What Does Brake Force (BRF) in Fanatec’s Tuning Menu Do?

The Brake Level Indicator (BLI) in Fanatec’s tuning menu is a valuable diagnostic tool that shows in real time how much brake input is being registered by your pedals. It's particularly useful for tuning your braking response and ensuring you're achieving full input when needed—without overshooting or underutilizing your braking capabilities.

It’s important to distinguish BLI from BRF (Brake Force). While BRF is an adjustable setting that defines how much physical pressure is needed to reach 100% brake input, BLI is not an adjustable setting - it’s a readout. However, it plays a crucial role in how you adjust BRF and other pedal settings. Think of BLI as a real-time visual feedback meter, helping you understand how your pedal inputs are being interpreted by the system.

When you press the brake pedal, the BLI bar fills up to indicate how much brake signal is being sent to the game. This helps verify that:

• Your hardware is functioning correctly.
• Your pedal calibration is accurate.
• You are using the full range of the brake input.

If you never reach 100% on the BLI when pressing fully, or if you hit 100% too easily, it’s a signal that your BRF might be set incorrectly for your braking style or physical setup.

While BLI doesn’t directly affect gameplay, it informs decisions that do - namely, BRF tuning. For instance, if you notice in the BLI that you reach full braking with very little effort, it could mean your BRF is too low. This could cause issues in games that demand fine brake modulation, like iRacing or Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC), where brake lockups and threshold braking play a huge role in lap times.

On the other hand, in games like F1 24 or Forza Motorsport, where braking zones are shorter and more aggressive braking is often required, seeing how quickly you hit 100% BLI can help you adjust BRF so you're not over-braking and losing time.

Not necessarily. You want the ability to reach 100% brake input when you choose, not constantly or unintentionally. If you hit 100% too easily (as shown on BLI), you risk poor modulation, increased lockups, or spinning under trail braking. If you're never hitting 100%, you're leaving braking performance on the table. The BLI helps find that balance.

• Use BLI as a calibration aid. Set your BRF and check BLI. You should reach 100% at the maximum pressure you're comfortable applying during a race.
• Fine-tune across games. In ACC, you might want to reach 100% BLI only under hard braking at the end of a long straight. In Gran Turismo, you may want it more accessible, around 80% pedal pressure.
• Don’t constrain BLI artificially - it’s a reflection of input, not a setting to be capped. Let it reach 100% when you decide it should, via BRF.

The Brake Level Indicator (BLI) is a critical feedback tool, not a performance limiter or booster. Its purpose is to give you visual insight into how your brake inputs translate into game signals. By monitoring BLI, you can intelligently set your BRF and pedal feel to suit different sim racing titles. Whether you're fine-tuning for the laser-precise braking of iRacing or the aggressive stops of F1, BLI helps you ensure that your brake inputs are accurate, consistent, and fully utilized.