Brake points and trail braking in Assetto Corsa EVO

Where to start braking

Pick a fixed reference by the track (a board, a change of tarmac, a shadow) and brake at the same point every lap. Then move it in steps of 5 to 10 metres. If you brake too early you leave time on the table; too late and you miss the apex, run wide or lock the tyres. The right point is the latest one where you can still reach the turn-in speed under control.

How hard to brake

Press quickly to a high peak at the start of the braking zone, when the car carries the most speed and the tyres have the most grip, then ease off as speed drops. A peak that is too low wastes braking distance. A peak that makes the ABS work all the time is too high: the tyres cannot use more and you lengthen the braking distance.

Trail braking

Trail braking means keeping a little brake while you turn in and releasing it gradually towards the apex. It loads the front tyres, helps the car rotate and lets you carry speed deeper into the corner. Release smoothly: letting go all at once unsettles the car. Too much brake at the turn-in makes the front wash out.

Common mistakes

• Braking early and then coasting, which wastes time on the straight.
• A low peak followed by a long, soft braking.
• Releasing the pedal abruptly at turn-in.
• Changing three things at once, so you never know what helped.
• Ignoring brake balance and temperatures when the car locks one axle.

Check it with the data

Compare your brake trace with a faster driver at the same point of the track. Look at where it starts, the height of the peak and how long it lasts. If your braking lasts longer than theirs with the same start and the same peak, you are releasing too late; if the peak is higher, you are braking harder than needed.

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