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“Left 3” means a moderately tight left-hand corner; “right 5” is faster and more open. Rally pace notes are a compact forecast: direction tells you where to steer, the number predicts severity, connectors show how features flow together, distances estimate when the next feature arrives, and modifiers warn that the road or the required line changes. Once you can decode those parts in order, you can brake, position the car and accelerate without waiting for a visual marker.
The exact vocabulary is game-specific. EA SPORTS WRC and the original DiRT Rally use a six-to-one numbered scale in which 6 is the fastest numbered turn and 1 is the tightest normal numbered turn; a hairpin is tighter than a 1. DiRT Rally 2.0 changes some labels and numbering, so learn the title’s own system before carrying habits from another game.
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What a pace note is telling you
A co-driver is not merely naming corners. The call is a time-ordered driving instruction that lets you form a mental picture of road hidden beyond your view. You should be able to hear the call, identify the first action, and know what comes next before the car reaches the corner.
Most calls can be parsed in this sequence:
- Direction: left or right establishes the steering direction.
- Severity: a number or named turn estimates how tight the corner is and therefore how much braking and rotation it needs.
- Connector: words such as into and and tell you whether another feature follows immediately or is simply linked in the description.
- Distance: a number such as 50, 80 or 100 is an approximate distance in metres to the next feature.
- Modifier: terms such as tightens or opens describe a changing corner shape.
- Hazard or line instruction: crest, jump, narrows, rocks, ditch, don’t cut, keep-in and keep-out explain visibility, obstacles, road width or where the car must be placed.
Do not treat the number as a guaranteed speed. It is a relative severity rating within that game’s note system. Car, surface, weather, stage and your chosen line still determine the actual braking point.
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How the six-to-one corner scale works
In the scale documented for EA SPORTS WRC and DiRT Rally, higher numbers describe faster, more open corners. Lower numbers describe tighter corners that require more braking and steering. A normal numbered turn bottoms out at 1; a hairpin is tighter than a 1 and is normally named rather than represented by another number.
| Call element | Meaning | Typical response |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Fastest and most open numbered corner | Small lift or light brake, smooth steering and early throttle if visibility allows |
| 5 | Fast corner | Usually a modest speed adjustment and a clean, flowing line |
| 4 | Medium-fast corner | Set the car before turn-in; braking depends on surface and car |
| 3 | Moderately tight corner | Brake earlier and prepare for a more pronounced change of direction |
| 2 | Tight corner | More substantial braking and rotation; avoid carrying 3-speed into the apex |
| 1 | Tightest normal numbered corner | Heavy preparation and a slow, deliberate turn-in |
| Hairpin | Tighter than a 1 | Expect a very low-speed rotation and plan the exit before committing |
The scale is ordinal, not a universal miles-per-hour chart. A 4 on one stage may feel faster or slower than a 4 on another because grip, camber, width and approach speed differ. Use the number to choose your initial level of caution, then let the road and the car complete the decision.
Read direction, connectors and distance as one sentence
Direction comes first
“Left” or “right” tells you which way the steering load will develop. If two directions appear in one call, keep them mentally separate; the first is the immediate action unless a distance or connector says otherwise.
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“Into” means the next turn follows closely
“3 Right into 2 Left” means take a moderately tight right and prepare immediately for a tighter left. You cannot treat the first corner as an isolated event: brake and position the car so that the second turn remains possible. The first corner’s exit may therefore be slower than it would be if no second turn followed.
“And” links nearby features
DiRT Rally uses and to join nearby features in a call. It may connect a corner to another corner or to a hazard that arrives before the next full instruction. Listen for the entire phrase instead of reacting to only the first number.
Distances are approximate metres
A call such as “4 Left 80” gives you a 4-left followed by roughly 80 metres before the next described feature. Treat the distance as a planning window, not a tape-measured guarantee. Braking, jumps, crests and loose surfaces can make the usable distance feel shorter, while a wide, grippy section can make it feel longer.
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When several calls are close together, preserve their order: complete the current corner, use the stated distance to reset the car, then act on the next direction and severity. Do not start braking for a later number simply because you heard it; wait until the distance and road position make that instruction actionable.
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Tightens
“Right 4 tightens 3” begins as a faster 4 but becomes a tighter 3 before the corner is over. Entering as though it stayed a 4 is a common way to run wide. Brake and place the car for the tighter phase, then release or accelerate only when the road confirms that the bend has opened enough.
