WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a real-world circuit from the Gran Turismo series of games. It is an exact replica of the Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, CA in the United States. It has appeared in Gran Turismo 2, Gran Turismo 3 and Gran Turismo 4. It is also set to appear in Gran Turismo 5.

Circuit Layout
See also Laguna Seca Raceway on Wikipedia

The 2.24 miles (3.60km) circuit consists of 11 turns, some slow and technical (notably 2 and 11, both hairpins) mixed with several faster corners. Laguna Seca also features more elevation changes than most circuits, with the drop from the top of the course (Turn 8) to the bottom (at Turn 2) at over 300 feet (91m). Turn 8 (and 8A) are thought by most professional drivers to be among the most difficult corners in the world. The complex, known as Corkscrew, consists of a tight left hander at the top of the hill which releases into a steep downlhill right.

Laguna Seca in Gran Turismo
The recreation of Laguna Seca in the Gran Turismo series is almost perfect, with every ridge and bump from the real world circuit incorporated in the game. It appears in the following events in the series:

In GT2

 * US Nationals


 * Pacific League


 * Gran Turismo World League


 * 4WD Challenge


 * Muscle Car Cup


 * Pure Sports Car Cup


 * Tuned NA Car No.1 Cup


 * Gran Turismo All Stars


 * Super Touring


 * GT 300 Championship


 * GT 500 Championship


 * Laguna Seca 200 miles

Beginner League

 * Lightweight Sports Car Cup


 * Stars &amp; Stripes


 * Hot Rod Competition


 * Tourist Trophy


 * Vitz Race


 * Evolution Meeting


 * Gran Turismo World Championship

Amateur League

 * American Championship


 * Gran Turismo World Championship


 * German Touring Car Championships


 * FR Challenge


 * Stars &amp; Stripes


 * Gran Turismo All Stars


 * All Japan GT Championship


 * Race of Red Emblem


 * Dream Car Championship

Professional League

 * MR Challenge


 * 4WD Challenge


 * Gran Turismo All Stars (GT3)Cup


 * Gran Turismo All Stars


 * All Japan GT Championship


 * Vitz Race


 * Formula GT

Endurance League

 * Laguna Seca 200 miles

License Tests

 * License Tests A-2, iA-5 and S-6

In GT4

 * License Test B-10


 * Driving Missions 12 and 27


 * FR Challenge


 * Sport Truck Race


 * World Classic Car Series


 * Gran Turismo All Stars


 * Formula GT World Championship


 * World Circuit Tours


 * Laguna Seca 200 miles


 * All American Championship


 * Stars and Stripes


 * Muscle Car Competition


 * All Japan GT Championship


 * Renault Megane Cup


 * Audi A3 Cup


 * Club "RE"


 * Mazda NR-A RX-8 Cup


 * Mitsubishi Mirage Cup


 * Nissan Club "Z"


 * Stars of Pleiades (Subaru)


 * Lotus Classics


 * Blackpool Racers (TVR)


 * Corvette Festival (Chevrolet)


 * Shelby Cobra Cup

Trivia

 * On an episode of BBC UK's Top Gear, host Jeremy Clarkson attempted to match his Gran Turismo 4 time on this track in real life using a Honda NSX Type-R ('02). He was, however, unable to come close to the 1' 41" set on the game, managing only a 1' 51" in real life. Clarkson put this down, not to imperfections in the game, but to the consequences of high-speed driving, citing that the real-life implications of an error are much more than just a ruined lap time. This "fear-factor" is not present in a computer game.