the 2000 Grand Prix of Belgium. Turns 3-5 (Malmedy): This is a right-left-right combination of corners. Moderate or even heavy braking is necessary entering Malmedy (Turn 3), but little or no braking is needed for Turn 4. After an almost non-existent straightaway, light braking is needed for Turn 5 to keep from running into the grandstand. The Malmedy complex has plenty of run-off room, comprised of both sand and grass, with minor short-cutting permitted by the CPU. Straightaway: Between Malmedy and Bruxelles (the French spelling of 'Brussels,' the capital of Belgium), the course takes a steep downward trajectory. This can be a good passing zone for those who did not need to use the brakes (much) leaving the Malmedy complex. Turn 6 (Bruxelles): The course continues downhill all the way through this right-hand hairpin, making heavy braking a necessity before the corner as well as light braking most of the way through Bruxelles, especially if the tires are rather worn. If any corner is to be overrun on a regular basis during the course of the race, this is it, so the wide sandy recovery area may actually be a blessing in disguise. However, due to the slope of the hill, running up on the rumble strips on the inside of the turn may well result in a spin or other loss of control; if done 'right,' this may also result in launching the vehicle airborne. Turn 7: Shortly following Bruxelles, this left-hand corner requires light braking. Turn 8 and 9 (Pouhon): These two easy left-hand corners essentially form a wide 'U' shape. Unless traffic blocks the main racing line, top speed can be carried from Bruxelles all the way through Pouhon to Fagnes. There is plenty of run-off room here, if needed, on both sides of the pavement. Turns 10 and 11 (Fagnes): This right-left complex will require light braking on entry, and possibly tapping the brakes through Turn 11 as well. Accelerate well out of Fagnes to pass one or two cars on the short straightaway which follows. Turn 12 (Stavelot): This is another right-hand corner, requiring light or moderate braking. It is highly important to accelerate STRONG out of Stavelot, as you won't be using the brakes again until the Bus Stop Chicane. Turn 13 (Blanchimont): This is a long, sweeping, left-hand corner which must be carried at top speed (from Stavelot) or else you WILL be passed by others. The trees here are pretty, but keep your eyes on the road, especially due to the shadows cast over the circuit. Turns 14-17 (Bus Stop Chicane): This is a tight left-right followed by a short straightaway and a tight right-left. The beginning of the chicane is at the top of a small rise, so the first two turns are blocked from view on approach (especially from Driver View) unless other cars are there to mark the course for you. Moderate braking should be used for both parts of the Bus Stop, but experts can semi-easily fly through the Bus Stop at top speed (but be prepared to save the car should the rumble strips cause you to lose control). The CPU has little tolerance for shortcutting here. Pit Entry: While the Bus Stop Chicane begins here with a tight left-hand corner, the Pit Lane continues straight ahead, with a quick right-left mini-chicane of its own. There is not much room in Pit Lane to slow down before reaching the Paddock, so slow on the main course, but keep to the right to allow cars remaining in the race to pass you on the left as they enter the Bus Stop Chicane. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF ITALY: MONZA This historic high-speed track hosts a highly partial pro- Ferrari crowd - affectionately known as the 'tifosi.' Unfortunately, as with F1 2000, F1 Championship Season 2000 uses the 'old' course configuration; for the 2000 incarnation of the Italian Grand Prix, the initial tight left-right-left- right chicanes used in previous races were removed and replaced instead with a gentler right-left-right chicane similar to the Jim Clark Chicane at Hockenheim, but slightly tighter in overall configuration. The 2000 Italian Grand Prix is the race in which a volunteer corner worker was killed at the Roggia Chicane, due to all the flying debris from the first-lap multi-car collision caused by Heinz-Herald Frentzen missing his braking zone. This is also the final race of the 'European' season; the final three races are all overseas, 'flyaway' races. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: -3 Ride Height: -3* Rear Diffuser: -1 *The Monza circuit is absolutely flat, so the only reason to raise the Ride Height is to sacrifice top-end speed for better cornering. Pit Straight: Strong acceleration out of the Curva Parabolica can create prime passing opportunities along the Pit Straight. The Pit Lane begins on the right shortly after exiting the Parabolica. All along the Pit Straight, take care not to rub the right-side tires against the barriers, which are practically flush up against the pavement. Turns 1-4 (Rettifilio): These are the aforementioned 'old' chicanes. This is a pair of consecutive tight left-right corners. The CPU does allow for some shortcutting here, but not much. The inside of each of these four corners has a straight line diagonal to the pavement where the different types of grass join together; cross this line by