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A report by The Drive says criticism of Gran Turismo 7’s handling changes after update 1.71 has grown, including among competitive players. Two Gran Turismo World Series finalists described excessive tire grip and other changes they say affect cornering, curbs, braking and racing. Polyphony Digital’s response and any planned physics changes are not included in the source material.
Criticism of Gran Turismo 7’s handling has grown since update 1.71, according to a report by The Drive, with two Gran Turismo World Series finalists saying the game’s tires now feel excessively grippy and that the changes affect cornering and race strategy. Their views are player assessments, not an announced finding by developer Polyphony Digital, and the source material does not include a studio response or confirmation of a planned fix.
The Drive’s report describes complaints that became more prominent after the physics update and were being voiced by competitive players and influencers. A post dated November 5, 2026, from GT7 player and content creator Steve Alvarez Brown criticized a Gr.3 Porsche time trial, calling its handling among the worst he had experienced and objecting to the car’s interaction with the Nürburgring’s final chicane. The post reflects his experience, rather than a measured comparison of the game’s physics.
Mikołaj Sedziak, a two-time GT World Series Manufacturers Cup finalist who races for Vanquish eSports, told The Drive that tires feel “way, way, way too glued to the road.” He also said the cars lose grip on curbs in a way that encourages drivers to use them aggressively to rotate the car. Sedziak argued that this combination creates unnatural cornering behavior and can make cars feel slower on straights.
Another GT World Series finalist, Konstantinos Konstantinou, agreed that grip and braking had changed in ways he disliked. He said some cars put power down more easily, but that corner exits felt less rewarding and shorter braking distances made it harder to pass by out-braking another driver. These are attributed impressions from competitive players; the report provides no telemetry or official technical explanation establishing how the update changed grip or braking.
How Handling Changes Affect Racing
The dispute matters because a racing game’s physics shape more than whether a car feels fun to drive. Changes to tire grip, curb use and braking can affect lap times, overtaking opportunities and how players prepare for competitive events. If the reported behavior is shared across cars and tracks, it could alter the skills and strategies rewarded by races.
The Drive’s account also describes frustration among controller users: its writer says stronger front-end grip and controller centering made steering feel less natural and consistent. That is a personal assessment, not evidence that all players or control setups are affected in the same way. Still, the disagreement touches a key part of GT7’s appeal: how convincingly it balances driving feel with accessibility for players using different controls.
For competitive players, repeated changes can make past lap times and learned setups less useful. Polyphony Digital has previously made substantial physics adjustments, and the report says leaderboards have sometimes been wiped after major changes because earlier times reflected different driving conditions. The current criticism may put pressure on the studio to explain or revisit the handling, but the source gives no indication that a change is planned.
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GT7’s Changing Physics Model
Gran Turismo 7 has received updates since its 2022 release, including revisions to its driving model. The Drive says Polyphony Digital has made large physics adjustments over the years, sometimes leaving players to relearn how familiar cars behave. Responses to updates have differed, with some drivers considering a change an improvement and others seeing it as a setback.
The two finalists interviewed by The Drive said they preferred the handling after update 1.49 in July 2024. Konstantinou described that version as having a better balance of grip on throttle and less understeer. The report also notes that update 1.49 produced unusual behavior in a few vehicles, including bouncing Volkswagen Samba Buses, so the players’ preference was not an endorsement of every effect of that patch.
The criticism discussed in the report concerns changes associated with update 1.71, which preceded the game’s Spec IV release, described there as arriving the previous month. The source frames the reaction as a growing debate, not as a formal review or an official statement from the developer.
““This is most horrific handling thing I’ve experienced in ages.””
— Steve Alvarez Brown, GT7 player and content creator
No Studio Response in the Report
The source material does not include a response from Polyphony Digital or Sony Interactive Entertainment addressing the complaints, nor does it say whether another physics update is planned. It also does not provide controlled testing, developer patch notes explaining the specific handling effects, or data comparing vehicle behavior before and after update 1.71.
Players may experience the changes differently depending on the car, track, controller or wheel setup, and driving style. The report presents accounts from two finalists and other players, but it does not establish how widespread their views are among the full player base. The precise technical cause of the reported grip, curb and braking behavior remains unconfirmed.
Players Await a Physics Update
The immediate next step is whether Polyphony Digital comments on the criticism or changes the handling in a future update. Until the studio provides technical details or makes another revision, players will have to judge the current model through their own driving and race results. The Drive’s source material does not identify a timetable for a response or patch.
Competitive players may continue comparing cars, tracks and lap behavior as the discussion develops. Any claim that a future update will restore the feel of version 1.49—or address the specific issues raised by Sedziak and Konstantinou—would be speculation unless Polyphony Digital confirms it.
Key Questions
What is the criticism of Gran Turismo 7’s physics?
Players interviewed by The Drive say the handling after update 1.71 feels too grippy. They also point to curb behavior and shorter braking distances as issues that can affect cornering and passing.
Who has criticized the handling changes?
The report cites two GT World Series finalists, Mikołaj Sedziak and Konstantinos Konstantinou, as well as a November 5, 2026, post from player and content creator Steve Alvarez Brown.
Has Polyphony Digital confirmed a physics problem?
No official confirmation appears in the source material. The reported concerns are player assessments, and The Drive’s account does not include a response from Polyphony Digital.
When did the game’s handling last receive a version these players preferred?
Sedziak and Konstantinou told The Drive they preferred the feel after update 1.49 in July 2024, while acknowledging that some vehicles behaved unusually after that patch.
Is another physics update scheduled?
The source material gives no confirmed schedule for another physics update or a developer response to the complaints.
Source: thedrive.com
