DiRT Rally Tutorial

Contents
Category: BASIC PRINCIPLES........................................................................................................................1
WEIGHT TRANSFER..................................................................................................................................1
ATTITUDE (ORIENTATION).......................................................................................................................1
RACING LINE............................................................................................................................................1
RISK & REWARD.......................................................................................................................................2
Category: UNDERSTEER & OVERSTEER........................................................................................................2
UNDERSTEER...........................................................................................................................................2
OVERSTEER..............................................................................................................................................3
Category: BRAKING & ACCELERATING.........................................................................................................3
BREAKING................................................................................................................................................3
LEFT FOOT BRAKING................................................................................................................................4
WHEEL SPIN/FEATHERING THE THROTTLE..............................................................................................5
UPHILL/DOWNHILL/ALTITUDE.................................................................................................................5
Category: TURNING.....................................................................................................................................5
WEIGHT TRANSFER..................................................................................................................................5
MINIMUM STEERING INPUT....................................................................................................................6
HANDBRAKE TURNS.................................................................................................................................6
PENDULUM TURNS (SCANDINAVIAN FLICKS)..........................................................................................7
Category: ROAD CHARACTERISTICS.............................................................................................................8
SURFACES................................................................................................................................................8
CAMBER...................................................................................................................................................8
JUMPS & CRESTS.....................................................................................................................................8
BUMPS, DIPS & AND WATER SPLASHES...................................................................................................9
OBSTACLES..............................................................................................................................................9
Category: PACE NOTES..............................................................................................................................10
PACE NOTES OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................10
TIMING..................................................................................................................................................10
Category: BASIC PRINCIPLES
WEIGHT TRANSFER
Weight transfer is the core component that the most aspects of rally driving revolve around. That is, the
inertia of the car's weight as it changes direction. This is the force that makes your body move as the car
brakes, accelerates and turns. Weigh transfer affects the amount of mechanical pressure applied by
each of the four tires against the road surface. When a car speeds up, slows down or turns, each tire will
experience a difference in that mechanical pressure compared to when the car is stationary. This result
in an increase or decrease of the potential grip available. Braking and accelerating produces longitudal
weight transfer and turning produces lateral weight transfer. It can also be influenced by other factors
such as the road surface, jumps and crests. Always try and manage weight transfer at the moment it's
required, whether accelerating, braking or turning. This will maximize the grip potential of each tire,
keeping you flowing in and out of sections throughout a stage. It is important to bear this basic principle
in mind as you watch these guides, as almost all these techniques are used to manage weight transfer.

ATTITUDE (ORIENTATION)
Like an airplane, rally cars move in 3 axis; Roll, Pitch and Yaw. Rally cars are known for performing big
slides. Most of the time, this slides are induced by the driver to achieve as high speed though a corner as
possible without sliding off the road. In order to traverse a rally stage quickly and without crashing, you
must manage the attitude of the car at all times.

RACING LINE
In rallying the 'racing line' means the same as in any other forms of motorsport. That is, to straighten the
track as much as possible through corners. However, unlike some other forms of motorsport where
drivers use every inch of the track to find the perfect racing line, rally drivers have only one shot at each
corner so they often leave a small margin for error. As a rally stage undulates through forests or curves
around mountain it is not always possible to see the racing line. Accurate pace notes are vital so that
you know where to place the on the road even if the section ahead is not immediately visible. You
should also listen out for obstacles such as gate posts or piles of log that may cause you to take a slightly
different line though a corner than you otherwise would. When you are out on stage, make sure you
listen to your co-driver and position your car appropriately for the road ahead. Always try and allow a
small margin for error.

