Your Account
    Log into your account here:
       Forgot Password

    Not registered? Sign Up for free
    Registration allows you to keep track of all your content and comments, save bookmarks, and post in all our forums.

Driving FAQ

by fphjr01

Gran Turismo 4

Driving Mission FAQ
Copyright 2005 Pierce Hubbard (fphjr01)
Date Created: 5/13/05
Last Updated: 5/24/05
[email protected]
v1.0


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEGAL STUFF

This FAQ may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, 
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed 
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other 
web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a 
violation of copyright.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you have suggestions/comments/corrections email me and I will credit you.

A site may use this faq, provided that my permission is requested via email

Sites with permission to use this FAQ:

www.gamefaqs.com
www.neoseeker.com

===============================================================================

Table of Contents

0.0  Introduction

1.0  The Pass           [TP]
     1.1  Missions 1-9  [M1-9] 
     1.2  Mission 10    [M10]
     
2.0  3 Lap Battles      [3LB] 
     2.1  Mission 11	[M11]
     2.2  Mission 12	[M12]
     2.3  Mission 13	[M13]
     2.4  Mission 14	[M14]
     2.5  Mission 15	[M15]
     2.6  Mission 16	[M16]
     2.7  Mission 17	[M17]
     2.8  Mission 18	[M18]
     2.9  Mission 19	[M19]
     2.10 Mission 20	[M20]

3.0  Slipstream Battles [SB]
     3.1  Mission 21	[M21]
     3.2  Mission 22	[M22]
     3.3  Mission 23    [M23]
     3.4  Mission 24	[M24]

4.0  1 Lap Magic        [1LM]
     4.1  Mission 25	[M25]
     4.2  Mission 26	[M26]
     4.3  Mission 27	[M27]
     4.4  Mission 28	[M28]
     4.5  Mission 29	[M29]
     4.6  Mission 30	[M30]
     4.7  Mission 31	[M31]
     4.8  Mission 32	[M32]
     4.9  Mission 33	[M33]
     4.10 Mission 34    [M34]
          4.10.1  The SLR
          4.10.2  Preparing for Mission 34
          4.10.3  Sector by sector analysis
          4.10.4  Splits and AI Time

5.0  Credits 


     
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0.0  Introduction to Driving Missions

     The driving mission is new to the gran turismo series, and they are alot
like license exams with other cars on the road with you.  Unlike license exams
you will not "fail" for going off the track, but, if you bump a wall, or 
another vehicle, you will earn a "5 second penalty" (more on this in a moment).
So, to pass these missions, you will need to finish ahead of all the AI cars
before an arbitrary finish line.  Often times you are given a car with 
identical or sometimes inferior handling / acceleration characteristics, so 
you will need to be a better driver than the AI to win.  In other cases, you 
will be given a far superior vehicle, but you will start way behind the lead
car, and must use your skill and the vehicle's performance to catch the leader.

     If you are just starting to play GT4, then you'll probably find all of the
missions (except 1-9) to be rather difficult.  Rather than try and try again,
I recommend playing other parts of the game first (beginner hall, pro hall,
etc.), and then come back once you've gotten more experience.  If you plan on
passing the 3 Lap Battles and 1 Lap Magics, you MUST have each track 
memorized.  Also, it takes a couple of tries even for a good driver to adjust
to the handling characteristics of each car, which is different every time.

     The 5-second Penalty:

     This new, and in my opinion, _extremely_ frustrating addition to GT4,
will probably cause you to fail more than once.  If you get a penalty, you 
will not be able to accelerate faster than 31mph for 5 seconds.  If you earn
a penalty by hitting something at high speed, you will not automatically slow
down, but rather will coast to 31mph.  You can earn a 5-second penalty in the 
following ways:

1.  You bump a wall, barrier, invisible boundary of the course, with the 
    FRONT HALF (i.e. front bumper, or front sides) of your vehicle with more
    than a very slight force.

2.  You bump another vehicle with the FRONT HALF of your vehicle with more 
    than a very slight force.

3.  Another vehicle bumps YOU, on the FRONT HALF of YOUR vehicle with more
    than a slight force.  This one _REALLY_ sucks, because you can have 
    passed an AI car, and if they decide to take a bonehead line and manage
    to bump you, then you get a penalty, through no fault of your own.  
    Sorry.

In general, if you hit a barrier, wall, or another vehicle with the REAR HALF
of your car, then often you will find you will NOT get a penalty.  Also, on 
some tracks you can "wallride", which basically means to VERY GENTLY bring the
side of your car in contact with a wall, and then hold the gas around the turn,
letting the wall redirect your vehicle.  In a few situations that I will point
out, wallriding can be used to a tremendous advantage, and, if you are careful,
will not earn you a 5-second penalty.    

    Finally, it should be noted that I play the US version of GT4.  In some 
cases (specifically Mission 34), the times required to pass the mission are
different for different versions (US, PAL, Japanese).  



===============================================================================

1.0  The Pass [TP]

1.1  Missions 1-9 [M1-9]
 
     I'm not going to dwell a lot on these missions, because they are actually
quite easy to do.  For these missions, all you have to do is this:  Note where
the AI brakes for the turn.  Brake slightly later than the AI, and turn inside
of the AI car.  You want to brake less than the AI, but not so much less that 
it causes your car to slide.  A winning tactic will be to brake late, and steer
your car so that the FRONT HALF of your car is ahead of the AI.  Once this 
happens, you can make contact with the AI car without the 5-second penalty.
Simply use the AI car to direct your vehicle around the turn, and then hit the
gas to the finish.  If you hit the gas too late, you may need to push the AI
off the course.  This is fine, provided the front half of your vehicle does not
make contact with the AI car.


1.2  Mission 10 [M10]

     This is the first mission where you have more than one car to pass, and
more than one turn in which to pass them.  This mission takes place on the long
straight of Sarthe Circuit I.  There are 3 AI cars ahead of you.  Sarthe I is
the version with the chicanes, so you'll have to use a combination of drafting
and good turning to catch the AI.

     The key to this mission is to use the R2 button (if you are driving an
automatic).  The auto-shifted car shifts too early in my opinion, and you can
get quite an acceleration boost by running the car up into the redline.  
You should hold each gear until:

3rd - 74mph
4th - 91mph
5th - 115mph

     Using R2 and simply drafting the vehicles in front of you will probably
be enough to pass the AI in this mission.  However, if you want to take the
turns well, then use the following strategy.  For the first chicane, brake at
the 100m sign, and slow to 65mph for the R turn.  After cutting over the 
curbing, slow to 57mph, and coast through the second part of the turn, 
getting on the gas when you are clear.  For the second chicane, brake AFTER
the 100m sign, slow to 80mph and then 55mph.  For the final turn, you should
be ahead of the first place AI, but if you are not, just take an inside line
and you should be ok.  If you are REALLY far behind, just punt the leader
into the sand by ramming into his vehicle at full speed.  This will net you 
a 5 second penalty, but the AI will be so messed up you'll still be able to 
win.



===============================================================================

2.0  3 Lap Battles [3LB]

     For missions 11-20, you will start in last place, and will have 5 AI cars
to pass.  You will start near the starting line of the track given, and the AI
cars will start ahead of you.  Once you have control of the vehicle, you have
3 laps to pass all of the AI cars.  Because you have three laps, you need to 
be consistent to catch all the cars.  Contrary to what you may think, you 
dont need three perfect laps -- in fact, for most of the missions three 
average laps will suffice to catch all of the AI cars.  The key to passing 
these missions is try not to get any 5 second penalties, and more importantly,
dont quit if you have a subpar lap.  One not-so-great lap out of three wont 
doom you to failure -- keep racing!  

     For each of these missions, I'll provide some general strategy (how to 
drive the car, what to watch out for, when to pass cars, etc), and at the end
I'll provide the split times that I got when I passed the mission.  The 
hardest missions in this group in my opinion are 11, 14, and 18.


---------------
2.1  Mission 11 [M11]

     For this mission you'll be piloting an old toyota sports car.  Lots of 
people like to bash this car, because of its "poor" handling, but give it a 
break -- the car is almost 40 years old!  I think it actually handles quite
well for a vehicle so old.  The key to driving this car is to maintain as
much speed as you can, and try not to slide sideways by entering a corner with
too much speed.  Anyway, here's the deal.  

