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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallRally pace notes are a compact forecast of the road. A call such as “3 Right into 2 Left” tells the driver the direction, approximate severity, and that a tighter corner follows immediately. The number is not a speed limit: it predicts how sharply the road bends, so the driver can choose braking, gear, turn-in point, and road position before seeing the corner.
The system is easiest to learn when you separate every call into five parts: direction, severity, connector, distance, and modifier or hazard. The six-to-one scale used by EA’s rally guidance and the original DiRT Rally manual generally runs from 6 (fastest numbered corner) to 1 (tightest normal numbered corner), with hairpins tighter than a 1. Individual games can change labels and conventions, so learn the vocabulary of the title you are playing before transferring notes from another game.
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What pace notes do
A co-driver’s job is to describe the road before the driver reaches it. Instead of reacting to a blind bend, jump, narrowing, or surface change, the driver hears a short prediction and prepares the car in advance. Good notes reduce visual surprise; they do not replace judgment about grip, weather, damage, or the car’s current speed.
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The basic grammar
Most calls follow this order:
- Direction: left or right tells you which way the road turns.
- Severity: a number or named turn estimates how tight it is.
- Connector: words such as “into” or “and” link features that are close together.
- Distance: a number such as 50, 80, or 100 usually means an approximate distance in metres to the next feature.
- Modifier or hazard: words such as “tightens,” “opens,” “crest,” “jump,” “narrows,” or “don’t cut” change how you should approach or exit the feature.
The same order lets a driver decode an unfamiliar call quickly and gives a human co-driver a consistent script to read.
Understanding the corner numbers
On the commonly documented six-to-one scale, 6 is the fastest and least severe numbered turn, while 1 is the slowest normal numbered turn. A hairpin is tighter than a 1. The number describes corner geometry, not a fixed kilometre-per-hour target. A 4 on a wide, grippy road may be taken much faster than a 4 on a narrow, loose surface.
| Call element | What it predicts | Driver response |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Fast, shallow numbered bend | Usually lift or make a small brake adjustment; keep momentum and a clean line. |
| 5 | Fast bend with more steering than a 6 | Set the car before turn-in and avoid an unnecessarily large brake application. |
| 4 | Medium-speed corner | Brake or lift according to the approach, then turn with a stable car. |
| 3 | Moderately tight corner | Plan meaningful braking and a deliberate entry speed. |
| 2 | Tight corner | Brake earlier, select an appropriate gear, and expect a slower apex. |
| 1 | Tightest normal numbered corner | Prepare for heavy braking and a slow rotation; do not assume it is a hairpin. |
| Hairpin | Tighter than a 1, often close to a U-turn | Brake decisively, rotate the car, and anticipate low exit speed and possible traction loss. |
Do not use this table as a universal rule for every rally title. The DiRT Rally 2.0 transcription reference records title-specific changes to numbering and labels. If a game’s tutorial, manual, or practice stage contradicts the six-to-one convention, the game’s own convention wins.
Direction comes first
“Left 3” means a moderately tight left; “Right 5” means a faster right. Direction is not a suggestion about which side of the road to use. It tells you where the road bends. Road-position instructions come from separate words such as “keep-in,” “keep-out,” or “don’t cut.”
Numbers are relative, not speed targets
Two corners with the same number can require different speeds because of camber, width, surface, elevation, and what follows. Use the number to set a braking and preparation plan, then adjust for the car’s grip and the stage conditions. A driver who treats every 3 as one exact speed will either over-slow fast examples or arrive too quickly at deceptive ones.
Connectors, distance and changing corners
“Into” and “and”
“Into” means the next turn follows closely enough that you should link the two decisions. In “3 Right into 2 Left,” the first corner is moderately tight and the left immediately afterward is tighter. Do not accelerate as if the right were an isolated bend; leave the car positioned and balanced for the left.
Some DiRT Rally terminology also uses “and” to connect nearby features. The practical meaning is similar: keep listening for the next instruction instead of treating the first corner’s exit as a safe place to fully commit.
Distance numbers
A call such as “80” or “100” indicates an approximate distance, normally in metres, before the next described feature. The number is a planning interval, not a guarantee that the road is perfectly measured or that you should count it aloud. At high speed, 100 metres passes quickly; at low speed, the same distance gives you more time to settle the car.
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Use distance to schedule actions. After a corner, a longer distance may allow acceleration and a gear change. A short distance means you should delay a large steering correction or handbrake move because the next call is already approaching.
“Tightens”
“Right 4 tightens 3” starts as a faster right but becomes a tighter right before the exit. Brake for the more severe part rather than committing to the opening speed. Keep enough road width and traction in reserve to reach the tighter section without running wide.
“Opens”
“Left 3 opens” describes a bend that relaxes toward its exit. The entry still requires the speed appropriate to a 3, but the road becomes less restrictive as you progress. “Opens” is not permission to accelerate blindly: wait until the car is pointed toward the exit and the surface is visible or otherwise understood.
