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For a first-week player on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC, start with Traction Control on Medium, ABS On, Steering Assist and Braking Assist Off. Set steering rate to 120–130%, steering linearity to 30–40, throttle linearity to 50, brake linearity to 25–35, and leave deadzones and saturation at 0 unless the calibration screen shows unwanted input. These settings give a controller player room to learn without making the car unnecessarily difficult to control.
The recommended baseline is the same across standard gamepads; the main hardware differences are DualSense adaptive triggers and Xbox trigger rumble. The steps below explain where to enter the values, what to change when the car feels wrong, and how to remove assists without turning every lap into a recovery exercise.
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At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DualSense beginner setup | PS5 pad players who want resistance cues | Medium TC, ABS On; adaptive triggers Medium | PS5 | Nov 2026 |
| Xbox Wireless Controller beginner setup | Xbox players and PC players using an Xbox pad | Medium TC, ABS On; throttle linearity 50–65 | Xbox Series X|S, PC | Nov 2026 |
| Standard PC gamepad setup | PC players using a supported controller | Medium TC, ABS On; use the same calibration baseline | PC | Nov 2026 |
These are controller-specific starting points, not separate in-game presets: the same core calibration works across platforms, with small adjustments for trigger feel and PC connection mode.
What are the best F1 25 controller and assist settings for beginners?
Use a custom assist setup with Medium TC and ABS On, and turn Steering Assist and Braking Assist Off. EA’s September 2026 beginner guidance also names Medium TC and ABS On as a solid baseline; it notes that some drivers remain fast on Full TC, but that does not make Full the best default for learning pad control.
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Beginner assist package
| Setting | Start here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Proficiency | Custom | Allows a mix of assists rather than locking the setup to one preset. |
| Steering Assist | Off | It can fight your stick input and also turns on Braking Assist, ABS, and TC. |
| Braking Assist | Off; use Low only if you cannot slow the car safely | It can brake earlier than you intend and disrupt your control of corner entry. |
| Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) | On | Short trigger travel makes consistent braking harder at first; ABS helps prevent lock-ups. |
| Traction Control (TC) | Medium; Full if you are still spinning or driving in heavy rain | Medium balances exit stability and acceleration without relying on maximum intervention. |
| Dynamic Racing Line | Corners Only, 2D | Shows braking and corner references while leaving straights visually clear. |
| Gearbox | Automatic, then Manual with Suggested Gear | Automatic removes shifting from the early learning workload; suggested gears ease the transition. |
| Pit Assist | On initially | Keep it until you can reliably hit the pit limiter and manage pit entry. |
| Pit Release Assist | On | Helps avoid an early release from the pit box. |
| ERS Assist | On initially | Once comfortable, map the control and manage energy yourself. |
| DRS Assist / Active Aero Assist | On initially | In 2025 cars the control is DRS; in the 2026 Season Pack it operates Active Aero. |
| Cornering Assist (2026 Season Pack) | Off as soon as practical | It is an additional assist in the 2026 menu, not a replacement for the original settings. |
There is a reasonable fallback if Medium TC still produces repeated spins: use Full TC temporarily, then return to Medium once exits are clean. Some beginner guides recommend Full TC and a Full racing line as the gentlest day-one configuration, while EA’s later baseline and most pad-focused recommendations favor Medium TC. Starting at Medium is a useful compromise; there is no benefit in forcing it if you cannot complete laps consistently.
How do I enter the calibration values?
Open Settings > Controls, Vibration & Force Feedback > your controller preset > Calibration. Use Test Buttons before changing sliders: the steering, throttle, and brake should read 0 at rest and reach 100 at full input. EA does not publish official recommended values for these calibration sliders, so use this as a community-informed starting sheet and adjust from your own symptoms.
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| Setting | Start here | Adjustment cue |
|---|---|---|
| Steering Rate | 120–130% | 120% is a gradual step up from default; 130% is a common more-direct setting. Avoid advanced values such as 160% as a first-session starting point. |
| Steering Deadzone | 0 | Increase one point at a time only if Test Buttons shows steering input while the stick is untouched. |
| Steering Linearity | 30–40 | Try 40 if the car weaves or reacts too sharply near centre; try 30 if turn-in feels dull. |
| Steering Saturation | 0 | Raise it only if full stick travel does not produce full steering lock. |
| Throttle Deadzone | 0 | Try 1–2 if the trigger does not return fully to zero. |
| Throttle Linearity | 50 | Use 60–65 on an Xbox pad if exits feel unusually sharp; increase in small increments if the rear snaps under acceleration. |
| Throttle Saturation | 0 | Leave at zero unless full trigger travel fails to reach full input. |
| Brake Deadzone | 0 | Try 3, then 5, if DRS or Active Aero closes on a straight without brake input. Some setup guides start at 5. |
| Brake Linearity | 30 (range 25–35) | Increase by 5 if the fronts lock; keep ABS On while learning trigger control. |
| Brake Saturation | 0 | Leave at zero unless full trigger travel fails to reach full braking input. |
| Maximum Wheel Rotation | 320–360° | A lower value reaches steering lock faster from stick movement; 320–345° is a common starting range. |
The in-game defaults reported by simracingcockpit.gg are Steering Rate 100%, Brake Linearity 25, and 0 for the other deadzone, linearity, and saturation sliders. The suggested values above are not official EA specifications: community guides cluster around them, with different preferences for steering rate, throttle response, and rotation.
