Mission 18 - Sarthe II Nissan R92CP

[Duke]

My problem is that I usually come up on the last chicane flat out and totally unawares, because there are no landmarks except the road suddenly disappearing in front of you, replaced by a beachful of sand.

 

[Kylehnat]

Braking for the last chicane(s) is indeed tricky, as there are no good visual reference points. You should brake just after you pass the pit entrance:

 

[Duke]

I'll give that a shot - thanks! I need to cut about 4 seconds/lap off my time.

 

[streetsmell]

i hear that, i find that even knowing the course i still brake at the wrong corner or miss the braking zones in the last 1/4 of the track

 

[rentay]

Actually, I passed this Driving Mission and beat the lead car (Sauber C9) by 7.2 seconds. It was my third attempt at it.


My only advice is know the track well, and use your gears appropriately for the corners! Most gear changes are spot on and seemed to work fine for me! Also, make sure to use the full extent of throttle modualtion i.e. 40% - 80% through corners as it DOES come in handy especially just before the starting/finishing line!


Regards

 

[SirBerra]

How can anyone that likes racing not like this Mission? Driving a top level race car at high speed through the countryside. This is such a pleasureable Mission. The RC92 sticks like glue and has great handling. My only wish is that it had a higher top speed when drafting . It's a pity there wasn't more than five cars to pass since you only see opponent cars for such a short time.

My strategy was just to go at a conservative pace, making sure I stayed on the asphalt at all times. No grass or sandcutting for this fun Mission even though I excel at both (win at all costs). I don't want to hear anyone say that the Nissan RC92 Race Car wasn't fast enough to win this race. The perfect car for the perfect track. One of the finest Missions in GT4:tup: .
Here's my sample video with no cheats involved (NTSC, DS2, MT):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLB6f-kvqWA

 

[SuntoucherUK]

Personally I found this mission to be pretty easy; mainly because of how good the R92CP is...

I have one problem though...and that is with the 9'11something time posted on the first page. Is this accurate? I spent about 40 minutes just shaving off my lap times, trying to get a perfect race (I already had the mission won on quite a few occaisions but little errors made me want to try again to go faster).

I finished somewhere around 11 seconds ahead of the Sauber (Can't be sure exactly as it didn't finish in time) and still posted a time of 9'21"150. I didn't cheat on the chicanes and am pretty sure I barely put a foot wrong over the 3 laps yet my time is still far slower than that 9'11... I just wanted to know if there may have been a reason?

I have the PAL copy of the game by the way...if that affects anything.

 

[eviljay]

This is a real track? Seriously i am amased that ya dont have drivers falling asleep while racing this. Drive straight. Turn a couple times, repeat. This is the single most boring chunk of pavement ever put into a game. How bout we make a track that is 20 miles perfectly straight. Wouldnt that be fun?!?!? The tank car better be the single best car in the garage to be worth all this crap. 17 tries so far.still 11 seconds down. Going to take a nap and try again. Jaw breaking yawn. If this track is in gt5 i am not even going to buy a ps3

 

[SuntoucherUK]

This is a real track? Seriously i am amased that ya dont have drivers falling asleep while racing this. Drive straight. Turn a couple times, repeat. This is the single most boring chunk of pavement ever put into a game. How bout we make a track that is 20 miles perfectly straight. Wouldnt that be fun?!?!? The tank car better be the single best car in the garage to be worth all this crap. 17 tries so far.still 11 seconds down. Going to take a nap and try again. Jaw breaking yawn. If this track is in gt5 i am not even going to buy a ps3

Erm...yeah it's only one of the greatest and most famous racing circuits ever built...but don't let that affect your random babbling.

You should relish the chance to drive a great car on a great track; the fact that you're having such problems with it suggests you may need to rethink your choice of game...I hear 'Crash Bandicoot's Nitro Kart' is a great 'action packed' racing game; might keep you entertained a little more.
👍

 

[wfooshee]

How bout we make a track that is 20 miles perfectly straight. Wouldnt that be fun?!?!?