RISK & REWARD

When you hear drivers talking about "Maximum Attack" they are talking about when they are pushing as
hard as they can to get the most out of the car. This often leads to some of the most spectacular
moments in rallying as drivers set stage records or push too far and have an event ending crash.
Knowing when to push and when to be conservative are vital when competing in an event. If you are
recovering from a mechanical issue and you trying to make up time to the rest of the field it may be a
valid strategy to push harder as you have very little to lose. If you are in the top 3 and setting
competitive stage times it may be more sensible to take a conservative approach and avoid any big risks.
In reality, drivers often take a measured approach, driving at 95% of their full potential so as not to
make any big mistakes while still maintaining a competitive pace. In DiRT Rally this measured approach
is advisable as you get to grips with your car and how it responds to the stages and conditions.

Category: UNDERSTEER & OVERSTEER

UNDERSTEER
If the front wheels of the car lose traction with the road surface while attempting to steer, the car enters
a state known as 'Understeer'. Understeer is always bad and never used intentionally in any rally driving
technique. In fact, some of these techniques are used specifically to avoid understeer. Understeer
occurs if traction has been partially lost, the car will continue to corner but at less of an angle than the
direction of the front wheels. The car will feel like it is pushing forward. In this situation applying more
steering angle often makes the situation worse as doing so requires even more traction than was initially
being asked of the front tires. If the wheels have entirely lost traction, the car will cease turning and will
slide in the direction it was travelling before the wheels locked. This is particularly common while
steering under heavy braking as the traction of the tire is being used partly to slow the car down and
partly to turn. The correct response is to stop any input to the brake and accelerator and reduce the
steering angle. This allows the weight of the car to settle and traction to be regained. On loose surfaces
such as gravel and snow there is an increased chance of understeer due to the reduced level of grip, so
techniques are often used to induce oversteer to prevent them from understeering in the first place.
Front wheel drive cars are particularly prone to understeer as all braking, accelerating and turning forces
go through the front tires. Understeer can occur while accelerating if the combined forces of
accelerating and steering overcome the traction available. A similar loss of traction can occur due to
braking and steering. Rear wheel drive cars are least prone to understeer as the front tires are only used
to break and turn. In fact, their characteristics are more prone to oversteer. Four wheel drive cars tend
to exhibit the characteristics of front wheel drive cars under braking on corner entry and rear wheel
drive cars under acceleration on corner exit. Rally teams work hard to reduce these characteristics and
give more balanced set up. Remember, understeer is always bad. When rally driving, make sure you try
to avoid it at all costs.

OVERSTEER
If the rear wheels of the car lose traction with the road surface while attempting to steer, the car enters
a state known as 'Oversteer'. This is when the angle of the car exceeds that of the steering input and the
rear of the car 'steps out' of the line with the front. Unlike understeer, oversteer is often used as a
technique to increase the speed at which the corners can be taken. By proactively eliminating
understeer, a higher exit speed can be achieved. How oversteer is induced and controlled depends on
the type of drive train in the car. By definition, front wheel drive cars do not have any drive to the rear
wheels, there for oversteer cannot be induced by applying a throttle but can be induced by using weight
transfer. Once a front wheel drive car enters oversteer, the attitude of the car can be controlled by
steering with opposite lock, accelerating, decelerating or braking. Applying opposite lock while
accelerating will effectively speed up the front of the car and will bring the rear of the car back in line. If
more oversteer is required, for example if the corner is tighter than expected, decelerating or braking
will increase the amount of oversteer by maintaining the weight over the front wheels and therefore
reducing the grip on the rear. As the rear wheels of the four wheel drive vehicle are powered, you can
also induce and maintain oversteer by using the throttle to spin the wheels. Depending on the ratio of
power delivery between the front and rear wheels, the car have a tendency to oversteer more or less on
corner exit. If the ratio is biased toward the front, under acceleration the car may pull itself out of
oversteer, however, if the ratio is biased toward the rear, applying power may increase oversteer by
spinning the rear wheels. Subtle control of the steering, throttle and brake is used to initiate, maintain
and exit oversteer and the same weight shifting techniques apply to four wheel drive as for front wheel
drive cars. Unlike front and four wheel drive cars, rear wheel drive cars require the opposite technique
with regard to throttle control during oversteer. Oversteer can be induced and maintained by weight
transfer but also by applying power to break the traction of the rear wheels. Once oversteer has been
initiated, continuing to apply power will maintain the slide. In order to limit or correct oversteer, throttle
input must be reduced. Lift off oversteer occurs when, during cornering, you 'lift-off' the throttle.
Because the car is slowed by engine braking, there will be a certain amount of longitudal weight transfer
which will unload the rear tires causing them to partially loose traction with the road. In a front wheel
drive car, this weight transfer alone is enough to induce oversteer because the front of the car is usually
heavier than the rear. In four wheel drive and rear wheel drive cars, although the difference in the static
weight between the front and rear may not be as great as a front wheel drive car, the effect is amplified
by engine braking acting breaking on the rear wheels as they are unloaded by the weight transferring
forward. The key thing to remember is that oversteering is used as a technique to increase the speed at
which corners can be taken.

