Forza Horizon 5: How To Use Launch Control

The launch control feature in Forza Horizon 5 allows players to gain a slight advantage in certain types of races, but those slight advantages can mean the difference between winning and losing. Launch control isn’t a new feature in Forza Horizon 5, but it’s one that can be easily missed since the game doesn’t give any detail about how to fully use it. Though it doesn’t make sense to use launch control with every vehicle or in every race, every car in Forza Horizon 5 has the ability to try it out.

Specifically, the best time to use launch control in Forza Horizon 5 is during any drag race or timed event that takes place on a straight patch of road. This is because the launch control feature is specifically designed to allow a vehicle to reach its top speed more easily in Forza Horizon 5, so races that have many turns, like dirt roads or offroad races, can’t really take advantage of it. The same goes for any race that doesn’t have cars lined up next to one another, which is why drag races are really the best time to use launch control in Forza Horizon 5.

Before launch control can be used in Forza Horizon 5 drag races, players will first need to head into their settings and change their automatic transmission settings to a manual transmission or a manual transmission with a clutch. This is because launch control requires a manual gear change in order to activate, and automatic transmission settings take away a driver’s ability to control gear shifts. Although the switch in-game is easy, those who have never used these settings may require a bit of practice.

Forza Horizon 5: How & When To Use Launch Control

Launch control should be used as soon as possible when players are in a drag race or just driving on a straightaway if they’re hoping to reach their vehicle’s top speed as quickly as possible. Even Forza Horzion 5 beginners should master this mechanic if they plan on winning more drag races. To activate launch control in Forza Horizon 5, players must first shift into second gear, then back down to first.

Next, they will need to activate the handbrake and fully engage the drive-forward action. At this point, launch control has been activated, and players can release the handbrake and repeat with every subsequent gear shift. They will need to keep an eye out for the RPM gauge sitting around 2500 while the handbrake is engaged to confirm that launch control has been activated in Forza Horizon 5.

Another reason launch control doesn’t necessarily fair well for players in other types of races is that launch control only saves players a few seconds at most when activated. Other factors, such as tire type and car body weight, can help players win more drag races in Forza Horizon 5 with launch control as well. The fastest upgraded cars in Forza Horizon 5 will make the most of launch control and allow players to win more drag races by shaving a few seconds off their race times.

Forza Horizon 5 is available for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S

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