Six tracks every sim racer should learn, and where to drive them

Some circuits teach more than others. The six below combine fast and slow corners, real elevation change and little room for error, and they are available in several of the major sims. For each one this guide notes what makes it difficult and where you can drive it. Availability is taken from the developers’ own track lists and store pages; some versions are in the base game, others are paid add-ons.

This is not a list of every famous circuit. It is a selection of tracks that test braking, commitment and the ability to adapt, and that reward the time it takes to learn them. The endurance circuits further down add a second test: doing the same thing for hours.

Nürburgring Nordschleife: The Green Hell’s Enduring Appeal

The Nordschleife, which Jackie Stewart named the Green Hell according to the Nürburgring, is the longest permanent race track in the world. Its length, elevation changes and lack of run-off make it a real test of concentration as well as skill. Where to drive it: iRacing lists the Nürburgring Nordschleife; in Assetto Corsa Competizione the Nürburgring 24h layout comes with the 24H Nürburgring Pack; Automobilista 2 includes the Nordschleife and 24h layouts in its Premium Track Pack.

The Unpredictability Factor

The Nürburgring gives the Nordschleife as 20.8 km long, with 73 corners and about 300 metres of elevation difference, and gradients of up to 18 percent near Hohe Acht. The constant changes in elevation, camber and grip are what set it apart. One moment you are climbing, the next you are dropping over a blind crest.

Caracciola-Karussell: A Classic Challenge

This banked hairpin is one of the best known corners on the circuit. Negotiating it in a simulator needs a delicate touch and a feel for how much grip the banking offers. Too much speed and you slide up and off the banking; too little and you lose time on the climb that follows. Getting the entry right, carrying momentum through the banking and accelerating out smoothly is what the corner rewards. Missing the line here can ruin the whole lap.

Pflanzgarten: commitment over crests

This is a fast, undulating section where the car goes light over the crests and has to land straight. The lack of run-off adds to the pressure. In a GT3 car or a prototype, keeping the car balanced through Pflanzgarten needs full concentration: too much steering as the car goes light, or a kerb at the wrong moment, and the car is heading for the barrier. Arrive straight, keep the inputs small and let the car settle before the next corner.

Mastering the Loop

Consistently putting in fast laps on the Nordschleife isn’t about learning a few braking points. It’s about understanding the flow of the track, knowing where to be aggressive and where to be patient. The sheer number of corners means that one mistake can snowball into a disastrous lap time.

Spa-Francorchamps: The Ardennes Rollercoaster

Spa-Francorchamps is a different test. At 7.004 km it is the longest circuit on the Formula 1 calendar, and its weather can be wet on one part of the lap and dry on another, so grip varies from corner to corner. Where to drive it: iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione and Le Mans Ultimate include it, ACC and LMU in the base game, and Automobilista 2 sells it in its Premium Track Pack with historic versions.

Eau Rouge and Raidillon

Formula 1 describes the sequence simply: drivers flick left, then right, then climb the hill. The quick change of direction at the bottom and the steep climb to the blind crest at the top demand commitment. In a high downforce car such as a GT3, the question is how much you can keep your foot in; in a slower car it is mostly flat, and the challenge is the line.

The Blind Crest: Trusting Your Instincts

The crest at the top of Raidillon is where you have to trust the car and the setup. You are accelerating hard, climbing, and cannot see what comes next. The car goes light at the top and settles again as the track levels onto the straight. A good sim conveys that through the force feedback and the change in load, and that is the moment to keep the steering still and the throttle steady.

The Kemmel Straight and Les Combes

Raidillon opens onto the long Kemmel Straight, so your exit speed from the top of the hill decides how fast you arrive at Les Combes, the braking zone at the end of the straight. The challenge is to carry all the speed you can from Raidillon without overdoing the braking into Les Combes. Brake too early and you lose time; brake too late and you run wide or off the track.

The Rest of the Belgian Classic

Eau Rouge and Raidillon get the attention, but the rest of Spa is just as demanding. Pouhon, a fast sweeping left-hander, needs a precise line and confidence in the car’s balance.

Laguna Seca: the Corkscrew and the rest of the lap

Laguna Seca is short, at 2.238 miles, but the Corkscrew alone makes it worth learning, and the rest of the lap is demanding too. Where to drive it: iRacing lists WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca; it comes with the Intercontinental GT Pack in Assetto Corsa Competizione and with US Track Pack 1 in Le Mans Ultimate; the original Assetto Corsa names it in its track list.