Category: BRAKING & ACCELERATING

BREAKING
You may be tempted to try and avoid using the breaks as much as possible but there are two separate
and equally important uses for the brakes in a rally car. The most obvious is to slow down to a speed at
which car can take the next corner without crashing. The second, less obvious reason is to manage
weight transfer before, during and even after cornering. Applying the brakes transfer more of the weight
of the car over the front wheels, pressing the tires against the road, giving them increased grip. The
tradeoff is that the rear tires have less of the cars weight applied to them, resulting in less grip. Slowing
the car down should only be done while the car is moving in a straight line. All four wheels don't need to
be pointing forward but the direction of travel should be as straight as possible. You should apply the
maximum braking force without the front wheels locking. Depending on the corner you are
approaching, you may need to partially lock the rear wheels to induce oversteer. Judging breaking points
correctly allows you to brake smoothly and continuously until the turn in point where you can release
the brake and turn for the corner. Releasing the brake at the turn in point means that the weight will
have already been transferred to the front wheels when you turn, giving you increased traction. You
must always take the characteristics of the car and the road into account when braking. As well as the
level of grip and characteristics of the road, many other factors can affect weight transfer. This can load
or unload each tire, affecting the amount of grip available and the distance required to slow down. Some
examples are as follows:

When travelling uphill, the effect of gravity working against the car results in shorter braking
distances. The opposite is true, when travelling downhill. When braking on a loose surface
reduced grip result in longer braking distances. The level of grip is often variable from corner to
corner so it usually prudent to leave a margin for error. When breaking on clean, dry tarmac you
will have shorter braking distances, as there is generally more grip, the car will tend to remain
more stable than on loose surfaces. Conditions such as wet weather, mud on the road or ice will
result in longer braking distances. The overall weight of the car has a dramatic effect. Heavier
cars take much longer to slow down than lighter cars. If the wheels are inadvertently locked
during braking, the wheels will slide across the surface rather than slowing the car down.

So remember, use the brakes to slow the car down, to a speed, at which it can take the next corner
without crashing and to manage weight transfer before, during or after cornering. Always be aware of
the road conditions and adjust your braking distances accordingly.