How do I stop spinning on a controller in F1 25?
First keep TC at Medium or switch temporarily to Full, then make throttle input smoother rather than adding several assists and sliders at once. The usual pad problem is applying too much power too quickly while the car is still turning, especially on slow-corner exits.
- Rear snaps as you accelerate: raise throttle linearity by 5, or use Full TC until you can apply power without a spin. On an Xbox controller, try 10–15 points more throttle linearity than your DualSense setting if its trigger feels more sensitive.
- Spins continue in the wet: use Full TC, keep ABS On, add 5–10 points to throttle and brake linearity, and short-shift if using manual gears.
- Car weaves on a straight: raise steering linearity by 5. Also check Test Buttons for stick drift before adding a deadzone.
- Car turns in too slowly: if centre steering feels dull, lower steering linearity toward 30 or raise Steering Rate within the 120–130% range.
- Fronts lock under braking: keep ABS On and raise brake linearity by 5. Use a smooth, progressive trigger press rather than snapping to full brake.
Practice in Time Trial on a familiar dry circuit such as Austria, Spain, Bahrain, or Imola. Run 5–10 laps and change only one calibration slider or assist in a session. That makes it easier to tell whether a change actually addressed the problem.
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Which assists should I remove first?
Remove assists in stages, and leave ABS until your braking is consistent. EA’s recommended order begins with Braking Assist and Cornering Assist, then reduces the racing line, then traction control; pad-focused advice keeps ABS later because trigger travel is short.
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- Reduce the racing line. Go from Full to Corners Only, then Off after learning brake boards and corner references.
- Reduce TC gradually. Move from Full to Medium, then test Off only after you can drive clean exits on Medium.
- Change Automatic to Manual with Suggested Gear. Practice shifting before disabling suggested gears; short-shifting can help avoid wheelspin on slow exits.
- Turn off ERS and DRS/Active Aero assists once controls are mapped. Learn when to deploy them rather than adding an unassigned button under pressure.
- Try ABS Off last, if at all. If lock-ups return, turn it back on and continue learning with ABS rather than treating its removal as mandatory.
Change one assist per session. EA’s September 2026 guide also recommends using Hold rather than Toggle for ERS activation on the new cars, so the boost is deployed only while the button is held.
What should I change for DualSense, Xbox, and PC controllers?
The shared calibration baseline applies to all standard pads, but trigger feedback and PC connection details differ. Start with the in-game controls, then make only the hardware-specific adjustment that fits your controller.
PS5 DualSense
Set Adaptive Triggers to Medium as a starting point. The in-game options are Off, Weak, Medium, and Strong; Strong can be tiring over a race distance. You can adjust the feature in the game’s controller settings, or on PS5 through Settings > Accessories > Controller (General), where Vibration Intensity and Trigger Effect Intensity are available. If you use the latter, keep the console-level setting in mind when judging the in-game feel.
DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers may require USB connection and game support on PC, according to Sony’s product guidance. F1Laps recommends disabling Steam Input on PC when using DualSense features. A PS5-specific issue was also reported as fixed in game version 1.24 on 13 July 2026: haptics could be lost when a wheel was connected at the same time.
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Xbox Wireless Controller
Xbox pads do not provide adaptive-trigger resistance; F1 25 can use their impulse-trigger vibration instead. If throttle exits snap, try throttle linearity around 60–65 rather than 50. On PC, Microsoft says rumble does not work over Bluetooth; connect by USB and use the Xbox Accessories app if you need trigger vibration. Microsoft lists up to 40 hours of battery life on AA batteries for the Xbox Wireless Controller; actual life depends on use and setup.
Other PC gamepads
Use the shared values and verify each axis on the Calibration screen. If a controller has a different trigger range or noticeable drift, use the Test Buttons readout to identify that specific issue before adding deadzone or saturation. Do not assume that a setting intended for one pad model fixes another controller’s hardware behavior.
Which vibration and feedback settings help you read grip?
Begin with vibration and force feedback On, then reduce effects that obscure the more useful signal from grip loss. Community recommendations cluster around strength 130–150, On Track Effects 40–60, rumble strips and off-track effects 30–50, and Wheel Damper 10–50; treat those as optional starting ranges rather than EA-prescribed values.
On Track Effects can help communicate changes in grip. If kerbs shake the controller as strongly as a slide or loss of traction, lower rumble-strip or off-track effects so the more important cue is easier to distinguish. Find these options under Settings > Controls, Vibration & Force Feedback. For DualSense, adaptive trigger resistance and trigger vibration are separate controls, so adjust them independently rather than assuming stronger trigger force means more useful feedback.
How should I map the controls for a beginner?