     You'll be driving around New York, a course that consists almost 
exclusively of 90deg turns.  This is nice, because each turn is basically the 
same as all the rest, so once you find the right speed through each turn, 
you're all set. I found that if you slow to 39-44mph before each of the 90deg 
turns, you wont slide and will have good exit speed.  You may need to slow more
than this for a series of turns in a row.  In general, USE THE GEAR INDICATOR!
I found that the light flashes at just the right time to start braking (maybe 
a little early).  When the light flashes -- start braking!  For the long circle
45mph is a good speed to have going around.  For the final, tight hairpin, slow
to about 33mph -- try to exit in a straight line with full gas.  

     Also, if you are using an automatic transmission, make use of the R2 
button.  Holding a gear into the redline will get you a little bit more 
acceleration, and if done consistently throughout the 3 laps, will save you 
a nice chunk of time.  You should pass the lead AI car soon after the hairpin
on the final lap.

Splits:

Lap 1  +26.7  +24.1  +19.6
Lap 2  +17.1  +13.1   +8.9
Lap 3   +5.9   +2.9   -0.6 

AI Time:  6'46.9


---------------
2.2  Mission 12 [M12]

     For this test, you'll be piloting a LeMans version of the Ford GT.  This
car is super fast, has strong brakes, and handles very well.  

     When piloting the GT, brake fairly late -- just before you actually
take the turn.  Most of the turns require brief braking, followed by a strong
application of throttle.  For the first turn, slow to about 60mph, and apply
just enough throttle to keep your speed, without going off course.  The rest
of the corners leading to the corkscrew are fairly easy -- brake late, gas on
at the apex, and dont drive into the grass.  For the corkscrew, you can
either choose to brake and drive through it properly, or brake and drive 
through the sand.  If you choose the latter, do it carefully, or you'll earn
a 5-second penalty when your car spins out of control.

     When I completed this mission, I found that the 5th place and 3rd place
cars are spaced just right so that if you aren't posting blistering lap times,
you'll have to pass them on the corkscrew.  This is undesirable, because 
you'll waste a lot of time trying to get around them at a section of the track
where there is no room to pass -- consider using the sand if this is the case.
Also, the 4th place car appears right at the final tight left hand corner.  
50mph is a good speed normally through this corner, but you may have to slow
more than this, and pass 4th place on the straight.  Slow more than you have 
to, and take an inside line to pass 4th place quickly.

Splits:

Lap 1  +18.3  +16.7  +15.6  +13.1
Lap 2  +10.9   +9.7   +7.9   +5.3
Lap 3   +3.0   +1.9   -0.2   -2.7

AI Time:  4'10.5


---------------
2.3  Mission 13 [M13]

     This test takes place at Opera Paris -- a tight track with narrow lanes.
It's difficult to pass cars on this track because of the close quarters, so
be especially wary of the 5-second penalty!  

     Your car handles pretty well in this test, so again you'll be braking
fairly late for the corners.  The first section of this track is the hardest
to do quickly.  I suggest you attempt license tests IA-9 and S-11 before 
you do this mission, so you have a good idea how to tackle this course.  
FFBeowulf has an excellent license test FAQ, so check that out if you have 
problems.  
    
     For the back straight, there is a slight left hand kink in the road.
To take this turn quickly, brake to ~105mph, COAST through the turn, and 
apply the gas once you know you wont hit the walls on the other side.  The AI
brakes way too early for the hard right at the end of the straight, so you'll
probably pass several of the AI cars by going to the inside, and braking late.

Splits:

Lap 1  +10.0  +8.3  +5.9
Lap 2   +5.1  +3.5  +3.0 
Lap 3   +2.4  +0.7  -1.3

AI Time:  4'37.9


---------------
2.4  Mission 14 [M14]

     A lot of people have problems with this mission, and for good reason. 
First, the lead car is a Buick Special, and it has a much better top speed than
you, so dont expect to catch it on the straights.  Second, you are driving a 
muscle car, which basically means it's good at driving in a straight line, but
sucks at taking turns.  Read the information about this mission to help you
learn to drive the superbird.  You need to brake VERY early for the turns, and
be careful not to get on the gas too quickly, or you'll get tons of oversteer.
Thankfully, the gear indicator is pretty good for this test, so when it 
flashes, start braking!  Also, if you are getting oversteer during a turn, turn
the steering wheel in the opposite direction (with the gas ON), to straighten
the car out.  
  
     For the first turn, brake as soon as the gear indicator flashes.  Slow to
34mph, and steer around the turn with little to no throttle.  When you can 
clear the apex, hit the gas, using the countersteer technique just described
to keep the car going in a straight line.  For the jumping section, there are
three hills to cross, and then a hard right.  You need to brake right as you
crest the short, flat section right after the third jump.  You'll find the 
brakes are even less effective than usual, because your traction is low when
cresting a hill -- be aware of this.  For the back straight, use the gear 
indicator as a marker (before the 100m sign), and slow to 50mph.  Use minimal
throttle to go around the turn and into the last section.  For the very last 
chicane, your exit speed is CRUCIAL to winning this mission.  You MUST avoid
sideslip, and you need to have as much speed as you can, because the Buick
Special is going to run away (or catch you, if you're ahead!) from you on the
front straight.

Splits:

Lap 1  +5.7  +4.9  +4.6
Lap 2  +3.2  +1.9  +3.0**
Lap 3  +1.3  +0.4  -0.2

**  When I passed this test, I actually attempted to pass the Buick Special 
near the end of the 2nd lap.  However, I bumped him, and earned a 5 second
penalty, which is why my split went from +1.9 to +3.0.  When you are racing,
aim to get within +1.3 seconds of the Special at the top of the course on the
last lap, and you should be ok.

AI Time:  6'03.1


---------------
2.5  Mission 15 [M15]

     For this test, you'll be piloting a Lancia Stratos around Cote d Azur -- a
very tight street track with narrow roads.  That being said, the performance
of the Lancia is much better than the AI cars, so this test is a breeze.  Be
careful with the Lancia though, as it tends to freak out if you have too much
speed in a corner -- brake early and more than you think.  
 
     For the first turn, slow to 48mph or so, and you should be able to make it
fine.  At the top of the course, there is a long left hand sweeper and with a 
hard right immediately following.  You can wallride around the sweeper and make
up lots of time -- be careful doing this though, because it's easy to get a 
penalty trying to turn right after the wallride.  If you choose to wallride,
brake in a straight line once you have finished the wallride, then start 
driving again.  For the back straight, there is a very tight chicane that 
requires a lot of braking.  I found that the gear indicator flashes way too
late to take this turn properly.  Start braking when you pass the columns that
stick out from the right of the course.  Slow to 33mph or so, and you should
be able to navigate the chicane easily.  

Splits:

Lap 1  +39.3  +31.5  +28.8
Lap 2  +22.8  +13.9   +9.6
Lap 3   +5.0   -3.8   -7.7

AI Time:  6'27.1

As you can see, I was able to beat the AI by a ton in this mission, so dont 
fret if you aren't getting similar splits.  Aim to finish in 6'27.0, or 2'09 
per lap.


---------------
2.6  Mission 16 [M16]

     For this test, you and the AI will be driving identical VW Beetle race 
cars.  Because all the cars are identical, you cant win by outpowering them on
the straights -- victory will be won in the turns.  Having said that, you CAN
gain an advantage on the AI by holding R2 if you are using an automatic 
transmission.

     Suzuka is a tough circuit to drive quickly, so if you dont have a good 
idea of what lines to take, you probably wont be able to catch the AI cars.
License test S-12 features this track, so try that first if you aren't 
familiar with the layout.  

     For the esses after the first corner, the best approach is to lift off the
throttle, and coast through the apex, applying the gas once you are through the
turn.  You need to use as many of the curbs as possible, because the esses is
where you will make up most of your time on this track.  Keep your speed high 
through here, and you'll start catching the opponents.  For the back straight
there is a left turn called 130R that leads to the final chicane.  You can 
take 130R at full speed, just be aware that you will cut across the grass.  In
a license test this would cause you to fail, but its ok in the driving mission.
Be sure to cut back onto the main road once you have the traction to do so.  
For the final chicane (Casio triangle) brake just before the Konami bridge -- 
this will feel very late, but your brakes are powerful so be brave!  Navigate 
your way through the chicane, and then get ready to do it all over.  In 
general, this mission is fairly easy in my opinion, but I've driven Suzuka a 
lot, so I'm very familiar with it.