LEFT FOOT BRAKING

The term 'left foot braking' is often misunderstood as simply using your left foot, rather than your right
foot, to operate the brake pedal. While that fact is true, it only scratches the surface explaining
technique. If braking, accelerating and steering are the tools used to manage weight transfer, left foot is
the tool for fine adjustment. Using your left foot on the brake pedal and your right foot on the
accelerator has a number of advantages; the amount of time taken between pressing the accelerator
and brake pedals is significantly reduced compared to using your right foot only. This means that
fractions of seconds are saved every time you swap from accelerating to braking and back again. If you
apply a small amount of brake force while accelerating, particularly in a front wheel drive car, the load
that the engine and drive train has to work against causes the differential to tighten. This spreads the
power across both wheels making it less likely to spin one of those wheels due to low grip and gives you
more driving traction out of corners. Weight transfer can be fine-tuned mid corner by adjusting the
amount of brake force versus the amount of throttle applied. A little more brake input transfers weight
forward giving more traction on the front wheels to help the car turn in. A little more throttle corrects
oversteer if the car is sliding too much. The car can be balanced at the edge of traction through a corner
using this method. Brake balance adjustment can be used in conjunction with left foot braking to tune
the balance between understeer and oversteer. Some of these principles still if you use your right foot
on the break but clearly, the speed at which you can move between pedals become a factor. Cars that
require the clutch to be engaged in order to exchange gear usually prevent left foot braking for slowing
the car down from high speed; however, the technique can still be applied through the corner.
Remember, left foot braking allows you to quickly switch between acceleration and braking and is a
fantastic technique for fine tuning the weight transfer of the car.
WHEEL SPIN/FEATHERING THE THROTTLE
Tires operate at their optimum with a certain amount of wheel spin. On gravel, wheel spin lets the tread
of the tire move the loose material on the road surface and puts the tire in contact with the harder
surface underneath where the most grip can be found. However, excessive tire spin prevents the car
from achieving the maximum grip potential and so it is not always appropriate to floor the accelerator.
The technique used to combat excessive wheel spin is known as 'feathering the throttle' and is used
primarily when exiting the corner to achieve maximum grip and therefore acceleration. Instead of using
the accelerator pedal as an on/off switch, you can modulate the throttle input to find most grip. The
amount of throttle input required to do this will vary from surface to surface and even from corner to
corner so it is more a case of feeling for the grip than knowing exactly how much throttle to apply.

UPHILL/DOWNHILL/ALTITUDE
As with braking, the inclination of the road ahead has an impact on the speed at which a car can
accelerate. When travelling uphill the car has to pull its weight against gravity and will accelerate more
slowly than on a flat surface. Travelling downhill will allow the car to accelerate more quickly. Perhaps
less obvious, is the effect of altitude on the car. At high altitude, such as the mountain ranges that rally
stages and hill climbs often traverse, the car will have relatively less power than at lower altitude.
Engines need air to burn fuel and so if more air goes in, more fuel can go in and more power can be
produced. As the air density reduces with altitude, power output also reduces. Bear this in mind when
you are driving up Pikes Peak as the change in altitude is one of the most dramatic in motorsport.

Category: TURNING
WEIGHT TRANSFER
As with braking weight transfer is extremely important aspect of making rally car turn. Simply turning
the steering wheel does not guarantee that the car will move in the desired direction. As a driver you
must ensure that the weight is transferred to the correct place at the correct time. In general the weight
should be transferred to the 'outside' front wheel relative to the direction of the corner. Braking places
the weight of the car over the front wheels but other factors should be considered such as the 'current
attitude' of the car and the characteristics of the road. The 'current attitude' of the car will vary
depending on the section of road ahead. Two corners in the same direction will mean that the weight
will already be in the correct place to take the second corner after the first. With two corners in opposite
directions you will have to make sure the weight is transferred to other front wheel after the first corner
before the car will change direction for the second. The rate at which the weight transfers in any
direction is dependent on the surface, the available grip and the set-up of the car. In sequences of
corners that change direction you can use the pendulum effect to help the car change direction from
one corner to the next. Crests, jumps, dips and other obstacles can all destabilize the car and stop you
from transferring the weight to the correct wheel and so these factors need to be taken in to account.
Making sure that the weight is transferred to the correct place at the right time is one of the most
important aspects of rally driving so make sure you keep this in mind at all times.
MINIMUM STEERING INPUT
There is a common misconception that to drive rally car quickly, you need to wrestle the steering wheel
one way then to other as much as possible. When you turn the steering wheel you are transferring the
weight of the car to the wheels on the side where it's needed to load the suspension and provide
traction for turning. If you rapidly move the weight from one side to the other, it is likely to destabilize
the car making it difficult to control. Continuing the sawing action on the steering wheel will
progressively make the situation worse until either a crash or a spin has occurred. When cornering or
making corrections to the steering; you should apply the minimum amount of angle necessary. In
conjunction with other techniques, such as left foot braking to induce oversteer, the amount of steering
input necessary may be considerably lower than would be required for the same angle corner in a road
car. As well as keeping the car as stable as possible, using the minimum amount of steering takes the
least time to apply, and then remove. Consider a situation where the car unexpectedly and significantly
oversteers. If you were to apply a lot of opposite lock, it may correct the situation, however the rear
wheels may suddenly grip, snapping the car out of oversteer and you may have to rapidly 'unwind' the
opposite lock in order to prevent the car from transferring in to oversteer in the other direction.
Excessive steering lock would only serve to make this situation more difficult to control. So remember,
always try to use the minimum amount of steering input possible in conjunction with other techniques
to make sure that the car remains as stable as possible.

