One of the most frustrating situations in simracing (and real motorsport) is facing the opening lap on cold tyres. That feeling that the car doesn’t fully obey, the rear is ready to step out at any moment, and any more aggressive rival can pounce without mercy.
I’ve been through that uncertainty myself: be conservative and lose places, or attack hard and risk a spin? The key is to recognize the most common mistakes and learn how to avoid them.
1. Braking Too Late
With cold tyres, grip is limited. Trying to brake at the same points you use on hot tyres is a recipe for lockups or losing the car.
How to avoid it: bring your brake markers slightly earlier on lap one and, above all, do it in a straight line. Braking while turning multiplies the risk of oversteer.
2. Abrupt Steering Inputs
A common error is to steer with the same aggression as in normal laps. With cold tyres, responses are slower and any sudden steering input creates instability.
How to avoid it: think of the steering wheel as if you were carrying water in your hands: every movement should be smooth and progressive. The car takes longer to respond but it will respond.
3. Violent Transitions Between Throttle and Brake
Many novice drivers lift off the throttle abruptly to get on the brakes, which causes a sharp forward weight transfer and makes the rear lose support.
How to avoid it: try to slightly overlap brake and throttle for a brief moment. That tiny touch of gas helps stabilize the car while you’re braking.
4. Accelerating as If the Tyres Were Already Ready
The most common mistake: trying to power out of corners at full throttle from lap one. Cold tyres don’t tolerate that sudden hit of power, and the car often ends up sideways.
How to avoid it: imagine there’s an egg between your foot and the pedal. Press that egg slowly, without breaking it. Progressiveness is your best ally.
5. Ignoring That Every Car and Track Has Its Own “Warm-Up Rhythm”
Not every combo reaches temperature at the same pace. An MX-5 may take more than a full lap, while a faster prototype might need up to two laps.
How to avoid it: know your car and track. Run practice sessions dedicated solely to opening laps and take notes on how long it takes to be “ready to attack.”
Opening laps are both a psychological and technical challenge. The biggest mistake is trying to drive as if the tyres were already hot. The key is patience, smoothness, and deliberate practice.
With time, those initial laps stop being a torment and become an opportunity: while others rush and make mistakes, you can keep calm and gain positions without taking unnecessary risks.
- Remember, you can join iRacing clicking here.
See you on the track!
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