Splits:

Lap 1  +14.1  +12.5  +10.7
Lap 2   +6.8   +4.7   +2.5
Lap 3   -1.2   -2.7   -5.4

AI Time:  7'38.8


---------------
2.7  Mission 17 [M17]

     This is a pretty easy mission.  You will be driving an Audi R8 race car
around Sears Point.  The performance of the R8 is excellent in all respects, 
so it will probably take you a couple of tries to find it's limits in terms of
cornering, acceleration, etc.  If you want to practice, you can try the S-13 
license test -- same course and car.  My only tips for the course are:  watch
the S-13 license demo to find the right line through the top section; for the
last of the esses leading to the final hairpin, slow to 140mph, and then you
should be able to navigate the last turn under full throttle.

Splits:

Lap 1  +20.2  +16.6  +13.7
Lap 2  +11.8   +7.6   +2.9
Lap 3  +0.7    -3.5  -13.1**

** For some reason, the Bentley (the lead AI car), doesn't accelerate at all
after taking the final right hairpin.  You can see this by watching the replay.
This causes the margin of victory to appear a lot larger than it really is.  
I'm not sure if the Bentley will accelerate out of the final turn if it is 
in 1st place around the final turn.

AI Time:  4'12.6


---------------
2.8  Mission 18 [M18]

     If you haven't done IA-16 and S-15 license tests yet, or you haven't done
an endurance race around the Sarthe Circuit, then you are going to struggle 
with this mission.  Your car is the uber-fast R92CP, and keeping this bad boy
under wraps is no small task.  If you simply cant be bothered to try the S-15
license, at least watch the demo to find what the racing lines are.  This test
uses the easier Sarthe II layout, without the chicanes on the Mulsanne straight
so you don't have to worry about those.  You need to be fast and consistent
to pass this mission, so it's probably going to take several attempts.  Sarthe
is a very narrow track, so your driving lines MUST be precise, and your entry
and exit speeds spot on, or you are going to lose a ton of time or fly right
off the course.  Again, consult FFBeowulf's license FAQ for an indepth look
at the two license tests, especially S-15.

     There are two pieces of advice that I can offer when working on this test.
First, you need to be fast through the infield section leading to the long 
straight on the first lap.  If you can't catch the 5th place AI car before the
very sharp right at the end of the Mulsanne, then you are probably going to 
lose too much time following, or get a 5 second penalty trying to pass.  To
do this, you need to hit the first split on the Mulsanne (2nd split overall) at
+30.5s or so.  It goes without saying that you should use the draft of the AI
vehicles whenever possible -- just dont ram their rear end.  Second, there are 
three sets of chicanes on this course -- one left-right near the starting line, 
and a pair back-to-back at the end of the course.  The fastest line to take 
through these is of course a straight line -- dont try to follow the contour 
of the curbs, cut right through.  If you are unlucky, an AI vehicle will appear 
right in your way, so if that's the case, cut through the sand to get around 
them.  Some have suggested that for the final two chicanes, you can cut 
straight through the sand.  This is a risky tactic, but it could save you a 
bunch of time.  If you choose to sand-cut, then be sure that you do NOT make 
ANY steering inputs until all 4 of your tires are back on the pavement.  If 
you turn/brake/accelerate with less than 4 tires on the pavement, I can almost
guarantee that you'll spin out.  Nevertheless, driving as straight a line as
possible on the pavement through the chicanes will earn you a lot of time.  

Splits:

Lap 1  +32.5  +30.3  +28.6  +27.9  +26.8  +26.1  +23.0
Lap 2  +20.3  +18.3  +16.5  +15.3  +14.2  +12.4   +9.4
Lap 3   +7.4   +4.9   +3.3   +2.3   +1.1   -0.7   -6.8 

AI Time:  9'15.0


---------------
2.9  Mission 19 [M19]

     For this mission, you and the AI will be piloting identical (though 
differently colored) S2000's.  Like other missions with identical vehicles, 
you can't win with top speed -- you have to out-turn your opponents to win.
That said, this mission is really easy.  If you were able to pass the Beetle
mission, then this race will be cake.  This time, you are racing around Suzuka
east, which only has the esses and a single straight.  Since the cars are
all the same, you will only make up time in the esses.

     For the first corner, which is a two part corner, brake to 85mph for the
first turn, and then 58mph for the second.  The next section consists of the
esses, which you've seen before by now.  Try to go through the esses at about
72-74mph.  Before each turn, tap the brake slightly or lift off the throttle.
Be careful lifting off the throttle mid-turn, though, because this S2000 (and
all of them in the game apparently) possess a handling characteristic called
lift-throttle oversteer.  Basically what this means is if you are taking a 
turn with the gas on, and you let off the throttle, your rear end is going
to swing wide.  This is great for navigating sharp turns, but it doesn't help
as much when taking gradual bends.  Use the curbing as much as possible to
keep your car on the proper line.  I actually passed all of the AI cars in 
the esses on the 2nd lap, but I went into the sand leading onto the straight,
which is why my split has me up 0.8s.

Splits:

Lap 1  +4.3
Lap 2  +0.8
Lap 3  -4.3

AI Time:  3'25.7


----------------
2.10  Mission 20 [M20]

      For this test, you'll be driving the Nissan mm-R car.  This car has a 
lower top speed than the lead car, an NSX, so you'll have to make up time by 
out-turning your opponents.  Like the description says, this car has excellent
brakes, so you'll catch your opponents by braking much later and for a much 
shorter time than they do.  

      Tsukuba has 3 hairpin turns and a long sweeper right before the finish
line.  For each of the hairpins, brake LATER than the gear indicator (quite
a bit later actually), and slow to ~38mph.  Hit the gas after crossing the
apex, and keep your speed high through the rest of the turns.  For the final
sweeper, brake to 73-75mph, and dont hit the gas too early, or you'll go into
the grass right before the finish line.  This mission is fairly easy.

Splits:

Lap 1  +3.8  +2.3  +2.2
Lap 2  +1.8  +1.0  +0.3**
Lap 3  -0.3  -2.1  -4.4

** I actually passed the NSX around the final hairpin on the 2nd lap, but 
since the NSX has a better top end, he got around me on the straight.

AI Time:  3'41.7



===============================================================================

3.0  Slipstream Battles [SB]

     For each of these battles, you and the AI will be driving identical cars
around Test Course.  The goal here is to use aerodynamics to your advantage to
catch and pass the lead vehicle, which is usually a good distance ahead.  To 
do this, you need to "draft" the other vehicles.  Drafting works to reduce the
aerodynamic drag on your vehicle.  With decreased wind resistance, your engine
can push the car slightly faster, or you can accelerate to your top speed more
quickly.  The effects of a car's draft last for several car lengths behind it,
so you dont have to be right on a car's bumper to draft it.  So, for each of
these missions, using the AI car's draft is the only way to catch them.

     Tips for drafting:

1.   For missions 21, 22, and 24, keep the right 2 tires on the outer yellow
     line of the straight portions of the track.  This will ensure that you
     pick up the AI's draft as soon as possible, which will help you catch 
     the cars as quickly as possible.

2.   Stay in the draft as long as you can.  If it helps, switch views so that
     you can see your front bumper and the AI car's bumper.  Pull out of the
     draft at the last possible moment, but don't do so abruptly -- sudden
     vehicle movements increase wind resistance, or can cause you to slide.

3.   On the corners, stay higher up on the track than the AI.  When turning,
     the draft of the AI is still there, but it is in a line diagonal to the
     track.  By driving a line higher than the AI, you can pick up an AI car's
     draft around a turn, which is better than waiting to do it on a straight.
     This also means you should pass AI cars to the OUTSIDE when going around 
     a turn.


