Hardest Races in the Gran Turismo Franchise

These races will prove your biggest challenge.

For this list, we will be looking at the hardest simulation mode and GT mode races in all of the Gran Turismo games. This list will be updated with new info from you, the readers.

We will be excluding online FIA regulated races, random online races, and arcade mode races, as these may vary. We’re only looking at the set in stone races that have varying levels of challenge, wether it be the track, the AI, or both.
The Top Ten
1 Historic Racing Car Cup race 2 @ Côte d’Azur (B-Spec Version) (Gran Turismo 5)

Oh wow.

Gran Turismo 5 is the only game to date to have seperate A-Spec and B-Spec races.

In A-Spec, you're driving. In B-Spec, you're directing, and a CPU is driving. Thing is your B-Spec drivers aren't all that bright, and are inclined to make the dumbest of mistakes.

Enter Côte d'Azur, or Circuit De Monaco as it's really called. This track is VERY complex, especially the nouvelle chicane (after you leave the tunnel). CPU drivers are very likely to crash here. Especially your B-Spec driver, who always tries passing opponents on the inside, clipping the wall and spinning out.

Worst of all is the opponents. Your biggest threat here comes from the Chaparral 2J '70, which is nimble, fast, lightweight, and good on acceleration. Oh, and it's very likely that it'll start in 2nd place. You could get the car for yourself, but good luck grinding for and saving anywhere from 12,500,000 to 15,000,000 dollars for it.

Your best bet is to take the Toyota 7 Race ...more

2 NASCAR Series race @ Daytona International Speedway(Gran Turismo 5 and Gran Turismo 6)

"But it's just driving in a circle!" says the uneducated.

NASCAR is famous for its oval racing, which generally sees the cars making constant left turns. However, it's often not given enough credit; these races are hard! Maybe even harder than other circuit races.

The hardest one happens to be the premier race at Daytona International Speedway's superspeedway layout, which is 2.5 miles of grueling American stock car battles.

No advantages, no shortcuts, just nothing. The only way to win here is to know the best driving line, and STAY AWAY FROM THE WALL! NASCAR cup cars are very heavy and hard to keep a hold of. Also, don't forget to slipstream (called drafting in NASCAR).

Once you've finally won this race, I promise you, you'll have a newfound appreciation for NASCAR. It's not as easy as it looks, guys.

3 Driving mission 34: One Lap Magic: Mercedes-Benz Showdown! @ Nürburgring Nordschliefe (Gran Turismo 4)

Gran Turismo 4 was well known for its rather difficult driving missions, which are required to beat the game.

There are 4 types: the Pass (passing challenges), 3 lap battle (win the race from a distant 6th place in 3 laps), slipstream challenge (slipstream to the win on Test Course), and the blood-pumping 1 lap magic (1 lap duels with head starts against CPUs).

The last of the 1LMs (and the last driving mission) takes place at the infamously long Nürburgring Nordschleife (North course). You start a little over 2 minutes after the leader, the 300 SL Coupe '54, in an SLR McLaren '03. Easy, right?

Wrong.

This track will make a man out of you. There's a perfectly good reason it's called "the green heII". Over the 12.944 miles, you'll be going through hills, right turns, blind corners, and total chaos trying to catch up to a car that's almost 50 years your car's senior.

It's not impossible, though. The prize at the end of the win is $50,000. Not too ...more

4 Speedster Trophy (Gran Turismo 4)

Like the 206 Cup, we're combining all five races from Gran Turismo 4's Speedster Trophy for this entry. The Opel Speedster (known as the Vauxhall VX220 in the UK) features a one-make race that necessitates the I-B license for participation. This fact should serve as a cautionary signal.

Please refrain from running these races with a stock Speedster! Remarkably, the CPU opponents are significantly more formidable than expected. Regardless of having a fully modified car, each race will only be worth 200 A-Spec points. You should anticipate losing at least twice.

Nevertheless, there is a relatively effortless way to secure victory:
Acquire the N/A Speedster '00 (the Speedster Turbo '00 doesn't handle corners as well), fully modify it, adjust the gear ratio to be close, and equip racing soft tires. Following this setup should make the races considerably easier.