HANDBRAKE TURNS
The handbrake turn is used in rallying more than in any other form of motorsport. The aim of
performing a handbrake turn is to get the car to dramatically oversteer at relatively low speed which
enables a tighter turn to be taken than using the steering axis of the wheels only. Weigh shift is still
required and you must use the momentum of changing direction with the steering in conjunction with
the handbrake to get the rear of car to slide. The handbrake can also be used to induce oversteer in a
more open corner if there is insufficient traction on the front wheels to get the car to turn in at the
required point. Remember, handbrake turns are used to navigate very tight corners such as hairpins that
would be difficult or slow to drive around normally so listen out for these types of corners in the pace
notes.

PENDULUM TURNS (SCANDINAVIAN FLICKS)

Pendulum turns is probably the most advanced technique used in rally driving. They are essentially the
culmination of all the techniques we have described in these guides. They are used specifically to
prevent the car from understeering on loose surfaces when approaching sharp turns or hairpins at
relatively high speed. The technique works by using the momentum of the rear of the car swinging from
one direction to the other. It must be timed correctly so that the final weight shift happens at the turn in
point for a corner. Modern rally teams put a lot of effort into reducing their cars tendency to understeer
so pendulum turns are not used as much in today's cars as they were with the classics. In order to
explain the process, here are the inputs you should make and the effect it will have on the car at each
point during a pendulum turn. In this example, the car is travelling at high speed on a straight piece of
gravel road and has to make a 90 degree turn.

1. As you arrive at the breaking point you get hard on the brakes to slow the car down and shift
the weight of the car forward.

2. With the increased grip on the front wheels flick to steering wheel in the opposite direction of
the corner.

3. The reduced weight over the rear wheels will put the car into oversteer with the rear of the
car stepping out and the front of the car pointing away from the corner. You can now increase
you throttle input, reduce your braking input and steer in the direction of the corner before
modulating all three inputs. This allows you to maintain the oversteer until the point at which
the car needs to turn in for the corner. It's worth noting that the lateral grip of the tire combined
with some breaking input causes the car to rapidly decelerate as if braking hard in a straight line.

4. Now release the brake pedal and feather the throttle! This will snap the car out of oversteer
in the initial direction. The momentum of the weight shift of the rear of car coupled with
acceleration and steering input will initiate oversteer in the direction of the corner.

5. At turn in point apply full throttle and move the steering wheel in the same direction as the
rear of the car, this is the pendulum part! You want the car to oversteer in the direction of the
corner to eliminate understeer. Now feather the throttle as the car is switching from
oversteering one way to the other, you must move the steering wheel in the same direction in
order to catch' the second slide.

6. You will now have oversteer through the corner. Keep feather the throttle and control the
oversteer with opposite lock. A perfect Scandinavian flick will see you hitting the apex and
accelerating through the corner exit where the car is straight once more.

Remember this is and advanced technique and practice makes perfect. The advantage is that by
deliberately using the momentum of the rear of the car you can actively prevent the car from
understeering into a tight corner.

