https://youtu.be/eg7PJN6MGCU HOTLAP
Environment (8/10): Situated on the foot of the alps (as it seems), the track gives you a real sense of immersion, which I guess will be increased when Kuwaku releases the snow update. You have the tram going beside the track, some wooden houses and some very nicely modelled trees. It doesn't get 10/10 because, the textures (pretty good to be honest) aren't hyper realistic like a lilski or fat alfie track and the course can't seem to decide whether it's based in the 1960s or 2010s.
Layout (8/10): If your expecting me to say the lap starts on the start finish straight... You're wrong, because, the thing is, it's not actually straight. It's pretty strange, not gonna lie, but it makes for a challenging and exciting entry into turn 1 as you try to maximize the track width. Speaking of turn 1, it's very similar to "the spoon" at Suzuka, but instead of grass on the outside, a nasty, steep kurb awaits to flip your car. Keep to the left as you break earlier than you think for a second gear hairpin (Southpaw racer PTSD intensifies). However, it has a very unique feature (for a racetrack anyways). There is a gutter on the inside. If you want to ride it, you need maximum presicion and confidence in your car. Nail it and you will feel like Colin McRae. Bottle it and you'll feel like Mahaveer Ragunathans distant rallying cousin. You immediatly approach a flat right hander, which you should hug as tight as you can without spinning you car. Break in between the two boards on the left for the turn 4 chicane. Make sure to turn in early, but not too early, as you ascend the hill for the 2nd part of the chicane. Make sure you careful on the throttle coming out of the chicane as you go over a crown in the road. Turn 5 is a relativley non descript left hander, which you can attack the kerbs. Now it's time to descend into chaos as you enter my favourite part of the course. Turns 7-10 are all flat, but you must be smooth with your steering to not have a deadly spin at over 250 km/h. Make sure you keep to as much to the left as you can, as you break around 20m before the last board to your right. Turn 11 is probably your best overtaking chance as it is a hairpin with a big braking zone. Mount the kerb and get on the throttle as early as you can. Turn 12 is probably the hardest corner on the track. The track veers slightly to the right before turn 12, making you think that is the entry to the turn. Don't be decived though, keep to the left and keep your foot flat on the throttle until the 2nd board, where you will break. Nail your turn in, as going too wide will cause you to muck up your line into the last corner, and going too early will mean you hit the bush on the inside. Turn 13 is a flat, long left hander and then it's flat out to the finish.
This is certainly not a bad layout. Turn 7-10 is pure nirvana in a medium speed car, while there are some very unique features to turn 2 and 12. I'm not a big fan of turns 4 and 5. Turn 4's kerbs are very bumpy and the crest at the end makes getting on the throttle a real pain. Turn 5 is just pretty boring. Other than those two turns though, it's a very fun track to drive on.
Other features (7/10) The replay cameras are good. Not mid crunchigly epic, but it gives in idea of the action going on, especially through 7-10. As I said the theming is a bit confusing, hence using my (limited) GIMP skills I made a more era appropiate skin from the 1970s, but the red/white kerbs still make it look too 2010s ish. If you go into free roam mode however, there are some VERY interesting roads starting from the pitlane, crossing at the exit of turn 4 and rejoing the start line. They are like mountain switchbacks. I don't think they are drivable, but maybe that's what the "B Layout" is going to be based on
CONCLUSION: Grindlewald isn't a game changing, devoloper smashing mod track, but it is definetley worth a download, no matter what kind of player you are. It's very fun to drive on, and when the AI is fixed, should be pretty intense for racing. It's pretty much cool for all cars GT3 or slower, although I have only driven it with the Scirocco V8. Even if it's not for you now, the updates proposed look very exciting...