---------------
3.1  Mission 21 [M21]

     For this test, you'll be driving a Nissan Cube.  These cars are really 
slow, so your acceleration is pretty bad.  If you follow the general advice
above, you should have no problem with this test.  If you are using an 
automatic transmission, be sure to NOT let the car switch into 4th gear until
you are well into the 5th place car's draft (you should pick it up around the 
turn leading onto the back straight).  Once in the draft, you can switch to 
4th and continue to accelerate.  You only have 1 lap to pass all the cars.

Splits:  +11.5  +10.1  +7.8  +4.9  -1.4


---------------
3.2  Mission 22 [M22]

     This test is identical to mission 21, except now you are driving a 
minivan instead of a Nissan Cube.  The minivan is marginally faster than the
Cube, but other than that, employ exactly the same tactics that you used in
Mission 21.  In particular, pass the AI cars to the outside, so you can pick
up the next car's draft when rounding the turns.  Also, stay out of 5th gear
for the entire race -- if you switch to 5th, you wont be able to hold the 
speed that you gained from drafting as long as if you are in 4th.  Again, 
this is a 1 lap race.

Splits:  +12.1  +11.0  +5.6  +3.2  -1.0

AI Time:  3'10.4


---------------
3.3  Mission 23 [M23]

     Ahhh mission 23.  If gamefaqs had a dollar for every thread this mission
generated, CJayC would be a rich person.  For whatever reason, Polyphony 
Digital decided to make this test much more challenging than the rest.  First,
the AI cars aren't equally spaced.  The lead car is way, way ahead, and the
2nd-5th place cars are all in a pack.  To catch the lead car, you need to take
a "leapfrog" approach -- draft the AI cars, speed up and pass them, have the
AI cars then draft and pass you, and then repeat the cycle.  If you dont draft
the AI, eventually you'll slow down to 163mph, which is the speed of the lead
car, and you wont make up any ground.  The catch is, the AI wont draft you 
unless you force it to.  Finally, if any AI car is going faster than 163mph
when it starts to turn around the long sweepers, it will hit the brakes (!) 
and slow to 163mph.  So, you will need to do some serious manipulation of the
AI cars to win this challenge.  You have 3 laps to catch the lead car.

     If you've read the threads on the message boards about this mission, there
are lots of different strategies.  Some people say you need to stay in 5th gear
the entire time, others say you should always have the AI bump you in the rear
instead of draft them, etc.  Here's my strategy, and I can beat this mission
10 out of 10 tries using it.  So, for what its worth, here we go.

1.  It doesn't matter whether you stay in 5th gear the whole mission or not.  
    I've beaten the mission allowing the car to shift into 6th when it wants, 
    as well as keeping it in 5th the entire time.  My suggestion is let it 
    shift when it wants.  That's one less button to press for 10 minutes, and 
    one less thing to worry about.

2.  There are two ways to increase your speed over 163mph.  First, you can 
    draft an AI vehicle ahead of you.  Second, you can let an AI car draft you,
    and when it is about to pass you (almost always to the inside, by the way),
    you cut it off, and the AI will ram your rear end, giving you a speed 
    boost.

3.  The preferred method of increasing speed is by drafting.  You can get to
    higher speeds by drafting, and the total time you spend over 163mph is 
    longer than if you get bumped in the rear.  The exception to this rule is 
    that if the AI car passes you right before a turn, it will slow down, and 
    not give you any time to draft it.

4.  Based on 3., you need to make a decision on the straights.  You can
    either a) let the AI pass you when they draft, pull in behind the AI, and
    draft it, or b) block the AI and take a bump to increase speed.  My rule of
    thumb is this.  If you are more than 2/3 the way down the straight, take 
    the bump.  Otherwise, let the AI draft and pass you.  You'll probably find
    that sometimes the AI will bump you even if you dont move.  To prevent 
    this, use your rearview mirror, and MOVE OUT OF THE WAY if you have to.

5.  Never let off the gas at any point during the entire race.  Never. 

     So here's what you do.  For the very first straight and the first turn,
you'll be behind all the AI cars.  You'll start to catch them around the first
turn, where they should be in a big pack.  Draft them as much as possible, and
pass to the INSIDE of all the cars (yes the inside).  Preferrably, you can get
going as fast as 174-176mph on this first draft.  Once you are past all the AI
cars, let your car float up so that the right 2 tires are on the yellow line
closest to the wall.  Use as little steering as you can to make the turn, and
then make sure your right 2 tires stay on the yellow line onto the straight.
Because you got going so fast on this first turn, the AI will be pretty far
behind on the back straight.  Use your rearview mirror to make sure that your
car and one of the AI's is in a straight line.  Your first time down the back
straight, the AI may not even get close enough to bump you.  This is ok!  As 
long as the AI cars are close to you around the turn, you're fine.  For the
second time down the front straight, the AI will likely be close behind, so
let them pass, and then draft them.  Always check your rearview mirror when 
you pass, and MAKE SURE one of the AI cars is always right behind you.  This
will help prevent a situation where you get so far ahead the AI can't keep up.
For the rest of the straights, use the 2/3 rule.  Use minimal steering inputs
to negogiate the turns.  Using this strategy, I can usually catch the lead car
On the back straight of the 3rd lap.  If you can see the lead AI rounding a 
turn, move up on the track to help catch it's draft.  You'll be able to get
going really fast by drafting the lead AI (180mph or even faster), so once you
pass the AI, you are all set.  Be sure not to let the AI draft you once you
are in 1st place.

Splits:

Lap 1  NONE +13.7  +8.2  +7.7  +6.7
Lap 2  +6.6  +6.5  +4.5  +4.2  +3.0
Lap 3  +2.9  +2.8  even  -1.5  -2.7

AI Time:  7'04.6


---------------
3.4  Mission 24 [M24]

     For this mission you'll be driving a racing S2000 with a wing.  Because
of the wing, the draft effect is very drastic.  I found that for this mission
the quieting effect that you hear when you enter another car's draft is not
as drastic as usual.  That's ok though, because you'll be able to tell 
immediately when you have picked up a draft -- your car will accelerate 
quickly.  Again, if you are passing AI cars during the turns, go outside,
and stay high on the course to pick up the next car's draft.  Finally, the
AI seems to like to draft you on this course, so don't let them draft you
once you are in first place!

Splits:

Lap 1  +9.4  +8.8  +8.0  +7.3  +6.0
Lap 2  +5.8  +5.4  +4.0  +2.9  +1.5
Lap 3  +1.3  +1.1  -0.5  -0.3  -0.4

AI Time:  5'52.2



===============================================================================

4.0  1 Lap Magic [1LM]

     These tests are somewhat similar to the 3 Lap Battles, except instead of
placing the AI ahead of you at the start, you have to sit and wait a 
predetermined amount of time, and watch the AI cars take off ahead of you.  
The wait times are up to 2 minutes, so this can quickly get annoying when you
want to stop and restart.  I dont know why Polyphony Digital chose to do it 
this way, but whoever was in charge should have been fired.  Grrrr.  Also, 
from the title, you now have one lap instead of three to catch all the cars.
So, unlike the 3 Lap Battles, which required 3 decent laps, now you need one
really good lap to win.  A few of these are gimmies, but for the most part you
need to be fast, with a capital 'F'.  Mission 34 is far and away the hardest of 
any of the driving missions.  Its probably the only reason you are reading this 
guide.  Its also the hardest thing to do in the entire game, and may be the 
hardest challenge ever presented in a Gran Turismo game.  


---------------
4.1  Mission 25 [M25]

     For this mission, you'll need to complete one lap around Fuji 80's in
a Pitwork Z (JGTC car).  You start 35s behind the lead car.  This test is 
really easy, as there are only 3 turns in the entire lap that require braking.
For the first hairpin, slow to 64mph, and then hit the gas once you can clear
the 2nd apex.  Dont slow at all for the slight left leading to the long
right sweeper.  For this sweeper, slow to 105-110mph, and coast until the
course straightens out, and then apply gas.  For the 4th turn (left hairpin),
slow to 58mph, and then use the throttle to steer you out.  From there, just
hold the gas on the entire time, and dont ram any cars, as you'll be passing
them at a significantly higher speed.

