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How to Change Car Controls in Iracing

Learn how to change car controls in iRacing step-by-step for iRacing beginners. Clear, calm instructions to rebind controls, set wheel/pedals, and get racing fast.

If you’ve ever felt lost in iRacing’s menus and worried you’d break something by changing a setting, you’re not alone. For many new to iRacing the controls area looks technical — but it’s actually straightforward once you know where to look. This guide clears it up in plain language and gives a confident next step.

Quick Answer — how to change car controls in iracing

Open iRacing, go to Options → Controls, select the device (wheel, pedal, gamepad), choose the control type (steering, throttle, brake, shifter), then click a command and press the physical input to bind. Save your profile and test in a practice session. (This is the fastest safe route for iRacing beginners.)

Why this matters for beginners

Your control layout is how the simulator listens to you. If steering or throttle feels wrong, you’ll be slower and less consistent. New to iRacing drivers often assume defaults are perfect — they aren’t. Learning to rebind and calibrate ensures your hardware works the way you expect and reduces frustration when learning how iRacing works.

Simple step-by-step guide

Open iRacing and click the small gear icon (Options) in the top-right.
Choose Controls → Device. Select your wheel/pedals or controller from the dropdown.
Pick the control type (Steering, Throttle, Brake, Shifter) and the profile you want to edit.
Click the control (e.g., “Throttle”) then physically press/turn the pedal or button you want to assign. iRacing will show the input detected.
Calibrate if needed: set steering range, brake/deadzone, and force feedback strength. Save the profile and drive a short test lap.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

Mistake: Binding the same button twice. Fix: Scan your bindings list and remove duplicates, then reassign.
Mistake: Not saving the profile. Fix: Click Save/Apply before exiting Controls.
Mistake: Skipping calibration. Fix: Use the calibration options for pedals and steering wheel to set correct ranges.

Quick pro tips — calm coach notes

Create separate profiles per car type (open-wheel vs. stock car) so settings match how each car drives.
Use small changes: tweak deadzones and steering range in 1–3% steps and test.
Record a short practice lap after changes to feel differences rather than guessing.
If force feedback feels weird, lower strength first before changing other settings.
Label profiles clearly (e.g., “Formula_default”, “Oval_preset”) to avoid confusion.

When to ask for help

If your wheel or pedals aren’t detected, try reinstalling drivers and restarting iRacing. For persistent issues or community-tested presets, check iRacing Discord servers and manufacturer support — the communities for iRacing beginners are friendly and full of practical iRacing tips.

FAQs

Q: Can I change controls mid-session?
A: You can change bindings in Options but you’ll usually need to return to the garage or restart the session for some changes to fully apply.

Q: Will changing bindings affect online races?
A: No — your local control profile is client-side. Just make sure you test changes before race day.

Q: My pedals are too sensitive. What should I adjust?
A: Reduce pedal sensitivity or add a deadzone, and adjust brake saturation/calibration in the Controls menu.

Q: Is there a default recommended setup?
A: Manufacturers publish baseline settings; use them as a starting point and adjust to feel.

Final takeaways

Changing car controls in iRacing is a few clicks plus a short calibration — and it makes learning to drive the sim much more enjoyable. Next step: create a “practice” profile, make one small change (like reducing brake deadzone 2–3%), and do three clean laps to feel the difference.