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Hazards and line instructions
Modifiers tell you why a normal corner number may not be enough. They can describe visibility, road width, obstacles, or the line that keeps the car safe.
| Term | Meaning in practice |
|---|---|
| Crest | The road rises over a brow; visibility and available grip can change suddenly. Have the car settled before the crest. |
| Bump | An uneven impact can unload the suspension or move the car. Avoid aggressive steering while crossing it. |
| Jump | The car may leave the ground. Straighten the car, control speed, and prepare for the landing rather than turning through the takeoff. |
| Narrows | The usable road becomes narrower. Reduce the margin for error and avoid carrying a line that depends on the full road width. |
| Don’t cut | Do not place the inside wheels beyond the safe road edge; a ditch, rock, barrier, or drop may be hidden there. |
| Keep-in | Stay toward the inside of the road as instructed, often to avoid an outside hazard or prepare for the next feature. |
| Keep-out | Leave space on the inside or avoid the indicated edge, commonly because of an obstacle or an unsafe cut. |
| Rocks or ditch | A specific roadside hazard that can damage the car or stop it if contacted. |
| Surface change | Grip or braking behavior changes, so the same number may require a different entry speed. |
Warnings such as “don’t cut,” “jump,” and “narrows” deserve emphasis when you are reading aloud. A co-driver should make the hazard audible without drowning out the direction and severity.
Worked examples
“3 Right into 2 Left”
Read it as: a moderately tight right, followed closely by a tighter left. Brake and position for the right while preserving a line that allows the car to turn left immediately afterward. The key information is not merely two corners; it is the connection between them.
“Right 4 tightens 3”
Enter a relatively fast right, but expect the radius to decrease. Do not release all braking or run wide at the opening. Keep the car controlled until you have passed the tightening point.
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“80, crest, 5 Left don’t cut”
You have an approximate 80-metre approach, then a crest that may hide the corner, followed by a fast left with an unsafe inside edge. Use the distance to prepare, settle the car before the crest, and leave the inside wheels on the safe road surface.
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“2 Right and 1 Left, narrows”
Two tight corners are linked, and the road becomes less forgiving. Reduce speed for the first corner, avoid using all available width on its exit, and remain ready for the tighter left and the narrowing road.
How early should a call arrive?
The useful window is early enough for the driver to brake and position the car, but close enough that the instruction remains attached to the feature in memory. There is no single correct number of seconds: approach speed, corner severity, visibility, and the driver’s experience all change the required lead time.
When the call feels late
If you are braking after the corner is visible, move the co-driver timing earlier when the game provides that option. In EA SPORTS WRC, co-driver timing is adjustable under Options & Extras > Game Preferences. The game also offers Simplified Pace Notes, which condense severity into Easy, Medium, and Sharp. Start with earlier timing or simplified calls while learning, then move toward normal timing as recognition improves.
When the call feels too early
A call that arrives long before the feature may be forgotten or confused with the next one. Move timing later, or ask a human co-driver to shorten the lead on familiar sections. Do not solve early calls by ignoring modifiers; instead, repeat the complete call in a steady rhythm and use the distance number to anchor it.
What the driver should prioritize
- React first to an immediate hazard such as a jump, narrowing, or don’t-cut warning.
- Use the severity number to establish braking and entry speed.
- Use connectors and distance to prepare for the next feature.
- Apply line instructions after the car is stable enough to follow them.
Using the built-in co-driver effectively
The DiRT Rally manual describes the co-driver as calling corners and hazards ahead, while matching icons appear on screen. Build the habit of hearing and acting on the voice. Use the icons to confirm a missed word or learn an unfamiliar symbol, not as a substitute for listening.
Before changing difficulty or assists, run a short stage and identify whether your error is recognition, timing, or vehicle control. If you understood “2 Left” but still ran wide, the issue is braking or grip rather than note vocabulary. If you repeatedly ask what comes next, the issue is timing or attention.
Two-player co-driving: one drives, one reads
Two people can divide the work exactly as in a real rally: one person controls the car and the other reads notes. The DiRT Rally pace-note repository documents this style of co-op play and recommends slowing replay playback when transcribing. You can use the same method even when the game supplies automated calls.
Set up a first session
- Choose one short stage. Avoid a long, high-speed route until both players have a shared vocabulary.
- Choose a predictable car. A stable, familiar car makes it easier to judge whether a mistake came from the call or the vehicle.
- Agree on the scale. Confirm what 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and hairpin mean in that title.
- Use a slow reconnaissance run. The driver focuses on control while the co-driver practices reading the next complete call.
- Preserve the game’s order. Say direction, severity, connector, distance, then hazard or line instruction unless an immediate warning needs emphasis.
- Replay mistakes. Pause or slow the section, identify the exact word that was late or unclear, and try it again.
