Where are the good passing opportunities on Suzuka full & Maple Valley Full? I’ve looked on the web I can’t find anything to help me so I’m turning to the community. When I run freeplay on Suzuka full & Maple Valley full I can’t pass the drivatar. I’m running a 1-V-1 race (2 laps) & I’m a good 1.5 to 2 seconds faster than the drivatar if I set a 15 second roll off delay & let them go first. When I switch to a normal standing start (no delay) I can stay with the drivatar but passing is a different story on these 2 tracks. As soon as I get a good run out of a corner another turn pops up & there I am stuck behind them still. I race stock vs stock so I don’t want to upgrade anything except maybe the tire compound. I want to race clean so this is getting really frustrating. Any suggestions on good spots to overtake? Thanks!
Its dependent on the cars used. What car are you using ? Are you racing an identical car?
For the sake of simplicity, here is a map of suzuka with all turns numbered, so people can describe the spots easier
As jungsten stated, it depends on your vehicle setup. The following are good places to pass if you have good stats in:
- Acceleration - Best out of slow corners into straights (Suzuka 11, 14, 18)
- Braking - Best into slow corners from straights (Suzuka 13, 16)
- Cornering - Best through most slow curves (Suzuka 3 thru 7)
Avoid passing into places like Suzuka 1, 2, 8 & 15 as they have fast entry speeds, limiting any chance of an overtake. Others may have differing opinions, but that is how I think about it.
Right now I’m using the 2014 M4 & I’m racing against the 2011 Audi RS-5 & sometimes against the 2016 C63 AMG. I’ve even dropped the difficulty down to above average. I usually like to run a car that has less acceleration but better handling than my opponent so I will upgrade tire compound when the opponent car is close as far as handling goes.
In “Real World” racing, passing is often done by out-braking your opponent going into a turn. You take the inside, and if you get position the other guy has to “give you the right-of-way”. In Forza, however, the AI has a nasty habit of just turning into you - so if you’re goal is “clean” that can be a problem.
The other way to overtake is by exiting the turn faster than the other guy, and passing him on the ensuing straight. So, how to do that, when both cars are (essentially) the same?
One way is to late-apex the turn. You have to compromise a bit on your entry speed, but this will give you faster exit speed. You want to sort-of “turn in underneath” the other guy.
The other way is to “back off” just a bit before the turn. Say for a particular turn the AI (who is not as good as you) takes the turn at 50 mph, but you can take the turn at 65 mph. If you are right on his bumper entering and through the turn, and he’s only going 50, you can also only go 50 - or you’re driving through him. So, leading up to the turn, back off a little… He’ll exit the turn at 50 mph, but you can close the gap through the turn, and exit at your faster 65 mph. Now you’re starting the straight just slightly behind him, but going 15 mph faster. Move to the side, and let him eat your dust 
On the Suzuka track map that “jungsten” posted, I’d say ideal turns for late-apex are 7, 9, 14 and 17, and ideal turns for “back off and catch up” are 11 and 15.
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Well I finally beat the Audi at Suzuka by pulling level just before turn 8 & barely out-braking him there. Tried it against the AMG & I just don’t have enough power in the M4 to keep it ahead…not to mention not enough skill. Now…on to Maple Valley. Thanks to those who offered suggestions & tips!! You gotta love the forza community!
Maple Valley.
Try turn 3 inside. Usually you can take it flat out, but the AI brakes slightly at turn 2 and 3.
You need to get a good position after turn 2 to attack the inside, even if you are behind mid turn, the AI moves to the right after the turn and you can pass if you kept enough momentum.
Turn 5 inside.
The AI brakes way too early and moves to the right, you can late break (dive) and keep to the left, this will compromise your exit, but there is no chance the AI can get back the position
if you take turn 6 on the inside.
Maple Valley map for reference:
They both have limited overtaking places if we’re talking overtaking under braking.
At Suzuka the best places are into the hairpin and into the final chicane. You might have a chance going into spoon corner but the braking zone is shorter than the other two.
Maple valley is probably harder. There aren’t really many braking zones to take advantage of. I think the corner after the bridge (turn 5) and the following corner turn 6 are best.
Other than that you need a good handling car to do the job in the other corners.