Explanation of GPL
Grand Prix Legends (GPL) is a renowned racing simulation game released in 1998. Developed by Papyrus Design Group and published by Sierra Sports, it focused on the 1967 Formula One season, offering players a highly realistic and challenging racing experience. The game featured accurate renditions of cars like Lotus 49 and Ferrari 312, along with detailed tracks from the 1967 season.
What set GPL apart was its realistic physics engine, simulating tire grip, suspension, and aerodynamics. This attention to detail provided a challenging yet rewarding gameplay experience. GPL also had an active modding community, allowing players to create and share additional content, enhancing the game's longevity.
The game's difficulty stemmed from its realistic physics, requiring players to master each car's nuances, handle different tracks, and perfect manual shifting and steering techniques. GPL's steep learning curve contributed to its reputation as one of the most authentic racing simulations.
Despite its age, GPL maintained a dedicated fanbase, testament to its enduring appeal among racing simulation enthusiasts. Its focus on historical Formula One racing and its realistic approach have solidified its status as a classic in the genre and leads to the fact that the simulation is still driven today.
It is safe to say that GPL changed my life. It was my first contact to online racing and the wish to race these cars (Bazzas Mod) again, was one of the reasons to found THR in December 2018.
GPL was released on 10/06/1998.
Let´s celebrate 25 years of GPL and race it again!
Championship Setup
We host a Main Championship and a Casual Cup.
GPL CASUAL CUP
The GPL CASUAL CUP is meant to be more casual 😉
We hope to attract
- the Rookies
- the ones who need some more practice among other drivers but also want a taste of competition
- the ones who want to have a more casual race
- the ones who don´t have enough time to practice hours and hours
The point system is:
P1 40, P2 37, P3 34, P4 31, P5 30, P5 29, P7 28, … , P25 10, P26 9, P27 8, … P31 4
GPL MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
The GPL MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP 6 is what we already had
We expect to have
- the Aliens
- the ones who are experienced
- the drivers who are used to battle on track
The point system is:
P1 40, P2 37, P3 34, P4 31, P5 30, P5 29, P7 28, … , P25 10, P26 9, P27 8, … P31 4
We are on the verge to offer 2 good filled grids. But we cannot predict how well the grids will be accepted and how well they will be filled.
The choice in which of the championships you want to compete in is up to you and your self-assessment.
To give others an idea about the possible participation numbers, we would like to ask you to register early in the week.
It also helps to grab one of the 31 available slots.
First come, first served.
Technically it can't be prevented, but we forbid to change the car again after the first lap on the qualifying servers THR4 (Casual Cup) and THR5 (Main Championship).
To be very clear:
If you have driven a lap with a car on a qualifying server, you are not allowed to choose another car on the qualfiying server, nor to choose another car for the race.
We will monitor this and disqualify the driver in case of misbehavior.
Please follow this rule when you sign up for Sunday events:
You need to keep using the same car during the entire season in the Main Events, after you have completed your first lap in that car on the booked qualifying server for a sunday main event (THR 4 and THR 5). The cars have different strengths & weaknesses between the racetracks we visit, and we don't want participants to exploit that.
If you are really struggling with your initial car choice, you will be allowed one (1) chance to update your choice during the season.
We hope for a great start into the championship!
Registration
You have to register for each event (Saturday and Sunday) of the championship.
Normally the registration for the next race weekend opens the Monday before.
To be able to join the Qualifying and the race sessions, you have to register via these links:
CASUAL CUP
http://5.75.183.156:8772/championships?server=3
MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
http://5.75.183.156:8772/championships?server=4
If so, then you can join the Qualifying with your car and skin immediately after registering.
In some cases it is necessary to wait for the next server restart, which occurs every 2 hours.
Only in rare cases you get the message "No slots available", then the Admins have to stop and restart the server.
Give us a short hint in #drivers chat in our Discord.
