8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

I don’t always get my sim racing on with Gran Turismo 6. But when I do, I avoid these tracks at all costs.
8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

I’ve mentioned from time to time that I like to get my virtual car kicks on both Gran Turismo and Forza 4. I feel the GT franchise has gone downhill since the PS2 days, but ever since Polyphony Digital released its track editor for GT6 a couple of months ago, I’ve had something of a GT rebirth.

And you know what? It’s not as bad as I remember. Then again, after being dormant for half the year, I had something like 2GB-worth of updates to download, and while V8 engines still generally sound like a weed whacker getting a proctology exam, there’s at least a little more bass in the screeching. That’s okay, because the Toyota 2000GT sounds brilliant and it makes everything wonderful. Yeah, the muscle car guy likes the little Toyota. I’m complex like that.

So the last couple of months I’ve spent quite a bit of time behind the wheel in my racing cockpit, goofing mostly with custom tracks and joining online racers in contests to see who can make the biggest jumps. It reminded me, however, of several tracks that I hate. Is there something stronger than hate? Can I revile these tracks?

1. Autumn Ring Mini

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

This is a track that stretches back to the very first Gran Turismo on the old Playstation. Can someone explain why this track is still around and Complex String from GT3 isn’t? I love the full Autumn Ring course, but the mini version with its lack of appreciable straights and 35-second lap times is just annoying.

2. Brands Hatch

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

It’s not so much that I hate the course, it’s just frustratingly difficult to get perfect; especially running F1 or high-powered race cars. It’s easy to make average laps, but slightly misjudge just one of the several high-speed corners and it’s into the wall. Yeah yeah, practice makes perfect. But with so many other tracks to enjoy, I don’t even bother.

3. Circuito de Madrid reverse

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

This is an odd one, because I rather like this track in the standard direction. Running backwards though I might as well be driving blindfolded on tyres made of whale blubber. I either brake way too early for the tight turns, or I bounce between them like a pinball. It just doesn’t click with me for some reason.

4. Daytona road course

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

An American that doesn’t like Daytona? The oval is all well and good for high-speed fun, and I can only assume the real-life course is better than its digital doppelganger, because they run a 24-hour endurance race there. But in GT6 it feels too small, the turns feel too tight, and the tyres give up grip too easily.

5. Deep Forest Raceway

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

Of all the Gran Turismo tracks, this one has been my nemesis since the very first game. I’ve run it thousands of times with pretty much every type of car, but I’ve never really nailed it down. I either slide off through the esses early on, or I push too hard and hit the cliff side after the long left halfway through the course.

6. Eiger Nordwand W Trail

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

Gravel rally courses have never really felt right to me on any GT game, though I dearly miss Pikes Peak from GT2. My main gripe here is the same I have with Autumn Ring Mini - it’s just too damn short with too many sharp turns, and grip levels seem to go from full traction to no traction with nothing in between. I’ll stick with Dirt 3 or WRC for my rally action.

7. Willow Springs

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

Here’s another real-life track that I’m sure is better in real life, but in the digital world I find it boring and annoying. The scenery consists of, well, sand. And I swear the apex on that big sweeping right-hander before the main straight changes every time I race, because I either understeer off the left side of the corner, or drive off the right side because I’m too slow.

8. Tsukuba Circuit

8 Gran Turismo 6 Tracks I Absolutely Hate

Oh I can feel the internet hate from all the online drifters over this one. Here’s the thing: it’s not a bad track, in real life or in the digital world. I’ve just driven it to death. To. Freaking. Death. It’s short, and ever since the torturous four-hour MX-5 Tsukuba endurance race from GT5, I’d rather pull off my fingernails with plyers then give this circuit one more go. Thankfully, the Toyota 2000GT kept me mellow enough to nab this photo without resorting to my tool box.

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Comments

iliasNrs

Acctually i really like willow springs..i use it to test drift cars and i have dove 950km on it :) the landscape is boring but it has great driftimg curves ;)

12/25/2015 - 08:43 |
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Anonymous

Brands hatch? It’s one of the best tracks in world. Tsukuba and willie springs are lengendery too.

12/25/2015 - 08:53 |
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Gibby Jr

Lol these tracks are that bad

12/25/2015 - 09:29 |
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BackToTheEighties

Agreed

12/25/2015 - 09:36 |
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Anonymous

Tsukuba is the track I compare my car setups! Wonderful track. I dislike the original GT tracks because they are too smooth.

12/25/2015 - 09:55 |
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Deus Robert Paulsen

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Well those tracks came from the ps1 era (!) I love most of them.

12/25/2015 - 16:52 |
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Anonymous

Willow Springs is ace in NFS Shift. Many opportunities to stuff up but it rewards fast and flowing driving, which in the right car feels great.
I will agree that the final corner is treacherous, as you said the apex is difficult and if you get even a couple inches of your left rear tyre off the track on corner entry you can kiss the race goodbye.
At least in NFS Shift the cars sound awesome, especially the Maserati GT1 with the screamer V12.

12/25/2015 - 12:08 |
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Anonymous

I personally love tsukuba and deep forest raceway!

12/25/2015 - 12:36 |
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Anonymous

I kinda love and use the Tsukuba course to set out a timed lap for comparison. For me it’s like the top gear test track, to compare times etc. And to be honest it has 2 straight bits, slow corners and fast corners. So it’s kinda perfect for that

12/25/2015 - 12:44 |
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Boris IlincicÒ²Ò³

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

We share the same opinion.

12/25/2015 - 15:13 |
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Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

We always use Ascari for testing at a mates place

12/27/2015 - 10:06 |
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JKO-Photo

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Tsukuba is the JKO tuning test track ;) to bad they removed it from forza 6, (use lime rock instead now) haven’t played gt6 since i went next gen. Maybe I should plug it up again

12/27/2015 - 12:00 |
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Jacob DeWitt

I personally love Deep Forest Raceway but i guess that’s just because i mastered it in GT4 with a Caterham using a wheel. Also I enjoy Big Willow, however, everything else on this list I completly agree with.

12/25/2015 - 13:00 |
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Same here but I used an S2000, and competed in a forum hot lap competition back when leaderboards didn’t exist lol.

12/25/2015 - 19:53 |
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The_Spartan-Stig

All of the tracks you named I love

12/25/2015 - 13:01 |
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