Splits:  +22.4  +14.8  +5.9  -1.6

AI Time:  1'51.1


---------------
4.2  Mission 26 [M26]

     In this mission, you'll be driving an NSX around Suzuka.  This mission
has the second longest wait time (90s) of any of them, which can get you 
frustrated in a hurry, so try to stay patient.  Because the AI cars are so
much slower than you, they'll be way ahead -- which is good, because you dont
have to worry about passing any of them until the last 1/3 of the course.  This
can be a problem, though, because the AI cars will appear almost stationary
when you blast by in your race car -- so stay away from them!
 
     The first corner is a two-part, decreasing radius turn.  The first part
of this corner requires no braking -- go right for the apex at full throttle.
Once you've passed the apex, brake in a straight line to ~65mph, and then 
turn through the second part of the corner.  For the esses, try to go through
them at 95-100mph, and keep up your speed, because you make up a lot of time
here.  For Degner, brake to ~100mph, and turn right at the 50m marker.  For
the second half of Degner, slow to 67mph, and drive over the curbing to get
good acceleration out of the turn.  For the sharp hairpin after Degner, slow 
to 35mph, and hit the gas once you can clear the turn.  For Spoon, follow the
black tire marks that are on the track -- you'll need to brake a fair amount
for the first turn, but not much for the second -- coast here instead of 
braking.  The final turns are 130R and the Casio triangle.  If you aren't super
fast through the first 2/3 of the course, then you will find that the 3rd 
place AI vehicle will be sitting in the middle of 130R, which makes it 
almost impossible to pass.  Your 2 options are:  1)  Go to the outside, and I
mean WAY outside of the vehicle at high speed, which risks a 5 second penalty
because you'll hit the outer wall  2) slow down enough so that you pass the 
AI to the inside.  Neither of these options is a great one, so my suggestion
is really work hard on the first part of the course to get a fast split.  If
you dont get to the split right after Degner at +52.0s or less, then you'll 
probably have a problem with the 3rd place AI.  If you can beat +52.0s, then
you'll be able to pass 3rd place on the straight, JUST before 130R, which makes
life A LOT easier.  For the final chicane (Casio), use the gear indicator to
start braking.  Cut across the curbs as much as you can, and mash that gas
so you can catch the last two cars -- go to the inside of them or you'll be
in the grass.

Splits:  +51.7  +15.8  -0.5

AI Time:  3'30.1


---------------
4.3  Mission 27 [M27]

     This time you'll be driving the great 787B around Laguna Seca.  You've 
probably seen this track before, if you've already done Mission 12, so now
you'll be driving an even faster car, and the AI will be slower -- which makes
passing dangerous.  You start 50s behind the lead car.  

     I found that the 787B understeers a good bit once the gas is on, so you
will probably have to tap the gas around the corners to avoid going off into
the grass.  Dont go to full throttle until you are quite sure you'll make the
turn.  You'll want to pass the RX7 (5th place) BEFORE the HMMMM bridge, or 
it will slow you down on the short straight leading up to the corkscrew.  
Also, the 3rd and 2nd place AI vehicles are very close to each other, and 
when I went through, I had to pass them on the final hard left turn.  If this
happens to you, brake a ton, and pass to the inside of both of them.

     Here's a list of suggested speeds through some of the corners:

1st turn - slow to 50mph, and drive deep into the first turn, then cut 
           sharply around the 2nd turn -- wait to apply the gas or you'll 
           go into the sand.
2nd turn - slow to ~75mph, then hit the gas (again wait just a bit)
3rd turn - 90mph
4th turn - 73mph
Corkscrew - brake just before the curbing on the right side of the course
            appears, go through the 'screw at about 45mph or so
Turn after the corkscrew - slow to about 90mph, gas on once your are going 
                           in a straight line

Splits:  +33.4  +21.5  +11.0  -1.3

AI Time:  2'09.8


---------------
4.4  Mission 28 [M28]

     In this mission, you'll be driving a JGTC Celica around a newer Fuji
track.  This test is only slightly harder than Mission 25, because there are
a few more corners that require braking.  If you've made it this far, then
you have a pretty good idea how to drive a race car.  You start 37s behind.
For some reason, there aren't any splits during this race, so I'll provide
some times where I got to certain parts of the course to help you out.  
Overall, this test is pretty easy, so you shouldn't have many problems.
Just watch out for the turns leading onto the final straight -- they are
exceptionally sharp, and basically impossible to see before you are right on
them, so take it slow.

Time Checks:  

1.  Hairpin in the middle of the course (4th? turn overall):  1'21.xxx
2.  Start of final straight:  2'09.xxx

If you can get to the final straight by 2'11 or so, you'll be fine.

Split (at finish):  -4.3

AI Time:  2'30.9


---------------
4.5  Mission 29 [M29]

     For this mission, you'll drive a C5R around Sears Point.  This car isn't
as fast as the Audi you drove in Mission 17, so in some respects this test 
will be easier, because you won't reach the insane speeds you did in the audi.
Hopefully by now you've got a good idea of what to expect from Sears Point --
the first part is tricky because of the elevation changes, the last part is 
pretty easy provided you dont go into the grass in the esses.  The only AI
car that is difficult to pass is the 3rd place car.  The best way to do it is
just go inside of it -- this will take you into the grass, but dont worry 
about it, its faster than trying to overtake the car to the outside.  
 
     Some suggested speeds for various turns:

1st Left-Right combo:  125mph up the hill, then slow to 60mph for the 2nd turn
2nd Left-Right combo:  90mph through the first, then slow to 80mph for the 2nd
Hairpin after ^:  slow to 55mph, gas on at the apex
Sweeper after ^:  80mph or so, stay to the inside as much as you can, hit the
                  gas when you see the curbing on the left
Hairpin after ^:  40mph
Last Hairpin:  48mph

Splits:  +31.3  +14.1  -0.1**

** This last split is a little deceptive.  I was on track to win by a second
or so, but I went into the sand right before the final hairpin, as I was a 
bit overzealous in the final S-turn.  If I hadn't gone off, I'd probably have
won by a much bigger margin than 0.1s

AI Time:  2'15.1


---------------
4.6  Mission 30 [M30]

     For this mission, you'll be driving a WRX STi race car around Tsukuba.
This is a short track, and you are 53s behind, so you have a lot of ground to
make up, and not much time to do it.  Fortunately though, it is pretty easy to
drive fast around Tsukuba.  There are 3 hairpin turns to negogiate, and all
the rest are pretty easy.  The gear indicator flashes too early for all of
the turns in this mission, so ignore it.  Your brakes are very powerful, and
you never get going all that fast, so brake REALLY late, right before you
actually make the turn.

Suggested speeds for the hairpins (in order):

1st - 43mph  2nd - 40mph  3rd - 38mph

For the final sweeper, brake to 78-80mph, and hug the inside line.  The apex
is really late for this turn, so gently tap the gas to maintain speed until
you can go full throttle.  Dont go to far to the outside, or you'll bump the
lead AI car right before the finish.

Splits:  +34.2  +23.1  -0.3

AI Time:  1'56.8


---------------
4.7  Mission 31 [M31]

     This mission is pretty annoying.  Unlike the previous tests, where you 
have a nice car to drive, the Lotus Espirit featured here has lousy handling.
You'll be doing one lap around the high speed ring, so you'll need to make the
turns keeping your speed as high as possible to win.  You have 18s to make up.

     For the first turn, use the gear indicator as a brake point and slow to 
about 90mph.  Tap the gas to maintain speed until you have cleared the turn,
THEN go to full throttle.  You should pass the elise in 5th just before an
S-turn.  For the first turn in the S, slow to 70mph or so, again staying OFF
the gas until you have cleared the turn.  For the second part, slow to 65mph.
Keep in mind there wont be much of a straight, so you wont be applying much
gas through the S turn.  For the right hand turn at the bottom left of the
graphic on the screen, slow to 90mph or so -- use as much of the track width
as you can to keep your speed high.  For the final turn, no braking is
required -- you may need to let off the gas to make the turn, but you need to
have your speed as high as possible in order to catch 1st place before the
finish -- again use all of the track width.  Finally, draft the 2nd place and
1st place cars to get a little extra speed, trust me you'll need all you can
get to win this one.

