Try these seven new year racing resolutions for 2022!

Try these seven new year racing resolutions for 2022!

Dec 31, 2021 8 Min Read Posted by Maik Jahn

2022 is just around the corner. Here are seven new year resolutions specifically for all the racers out there.

Photo credit: Kunos Simulazioni

The new year is arriving and that means it is time for some new year resolutions. By this point, your friends and families will probably already have told you about their plans to drink less alcohol, lose weight or follow any other stereotypical resolution. But your intentions for the new year do not have to be that boring!

Especially for us racing game fans, there are a lot of good resolutions to follow in the new year. Maybe one or more of our seven propositions will be the one you want to follow in 2022?

Be a cleaner racer

Throughout the year of 2021, we saw the battle for the Formula 1 championship between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen become dirtier and dirtier. And while fans are still arguing about who truly deserved the title, we can all agree on one thing: the end of the championship had little to do with racing.

So why not buck the trend and be a role model in the driver’s seat. Racing should be about respect and consideration – in F1 and on the virtual circuits. So, the next time you go three wide into a corner with your closest rivals, remember the wise words of F1 world champion and racing gentleman Fernando Alonso: “all the time you have to leave a space!”

Discover something new

Learning something new is always fun and widens your horizon. While most people come into the new year with the goal of learning a new language, hobby, or instrument, why not give this old idea an esports racing twist?

That one circuit you never had good lap time on, that one car you were never able to control or maybe an entirely new game – taking on challenges like these will make you grow as a racer. Who knows, maybe you will find a new love you did not know about yet!

Get a new look with a livery

Another popular resolution for the new year is a new look. But since we do not see each other in online racing rather than our vehicles, why not give your beloved car a fresh coat of paint?

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Almost every game has its own livery editor where you can get creative. With a new look often comes new motivation to finally go and get that podium!

Esports > Sports

Playing more sport is the most common new year resolution in most countries. But us sim racers, we know what you should really do instead: more esports.

Join a league to get competitive or spend more evenings watching a broadcast to learn from the best. Esports racing probably has never been more enjoyable to take part in or watch – so get stuck in!

Set a clear goal

One of the biggest reasons why people stop pursing their new year resolutions is because they do not set their goals clearly enough. Saying “I want to exercise twice a week” is a much firmer statement than saying “I just want to play more sport”. The same should apply to your goals in esports racing.

Instead of just saying “I want to become faster in iRacing”, set a clear target. A certain iRating to reach, a number of podiums in your league or maybe just how many hours of practice you want to put in every week. The sky is the limit.

Take a break when you need to

Okay, with everything we already mentioned about learning something new and spending more time with esports, there is also another resolution we want to emphatically recommend. Take a break when you feel like you should.

A few weeks ago, esports psychology expert Jolina Bering talked to OverTake about how important it is to get your hands off the wheel sometimes. “Our concentration is limited, and the human brain consolidates knowledge and new experiences during breaks. So take a break at least every 1 ½ to 2 hours and move a bit”, she said. You can read the full interview on the topic of mental health in esports here.

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Esports racing is not only mentally exhausting, but also physically. Performing the same movements over and over again can lead to exhaustion of the respective body parts and in the worst case to serious injuries, as our editor Marvin Miller pointed out in his feature on how to stay healthy in sim racing.

Join a team and make new friends

When you race, you are alone in the cockpit. But you do not have to be alone on track. Racing in the real world has always been a team sport, so why not join a squad in the new year?

There are multiple benefits to this. You can enjoy some time together while hitting the road and find new friends who share the same passion as you do. Playing together as a team is not only more fun, but you will almost certainly gain an on-track advantage from the knowledge and experiences you share with one another.

If you do not know where to start looking for a team, try our new OverTake Discord. Not only have our editors and hosts have already joined the server but is also a great opportunity to meet new people!

These are just a few of countless new year resolutions to pursue. Whatever your goal for 2022 might be, we hope you are going to achieve it and have a great year. Cheers!

What is your new year resolution for 2022? Tell us by tweeting @OverTake_gg or leave a comment down below!

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Maik Jahn
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Born and raised close to the Nürburgring.