Gear and RPM Graph Telemetry Can Boost Your Sim Racing Performance

In sim racing, precision and efficiency matter just as much as raw speed. While brake and throttle data often steal the spotlight, gear and RPM graph telemetry offer equally valuable insights that can unlock significant lap time improvements. Understanding how and when to shift, and whether you're in the optimal gear for each corner, can lead to smoother driving, better acceleration, and improved consistency.

Gear telemetry displays which gear you're in at any given moment of the lap. RPM graphs show your engine's revolutions per minute, providing insight into how effectively you're using the powerband of your car. When analyzed together – and alongside speed and throttle data – these graphs help you assess whether your gear selections are maximizing your car’s performance.

Choosing the right gear in corners is a balance between engine response, traction, and stability. Telemetry allows you to evaluate your gear selection in relation to engine RPM and throttle usage.

• Too low a gear can result in high RPM, wheelspin, and instability, both in entry, mid-corner or on exit.
• Too high a gear may lead to sluggish throttle response and missed acceleration opportunities out of the corner. Could be useful if the surface is wet.

By studying telemetry, you can see if your RPMs stay within the engine's optimal powerband – typically the range where torque and horsepower are most effective. If you're exiting corners below this range, you're likely losing acceleration and lap time.

RPM telemetry helps pinpoint whether you're shifting too early or too late. Over-revving the engine reduces efficiency and can cause instability in cars with aggressive torque curves. Conversely, short-shifting might stabilize the car but at the cost of acceleration. Reviewing RPM traces can help you fine-tune your upshift and downshift points for better performance.

In sequential or paddle-shifted cars, this analysis is especially useful, since rapid gear changes can be made without disrupting balance – if timed correctly.

Gear and RPM telemetry becomes even more powerful when overlaid with speed and throttle graphs. This multi-layered analysis lets you:

• Confirm if your gear choices match your cornering speeds.
• Identify throttle hesitation caused by being in the wrong gear.
• Evaluate how gear changes affect exit speed and traction.

For example, if you notice low RPMs during a slow corner exit followed by delayed acceleration, the telemetry might reveal you’re exiting in too high a gear. Adjusting this could result in earlier throttle application and quicker acceleration down the following straight.

Analyzing gear and RPM telemetry is a subtle but powerful way to enhance your sim racing. By optimizing gear selection and shift points in harmony with speed and throttle input, you can unlock smoother, faster laps and race with greater confidence and control.