a single pixel, and you will shortly be serving a Stop-Go Penalty. Turn 5 (Biassono): This sweeping right-hand corner among the thick trees can be taken flat-out. To the left is a long, wide area of sand, but the corner is so extremely gentle that the sand should not be needed for any reason unless you blow an engine or severely puncture a tire. Turns 6 and 7 (Roggia): Despite the flatness of the Monza circuit, this chicane is extremely difficult to see on approach unless traffic is present to mark the pavement for you, so it is very easy to overrun the chicane (and be given a Stop-Go Penalty). This is a very tight left-right chicane which even experts will rarely be able to handle at full speed; moderate or heavy braking is required by drivers of all levels of experience. The CPU has NO tolerance for shortcutting Roggia, so don't even try it!!!!! There is a large sand trap for those who miss the chicane altogether. Attempting to speed through the chicane at top speed will almost certainly result in a Stop-Go Penalty and/or severe loss of car control. Turn 8 (First Lesmo): This right-hand corner requires moderate braking. There is a wide sand trap on the outside of the corner, just in case. Turn 9 (Second Lesmo): This right-hand corner is a little tighter than First Lesmo, and also has a significant area of kitty litter on the outside of the corner. Moderate braking will be needed here. Straightaway/Turn 10 (Serraglio): This is really just a fade to the left, but the official course map lists this as a curve. Counting this as a fade, this marks about the halfway point on the longest straightaway of the Monza circuit. There is sufficient room to pull off the course here on either side if necessary, except when passing underneath the bridge. Turns 11-13 (Ascari): The Ascari chicane is more difficult than it seems. Turn 11 is a left-hand corner requiring at least light braking. This is followed immediately by a right-hand corner requiring moderate braking. Turn 13 can be taken at full acceleration if you slowed enough in Turn 12. Wide areas of grass and sand are available for those overruninng any part of the chicane, but those drivers will also be given a Stop-Go Penalty. Unfortunately, F1 Championship Season 2000 does not provide the real course's paved swing-out area at the exit of Ascari. Straightaway (Rettilineo Parabolica): This is a significant straightaway and a prime passing zone, especially with powerful acceleration out of Ascari. Turn 14 (Curva Parabolica): This final corner is a very-wide increasing-radius right-hand hairpin. Light or moderate braking is required on entry, but once about one-third of the way around the hairpin, stand on the accelerator all the way through to Rettifilio. The outside of the Curva Parabolica has an immense expanse of kitty litter, but this should not be necessary. Pit Entry: Shortly after exiting the Curva Parabolica, the Pit Lane begins on the right. This is perhaps the shortest Pit Lane in all of F1; there is virtually NO room for deceleration once leaving the main course, so cars going in for servicing will begin slowing at the exit of the Curva Parabolica. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF THE UNITED STATES: INDIANAPOLIS The inaugural U.S. Grand Prix was significant for three reasons. First, for the first time ever, cars were racing 'backward' (clockwise) at Indianapolis. Second, cars were racing in the rain, which is virtually unheard-of in American auto racing. Third, FIA allowed Fox Sports Net, the American cable network which provided the world feed coverage of the race, to introduce the side-view of a driver (Michael Shumacher) at work. Fortunately, except the Pit Straight, the course features wide run-off areas, especially along Hulman Blvd. According to many of the drivers, part of the 'mystique' of the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis was the closeness of the spectators; at no other F1 circuit are the fans literally 'just across the wall' from the cars (the main grandstands at Albert Park would come closest). The U.S. Grand Prix begins the final 'flyaway' (non-European) races of the 2000 season. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: -3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -3 Rear Downforce: -3 Ride Height: -3 Rear Diffuser: +1 Note that this is a low-downforce set-up designed specifically to take advantage of the Indy oval section of the course. This set-up makes the infield segment rather tricky, especially 'Mickey' and 'Mouse.' Extreme caution must be taken in the infield portion of the circuit, especially if playing with Tire Wear activated and/or in wet conditions. Pit Straight: This is the same as the Pit Straight used for the Indy and NASCAR races here, but the F1 cars drive in the 'wrong' direction (clockwise). Expect top speeds close to or even exceeding 200MPH. Turns 1 and 2: After more than 25 seconds at full throttle, this tight right-left combination can be deadly if you miss the braking zone. Brake early and hard to safely navigate Turn 1 in first or second gear, then accelerate through Turn 2. Turn 3: This is a sweeping right-hand corner which can be taken at top speed. Turn 4: This is a long right-hand 'J' turn requiring moderate braking