Hints on race modes | Tips DiRT 4 Guide
Last update: 20 June 2017
There are 4 race modes in DiRT 4:
Rally
In rallies, you race against time instead of AI drivers, in the wild. To complete the entire competition, you have to take a high position in individual events, which will result in wining a specific number of points. In each event, the route is chopped up into chunks that you have to cover within a time limit. The number of points you receive depends on summarized times you crank out on all the fragments. This is why, a worse (or unfinished) fragment can have effect on your position in the entire Cup. You can use pit stop only every second race (odd-numbered ones).
- Do not buy too many cars and use only one effectively for multiple races - to make it easier, read the license descriptions in the above chapters, and of cars that you may find useful after you are promoted a higher class.
- After buying a new car, control your money closely: it is a good idea to upgrade your new car a bit and get used to the new driving style. Also, leave some money for repairs during the race.
Land rush
In Land Rush, all of the races take place over sand circuits of slightly varying routes. On the track, there are 8 vehicles, but only the first four make it to A category and can race for the victory. To win the entire competition, win the highest score. You visit pit stops every single race.
Driving each type of car is different, which is why you should keep the below hints in mind. In this category, it is a good idea to upgrade the car heavily (you do not need to worry about tuning the car - it's technique that matters). In this competition, you do not lose as much money: repairs are affordable and prizes are high. Also, goals set by sponsors are easily achieved.
Crosskart
In this category, you race against small cars with engines of high rpm and small wheels. To win here, stick to several simple rules:
- Take the lead quickly and drive carefully,
- Take mild, narrow turns;
- Control your car's power (do not put the pedal to the metal throughout the entire race) and be careful with braking (if you hold it for too long, the car will start spinning),
- Never take turns right after you have landed after a jump,
- Approach any hops in a straight line and land with your wheels straight.
Buggy
After you have been promoted to this class, you will be racing on buggy cars. Driving them resembles cross-carts, but it is easier to enter a spin here. First of all, you will have to learn how to control the car and prevent it from skidding - in this case, it is best to release the gas and brake pedals in mid skid and, until the car slows down and comes to the right position. Train speeding up bit-by-bit (if you go switch down to a lower gear and rev up, you will also straighten the car up, but at the cost of putting the wheels into uncontrollable spin and losing your speed). On long straights, brake before the turn by pressing the brake all the way down) - braking on sand is very effective.
Race trucks
First of all, note that there are two categories for trucks: P-2 and P-1 and the cars used there are completely different. They are expensive, which is why you have to decide whether you prefer to borrow the truck or buy one (prizes for winning are roughly equal to the cost of a new truck, and you can sell your vehicle at a half of the buying price).
To win easily, try to take aggressive turns (use handbrake, if you need to) and with the gas pedal released, then accelerate as much as possible on the second gear, to exit the skid quickly. On wide turns, it is better to slow down before the curve and take it as tightly as possible. Also, it is a good idea to tune the trucks: extend the second and the third gear, to be able to exit skidding easily on the second one, where the third one will provide higher top speed, which will allow you to overtake opponents on straights.
Rallycross
W Rallycross, you race against five opponents at the same time. The competition follows the Cup formula. You have to win twice on a single track to win more points (25). The first race is a semi-finals one: you have to come in third, at least, to be promoted to the first group - if you fail, the highest position to take in the second race in 9th. Depending on the number of events in the championship, to win, you need the highest score of all events. You enter pit stops every single race.
This category is quite difficult. You race on mixed surfaces, often on ones with long stretches of asphalt. The greatest difficulty are tight turns, where it is easy to skid uncontrollably and spin around. Opponents can work out considerable distance from each other, so you have an option of knocking them out of the track (or even attempted tire puncture). Once per race, you have to beat the "Joker" - a short, additional fragment of the track.
To win, try to upgrade your car as much as possible. Also, tuning is difficult to overrate. The key here is to take the head of the race quickly and, if it's impossible, wait for the opportune moment to overtake. Do not risk dangerous passes - opponents also tend to be aggressive.
Historic Legends Series
In Historic Legends Series, you drive cars that were used in the 90s, 80s and the 70s. In here, the top speed is lower, but the cars are more difficult to control, they skid more easily and the majority of them are not fitted with modern systems, such as ABS. In these races, there is only one pit-stop (plus the one at the race start).
What is important in these races are upgrades, but the most important here is appropriate tuning: especially gear differential and the level of suspension stiffness.