Keep the essential driving controls reachable without taking your thumb off steering, and remove camera commands that occupy buttons you could use during a race. A practical starting map is more useful than copying a full custom layout without knowing which functions you need.
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- Unbind Look Forward, Look Back, Look Left, and Look Right if you do not use them; place Look Back on Left Stick click if you want a quick rear check.
- Set MFD shortcuts so right-stick left/right adjusts brake bias and up/down adjusts differential, if that arrangement suits your hands.
- Map ERS Overtake and DRS/Active Aero to easy-to-reach controls that are difficult to press accidentally. A bumper for Overtake and a face button for DRS/Active Aero is one option.
- For 2025 cars, some controller guides favor ERS Overtake on Toggle so a press deploys energy. For the 2026 cars, EA recommends Hold so boost runs only while the button is held. Choose the behavior that matches your car and season pack.
In the 2026 Season Pack, Active Aero uses the former DRS button (Triangle on PlayStation / Y on Xbox), while the new Overtake control uses L1 / LB. The assists menu includes the added 2026 options. If ERS or DRS assists are missing, switch the assists filter from Casual to Standard with Y / Triangle / F2, as EA advises.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why can F1 24 controller settings feel wrong in F1 25?
F1 25 changed controller steering and car response, so copying an older setup exactly is not a reliable starting point. EA said it tuned pad steering for a more consistent feel at different car speeds, made Full TC more stable and less restrictive, smoothed low-speed throttle mapping, and revised the automatic gearbox clutch model.
EA also cautioned that flicking the stick can overheat tyres faster on race day. Smooth steering therefore matters beyond simply avoiding a spin: abrupt corrections can affect tyre condition over a race. F1Laps says F1 24 car setups do not transfer directly and suggests higher downforce, an on-throttle differential around 10, and a rear wing 2–4 clicks higher than the front as community setup guidance. Those car-setup suggestions are separate from controller calibration and are not EA specifications.
How much lap time do assists cost?
Published figures illustrate the possible trade-off, but they are not guaranteed results for a controller player. F1Laps reported about 0.5 seconds per lap for Full TC versus Medium at most tracks in 2025, while gamer.org reported nearly half a second at Imola when switching Full TC to Medium in its 2025 test.
F1Laps reported an approximately four-second difference at Imola between all assists on and a clean no-assist lap; gamer.org independently reported a similar scale in 2025. gamer.org’s test used a Mercedes Simlab steering wheel, not a pad, and F1Laps did not state the input device for its figure. Treat these numbers as an illustration of possible assist cost, not as a promise of the time you will gain. In that same gamer.org Imola test, turning off steering and braking assist recovered a full second versus full assists, and Automatic gears were about three tenths of a second per lap slower than Manual.
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The practical decision is not to remove every assist for a theoretical lap-time gain. Medium TC and ABS On can let a beginner complete repeatable laps; consistency is a more useful foundation than repeatedly spinning while trying to imitate a no-assist setup.
Do the 2026 cars need different controller settings?
The core calibration and original assists remain the same, but the 2026 Season Pack adds Cornering Assist, Active Aero, and a stronger Overtake mode. EA says the 2026 cars deliver three times the electric power of previous generations while keeping the same battery size, which makes manual energy deployment a more consequential part of driving.
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For a beginner, keep ERS assistance on at first, learn the new controls, and then switch to manual Hold activation when you can manage deployment. Active Aero takes over the former DRS button, so an old DRS mapping may still be physically familiar but its function differs by car generation. The game launched on 30 May 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC; the 2026 Season Pack was released on 3 June 2026.
How we chose these starting settings
The setup prioritizes a controllable pad baseline supported by EA’s September 2026 beginner assist guidance and ranges that recur across controller guides published by GameRant, Sim Racing Setup, F1Laps, SOLOX, THOMB, and f125game.com. Where recommendations conflict, it favors the more broadly supported beginner choices: Braking Assist Off, Medium TC, throttle linearity 50, steering saturation 0, and Pit Assist On until pit-speed control is reliable. EA does not publish official calibration numbers, so the slider values are starting points to validate with the in-game input display rather than fixed rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does F1 25 support adaptive triggers on PC?
Sony says DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers can require a USB connection and game support on PC. F1Laps recommends disabling Steam Input when using DualSense features; wireless Bluetooth behavior can depend on the game and connection configuration.
Why does DRS close when I am not pressing the brake?
Check the brake input on the Calibration screen while your finger is off the trigger. If it is not resting at zero, a small brake deadzone—try 3, then 5—can prevent unintended brake input from closing DRS or Active Aero.
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These values are intended for controller sticks and short-travel triggers, so steering rate, linearity, and wheel rotation should not be copied directly to a wheel. A wheel is a separate control setup to configure around its own rotation range and pedals.
Is a racing wheel necessary to be competitive in F1 25?
No; the game’s controller handling was specifically tuned to provide a more consistent steering feel, and the settings here are designed for pad play. A wheel is an optional later upgrade, not a prerequisite for learning lines or improving.