to keep to the pavement. Turn 5: Another right-hand corner, this corner requires light or moderate braking, and can be a good passing zone with good braking on entry. Turn 6: This left-hand hairpin requires good braking throughout. Accelerating too soon will certainly put you out on the grass. Turn 7: This is a right-hand 'J' turn onto Hulman Blvd. Moderate braking is need here, but there is fortunately a wide paved swing-out area on exit. Straightaway (Hulman Blvd.): This is the longest straightaway of the infield section of the Indianapolis F1 circuit, so strong acceleration exiting Turn 7 is key here. Turn 8: Turning a little to the left, this corner requires light or moderate braking, depending on your car's top speed on Hulman Blvd. However, the following straightaway is extremely short, so do not expect to accelerate much (if at all) before 'Mickey' and 'Mouse.' Turn 9 ('Mickey'): This is a tight right-hand 'J' turn, nicknamed 'Mickey' by the sportscasters at the inaugural F1 race at Indianapolis. This is a second-gear corner at best, but first gear is probably a better choice here. Turn 10 ('Mouse'): This tight left-hand hairpin corner was nicknamed 'Mouse' by sportscasters. Any dry-conditions speed above 45MPH will certainly force you off the course and into the grass. A strong, short burst of acceleration out of 'Mouse' can set up a good passing opportunity in Turn 11. Turn 11: This long right-hand corner is the final corner of the course requiring braking. It is still fairly easy to slip off the course (especially in wet racing conditions), so be careful here. From here all the way to the end of the Pit Straight, you should be fully on the accelerator for approximately 28 seconds before braking for the first corner. Turn 12: This right-hand corner brings the cars back out onto the oval used for Indy and NASCAR races, and coming back out onto the banking may be a little challenging at first. No braking is required here. Turn 13: This is the banked 'Turn 1' of the Indy and NASCAR races here, but taken in reverse (clockwise) by the F1 cars. It is important to hug the apex of the corner tightly, but to keep off the infield grass. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins just before Turn 13, but in F1 Championship Season 2000, the Pit Lane barrier doesn't begin until the exit of Turn 13. This means that 1.) you can enter the Pit Lane 'late' if you suddenly have a problem, or 2.) you can use the beginning of the Pit Lane to pass slower cars on the main course, then cut back out to the Pit Straight just before the barrier; in either case, you are likely to cross the grass, although there is a short paved area immediately before the Pit Lane barrier. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN: SUZUKA This world-famous circuit in figure-eight style is used for many forms of auto and motorcycle racing; as such, those who have played other racing games (such as Moto GP World Tour) may already have some familiarity with the Suzuka circuit. One of the most famous sights of the 'circuit' is the large Ferris Wheel on the left behind the grandstands as cars pass along the Pit Straight. The Grand Prix of Japan is usually the last race of the F1 season, but was pushed ahead by one race for the 2000 season; it will once again be the final race of the season in 2001. This is the circuit where Michael Schumacher won the 2000 Driver's Championship. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -3 Rear Diffuser: +2 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. Turn 1: This right-hand 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 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. 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 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 generouslyS 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, and can be taken at full acceleration. 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 braking and a steady racing line will be required here. This is also another prime passing zone. Take care not to overrun Turn 8, or your front-left tire will be damaged. Straightaway: Accelerate strongly out of Degner and you should 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. 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, especially in wet conditions. 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. 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 (if any) braking. However, Turn 12 is both tighter AND slopes downhill, so judicious usage of brakes and a pristine racing line are both important here, especially if attempting to pass a slower vehicle. If you 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. No braking is required here, but look for cars on the right slowing for the Pit Lane entry just before the chicane. Turns 14-16 (Chicane): This is a very tricky part of the course. 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. Fortunately, the inside of the chicane is filled with only sand, not barriers, but shortcutting the chicane results in a Stop-Go Penalty and a loss of control (due to the rumble strips and the kitty litter). 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. