That’s why we made this guide- to help you folks out. We cover basic tips and trips to win races, a guide to tuning, a guide to customization, race engineer, gear ratios, the fastest cars in the game, a guide to all the tracks and cars in the game, and some Achievements and Trophies. So this is a pretty extensive writeup. Aren’t we nice?

TIPS AND TRICKS

Don’t speed. Seriously, this might seem like it is counter intuitive for a racing game, but Project CARS isn’t about how fast you can go, it is about how well you can handle your chosen car. So, don’t just blindly press the pedal to the metal- learn to break, accelerate, shift gears, and use the car as an extension of yourself to navigate the track you are on.

Get familiar with all the different kinds of cars. Rallycross, prototypes, GT, touring, supercar, open wheelsand classic race cars- there are loads of different kinds of cars in the game, and each drives and handles differently- learn the basics of each category, and learn the ins and outs of the car you have chosen for yourself.

Practice. You are probably aware of this by now, given all the previous tips, but this game requires a lot of patience and a lot of practice- but the payoff is worth it, especially if you are a car enthusiast. So, if you are- don’t lose heart! Practice, be patient, and stick with it!

If you are new, experiment with the Race Engineer. Project CARS 2 is a tough game, it knows it, and it will make exactly zero concessions for you- except this one. The Race Engineer will ask you about your problems as you race, and will tune your car to help you address those issues automatically. It’s a pretty handy tool, and not just for newcomers, either, to be honest.

Address each race differently. There are multiple different kinds of races in Project CARS 2, each with a lot of variables going on- weather, track conditions, elevation, and more. You must approach each race with a lot of care- customize your car for that specific race, everything from suspension, ground clearance, tyre choice, and more, and also alter your racing style per that specific track’s requirements.

HOW TO TUNE YOUR CAR, USE THE RACE ENGINEER AND SET UP THE GEAR RATIOS

Race Engineer: I said this before, I will say this again- the Race Engineer is a super helpful tool, that basically does the job of tuning for you. If you are looking to play the game more ‘casually’, or if you are having trouble with it, use the Race Engineer- you can use this to at least make sure you can get the hang of the moment to moment gameplay, before you have to delve into the tuning ‘metagame’

Tyres: This is arguably the most important tuning you will do- the tyres you are racing with can single handedly determine your performance in a race, so you need to be sure you pick right. As stated in the previous section, know the track- select slick, all-terrain, ice, or wet tyres to ensure you have the right kind for the track conditions. As a general rule, if you are going to be racing on all paved roads, slicks are the best kinds of tyres- wet for wet tracks and ice for icy terrain. If it will be dry, but the track goes off road, then all terrain is your best bet. Finally, there are two variants for each tyre- soft (better handling, but degrade far more easily) and hard (last longer, but worse handling). Weigh the pros and cons, and go with the type that suits your play style better- or you could even switch between the variants within the same race, should you be so inclined.

Gear Ratios: This determines when your car switches to the next gear. Every car has them set by default, but the default setting isn’t always the best for the track you might be racing on. As always, you will need to tune for each race. It is advised you first familiarize yourself with the track (maybe do a practice run), and see if the track has longer stretches of straight driving, or more corners and turns- if the former, you want longer gear ratios. These give you slower acceleration, but higher top speeds. If it is the latter, you will want shorter ratios. Your top speed is capped, but you can accelerate far quicker now, and on a topsy turvy track with a lot of braking, that is actually exactly what you will need. You can also be boring, and just always go with balanced ratios.

Rallycross Tuning: For rallycross events, there are further things you want to keep in mind- low centers of gravity (ergo low ground clearance) with the rear suspension higher than the front one (better braking), and dampers set to stiff. Shorter ratios for these kinds of events (because the tracks turn a lot) as well- but these are just guidelines. Experiment with the tuning yourself for a bit, and see what works best for you!

CUSTOMIZATION: PAINT JOBS AND LIVERIES

Customization in Project CARS 2 is not just about doing good, however- it is also about looking good. You can customize how your car looks via paint jobs and liveries, and the sheer amount of options available to you is staggering, ensuring that your car is unique and to your liking. The video showcase below will walk you through all the customization variants on offer in the game- see if there is something that catches your eye!

