How to Race in GTA Online

Racing in GTA Online attracts countless players looking to showcase their driving skills and earn valuable rewards. However, mastering the art of racing can be challenging. In this guide, we'll share practical tips and strategies to help you maximize your racing rewards and improve your overall performance on the track.

From practicing in Free Roam to choosing the right vehicle and navigating tricky turns, we'll cover essential aspects of racing that will give you an edge over the competition. We'll also delve into earning bonus RP through slipstreaming, overtakes, and starting laps in first place, as well as working with friends to optimize your RP gains.

Additionally, we'll go over the importance of driving smoothly and carefully, knowing when to speed up or slow down, and focusing on racing rather than fighting other players. Finally, we'll provide some recommendations for customizing your vehicle lineup based on your racing style and preferences.

How to Start a Race in GTA Online

You can participate in a race by following the steps below:

1. Open the pause menu and go to the 'Online' tab.
2. Go to 'Jobs' > 'Play Job' > 'Rockstar Created'.
3. Select 'Races' and from here select the race you want to participate in.

Types of Races

You can cycle through five different types of races and they are as follows.

Land Races

In Land Races, there are three primary types: Standard (Lap and Point to Point), GTA (Lap and Point to Point), and Rally. Standard races involve navigating through checkpoints to reach the finish line, with Lap races consisting of repeated laps around a track and Point-to-Point races spanning from start to finish.

GTA races mirror Standard races but include weapons and vehicle swaps.

Rally is a team-based race, featuring teams of two: a driver and a navigator. The navigator guides the driver through checkpoints, using either directional commands or voice instructions via microphone.

Bike Races

As the name suggests, in bike races, players can select from a variety of options, such as bicycles, street bikes, motocross bikes, and ATVs, depending on the chosen circuit. Bicycle races usually take place in back alleys and parking lots, while the street bike races take place on the roads. For off-roading enthusiasts, motocross events take place through rugged terrain away from the city roads.

Sea Races

Sea Races take place on water and includes a variety of fast water vehicles such as a jetski and small boats.

Air Races

In Air Races, players take to the skies in aircraft for thrilling races. These races offer two main types based on the aircraft players choose: helicopter or fixed-winged aircraft.

Open Wheel Races

Open Wheel Races in GTA Online allows up to 1 to 16 players, offering customizable lap counts ranging from 5 to 25. Participants select vehicles from the Open Wheel category and choose tyre types — Soft, Medium, or Hard — impacting grip and durability. Pit stops around the track enable vehicle and tyre restoration, acting as a sort of "vehicle health".

The Los Santos Summer Special update added nine new races, with revamped countdowns and checkpoint sounds, and redesigned health indicators for better immersive experience.

Racing Tips

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice races alone in Free Roam to get used to the tracks and racing mechanics before you race against other players. You also might want to start by racing motorbikes instead of cars, as some players find it easier to master racing with a motorbike.

Redline Starting

Firstly, one of the most crucial sections of each race is right at the beginning. Oftentimes it is your start that will decide whether you lead the race or fall back, and few players know how to get it just right. The part that everyone knows is that when "GO" flashes on the screen, hitting the accelerator at the right time gives you a bit of a boost.

What most people don't know is how to maximize this effect. Simply keeping the accelerator pressed down during the whole countdown will blow your speed boost. However if you rev up your engine, let go of the accelerator right before the "GO" prompt appears, then re-press is at the right moment, not only do you gain the normal boost, but the engine retains the bonus from revving it up as well. This should launch you ahead of those who simply hit the pedal upon seeing "GO".

Curb-boosting

The other main method is curb-boosting, which is a little oddity made possible by GTA Online's strange relationship with physics. The game is coded in a way that causes a compressed suspension to boost acceleration and speed, which is the source of a number of speed bugs associated with spoilers.

However, regardless of whether or not you're using a bugged car, driving right on the raised sections on the sides of tracks, most often found in Stunt Races, will give you a constant speed boost that is most significant when accelerating. Though it pays to stick to the curb even at top speed.

Sure, you'll need some practice before benefiting from the second method, as the risk of going off course is increased. Higher speed makes the car more difficult to handle, and by driving on the edge of the track you don't exactly have much room for error. Curb boosting may shave a whole second off your lap times.

Traction Control

When you're still starting out as a racer and don't have a lot of practice, selecting cars that potentially sacrifice speed for handling is a good choice. A car with good handling will get you a lot further along than one that can hit higher speeds but suffers from over/under-steering or has poor traction, which will lead you to spin out.

Most experienced racers will tell you that pushing the pedal to the metal and never letting up is hardly a viable strategy when it comes to crossing the finish line first. You need to know when to break and how to take turns — something a car with good handling will make much easier. Once you are more experienced and can control a testier car, it will be time to upgrade.

Get familiar with the track

Knowing the racecourse is half the battle. You need to practice a lot — just race and race and race — so that the layout of the course will be as familiar to you as the palm of your hand. Once taking turns becomes muscle memory, your lap times will start decreasing steadily.

Avoid early collisions

While sparingly used, tactically deployed collisions in the late game can help you knock rivals out of the race, collisions early on will simply slow you down. A typical phenomenon is when racers bunch up into a large multi-car collision at the very beginning of the race. It's better to avoid this mess by hanging back if you see it about to happen, as getting mixed up in the crash will set you back a great deal.

Tailgating

Tailgating is a typical tactic that can get you a speed boost. When you go behind another racer and close the distance, you'll see streaks of air appear on the screen. This means you are in their slipstream, which will increase your speed while you stay right behind the other car. This might give you the necessary boost to overtake them too.

Choose the Right Vehicle Modifications

Choose a vehicle with good traction. This will help you make turns without slowing down. Do not use your handbrake if you are racing in a car. When you approach a corner, don't hug the inside but instead follow the outside to inside to outside racing line. Sharp turns cover less distance, but wider turns can be taken at a faster speed.

However, take turns more slowly if it is raining. The wet roads will make it more likely you'll spin out.

When racing on a motorbike, you should use your handbrake instead of the regular brake, in order to maintain stability and traction.

Sometimes Slow is Fast

Don't always race at full speed, especially when you first start. Instead, drive smoothly and carefully to avoid accidents. Once you're familiar with the tracks, you'll know when to speed up and when to slow down.

While it may be fun to fight other players, you might find it more beneficial if you concentrate on racing and let your opponents take each other out.

Bonus RP Strategies

If you're racing with NPC traffic, keep an eye out for oncoming vehicles. If possible, get an NPC vehicle in between you and the racer behind you, as extra protection. This is a particularly good idea if the other racers are using weapons. NPC traffic can act as a buffer.