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins to the right just before Chicane. Note that the Pit Entry is the SECOND patch of pavement to the right coming off the main course. ============================================== GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA: SEPANG This is the second-newest F1 course currently in use, as its construction was completed just in time for the end of the 1999 F1 season. Sepang includes very wide recovery zones all along the course, on both sides of the pavement, with very few exceptions. The main grandstands are nestled 'within' the course itself, as the 'back straight' and the 'Pit Straight' flank each side of the main spectator seats, linked by a tight left-hand hairpin. While the pavement is rather wide for an F1 circuit, it is actually more difficult to drive than it appears on television, especially the 'back' part of the course (behind the main grandstands). Ferrari secured the Constructor's Championship at this circuit in 2000. Suggested Car Set-up: Gear Ratios: -3 Steering Lock: +3 Front Suspension: -2 Rear Suspension: -2 Brake Balance: -2 Engine RPM: +2 Side Pod Radiators: +3 Front Downforce: -2 Rear Downforce: -2 Ride Height: -2 Rear Diffuser: +2 Pit Straight: The main grandstands are to the left as you fly down the Pit Straight. There is a short bit of sand or grass to the right between the main course and the Pit Lane barrier, about enough room for a car to pull off should a problem arise. Slam on the brakes at the end of the Pit Straight, as the first two corners are VERY tight. Turns 1 and 2: Turn 1 is a TIGHT right-hand corner, followed immediately by the not-as-tight-but-still-difficult left-hand Turn 2. If there is traffic ahead of you, the cars will certainly bunch up here. The first corner on the opening lap of any F1 race is characterized by cars bunching up together; given the downhill slope of Turns 1 (beginning at the exit) and 2, cars are even more likely than usual to bump each other and/or the barrier here. Fortunately, the outside of Turn 2 has a wide (sand-filled) recovery area, so if a major accident takes place, it might be wise to (carefully) take to the sand to avoid the worst of the chaos and debris. Turn 3: Accelerate hard through this sweeping right-hand corner. No braking is necessary here. The course begins a gentle uphill climb here. Turn 4: It is easy to overrun this corner, either on entry or on exit, but the wide patch of sand is available to slow you down in these situations. This right-hand corner is the crest of the uphill climb which began in Turn 3. Moderate braking will be required here. Turns 5 and 6: Turn 5 is an easy left-hand corner, followed by the similarly-shaped right-hand Turn 6. In Turn 5, the barrier comes very close to the pavement on the inside of the corner, so be careful not to roll up on the grass here. There is plenty of space for recovery on the outside of each corner, which may be important exiting Turn 6 as it is rather easy to run too wide on exit. Both corners can be taken either flat-out or with simply a light tapping of the brakes. Turns 7 and 8: These two right-hand corners are best taken in a wide 'U' formation. It is possible to fly through these corners at top speed, but some may feel more comfortable by tapping the brakes very briefly at about the apex of each corner (especially in Turn 8). There is plenty of kitty litter on the outside of the corners here should you lose concentration and drive off the pavement. Turn 9: This tight left-hand corner is made even more difficult by the brief uphill slope leading to the corner itself, which hides the view of the pavement as the course turns to the left here. Early braking is key, or else you WILL be caught out in the sand trap. Moderate or heavy braking will be needed here, depending on your top speed coming out of the 'U' formation of Turns 7 and 8. If you have excellent confidence in your braking ability (especially with fresh tires after a pit stop), this is a great place to pass other cars on braking, but only if attempted near the inside of the corner - otherwise, you will be far off the racing line, and any car(s) you try to pass will force you out into the sand. Turn 10: After the tightness of Turn 9, Turn 10's right-hand corner can be taken at full throttle. The course climbs gently uphill here, cresting shortly after the exit. Turn 11: The course begins a gentle downhill slope near the entry of Turn 11, then turns to the right as the downhill slope continues. Light or moderate braking will be needed here. This is also a good place to pass other cars on braking. It is also easy to overrun the corner, so there is plenty of sand to the outside of the corner to slow you down in this instance. Turn 12: After a short straightaway, the course turns to the left. If you hug the apex tightly, you should be able to take Turn 12 without braking. Again, plenty of sand awaits those who slide off the pavement here. Turn 13: This is a right-hand decreasing-radius hairpin with no paved swing-out area on exit, making the corner more difficult than it at first appears. The first 60 degrees can be taken at top speed, although some braking is greatly recommended here. After that, moderate or heavy braking is required to keep from rolling out into the kitty litter. Strong acceleration