Running a Simulated AI Race

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Your First Simulated Practice Race (AI)

Now that you’ve practiced on your own, it’s time to experience what it’s like to race in a pack and deal with the pressure of racing against other cars. A simulated practice race against AI (artificial intelligence) opponents is a great way to get started with racecraft, focusing on maintaining your position, minimizing mistakes, and improving your race strategies. The objective in this race is to not lose your position and to limit incident points, which can affect both your iRating and Safety Rating.

Objective: Not Lose Position & Limit Incident Points

Minimize Mistakes: In your first simulated race, try to avoid making big mistakes. Racing against AI can help you learn the basics of racecraft without the added pressure of racing against humans. Aim to keep your position as you focus on clean driving. This includes staying on track, avoiding collisions, and respecting the racing line.
Incident Points: Pay attention to your incident points and try to keep them low. Off-track excursions and contact with other cars will add incident points to your total. The goal is to complete the race with as few incident points as possible, which will help maintain or improve your Safety Rating and set you up for future success in official races.

Practice Session

Before you dive into a full race, you should get used to practicing different aspects of racing. This section will focus on three key areas: alternative lines, alternative braking references, and keeping a safe distance from others.

1. Alternative Lines

What Are Alternative Lines?: Alternative lines refer to different ways of taking a corner to either maintain speed or set up for a better exit. Not all corners have a single “ideal” line; depending on the situation, you might want to try different approaches to see what works best.
Why Use Alternative Lines?: In races, sometimes you might find that another driver is occupying the ideal line, forcing you to take a different approach. Also, certain lines may help you avoid understeering, oversteering, or reduce tire wear.
Practice Tip: As you race, experiment with different lines. Try entering a corner a little earlier or later than usual, or take a wider line on corner exits. The goal is to find lines that help you maintain consistent speed and avoid mistakes.

2. Alternative Braking References

What Are Braking References?: Braking references are points on the track that help you determine when to start braking for a corner (e.g., a certain tree, a sign, or a marking on the track). When racing, you need to find reliable braking points to consistently slow the car down and make the turn.
Why Practice Alternative Braking References?: During a race, you might find yourself in different positions relative to other cars, making your normal braking references less reliable. Practicing alternative braking points helps you adjust in various race situations.
Practice Tip: Try to use different braking references for each corner in your practice session. You can start with visual references like trackside markers, then experiment with different distances to braking points. Focus on finding a reference point that is easy to spot, consistent, and helps you brake smoothly.

3. Keeping a Safe Distance

Why It’s Important: When racing, it’s essential to maintain a safe distance from other cars. This helps you avoid accidents and unnecessary contact. Keeping too close to another car can lead to accidental collisions, while keeping too far behind may prevent you from making overtakes.
What Is a Safe Distance?: A safe distance is one that gives you enough time to react to the car ahead of you and enough space to avoid any sudden moves. If you’re too close, it’s harder to see braking points or react to the car in front.
Practice Tip: Practice staying at a consistent distance behind the AI cars. Try to anticipate their moves and leave yourself enough space to react if something goes wrong. If you notice yourself getting too close, ease off the throttle and give yourself some breathing room.

Qualifying (Skipped)

In this first simulated race, we won’t focus on qualifying times. However, as you progress, qualifying will become an essential part of your race preparation. You will need to practice setting fast lap times and figuring out the best qualifying strategy for different tracks.

Rolling Starts

What Is a Rolling Start?: A rolling start is when the race begins with all cars slowly moving at a controlled pace until they reach the start line, at which point the green flag is waved and racing begins.
Tips for Rolling Starts:
- Control Your Pace: During a rolling start, maintain a steady pace and avoid accelerating too early. The key is to stay in formation and prepare for the green flag.
- Get Ready for the Green Flag: Be ready to accelerate smoothly as soon as the green flag is shown. A poor start could leave you behind, especially if you’re not in sync with the rest of the pack.
- Positioning: Pay attention to your position in the pack. If you’re in a position near the front, you’ll need to be more cautious about avoiding contact in the first corners.

Standing Starts Strategies

What Is a Standing Start?: A standing start is when all cars are stopped on the grid, and the race begins with the drop of the green flag. Standing starts require good throttle control and coordination with the other cars around you.
Tips for Standing Starts:
- Throttle Control: Be careful not to spin the tires on a standing start. Apply the throttle smoothly, ensuring you don’t over-rev the engine. This is especially important if you’re driving a high-power car.
- Anticipate the Green Flag: Learn to anticipate the moment the race starts so you don’t waste time revving the engine too much or jumping the start.
- Avoid Wheelspin: Try to engage the clutch smoothly and avoid excessive wheelspin to get off the line quickly. Accelerate progressively as soon as the green flag drops.

Getting Used to Driving Around the Pack

One of the key challenges in any race is learning to drive in traffic. When you’re in a pack, you need to be aware of your surroundings and manage your position, whether you’re leading the pack or racing in the middle.

Stay Calm: In your first few races, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the number of cars around you. Stay calm, and focus on your racing line and braking points.
Be Aware of Surroundings: Keep an eye on your mirrors and your surroundings, especially during overtakes. Anticipate moves from other drivers, and be ready to react.
Maintain Position: Focus on not losing your position and avoid fighting too hard for places unless you’re in a good position to overtake. Keep a safe distance, and don’t over-defend corners unless necessary.

Conclusion

In your first simulated practice race, focus on keeping a safe distance, experimenting with alternative lines, and improving your braking references. It’s also important to get familiar with the difference between rolling starts and standing starts, as well as learn how to drive around other cars in a pack. By maintaining a clean race, you’ll build confidence and begin to develop the racecraft necessary for real competitive events!