Getting started with racing games

A few early choices make racing games much easier to enjoy: how you steer, what you see, which assists are on, and how you measure progress.

Controller, wheel or keyboard

Gamepad. A common choice. Analog sticks and triggers give smooth steering, throttle and brake. Check the dead-zone and sensitivity settings if the car feels twitchy.
Wheel and pedals. Closer to real driving, with more feedback through force feedback motors. It takes longer to set up, and it is not required for any style of game.
Keyboard. Steering is on or off, so smoothing and steering assists help a lot. It is workable for arcade games and short practice.

Chase camera. Behind the car. It shows the car's position on the road and suits arcade games.
Bumper or hood. Low and close to the road. The sense of speed is greater, and it helps with judging the car's width.
Cockpit. The view from the driver's seat, with a dash. It is immersive and can make looking into a corner feel natural.

Try each for a few laps. Pick the view that lets you place the car precisely.

Braking line. Shows where to brake and turn. It is useful for learning a track, and it can be turned off later.
Traction and stability control. Reduces wheelspin and slides. Lower them as your control improves.
Steering assist. Helps you hold a line on a gamepad or keyboard.
Anti-lock brakes. Keeps the wheels turning under heavy braking so you can still steer.

Pick one car and one track and drive it repeatedly.
Learn the braking points first. The brake pedal is where much of the time is found.
Find the racing line: wide on entry, close to the inside at the apex, wide on exit.
Be smooth. Quick hands rarely mean a quick lap.
Watch the split times. They show which part of the lap needs work.