Racing Games for Beginners: Tips to Dominate the Track

Racing games offer a thrilling blend of speed, precision and competition, making them one of the most popular gaming genres in the world. Whether you're drifting through the streets or nailing the open-world highways in Forza Horizon, chasing milliseconds in Gran Turismo, or battling for pole position in F1 mastering racing games takes more than just pressing the accelerator.

If you're new to racing games and want to improve this guide will provide essential techniques and tools to help you take control of the track and start winning races.

What kind of racing game is right for you?

Not all racing games are the same and choosing the right one can help you learn the basics faster.

If you prefer a casual, arcade-style experience, Forza Horizon is one of the best starting points out there - open-world, forgiving and genuinely fun from the first race. 

If you want something more realistic, Gran Turismo, F1,  Forza Motorsport and iRacing offer deeper mechanics that closely mimic real-world driving. They're challenging without being unapproachable - though expect to sink some serious hours into this to get Gold on every track, beat the quickest time and get the trophies, but it’s possible.

Games like Assetto Corsa and Automobilista are highly regarded for their realism and precision, making them excellent choices for aspiring sim racers. The reason these ‘games’ are more often referred to as ‘sims’ is because they are designed to be driving simulators, not just games. They accurately mimic the physics of driving far better than racing games and require not only some serious practice and control, but a working knowledge of cars and their components to truly master.

For most beginners, Forza Horizon is the ideal on-ramp. Once you're ready for more, the sim world will be waiting.

Master the basics of driving

Before pushing for faster lap times focus on the fundamental that apply across every racing game:

• Braking points: learn when and where to brake before corners to maintain control and avoid understeering off the track. Many racing games offer visual cues of some kind to help you know exactly when to brake — but don’t rely on them, they're rarely optimal.

• Acceleration control: avoid mashing the throttle — smooth inputs help you maintain traction and prevent wheel spin. With experimentation, you’ll see just how much time you can gain around a corner with smoother inputs.

• Racing line: the optimal path through a corner minimises distance while maximising exit speed. Most racing games display a suggested line — there's no shame in using it while you're learning. Over time, your own track knowledge will become far more valuable.

• Weight transfer: when you brake, weight shifts forward. When you accelerate, it shifts back. Understanding this helps you anticipate how your car will behave through corners. Modern racing games replicate this physics well — real-world principles apply.

Level up your controller with the right accessory

Here's something most beginners overlook: the standard thumbstick isn't really designed for racing. Precise, analogue steering on a small circular nub is genuinely difficult — and that difficulty is costing you lap time.

The Racer Kit from Thumb Soldiers changes that. It replaces your thumbstick caps with a vertical steering wheel and a curved throttle pedal attachment — both locking in with a simple half-turn.

Before the Racer Kit: You're pushing down on a stock thumbstick, fighting friction, trying to find precise steering inputs in millimetres of movement. Every small overcorrection is a wobble. Every corner exit is a guess.

After the Racer Kit: The wheel design extends your range of movement, so steering becomes a smooth glide rather than a dig. No downward pressure needed — just confident, precise side-to-side control. The throttle pedal makes the transition between acceleration and braking feel seamless and natural.

Here's what real players have said:

Whether you're playing GT7, Assetto Corsa, F1, Dirt, or Mario Kart, the difference in feel is immediate.

Shop the Racer Kit (link to product page or add to cart at the end of this article)

Adjust your settings for better control

Every racing game offers some level of control customisation. As a beginner, driving assists like traction control and ABS are your friends — use them. As you improve, gradually turn them off to develop more precise, faster inputs.

In the F1 games, for example, reducing traction control lets you accelerate out of corners more aggressively, because the game isn't constantly modulating your throttle to protect grip.

Beyond assists, fine-tune your controller's sensitivity settings. Reducing dead zones and increasing steering sensitivity makes your inputs more responsive. Give yourself a few sessions to find your natural style before adjusting too aggressively.

Learn how to take corners efficiently

The gap between a beginner and an experienced racer is most visible in corners. The golden principle is slow in, fast out:

   1. Brake before the turn, not during it

   2. Ease off the brakes as you turn in, to maintain grip through the apex

   3. Gradually apply the throttle as you begin to straighten up

   4. Don't straighten your wheels too fast or you’re liable to spin out

Mastering these will take practice but in every time you'll be lower those lap times and gaining momentum up the leaderboard. Remember, slow in, fast out.

Consider switching to manual gears

Once you're comfortable with the basics, manual gears are one of the highest-impact changes you can make. They give you direct control over your power delivery and let you use engine braking strategically — downshifting at the apex to slingshot out of a corner, or using a lower gear to slow the car before braking.

In online racing, this is a genuine competitive edge. A large proportion of players stick with automatic — manual gives you timing control they simply don't have.

Practice in time trials before racing online

Before competing online or in career mode, spend time in time trials or free practice sessions. This allows you to:

• Learn the track layout and braking points.

• Experiment with different driving lines and corner entries.

• Build consistency lap after lap without the pressure of other racers.

Muscle memory built in free practice pays dividends the moment real competition starts.

Study your competition and adapt

When racing online, watch what others do — especially the fast ones. Where do they brake? When do they commit to a line? Where are they overtaking? Observing better players is one of the fastest ways to improve your own racecraft.

Replays are your friend. Most sim-style games offer them. Use them.

Fine-tune your car setup

Many racing games let you adjust suspension, tyre pressure, gear ratios, and aerodynamics. Default setups are fine to start, but as you develop a feel for a track, small tweaks can make a real difference.

Not a car person? No problem. Most racing communities share setups online — check Reddit, Discord servers, or your game's official forums. You can often download and apply a community setup in seconds.

Most importantly: Enjoy the ride

Racing games are at their best when you're in the flow — threading a perfect lap, nailing a late apex or finally cracking a time that's been out of reach. Don't get so caught up chasing perfection that you forget to have fun.

Focus on consistency over speed. Clean laps, minimal mistakes, steady improvement - the fast times follow naturally.

Whether you're playing casually on a Tuesday night or grinding for gold medals, the skills compound. Keep at it.

Want more precise, natural control from your controller?

The Racer Kit from Thumb Soldiers is built specifically for racing - check it out below: Racer Pro Thumbsticks