- LOCATION:
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
- TYPE: temporary street circuit
- LENGTH: 2.795 miles
- RACE
DISTANCE: 65 laps
(181.675 miles)
-
-
- SETUP
NOTES:
The circuit is very fast, but you need to build some cornering
ability into your chassis to manage the chicanes. Use the long
straight between turns 6 and 7 to tune 6th gear. Move the lower
gears as close together as possible for quick acceleration, but
you can afford to stretch the upper gears. Pay special attention
to camber and shock adjustments; it's vital to have the tires
gripping as evenly as possible. If the chicanes are causing you
to overreact, soften the suspension to take the edge off.
-
- A LAP: That this event
should be called IndyCarnival is humorous considering the difficulty
of the circuit and the many opportunities for mistakes it affords.
As you leave the start/finish line in high gear, the road makes
a gentle arc to the left. At Ferny Avenue, you'll encounter the
first chicane, a severe left-right-left combination. Drop to
3rd gear and coast through the entire chicane, then get back
on the accelerator. The next chicane is just ahead at Main Beach
Parade. This zig-zag is not as pronounced as Ferny Avenue, but
again you'll need to coast through the early half of the chicane
in 3rd gear. At the center point, get back on the throttle and
shift up to 6th. At the end of the straight you'll need to downshift
to 2nd and hang an abrupt left onto View Avenue. This short stretch
will give you just enough time to reach 3rd gear before going
back down to 1st and taking a harsh left at turn 6. The back
straight is an exhilarating ride along the Pacific Coast that
will finally let you hit top speed. At the intersection of Higman
Street, back off the throttle and downshift to 5th in order to
stay in control as you steer briskly through this chicane. Again
running at full power, you'll find the street leaning right,
then left a bit as you approach the next chicane. Drop to 3rd
at the corner and drive as straight a line through as possible,
then punch the gas hard once again. Your next stop will be a
tight left onto Breaker Street, Conrad Jupiter's Corner. Take
it in 2nd, then continue two blocks to Serisier Avenue, a slow
left-right combination that leads you onto Hill Parade. As you
power up through Hill Parade, the course feints to the right
just before a hard, 1st-gear left-hander, the Ampol Hairpin,
which dumps you back out onto the front straight. And they call
this Paradise!
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