How to use this page. Each circuit follows the real track's shape and elevation, taken from telemetry, so real-world corner names apply. The 300, 200 and 100 m brake boards count down to every major braking zone. The ghost shows the pole lap's line. The corner notes below tell you what to aim for, and the ghost shows you where.
Circuit de Monaco
Narrow streets with barriers inches away and almost no run-off. Monaco is about precision, not bravery: the fastest lap is the one with no mistakes. It's the shortest lap, and the slowest, so tyres last a long time here.
Corner by corner
| Section | How to drive it |
|---|---|
| Ste Dévote (T1) | A right-hander after the start straight. Brake firmly and take a tight line, and don't clip the inside barrier. It's easy to lose a place here on the first lap. |
| Beau Rivage & Massenet | A fast climb up the hill into the long, blind left of Massenet. Be patient, and carry speed through rather than attacking the entry. |
| Casino Square | A quick right straight after Massenet. Set the car up early so you're straight for the downhill run. |
| Mirabeau & Grand Hotel hairpin | Heavy braking downhill into Mirabeau, then the Grand Hotel hairpin, the slowest corner in F1. Use full lock and very gentle throttle on the way out. This is the place to move brake bias rearward. |
| Portier & the tunnel | Portier's exit matters most: it leads into the flat-out tunnel. Get on the throttle early and straight. |
| Nouvelle Chicane | Hard braking out of the tunnel into the harbour chicane. It's the best overtaking spot on the circuit, but the bumps make the car nervous under braking. |
| Tabac & Swimming Pool | Quick direction changes. Use the kerbs gently, because the walls are right there. |
| La Rascasse & Anthony Noghès | Two slow right-handers onto the pit straight. A clean exit here sets up the next lap and a pass into Ste Dévote. |
Overtaking
Very difficult. The best chances are the Nouvelle Chicane after the tunnel and Ste Dévote at the start of the lap. Grid position and strategy matter more here than anywhere else, so start further up the grid or use the pit stop to jump cars.
Tyres & strategy (8-lap race)
8 laps is only about 26 km. Softs last around 10 laps before the cliff, so a S → M strategy with the stop around lap 3–5 works well. Softs help you hold position at the start. The ~12 s pit loss is small, so the undercut is strong: pit a lap before the car in front.
Hot-lap tips
- Follow the ghost's braking points exactly. Your first goal is a lap without touching a wall.
- Don't overdrive the slow corners. Wheelspin out of the hairpin and Rascasse costs more than it looks.
- Use the T-cam view to judge the walls if the cockpit view feels claustrophobic.
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Temple of Speed: long straights, big stops and short, sharp chicanes. The lap is won in the braking zones and on the exits. The pit lane is the longest of any circuit, so plan on one stop only.
Corner by corner
| Section | How to drive it |
|---|---|
| Variante del Rettifilo (T1–2) | The heaviest braking zone of the season, at the end of the pit straight. Brake at the boards in a straight line, then take the right–left chicane with a clean exit. Don't cut across the kerbs. |
| Curva Biassono (Curva Grande) | A long, flat-out right-hander. Stay committed and keep the car smooth. |
| Variante della Roggia | The second chicane, a left–right. Another heavy stop and a good second overtaking chance. |
| Lesmo 1 & 2 | Two quick right-handers. Lesmo 2 is tighter than it looks, so give up a little entry speed for a clean exit onto the long run to Ascari. |
| Variante Ascari | A fast left–right–left. Rhythm matters more than braking. Get it right and you're flat onto the back straight. |
| Parabolica (Curva Alboreto) | A long, tightening right-hander onto the pit straight. Brake early, turn in late, and get on the power as early as you dare, because its exit sets your speed for the whole straight. |
Overtaking
The easiest circuit for passing. Get a good exit from Parabolica and dive down the inside into the Rettifilo (T1). The Roggia chicane is the second chance. Remember that the AI won't start a move into a braking zone, so get alongside before the boards.
Tyres & strategy (8-lap race)
8 laps is about 46 km: Softs last ~5 laps and Mediums ~10. With a ~21 s pit loss, stop once only. M → H at half distance is safe. S for 3 laps then H gains places early.
Hot-lap tips
- The long straights cool the tyres, so they can drop below their window. Softs help keep the temperature up for a hot lap.
- Brake points are everything here. Move your braking point at the Rettifilo later one board-length at a time.
- Don't clip the chicane kerbs too hard. Getting the car unsettled costs more than the shortcut saves, and running wide costs you track limits.
Silverstone Circuit
Fast, open and flowing, and the best place to learn how much grip downforce gives you at high speed. Smooth steering matters more than late braking. Wide run-offs make it forgiving while you learn.
Corner by corner
| Section | How to drive it |
|---|---|
| Abbey & Farm | A fast right then left just after the start. Commit to them: at this speed the car has plenty of grip. |
| Village & The Loop | Heavy braking into a tight right, then the slow left-hand Loop. Sacrifice the entry for a good exit onto the Wellington Straight. |
| Brooklands & Luffield | A long left, then the long, slow right of Luffield. Be patient on the throttle: this complex rewards a late apex and punishes early power. |
| Woodcote & Copse | Woodcote leads onto the pit straight. Copse is a very fast right-hander: a small lift or light brake, then commit. |
| Maggotts, Becketts & Chapel | The most famous sequence on the calendar: fast left–right–left–right changes of direction. Smooth steering and no big inputs. Carry speed and trust the grip. Chapel's exit takes you onto the Hangar Straight. |
| Stowe | A fast right at the end of the Hangar Straight. Brake lightly and take a wide entry. |
| Vale & Club | Hard braking into the slow left of Vale, then the long right of Club onto the start/finish straight. The exit from Club starts the next lap. |
Overtaking
Brooklands at the end of the Wellington Straight, and Stowe at the end of the Hangar Straight, are the main spots. Village is a chance after a good exit from Abbey and Farm.
