Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is an English motor racing circuit that features in Gran Turismo 6. It is included with 4 layouts; the modern Grand Prix circuit, the modern Indy section, the Grand Prix circuit of the 1980s and the 1980s Indy section. In both variations it it subject to a limited day/night cycle and variable weather conditions.

Lap Guide



 * Sector 1 of the full 2013 track begins on the slightly curved Brabham Straight. The start/finish line sits a mere 100 metres from the entrance to the Paddock Hill Bend. Paddock Hill Bend is an unusual corner that is quite difficult to judge. It lays behind a crest which forms part of the entrance to the corner, making braking a tricky affair at first. You will find yourself braking into the point where Paddock Hill starts to bend right so care is needed in some cars. There are two choices that can be made regarding entry into the corner; the first is following the rubber that forms a line on the inside of the entrance or you could enter nearer the outside of the track and take on a more extreme slow in, fast out approach. About halfway into the turn, the track slopes downwards in a quite steep fashion, making the bend particularly difficult in heavier cars. A good approach would see you smoothly feeding the throttle whilst paying attention to the amount of grip available and the turning arc your car assumes. From this point the track gets easier. Hailwoods Hill allows you to compose the car for the relatively loose hairpin that is Druids. Most of the time, braking right underneath the bridge should see you taking Druids without too many issues. Since Druids is a rather simple corner with no elevation differences, simple speed adjustment is necessary to keep your line tight and your exit without trouble. The sector ends about 50 metres from the exit.


 * Sector 2 begins about halfway between Druids and Graham Hill Bend. Graham Hill Bend is a sharp left-hander which seems to tighten slightly at the exit. In most cases, normal driving practice is all that is required to clear it. To maximise speed off the end of Graham Hill, a straighter line and slightly later entry is a favourable approach. Surtees is a surprisingly tight corner that will catch out drivers new to the circuit about 50% of the time. The main problem here is that the corner is entered at the same place as McLaren and so cambers and rises in a slightly unusual fashion. Another issue is the length of the turn; the main factor in difficulty of judgement. Here, practice makes perfect. Enter at a reasonably slow speed at first, following the usual out-in-out rule. Naturally, one should gain speed with practice.


 * Sector 3 begins pretty much at the start of Pilgrims Drop. Nothing is to be said about this or about Hawthorn Hill, but the action resumes at the following right-hander.


 * Hawthorns kicks off sector 4. It's a very fast corner without any interesting features. The simplicity of the turn allows for easy car control and there is a quite generous kerb at the exit that helps in saving the car if it falls slightly out of shape. Westfield comes very shortly after Hawthorns and is just as fast but a fair degree sharper. Some care is needed on entry but most of the time simply throwing the car at the apex will practically guarantee a good exit onto Dingle Dell, a double right-hand bend with a tricky braking zone at the end. Sheene Curve requires some care in terms of speed and width of entry. As with Westfield, throwing the car at the apex but this time with some effort to keep the weight of the car going straight and under a good degree of control is an effective way of getting around and lining up for the final sector.


 * Sector 5 sees you going around Stirlings, the final left-hand corner of the lap. As simple as it is, it's surprisingly easy to go in too fast and end up in the gravel. Braking just before the distance marker will very likely slow the car down enough to safely clear the turn. 250 metres down the line, Clearways lies in wait. Brake just after distance marker II as a starting point and adjust the point to a place that satisfies your car's needs. The corner itself is slightly unusual in that it straightens out instead of tightening. It apexes at the point where it starts to straighten; staying relatively close to the kerb and falling away at the entrance to the pit lane is one of the best ways of maximising speed down Clark Curve and Brabham Straight. The lap is concluded shortly after.