THR has changed the onboarding process:
https://thracing.de/2022/02/22/thr-changes-onboarding-process/
New community members need to have three ACSR races in the records to get permission to start in the Main Event Races on Sundays. To achieve this, they can participate in the wkdy races, the practice races on Saturday and the THR Academy events.
If you think you are experienced enough to directly start in the Main Event races, please fill out the form (also to be found by following above link) with verifiable references to fast-track your onboarding request.
Short term upcoming events
- Saturday April 27, 2024
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WSCP2 | Practice Race | Feldbergring
Saturday April 27, 2024 21:30
12 hours from now
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- Sunday April 28, 2024
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WSCP2 | Casual Cup Race | Feldbergring
Sunday April 28, 2024 21:30
2 days from now -
WSCP2 | Championship Race | Feldbergring
Sunday April 28, 2024 21:30
2 days from now
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- Wednesday May 01, 2024
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Fun Event | Weekday Race | tbd
Wednesday May 01, 2024 20:40
4 days from now
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Cars
We race the the GPL Mod created by Bazza and his team.
The mod was made as a homage to the original Grand Prix Legends, therefore they decided to
include the character and some of the physics data of GPL in this mod.
E.g. torque curves, horsepower, rpm limits, gear and diff ratio´s are in close resemblance, same goes for supsension geometry and typical handling characteristics per car.
Brabham Repco BT24
Following the trusty design principles a new single seater was designed for 1967; the BT23 for Formula 2 and the BT24 for Formula 1. The latter featured different suspension, brakes, wheels and gearbox to cope with the latest specification Repco engine,producing 350 bhp which was by no means impressive, but it did produce a very flat torque curve.
The competition seemed to have gotten to grips with things and the days for Brabham seemed numbered. Fortunately the rock-solid reliability and nimbleness again proved too much for the more advanced competition and the BT24 scored three 1-2 finishes in the hands of Brabham and Hulme. Together with the Monaco win in the BT20, it was enough for Hulme to score his first Drivers Championship, just ahead of his boss. The team won the Constructors Championship for the second year running.
Characteristics
Very small, light and narrow and a long wheelbase relative to its width. CoG somewhat high relative to its width, causing the chassis to tend to roll more than most of the others. This can make it more prone to bottoming its suspension.
Weight bias more to front than the other cars. Long wheelbase makes it stable and very progressive if set up properly. The Repco engine is down on power to the other cars but has a very broad torque band. Setup tip: Tall lower gears to take advantage of torque, concentrating use of available power nearer the top speed.
British Racing Motors BRM P83
The BRM P83 was a Formula One racing car designed by Tony Rudd and built by British Racing Motors for the new engine regulations of 1966. It used a highly unorthodox H16 engine which caused problems throughout the car's racing life, and despite the best efforts of Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart took BRM from championship contenders to also-rans, leading it to be regarded alongside the BRM Type 15 as another embarrassing failure for the British marque caused by a fetish for overcomplicated engineering.
BRM decided to hedge their bets by developing their existing 16 valve 1.5 litre V8 into a 32 valve 3 litre H16, effectively two flat 8s one on top of the other and geared together. The sheer complexity of the engine led to a truly terrible record of unreliability; engine, transmission and related problems caused 27 of the powerplants 30 retirements from 40 entries.
Jackie Stewart said of the engine: it was unnecessarily large, used more fuel, carried more oil and needed more water - all of which added weight and diminished the vehicle's agility. The 64 valve engine produced 423 horsepower at 10,500 RPM. The H16 had an extremely narrow power band and was by some distance the heaviest engine on the grid, starting out weighing 250kg when introduced in 1966 with the final lightweight version lowering this to 180kg."
Characteristics
Short, wide, and heavy, with a very high CoG due to upper crankshaft and other engine mass. Short wheelbase and extreme rearward weight bias make it prone to over-rotating on turn-in and under power. Rearward weight bias gives it good traction and good braking. The high CoG requires lots of roll resistance; the weight requires high wheel rates.
