Sim racing beginner’s guide: Racing lines explained

There is something that every racing track has, but on the most part, can’t be seen. No, it is not the smell of a burger van located near the final corners, but rather, the racing line.

This invisible ‘line’ is a key racing technique that every racing driver, motorsport competitor and sim racer must learn the theory of to succeed.

In this guide, we will cover:

• What the racing line is
• The basic principles
• How to alter the racing line to suit certain corners
• Sim racing line assists

Watch our video guide to the racing line embedded above or directly on YouTube.

What is the racing line?

The racing line in motorsport or sim racing is the optimal path a car can take throughout a circuit, and therefore the quickest route. It will vary for each track, corner and car combination.

Not only that, but each corner can be approached differently according to the layout. For example, if there is a long straight after a corner, a faster exit might be required to gain a higher top speed. It can also change in wet conditions, based on an individual track’s surface quality.

However, by working out the perfect racing line, a driver can gain time through each corner. Steering less, being smoother, avoiding a loss of momentum and gaining speed at the corner exit, all of which help reduce lap time.

Racing line basic technique

While the racing line varies, and racing drivers are continually trying to perfect their craft, there is a basic technique and theory which can be applied to each corner on any track.

First, ahead of a corner and before you start braking, start on the outside of a corner. So, if ahead of you it a right turn, you position the car to the left of the circuit, up against the white line perimeter. If it’s a left turn that’s coming next, you should be on the right side instead.

Turn into the corner, and aim for the middle – this is known as the apex. A smooth turn in should mean your car should be positioned close to any lines, kerbs or walls on the inside middle part of the curve.

Once you’ve reached the apex point, you can start unwinding the steering lock, accelerating and aiming for the kerb, line or wall on the outside.

So, for a right turn, start on the left, turn in, reach the middle (apex), then aim for the left side again. For a left turn, start on the right, reach the middle, then on exit, aim for the right side.

In simple turns. Outside, inside, outside.

• Position your car at the track edge, the outside, before braking. Left side if the next corner is a right, right side if the next corner is a left
• Once braking is complete, turn into the corner
• Aim for the middle of the turn, known as the apex
• Once you’ve reached the middle, or apex, start accelerating out of the corner
• Aim for the track edge again on the outside.

Advanced racing line technique – late and early apices

While the outside – inside – outside technique is a great baseline, you may need to tweak this slightly for certain corners. For example, if there’s a long straight following a tight turn, or a series of turns in close proximity.

That’s where a late apex, or an early apex, may be quicker.

Late apex racing line

A late apex is where you alter your racing line to not quite meet the exact middle of a corner, but you turn in slightly later, and meet the inside just after the middle, to help with carrying momentum down a following straight.

For example, let’s take a look at the first corner at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, La Source.

Taking the line with the least amount of steering required is an acceptable line, but let’s take the following straights into consideration. Taking a later apex means you can apply the throttle much sooner, a higher speed is achieved throughout the straights and translates into a faster lap time.

So, any time a straight is preceded by a corner that requires hard braking, you can take a late apex to maximise top speed within that section. 

• Sometimes, if there is a tight corner followed by a long straight, alter your racing line
• Aim for a late apex, or instead of the exact middle of a corner, just after
• This still uses the outside-inside-outside technique, but at a different angle with a slightly later turn-in point.
• This is to maximise the corner exit speed

Multiple-corner racing line

If you are at part of a circuit with a sequence of corners close together, this is another time when you may have to change the racing line. Performing a regular outside-inside-outside manoeuvre may compromise your entry to the next corner, as there may simply not be enough time to switch back across to the other side of the road.

Take Silverstone’s Village section, for example, which is a taught right, followed almost immediately by a tight left, and soon after a straight.

 If we were to take a regular line for its first corner, your position for the following left-handed Loop corner would be all the way over to the left-hand side, and would require a sooner braking point and lower speed to go through the section safely.

However, if we were to take an altered line for the Village corner, where you don’t move all the way across after the apex, this would allow you to get over to the right-hand side a lot sooner, and would require less steering and higher speed for the Loop corner. 

• Be prepared to sacrifice the absolute perfect racing line for one corner, if the next corner follows immediately
• The aim is to carry speed through the final corner in a sequence, not the first

Wet racing line

In real-world motorsport, once you’ve learnt the ideal racing line in the dry, that may not always be the quickest method in the wet.

While it often remains the case, sometimes, depending on the track surface alone, wet tyres can find more grip around the outside of a corner when sodden. This is also known as the ‘karting line’.

There is no steadfast rule for this, it’s based purely on the track conditions of that particular track, race, date, tyres and time – but, if you’re feeling brave, you may be able to find more grip on an unconventional line when damp.

In sim racing, very few games or simulations accurately model this. Some, like Automobilista 2, do attempt it, at least.

Sim racing line assist

Most, if not all, contemporary racing video games or sim racing title have the option of a visible racing line. This is to act as a guide to show you the ideal route, and also when to brake and accelerate.

This can be a useful tool to learn racing line technique, but also new tracks. Over time, you may want to switch this off as they are rarely the ultimate ideal line, but as a guide, it can be very useful, especially for beginners.

This line shows a path throughout the circuit and changes colour accordingly. These colours represent the expected behaviour throughout the track.

• Green means you should be applying the throttle or accelerating
• Yellow means you should be coasting, where you should lift off the throttle and coast through a section
• Red means to apply the brakes and slow the car down
• The general trajectory of the line, irrespective of colour, is where you should be directing the car

Watch our video guide to the racing line embedded below or directly on YouTube.