Suzuka Circuit East

Suzuka Circuit East Short Course (Suzuka East in some games) is a real-world circuit which features in Gran Turismo. The circuit is a shortened variant of the main Suzuka Circuit and appears in Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Gran Turismo 5.

Layout
The East course of Suzuka features the first part of the main Suzuka Circuit from The Esses to Dunlop, then doubles back, bypassing inside the Casio Triangle chicane to the finish line. In Gran Turismo, it is split into three short sectors.

Sector One
Sector One begins on the start-finish straight, with a short run down to a tricky first corner. Turn One is a fast right hander which serves as a braking zone for turn 2, also a right hander. Although being longer and tighter than the first, turn 2 has an extended run-off area outside the normal line, so drivers can accelerate early out of the corner. The short straight that follows marks the end of the first sector.

Sector Two
Sector Two contains the Esses, a series of compound corners which are easy to learn, but very difficult to perfect. The Esses are a left-right-left-right series, each one a little tighter than the last, and each with its own elevation change. A good line here is essential, as a good time overall depends on compromising the exit to each turn in order to set up for the next. The checkpoint to end the second sector is just beyond the second right hander.

Sector Three
The final sector begins with Dunlop. This left hander, which would be taken wide on the full circuit, must be taken much tighter on the East Course so as to set up for the right-hand to follow. Here is where the track leaves the main circuit and takes the East Shortcut, a short section of track preceded and succeded by tight right handers. Finally, the track dives downhill and around a long, off-camber right hander to towards the finish line.

In Gran Turismo
The Suzuka East Circuit appears in the following events, license tests and missions in Gran Turismo.

Gran Turismo 4

 * Driving Mission 19
 * FF Challenge
 * 4WD Challenge
 * European Hot Hatch Championship
 * All Japan GT Championship
 * Japanese Compact Cup
 * 206 Cup
 * Megane Cup
 * A3 Cup
 * Speedster Trophy
 * Civic Race
 * Micra Brothers
 * Vitz Race
 * Blackpool Racers

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

 * FF Challenge (C-5)
 * Clubman Cup (B-1)
 * Daihatsu Copen Race (D-5)
 * Renault Clio Sport V6 24V Race (D-14)

Gran Turismo 5

 * FF Challenge
 * Lightweight K Cup
 * Japanese Classics