Splits:  +10.1  -0.2

AI Time:  1'44.6


---------------
4.8  Mission 32 [M32]

     For this test, you'll be driving the Ford GT around Seattle reverse.  
This mission is really easy -- I got a 5 second penalty right after the 
jumping section, and I still beat the SHO to the finish by a second.  The 
only problem I forsee anyone having is learning to drive the Ford GT 
appropriately.  The Ford GT has a good amount of lift-throttle oversteer, 
which I've explained before.  Seattle is an excellent place to take 
advantage of L.T.O., as most of the turns are very tight.  The key to using
the GT effectively is realize that you cannot trailbrake in this car and
go fast.  You MUST do all the braking BEFORE you start your turn -- this way
you can tap the gas in mid turn, take advantage of L.T.O. to round the 
corners quickly and get on the gas.

     Like I said, I got a 5 second penalty and still won this mission.  Also,
the splits below aren't that great -- a good driver of the GT can do much, 
much better.  Enjoy the easy one.

Splits:  +18.3  +6.2  -1.0

AI Time:  2'14.3


---------------
4.9  Mission 33 [M33]

     In case you haven't gotten totaly sick of driving around Sears Point, 
here's one last chance in the driving mission arena.  This time, you'll be
driving the Cadillac Cien.  The Cien has lots and lots of horsepower, but
I think the brakes leave a lot to be desired.  Hence, you need to brake 
much earlier for this test than you have in the past.  That said, the gear
indicator is pretty decent in this test.  You start 21s behind, and its
not difficult at all to catch the lead AI.  The 4th place and 2nd place
AI vehicles are a little annoying to pass -- 4th place appears right at 
the hairpin at the top of the course, and 2nd place will present the same
problem that you had in the corvette challenge.  Use the same strategy to
pass the 2nd place car -- go inside over the grass.  For 4th place, go to 
the inside, which will require you to slow down a lot.  Again, this mission
is pretty easy, and the splits below aren't that great, so you shouldn't 
have much problem.

Splits:  +16.2  +6.1  -1.5

AI Time:  2'10.3


----------------
4.10  Mission 34 [M34]

      4.10.1  The SLR

      The SLR you'll be driving in this mission has a ton of horsepower, so it
is capable of very fast speeds.  However, it also weighs a lot for being a
sports car, so you'll have to fight all that inertia through the corners.  
Another problem here is that the combination of high speed and inertia result
in a tendancy for the SLR to lose contact with the pavement.  This is really
bad, because if you land and make even a SLIGHT steering adjustment, more than
likely you will fly wildly out of control.  Sometimes you dont even have to
make steering adjustments -- the car will land and just become uncontrolable.
This is a result of the texture of the road surface been rather uneven.  So,
how do we control this beast you ask?  The key to keeping the SLR on the 
pavement is timely use of the airbrake.  If you drive the SLR, you'll notice
that any time you hit the brakes, a spoiler will pop up from the trunk area.
The purpose of the spoiler is to provide extra downforce to help slow the car
down.  If you want to pass mission 34, there are a few sections where this
will be essential to staying on the pavement.  

      Also, because the SLR has so much power, and you're only given sport 
medium tires to work with, the car will understeer if you try and turn a 
corner with full or even partial throttle.  To avoid this, your strategy 
should be to trailbrake through the corners, and hit the gas once you are 
clear of the apex.  Trailbraking is tricky though, because if you dont brake 
enough before the turn, then you're simply going to go off course -- finding 
the right brake points is the key to driving fast around the ring.  The 
except to the trailbraking rule is if you encounter a multiple corner (i.e 
more than one corner in a row without any straight in between).  If you 
attempt to trailbrake for multiple corners (like S turns or the technical
section after the banked pavement), you'll find you wont be on a good line
for all the corners after the first one.  For multiple corners, you need
to brake before the corners, and then use the throttle judiciously to get
through.

      A final piece of advice regarding the transmission.  The stock tranny on
the SLR is geared extremely wide.  There are 6 gears I think, and my bet is 
you'll never see 5th or 6th at any point on the ring.  Because of the wide
gearing, you need to make every gear count.  If you drive an auto, make sure
to use the R2 button to hold each gear for maximum acceleration.  For 2nd 
gear, hold R2 until 97mph (a little more or less depending on whether you are
going up or down hill).  For 3rd, hold it until you hit 149mph.  After the
first turn, I was in either 2nd or 3rd for about 90% of the course.  Holding
R2 consistently will save you a lot of time.


      4.10.2  Preparing for Mission 34

      Perhaps the most annoying feature of this mission is that you have to 
sit and wait for 123 seconds before you can even take a shot at this mission.
When you are just starting out, and you screw up on the first few turns, this
is really annoying when you want to start over and try again.  Because of 
this, I recommend that you practice elsewhere before you attempt this mission.
Here's what you need.

1.  You need a car that matches the one that you'll be driving in M34.  
    Fortunately, all you need to do is buy a stock SLR from the Mercedes
    dealer, and you'll be all set.  Leave the driving aids on default, and you
    should have a decent replica of what you can expect from M34.  When I was
    practicing for this mission, I found that the SLR in the mission is a bit
    floatier than the stock one you buy -- so maybe the suspension is a 
    little softer?  I wouldn't mess with it though.  If you haven't practiced
    much, even the stock SLR will present a challenge for you around the
    practice course.

2.  The second thing you need is a target lap time.  Obviously, you dont want
    to recreate the conditions you'll see in Mission 34, because then you'll
    be waiting for 2 minutes every lap.  Practice laps give you a running
    start, and in mission 34, you start from a standstill -- so what do you
    do?  

    Here's the deal.  The lead AI in mission 34 finishes in approximately
    9'13.0.  The range of times will be a few tenths above or below this time.
    You start 123 seconds behind the SLR, so that brings the lap down to 
    7'10.0.  However, the lead AI starts in first place, and you are in sixth
    on the starting line.  From a standstill, it takes about 3.5s or so to
    reach the starting line.  So figure on aiming for, AT MINIMUM, a lap of
    7'06.5 in practice.  Until you can get a laptime within a second or so of
    this time, dont bother with mission 34.  Either run the 4hr 'Ring 
    endurance race, or practice on the practice track until you can get this
    time.  Be careful in practice though, because you wont be penalized for
    hitting walls -- try to run as clean a lap as you can!  No cheating!  
    Once you can hit 7'06 or so reasonably consistently, you are ready to take
    a shot at the mission.  Here are some splits to guide you on your 7'06
    quest.  I used the full running start to get them:

    T1     45.6        T7   4'32.0
    T2   1'19.9        T8   5'14.3
    T3   1'46.7        T9   5'36.2
    T4   2'39.1        T10  6'19.5
    T5   3'16.6        T11  6'41.5
    T6   3'43.1        

    Finish  7'04.3


      4.10.3  Sector by sector analysis

      Ok, so you've practiced to the point where you can get a 7'06.5 with a
reasonable amount of consistency.  The focus of this section is to help you
to shave off those last few seconds from your time so you can pass the SL and
be done with this mission.  Please keep in mind that the speeds / strategy
posted here is the result of MY run when I finished -- it is by no means the
best or 'official' way.  It's simply what worked for me.  What works for me
may not work for you, but I'm writing the FAQ, so maybe you should at least
consider my advice.


Start -> T1

This is a fairly easy section to learn and become consistently fast at.  There
are a pair of complex corners, but neither of them is really all that tough.
Here's the breakdown.

1st L - You'll be able to accelerate from your 6th place position to a decent
speed, so you'll need to slow to about 50mph to round this corner.  As I've
said above, trailbrake here.

2nd R - You can take this turn much faster than you think -- check out S-16 
for the right idea.  The SLR needs only the BRIEFEST of a tap on the brakes,
and if you turn in very early, you can round this corner at high speed.  Try
to not slow down more than 107-108mph, and you'll be doing well.

LR Combo - The left turn in this section isn't much of a left, basically all
it does is prevent you from braking in a straight line.  With that, focus your
braking on being able to make the R turn without crashing into the wall.  If
you slow to about 62mph or so and hug the inside line, you can hit the gas
early and leave with good exit speed.

LRL Combo - These corners require slight braking.  None is required for the
initial left.  You should tap the brakes to slow to ~84mph, throttle on for
a brief moment, and then brake slightly longer to 70mph for the final L.  If 
you do this properly, your momentum will carry you to the outer curbing, but
not onto the grass.

