Overtaking Racecraft Guide
Most FH6 players never bother learning overtaking racecraft. And that's exactly why you should. It's one of those skills that separates people who wonder why they keep getting gapped from the people doing the gapping. Once it's in your muscle memory, you won't think about it — but you'll be faster everywhere.
What Overtaking Racecraft Actually Is
Overtaking Racecraft is a intermediate technique involving how to pass clean — the art and psychology of overtaking. The basic idea is simple, but executing it consistently under race pressure is where most people fall apart.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Primary Benefit | Online Race Position |
| Controller vs Wheel | Easier on wheel with pedal control. Controller: remap clutch to A button |
| Required Setup | Manual transmission only — won't work with auto or semi-auto |
| When to Use | Every corner entry, especially medium and tight corners |
| Common Mistake | Rushing the inputs — smooth beats fast every time |
Step-by-Step
- Approach the corner normally. Brake in a straight line as usual. The technique happens during braking, not before it.
- Prepare the downshift while braking. This is where the coordination happens. Your feet are doing two different things at once — it takes practice.
- Execute the technique. One fluid motion. If you do it right, the car stays settled and ready to rotate.
- Release brake, turn in, back on throttle. Because the car is settled, you can carry more entry speed.
- Practice on a familiar track first. I use the Horizon Mexico circuit. Run laps focusing ONLY on this technique, ignore lap times.
When NOT to Use It
overtaking racecraft is great but not always the answer. In slow hairpins dropping 2-3 gears, it gets tricky. In some AWD cars with aggressive diffs, the car basically drives itself and the technique adds complexity without benefit. Know when to use it and when to keep it simple.
Practice Drill
Horizon Mexico circuit. 5 laps focusing ONLY on this technique — no lap time pressure. Then 3 laps at race pace. My times dropped 0.3-0.5 seconds per lap after about an hour of practice. Over a 5-lap race that's 2-3 seconds — P1 vs P5 in a tight lobby.
Real FH6 Performance Impact
The most common mistake in FH6 multiplayer is trying to pass in the wrong place. I've been racing in Horizon Open S1-class lobbies for about 50 hours, and 80% of overtakes happen in three specific spots: the braking zone at the end of the longest straight, the exit of a medium-speed corner where the driver ahead gets on power late, and the inside of a hairpin where you can out-brake them. Everywhere else is a waste of time or a crash waiting to happen. The technique that works best for me: fake a dive to the inside on corner approach, then when the defender takes the inside line, switch back to the outside for the better exit. It's an old trick but FH6 players fall for it constantly because they're watching the corner, not watching your car. In tight lobbies, patience wins. Wait for the mistake — it always comes.