- Increase speed gradually. Only add pace when the driver can respond to severity and hazards without looking away from the road.
How the co-driver should speak
- Use a consistent volume and avoid conversational filler.
- Separate consecutive calls with a small pause so the driver can identify where one feature ends.
- Stress hazards and changes: “tightens,” “jump,” “narrows,” and “don’t cut.”
- Do not improvise a new severity scale halfway through a stage.
- If you miss a call, say so clearly and give the next reliable instruction instead of guessing.
Creating your own notes
Use reconnaissance logic: drive the route repeatedly at low speed, observe the road beyond each blind section, and revise notes after learning how the car actually behaves there. The official WRC glossary defines recce as repeated low-speed passes used to create and adjust pace notes before an event. In a game, your notes can be shorter than a professional crew’s, but they should still identify the next action, its severity, and any hazard that changes the line.
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How pace-note systems differ between games
Do not copy a call from one title into another without checking the definitions. Compare these five properties:
| What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Severity scale | Some systems use six as fastest and one as tightest; another title may alter numbering or labels. |
| Hairpin and named-turn vocabulary | A hairpin may be explicitly named or represented by a number plus a modifier. |
| Connectors and distances | “Into,” “and,” and spoken metre values determine how closely features should be linked. |
| Hazard and placement detail | One game may distinguish keep-in, keep-out, rocks, and ditches while another uses fewer categories. |
| Timing and simplification controls | EA SPORTS WRC documents adjustable co-driver timing and Simplified Pace Notes; other titles may expose different settings or none at all. |
Learn one title’s system to fluency before comparing advice from another. A player who imports the wrong assumption about whether a 4 is fast or medium can consistently brake at the wrong point even while reading every word correctly.
Common mistakes and fixes
Reading only the number
Symptom: You hear “3” and ignore “tightens,” “narrows,” or “don’t cut.” Fix: Treat the modifier as part of the instruction, not optional commentary. Repeat the full call during practice.
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Symptom: You reach the corner before the car is ready. Fix: Move automated timing earlier, slow the stage, or ask a human co-driver to call sooner. Confirm that the problem is timing rather than excessive entry speed.
Accelerating between linked turns
Symptom: You exit the first corner wide and cannot make the second. Fix: Give “into” or “and” priority and keep the car positioned for the next direction.
Taking “opens” as a guarantee
Symptom: You accelerate before the car is pointed at the exit and lose control. Fix: Wait for a stable chassis and usable grip; “opens” describes geometry, not a mandatory throttle point.
Cutting a warned corner
Symptom: The car hits a ditch, rock, or barrier on the inside. Fix: Leave a safety margin whenever you hear “don’t cut,” even if the visible road appears wide.
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Changing scales mid-stage
Symptom: A number seems to mean different speeds from one call to the next. Fix: Recheck the game’s tutorial or manual and use the same interpretation for the entire stage.
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A practical training plan
Session 1: vocabulary
Run a short stage slowly. Identify every direction, number, connector, distance, and hazard. Do not chase a fast time. Your goal is to hear the complete call and associate it with the road shape.
Session 2: severity response
Use one predictable car and concentrate on the difference between 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and hairpin. Notice how much braking and rotation each category generally demands on that stage. Record the points where a number alone was misleading because of a crest, surface change, or tightening.
Session 3: linked features
Drill calls containing “into” and “and.” Keep the car’s exit line compatible with the next corner, even if that sacrifices a little speed through the first one.
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Repeat sections containing crest, jump, narrows, don’t cut, rocks, or ditches. Make the warning audible and act before the hazard, not at it.
Session 5: speed and timing
Increase pace only after the driver can respond without looking at icons. If errors appear, slow down or move timing earlier rather than masking the problem with aggressive steering.
Choosing equipment and settings
A steering wheel and pedal set can add immersion, but EA’s guidance states that a wheel is not required. Gamepad and keyboard players can compete. Input hardware does not change the meaning of a pace note; it changes how precisely and comfortably you can execute the response.
For a new driver, the highest-value settings are the ones that make calls understandable: simplified notes, readable audio volume, and timing that gives enough preparation. Once the driver recognizes the vocabulary automatically, restore more detailed calls or normal timing to build a faster, more precise response.
Quick Recap
Quick reference checklist
- Confirm the game’s severity scale before driving quickly.
- Hear direction and number as one instruction.
- Slow for a tighter number, but do not treat it as an exact speed target.
- Link corners connected by “into” or “and.”
- Use distance numbers to plan the next action.
- Expect a different exit when a corner “tightens” or “opens.”
- Give crest, jump, narrows, rocks, ditches, and don’t-cut warnings priority.
- Use audio as the main cue and icons as confirmation.
- Adjust co-driver timing or simplify calls when learning.
- Practice one stage and one car before adding speed or complexity.
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