Banked R - This turn is a little tricky, because the road dips away from the
curbing.  The optimum line is to allow your car to dip slightly with the road,
and NOT over the curbing.  Finding the right time to brake here is tough --
practice a few different spots to get it right.  The fastest I was able to get
through was at 62mph or so.

L after ^ - This turn shouldn't require any braking.  From here, just hit the
gas hard, and dont forget to use R2 when changing gears.


T1 -> T2

There are only 3 real corners in this section, but you can lose a surprising
amount of time on them.  This section is also very high speed -- so you will
have to worry about the SLR flying up off the pavement -- use the airbrake
to control this.

Hard R - This turn will appear right after you crest a small hill after 
getting your T1 split.  IMMEDIATELY after cresting the hill, slow to 115mph
or so (this will be a short hold of the brake), and start your turn.  
Depending on how quickly you can start your turn, you will probably have to
coast a little before applying throttle or you'll go off in the grass.  You
dont want that to happen, because you can't accelerate very well on grass.
This turn is difficult.

Hard L - This is the hard left turn after the reasonably long 'straight'.  
Again, you will crest a hill, causing a loss of contact with the pavement
almost immediately before you need to make steering / braking inputs.  I did
NOT use the airbrake here -- you dont want to lose any speed, and the car
will remain stable provided you dont make any changes until you land.  For
this turn, I made good use of the gear indicator -- hit the brakes when it
flashes, and AS SOON as it stops, turn hard for the left-side curbing and 
hit the gas.  If you do this correctly, you'll slow from 180mph to 140mph, 
and round the turn at full throttle.  

Hard R - There is a large sand area on the far side of this turn, to save
you if you overshoot.  There isnt much time between when you finish the turn
above and when you need to start braking.  If you look closely at the pavement
there is some graphiti written in red.  This is an excellent point to hit the
brakes.  Slow to 60mph or so.  This is a fairly long braking period.  Towards
the end of the braking, tap the steering wheel SLIGHTLY to the right, which
should start to guide the car towards the right-hand curbing.  Hit the gas
until you drift to the curbing on the opposite side.


T2 -> T3

Another short section.  This section was easier for me, because I used a 
grasscut right before the T3 checkpoint.

You start going fast downhill, with a few minor lefts and rights that can
be handled at full speed.  You'll turn left and head uphill.  For this next
section, I strongly suggest you revisit license IA-13.  You'll need to brake
earlier than in that test, but your line should be exactly the same.  Your
braking needs to be complete before you veer left over the curbing, or you'll
probably hit the wall on the opposite side.

If you can clear the trickly left-right, then just follow the left curbing
to the tight chicane.  Instead of navigating the chicane, simply drive 
straight over the small hill, and start turning right once you can see the
road.  I found that having the gas on before you hit the pavement helps to
prevent from sliding all the way across the road and into the grass on the
other side.  If you choose to use the grasscut, and do it correctly, it saves
you about 1.5 seconds!


T3 -> T4

The upcoming section is featured in license test A-14.  Although your SLR is
way faster than the TT, again, watch what the TT does to find the proper line.

After the T3 timecheck, there is a slight left, followed by a sharper left.  
Take the first left at full throttle, but slow to 108mph for the 2nd left.  
This leads to a L-R combo.  As I've said before, do NOT trailbrake into 
combination turns, as you will not be on a proper line.  For this L-R use
the gear indicator as a brakepoint, and slow to 62mph.  When you cross the
apex of the first L, you can go full throttle through the 2nd.

Hard R - The next turn is a hard R, and is a decreasing-radius corner.  Be 
careful of this type of corner, because you have to slow down in advance, and
more than you initially think.  Also, the wall is very close to the opposite
side of this turn, so if you are too fast you will almost certainly bash the
wall and earn a 5 second penalty.

LR Combo - This turn is very similar to the L-R combo you saw a few seconds 
ago.  You can go through this turn at a higher speed than before, but use
caution, as the road surface is very uneven and may cause the SLR to freak
out.  Slow to 95mph before the corners, and you should be able to take both
corners (in as straight a line as possible) at full throttle.

R,R Combo - Following ^, there will be two R turns.  Slow to 95mph for the
first, and then coast as you hug the inside of the turn.  Wait to apply 
throttle until you can see the road straighten -- if you hit the gas too
early, then you'll go off into the grass.  

RLR - This sequence is the last part of A-14.  The brakepoint for these
corners is later than you think -- hold the throttle until just before 
the curbing on the right hand side of the road.  You'll have to steer while
you brake, so keep this in mind.  Slow all the way down to 46mph, and then
throttle on hard.  Hug the right curbing initially, but then allow the car
to drift to the outside for a little better acceleration.  You'll get the T4
check when you cross some red graphiti on the pavement.


T4 -> T5

This section will start going downhill, and then there will be a gradual
left-right combo.

L - If you look over to the right as you head downhill, you'll notice a 
diagonal strip of pavement.  Hit the brakes as you pull even with this strip,
and slow to 67mph, coast briefly through the bottom of this 'valley' and 
then apply throttle.

R - This turn is soon after the L mentioned above.  The driving surface is
very uneven here, so that will reduce your grip and force you to slow down
more than you think you should have to.  Also, this R occurs at the crest
of a small hill, so your traction is reduced even more.  Slow down to 70mph
or maybe a little less, and you'll find that you can just make it without
crossing over into the grass (which I did a zillion times by not slowing
down enough).  Brake early for this turn -- if you are late, you wont be 
able to save it.

R - This is the same turn that you had to navigate in license IB-2.  This 
is also the site of your first wallride (if you choose to do that sort of
thing).  For this turn, you want to gradually go off course and bring your
left side in contact with the railing.  Hold the gas on through the entire
turn.  When you've completed the turn, you should be in 3rd, going about 
78mph or so.  As you cross back onto the pavement, let off the throttle
BRIEFLY, which should cause the transmission to shift up to 2nd gear.  If 
you dont do this, your acceleration will be lousy, and it will cost you 
several mph of speed in the next section.  Hold R2 as you normally would.


T5 -> T6

This section is almost entirely uphill.  For the uphill section, you should
be able to take every turn with full throttle.  Also, be sure to hold R2
until you hit 149mph -- this will ensure you can get as much speed as 
possible.  

At the top of the hill here, there is a sharp L turn.  I chose to 
wallride around this turn.  Be careful, though, as this is a difficult turn
to wallride without earning a 5 second penalty.  You need to bring the
ride side of your car in contact with the wall well in advance of the turn.
Instead of just holding the gas through, also turn L on your wheel or 
dualshock as you round the turn -- if you do it correctly, you wont hit
the wall with the front of your car.  Let off the gas when you are around
the turn, and gently guide your car back onto the pavement.  Use minimal
steering inputs here, as it is easy to upset the car's balance.


T6 -> T7

If you've done everything well up to now, you should have the SL65 in your
sights.  Soon after you get the T6 split, there will be a R turn.  Slow
briefly to 112mph for this turn.

Hard R - This is a sharp hairpin turn that leads to a short uphill section
that ends in the first banked section of pavement (Karrusel?).  Hit the
brakes when you cross the curbing on the left side of the track, and slow
to 50mph.  Again, this is a decreasing-radius corner, so dont get eager
with the throttle until the road straightens out.  I passed the SL65 going
uphill BEFORE I got to the banked pavement.

Banked Pavement - I wallrode around this turn.  Its pretty easy to do, and
will save you a nice chunk of time.  Also, if you aren't going super fast,
then you'll probably have to battle the SL65 here.  Wallriding makes it 
much easier to pass this car.

L - This turn is a slight left just before a LR combo that leads onto the
'technical' section of the 'Ring.  For this L, tap the brakes VERY briefly.
You may even be able to coast through this turn without braking -- just
dont go on the grass on the opposite side.

LR Combo - This turn is uphill, and leads directly into the technical 
section.  The gear indicator is spot-on here, so use it as your guide to 
start and stop braking.  Be careful though, as it doesn't appear without 
flashing, so you'll need to be watchful for it to appear.


