Overtake Push is a driver toggle that doubles per-tick overtake attempt probability. It doesn’t make the car faster directly — it just means the driver will dice-roll for an attempt twice as often.
It’s the “go for it” button. Combined with engine map and a closing tow, it’s how you turn following pace into an actual pass.
What it actually does
Mechanically:
- Per-tick attempt probability ×2 (more dice, no fake bonus)
- +4% mistake probability at zone transitions when the driver is currently committed to an overtake
- No direct speed boost — overtake speed boost comes from the
overtake_advantagemodel, not from this toggle
Push doesn’t help if your car has nothing in the tank — pace, tires, fresh-air gains all matter for the overtake commit. Push just buys you more rolls of the dice.
When the toggle adds value
- Behind a slower car you want past — without push, you might wait 5–10 corners for an attempt to fire; with push, 2–5 corners
- Tire / pace advantage already established — you have a 1.5%+ pace gap and just need the AI to commit to an attempt
- Late in stint when undercut is closing — you need to pass quickly before the rival pits and you lose track position
- Fresh tires after pit, lapping faster cars — push helps you commit the dice fast
When the toggle hurts
- You’re not actually faster — push gambles into a bad attempt; the
overtake_advantagewill be negative and the commit times out - In a corner sequence — push doesn’t help in
Liftingzones (corner zone bonus is 0.1×, the lowest) - Your driver has low CON or low AGG — extra mistake probability + low commit confidence = spin risk
- You’re under engine overheat warning — push fires under all maps including high ones, raising heat damage further
- You’re already side-by-side — the side-by-side resolution protocol owns the manoeuvre; push just adds mistake risk
AI auto-toggle
The AI Overtake Push module decides when to enable push automatically:
| Condition | AI’s choice |
|---|---|
| Chasing a rival with positive pace gap, gap < 1.5s | Push ON |
| In a tight battle over multiple corners | Push ON, holds through corners (the corner zone_bonus already kills attempts there, so cycling off would just thrash the 2s hysteresis) |
| Tire wear > 70% AND chasing | Push OFF — fresh-tire advantage gone |
| Overtake cooldown active (just attempted) | Push OFF — cooldown protects against double-commits |
| Defending (no chase) | Push OFF — defensive driving, save tires |
You can manually override; manual toggle holds for 2 seconds before the AI re-evaluates.
Push + engine map
The two stack:
- Push ON + Map 5 = baseline aggressive — extra attempts at normal pace
- Push ON + Map 8 = “going for it” — extra attempts on max power
- Push ON + Map 10 = win-or-DNF mode — peak pace + max attempt rate, max risk
- Push ON + Map 0 = “going for it on fumes” — won’t work; you’re slower than the rival on map 0
Generally, if push is on, map should be ≥ 5. Pushing while saving fuel is a contradiction — you can’t out-accelerate the rival.
Push + tire compound
Push interacts with compound timing:
- Fresh Soft + push = best window for an overtake. Soft’s grip + push’s attempt rate = decisive.
- Fading Hard + push = bad combo. The Hard pace at end-of-stint doesn’t support an attack; push burns mistakes.
- Just-fitted Hard + push = wait 2 laps. Cold-tire penalty kills the pace; let tires warm before pushing.
Mistake risk
The +4% mistake probability fires only when the driver is currently in an active overtake commit (state.overtaking == Some(target)). It doesn’t fire on every corner just because push is enabled.
So push is “safe” while you’re cruising waiting for an attempt to commit; it’s “risky” the moment the AI commits.
The mistake-caution system reduces the next mistake probability after a fire — so a small lockup early in a push session doesn’t necessarily cascade into another one if the driver’s ADA is high.
Pressure interaction
When you’re being chased (defender pressure), the AI may suspend overtake commits via the pressure cooldown (5s after pressure crosses 0.6 as attacker). Push doesn’t override this — pressure trumps push.
This is why an aggressive AI driver who’s been chasing too long will sometimes back off for a few laps even with push toggled on. Their pressure crossed the threshold; they’re “taking a breath”.
Driver match
| Driver profile | Push suitability |
|---|---|
| High AGG (15+) | Excellent — they want push on all the time |
| Low AGG (1–8) | Marginal — they don’t capitalise on extra attempts |
| High CON (15+) | Push fires safely; mistake amp absorbed |
| Low CON (1–8) | Push fires risky; consider holding back |
Hothead (planned trait) | Built-in push — toggle becomes redundant |
Late Braker (planned trait) | Push amps braking-zone overtakes specifically |
Reading the UI
The race UI shows a PUSH badge near the driver’s name when active. Commentary may call out “X is committing to an overtake attempt!” when the dice roll fires.
The push toggle is paired with the engine map widget — they often get adjusted together.
Quick reference
| Scenario | Push setting |
|---|---|
| Cruising in clear air | OFF |
| Chasing a rival, pace advantage | ON |
| Side-by-side already engaged | OFF (cession protocol owns it) |
| Just exited pit, fresh tires | ON for 5–8 laps |
| Tire wear > 70% | OFF |
| Engine overheat warning | OFF (can’t sustain push power) |
| Last 3 laps, P10 fight | ON (combine with map 9–10) |
| Defending lead | OFF (push is for attack only) |