Category: ROAD CHARACTERISTICS

SURFACES
One of the most unique aspects of rallying, unlike other forms of motorsport, is that you have to
contend with many kinds of road surfaces. With varying surface types and conditions come varying grip
levels. Tarmac, Concrete, Gravel, Dirt, Ice and Snow, and their many variations are all surfaces you will
have to get to grips with. While you will be given the most suitable tires for the conditions in DiRT Rally it
is important to understand their characteristics.
CAMBER
Not to be confused with the camber that is associated with suspension geometry, camber of the road
surface should be taken in to account, particularly when cornering. Positive camber, where the road is
sloped toward the inside of the corner, can help the car maintain traction and higher cornering speeds
can be achieved. Adverse camber, where the road surface is sloped away from the inside of the corner,
tries to force the car away from the apex and the racing line so lower speeds are often required.
Although most corners have positive camber, a series of corners changing from one direction to the
other where the camber of the road also changes can be challenging and you must ensure that car gets
out of the apex of one corner over the crown of the center of the road and into the apex of the next
corner. In some extreme cases, the camber is so severe that the car will 'jump' across the road as it
moves from one side to the other. Make sure you place the car in the correct position on the road that
you are making the most of the camber.

JUMPS & CRESTS

Jumps are often the most spectacular part of any rally stage but you must consider several factors when
approaching them. Firstly, since the wheels of the car will not be in contact with the ground for a period
of time, you will be unable to change direction or slow down while airborne. This sound like an obvious
point but it means that you must ensure that the car leaves the ground with the correct attitude and
correct speed in order to land in the correct place. If the road is straight then it might simply be a case of
making sure that the car leaves the road while also pointing straight, but if the jump happens to be in
the middle of a corner you will need to ensure that the trajectory of the car will land back on the road.
This is particularly important when there are ditches, rocks, trees or other obstacles lining the sides of
the stage. Weigh transfer also plays an important role when approaching a jump. Depending on the
nature of the road either side of the jump, there may be a need to slow down or even brake before it.
Imagine approaching a jump at high speed which has a sharp corner immediately after it, you would
need to brake before the jump to reduce the speed which would transfer the weight of the car over the

front wheels. In general, it is advisable not to have the in this attitude as it leave the ground over a jump
as it would be likely to nose dive and land hard on the front which could result in damage to the sump,
radiator or suspension. Instead you should brake up to the lip of the jump but stop braking just before
you take off to move the weight back to the center of the car. In some cars, especially front wheel drive
or other cars that are nose heavy, it may be even prudent to be accelerating as the car leaves the round.
Doing this will transfer the weight to the rear just before takeoff which will further help prevent the car
from nose diving. Remember, even though big jump at high speeds can be spectacular; taking them at
the highest speed possible may not be the quickest way to tackle a jump. The longer a car is airborne the
more it slows down so you should consider taking a jump at a slightly lower speed to hit the wheels back
on the ground as soon as possible. Although seemingly innocuous, crest can dramatically impact the
stability of the car. Even if the car doesn't leave the ground as it would over a jump, a crest can often
cause the car to 'go light' and unload the suspension and tires, resulting in reduced traction. This is
particularly important if the crest is immediately before, during or after a corner and this should be
taken in to account when approaching them. The other thing to consider is that, depending on their size,
they can prevent you from seeing the road ahead. Again, this is particularly important if the crest is
immediately before a corner. Imagine approaching a crest which you cannot see over at high speed that
is immediately before a slight corner. It is essential that you put the car in the correct place on the road
and at the right attitude to take the corner, even though the corner cannot be seen until the last second.

