RaceRoom has a lot of functions and most of them sit on the keyboard. Even if you drive with a wheel, you still reach for a key to move the brake bias or to hide a part of the HUD.
Here are the shortcuts, sorted by what they do.
One honest note first. This is the list this page has carried since 2022. RaceRoom has been updated many times since then, and I could not confirm every key against the current build. So use it as a map, then open the controls settings in your game and check. Every key there can be changed.
HUD shortcuts
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Toggle ghost car | 3 |
| Toggle racing line | 4 |
| Toggle car status display | 5 |
| Toggle speed cluster | 7 |
| Toggle position bar | 8 |
| Toggle virtual mirror | 9 |
| Toggle track map | Minus |
| Toggle apex hunt display | Equals |
| Toggle driver names | D |
| Real time chat | C |
The number row is the part worth learning. In a race I would keep the position bar and the virtual mirror on, and turn the racing line off as soon as I know the track. The line makes you look at the road two metres in front of the car. You want your eyes much further ahead than that.
The apex hunt display belongs to the Apex Hunt training mode. You do not need it in a normal session.
Car shortcuts
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Brake bias to the front | Left square bracket |
| Brake bias to the rear | Right square bracket |
| Toggle automatic gearbox | F4 |
| Toggle automatic clutch | F5 |
| Reset force feedback | Alt + F |
Brake bias is the important one. More bias to the front makes the car stable on the brakes but it turns in less. More to the rear helps the car rotate, and if you go too far the rear locks and comes round. As the fuel burns off and the tyres wear, the balance moves. One or two clicks during a stint is normal.
Reset force feedback is for wheel users. If the wheel goes light or dead after you alt tab, press it before you restart the game.
F4 and F5 are handy when you jump between cars. A touring car with paddles and an old car with an H pattern do not want the same gearbox setting.
Replay and camera shortcuts
| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Instant replay | R |
| Replay back and forward | Ctrl + Left, Ctrl + Right |
| Time accelerator | K |
| Driver camera | Insert |
| Car camera | Home |
| Screenshot | F12 |
Use the instant replay. After a spin, look at it from the car camera and check where the car was when you went to the throttle. Most of the time the mistake is a few metres before the place where it went wrong.
Driving on a keyboard: the layout I would use
You can drive RaceRoom on a keyboard. It is not how the game is meant to be driven, and you will not be as fast as on a wheel, but it works for a first try before you buy anything.
Pick the keyboard profile in the controls settings, then set the driving keys yourself. I would do it like this.
| Action | Key I would use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Steer left and right | Left and Right arrow | The right hand steers and does nothing else |
| Throttle | A | Left hand, ring finger |
| Brake | Z | The same finger moves down one row, so you are never on both |
| Gear up and down | E and Q | Only if you shift yourself. Next to the throttle finger |
| Pit limiter | W | Middle finger, easy to find at the pit entry |
| DRS and push to pass | Left Shift | Little finger. You can press it without leaving the throttle |
| Look back | 2 | Close to the left hand for the start |
The idea is simple. One hand steers. The other hand has the throttle, the brake and everything you press on a straight.
The driving aids for a keyboard
A key is on or off. You cannot press the throttle 30%. The aids are the answer to that.
| Aid | On a keyboard | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Traction control | On | A key is 0% or 100% throttle. Without it the rear spins at every exit |
| ABS | On | A key is 0% or 100% brake. Without ABS the fronts lock every time |
| Stability control | On at first | It catches the slides your taps cause. Take it off when you stop spinning |
| Gearbox | Automatic | Two keys less to think about |
| Braking assist | Off | It brakes for you and you never learn the braking points |
| Racing line | On while you learn a track | It shows where to brake, the hardest thing to judge with a key |
RaceRoom has three difficulty presets: Novice, Amateur and Get Real. Get Real only allows the aids the real car has. On a keyboard I would start on Novice or Amateur and not feel bad about it.
Then drive like this:
- Tap, do not hold. Steer with short taps. A held key goes to full lock and the front tyres slide.
- Brake in a straight line. Do the braking before you turn.
- Tap the throttle on the exit. Two or three taps out of a slow corner, then hold.
- Start with front wheel drive. A touring car forgives a clumsy throttle. A rear engined GT3 car does not.
If you have a pad in a drawer, use it. A stick and two triggers are a big step up from keys, and my RaceRoom controller settings will get you going.
Keys to move to your wheel
With a wheel, the keyboard is too far away for the things you do every lap. I would put these on wheel buttons:
- Brake bias to the front and to the rear
- Pit limiter
- DRS and push to pass, for the cars that have them
- Look left and look right
- Reset force feedback, if your wheel has a spare button
Leave the HUD toggles, the replay and the screenshot on the keyboard. You use them when the car is stopped.
For the wheel itself, see my RaceRoom wheel and FFB settings.
More RaceRoom guides
FAQ
How do I change the keyboard controls in RaceRoom?
Open the settings, go to the controls section, pick your profile and click on the action you want to change. Then press the new key.
How do I change the brake bias in RaceRoom?
With the two square bracket keys. The left one moves the bias to the front and the right one moves it to the rear. With a wheel, put both on buttons.
How do I turn off the racing line in RaceRoom?
Press 4 while you are in the car. The same key turns it back on.
How do I switch between automatic and manual gears in RaceRoom?
Press F4 in the car to toggle the automatic gearbox. F5 does the same for the automatic clutch.
Can you play RaceRoom with a keyboard?
Yes. Use traction control, ABS and the automatic gearbox, and start with a front wheel drive touring car. A pad is better and a wheel is much better.
Why does my wheel lose force feedback in RaceRoom?
It can happen after you alt tab or when the wheel reconnects. Press Alt + F to reset the force feedback before you restart the game.
Are the RaceRoom shortcuts the same for every car?
The HUD and replay keys are the same. Some car functions, like DRS or push to pass, only do something in the cars that have them.