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Gran Turismo 7 Beginner’s Guide: Essential First Steps

A practical start to Gran Turismo 7: follow the on-screen objectives, build driving skills before buying upgrades, and treat a wheel as optional.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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You can start Gran Turismo 7 with a controller and the game’s default assists. Follow the objectives shown in the game’s Café and event menus, learn how braking and cornering feel before investing in upgrades, and use the official Beyond the Apex guide when you want to understand the cars and driving systems. You do not need a racing wheel or late-game collection features to get started.

What should I do first in Gran Turismo 7?

Use the objectives currently displayed in your game as your guide. The exact opening car choice, Menu Book order, and license-test sequence are not established here, so avoid relying on a fixed numbered walkthrough that may not match your version or progress.

  1. Begin with your available controls. A controller is enough to start. Keep the default assists while you get comfortable, then adjust settings if the controls feel difficult or distracting.
  2. Follow the on-screen Café and event prompts. Complete the tasks the game presents rather than trying to unlock every system at once.
  3. Practice the fundamentals. Pay attention to braking before a corner and steering smoothly through it. Build consistency before spending heavily on performance parts.
  4. Use the in-game learning resource when you want more context. Polyphony Digital says its Gran Turismo Magazine Beyond the Apex is available through GT7’s in-game menu and online. Its chapters include getting started, automotive engineering, mechanisms, tuning and settings, and car photography (Polyphony Digital, September 16, 2026).

How do I unlock more races in GT7?

Progress through the objectives and events the game currently presents. The official sources cited here do not establish a complete current sequence for early races, licenses, or Menu Books, so the in-game prompts are the reliable guide to what is available to you.

Do not mistake later systems for opening requirements

The Seasonal Menu is a later feature, not a first-session goal. Polyphony Digital’s Update Notice 1.70, dated June 11, 2026, says it becomes available after completing Menu Book No. 39, “Championship: World GT Series,” and watching the ending (Update Notice 1.70). That requirement describes this feature; it is not a general checklist for beginning the game.

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Should I buy upgrades early?

Buy a part when it addresses a specific need, such as an event requirement or a handling issue you have identified. For a new player, learning how the car behaves is often more useful than adding power immediately.

The official manual says the Tuning Shop organizes performance parts into five categories: Sports, Club Sports, Semi-Racing, Racing, and Extreme. It recommends considering both PP and maximum power when comparing parts, and says installed parts can be managed in Garage Car Settings (GT7 Online Manual: Tuning Shop).

  • Compare PP and maximum power: the manual identifies both as useful comparison indicators; neither alone tells you whether a car will suit an event or feel manageable.
  • Choose for the event and your control: more power is not automatically better if it makes the car harder for you to drive consistently.
  • Revisit your setup when you have a reason: if a car feels difficult to control or an event calls for a different setup, review parts in the Tuning Shop and manage installed parts in Garage Car Settings.

Do I need a racing wheel to play GT7?

No. A controller is a practical way to begin, and steering hardware is an optional later choice for players who want a more involved control setup. The online manual includes steering-controller settings and support references for examples such as the Fanatec Gran Turismo GT DD Pro and DD Extreme (GT7 Online Manual: About the GT Menu and Options).

Before considering a wheel, decide whether you want wheel input and have the space and mounting arrangement for it. The cited manual establishes those named examples as relevant to its steering-controller guidance; it does not establish current prices or a recommendation to buy one.

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What should I try once I am comfortable?

Use licenses and circuit practice as opportunities to build driving skill when they appear in your game. Keep following the available prompts, and return to tuning when an event or a particular handling problem gives you a clear reason to change the car.

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