Trackmania Beginner Guide: How to Get Faster Times and Climb the Leaderboards

Trackmania is a pure time-attack racing game where every run is about shaving off hundredths of a second. There is no damage, no rubber-banding and no luck, only you, the track and the clock. Here’s how to start getting faster.

Learn the Track First

Your first runs should be about memorising the route rather than chasing records. Respawning at checkpoints is free, so use it to practise tricky sections repeatedly. Once you know every turn, you can focus on speed.

Racing Lines and Braking

The classic outside–inside–outside line still applies. Brake less than you think you need: in Trackmania, lifting off the accelerator or a short tap of the brake is often enough to make a corner. Smooth inputs preserve speed far better than sudden steering.

Drifting and Speedslides

• Drift: tap the brake while steering to slide the car around wide corners.
• Speedslide: on certain surfaces and speeds, a slight angle can actually gain speed; advanced players use it on straights and gentle curves.
• Landings: try to land jumps with all four wheels flat to avoid losing momentum.

Use Ghosts to Improve

Racing against your personal-best ghost, or ghosts from faster players, shows exactly where you are losing time. Compare checkpoint splits and focus on the section with the biggest gap rather than replaying the whole map aimlessly.

Seasonal Campaigns and Track of the Day

The official seasonal campaign offers a steady difficulty curve, while Track of the Day introduces creative community maps. Playing both builds a broad skill set. Cups of the Day and community events are great next steps once you feel confident.

Conclusion

Improvement in Trackmania comes from repetition and small adjustments. Learn, compare, retry. Follow more Trackmania coverage on DEEP ATTACK.