Gran Turismo 7 Promo Video Teases Melbourne's Albert Park F1 Circuit [UPDATE]

[MagpieRacer]

It's just not something I've heard of. FOM don't own the naming rights of any of the circuits mentioned, the barrier to naming the track Monaco are the Monte Carlo royal family, Albert Park is whatever company ultimately owns the park, and it's not FOM.

Even if nobody else uses it (which isn't true for Monaco or Albert Park) that doesn't give FOM any control. Albert Park pays for the right to host a grand Prix on their circuit, same as any other. It's their circuit, they construct it, FIA certify it.

The changes happening to Albert Park were decided on and carried out by the park/circuit owners, not by FOM.

As far as I'm concerned if someone wants to license the name Albert Park circuit it's down to the local owners of the circuit, nobody else.

It’s true for Monaco in the sense it’s not called Monaco in anything other than F1 games. But I can’t think of any other game that has used Albert Park other than F1 games (apart from the ironically named Monaco Grand Prix 2 on Dreamcast which didn’t hold any license other than for Monaco.)

 

[Magog]

More gravity defying upside down racing. Makes sense given Australia is a popular Japanese tourist destination.

 

[Dave A]

That wasn't the reason. Monaco is a special case, and part of the reason is that this...

... doesn't actually apply.

In essence, while you can take photos in a public place in Monaco you technically can't unless you've specifically applied to do so - two weeks in advance. It's also not technically a permit, but it kind of is - and if you're an actual photographer, there is a permit (one assumes there's a commercial interest angle) you need to apply for.

Oh and if you want to take photos of certain landmarks, you have to apply for a completely different additional permit to the Societe des Bains de Mer. There's a sort of get-out to do with editorial coverage, so stuff I shot in Monaco for GTP is kinda okay (I believe Sony "applied" for the not-a-permit-permit for attendees) - unless I use my editorial privilege to write **** about Monaco, in which case it's not. Or sometimes it's not, as it depends what's in the photos.

If you want to... ooooh, for a rough example, drive around the roads that constitute the F1 circuit while filming yourself... you can just forget a permit altogether, because it's not happening.

Anyway, Monaco itself (SBM is owned by... go on, guess; if you said "the royal family", have a casino chip) basically owns all image rights in Monaco. You know how Monaco's F1 broadcast coverage is always totally different from any others? It's because Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) is in charge of it, because not even FOM can break into that particular walled garden.

So if you want to have a track that looks like Monaco with Monaco's buildings called Monaco, it's Monaco you need to do a deal with, not F1. GT3's Cote d'Azur was sufficiently different, slightly out of date architecturally, called Cote d'Azur, and set in France because Sony didn't (or didn't want to?) pay Monaco for Monaco.


I can't speak for whether other street circuits, only assembled for F1 and its support races, require the permission of or licensing from F1, but Monaco specifically doesn't.

There's the something new I've learned today. It doesn't surprise me that of all places Monaco is a bit different.

It's just not something I've heard of. FOM don't own the naming rights of any of the circuits mentioned, the barrier to naming the track Monaco are the Monte Carlo royal family, Albert Park is whatever company ultimately owns the park, and it's not FOM.

Even if nobody else uses it (which isn't true for Monaco or Albert Park) that doesn't give FOM any control. Albert Park pays for the right to host a grand Prix on their circuit, same as any other. It's their circuit, they construct it, FIA certify it.

The changes happening to Albert Park were decided on and carried out by the park/circuit owners, not by FOM.

As far as I'm concerned if someone wants to license the name Albert Park circuit it's down to the local owners of the circuit, nobody else.

Formula 1 don't own the tracks themwselves, but they do own the licenses for the events that they hold at them and they typically do have the control to license the tracks without the track owners agreement.

Where tracks are created on public roads, the roads themselves are usualy owned by a local authority and are public domain. Clearly Monaco is different to the typical example, but to elaborate in general, F1 will hold the rights to the event that uses those roads, in that layout, with things set up in a certain way and the circuit given a certain name. Where you recreate a street circuit to a close enough degree it could be interpreted as mimiking the event you could face licensing issues with F1.

