How Game Telemetry Improves your Sim Racing Skills

Sim racing is becoming increasingly competitive and, in many ways, is starting to resemble real-world racing. Sim racers often organize themselves into teams—some highly structured and competitive, others more casual—but one common thread unites them all: the drive to improve through collaboration.

One of the most effective—and often essential—tools to improve performance is data analysis. This allows drivers to compare their own performance with that of a faster teammate to pinpoint exactly where time is being lost on the track.

Telemetry refers to real-time data acquisition during driving, while data analysis is the review and comparison of that data after the session (similar to how a race engineer would download data from a real race car for review).

This graph overlays the speed traces of two laps. It highlights differences in:

• Top speed (often linked to aerodynamic setup)
• Minimum speed through corners (indicative of grip and confidence)
• Corner exit speed (a result of throttle application and traction)

Here you can analyze how and when the throttle is applied:

• A steep upward line means the driver went full throttle immediately.
• A more gradual or segmented curve indicates throttle modulation (partial throttle).
• You can also spot lift points, where a driver eases off the throttle before braking.

This shows:

• Brake application timing,
• Intensity of the braking,
• Braking style (progressive vs. aggressive).

Pro Tip: In some sims, especially with GT cars, you can also view ABS activation. Ideally, this should be minimized (especially in platforms like iRacing) to maintain optimal braking performance.

Trail braking—the technique of carrying a small percentage of brake pressure into the corner—is also visible here. A gradual brake release curve shows this well.

These graphs usually go hand-in-hand:

• You can see which gear is used in each corner and compare engine RPM.
• When reviewed alongside the speed and throttle graphs, you can spot if gear choice is affecting acceleration or costing time.

Here, you can examine:

• Steering angle applied (excessive angle may indicate understeer),
• Steering speed (too fast and the front tires may not grip in time),
• Counter-steering (used to correct oversteer).

Last but not least: the delta time graph. This is a direct comparison of lap times, showing where time is gained or lost sector by sector. It’s one of the clearest indicators of performance differences.

Each of these graphs is valuable on its own, but a complete performance analysis comes from interpreting them together. Driving behavior, vehicle dynamics, and lap time are the result of a complex interaction of all the elements above.

By combining data analysis with focused practice, sim racers can close the gap to their faster teammates—and maybe even become the benchmark themselves.