The race UI surfaces a lot of data. This page maps each panel to what it tells you and how to read it under pressure.
The race UI layout
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Title bar (lap counter, session timer, race title) │
├────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────┬─────────────────┤
│ │ │ │
│ Timing │ │ Mini-sector │
│ tower │ Track view │ delta panel │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ │
├────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────┤
│ Per-driver controls (engine map, push, L&C, team orders) │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Commentary feed │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Toggle panels: D opens the data center; E opens the event list (replay mode); L opens the timeline (replay mode).
Title bar
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lap counter | lap / total (race) or time elapsed (qualifying) |
| Session timer | Real-time race clock |
| Sim speed | x1 / x2 / x4 / x8 / x16 / x32 / x64 (top-right buttons) |
| Pause | Spacebar — pause the sim |
| Speed buttons | Click to set sim speed; pause = 0× |
Timing tower (left panel)
The classic F1 timing tower:
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pos | Current race position (1–22) |
| Code | 3-letter driver code |
| Gap | Time gap to leader (e.g. +12.3 or +1L) — turns red when negative drift, green when closing |
| Pit | Pit stops done count |
| Compound | Current tire — S (Soft) / H (Hard) |
| Last lap | Most recent lap time |
Your drivers are highlighted (background colour). Click a row to select that driver as the camera focus.
Reading the gap
+0.5to a rival = within DRS-equivalent window — overtake possible+1.0to+2.0= engagement window — pressure builds, mistakes possible+2.0to+5.0= neutral — no engagement+5.0+= clear air — drivers settle into pace
A green gap = you’re closing on the rival. A red gap = they’re pulling away.
Mini-sector delta panel (right)
Each lap is divided into 12 mini-sectors (timing lines around the track). Per-driver, this panel shows:
- Current lap split: time at each mini-sector
- Best lap split: your driver’s session best
- Delta to best: green if faster, red if slower — per mini-sector
This is how you see where lap time is being lost or gained — not just the total lap time, but the section-level breakdown.
Use cases
- Identify weak sectors — e.g. driver consistently loses 0.3s in mini-sectors 5–6 (a slow corner sequence)
- Track wear progression — late-stint laps show progressive deltas to mid-stint best (the wear curve in action)
- Out-lap recovery — see how cold tires cost lap time over the first 2 mini-sectors
Per-driver controls
Per-driver bars at the bottom show:
| Indicator | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Driver code + colour | Identifies which car |
| Tire compound + temp | Visual gauge — green = optimal, blue = cold, red = overheating |
| Tire wear bar | 0–100%+ — green / yellow / red as it fills |
| Fuel gauge | Current kg + estimated laps remaining |
| Engine map widget | 0–10 slider (you click to change) |
| Push toggle | ON/OFF |
| L&C toggle | ON/OFF |
| Stay Behind / Let Pass | ON/OFF (only when applicable) |
| Pit button | Manual override to commit pit at next opportunity |
Quick read
A healthy car will show all green: tires in window, plenty of fuel, no warnings. As the race progresses:
- Yellow on tire wear gauge → entering wear cliff zone
- Yellow on tire temp → drifting out of optimal window
- Yellow engine warning → +10°C overheat
- Orange engine warning → +25°C overheat (real damage)
- Red imminent failure → 30%+ countdown active, pit immediately
Track view (centre)
The 2D track shows live car positions. Visual cues:
- Car body colour = team colour
- Lateral offset = car drifts left/right of racing line during overtakes / mistakes / sliding
- Sliding indicator = visual yaw offset when tire load > 85%
- Crash particles = active crash physics (debris, smoke, sparks)
- Yellow flag overlay = sector(s) with yellow flag
- SC overlay = orange flashing lights when Safety Car is on track
- Pit lane = parallel track segment, cars visible during pit stops
Click a car to centre the camera; double-click to follow.
Camera modes
- Free — fixed view of the whole track
- Follow — locked to your selected driver
- Panoramic — wide view with multiple cars in frame
Commentary feed (bottom)
Coloured lines describe events as they happen:
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟢 Green | Positive (overtake, fast lap, fastest sector) |
| 🟡 Yellow | Caution (close call, dirty air pressure) |
| 🟠 Orange | Warning (mistake, mechanical warning) |
| 🔴 Red | Critical (crash, DNF, mechanical failure imminent) |
| ⚪ White / Custom | Neutral / generic info |
Commentary is prioritised — high-priority lines (crashes) push older lines off the visible window first. The full event log is accessible via the D key (data center).
Data Center (D key)
The data center has tabbed panels:
Standings
Live championship table — driver standings + constructor standings, updated every lap.
Strategy
Per-car pit strategy view — what plan they’re on, next planned stop, fuel target, compound queued. Useful for spotting rival undercut attempts.
Analysis
Lap chart, gap chart, sector deltas — detailed multi-driver comparisons. Use this to see who’s gaining ground, who’s pace is fading.
Telemetry (if telemetry_enabled = true in race_config)
Per-tick CSV recording streams here. Mostly post-race analysis.
Event list (E key, replay mode)
In replay mode (no longer accessible — replay system retired), the E key opens an event list with click-to-jump-to-timestamp. Filter by Overtakes / Mistakes / Pit / Flags.
In live race mode the same data is in the commentary feed, but the event list provides a clickable index.
Reading the race at a glance
Here’s the 5-second priority scan:
- Position bar (top of timing tower) — am I where I expected?
- Gap to driver ahead (timing tower) — closing or pulling away?
- Tire wear gauge (per-driver bar) — green or yellow?
- Fuel gauge — enough to reach the flag?
- Engine warning — any yellow / orange / red?
If all green: cruise. If any yellow/orange: take action (pit, lift, reduce map). If red: emergency action immediately.
Mid-race CSV dump (Shift+F12)
Hits Shift+F12 to dump CSV files for post-race analysis:
| File | Contents |
|---|---|
positions_midrace_{timestamp}.csv | Snapshot of every car’s state right now (~27 columns) |
overtakes_midrace_{timestamp}.csv | All overtake events |
collisions_midrace_{timestamp}.csv | All collision events |
close_calls_midrace_{timestamp}.csv | Lateral proximity events |
ai_decisions_midrace_{timestamp}.csv | Full AI decision audit trail |
pit_crew_* / pitwall_crew_*.csv | Pit crew positions / activities |
These are dev tools mainly, but they’re available to any player who wants to analyse a race in detail.
Quick reference
| You want to know… | Look at |
|---|---|
| Overall position | Timing tower top |
| Gap to nearest rival | Timing tower gap column (green/red) |
| Where I’m losing pace | Mini-sector delta panel |
| Tire health | Per-driver tire gauges |
| Fuel margin | Per-driver fuel gauge |
| Pit timing | Strategy panel (D key) |
| Race-long pace trend | Analysis panel (D key) |
| What just happened | Commentary feed |
| Full event history | Data center → Standings/Strategy/Analysis tabs |