The BRM engine is very peaky, with a very narrow power band, but it is very powerful, which offsets the weight of the car to some extent.
Cooper Maserati T81
Derrick White was commissioned to design Cooper's very first monocoque chassis to house the Italian Maserati V12 engine. Dubbed the T81, the new 3-litre car was very conventional, perhaps with the exception of the front disc brakes, which were installed on the inside of the hub between the wishbones. Giulio Alfieri extensively reworked the almost ten year old engine, which produced a claimed 390 bhp.
The Cooper team had always believed in the power of numbers and at various races in 1966, they fielded up to five Maserati powered T81s. Jochen Rindt scored the company's first Grand Prix win since 1962 at the Mexican Grand Prix and Pedro Rodriguez added another one in the 1967 opener in South Africa. The biggest problem of the 3-litre Coopers was the relatively high weight and in 1967 a lighter T81B was tried, but with little success.
Characteristics
Longest wheelbase of all the cars. Very stable and forgiving; must be driven very hard to go quickly, but forgiving characteristics permit this. Heavier than the four lightweights, with the CoG fairly far forward. The Maserati engine is down on power but very nice to drive.
Anglo American Racers Eagle Weslake T1G
The Eagle Mk1, commonly referred to as the Eagle T1G, was a Formula One racing car, designed by Len Terry for Dan Gurney’s Anglo American Racers team. The Eagle, introduced for the start of the 1966 Formula One season, is often regarded as being one of the most beautiful Grand Prix cars ever raced at the top levels of international motorsport.
Initially appearing with a 2.7L Coventry Climax inline 4-cylinder engine, the car was designed around a 3.0L Gurney-Weslake V12 which was introduced after its first four races. In the hands of team boss Gurney, the Eagle-Weslake won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, making Dan Gurney only the second driver at the time, and one of only three to date, to win a Formula One Grand Prix in a car of their own construction. That win in Belgium still stands as the only Formula One victory for a USA-built car.
Characteristics
Long, wide track, fairly light. Weight bias near middle of the range of cars. Stable as long as it's kept off the bump rubbers; seems a bit more prone to bottom than would be expected considering its weight and track. Engine is powerful with good torque.
Scuderia Ferrari 312
The Ferrari 312 was the designation of the 3 litre V-12 Formula One cars raced by the Italian team from 1966 to 1969. While most of the British teams, or “Garagists” as Enzo Ferrari used to call them, had to rely on their engine suppliers to get ready in time, Ferrari had the advantage of doing everything in house.
Unfortunately there was not enough time and/or money available for chief engineer Mauro Forghieri to start from scratch, so he used the 3.3 litre engine from the 275 P2 sports racer as a base for the new V12 F1 engine. Much of the engine block was carried over, but the single overhead camshaft head was replaced by a modern dual overhead camshaft unit.
Much work was carried out on the cylinder heads, which sported three valves per cylinder, with two for the intake. The intake trumpets were installed between the camshafts and a wild bunch of beautiful “spaghetti” exhausts were mounted inside the engine’s V. All these changes significantly increased the performance, peaking at 390 bhp at 10,000 rpm. Forghieri also drastically modified the chassis to shed over 50 kg, bringing the 1967 version of the 312 F1 considerably closer to the 500 kg limit."
Characteristics
Short, wide and almost as light as the Brabham and Lotus. Weight bias near the middle of the range of cars. The short wheelbase makes it nimble but relatively unstable. The engine is powerful but has a weak bottom end.
Honda RA300
The Honda RA300 was a Formula One racing car produced by Honda Racing, and introduced halfway through the 1967 Formula One season. It retained the same V12 engine as the preceding RA273 car, but the chassis was designed by Lola’s Eric Broadley and based on a previous Lola Indianapolis 500 car, the T90.This collaboration resulted in the machine being quickly dubbed the Hondola by the motorsports press.