is key on exit. Straightaway: This straightaway runs along the 'back side' of the main grandstands. This is a very long straightaway, so powerful acceleration out of the Turn 13 hairpin can provide good passing opportunities here, especially for those using a low-downforce set-up. Near the end of the straightaway, a line of pavement leaves to the right, but this is NOT the Pit Lane entry used for F1 races. Turn 14: This is the final corner of the course, and perhaps the most important in a close race. Following the long straightaway on the 'back side' of the main grandstands, this is a left-hand hairpin, much tighter than Turn 13. It is key here to approach from the extreme right side of the pavement, tightly hug the apex, and accelerate strongly while drifting back out to the right on exit. The Pit Lane entry begins here about halfway through the hairpin, so beware of slower cars going in for servicing. This is also a good place to pass on braking, especially for those with a high-downforce, fast-acceleration set-up. Pit Entry: The Pit Lane begins halfway through the Turn 14 hairpin (the final corner of the course). Keep to the right entering the hairpin, to allow those passing you to dive to the left-hand apex of the corner; after the first 90 degrees of the corner, drive straight ahead along the Pit Lane. However, you will quickly find the Pit Lane curving to the left, so make sure you have slowed enough to not bang the front wing or front-right tire against the barrier. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== WISH LIST There are several additions and modifications I hope EA Sports makes in future versions of their F1 racing games. This is a highly subjective list, but I believe most readers of this driving guide will recognize that these changes will both add to the realism of the F1 games and also make the games more marketable with the proposed extra/bonus features. 1.) When a player skips both Practice and Qualifying and begins instantly with a Race, it would be nice to have the opportunity to modify car settings. 2.) More (single-player) scenarios would be niceS perhaps about thirty scenarios total. 3.) Perhaps one or more bonus courses - courses designed entirely by EA Sports and which are (hopefully) more technical than anything used in current F1 racing, or real- world courses which have never hosted an F1 event - for achieving some fantastic feat, such as accumulating 125 or more total points in the Drivers Championship. 4.) TRULY bring back the Front Downforce and Rear Downforce options - how can a car truly obey the laws of physics when one or both wings are missing and it is STILL DRIVING FLAWLESSLY!?!?!?!?!?! 5.) Two-player competition scenarios - for example, Mika Hakkinen versus Michael Schumacher for the Drivers' Championship at the final course of the season, with only one point separating them at the beginning of the race. 6.) Demolition Mode - this may also be an unlockable feature, one in which the object is to both survive an entire race (perhaps only eight laps) AND try to take out as many other cars as possible. For an eight-lap race, any single car may be permitted to go to Pit Lane only twice. 7.) Course Builder - Allow players to design their own fantasy F1 courses. This may be best done via a separate game disc (sold separately to increase your profits!!!), but the main game would be able to import the data for the courses players have created. Several standard templates should be available to give players a starting point. Several location options should also be available: seaside, mountains, plains, airport circuit, city circuit, etc. 8.) History Mode - Perhaps also unlockable, allow players to race in versions of F1 cars from the 1950s to the present, on courses which have previously hosted F1 races (Adelaide, Detroit, etc.). 9.) Future Mode - Perhaps also unlockable, allow players to race in potential futuristic versions of F1 cars. 10.) Add hazards - oil on the course, spectators running amok, large pieces of debris following a major collision, etc. 11.) Corner Workers - Instead of displaying flags at the top of the screen, force the player to look for the corner workers when entering each turn to see if a flag is being displayed. The first time a particular flag is displayed by a corner worker, the team principal can still announce over the radio that a particular flag is being shown, and what it means; for all subsequent displays of that flag, no radio announcement should be given. 12.) More frequent radio updates on teammate's race status, including approximately when he will be going to Pit Lane (i.e.: 'Pedro De La Rosa is scheduled to pit in two laps'). 13.) Periodic radio updates on the points-paying positions. 14.) Leave the on-screen race updates (the TV-style information at the bottom of the screen) on-screen a few extra seconds. If this is not possible (likely due to FIA standards), include a radio version of this same information (to the extent possible) simultaneously. 