FASTEST CARS IN THE GAME

There are a lot of cars in Project CARS 2 (in case the name didn’t tip you off). But there are a few whose names always come out on top as being the fastest ones in the game:

• McLaren P1 GTR
• Formula X
• LMP1
• IndyCar

The videos below show us all of these cars in action- see which one you think is the fastest, and the best (and remember, as I pointed out in the Tips and Tricks section, those two do not have to be the same thing in this game) for you. And, er, remember- MPH and KMPH are very different units. Don’t get too excited just because you saw a bigger number. Most of you probably already know this, but it’s an easy enough, if stupid, mistake to make, so watch out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xDA2ivyNaA

ALL TRACKS AND CARS

Project CARS 2 follows on from its predecessor, in doing something interesting, and having everything unlocked upfront- the challenge is not in unlocking this content, it’s in mastering it. But that means there is a dizzying amount of stuff that confronts you when you first boot up the game.

That’s where these video guides come in- these videos showcase every single track, and every single car (including the Japanese cars DLC) in the game. Maybe use these videos to get some level of familiarity with all the content before you jump headfirst into it.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND TROPHIES

One More For The Road
Earned all other trophies/achievements

This Is The Start
Created a new driver in Career and signed your first contract

I’m Seasoned
Completed the first season

Get That Dirt Off Your Shoulder
Successfully completed a Rallycross season

Best Indy World
Became an Indycar Champion

Invite Only
Unlocked your first Career Invitational Event

Mr Popular
Completed 10 Career Invitational Events

Accoladed
Earned your first Career Accolade

Winter Soldier
Drove a clean lap around the Nordschleife in the snow, in less than 8 minutes

Advanced Experience
Completed an event in a Mercedes car at the Mercedes-Benz Driving Events Ice Track 2

Hunting For Grip
Drove a clean lap around Fuji in Storm conditions, in a time less than 2 minutes

No Man’s Fly
Did a Rallycross jump longer than 20 metres

All Year Round
Completed a race around a single circuit in all 4 seasons

Diversity
Completed a Championship in every Motorsport discipline within Career

The Milk Man
Won a full distance (200 Laps) Indy 500 race

Viva Ferrari
Drove 4 Ferrari cars, around Imola

Car Zero
Raced for 4 laps in the Lamborghini Veneno around Red Bull Ring GP

Straight Six
Drove a Porsche 911 GT1-98 at 24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit for 24 minutes at 60x time progression.

Snap Snap Snap
Taken a photo in photo mode

Strategic Mind
Created a pit strategy and then used it when coming into the pits

One-Man Show
Used 3 different custom car setups for a single car

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOAF1qCtFnQ

Results Are In, You’re Clean!
Finished 1st in an online race over 5 laps without making contact

Done One Online
Completed your first online race

Gimme 50!
Earned 50 Accolades

Raving Rookie
Earned your Rookie License

No Longer a Rookie
Earned your Amateur License

Definitely Not a Rookie
Earned your Pro-Am License

I’m a Pro
Earned your Pro License

Seen It All
Earned your Veteran License

Zero to Hero
Completed the lifetime goal (start in Tier 6 and go on to win a Tier 1 Championship)

Twice At The Top
Won two different Tier 1 Motorsports

Jack Of All Trades
Won three Championships in three different Motorsport disciplines

National Pride
Finished on the podium 50 times in a single drivers Career

Triple Crown
Won the Indy 500, Le Mans 24 Hours and Azure Circuit Grand Prix

Hall of Fame
Earned four Lifetime Goals

Factory Driver
Completed the Factory Drives set of events for a single manufacturer

Cream Of The Crop
Won all Factory Drive events for 3 manufacturers

Brand Advocate
Became a sponsor for a manufacturer

Two Affinity And Beyond
Earned Affinity with two manufacturers

Manual All The Way
Completed a successful pit stop with manual control

What’s Yours Is Mine
Saved a car setup received from a friend

I’m Just Here To Watch
Joined an in-progress online race as a spectator

The Director
Used the Director mode for a full race

May I Ask You Something
Used the Race Engineer in Tuning Setup and made changes based off their recommendation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V02Yn8-9vq8

Safety First
Earnt a B Online Reputation Safety Grade.

I Want To Know Your Secret
Downloaded another players setup from within Time Trial.

Rest On Your Laurels
Won your first Championship.