Broadley’s chassis was much lighter and sweeter handling than the previous in-house design. The car initially performed impressively, winning in its first ever World Championship race at the 1967 Italian Grand Prix. Driver John Surtees took the lead from Jim Clark’s Lotus and Jack Brabhams’ Brabham on the final lap, after Clark ran out of fuel and Brabham ran wide. However, the RA300 flattered to deceive, and this would turn out to be the only lap that an RA300 would lead, and it never again took a World Championship victory. It remains the only F1 car ever to take its single victory in its very first Grand Prix, and on the only lap it would ever lead.
The 48-valve V12 Honda first appeared at the 1966 Italian GP driven by Richie Ginther (USA). In spite of weighing 740 kg (dry) it was capable of spinning the rear tyres at 100 mph in third gear. With cylinder dimensions of 78.0 x 52.2 mm 2,993.17 cc, a target of 400-440 bhp @ 12,000 rpm was quoted. The engine used by John Surtees at the 1967 Italian GP was quoted by Motoring News as developing only 396 bhp, but with improved torque and response. The vehicle weight excess over the 500 kg minimum had been approximately halved.
Characteristics
Fairly long and narrow. Heavy with extreme rearward weight bias, but long wheelbase makes it stable as long as the yaw rate does not get too high. Rearward weight bias gives good traction. Braking can be hard due to the higher weight. It's stability makes it more tolerant of bottoming the rear suspension. The engine is the most powerful of all but is soft on the bottom end, making it easy to drive but hurting acceleration. Space the gears properly to keep the engine in the narrow, peaky, powerband.
Lotus Ford 49
After a difficult first year for Lotus in the 3 litre formula, Chapman went back to the drawing board and came up with a design that was both back to basics, and a leap ahead. Taking inspiration from earlier designs, particularly the Lotus 43 and Lotus 38 Indycar, the 49 was the first F1 car to be powered by the now-famous Ford Cosworth DFV engine after Chapman convinced Ford to build an F1 powerplant.
The 49 was an advanced design in Formula 1 because of its chassis configuration. The specially-designed engine became a stress-bearing structural member (seen first with the H16 engine in the Lotus 43 and BRM P83), bolted to the monocoque at one end and the suspension and gearbox at the other. Since then virtually all Formula 1 cars have been built this way.
As the engine came ‘on cam’ at 6,500 RPM with a sharp rise there in the power curve - Jimmy Clark likened it to a ‘second engine’ cutting in - the useful range was only 2,500 RPM which caused difficulties even to Clark in some corners. The performance was still ample to defeat its rivals being 20 to 70 HP higher than their outputs, provided the engine and the L49 chassis held together - which they did not do 14 times out of 22 starts in the 1967 Championship, although securing nine poles for the nine remaining races.
Characteristics
Short, wide, moderately draggy. The lightest car (along with the Brabham), with a fairly rearward weight bias. The Ford engine has plenty of torque in the upper rpm range, keep it above 6500 rpm, and good power. The car's rear rims are wider than the others, giving it more rear grip than the other competitors.
McLaren BRM M5A
The McLaren M5A was a racing car constructed by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing, and was McLaren’s first purpose-built Formula One car. Like its M4B predecessor, only one car of this type was ever built. The car was the first to use the BRM type 101 3.0 litre V12 engine, which produced 375 bhp.
The M5A’s first race was the rain-affected 1967 Canadian Grand Prix, and after an early spin McLaren worked his way up to fourth place, before a pit stop to change a flat battery caused by McLaren’s decision not to use an alternator pushed him back down to seventh place at the end. At the next race in Italy McLaren qualified third, but broke two connecting rods while battling for fourth place and retired after 46 laps. the last two races of the season were no better, with McLaren retiring from both.
Characteristics
Long, wide track, fairly light and a relative low drag tub. Weight bias near middle of the range of cars. Engine lacks top-end but has a very linear power delivery making it controllable on the exits.