See, it's not the straight parts that are hard. Although I've seen folks that can't keep the Nissan on the straight road at 235 MPH.

17 tries so far.still 11 seconds down.

Must be those occasional twisty bits throwing you off. You're less than 4 seconds a lap off, which is genuinely not bad for not knowing the track. With practice that should come in a day or two.

The tank car better be the single best car in the garage to be worth all this crap.

It isn't. It's cool, it's fun, but it's no great drive, and ------ it can't be raced! Ahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

 

[eviljay]

well I got it done with a lot of cheating. eat every chic at wide open and it is possible. I have never seen this track. When and what kind of cars race here? ( real life) I realy dont see why some of you love it. Race against your friends and it doesnt matter who is a better driver, whoever has the horsepower will win. I can smoke the f1 with any prototype timewise. I love nurburgring and that is a much harder track.
Well 2 days after i finally beat this level my game got corrupted and lost. Powere outage ruined my day.

 

[Kylehnat]

I have never seen this track. When and what kind of cars race here? ( real life) I really dont see why some of you love it.

This track plays host to a little motoring event called the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Vingt-Quatre Heures du Mans, if you like). No big deal, really; manufacturers only spend a couple hundred million dollars to develop a car that will win the thing.

 

[Rusty*]

ROFL!!

This thread is absolutely helarious!!

Yes this is a very important track, the host "pavement as you say" of the probably most PRESTIGOUS TITLE in all driving!!
24 HOURS!! Of hard racing in all sorts of conditions, rain if it does?? Car problems more pitting, not to mention you have a get off at any of the speeds reachable on this track( and they have happened, fatal accidents and all sorts on the 24H). Amazing track, amazing Race.
The ultimate test of Racing I say, one quick lap is ok, but having to hold pace and keep your car going at full or as best you can go is really something!!
Everyone should pay some respect.👍
R*

 

[wfooshee]

When

This year's race is coming up a week from Saturday, on June 16. If you're in the US, Speed TV has live coverage starting at 8:30 Eastern.

what kind

A quick scan of the cars list finds these cars from the game that are LeMans cars, may have missed one or two:

Audi R8, Bentley Speed 8, BMW V12 LMR, Chaparral 2D, Corvette C5R, Viper GTS-R, Ford GT40 ('69), Jaguar XJR-9, Lister Storm, Mazda 787B, McLaren F1 GTR, Mercedes C9, Mercedes CLK-GTR, Nissan R390 GT1, Nissan R89C, Nissan R92CP, Pescarolo C60-Peugeot, Pescarolo C60-Judd, Peugeot 905 Evolution II, Toyota 88C-V, and Toyota GT-One. The '67 AC Cobra raced at LeMans, I believe, but the game version is not the race car. There are also several cars in the game that have "LM" in the name, which are fantasy cars designed by PD to fit specs for LeMans racing, but are not actual real-life LeMans cars.


Really, this is THE top-level sports-car and prototype event of the year for the whole world. Manufacturers put HUGE budgets into winning the event, sometimes very successfully (Jaguar, Audi, BMW, Mazda, Corvette, Viper) and sometimes not (Cadillac comes to mind here). Audi won last year's race with a V12 DIESEL!! Porsche has ruled for years in production categories, and had perhaps the ungodliest prototype ever built, the 917. Ferrari has a huge history here as well, and the Ford GT of the '60s was built with the specific purpose of beating Ferrari after Ferrari backed out of a deal to be purchased by Ford. Henry was not amused, and was out to kick Ferrari buttocks.

 

[AMG.]

@ eviljay, perhaps this may spark your interest in this 'insignificant race'

http://www.lemans.org/accueil/index_gb.html

Roll of honour records
http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/pages/retro_palmares_gb.html

AMG.

