Guide: Racing LIne, Cornering, and Overtaking

[[FOX]FoxTech]

I felt it was worth putting up on the forum a few quick links and thoughts in reference to cornering and overtaking.

First off, a long time ago I looked up a guide on how to corner when I was playing the original GRID 1 game. This is a slightly different guide than what I read but still gets the same point across with the same effect.

Racing Line/Corning Guide 1:
http://www.drivingfast.net/techniques/track-corner.htm

Racing Line/Corner Guide 2:
http://www.drivingfast.net/techniques/track-corner.htm

Below is a link just to drivingfast.net which has several more guides for more information on how to drive competatively. However, for the purpose of racing in this game, none are as important as the above two involing racing lines and cornering.

More Guides:
http://www.drivingfast.net/

Overtaking in a corner:

The actual rules of over taking and how drivers should race while entering, through through, and exiting a corner can be different depending on the ruling body that is overseeing any particular event. I'm just going to give my thoughts on what I feel is general rules. They could be right or wrong and to be honest the majoirty of the drivers I race with tend to race this way, even if they can't in words discribe why they race the way that they do. So below is a list of what I believe to be the rules for overtaking through a corner.

1. A racing line is determined by the lead driver while entering into a turn. If there isn't another vehicle to his inside or outside by the time the driver initially turns into a corner than it is at this point that the racing line is determined and the lead driver has the right of way heading into the Apex of the corner.

2. Once the racing line is established by the lead driver turning in and heading towards the Apex of a corner, the trailing driver must avoid causing a collision. (The most common of which occurs when a driver is taking a turn while a trailing driver going much faster into the corner, dives to the inside, instantly pulling up next to and causing a collision with the nose of their vehicle into the side of the lead driver.

2. Generally, if any point, the nose of the trailing driver gets along side the lead driver before entering the turn, it is at that point that two racing lines are created.

3. If two racing lines are created, the driver racing the inside line is entitled to the Apex of the corner.

4. If two racing lines are created, it becomes the responsiblity of the driver racing the outside line not to cause a collision.

5. If two racing lines are created, the driver racing the inside line is entitled to push the driver racing the outside line to the outside edge of the track upon exiting a corner.

6. If two racing lines are created, the driver racing the inside line is forbidden from pushing the driver, racing the outside line, off the track upon exiting a corner.

7. Two racing lines can also be created before a corner if any part of both vehicles is side by side and both vehicles are braking going into the corner. In this situation, drivers are to not change their racing lines while under braking.

8. The existance of two racing lines is extinguised if at any point any part of both vehicles is no longer next to one another.

9. The lead vehicle is allowed to use his vehicle to defend by placing his vehicle in the pathway of the ideal racing line and allowed to control the speed at which the corner is taken by a both his and a trailing vehicle until the creation of two racing lines.

10. Two racing lines can be created by a trailing driver having any part of his vehicle pull up beside the lead driver at any point during a corner assuming the trailing driver does not cause an immediate accident by doing so.

11. The trailing driver must show he has control of which ever line he has chosen to take for the creation of two racing lines.

12. If a driver at any point in a race is going considerably slower than race pace due to the loss of control of a vehicle or driving off the track, that driver must allow faster traffic behind him go around him by A. remaining off the track until it is safe to rejoin the track, or move to the inside of a corner and allow the faster vehicle to travel around him along the outside.

Well, that's it. Anyone is welcome to correct any of the information here as this is just my understanding of how to overtake through corners and isn't specifically from any legitimate source.

[Maskerader]

First link should be http://www.drivingfast.net/techniques/racing-line.htm probably

[RockBinkie]

This is a good write up... I would add for clarity that 'along side' is defined as being side by side by at least half of the leading vehicle's length. If the nose of the trailing car is not past the half way point of the leading car then the leading car does not have to provide racing room into the next turn.

[[FOX]FoxTech]

Thanks, I'll adjust when i have some time, I just wrote what is written down from the top of my head, not from any specific rule book or anything. So good to know I'm at least on target

[spaceweed10™]

Very nice - good luck with trying to implement that in Autosport online ;)

TL;DR

If at any time you are going too fast for the next corner, or a car has beaten you to the corner entry, feel free to T-Bone that sucker and use him as a brake.