Naming the circuit after the place or not may be something limited to Monaco and not as connected to F1 as I had originally advised as Monaco was the example I had for that. But it's important to note, although F1 don't own the circuits themselves they can license them and they do own the rights to the events they host at those locations and where a street circuit is only ever used in motorsports for a race hosted by F1 during an event F1 hold the license for, you may want to try to differentiate your interpretation of a race event there enough from F1's.

 

[Normalaatsra]

Current-gen GT is lacking in city circuits and Tokyo Expressway currently covers this category in a fictional layout setting. Perhaps Albert Park would make this section less lonely?

PD have stopped developing city courses this gen due to the time and resources spent to make accurate and detailed parts of cities, an effort much harder than slapping 3D KML of mountain ranges and simply be done with it. It's related to the decision to scrap Photo Travel with its detailed 3D locations to be in favour of 2.5D Scapes taken directly from photograph data. Tokyo Expressway is built around original track designs, having similarities with the real Shutoko network, and the background buildings are props that I believe was determined by their procedural generation AI they've been experimenting with.

Maybe it'll be like Cote D'Azur and most of the track isn't a proper representation of the real circuit or Melbourne itself. To be honest I'd rather have PD design their own city circuit of Melbourne with their own layout, R246 and Seattle are well beloved for its originality and the appeal of Cote D'Azur is to emulate the experience of racing in Monaco. I don't know if Albert Park has the same appeal as the latter one.

If it's happening, I would be surprised if it has the newest track modifications. Given how difficult it is to enter Australia in the last 2 years, they would only have the pre-pandemic period to do laser scanning, unless they've chosen to outsource this with a local LIDAR scanning team.

Real Racing 3 had a nice original city course layout of Melbourne that would give ideas.

 

[Dave A]

Of course it's important to note that regardless of discussions around licensing and rights issues, seeing the layout on a GT branded poster isn't confirmation the circuit (or a variation of) will have anything to do with GT7. It would be nice, but it's far rfom a guarentee.

 

[tankuroded]

From day one of this, I always know it was only a random prop:

 

[Famine]

Of course it's important to note that regardless of discussions around licensing and rights issues, seeing the layout on a GT branded poster isn't confirmation the circuit (or a variation of) will have anything to do with GT7. It would be nice, but it's far rfom a guarentee.

Indeed, though it is truly mad that someone would go to the trouble of assembling all of that PS and GT stuff (I love the physical PS Trophy trophies ) and then just shop up a poster of a random circuit with two GT logos instead of... literally anything else they could use as GT memorabilia.

The odd diecast of a car not in the game is understandable, but that one took some effort to create. Still, stranger things have happened.

 

[Magog]

If it's fake why not fake a Spanish track? Valencia i could see coming since it was in tourist trophy and GT PSP.

 

[VincentVendetta]

That's... unexpected. Although I would have expected Adelaide or Surfers Paradise over Melbourne. Still, I'm taking this with a grain of salt.

 

[Nigrick]

As someone who works in video industry I can see the situation where the set designer just quickly printed out random “race themed” images and slapped GT logo on them, just the day before the shoot. Especially with the production that done remotely. I wouldn’t consider this as a hint.

Edit: yeah, I guess we have confirmation now

 

[Dave A]

If it's fake why not fake a Spanish track? Valencia i could see coming since it was in tourist trophy and GT PSP.

It could be genuine and have nothing to do with GT7, it could be something that was planned but never happened previousely. Or it could be something someone outside PD knocked up to dress the set. Or it could be a teaser for a track that's set to appear in GT7, which hopefully is the case, it's just not a guarentee yet.

It is an odd choice if it is just random set dressing knocked together, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Rzeractor]

As far as I'm concerned if someone wants to license the name Albert Park circuit it's down to the local owners of the circuit, nobody else.

