OV9

1. Circuit of the Americas



Had never even heard of it before I drove it on the sim, and found it a massively frustrating track to learn. T3-T9 are one flowing sequence of (generally) tightening corners that spit you off soooo easily.T13-15 is similar with the setup (and braking whilst still turning) for the super-slow 1st-gear T15 being crucial. T16-T18 all flow too, with the apexes being a "miss, hit, hit" combo. Once you put the time/effort in - it's just awesome when it all comes together.

2. Bathurst. This doesn't tie in with the thread title as I loved it from the word go, but it's one of these tracks that you quickly get up to a reasonable pace on, but takes forever to really get a competitive lap time. No run-off anywhere and so much time to be gained over the mountain section by using every cm of the surface, and learning the corners where the grip softens as the car goes light over a crest, but then returns just as you instinctively (but incorrectly) want to make a correction. Also a track that really favours an unstable set up which is way too disconcerting initially. One of the greats.

Bathurst (on GT7) is a great circuit - you're right in that adding what seems like 1% of commitment or smoothness over the top somehow seems to unlock so much time. Learning to get up into that window to be brushing every turn with your wing mirrors is super hard and rewarding. I'd very much like to try CotA, and Virginia International Raceway. Unfortunately not on any of the games I play.

I would say though, one thing I've noticed recently is that the seemingly easy tracks, if I start to try and drive them like one twitch away from death, threading it all together seat-of-the-pants style, I am finding big lumps of time on really vanilla circuits. Maybe the techy stuff is teaching me that all circuits are the same, some just don't feel like it?

That's a really interesting question that I've not thought about.

I didn't like the current Silverstone layout for quite a while but that was more that I missed the flat out dive through Bridge and trying to get it over to the right for Brooklands. With the entry to Brooklands now wider, it's a great overtaking spot.

Jeddah was a bitch to start as it's so fast with walls but once I got the rhythm, it's become a favourite.

Jimmy Choo wrote: Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:48 am
I didn't like the current Silverstone layout for quite a while

Funnily enough, I was looking at Silverstone last week on the (excellent) Georeferenced Maps site - don't bother if you are on a phone, but if on a computer click this. Should open with current image vs 1944-1950 air photos - slide the bar on the bottom left to fade in/out.

mik wrote: Tue Aug 05, 2025 10:40 am

Jimmy Choo wrote: Tue Aug 05, 2025 9:48 am
I didn't like the current Silverstone layout for quite a while

Funnily enough, I was looking at Silverstone last week on the (excellent) Georeferenced Maps site - don't bother if you are on a phone, but if on a computer click this. Should open with current image vs 1944-1950 air photos - slide the bar on the bottom left to fade in/out.

According to my overpriced coaster from the Silverstone Museum (4/10, overpriced. Staff were knowledgeable, interesting exhibits but a lack of context on them) in 1948 the track came down the runways from the north west before heading back north east and the same from he south east to the south west.