Car Downloads:
GPL Mod [Download]
THR TV [Download]
THR Skinpack
We have tons of beautiful custom skins from our members.
You can find and download them here:
https://thr.vacbot.cz/skinpacks/THR_GPL67_skinpack.7z
If you want to make your own skin and race it in THR races, have a look here:
https://thracing.de/community/custom-skins/
Tracks
- Monza
- Le Mans Bugatti
- Nürburgring Nordschleife
- Mosport Park
- Bremgarten
- Spa Franchorchamps
- Oulton Park
- Magdalena Mixhuca
Monza
Monza, officially known as Autodromo Nazionale Monza, is a historic race track located near the town of Monza, Italy. In 1967, Monza was a high-speed circuit that hosted the Italian Grand Prix, which is one of the oldest and most prestigious races in Formula One.
The most iconic feature of the track was the high banking, known as the "Pista di Alta Velocità" or "Circuit of High Speed." The banking was used until 1961 in combination with the road course to create an incredibly fast and challenging circuit.
In 1967, the track layout included a combination of fast straights and high-speed corners.
Le Mans Bugatti
The Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans, commonly known as the Circuit de la Sarthe, is a world-renowned race track in Le Mans, France. The Le Mans Bugatti Circuit is a shorter version of the main Circuit de la Sarthe and is used for various motorsport events, including motorcycle racing and smaller car races. In 1967, the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, as it exists today, was already in operation.
The Le Mans Bugatti Circuit features a mix of straights and tight corners, providing a challenging layout for drivers. The track has undergone several modifications and updates over the years, but the general layout in 1967 would have been similar to its current configuration.
Nürburgring - Nordschleife
In 1967, the Nürburgring Nordschleife, commonly referred to as just the Nordschleife, was one of the most challenging and iconic race tracks in the world. Located in the Eifel Mountains in Germany, the Nordschleife was renowned for its length, complexity, and varying elevation changes.
The Nordschleife was known for its unique atmosphere. Spectators could watch the races from various vantage points around the track, including famous sections like the Karussell (a steeply banked corner) and the Flugplatz (a section with a hump, causing cars to go airborne). The track was surrounded by lush greenery, adding to its picturesque yet challenging nature.
Mosport Park
Mosport Park, officially known as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, is a motorsport circuit located in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. In 1967, the circuit was known as Mosport International Raceway.
Compared to modern circuits, the safety features at Mosport Park in 1967 were relatively basic. The track was lined with guardrails and some areas had limited runoff areas. Safety standards were significantly different during that era, and safety improvements that are common in today's circuits were not present at the same level in 1967.
Bremgarten
Bremgarten was a motorsport race track located in the Bremgartenwald (Bremgarten forest) near the Swiss city of Bern. It was the venue for the Swiss Grand Prix in Formula One during the 1950s. However, by 1967, the track was no longer used for Formula One races.
The last Formula One race at Bremgarten took place in 1954. After the 1955 Le Mans disaster, where a crash resulted in significant casualties, Switzerland banned motorsport on public roads, leading to the end of racing at Bremgarten.
Zandvoort
Zandvoort Circuit, officially known as Circuit Park Zandvoort, is a motorsport race track located in Zandvoort, Netherlands. In 1967, the track was already a popular venue for racing events and was a part of the Formula One for several years.
Zandvoort Circuit in 1967 was a challenging and exciting track, loved by drivers and fans alike. Its unique layout and picturesque location made it a standout venue on the international motorsports calendar.
Spa Francorchamps
In 1967, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, was already a legendary and challenging race track. Located in the Ardennes forest in Belgium, it was (and still is) one of the most iconic circuits in the world.
The track features a mix of fast straights and challenging corners, including the famous Eau Rouge/Raidillon complex, which was as challenging then as it is now.
Spa-Francorchamps is renowned for its picturesque setting. The track weaved through the Ardennes forest, providing a unique and challenging racing environment. Spectators could enjoy the races from various vantage points around the track, appreciating the natural beauty of the surroundings.
