Special Stage Route 11 (GT3 Version)

Special Stage Route 11 returned for Gran Turismo 3 and with a different layout. In addition, the city has changed quite a bit. Anyone who may recall GT1's layout may see a lot of things have changed with the appearance of GT3's Special Stage Route 11. GT3's version is more industrial as well as prettier than GT1's version. GT3's Special Stage Route 11 also takes place deeper at night than GT1's version. One thing, however, has not changed- it is still an intense challenge. This is a physical street course with some demanding corners. Get ready for quite a street fight with the moon and stars out!

PERSONAL NOTE: Thanks to the loyal reader who pointed out that I had the wrong configuration of Special Stage Route 11 for GT1. I sometimes just post material with little (or not enough) proofreading.

--- Special Stage Route 11 (GT3 Version) ---

^ from: www.ps2fantasy.com
Most of what you remember of this course from GT1 is in GT3's version. Most of what you remember about racing this track remains the same.

The major difference in this course compared to GT1's version is the different route. Rather than the bus stop chicane under the Start/Finish highway, it is a quick blast through a park area with trees adorned with lights. The road features a quick 90-degree chicane that can be taken at full speed without penalty (unless you just drive mad). As is the case, PS2 power gives Special Stage Route 11 a new look. There is now a massive ferris wheel that lights up nicely in the background. It is still raced at night, but racing it in the reverse direction has kind of a late evening setting- reminiscent of Special Stage Route 11 in GT1. As is the case with almost any temporary street circuit, finding the proper racing line is critical since the turns are blind. Just be ready for 20 turns of madness on a 2.834-mile track that is absolutely physical.

If you know how to race Special Stage Route 11 in GT1, nothing has changed except for the park section. The first two corners are right-handers. Turn 1 doesn't require any braking (you can just let off the throttle if you need to). Slow your car down substantially for Turn 2, and be ready to approach Turn 3. Turn 3 is a quick left-hang kink attached to a sharp hook to the right. You need a good entry through here to nicely attack Turns 4 and 5. Turn 4 is a 90° right-hand corner, and Turn 5 is a 90° left-hand corner. Turn 6 is a super-slow right hairpin. Outside-inside-outside is the way to go. While Turn 6's hairpin is difficult, Turn 7 is an even sharper hairpin, to the left. Attack this one the same way you did Turn 6's hairpin. You'll be seeing the colorful ferris wheel as you face this high-speed section. Turn 8 is a quick right-left chicane that can be taken at full speed with a good racing line. Absolutely no braking needed as long as you have a solid racing line going. Turn 9 is a sharp right-hand corner that tightens up in radius heading into the left-handed Turn 10. Turn 11 feels like an oval corner with banking in this corner. Attack the inside as you would on an oval. Just remember that you can't dig TOO deep, because there's a wall inside if you try to dig too far inside the corner. If you can properly ride the inside, you'll set yourself up nicely for Turn 12 heading over the bridge. Turn 12 is an easy left-hand corner. As you go over the crest of the bridge, you see the difficult Turn 13. It may be an unlucky #13 if you don't take the kink and adjacent sharp right. After clearing Turn 13, the road ahead is a long left. Turns 14 and 15 feel like one long corner rather than two successive left-hand corners. Aggressive drivers can try to make a good drift through these two corners. Either take it as a long corner or do a hard drift- both methods work here for your driving type. Up next is Turn 16- a hard left hairpin. Make that high-speed romp through the industrial sector, but be ready to take on the blind, tight right-left hairpin that follows (Turns 17 and 18). The final two corners are long right-hand corners that lead to the Start/Finish straight.

Video Lap.

Take a look at this track in this video:


Do you prefer GT1's version or GT3's version more?





SSR11 is an on-again-off-again course; kind of like a "It's Complicated" relationship. Who knows if we'll see this course in a future Gran Turismo? Will it feature one or both configurations of SSR11? Or... is this track dead, and Special Stage Route 7 is the new deal? We'll have to see in the future. For now, thank you for reading!

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