ACC Suzuka Track Guide: How To Master Suzuka

Suzuka is one of the all-time classic circuits, and as sim racers, we are lucky that it appears in so many racing titles. It is in iRacing and F1 24. However, today, I’m hitting the track in Assetto Corsa Competizione to show you our Suzuka track guide.

What is a good lap time around Suzuka in Asetto Corsa Competizione?

Suzuka is a challenging circuit with a few famous and notoriously tricky corners. The Esses in the first half of the lap test precision and car placement, as well as throttle management. The incredibly fast 130R tests your bravery and your car’s high-speed balance.

The fastest lap time at Suzuka recorded in Assetto Corsa Competizione using a GT3 car is 1:58.000, while an average time is roughly 2:03.250. If you are aiming to be in the top 5% of drivers, you should be aiming for a lap time around Suzuka of roughly 1:59.150.

• Current time trial record: 1:58.000
• Top 5% lap time: 1:59.150
• Average lap time: 2:03.250

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Suzuka track guide

Turns 1 & 2

Jumping into our Suzuka track guide, we have the tricky to master turns 1 and 2, otherwise known as the “First corner”. This is a fast double apex corner where you’ll be slowing down through the first part of the turn.

You will want to hit the brakes just before you start to turn right and immediately start to trail off the brake pedal as you continue to slow your car. Maintain only a small amount of steering input through the first part of the corner, and allow your car to drift over to the left side of the track.

Continue to slow your car before the second apex and apply more steering input. Aim to be in third gear at the apex. Cut across the track to the inside and just clip the inside kerb before gradually accelerating. Feel free to use all of the exit kerb to start accelerating earlier.

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Turns 3, 4, 5, 6 (‘S’ Curves)

The infamous ‘S’ Curves are next, and this is one of the most flowing sectors of any track in ACC. Approach with your car on the right side of the track and apply a small amount of brake input as you turn in towards the apex of turn 3. Carry as much speed through here as possible and accelerate towards the right-hander of turn 4.

You should cut across the track to the right-hand side while applying around 60% brake input to slow your car. Use some inside kerb to shorten the corner’s radius, and manage your throttle application through turn 4.

Turn 5 is a shallow left-hand corner, so you’ll need just the slightest application of the brake pedal as you coast through the left-hand apex. Turn 6 is the slowest part of the Esses, so once again, apply around 50-60% brake input as you rotate your car through the right-hander.

Then accelerate at 100% throttle input out of turn 6 and ahead of the left-hand turn 7.

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Turn 7 (Dunlop Curve)

Dunlop curve is the name given to the long left-hander of turn 7. The approach is really just the exit of turn 6. Accelerate hard towards the corner and lift slightly as you cut across from the right to the left of the track.

You can then apply full throttle again through the corner, lifting a little more if you feel your car drifting too far out to the right of the track. Be wary of the outside kerb as you can get sucked into the gravel if you are too greedy with your throttle application.

Follow the curve round and then slowly drift over to the left of the circuit ahead of the right hand turn 8.

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Turns 8 & 9 (Degner Curve)

The two Degner Curves require incredibly precise driving, and the first part of the corner is particularly fast. Approach with your car positioned far left, and brake hard before applying any steering input.

Aim to cut across the track and over the inside kerb to minimise the corner radius. Once you know you are safe from the left-hand gravel trap, accelerate towards the second part of the corner.

The second Degner is the slower of the two, although you have more room to be aggressive. On the approach, brake hard and shift down to second gear. You’ll want to trail brake on the entry to help rotate your car into the apex.

As soon as you reach the inside apex kerb, accelerate hard, aggressively using all of the run-off area and the exit kerbs. Short shift up from second gear if you re struggling for traction or racing in wet conditions.

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Turns 10 & 11 (Hairpin)

The hairpin is the slowest corner around Suzuka, and it features a tricky braking point where you’ll be turning right while braking hard. Start by positioning your car on the left of the track and then drift across to the right for the first kink.

Just as you round the right-hand kink and see the hairpin, start braking hard, shifting right down to first gear. Trail brake into the apex, using the front brakes to rotate the car into the long left-hand apex.

Just before reaching the halfway point of the corner, you should be off the brakes and focusing on when to start accelerating. It can be tricky to find traction on the exit of the hairpin using any of the GT cars in Assetto Corsa Competizione. You could increase your traction control for this corner or short shift while gradually applying the throttle.

As you round the apex, accelerate gradually, but avoid the right hand kerb as this will hamper your ability to maintain traction.

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Turns 12 & 13 (Spoon Curve)

Turn 13 isn’t really a corner. Its more of a bend to the right where you can accelerate at 100% throttle pressure throughout. Keep your car to the right for the shortest path through turn 12, and ready yourself for Spoon Curve.

This is another double apex corner. You’ll want to brake hard and in a straight line at around the 200-250 meter mark. Then, coast through the first apex of Spoon before accelerating at around 80% throttle pressure towards the second apex. You should drift out to the right of the track while accelerating to minimise your steering angle.

Brake again, but only at around 65% brake pressure ahead of the second part of Spoon. Rotate your car into the apex while coasting once again. Then, focus on accelerating early. You can use the exit kerb to maximise how early you start accelerating.

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Turn 15 (130R)

The next corner after the long straight is the terrifying 130R. This is the fastest corner around Suzuka hitting speeds of around 250km/h. On the approach, keep your car positioned to the right of the track. You will want to turn in aggressively right at the 50 meter board while lifting off the throttle for a split second.

Then, reapply the throttle and accelerate through the corner, using the entire width of the track. Once you are through 130R, move across to the left of the track before the final chicane.

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Turns 16, 17 & 18 (Casio Triangle)

The final corners around Suzuka are the Casio Triangle. This is a slow chicane followed by a long right-hander that leads onto the pit straight.

Use the brake markers on the left to indicate when to brake. Look for the 150-metre board and hit the brakes hard. You will want to be very aggressive through this chicane, cutting as much of the inside kerb for the first right-hander as you can.

Hop awkwardly over the first apex before applying a small amount of throttle and aiming to hop over the left-hand part of the chicane as well. Then, as your car settles on the exit, accelerate hard through the final turn 18 and towards the start/finish line.

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The best Assetto Corsa Competizione setups for Suzuka

If you are looking for the perfect ACC car setup for Suzuka, I’d recommend looking at our car setup bundles. We have setup bundles for the most popular GT3 and GT4 cars in Assetto Corsa Competizione, including the Ferrari 296 GT3 that I was using for this Suzuka track guide.

Our setup bundles feature setups for every track in ACC, including Suzuka. They are updated regularly to ensure you always have the latest setups for the upcoming LFM BoP.

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