Oluton Park
Oulton Park is a motorsport circuit located in Cheshire, England. In 1967, the track was already established as one of the premier racing venues in the United Kingdom.
Oulton Park has a distinctive, undulating, and challenging layout. The circuit features a mix of fast straights, sweeping corners, and changes in elevation. It has several configurations, with the International Circuit being one of the longer layouts. The track's natural terrain provided a scenic yet demanding setting for motorsport events.
Magdalena Mixhuca - Mexico
Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City is a sports complex located in Mexico City, Mexico. The complex includes a race track known as the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. In 1967, the track had a different layout compared to its current configuration.
The track in 1967 had a length of approximately 5 kilometers. It featured a mix of fast straights and challenging corners, including the iconic Peraltada corner, a long, banked turn at the end of the lap. The circuit was known for its high-speed nature and provided an exciting racing experience for drivers.
The track download links can be found here:
http://5.75.183.156:8772/tracks?server=4
Special Settings
In 1967, they had no pitstops in Formula 1.
In our THR championship we follow that example.
But if you want to stop for any service, you are allowed to.
- Fuel Rate: 75%
- Tyre Wear Rate: 100%
- Damage Multiplier: 75%
- no pitspeed limiter
- Required Minimum CSP Version is 0.177
Schedule
We try to stick to the dates given, but it may be that we postpone individual dates for various reasons.
Race Week Schedule
Practice Server / Testing
Server THR |1| THRacing | discord.me/THRacing hosts a looped training session.
(Qualifying 10 minutes, Race 20 minutes).
The sessions are meant to test the different cars on the upcoming tracks.
You can choose any available car and get a random skin after joining.
Qualifying
You can race qualifying laps from Monday to Sunday at any time, but you need to be registered.
CASUAL CUP
THR |4| THRacing | discord.me/THRacing
MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
THR |5| THRacing | discord.me/THRacing
(I will close the Qualifying when I have time on Sunday. So the end of Qualifying may vary on this day.
Please take this in account and don't race your laps just before the end.)
Only the best laps per driver from the servers will be used to create the starting grids.
An overview of the laptimes per driver can be found here:
CASUAL CUP
http://5.75.183.156:8772/live-timing?server=3
MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
http://5.75.183.156:8772/live-timing?server=4
Races
Saturday - Practice Races
Will be hosted on Server:
THR |3| THRacing | discord.me/THRacing
The starting grid for the practice races will be based on the qualifying which takes place just before these races.
- Qualifying Session: 30 minutes
- Training Race 1: 30 minutes
- Training Race 2: 30 minutes (first 10 positions start in reversed order)
You can stay on the server between the sessions.
Sunday - CASUAL CUP
Will be hosted on Server:
THR |4| THRacing | discord.me/THRacing
Official race based on the qualifying laptimes driven during the week.
- Practice Session: 30 minutes
- Main Race: 60 minutes
You can stay on the server between the sessions.
Sunday - MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP
Will be hosted on Server:
THR |5| THRacing | discord.me/THRacing
Official race based on the qualifying laptimes driven during the week.
- Practice Session: 30 minutes
- Main Race: 60 minutes
You can stay on the server between the sessions.
Drivers Championship
To take in account that not every racer is able to race on every weekend, the worst results will be deleted.
So only 7 out of 8 weekends count for the championship.
They did similar back in 1967.
Team Championship
If you like you can form a team of maximum 2 drivers and race against each other in a Team Championship.
Find a teammate and enter your team name during registration.
Rules
Read our rules page here:
https://thracing.de/rules/
Communication
Our main communication channel is our Discord Server.
Please follow:
https://discord.me/THRacing
Or just click the button in the right menu.
It is not mandatory, but recommended, that you join Voice Chat during Qualifying and Races.
Best wishes
We wish you some really good, intense and exciting races over the next weeks!
[THR]pitman
