You’ll need to adapt to the conditions in the latest Gran Turismo 7 Online Time Trial, starting today, as weather makes a very rare appearance in the global hot-lap competition.
It’s a one-make event using the Gr.4 variant of the Subaru Impreza WRX, in essence a car built in a similar manner to the real-world GT4 category and comprising a stripped-out road car with some modest aerodynamics and slick tires.
Well, usually with slick tires. They won’t get you very far this week even if they were permitted, because you’ll be racing at a soggy Fuji Speedway in the comically named “Short” layout which merely converts the Dunlop Chicane into a single, quick, right-handed corner.
However, there is still some strategy here as although the track looks to be only wet enough for Intermediate tires — with the surface water indicator not quite reaching the second marker — the top times from the best players appear to be done on the full Wet tire. Both are available, but we’d say go with the latter.
Speaking of top times, they have just scraped below the 1:48 mark, which sets the gold time — a dynamic value 3% slower than the current world record at any time — at a 1:51.1. However the complex nature of Fuji (or at least its final sector) and the road conditions may mean quite a bit of movement on this over the next two weeks and we reckon a mid- to low-1:50 might be the final target.
There’s a week to go still on the other time trial, in the Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion at Alsace, and times have tumbled quite a bit more than expected in this event.
The current top time now sits a couple of tenths lower than we’d anticipated, at a 1:52.318, so you’ll need to be a couple of hundredths into in the 1:55.6s to get gold right now. That might not be entirely safe though, and while we wouldn’t think there’s a lot of time left on the board it’s probable you’ll want to be around the 1:55.5 or 1:55.4 mark to earn the top prize.
In order to access the Online Time Trials, you’ll need to unlock Sport Mode, by completing Menu Book 9 (“Championship: Tokyo Highway Parade”) in the GT Cafe single player hub. As it’s just you against the clock and not a direct, head-to-head multiplayer event, PlayStation Plus is not required.
You’ll usually need to be within 3% of the fastest time globally once the event finishes in order to secure “gold” status and a 2m credit bonus prize. There’s smaller prizes of one million for being within 5%, and 250,000cr for bronze at 10% off.
The events update every Thursday, with each individual challenge usually remaining available for two weeks and the oldest of the two events being replaced each week. You can look forward to the next new Time Trial arriving at 0700 UTC on Thursday February 27.
Gran Turismo 7 Lap Time Challenge February 20 – Fuji Speedway
- Track: Fuji Speedway Short
- Car: Subaru WRX Gr.4 – Garage/Rental Car
- Power/Weight/PP Limit: BOP (M)
- Tires: Racing Intermediate/Racing Wet
- Settings: Fixed
Gran Turismo 7 Lap Time Challenge February 13 – Alsace Village
- Track: Alsace Village
- Car: Porsche 911 (996) GT1 Strassenversion – Garage/Rental Car
- Power/Weight/PP Limit: BOP (L)
- Tires: Racing Hard
- Settings: Fixed
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