Mount Panorama Hot Lap

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I don't really follow motorsports other than F1, so when I started playing Real Racing on my phone I was quite taken aback by the 'Mount Panorama' circuit - especially the epic hill climb section. I had to find a video just to believe this was actually a real track. Would make an amazing venue for the Australian GP, but I can see why it will never happen...
 
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It's bloody awesome circuit. As it is all on public roads, I have driven it in my Commodore SV6, albeit at law enforcement compliant speeds. Coming down off the Mountain, even at <60kmh, is pretty hair-raising.
 
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I’m sure I remember watching John Clelland racing there, the propshaft broke at silly mph and started to break through the tunnel at John’s side, cue huge string of expletives live on the air, think coverage was on a loop after that, John laughs when he tells the story now, but at the time!
 
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What sort of lunatic builds a racetrack up a mountain? Don't they know all racetracks should be billiard table flat like Abu Dhabi?🤨
 
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What sort of lunatic builds a racetrack up a mountain?

The right-minded type 😁. Laguna Seca, anyone?

Actually, flat circuits can be fun. The Ipswich Raceway, which is part of the V8 Supercars calendar, is fun circuit to spectate at and to drive. They offer hot laps in 650bhp Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores - much fun trying to hit 200kmh down the front straight!
 
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Ah, Laguna Seca is also on Real Racing, but it's not as mad as Mount Panorama!
 
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The Forza game series also has the Mt Panarama circuit. I find it to be a very challenging track indeed.
Pretty awesome seeing that lap in the video! 😎
 
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Panorama is truly awesome. But if you think it's crazy, how about racing it in the dark, in faster cars, for 12 hours????

The Bathurst 12-hour endurance race each January is one of my absolute favorites to watch, all year!


As for Laguna Seca, videogames don't quite capture the insanity that is the Corkscrew - try watching some in-car videos of drivers going over the edge - you can't see anything until you're already in it, by which time you've already dropped 2 stories or so.
 
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Here's Jenson Button in the McLaren-Mercedes doing a lap


The action starts around 2mins .30 sec


And here's the onboard vision

 
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Great footage, but I wish it was from the roll hoop so we could see Jenson driving.
 
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I have to agree with Jenson as well, you always think you've got the hang of it but you never quite have... at least on Real Racing you just bounce off the walls.
 
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As for Laguna Seca, videogames don't quite capture the insanity that is the Corkscrew - try watching some in-car videos of drivers going over the edge - you can't see anything until you're already in it, by which time you've already dropped 2 stories or so.

This is true for most video games of hilly circuits, you don't get anywhere near the feeling of elevation that's there in real life. There's a few sections of the ring where it feels like you've driven off a cliff, in a game it's nothing.