 

[xbneo]

I just did this race for the first time (never bothered to do the Mission Hall tests) and smoked the competition on my first try. It's all about the breaking points, and driving in a straight line through those chicanes. Don't be afraid of high speeds, and brake in straight lines! You should have it down in no time, it's a very long yet simple track to learn

Also, regarding that pic a few posts above, I brake later, once at the rumble strip.

 

[Rocker]

Unfortunately I bought the non-elite version of the game that doesn't say which turn is porsche, which turn is dunlop, indiannapolis, tertre rouge, which strait is mulsanne, arnage, whatever.... and the link in the post above does not work, the maps I was able to find did not include "porsche" or "ford".

---

Mulsanne is either the 6km long strait referred to in the game as "Hunadieres", or it is very sharp right at the end of the strait.
Tertre Rouge is the turn just before this.
Dunlop is the long sloping curve just before Tertre Rouge
The section from the starting line to Dunlop is "esses", possibly Ford or Porsche (?)
Mulsanne bends to the right towards the end, this is "Mulsanne kink"
At the very end of the Mulsanne strait you make the hard right, and then a long section with two mild right bends, then a slightly sharper right bend, which puts you into a 2nd gear left, this is the "Indianapolis"
The next 90-degree right is Arnage.
The last turns before the starting line are Maison Blanche.
Which turns are the "Ford" and "Porshe"? I don't know. Either the section from the starting line to Dunlop, or somewhere between Arnage and Maison Blanche, or possibly they are redundant names for a previously named turn.

I would glady trade one my Toyota Raid Rally cars for better info.

 

[Duke]

I would glady trade one my Toyota Raid Rally cars for better info.

From AMG.'s track map thread. Hope this helps!

 

[Ignignoc N Err]

never mind. Duke posted a map which renders my response invalid.

How do you delete a post?

 

[Zaine2]

this mission was one of the easiest for me seeing as i've raced it so many times in gtwc and enduros

 

[MustangSVTCobra]

Beat it by 6.642 after a few tries. Never raced on Sarthe before this, so took some practice. Know the track, know your brake points, DONT brake/accelerate on the grass! Experiment with gear changes through chicanes/corners. The R92CP is a GREAT car!👍

 

[Skid Mark 33]

Yeah, really fast. When I did it, I passed it on my 3rd go, but I carried on doing this test because I really like driving that car.

 

[phantasm]

Definitely a tough and great challenge!! One that requires the course knowledge for sure to be successful. Couple of tips that helped me...
Intervals...
At the end of the 1st time through the Mulsane and after the tight right hander in 2nd gear you need to be around 26-28secs back. You can get this down to 24-25 at the next checkpoint. Key to the last section of track is 2 things:
1) The first set of S Porche curves can be taken in 4th gear (slow down to about 125mph for the right hander, control the corner then hammer in full throttle through the left. You may have to slightly lift, but with practice and timing you can go through it full out.
2) the very last chicane, make sure you cut the first part through the piece of track that is between the rumble strip and the sand, as you can then hit the apex and go full throttle from 2nd and into 3rd gaining max time.

My lap 2 intervals were:
Start: 22 sec
End of Mulsane: 16 sec
Next Check point: 13 sec
End of lap: 10 sec (as long as you're within 10-12 sec you're fine)

Lap 3:
End of Mulsane: 1 sec
Next Check point: in lead
Finish: 6 sec ahead.

hope this helps!

 

[evantri]

One of my favourite missions in GT4.

It's a very pleasure car to drive, as well as historical and gorgeous track to compete

 

[Duke]

I just don't know this track well enough to win this one. The whole area in the last quadrant, running between all the sheds upto the S/F line is really confusing. The ground is dead flat, there are tons of service roads and walls in odd places, and visibility in general sucks. It's an excercise in near-blind driving, and not even like a hilly course where you have crests to make landmarks.