Tyres & strategy (8-lap race)
About 47 km over 8 laps. Softs last ~5 laps and Mediums ~10. The fast corners work the tyres hard, so watch the temperatures. M → H around lap 4 is a solid choice. With a pit loss of only ~12 s, a Soft sprint at the end (M → S for the last 3 laps) is also worth trying.
Hot-lap tips
- The time is in Maggotts–Becketts–Chapel. Watch where the ghost is on the throttle through there, and match it.
- Fast corners have more grip than you think. Brake less and carry more speed.
- In the slow Loop and Luffield, give up entry speed for exit speed.
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The longest lap on the calendar, through the Ardennes forest, with dramatic climbs and drops. It combines Monza-style straights with Silverstone-style fast corners. The lap is long, so tyres wear quickly per lap.
Corner by corner
| Section | How to drive it |
|---|---|
| La Source | A tight hairpin right after the start line. Brake hard, take a late apex, and make the exit clean: everything after it is flat out. |
| Eau Rouge & Raidillon | Downhill, then a steep uphill left–right–left. The car goes light over the crest, so keep the steering smooth. A good line lets you stay flat out. |
| Kemmel Straight | A long uphill drag. Your exit from Raidillon decides your speed all the way along it. |
| Les Combes | A right–left chicane at the end of the Kemmel Straight. It's heavy braking, and the best place to pass. |
| Bruxelles (Rivage) | A slow downhill right hairpin. Brake earlier than you think: it's downhill. |
| Pouhon | A very fast double-apex left going downhill. It's one of the great corners. Be patient and smooth, and let the car run to the outside on exit. |
| Fagnes, Campus & Stavelot | A flowing sequence. Keep the rhythm and set up for the long flat-out run back through Blanchimont. |
| Blanchimont | A very fast left. Flat out if your line is right. Don't lift. |
| Bus Stop chicane | Hard braking into the final right–left chicane. A good exit is worth time down the start straight and into La Source. |
Overtaking
Les Combes at the end of the Kemmel Straight is the prime spot. Get a good exit from Raidillon and pull alongside before the boards. The Bus Stop chicane and La Source are the other chances.
Tyres & strategy (8-lap race)
8 laps is about 56 km, more than a set of Softs lasts. Softs manage ~4 laps before the cliff and Mediums ~8. M → H at half distance is the safe choice. If you start on S, pit by lap 3–4, before the cliff.
Hot-lap tips
- A lap is almost two minutes, so a mistake early in the lap costs you the whole lap. Aim for consistency first.
- The long straights cool the tyres, so the first corners after them (La Source, Les Combes, Bus Stop) have less grip than you'd expect.
- Pouhon and Blanchimont reward trust in the downforce. Build up to full commitment over a few laps.
Suzuka International Racing Course
A figure of eight, and the only circuit where the track crosses over itself on a bridge. It's a driver's circuit: the first sector's esses need rhythm, and one bad line spoils the next three corners.
Corner by corner
| Section | How to drive it |
|---|---|
| Turns 1 & 2 | A fast downhill right that tightens into Turn 2. Brake lightly into T1 and harder for T2, and get a good exit into the esses. |
| The S Curves (Esses) | A snaking left–right sequence uphill. Rhythm is everything. Sacrifice each corner slightly to be in position for the next, and use small, smooth steering inputs. |
| Dunlop Curve | A long uphill left that leads to Degner. Keep the car stable and don't overdrive it. |
| Degner 1 & 2 | Two short right-handers. Degner 1 is quick with a light brake, and Degner 2 is tighter. Watch the gravel on the outside. |
| Under the bridge | The crossover. Accelerate hard under the bridge towards the Hairpin. |
| The Hairpin | The slowest corner on the circuit, and a good overtaking spot. Brake in a straight line and get a clean, early exit. |
| Spoon Curve | A long, double-apex left. Your exit decides your speed down the long back straight, so be patient and get on the power early. |
| Back straight & 130R | Over the bridge, then 130R, one of the fastest corners anywhere: a very fast left. Stay committed and smooth. |
| Casio Triangle chicane | A hard stop into the final right–left chicane. It's the last chance to pass, and it leads onto the start straight. |
Overtaking
The Hairpin and the Casio Triangle chicane are the best spots, with Turn 1 after a good exit from the chicane. Nowhere else is easy.
Tyres & strategy (8-lap race)
About 46 km over 8 laps. Softs last ~5 laps and Mediums ~10. The esses load the tyres heavily, so watch for overheating. M → H around half distance is safe. S for 3 laps then H helps if you start at the back.
Hot-lap tips
- Master the esses first. A clean sector 1 is worth more than anything you can gain later in the lap.
- Spoon's exit and 130R set up the back of the lap, so work on those next.
- Braking for the chicane after 130R comes up quickly at very high speed. Use the boards.
Circuits compared
| Circuit | Length | 2024 pole | Pit loss | Character | Best overtaking | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monaco | 3.26 km | 1:10.270 | ~12 s | Slow, walls | Nouvelle Chicane | Precision |
| Monza | 5.76 km | 1:19.327 | ~21 s | Straights, chicanes | Rettifilo (T1) | Learning to brake |
| Silverstone | 5.82 km | 1:25.819 | ~12 s | Fast, flowing | Brooklands, Stowe | First laps, high-speed confidence |
| Spa | 6.95 km | 1:53.159 | 14–15 s | Long, elevation | Les Combes | Tyre management |
| Suzuka | 5.77 km | 1:28.197 | 14–15 s | Technical, figure of 8 | Hairpin, chicane | Rhythm |