Opens
“Left 3 opens” starts at 3 severity and relaxes toward the exit. The first part still needs the commitment of a 3; the word opens tells you that steering demand should reduce and acceleration can build as the corner unwinds. It does not mean the entry is a 5.
Crests, jumps and bumps
A crest can hide the road immediately beyond it and make an apparently simple corner arrive sooner than expected. A jump can unload the car, reduce steering authority and alter landing position. A bump can disturb braking or traction. Reduce commitment before the feature and keep the car settled; do not assume the visual horizon reveals the full turn.
Narrows and surface changes
Narrows warns that the usable road becomes tighter, so a line that was safe on entry may no longer fit on exit. Surface descriptions indicate that grip or braking response can change. Make the car straight and stable before the transition rather than carrying a large steering angle across it.
Don’t cut, keep-in and keep-out
Don’t cut means the inside is unsafe even if the apex looks attractive. Rocks, posts, ditches or an abrupt drop may damage the car or stop it. Keep-in and keep-out are explicit placement instructions: move toward the named side while leaving enough margin to respond to the next call. These words outrank an instinctive racing line.
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Worked examples
“3 Right into 2 Left”
Start by preparing for a moderately tight right. Because the left follows immediately, do not run all the way to an exit position that blocks the next turn. Finish the right under control, transfer the car toward the setup required for the 2-left, and expect heavier braking or rotation there.
“Right 4 tightens 3”
The entry is relatively fast, but the corner becomes tighter. Brake earlier than you would for a constant 4, keep a reserve of road on entry, and delay full throttle until the tightening section is passed.
“6 Left 50, crest, 2 Right don’t cut”
Flow through the fast left, then use the short 50-metre window to settle the car. The crest can hide the approach to the 2-right, so reduce speed before it rather than waiting to see the corner. The don’t cut warning means the inside of the right is hazardous; leave the instructed margin even if that costs a little time.
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Plan for a turn tighter than a numbered 1, rotate the car at low speed, and expect less usable road as you exit. Avoid using the full outside width if the narrowing removes that space halfway through the corner.
When should the co-driver call the turn?
The useful call arrives early enough for the driver to brake and position the car, but close enough that the instruction is still in working memory when the action begins. There is no single metre value that works for every car or stage. A high-speed 6 may need to be called farther out than a low-speed hairpin, and a crest or jump requires extra margin because the driver cannot see the complete approach.
As a practical calling rhythm, announce the next actionable feature, preserve its direction and severity, then add the connector, distance and hazard in the same order every time. Emphasize words that can change the line—don’t cut, jump, narrows and tightens—instead of delivering every word with equal volume. If the driver repeatedly brakes late, move the call earlier; if the driver starts slowing for a distant feature and loses speed unnecessarily, shorten the lead.
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The driver should acknowledge the call through action, not conversation. Looking at the co-driver or waiting for a screen icon delays the response. Audio builds the intended habit; visual pace-note icons in DiRT Rally can confirm the information, but they should not become the primary timing cue.
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EA SPORTS WRC includes Simplified Pace Notes, which condense calls into an Easy, Medium, Sharp system. It also lets you move co-driver timing earlier or later in Options & Extras > Game Preferences.
- Open Options & Extras.
- Choose Game Preferences.
- Find the co-driver timing control and move it earlier if braking information arrives too late, or later if you are receiving calls long before you can use them.
- Enable Simplified Pace Notes while learning if the full number-and-modifier vocabulary overloads you.
- Return toward normal timing and full calls once you can consistently respond to the severity and hazard without looking away from the road.
These settings are training aids, not substitutes for learning the game’s vocabulary. An earlier call gives more preparation time but can make distance estimation harder; a later call keeps information fresh but leaves less room for correction.
How two people can co-drive a rally game
One person drives while the other reads the notes aloud. The most reliable setup is a short, repeatable stage and a predictable car rather than a long event with changing conditions.
- Choose a baseline: select one short stage, one car and a moderate difficulty. Keep those choices unchanged for the first practice sessions.
- Start slowly: use a replay or a deliberately slow run. The driver’s goal is to respond to every call, not to set a time.
- Give the next complete instruction: say direction and severity first, then connector, distance and hazard. Avoid improvising new abbreviations halfway through the stage.
- Mark missed timing: if the driver brakes after the corner has begun, pause or replay that section and move the next call earlier. If the driver slows too soon, move it later or shorten the lead.