15.) Start each race on the warm-up lap, and force players to correctly find their grid position for the Standing Start. (This may best be used only in Championship Mode.) 16.) When lapping traffic or being lapped by the race leaders, it would be nice to have a second column on the top- left of the screen showing who is immediately in front of and immediately behind the player on the track. This second column should be immediately to the right of the current column which shows the player's current race position, or underneath the lap counter. Also, it would be beneficial if both columns showed the TWO cars immediately in front of and behind the player. 17.) In long Championship Mode races (at least 16 laps), for one or two races during the season, have an incident which necessitates a Red Flag (in either qualifying or in a race), adding more realism to the game. Similarly, one or two races during the season should have a Full-course Yellow situation. In both cases, the incidents causing these situations need not occur in the player's area of vision. 18.) When another driver is forced to retire, the radio report should indicate who retired and WHY. This could be especially important if the teammate just retired due to a mechanical problem, which may also happen with the player's car. 19.) When there is an accident, a car has spun, debris is strewn across the track, etc., the radio report should notify the player of the particular situation and WHERE the potential hazard is on the track (i.e.: 'Jacques Villeneuve has spun out at Castrol-S'). Especially for courses which have named corners and straightaways, this can truly test a player's knowledge of each circuit. 20.) When a player wants to come to the Pits for servicing, she or he should first be required to signal the team by pressing a button or combination of buttons on the controller (perhaps the Change View and Rear View buttons simultaneously) to ensure the team is ready. Further, if the player makes this announcement of intent between the second timing point and the Start/Finish Line, the team will not be ready until the following lap. 21.) On occasion during a season, replace a normally- scheduled driver with the official test driver for that team. 22.) According to FIA regulations, a driver who cannot qualify within 107% of the fastest qualifying time is disqualified from the race. Future incarnations of the game should also enforce this rule, even though it could result in one-car races if the difficulty is set to 'Easy' (yes, I have several times qualified so well that NONE of the other 21 cars could qualify within the 107% window). 23.) When entering Pit Lane, the player should also be allowed to CHOOSE to repair any damage or to ignore damage repair. This can be especially important near the end of a race. For example, if a wing is damaged but there are only three laps remaining in the race, repairing the damaged wing will likely cause the player to lose the race. Similarly, if a wing is damaged and the player has been given a Stop-Go Penalty, the player should have the right to decide whether the damage is severe enough to be taken care of immediately, or whether it can be bypassed and the Penalty served. 24.) While the physics engine of F1 Championship Season 2000 is definitely better than that of its predecessor, there is NO way that a player should be able to qualify on Pole with a time of 1:15 at Albert Park, TEN SECONDS faster than the real-world drivers (2001 Grand Prix of Australia)!!! The game's fastest qualifying/lap times should be much closer to real-world times. 25.) Provide a separate "Map" option, which will allow players to scrutinize course maps. This would be especially beneficial for visual learners. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== WRAP-UP The official FIA Web site (http://www.fia.com/) has a lot of good information pertaining to F1 racing, including the current season's race schedule, rules and regulations, and links to the official Web sites of most of the courses used. The FIA Web site is available in both French and English. Most importantly, while plenty of people play this and other racing games (F1 and otherwise), our lives are not in jeopardy. We must NEVER forget the risk of serious injury and death inherent in F1 and other forms of racing: for the drivers, the pit crews, the track personnel, the members of the media, and even the spectators. Following the death of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt (2001 Daytona 500), I saw a TV interview in which a NASCAR spokesperson said that no one comes to races to see people die; they come to races to see people defy death. We cannot ever forget the lives of the celebrities and the 'nameless' Everyman - including the spectators - which have been lost as people have defied and continue to defy death on the many race circuits of the world. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== 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 game guides, please visit FeatherGuides (http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/). The latest version will always be posted at FeatherGuides, while other Web sites may lag behind by several days in their regularly-scheduled posting updates. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ======================================================================= 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_ =======================================================================