How to Trail Brake in Sim Racing
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To trail brake in sim racing, you brake hard in a straight line, then ease off the pedal gradually as you turn into the corner, instead of letting go before you turn. By the time you reach the apex, you're fully off the brakes. It's one of the most useful driving skills you can learn because it helps the car rotate and lets you use the grip you've got. This guide covers why it works, how to do it step by step and a simple drill to build the habit. Most drivers need several practice sessions before it feels natural, so don't rush it.
What Is Trail Braking?
Trail braking is the technique of carrying some brake pressure past your turn-in point and bleeding it away as you add steering. The name comes from the way you "trail off" the brakes into the corner. In a simple braking pattern, you finish braking, then turn. With trail braking, the two overlap.
Why Trail Braking Works
Braking shifts the car's weight forward, which loads up the front tyres and gives them more grip. If you stay on the brake a little as you turn in, those front tyres have more grip for steering, and the car turns more willingly. Coming off the brakes too early does the opposite: the weight moves back, the front goes light and you get understeer.
A tyre only has so much grip to share between braking and turning. That's the idea behind the steady trade-off in this technique. As steering goes up, brake pressure comes down.
How to Trail Brake in Sim Racing, Step by Step
Step 1: Brake hard in a straight line
Make your biggest brake input early, while the wheel is straight. This is when the car is most stable and the tyres can give you the most stopping power. Hit the brake firmly, but build up quickly and smoothly instead of stamping on it.
Step 2: Start easing off before you turn
Just before your turn-in point, start releasing the pedal. Think of letting it out slowly and not lifting your foot off it. A sudden release sends the weight rearward all at once, and that's what upsets the car.
Step 3: Turn in with light brake pressure
Begin steering while you still have a small amount of brake on. Look towards the apex, not at the kerb right in front of you, and make one smooth steering input.
Step 4: Trade brake for steering
As you add steering, keep taking brake pressure away. Picture a sliding scale between the two: more of one means less of the other. If the front tyres start to scrub or lock, you've got too much brake on for the amount of steering.
Step 5: Be off the brakes by the apex
Aim to finish your release as the car reaches the slowest point of the corner. Trail braking is mostly about the entry, so you shouldn't still be braking once the car is turned and settled. Take a brief moment if you need it, then pick up the throttle.
Step 6: Squeeze on the throttle
Once the car is pointed where you want it, feed in the power gradually as you unwind the steering. A clean entry makes this easy, as you should have less steering lock to take off.
A Simple Trail Braking Drill
Pick a car you know and one slow corner with a clear braking marker, ideally a hairpin. Run 10 laps at about 80% pace and only think about that corner. On each lap, hold the brake for slightly longer into the turn. You'll find the limit quickly: too little and the car will push wide, while too much will make the rear feel loose or lock the fronts.
Once it's working, add a second corner. Slow corners are the best place to learn. They reward more trail braking, while faster corners generally need less of it, because the rear of the car has to stay settled at speed.
If your sim offers telemetry, look at your brake trace. A sharp spike followed by a long, smooth taper is the shape you're after. A trace that drops straight to zero before you've started steering shows that you're still braking and turning separately.
Do Your Pedals Make a Difference?
You can learn this on any pedals, but a load cell brake makes it easier to repeat. Load cells respond to how hard you press, not how far the pedal moves, so your leg can learn the pressure needed. Our guide to load cell pedals explains the difference. It's also worth reading how load cells change the feel of iRacing, as the same ideas apply to braking in any sim.
The MOZA CRP2 Load Cell Pedals are a good example, with a 200kg load cell and enough adjustment to tune the brake to your leg strength. You'll find the wider range in our sim racing pedals collection. Whatever you use, make sure the pedals are mounted firmly, because a moving pedal makes it hard to repeat your pressure.
Common Trail Braking Mistakes
- Releasing too quickly: the weight jumps rearward and the front loses grip.
- Holding too much brake: the rear goes light and the car can oversteer on entry.
- Braking too early: if you're slowing down long before the corner, you'll have nothing left to trail in.
- Staying on the brake past the apex: this kills your speed and delays the throttle.
- Trail braking everywhere: fast corners often need a lighter touch, or none at all.
- Looking too close to the car: your hands and feet follow your eyes, so look through the corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is trail braking faster in sim racing?
Usually, yes, because you use more of the available grip on corner entry and the car rotates better. How much you need depends on the car, the corner and your setup.
Do you trail brake in cars with ABS?
Yes. ABS gives you a safety net against locking the wheels, but you still need to reduce brake pressure as you add steering. Leaning on ABS through a corner can make the front wash wide.
Can you trail brake on a controller?
Yes, if you have an analogue trigger. It's harder because the trigger has a short range of travel, but the technique is the same.
Why do I spin when I trail brake?
You're probably holding too much brake while adding steering, so the rear has too little grip. Release the pedal earlier and more smoothly, and check that your brake bias isn't too far rearward.
How long does it take to learn trail braking?
Most drivers start to feel it within a few sessions, but it takes much longer to make it consistent. Short, focused practice on one corner works better than long, unfocused stints.
Ready for Your Next Session?
Trail braking takes time, so be patient and work on one corner at a time. If you're newer to the hobby, our guide to sim racing for beginners covers the other basics worth learning alongside it. Gamer Gear Direct is an authorised MOZA Racing dealer, and if you're planning a bigger build, our Dandenong South showroom is open by appointment.
Written by Blake Sterling, Founder, Owner and CEO of Gamer Gear Direct. Blake has been helping Australian sim enthusiasts build their dream racing and flight simulator setups since founding GGD in 2019. When he's not in the Dandenong South showroom, you'll find him behind the wheel in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Forza Horizon and Wreckfest.