- Drill modifiers: practice sections containing into, tightens, opens, crest, jump, narrows and don’t cut until the driver reacts without asking what the word means.
- Increase speed gradually: raise pace only when the driver can act on the number and hazard while keeping eyes on the road.
A community pace-note repository for DiRT Rally describes this same co-op approach: one person drives while another reads transcribed notes, with slow replay playback useful when creating or checking a transcription. Treat community transcriptions as title-specific references, not as a universal dictionary for every rally game.
Creating your own notes during reconnaissance
If a stage’s supplied calls do not suit your rhythm, you can create a consistent set during reconnaissance. The official WRC glossary describes recce as repeated low-speed passes used to create and adjust pace notes before an event.
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- Make a first slow pass to learn the sequence and identify major hazards.
- On later passes, record each corner in the game’s own scale, followed by connectors, approximate distances and line warnings.
- Use the same vocabulary every time. Do not alternate between a number and a personal adjective for the same severity.
- Check every crest, jump, narrows section and don’t cut location at low speed before attempting a fast run.
- Read the notes aloud on a replay and adjust timing where the driver cannot act comfortably.
Reconnaissance notes are forecasts, not immutable facts. A different car, weather state or damage level can make a familiar call require more caution.
What changes from one rally game to another?
Before transferring habits, compare five things:
| Comparison point | Why it matters | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Severity scale | The same number can imply a different entry speed or corner shape | Whether 6 is fastest, whether 1 is the tightest numbered turn, and how hairpins are named |
| Vocabulary | Connectors and hazards control how you combine instructions | Use of into, and, tightens, opens, keep-in and keep-out |
| Distance calls | Timing depends on whether numbers are approximate metres and how they are spoken | Placement of 50, 80, 100 and similar distances in the sentence |
| Hazard detail | More detail can change the safe line even when the corner number is unchanged | Crests, bumps, jumps, rocks, ditches, surface changes and road-width warnings |
| Timing controls | Different lead times suit different experience levels | Whether the game offers earlier/later timing or simplified calls |
EA SPORTS WRC documents configurable timing and simplified calls. The DiRT Rally manual describes spoken corner and hazard information and displays matching icons. A DiRT Rally 2.0 transcription reference records additional title-specific changes, so do not assume a call copied from one game has identical semantics in another.
Equipment and audio choices
A steering wheel and pedal set can add immersion, but EA states that a wheel is not required. Gamepad and keyboard players can compete as well. For pace-note training, clear audio and a reliable way to hear the co-driver matter more than expensive hardware. Set the co-driver volume high enough to remain intelligible over engine and surface sounds, then use the same audio mix while practicing so your timing judgment does not change between sessions.
Troubleshooting common failures
The call arrives after braking should have started
Move co-driver timing earlier in EA SPORTS WRC, or ask the co-driver to announce the next actionable corner sooner. Review whether a crest, jump or hidden approach requires additional lead time.
You brake for every number too early
Separate the current instruction from the next one. A distance such as 80 is a planning window, not an immediate braking command. Keep the car moving until the stated feature becomes actionable.
You understand numbers but miss the exit
Listen for modifiers. Tightens, narrows, don’t cut and surface warnings can matter more than the initial number. Reserve road and speed for the second phase instead of accelerating as soon as the first apex appears.
The driver and co-driver use different meanings
Stop and agree on the game’s scale and vocabulary. Decide how you will pronounce distances, whether and links nearby features, and which words receive emphasis. Consistency is more valuable than inventing a theoretically faster shorthand.
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Visual icons distract from the road
Use the icons as confirmation while building audio recognition. Once the driver can react to spoken calls, reduce reliance on the display so attention remains on the road and car position.
Quick reference for a new co-driver
- Higher numbered turns are faster and more open; lower numbers are tighter.
- A hairpin is tighter than a numbered 1.
- Into means the next turn follows closely; and links nearby features in DiRT Rally terminology.
- Distances such as 50, 80 and 100 are approximate metres to the next feature.
- Tightens makes the corner more severe; opens makes it relax toward the exit.
- Don’t cut, keep-in and keep-out override an instinctive racing line.
- Call early enough to brake and position, but not so early that the instruction is forgotten.
- Learn each game’s scale before importing notes or habits from another title.
With that grammar internalized, a call stops being a string of numbers and becomes a sequence of decisions: prepare, turn, protect the line, reset over the stated distance, and get ready for what follows.
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