Project Motor Racing supports gamepads out of the box across PC and consoles, but default configurations can feel overly twitchy or sluggish depending on the car class. Tuning input device sliders like Steering Pad Sensitivity, Saturation, and Lock Scale transforms twitchy analog inputs into predictable, smooth steering.
Because Straight4 Studios built the physics engine around realistic tire modeling and speed-sensitive steering filters, dialing in input deadzones and matching the car's native assists is critical to avoiding snap oversteer and brake lockups.
Recommended Controller Settings
The table below outlines baseline gamepad input values compiled from community tests and sim racing setup guides (including configurations tested by OverTake and SimRacingSetups).
| Input Setting | Default Value | Community Baseline | High-Stability Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering Pad Deadzone | 0 | 0–1 | 5 |
| Steering Pad Saturation Zone | 50 | 70 | 80 |
| Steering Pad Sensitivity | 75 | 85 | 80 |
| Steering Pad Lock Scale | 70 | 80 | 75–80 |
| Throttle Pedal Deadzone | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Throttle Pedal Saturation Zone | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Throttle Pedal Sensitivity | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Brake Pedal Deadzone | 50 | 2–5 | 5 |
| Brake Pedal Saturation Zone | 64 | 80 | 70–80 |
| Brake Pedal Sensitivity | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Clutch Pedal Deadzone | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Clutch Pedal Saturation Zone | 85 | 85–90 | 90 |
| Clutch Pedal Sensitivity | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Global Force Feedback Gain | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Haptic Strength | 80 | 100 | 80–100 |
Steering Calibration and Sensitivity
Steering inputs in Project Motor Racing operate on an internal speed-sensitive steering filter. When moving slowly, the game grants higher steering lock and faster response, while at high speeds (such as 90 kph and above), available steering angle is automatically limited to prevent acute scrubbing.
- Steering Pad Deadzone: Keep this between 0 and 5. If your analog stick has zero mechanical drift, use 0 or 1 to preserve maximum steering resolution. Only raise this toward 5 if your vehicle wanders on straightaways without stick input.
- Steering Pad Saturation Zone: The default value of 50 reaches 100% steering input halfway through stick deflection. Increasing this to 70–80 spreads the steering curve across a wider range of physical motion, significantly reducing twitchiness. If you struggle to make hairpins, lower saturation slightly toward 65.
- Steering Pad Sensitivity: A value of 100 yields a linear 1:1 input. Setting this between 75 and 85 softens response near the center point. This allows you to execute micro-corrections on high-speed straights without darting across the track.
- Steering Pad Lock Scale: This limits the maximum steering angle transferred to the wheels. Setting this to 80 (or down to 75) prevents you from inadvertently applying excessive lock, inducing understeer, or spinning out on turn-in.
Throttle and Brake Trigger Configuration
Triggers on standard controllers have only a few centimeters of travel compared to load-cell pedals, requiring precise trigger saturation:
- Linear Throttle (0 Deadzone / 100 Saturation / 100 Sensitivity): Ensure full trigger travel gives a linear 0–100% power application. In rear-wheel-drive GT3 and mid-engine cars, gradual throttle application is required while unwinding steering lock to prevent the rear axle from kicking out.
- Shortened Brake Saturation (80 Saturation / 2–5 Deadzone): Setting brake saturation to 80 ensures you can hit maximum braking force without straining the trigger mechanism, while retaining enough physical range to trail-brake into corner entries.
- Brake Deadzone Check: Verify your brake deadzone is not stuck at the default 50 from early builds, which forces half the trigger pull to register as dead travel. Lower it to 2–5.
Driving Assists and On-the-Fly Adjustments
Project Motor Racing categorizes assists into rookie, intermediate, and professional tiers. Rather than turning everything off, configuring settings based on real-world car specifications yields the best handling:
- Traction Control & ABS (Authentic): Modern GT3, GT4, and Hypercar machinery are engineered with electronic TC and ABS. Leaving these assists on Authentic ensures the systems engage if the real vehicle possesses them, without artificially adding them to classic cars.
- Digidash In-Car Levels: Use the D-Pad to cycle through dash pages (Digidash). You can adjust onboard TC and ABS levels directly while driving. In GT3 cars, testing indicates setting TC to higher values (such as 8–10) provides substantial stability on cold tires, which you can tune down as grip levels rise.
- Auto Clutch, Auto Cut, and Auto Blip: Keep these enabled while using manual gear shifting. This allows you to control engine braking, short-shifting, and gear selection using controller buttons (A/B or custom rebinds) without having to juggle clutch feathering.
- Downshift Protection: Keeps high-RPM downshifts from over-revving and damaging the engine.
Camera and Display Setup for Gamepads
Field of view and camera positioning affect visual perception of vehicle yaw on a single screen:
- Roof and Hood Cameras: Highly recommended for controller racing. Roof camera gives maximum peripheral vision around your car when battling in traffic, while hood camera provides an unobstructed view of curbs and apexes without cluttering the screen with the dashboard.
- Cockpit Camera Tuning: If using cockpit view, use the in-game camera menu to adjust the FOV slider (adjustable from 25% to 100%), set seat position forward/backward, and tune G-force sensitive movement and speed-sensitive shake to prevent camera oscillation over rumble strips.
- HUD and Replay Details: The HUD allows toggling real-time telemetry (the ECU widget introduced in Update 2.0 tracks tire load, weight transfer, aerodynamic balance, and fuel stints).
Managing Cold Tires and Handling Quirks
A frequent source of early-lap spins is cold tire physics. Testing across circuits like Zolder and Donington shows that modern GT cars suffer severe understeer on entry and lock all four wheels under heavy braking during lap one.
Allow 2 to 4 laps for tire temperatures to normalize before evaluating your controller setup. Once the compound warms to operating window, braking distance shortens and turn-in grip stabilizes significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you play Project Motor Racing competitively on a controller?
Yes. Community tests show competitive lap times can be achieved on gamepads. In test runs using the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at San Marino (Imola), gamepad lap times proved competitive with wheel setups once input deadzones and saturation were configured.
How do you change button mapping on PC and console?
Open the settings menu, navigate to Controls, and enter the Control Bindings section. You can remap steering, shifting, clutch, look-back (defaulted to R3 / Right Stick Click), and Digidash page cycling.
Does Project Motor Racing support gyro steering on PS5?
No. Gyro tilt steering is not supported for PlayStation DualSense controllers in Project Motor Racing.
What should I do if the car feels too twitchy around the center?
Lower your Steering Pad Sensitivity from 85 down to 80, or drop Steering Pad Lock Scale from 80 to 75. Make adjustments one setting at a time to test response.
