The Most Common Mistakes Beginner Sim Racers Make

Sim racing is an exciting and immersive experience, but beginners often make mistakes that slow their progress. From poor braking techniques to ignoring proper hardware setups, these errors can make sim racing frustrating rather than enjoyable. Let’s go over the most common mistakes beginners make—and how to fix them—to help you improve your lap times and racecraft.

One of the biggest mistakes new sim racers make is braking too late or too hard. Many beginners believe that braking as late as possible is the fastest way around a track, but this often leads to understeer, overshooting corners, or even spinning out.

• Follow the "slow in, fast out" principle—braking earlier allows you to take corners smoothly and exit with better speed.
• Use brake markers on the track (such as signs or curbing) to develop consistent braking points.
• If your sim rig allows, invest in a load cell brake pedal, like the Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals LC. A load cell pedal mimics real-world braking by responding to pressure instead of travel distance, making it easier to modulate braking force.

Newcomers tend to stick too close to the middle of the track, afraid of pushing the car to the limits. This results in tighter turns and slower exit speeds.

• Learn the racing line: Use an outside-inside-outside approach for corners to maintain speed.
• Watch hot lap replays from experienced sim racers to see how they utilize the track.
• Enable racing line assists (temporarily) in games like Assetto Corsa or iRacing to understand the optimal path.

If your steering wheel is not properly calibrated, it can lead to unnatural handling, making it difficult to control the car.

• Adjust your steering rotation angle based on the car you're driving—Formula cars typically use 360-540 degrees, while GT cars use 900 degrees.
• Fine-tune force feedback (FFB) to get realistic responses from the road surface and car dynamics. The Fanatec CSL DD wheel baseprovides high-quality force feedback, making it an excellent choice for beginners looking to improve their feel for the car.

Beginners often overcorrect when the car starts sliding, leading to spins instead of controlled recoveries.

• If you lose rear traction, gently counter-steer and ease off the throttle instead of jerking the wheel.
• Practice throttle control—applying too much power too soon can cause loss of grip.
• Use force feedback cues from your wheel to sense when the car is losing traction.

Your sim racing gear plays a big role in your performance. Many beginners use default settings without adjusting their pedals, seat position, or wheel angle.

• Adjust your seat and wheel position to simulate a real driving posture—arms should be slightly bent, and pedals should be comfortably reachable.
• Use a high-quality shifter, like the Fanatec ClubSport Shifter SQ V1.5, to develop better manual shifting skills and enhance immersion.
• If you’re serious about sim racing, invest in a stable cockpit setup to prevent unwanted movement during races.

Many new sim racers jump straight into competitive races without practicing, leading to poor lap times and frequent crashes.

• Spend time in practice mode to learn each track's layout and braking zones.
• Use track guides and study real-life racing techniques for better understanding.
• Race against ghost laps or AI opponents to improve consistency before going online.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help you become a more confident and competitive sim racer. By improving your braking, using the full track, fine-tuning your force feedback settings, and investing in the right equipment—like Fanatec’s load cell pedals, CSL DD wheel base, or ClubSport Shifter—you’ll enhance your racing experience and performance.