F1 superstar Lando Norris crushes Circuit Superstars
Fast-paced ode to all things motorsport is now out on Steam and Xbox One. But who proved to be master of the Top Gear test track?It’s a big day for Circuit Superstars!
Firstly, the game has released, for Xbox One and PC via Steam! Developed by Original Fire Games, it’s an unashamed love letter to motorsport in all its forms.
We’re talking Rallycross, open wheel single-seaters, SuperTrucks, GT racing, Eurotrucks and more across 19 tracks - with more to come in future. Don’t be fooled by the charming art style either - this is one of those games that’s easy to play, but hard to master. The better you drive, the more competitive you’ll be.
Nobody knows that better than the competitors of the Top Gear X Circuit Superstars Star in a Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021!
That’s the other big news! For the last few weeks, some of the biggest names in real and virtual motorsport have been taking to the Top Gear test track in Circuit Superstars. Their goal: become the ultimate star in a reasonably fast car!
The contest has been fast, frantic, and full of drama, but there could be only one winner: and it’s none other than F1 supremo Lando Norris!
It was no easy victory though…
Top Gear X Circuit Superstars Star In A Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021 race report
To celebrate the launch of Circuit Superstars, we invited a host of competitors to take part in the contest. Once the run order was set, each driver would race with the hopes of taking the top spot on the leaderboard.
Romain Grosjean
As the first to take on the challenge of the Top Gear test track, Grosjean would really have to set the pace for the rest of the contest. And what a pace it was!
The star’s experience in IndyCar and F1 was on full display. After testing the limits of the car on his practice lap, his official lap was clean, precise and impressively fast, taking just 32.394 seconds!
As the first to go, he was always going to top the leaderboard, but that would be a tough time to beat…
- Final Time: 32.394 seconds
2. Jamie Chadwick
The reigning W Series Champion and Extreme E racer really put the foot down during her practice session, resulting in some truly spectacular moments as she got to grips with the controls.
Her official lap was more controlled, but that precision came at a cost: speed. Ultimately, she was slower than Grosjean by more than 5 seconds, placing her second on the leaderboard.
- Final Time: 37.884 seconds
3. Sam Bird
Bird is one of the best Formula E drivers out there, having won a race in every season since it was founded in 2014.
It turns out he’s no slouch at Circuit Superstars either. His practice laps showed his pace - despite some cone abuse and an intimate encounter with the tyre wall, he proved he was ready to take on the challenge of the Top Gear test track head-on.
When it came his official lap, that’s exactly what he did. His lap was entertainingly rapid, and totally under control. He may have called it “average”, but the clock showed it was anything but, catapulting him straight to the top of the leaderboard!
It was an amazing time that would be difficult to beat.
- Final Time: 30.370
4. Steve “SuperGT” Brown
More than half a million people tune in to watch Brown’s virtual racing. He’s also part of Quadrant - a team of online racers brought together by Lando Norris. Would that experience take him to the top in Circuit Superstars?
A few unplanned excursions onto the grass during practice provided some valuable learning experiences that paid off during his official run. ‘SuperGT’ put in a clean lap with an impressive time that thrust him solidly into second place.
- Final Time: 31.978
Charlie Martin
As a racer in the Britcar Endurance Championship and a racer who’s taken on the gruelling Nurburgring 24 Hours, Martin has no shortage of stamina, skill and experience. But would that be enough to take the top spot in Circuit Superstars?
Like many in the competition, she ran into trouble in her practice session, as she pushed the little GT racer to the edge… and onto the grass.
Her official lap was more controlled, but no less aggressive. Unfortunately for Martin, going all-out made her go wide on a few turns, and that cost her valuable time.
- Final Time: 33.654
Conor Daly
Daly is a fan-favorite IndyCar driver, and he definitely brought the fun to the Top Gear test track.
Whether he was doing donuts on the green fields of virtual Surrey, or providing live analysis on his own performance, he provided one of the most purely entertaining runs of the entire championship.
Not one of the fastest though unfortunately. Some wide corners, including a big mistake on Gambon, resulted in a track penalty that cost him dear.
- Final Time: 39.963
Aarav ‘Aarava’ Amin
Aarava is another member of eSports team Quadrant, and renowned for his F1 content online. He’s raced virtually with many great racing drivers, which should put him in good stead for this contest.
His practice sessions were littered with track limit violations and brushes with the barriers, as he tried to wring the most out of his virtual GT car.
He continued to push the car to its limits on his official lap, which caused him to lose time by running onto the grass more than once. Even so, his fearless approach was a spectacle to behold, helping him to achieve a solid mid-table position.
- Final Time: 33.556
Catie Munnings
As one of the top competitors in the new Extreme E championship, Munnings races on some of the toughest terrain in some of the most remote corners of the planet. She’s used to throwing the car around and getting it in the air… which perhaps explains how she sent her car into a spectacular white-knuckle roll during her practice lap!
Fortunately, her official lap was a bit more measured, resulting in a respectable time, but not enough to trouble the top of the leaderboard. It seems Bird’s time was unassailable…
- Final Time: 36.302 seconds
Jimmy Broadbent
Broadbent has hours on on-track experience - in both the real and digital worlds. His sim racing on YouTube attracts viewers from around the world and he now races in the Britcar. Endurance Championship for Praga Cars.
In other words, he’s used to trying new forms of racing, and that was evident in his Circuit Superstars performance. A few offs during practice did little to diminish his spirit, and his official run was fast, fluid and brilliantly executed.
In fact, he came thrillingly close to unseating Sam Bird - just a few split seconds off!
- Final Time: 30:542
Lando Norris
As the last racer to take to the Top Gear test track, all eyes were on Norris - would the F1 driver be able to compete with Bird at the top of the table?
Those questions remained during the practice session, with Norris brushing the barriers, collecting cones and having a nasty collision with the wall.
But it was all in service of getting to grips with the car’s handling - and the practice paid off. Norris’ official lap was amazing - smooth, fast and totally under control. He whooshed past the finish line with a time of 29.454 seconds!
Yes, in the last moments of the championship, Norris snatched the win, taking the top spot on the podium!
- Final Time: 29.454 seconds!
Final Results
Here are the final standings of the Top Gear X Circuit Superstars Star in a Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021!
- Lando Norris: 29.454s
- Sam Bird: 30.370s
- Jimmy Broadbent: 30.568s
- Steve Brown: 31.978s
- Romain Grosjean: 32.394s
- Aarava: 33.556s
- Charlie Martin: 33.654s
- Catie Munnings: 36.302s
- Jamie Chadwick: 37.884s
- Conor Daly: 39.963s
Congratulations to Lando Norris for snatching victory - and also Sam Bird and Jimmy Broadbent for their stellar laps!
How do you play Circuit Superstars?
Circuit Superstars is out digitally for Xbox One and PC via Steam.
Whether you play solo, online or in couch co-op, get ready for thrilling sim racing captures everything great about motor racing.
It’s packed with content too - 12 vehicles, 19 tracks, customisable liveries for cars and drivers, unlockable helmets, victory celebrations… and there’s even more content to come post-launch!
So get on track and get ready to race!
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