Forza Horizon 5 Race Types Guide | How to Win

Last Update: November 3, 2021 3:12 PM /

By:


Forza 5 Racing

Forza Horizon 5 isn’t just trying to focus on one type of racing; it has something for everyone, whether you enjoy rally or testing the limits of supercars. The challenge comes with knowing what cars are best to use with each racing type and how to handle your vehicle as you race through the different areas of the map. There are five core types of racing in Forza Horizon 5, plus expeditions, and a quartet of mini-racing activities for you to take part in.

Forza Horizon 5 - Road Racing

Road Racing is where you are going to see many of the luxury cars come out to play. This is the first type of racing you will encounter in the game and likely the one you are most familiar with if you have played past Forza titles.

 You will be racing across paved tracks, with plenty of turns to master. The key here is to find a perfect harmony of handling, acceleration, and speed. A car that handles well but is slow will get overtaken, while a car that is fast but has no handling will likely spend its time hugging the wall. Be sure to play around with tuning to create a car that handles like a champ.

Forza Horizon 5 Road Race

Forza Horizon 5 - Street Racing

Street Racing is similar to road racing but takes you on tracks through the streets. Here you will be looking for a car that can keep up its speed while cutting through tight city corners. Street racing, like road racing, will depend on how well you can handle the car you’re driving. Tuning your cars can help, as can driving in manual mode as you will have much more control when going into a turn.

Forza Horizon 5 - Drag Racing

Drag Racing is essentially a quick sprint down a straight but short track, and the fastest car wins. If you are looking to make competitive timing on drag racing, then just hopping in a Lamborghini isn’t going to work. This is a racing-style that will heavily rely on how well you tune your car. You will want your car to have great acceleration. You will also want to practice with the car to make sure your launch is perfect and that you can consistently drive in a straight line all the way to the finish.

  • Quick Tip: You may find that manual driving mode is the best way to go, especially when it comes to drag races.

Check to see how long the drag strip is before starting to determine just how long you have until you will need to hit top speed. Longer drag strips give you time to accelerate to your top speed, while shorter ones expect you to max out your car’s speed quickly. If you need help with tuning, you can check out tunes uploaded by other players to get some ideas for your own build.

Forza Horizon 5 - Dirt Racing

Dirt Racing is pretty much what it sounds like, you are going off the pavement and into the dirt. Your S2 class cars aren’t generally going to do you any favors here. You need to look for cars with good handling and learn to break like a pro. Picking the wrong car type will generally send you sliding off the track or cause you to miss a checkpoint.

Your best friend is going to be AWD cars and a bit of practice hugging tight corners. Remember that the checkpoint for this event will still register if you drive over top of it. The hardest races you’re going to face with Dirt Racing are going to be when it’s raining. Rain makes dirt tracks slick and hard to manage, so be sure to get some practice rounds in on the lower difficulty to get a feel for the track.

Forza 5 Cross Country Racing

Forza Horizon 5 - Cross Country Racing

Cross Country is another type of off-road racing that isn’t meant for supercars. You are going to want to get your hands on an AWD vehicle with proper suspension actuation. This will help keep you stable while barreling through the tough terrain of the course. When using an improper car, you will usually find yourself losing control and veering off course. This can easily cause you to come in last place and is frustrating to deal with.

You can also find that making adjustments to your tires can help with control on off-road tracks. Be sure to use an off-road compatible tire type, as using tires meant for racing just aren’t going to have the grip you are looking for. Keep in mind that Cross Country can have some nasty jumps, so getting some practice in beforehand can help you with properly landing your vehicle.

Forza Horizon 5 - Expeditions

Expeditions will occur when you use Accolades to unlock new parts of the festival or update existing ones. This is where you are going to find your over-the-top racing events like trying to outspeed a train and driving a float to a danger zone. These are generally pretty easy to win, and the expedition will provide you with a preselected car once you begin the event. For the most part, these aren’t extremely competitive; just make sure to follow the instructions and markers on the screen.

 

Forza Horizon 5 Mini Racing Activities:

Four mini-racing activities make their return in Forza Horizon 5; these can be great if you’re short on time but still want to have some fun:

  • Danger Sign
  • Drift Zone
  • Speed trap
  • Speed zone

Like bigger races, these can win you accolades and help you to gain skill points for your car.

 

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


Jessica Thomas
| Staff Writer

 

Jess is an otaku at heart who spends most of her time gaming, reading manga, and collecting anime figures. She has worked for several big names… More about Jessica

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Forza Horizon 5
Game Page Forza Horizon 5
Developer
Playground Games
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release Date
November 5, 2021 (Calendar)
Genre
Racing
Purchase (Some links may be affiliated)