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The Gran Turismo 3: A-spec Apocalypse Zone

Côtè d'Azur

We all know Monaco. Fun, pretty, slow and impossible to pass cleanly. A very difficult, technical track, but a decent driver's day out.

Côtè d'Azur:

  1. Probably the hardest start of all. Accelerate like crazy, across to the left of the track and jump on the brakes for a difficult 3rd gear right. The correct line takes a very flat entry, nicking the strip on the apex. Accelerate up the hill.
  2. As you crest the hill, get to the right and jump on the brakes again. This one's a fairly constant radius left which isn't too tough, but don't accelerate out too early, or you'll overshoot the following right hander. The right line on this is to pretty much hug the strip on the inside of the first corner, then rapidly swerve across to the right to clip the apex there on the second corner. Blow down the hill, across the checkerboard patterned part of the track.
  3. Oh dear... A very tricky 2nd gear right, followed by a short burst of acceleration and a nightmare 1st gear left (yes, that's FIRST gear). The second gear right is a standard hairpin – take the usual line. The left needs a very, very late, very deep turn in. Some use the handbrake (parking brake for our American friends) to snatch the back round rapidly. Whatever works for you. Accelerate down the hill.
  4. These two corners work best with a sharp entry to the first right and a flat entry to the second. It's easy to spin at either, so be careful. Give it some welly, because you're approaching the tunnel, the fastest part of the circuit.
  5. Don't worry about your line in the tunnel, but make sure as you exit you move across to the right down the hill. Ahead is the pool complex – very difficult to do it right. Basically, braking in a straight line is wrong. You want to be already turning in as you hit 2nd gear. Very rapidly hit the right and accelerate out. Too much speed into the first part and you're too far to the left and you've got to turn a bit more to avoid the barrier. Practice this repeatedly until you think your head will explode.
  6. The next left can be taken flat in 3rd gear, followed by a brief 4th gear left. Jump onto the brakes and get a little slidey to carry 3rd gear through the chicane right-left and keep on the gas.
  7. As the track bends a little to the left, follow it. Up ahead is Rascasse, a nasty 2nd gear double corner. Turn the car in a little before you nail the brakes – this prevents the car sliding the wrong way and leaving you facing the barriers. Progress carefully through the second and then accelerate.
  8. The right-hander before the home straight can be taken flat in 3rd, but you must turn in extremely early – it can be taken quicker and sooner than you think. Too late and you have to ease off, or kiss the barriers on the left, then the right, then spin to a stop... Hurl it across the line. Only 77 more laps to go.

Key Corner - Take your pick. Pool complex for gaining time, the Casino hairpin for losing it.