Another weekend and another GT5 post. This time we’re going to share some secrets about how to win a couple of the Seasonal Events, specifically the Lamborghini and Ferrari series.
If you have Gran Turismo 5 and you haven’t been using the online features, you are really missing out. The best money, the most fun and the best cars are all online. In the standard A-Spec and B-Spec races, the prizes are pretty poor, all in all. Jump to the Seasonal Events online and you’ll always have spare credits to buy the hottest cars in the game. See our post on how to win a million credits in 20 minutes here: Fast track to a million credits. Additionally, there is an online used car section that changes about once a month. You can’t get the cars in the online lot anywhere else.
About once or twice a month, sometimes more, sometimes less, the Seasonal Events in GT5 are upgraded. Some finish but others begin. Once you get your driving level up over 30, usually, you can race with the best AI drivers out there and made some very serious cash. Sure, the races are tricky and you have to be a skilled driver but that’s the point of the game, isn’t it.
We’ve stressed the concept of practising before. Here is the link, in case you missed it: Practising Benefits in GT5 The game is much more entertaining if you accept the fact that you can’t just sit down and win. You have to spend some time learning. Sure, there is a huge frustration factor but the benefits soon outweigh that.
The Lamborghini Seasonal series is the most recent addition to the one-make races. Pick any Lambo, except the Nomad, set it up and race over five courses. The prizes aren’t that great, to be honest and the winning car in most of the races sells for 15 million credits but, aside from that, this series is a lot of fun. Each course uses different skills and each car handles differently but you’ll be able to win if you use some of our tips. All of these tips apply to the Ferrari Series, as well. In the Ferrari event, you can only choose from two cars, different versions of the F1 vehicle. That event is even more difficult than the Lamborghini series but the same tips and secrets apply. Here we go:
1. Practice: When you’re in the actual race, your adrenaline is running. This may affect the outcome. You might go too deep into a corner, hit the wall and get even more frustrated, especially if you’ve built up a good lead and have to watch the cars you worked hard to pass whizzing by. Better to run a few laps, or a lot, on the practice course. Each track in GT5 is available in the practice area. Use the time you spend practising to tune your car, figure out the best driving line and challenge yourself to get better times each lap. As you know, the ghost car that shows up after the first lap is actually you, right? See if you can leave yourself in the rear view mirror on each lap.
2. Adjust Top Speed: Each course has different straight sections. For the long straights in Nurburgring, for instance, you need the highest speed possible. On a short course, such as Rome, high speed isn’t necessary. Some courses require a bit of both, top speed and acceleration, so you’ll have to work out those details as you practise. If you find your revs topping out near the end of the straight, don’t worry too much. Adjust your top speed and we know that you’ll see a difference in your lap times.
3. Soft Tires: Use soft tires as much as possible. Ignore the cautions used in the settings menu until you are sure you’re breaking the rules. For instance, in the Lamborghini series the rules state ‘Sports hard or less’. That’s not the case. Equip your car with sports soft tires and you’re fine. That setting alone can give you a terrific edge. Always spring for the soft tires unless you’re in an endurance race.
4. Oil Changes/Car Wash: Change your oil after about five races in each car. If you buy a used car, make sure you change the oil and wash the car before you enter any races. If you are in a series of races and you can’t back out to change the oil, your car will be progressively slower. In a series like that, you can’t do much about it. We mean the Championship Series, of course. In a regular series, change the oil after each race.
5. Easy Way to Increase PP in a Race: If you don’t finish a race, say if you hit a wall, you can restart the race even if your PP level is out of range for the event. Let’s say you change your oil, set your PP to the required level and enter the race. As you know, after a few laps, maybe ten or so, your PP will creep higher as your engine loosens up. If you quit the event then try to get back in, the game won’t let you until you lower your PP. However, if you restart the race, you can gradually increase your PP to a significantly higher level. Don’t exit the race unless you want to change a setting. Just do a restart and your PP will increase a bit, depending on how many laps you’ve driven.
6. Wedgies: Use your car as a wedge to get around corners quicker. On the Rome circuit, you’ll be faced with situations where a car is just ahead of you and a corner is coming up. Braking late and using the other car as a fulcrum will get you around the corner much quicker. Time your speed with your accelerator and nudge the other car out of the way, using its inertia to help you make the corner. This works best on the hard left hander on the Rome reverse circuit but you can use it on the Autumn Ring and other courses, as well.
7. Watch for Spin-outs: On the Tuscana Tarmac track, look out for the other drivers spinning out. Many a time we’ve smacked another Lamborghini after we’ve built up a good lead, only to lose it in the weeds. Slow down and be prepared to dodge the other car or cars. You might lose a bit of time but you’ll be passing at least one other car per spinout, right?
8. Ignore Warnings Sometimes: Don’t always pay attention to the red warning stripe if you are using the driving line during the race. The red pre-corner warning is useful but it’s not always correct. If you have soft tires, you can often ignore braking and get around the corner just fine without slowing down. Better yet, change your line around the corner and use the red and blue rumble strips to help you. A perfect race means you stay on the pavement itself but if you notice, the other cars are often driving on the strips at the edge, well off the track.
9. Better Cornering: Basic racing skills tell us that a straight line through a corner is faster. Keep that in mind and your lap times will go down. In corners such as the third left hander in the Rome reverse circuit, you don’t have to slow down all that much to make the corner. Brake a bit but aim for the far left side of the track. If you just miss the wall there, you can hold your accelerator for just a moment then floor it once you’r past the right wall which sticks out a bit. If you don’t time this correctly, you’ll smack the right wall so time your acceleration accordingly.
10. Pedal to the Metal: Don’t take your foot off the gas while you’re braking. You don’t have to keep your right foot planted to the floor but don’t take it off the pedal completely. If you do, your car will fishtail most of the time. Keep your foot down and you will brake in a straight line.
11. Less Braking: Don’t always depend on your brakes. If you are on a wide corner, get used to feathering your accelerator instead of braking. Once you hit the binders, you will lose momentum and it takes precious time to build it up again. On a hairpin, sure, you have to brake but on a more gradual corner you can use your accelerator to control your speed. Doing this keeps your momentum up and works just as well to slow you down. The whole point is to get through the corner without going sideways and braking can get you sideways quite easily.
12. GTPlanet: Use the forums to get tips from other players. GTPlanet is one of the best. Join the site, it’s free, and use it to get settings, tips and inspiration. Good luck and happy racing!
Thanks for reading!