The Corkscrew: a sim racing rite of passage

Officially Turns 8 and 8A, the Corkscrew drops 59 feet over 450 feet of track, according to the circuit. You turn left over a crest you cannot see beyond, and the road falls away beneath you. In a sim it is about learning the reference points, finding the braking point before the drop and being ready for the sudden change of direction.

Navigating the Drop: Precision is Paramount

The entry into the Corkscrew is all about hitting your braking point precisely. Too late, and you’ll overshoot. Too early, and you’ll lose too much speed. Then comes the exhilarating drop. You need to turn in at the right moment, feeling the change in direction as the track falls away beneath you. The sensation of the car seemingly dropping off the cliff is amplified on a good sim. It’s not just about hitting the apex; it’s about managing the transition and setting yourself up for the exit.

The Double Apex Dance

The Corkscrew isn’t just a single corner; it’s a sequence. After the initial drop and left turn, you immediately have to transition to a right-hand apex. Getting this transition right means you can carry good speed out of the corner and onto the short straight leading towards the next challenge. It’s a mini-challenge within the overall lap that requires a lot of practice and fine-tuning of your inputs.

Other Crucial Sections

Beyond the Corkscrew, Laguna Seca boasts other corners that demand respect. The tight Turn 1 after the start/finish line can be a great overtaking spot but is easy to get wrong. The series of fast corners through the middle sector also requires commitment and precision.

Bathurst Mount Panorama: the Mountain

Mount Panorama combines a steep climb, a fast and blind descent and very little room between the walls. It is a place where a small mistake has large consequences. Where to drive it: iRacing lists the Mount Panorama Circuit, and it comes with the Intercontinental GT Pack in Assetto Corsa Competizione.

The Mountain’s Ascent: A Test of Nerve and Grip

From Hell Corner the lap climbs the Mountain Straight, which the Bathurst Regional Council gives as 1.111 km long, through Griffin’s Bend and The Cutting, with its steep exit, to the top at Skyline. The road is narrow and the walls are close, and the gradient makes it easy to lose traction on the exits.

The Esses: the start of the descent

The Esses follow Skyline at the top of the hill, so they are the start of the descent, not part of the climb. They are a series of blind left and right turns where you rely on references and on the cues from your sim to know when to turn and how much. One small error in steering here sends you into the concrete. Commit to the line and keep the car settled, because The Dipper and Forrest’s Elbow follow.

Conrod Straight and The Chase

After the descent comes Conrod Straight, where speed builds for a long time and any mistake is magnified. Braking from top speed into The Chase, the chicane that breaks up the straight, is a common place to overtake and an easy place to get it wrong.

The Descent and the Chase

The descent from Skyline is as demanding as the climb: fast, blind changes of direction that need precise braking and small steering inputs. The exit of Forrest’s Elbow decides your speed down Conrod Straight, and The Chase and Murray’s Corner then end the lap.

Interlagos: Brazil’s Vibrant Challenge

The Autódromo José Carlos Pace, known as Interlagos, is a 4.309 km lap in a natural bowl, combining a fast, banked opening and finish with a twisting infield. Where to drive it: iRacing lists it, and Le Mans Ultimate added it with its 2024 season content.

The Senna S: A Technical Opener

The opening sequence at Interlagos, known as the Senna S, is a crucial part of the lap. It’s a tight, undulating left-right combination that requires precise braking and accurate turn-in. Getting this sequence right sets up your lap and can be a vital overtaking opportunity or a place to defend.

Mastering the Undulations: Adapting to the Terrain

Interlagos is known for its significant elevation changes throughout the lap. This undulation affects braking points, tire grip, and the aerodynamic performance of your car. Learning to anticipate these changes and adapt your driving style accordingly is key to unlocking fast lap times. You’ll feel the car lift or compress, and this feedback is vital for smooth, consistent driving.

The Run to Descida do Lago: Momentum is Key

Following the Senna S, you head into a faster section. The key here is to maintain momentum. The rapid left-hander of Descida do Lago requires you to be committed and precise to carry speed onto the back straight. It’s a corner where you can lose or gain a significant amount of time depending on your entry and exit.