BUMPS, DIPS & AND WATER SPLASHES

Bumps can also unload the suspension and tires reducing traction but flicking the front, rear or one side
of the car upward. Rally stages are usually uneven surfaces but particularly bad bumps that unsettle the
car or require you to do something different than you otherwise would are often called out in the pace
notes. Bumps don't always stretch across the entire width of the road and so evasive action may be
necessary, such as moving to one side of the road. Dips or other compression in the road surface can be
unpredictable and should be treated with caution. Dips that occur over a long distance may not have too
big and impact on the car but those that are shorter can act like a severe bump as the suspension is
compressed and then rapidly extended as the car is flicked into the air. Extra caution needs to be taken
when traversing extremely rough terrain with many bumps and dips that can unsettle the car. Care
should also be taken when crossing water splashes as they can, like dips and bumps, be unpredictable.
Depending on the depth of water and the width of the crossing, the approach may change from 'flat-
out' to slowing right down and just driving through it at a normal road speed. Hitting deep water at high
speed can damage the front of the car and so it is often better to lose a few seconds by slowing down
than losing minutes with mechanical damage. Remember, this is why bumps, dips and water splashes
are called out in your pace notes and where listening to your co-driver is extremely important.

OBSTACLES
There are many types of obstacles that may be encountered on a rally stage. On a gravel stage through a
forest it is not uncommon to come across logs, branches or large rocks. Rally cars have strong sump
guards and other under body protection and in gravel setup the suspension travel and tough tires allow
the car to drive over most obstacles. Evasive action may need to be taken if the obstacle is large enough
to damage the car or cause a crash. Lower suspension set ups with shorter travel and lower profile tires
like those used in tarmac rallies mean that more care must be taken when making the split second
decisions to drive over, or around, obstacles. Fixed obstacles such as gate posts, bridge parapets and
cattle grids often require consideration and are therefore included in the pace notes with sufficient
description to allow the driver to pass them safely. Make sure you are prepared to take the necessary
precautions to avoid a rally ending incident when you hear these obstacles called out.

Category: PACE NOTES

PACE NOTES OVERVIEW
Unlike a race circuit where drivers learn every inch of the track, rally drivers tackle hundreds of
kilometers of unique road during every rally and so in order to be fast, and safe, they use pace notes.
Not all pace notes are the same. Which system is used and what features of the road are called out are
down to driver preference and can vary greatly from one driver to the next. There are many variations of
co-driver systems used but in DiRT Rally we use 6 to 1, made famous by the legendary man himself -
Colin McRae. In this system 6 is the fastest, least severe corner and 1 is a slow almost 90 degree corner.
We then have Square, Hairpin and Acute to describe even tighter corners. There is a general
misconception that the number relates to the gear you should be in but this isn't always the case. If you
come out of a 'Right 2' in 2nd gear immediately in to a 'Left 6' you are unlikely to change straight into
6th gear. Distances are generally given in meters, for example 60, 80 or 100, unless the corners are
really close together, in which case AND or INTO may be used. Additional description of detail in the
road ahead is also necessary. Calls such as Care, Caution and Double Caution signify sections where
extra care should be taken. Description such as 'Open', 'Tighten' or 'Double Tighten' are used when the
angle of the corner changes midway through. Corner length is also described using 'Half Long', 'Long' or
'Continues for'. Crests, Bumps and Jumps as well and other variations that you can drive through such as
bad camber, dips and water splashes are also called out. Perhaps the most important calls of all are
those telling you when an obstacle is present meaning that you should avoid cutting the corner or
running wide on corner exit. In these situations the co-driver will call 'DON'T CUT'. It is vitally important
that you listen to you co-driver and don't cut in these situations.

TIMING
Another important aspect of pace notes is the 'timing'. This is the point at which the co-driver delivers
the note to you, relative to the position on the road. Again, this is down to preference but it is common
for the pace notes to be delivered one or two corners ahead of where the car is on the road. This allows
you to build up a mental picture of the road ahead so that you can put the car in the correct attitude at
the correct time to achieve maximum speed. While some drivers prefer pace notes to be delivered later
than others, it is critical that you are given each note before the point at which you would need to react
to them. The most obvious example of that would be a braking point for a corner. If a pace note is given
to you after the point at which you would need to brake, particularly for the corner that cannot be seen
on approach, this is a late note. Many crashes in rallying have been caused by the co-driver not giving
the driver the pace note in time. If you want to, you can adjust the co-driver call timing in the player
preferences menu so that the calls are delivered with a timing that suits you.