Well, 2 years later, and after a number of off-and-on attempts, I still haven't passed this test. I spent an hour last night trying and trying and trying. All of the AI are spaced exactly wrong for drafting. I can't catch the Panoz until after the Mulsanne kink, which is just in time for me to get a sudden slipstream boost and then either slam into him when he brakes, or crash trying to avoid him under braking on the little chute leading down to Mulsanne. When I do get past him, I don't catch the next car until around the Ford chicane, again precisely at a point where I need open track to make speed.

That means I do both Mulsanne and the following straight in unbroken air with no slipstream, for all three laps. I don't think I've ever passed more than 2 cars - I'm a solid 15 seconds out of first.

 

[Austin343]

My guess is you haven't driven these cars and/or these tracks enough to be fast enough to win. That and, have you been driving like the AI do (2 wheels outside curbs at all times), or are you taking advantage of the reddish dusty-looking tarmac on the insides of corners? That should really help slash your time if you need to, especially in Tertre Rouge (sp?) and the final chicane. What version do you have? If it's the Japanese version, I feel for you. If it's PAL or NTSC-NA, a bit of practice should do the trick. 👍

 

[alhajoth]

What version do you have? If it's the Japanese version, I feel for you. If it's PAL or NTSC-NA, a bit of practice should do the trick. 👍

Is there much difference between the various versions?

I've always thought this to be one of the easiest missions, not sure why Duke's struggling so much, since I usually catch the Panoz and the Mercedes CLK-GTR at the exact same places he just mentioned..
Did the race just now (PAL-version), passed the Panoz right after Mulsanne corner, and the CLK under braking for the Ford chicane. However, I braked to late and had to slow way down to avoid going into the sand. Before I could accelerate away, the CLK hit me, and spun me into a wall. As usual, it took me a few seconds of frantic pulling on the gear stick before remembering you can't shift into reverse..
After locating the triangle-button, I got back on the track, crossing the line 29 seconds behind the lead Sauber at the end of lap 1. Caught the CLK again on the straight for a short draft. Passed the Toyota in the Porsche curves, and the Bentley by Maison Blanche.
Ended lap 2 in 2nd place, 13 seconds down on the Sauber. Caught his draft at the end of the straight and passed him right after Mulsanne corner, eventually finishing in 9.27.181, 7.4 seconds ahead of the Sauber.

I wouldn't worry about the draft, it won't make much difference since you're so much faster down the straight than the other cars anyway. Even without it, you're still 7-8 seconds faster on the straight since your topspeed is so much higher.

 

[Duke]

Is there much difference between the various versions?

I've always thought this to be one of the easiest missions, not sure why Duke's struggling so much, since I usually catch the Panoz and the Mercedes CLK-GTR at the exact same places he just mentioned.
...
Ended lap 2 in 2nd place, 13 seconds down on the Sauber. Caught his draft at the end of the straight and passed him right after Mulsanne corner, eventually finishing in 9.27.181, 7.4 seconds ahead of the Sauber.

In the North American version, that time would have put you about 15 seconds behind the Sauber at the end, which is right about where I am. The NA-NTSC target is right about 9':12" for 3 laps.

 

[alhajoth]

In the North American version, that time would have put you about 15 seconds behind the Sauber at the end, which is right about where I am. The NA-NTSC target is right about 9':12" for 3 laps.

Wow, that much? And the Japanese version is even harder?
Is the lead car faster, or does it simply start further ahead? On PAL, it starts about 33 seconds in front.

Did the race again, pushing hard for all 3 laps, and finished in 9.06.620, 34 seconds ahead of the Sauber at the last split..
I could probably make a video of it, if you're interested?

 

[Duke]

I don't know exactly how far in front it starts, but at my first-lap T1, around the first third of the Mulsanne straight, I've been about 30 seconds behind. On a few good runs I've been 29.mid" behind at that point. After Mulsanne Corner, I'm around 26 seconds behind.

A video might help - 9':06" is good in anybody's book. Don't kill yourself trying to make the video, but thanks in advance if you do.