This series holds a higher rank compared to the 206 Cup since there is no race car equivalent available ...more

5 206 Cup (Gran Turismo 4)

We're adding all 5 races for this one make race together. Why? Because this series is tough.
The other 206s are oddly powerful. You cannot run a standard 206 here.
However, you do have the ability to run the 206 Rally Car '99 here. You might want to tune it first, as, even stock, the 206 Rally Car will have issues with the CPU. In a modified 206 Rally Car, you'll have little trouble.

6 Vitz Race race 4 @ Special Stage Route 11 II (Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec)

Who would've thought that the little Vitz (Called the Yaris in America IRL) would be such a fierce competitor?
There's 2 Vitz Race Championships in GT3: one in beginner and the other in professional. The beginner one is fairly easy.
The professional league one, however, not so much.
The biggest offender is race 4/5 at the incredibly complex Special Stage Route 11. Oh, and you have to run 10 laps of it in reverse.
You better qualify for this race using racing soft tires. Then, start the race in racing medium tires and a close gear ratio. Have at it. You're in for a grueling battle.

7 Nostalgia 1979 (Gran Turismo Sport)

The newest entry on the (original) list, Nostalgia 1979 is a race series in the PS4's GT Sport that only allows you to take a race car made from 1979 or earlier. It HAS to be a race car. It cannot be a street car in racing livery.
The cheapest of these you can get is a cool 80,000 dollars, but get ready to get devoured by the opponents.
These guys are in the meanest LeMans machines imaginable.
You'll need one of these historic LeMans machines to win. Did I mention that they cost $20,000,000? Yup, seven zeroes.

8 Grand Canyon Rally (Hard) (Gran Turismo 4)

GT4's rally tracks were kinda difficult (Ice Arena, anyone?).
Still, Grand Canyon sits atop the throne of the hardest of them all.
Not much room to move and one wrong bump can have you slowing down for 5 seconds. Not an idea situation when you're going up against WRC rally cars (especially the Group B cars).
The best car to take would be a car that isn't too heavy or too light (like the Subaru Impreza Super Touring Car '01).

9 Super Speedway150 Miles @ Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway (Gran Turismo 4)

The Super Speedway 150 Miles from Gran Turismo 3 is an iconic duel between tuner cars that can get creamed by the big race cars and F1 cars (and the escudo) for a cool 200,000 dollars and a decent prize car.
Its GT4 counterpart, meanwhile, is an outright assault on your ego.
Taking place at the oval track at Twin Ring Motegi, it's still 100 laps at a 1.5 mile oval track. However, you're running against some of the most powerful cars in GT4, such as the Sauber Mercedes C9 '89, the R92CP '92, the MINOLTA Toyota 88C-V '89, etc.
Sure, the Formula Gran Turismo '04 can easily dunk on them. However, if you're looking for a class match, well… good luck.

10 Historic Car Cup race 2 @ Rome Circuit (Gran Turismo 2)

Kicking off the (original) list is an infamous one amongst Gran Turismo 💩-posters.

The historic car cup in Gran Turismo 2 is intended for cars made from 1979 or earlier. GT2 is also the first game in the series to implement horsepower regulations in the races.

Race 2 of this cup, held at the full Rome Circuit track, is limited to 295 HP or less. Well, this wouldn't be an issue, if not for a certain possible car that can enter, albeit illegally.

The Ford GT40 is a very likely opponent here. 3 problems with this:
1: This car was built for speed, as it was a LeMans machine.

2: It's an MR (midship engine, rear-wheel drive), and has great weight distribution and acceleration.

3: It has 305 horsepower. That's 10 more than what's allowed.

Prepare to lose to this speed demon a lot. However, he is NOT impossible. Since the game does not enforce the year limit, you can take a newer car, such as an NSX or a tuned Elise, to beat him. However, if you ...more

The Contenders
11 All American Championship (Gran Turismo 4)

The entire championship can be trouble, especially if you're going against the Chaparral 2J '70. Best car to take would be the Chevrolet Camaro LM Race Car '01.

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