Albert Park is council-owned, not a private body. It's operated by Parks Victoria which are guv'ment

 

[Samus]

From day one of this, I always know it was only a random prop:

Well I don't think Lucas is going to lie, if it was a tease he'd just say nothing, so that's that then.

It did seem odd with the iffy design elements.

 

[ed24]

This reminds me of this article from 2013

Two "Top Secret" Australian Locations Coming to GT6

Polyphony Digital rumored to make an announcement at Mount Panorama regarding "top secret" locations being included in GT6.

www.gtplanet.net

 

[05XR8]

My comments in that article. Nothing's changed in nine years. Same hype for the possibilities.

 

[toastet]

Would've also been the old version. Don't forget Melbourne Park is already rebuild and would've been used for F1 in November 2021.

 

[DefNotJake]

Albert Park, one of the few street circuits that don't look or feel like a street circuit lol.

 

[SnakeOfBacon]

It'd be funny if GT7 was the first ever game to have two Australian race tracks and no Australian cars, but I'm inclined to ignore the poster. Still, interesting idea, wouldn't be my first pick for a real-world circuit, maybe... forty-first?

 

[DefNotJake]

It'd be funny if GT7 was the first ever game to have two Australian race tracks and no Australian cars, but I'm inclined to ignore the poster. Still, interesting idea, wouldn't be my first pick for a real-world circuit, maybe... forty-first?

Please, Polyphony.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Would've also been the old version. Don't forget Melbourne Park is already rebuild and would've been used for F1 in November 2021.

View attachment 1106563View attachment 1106564

The renovations aren't complete yet.

 

[RACECAR]

From day one of this, I always know it was only a random prop:

Ah well. Still, it was the most random choice of circuit to use for that poster. (As opposed to Valancia or even Catalunya, both Spanish tracks featured in GT)

 

[toospiciecc]

Please bring back Silverstone!!!!

 

[SestoScudo]

You know Albert park is a good circuit but as an Australian i'd rather have tracks like surfers paradise, sandown raceway and philip island.

I visited philip island circuit once with my cousins when we went to holiday to do some go karting. But man its a beautiful track with the sea backdrop surrounding it.

 

[dents27]

Albert Park, one of the few street circuits that don't look or feel like a street circuit lol.

The other being Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

 

[danimac]

Yes!!! I’ve been asking Kaz for Albert Park plus V8 Supercars lol. The latter probably no. But I hope Melbourne is coming for sure because for so long now I’ve wanted to take other cars there like F1 support racers used to do.

 

[Imari]

Different type of circuits. Albert Park, Monaco, Baku, Singapore, are all exclusively F1 circuits. Using them like for like in anything other than F1 will require not only the circuit licensing but also an element of F1 licensing. Hence Monaco was always Côte d’Azur in GT and other games.

You make it sound like F1 cars are the only ones that race on these circuits. That's definitely not true in the case of Albert Park, there are multiple other series that will hold races on the circuit over the weekend that it's set up each year. The V8 Supercars, for example.

You know Albert park is a good circuit but as an Australian rather have like surfers paradise, sandown raceway and philip island.

I visited philip island circuit once with my cousins when we went to holiday to do some go karting. But man its a beautiful track with the sea backdrop surrounding it.

Phillip Island is a great circuit, simple yet challenging. It should be in more games, it's a great drive.

 

[Monkey Man]

Phillip Island is a great circuit, simple yet challenging. It should be in more games, it's a great drive.

Indeed brother.

My best buddy's a bike guy and it's his favourite track-day outing.

 

[05XR8]

I was there for the Mazda races. At least we’d have the Atenza and Fiat.

 

[ShiftingGears]

Well on the plus side it'd be new and it looks nice.

Otherwise its an unremarkable circuit, I don't think it's anyones most liked or most hated track but it could make for good races

 

[Ryan81]

Must admit, this announcement in no way made me feel giddy with excitement. It does look to me that the main difference between GTS and GT7 is about 90 new cars (which includes fantasy VGTs and Polyphony tuned cars) along with a few more tracks and enhanced graphics. All that in nearly 4.5 years? Not exactly pushing the envelope....