[F8RGE]

Nice thread :)

[The Angry Hamster]

Originally posted by RockBinkie:

This is a good write up... I would add for clarity that 'along side' is defined as being side by side by at least half of the leading vehicle's length. If the nose of the trailing car is not past the half way point of the leading car then the leading car does not have to provide racing room into the next turn.

I would say the definition of 'along side' changes drastically depending on the speed of the corner and a blanket half-way point doesn't do it justice. The slower the corner entry and apex the less along-side the trailing car needs to be and vice-versa. The faster the corner, the more the driver in the rear needs to be more along-side going into the braking zone.

[RockBinkie]

Originally posted by The Angry Hamster:

Originally posted by RockBinkie:

This is a good write up... I would add for clarity that 'along side' is defined as being side by side by at least half of the leading vehicle's length. If the nose of the trailing car is not past the half way point of the leading car then the leading car does not have to provide racing room into the next turn.

I would say the definition of 'along side' changes drastically depending on the speed of the corner and a blanket half-way point doesn't do it justice. The slower the corner entry and apex the less along-side the trailing car needs to be and vice-versa. The faster the corner, the more the driver in the rear needs to be more along-side going into the braking zone.

While I do agree it's a case by case issue, a black and white rule is useful when it is hard to determine who was at fault in an incident. But you are right, the point where 'along side' becomes true partially comes down to the drivers/stewards discretion.

This is an excerpt from the Kartsport NZ rulebook, which to be honest is probably pretty similar to FIA rules, given Kartsport NZ is a member of the CIK-FIA

"Driving Behaviour

A high standard is expected and will be enforced. A kart must be driven at all times within the capabilities and expertise of the driver. In a passing manoeuvre it is the responsibility of each driver to maintain his/her position on the track to avoid contact. A passing manoeuvre is deemed to have begun when 2 karts overlap each other by approximately 50% or more. Disregard of this rule may result in the offender(s) being disqualified, fined or relegated."

For me it has always been this way, and I have always raced this way. It's a pretty easy and fair way to do it.

[[FOX]FoxTech]

Originally posted by The Angry Hamster:

Originally posted by RockBinkie:

This is a good write up... I would add for clarity that 'along side' is defined as being side by side by at least half of the leading vehicle's length. If the nose of the trailing car is not past the half way point of the leading car then the leading car does not have to provide racing room into the next turn.

I would say the definition of 'along side' changes drastically depending on the speed of the corner and a blanket half-way point doesn't do it justice. The slower the corner entry and apex the less along-side the trailing car needs to be and vice-versa. The faster the corner, the more the driver in the rear needs to be more along-side going into the braking zone.

I agree completely, all incidents should be taken on a case by case basis.

The purpose of this post wasn't really to show rules that should be enforced in the game or drivers be given a rule book or anything. The purpose was just to bring a greater understanding to the way races should be raced in the game since the game doesn't impliment a strict stwarding body to oversee all the incidents in the game, most of this is just based on common curtousy.

Even though I truely believe that a lot of incidents, even repeatative ones are honest mistakes, the fact is that you have a game where drivers of a lot of different skill levels and experience levels, are all racing together. They additionally have varying degrees of understanding of general racing rules when over taking. Nothing said here can change a drivers skill or experience level but you can inform drivers of the general understood rules so that when they are racing they may be able to identify what they may be doing wrong.

I would love this post, or maybe one that is better crafted be stickied or information like this be made available in game. Honestly I'd put a lot more effort into a nice detailed post in regards to cornering and over taking if I new a post like this would be stickied and made available to more drivers. But to be honest, a post like this is most likely destined to disappear into the vast # of topics in the General Discussion and thus not really be read by many drivers.

But it's worth a try, if this post happens to be stickied, I will edit the original post and make a very detailed and much easier to understand and read topic in regards to the intention of the original post.

[indubious]

Great post. The only problem is that most of us (who care to read this thread) probably get most of this already. And those who need to read this most dgaf. :(

[Aussiedroid]

Good info Foxtech .. thanks for sharing. This would be good as a Steam guide I reckon to save it getting lost in the forums :)

[[FOX]FoxTech]

Originally posted by Aussiedroid:

Good info Foxtech .. thanks for sharing. This would be good as a Steam guide I reckon to save it getting lost in the forums :)

Thanks for the compliment. :)