‘Just practice more and you will get better at sim racing!’ We cannot count how often we have heard this tip. But let us tell you: this is actually the worst advice in sim racing.
Image credit: Kunos Simulazioni
The truth is, when it comes to practice, it is not about the time you spend but about the quality of your sessions. This is why our editor Jonas in our newest YouTube video gives you ten quick but effective tips to improve your practice and become faster in sim racing.
How to Improve your Sim Racing Practice
There are many small things you can do to improve the way you train. Let’s say you are starting to learn a new track and want to find out about the ideal line and corner speeds. Believe it or not, one of the best ways to do this is to learn from the AI.
When you turn up the AI opponents to the highest difficulty, they will drive close to the maximum of what is possible on that racetrack. When in a practice session, do not blindly follow the AI. Instead, try to watch and learn how it drives so you can replicate everything in online competitions.
You won’t always be able to use the ideal line in a race. That is why another tip is to also learn alternative lines for important corners. When you are in a battle with another car, you can use your knowledge to start an attack on the outside or defend your position on the inside. Get alternative lines and braking points into your muscle memory to gain an advantage over your opponents.
Use Reference Points to Master Corners
In racing, you gain or lose most of your lap time in the corners. To find the quickest way through a corner, not only do you have to know the racing line, but also when to brake. To make this easier, you can use reference points like trees, special pieces of a fence, metre boards or the start of some kerbing.
These objects don’t change, and thus will help you to always brake at the correct point. One key point, though, is to remember not to use shadows as reference points. This is because they change their position at different times of the day.
When going through a corner, it is also important to enter it in the right gear. When learning a new track, Jonas’ tip is to link the name you give a corner with the gear you have to use. This way, you will always use the correct gear to roll through a turn safely and at the highest possible speed.
In our YouTube video, Jonas has six more quick tips to improve your practice in sim racing, so make sure to watch it!
What is your best advice to improve your sim racing practice sessions? Let us know by sending a tweet @OverTake_gg or leave a comment down below!