The Technical Middle and the Fast Finish

The infield features a series of tighter corners with camber changes that test the car’s handling and your ability to be smooth with the inputs. The lap then climbs back up the hill to a banked final corner that leads onto the start and finish straight. The exit there decides the slipstream battles down the straight and into the Senna S.

Sonoma Raceway: California’s Twisty Test

Sonoma Raceway in California is a tight, hilly road course with blind crests and changes of camber, and it rewards patience more than bravery. Where to drive it: iRacing lists Sonoma Raceway.

The Carousel: A Test of Patience and Precision

The long Carousel is a defining feature of Sonoma. It is a test of patience and precision: you need to hold a consistent arc and not get greedy with the throttle on the exit. Getting it right lets you carry speed into the section that follows.

The Elevation Change: Feeling the Grip

Like Laguna Seca, Sonoma has significant elevation changes, and several corners sit on or just after a crest. Expect the car to feel lighter and less planted as it goes over the top and then loads up again as the road drops away. Learning to trust the car and the cues from the sim in these transitions is what makes a consistent lap here.

Braking over the crests

Where a braking zone starts on a crest, brake a little earlier and more gently, because a light car locks its wheels easily, and finish the braking once the car has landed. It is the same skill the Corkscrew teaches, applied several times per lap.

The Technical Twists and Turns

Beyond these highlights, Sonoma is packed with challenging corners. The technical infield section requires precise inputs and good car control. The series of esses and tighter turns demand that you be smooth and consistent with your steering and throttle application to avoid scrubbing speed. It’s a track that truly rewards a well-balanced car and a driver who can consistently hit their marks lap after lap.

Each of these circuits teaches something different: the Nordschleife concentration, Spa commitment, Laguna Seca and Sonoma braking over crests, Bathurst precision between walls and Interlagos rhythm through a twisting infield. Learn one at a time, with a method rather than endless laps, as described in learning a new track.

The endurance circuits, and what they teach

The six tracks above reward a single lap. Endurance circuits add a second test: doing the same thing for hours, in traffic, while the car and the conditions change.

Circuit de la Sarthe

Part permanent circuit, part public road. The Mulsanne straight has been broken up by chicanes since 1990, so it is now a series of heavy braking zones rather than one flat-out run. Much of the lap is decided before it: a poor exit from Tertre Rouge costs time all the way down. The Porsche Curves late in the lap are where fatigue shows, fast changes of direction with little room for error.

Daytona

The road course combines the steep oval banking (31 degrees in the turns) with a tight, flat infield, and the setup has to compromise between the two. The chicane on the back straight, the Bus Stop, is the heavy braking zone and the usual place for overtakes and contact.

Circuit of the Americas

Turn 1 is a steep climb to a blind apex where it is easy to brake too late on the opening lap. The quick esses that follow demand rhythm, and the slower hairpins later need a different approach entirely.

Bathurst beyond the Esses

After the summit, the descent through Skyline is blind and fast, and Forrest's Elbow decides the speed down Conrod Straight. As at Tertre Rouge, the exit matters more than the corner itself.

Using them in a sim

Practise in traffic and in long stints rather than hot laps alone, and learn the braking points well enough to hit them when tired. The guides on learning a new track, driver swaps and lift and coast cover the rest.

FAQs

What are the best tracks for Sim Racing?

The six covered here are the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Spa-Francorchamps, Laguna Seca, Mount Panorama at Bathurst, Interlagos and Sonoma. For endurance racing, the Circuit de la Sarthe, Daytona and the Circuit of the Americas are worth learning as well.

What makes a track suitable for Sim Racing?

A track suitable for Sim Racing should have a good balance of challenging corners, elevation changes, and realistic scenery. It should also provide a smooth and accurate driving experience for the virtual racers.

Are there any specific tracks that are popular among Sim Racers?

Yes, tracks like the Nürburgring Nordschleife and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps are particularly popular among Sim Racers due to their challenging nature and realistic representation in simulation games.

What factors should be considered when choosing tracks for Sim Racing?

When choosing tracks for Sim Racing, factors such as track length, variety of corners, historical significance, and overall driving experience should be considered. Additionally, the track’s popularity among the Sim Racing community can also be a deciding factor.

Are there any tracks that are known for providing a realistic Sim Racing experience?

Tracks like the Nürburgring Nordschleife and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps are known for providing a highly realistic Sim Racing experience due to their challenging layouts and accurate representation in simulation games.