T7 -> T8

This is the 'technical' section of the 'Ring.  I cannot stress enough just
how important this section is to your overall time.  More likely than not,
you'll go through this section a couple of times, and think that you've got
it down, when in fact you are still giving up a couple of seconds.  The 
proper line through here is almost entirely over the curbs.  If you find 
your car in the middle of the road, then you are off line and probably
going too slow.  You need to brake briefly BEFORE each turn as it comes,
and stay on the curbing!  Get half of the car over it if you can.  I'm not
going to post speeds through here, because there are so many corners in a 
row, you'll never have time to check your speed and stay on the course.  
My suggestion is go back and do license test A-16.  If you cant get gold
on that test, then you aren't driving the section properly.  In fact, you
should be able to do quite a bit better than gold.  If I recall correctly,
the gold time is 54.150s.  You should be able to go through in no more
than 54s flat.  If you have problems getting the gold, press the R3 button
(the right analog stick, press DOWN on the entire stick) for track lines to 
follow.  Practice this license test over and over and over again.  Keep in 
mind that you can go about 10mph faster in the SLR than in the license test.  

A-16 ends on a short straight, so for the next few turns you wont have a 
demo.  If all is going well, then you should pass the SL500 just before 
the finish of A-16.  The next turn is a R, with a large sand trap off to 
the opposite side.  Slow to 70mph for this turn, and wait to get on the 
throttle, or you'll probably visit said sand trap.

The final series in this section is a LR combo.  Again, this turn is
uphill, which makes your visibility poor, so brake in advance.  You can
cut the grass for the R turn of this combo if you dont slow enough for the
initial left -- this is ok, just keep in mind you are on the grass, and
traction is bad.  If you slow to 65mph before this combo, you should be 
able to negogiate them both under full throttle.  


T8 -> T9

This section starts with a slight left that can be taken at full throttle,
which then leads to a downhill section followed by a sharp right.  Just
before you need to make the right, however, there is a dip in the pavement,
which will cause your car to fly through the air.  Because of this, you
need to brake BEFORE the dip, and when you land, slow to 85-90mph as you
hug the inside curb.  There is a large sandtrap here, so if you go off, 
you'll slow down a ton, so do this turn correctly.

If that wasn't difficult, then the next little section certainly will be 
(at least it was for me).  There is a very slight left that leads sharply
downhill, which again will cause your car to fly in the air.  The added
bonus here is that the road has a very sharp crown.  This little turn 
cost me many a good run.  If you want to go through full throttle, it is
possible.  The best line I found was to set up on the right hand side of 
the road, and try to drive over the middle of the crown, and then hope I
landed in a straight line -- which doesn't happen often.  Good luck to you
if you take this approach.  A safer one, in my opinion, is to use the 
airbrake.  If you tap the brakes just before you crest the crown in the road,
then you wont fly in the air.  This slows you down, sure, but you can get
immediately back on the throttle.  I found that by hugging the inside left
of the crown, the body of the SLR rolls a bit, but you wont fly in the air
if the airbrake is up.  If you drive over the middle of the road, you will
still probably leave the pavement.  In either case, make sure your car is
settled before making any inputs -- even if this takes you slightly over
the grass.

For the final turn, which is a slight R, tap the brakes or coast through,
depending on how successful you were in keeping the car on-line through
the previous section.  There's a large grass area here, and the road is
reasonably straight, so even if you get the whole car off, you can recover
without much of a speed loss, so be brave.  You should be able to get
going pretty fast for the next section.


T9 -> T10

This section starts with a reasonably 'straight' section of the course, and
the first turn requires braking from high speed.

R - Use the gear indicator here as a brakepoint, slow to 85mph, and hug the
curbing as you do it.  Gas on at the apex.

L then L (banked) - For the first left in this series, there is another large
sandtrap on the opposite side.  Slow to 72mph and wait to get on the gas, or
you'll probably end up in the sand.  For the banked turn, brake quite early,
and slow to 60mph or so.  Coast through the bank, and hit the gas just before
you leave the banked pavement.

If you're doing well, you'll pass the 190E Touring car before you take the
R,R combo that leads to the very long straight.

R,R combo - These corners are tricky, and it is quite easy to go off into
the grass if you are too fast.  For this first right, brake at the graphiti
on the road, and slow to 90mph.  Dont get on the gas just yet!  Coast 
through the 2nd R turn, and hug the curbing.  Hit the gas just before you 
can see the road straighten out.  If you hit the gas too early, you'll find
that the tires will squeal, and you'll slide sideways.  This is ok provided
you dont go off, but it doesn't give you maximum exit speed for the straight.
If you wait just briefly while you coast around the 2nd turn, you wont slide,
and you can exit just a bit faster.  


T10 -> T11

Not much to say here.  Hold the throttle down, and use R2 for max 
acceleration.  If you are doing really well, you'll pass the Kompressor
just before the T11 split at the bridge.


T11 -> Finish

The final sequence of turns goes like this:  A slight L, a RL combo, and 
then a RLR combo.

For the slight left (which isn't that slight when you are going through it
at 200mph) can be taken flat out, provided you set yourself up correctly and
turn early.  

You'll need a lot of braking (from 200mph!) for the RL combo that comes up
very quickly.  The gear indicator is way, way late, so if you aren't 
braking well before it flashes you're in big trouble.  There is curbing on
the left side of the road.  Start braking about 5 car lengths before the
curbing -- this is hard to gauge correctly, so I'd work on it in practice
mode a few times to get it right.  Slow to 120mph or so, and then hold the
gas briefly to take you to the final section.

You should now be very close to the SL as you navigate the RLR combo.  If the 
SL wasn't there, then you could slow to 55mph for the first turn, full 
throttle through the second, and then slow to 50mph for the final turn that
heads uphill.  However, the SL will probably get in your way if you've run
a good lap, so be very careful!  The SL AI takes a pretty tight line through
here, and its probably the line you want to take.  So either stay right on 
its bumper until the final uphill stretch, or go in the grass around it.  
Dont worry about not passing it right away -- you have way, way more 
horsepower, and can easily win a drag race to the finish, even if you are a 
car length or two behind it rounding the final turn.


      4.10.4  Splits and AI Time

      Listed below are the splits that I got when I beat this mission.  I 
have no problem using the grasscut and wallrides described above, so factor 
that in if you are a driving purist.  For the driving purists out there, I 
found another set of splits, and I'm pretty sure the driver (Tazio) didn't 
use any cuts or wallrides to get them.  So you can use those as a standard 
(I did when I was working on this mission).  Here they are:

My Splits:          Tazio's Splits:

T1 +1'49.9          T1 +1'50.3
T2 +1'40.6*         T2 +1'40.9
T3 +1'31.5          T3 +1'33.0
T4 +1'19.2          T4 +1'20.1
T5 +1'05.7          T5 +1'07.2
T6   +53.9          T6   +56.2 
T7   +37.9          T7   +41.4
T8   +29.6          T8   +32.9
T9   +23.4          T9   +26.4
T1   +12.0          T10  +14.2
T11   +3.6          T11   +5.9
MOV   -0.2          MOV   -0.4

* I was way late hitting the brakes just before this split, and almost went 
into the sand.  I probably could have been at high 1'39.x without that 
mistake.

I ended up beating the lead AI by only 0.2s, but that is because I was 
EXTREMELY conservative on the final section (it's really, really easy to spin
out while braking from high speed).  After many, many tries, I didn't want
to risk blowing it after such a good lap.  I was behind the SL during the 
final S turn, and I chose to wait to pass it until the final stretch uphill, 
as I wasn't worried about losing a drag race.  In retrospect, I could have 
easily cut through the grass, and probably finished ahead by 1-2 seconds.  
If you get to T11 at +6.0s or less, then you'll have a great shot at catching 
the SL.

Finally, Tazio used a driving force pro setup, and I used the dualshock 2
controller.

AI Time:  9'13.0  (again, plus or minus 0.2s or so)



===============================================================================

5.0  Credits

     Tazio (aka Nuvolari), as I snagged your splits for mission 34 from a 
forum on GTPlanet if I recall correctly.  They were immensely helpful to me 
when tackling this mission.  

     Orion_SR, for suggesting that I add target split times for practicing for 
mission 34.


END OF DOCUMENT