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Home » Guides » Hard Brake Pedals in Sim Racing: The Key to Better Performance
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In this guide, we’ll explore one of the most overlooked but impactful components in sim racing: your brake pedal. More specifically, why a hard brake pedal – similar to what you find in real race cars – can dramatically improve your lap times and your overall performance.
We’ll break down what makes a good sim racing brake pedal, including insights from motorsport engineering, braking techniques, and hardware design. Yes, it’ll get a little technical at times – but the key takeaway is simple:
A firm, stiff brake pedal allows you to build better muscle memory, brake more consistently, and carry more speed into corners.
This article will walk you through how and why that works, using real data from both motorsport and sim racing. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to shave off tenths in competitive leagues, understanding brake pedal feel could be the game-changer you’re missing.
Need help decoding sim racing terminology?
Check out our Glossary of Sim Racing and Motorsport Terms.
Regarding the statement above, it’s quite logical, really.
Think about it: If a soft brake pedal would help you drive faster, all race cars from Formula to GT would have it. But they don’t.
Competitive racing – both real-life racing and sim racing – is about being the fastest. Every single part of a race car is there to help the driver achieve the best performance. If a component doesn’t support that goal, it’s not a part of the car. It really is that simple.
Of course, there can be variations depending on specific race types (rally, for instance) or the driver’s personal preference. But overall, real racecars have stiff brake pedals with minimal travel, and now we will explain why.
The mechanics of the brakes in a race car consist of the following:
The basics of braking in a race car can be divided into two stages: the ‘soft’ stage and the ‘hard’ stage.
The ‘soft’ stage is where you apply pressure to the brake pedal. A stiff brake pedal will travel approximately 1–2 centimeters – nothing compared to the brake travel in a regular road car. It’s in this stage that you build up hydraulic pressure.
Once the hydraulic pressure is built up, you enter the ‘hard’ stage, where the brake pads are touching the brake discs, and all mechanical play is eliminated. You’re now pressing your foot against a wall because the hydraulic fluid can’t be compressed any further.
This is what gives the hard brake pedal feel.
It’s simple: The shorter the travel distance, the faster you can reach a full stop, and the longer you can wait before pressing the brake. Therefore, a stiff brake pedal setup is faster and more efficient because it enables later braking, which translates into better lap times.
But how do you simulate the feeling of braking in a real race car when you don’t have physical braking equipment in your sim rig?
That’s where the Invicta Sim Racing Pedals comes into play.
At Asetek, we aim to make our sim racing pedals as realistic as possible. Therefore, we have designed the T.H.O.R.P.™ system according to the same 2-stage braking principle seen in racecars. Since you don’t have a physical brake disc, caliper, or pads in a racing simulator, we engineered the brake cylinder to replicate those components.
When you use the Invicta brake pedal, the slave cylinder compresses the elastomer and allows a pedal travel of approximately 20–25 millimeters during the ‘soft’ stage.
The ‘hard’ stage begins when the slave cylinder hits a mechanical stop. Just like in a real racecar, you’re pressing against hydraulic resistance—up to 100 bars of pressure (185 kilograms). This simulates a hard brake pedal feel that is essential for developing brake pedal muscle memory and trail braking techniques.
But just what difference does the combination of a short travel and stiff brake pedal actually make when racing? Using the Invicta Sim Pedals, we ran a test using T1 at Barcelona.
You can see the test in action in the video above (from 11:13), but you can also see it here:
As we said at the start of this guide: A hard brake pedal improves lap times because it allows you to brake later.
The technique used here is called trail braking. Trail braking involves braking hard and then slowly easing off the pedal as you turn in. The more consistent your pedal force, the more effective your trail braking becomes.
In the example above, the short and stiff brake pedal allowed us to get 6 meters closer to the apex before braking—saving 0.3 seconds per lap.
That gain might seem small, but even if the improvement is only 0.1 seconds, those milliseconds multiply over several corners and laps, creating a significant performance advantage.
Whether you’re a dedicated sim racer or a casual gamer, using a hard brake pedal for sim racing will likely enhance your overall performance.
A stiff pedal helps you develop consistent muscle memory, which is crucial for precision and repeatability during braking. It also allows for finer control during trail braking and reduces the tendency to lock up or overshoot corners.
The result is better lap times and more confidence when pushing the limits of your virtual car.
Some sim racing pedals – like the ones we build here at Asetek Simsports – allow you to customize pedal travel to match your driving style and comfort. Being able to fine-tune how soft or stiff your brake pedal feels is a game-changer.
For example, a softer feel might help you ease into braking techniques as a beginner, while experienced racers often prefer a firmer pedal that simulates the pressure of a real race car.
This adjustability ensures your sim rig evolves with you, delivering optimal control no matter your level or racing discipline.
When it comes to choosing your sim racing brake pedal, two terms often come up: load cell and hydraulic. While both aim to replicate real-world braking, they do so in very different ways, and understanding those differences can help you choose the right setup for your needs.
Load cell pedals measure the force you apply to the pedal, rather than how far you press it. Load cells are widely used in mid- to high-end sim racing gear and offer a step up from basic potentiometer-based pedals.
Load cell pedals ideal for racers who want:
Hydraulic systems go one step further by mimicking the actual brake fluid behavior in a race car. These pedals generate pressure through fluid dynamics, delivering not just resistance, but also the progressive, dynamic feel of real-world brakes under high load.
Hydraulic pedals are typically preferred by advanced sim racers or those with real motorsport experience because they:
Whether you’re chasing your first podium or shaving off tenths in a time trial, a hard brake pedal can take your racing to the next level – but how much depends on your skill level, goals, and preferences.
New sim racers can benefit from building good habits early. A firmer brake pedal teaches you to brake with pressure, not distance, which mirrors the real deal. While it might feel challenging at first, it helps develop muscle memory that pays off later – especially when learning trail braking or braking consistency.
Tip: Start with a medium-stiff setup and adjust as your skills behind the wheel grows.
If you’re already comfortable on track and competing online, a stiff brake pedal will help you brake later, more consistently, and with better control. It reduces overshooting corners and enhances your ability to modulate pressure – particularly in high-speed, high-stakes situations.
For serious sim racers – especially those practicing for real-world motorsport – a hard brake pedal is non-negotiable. It allows for fine-tuned input, supports aggressive trail braking, and delivers the realism needed for true immersion and training.
Hydraulic pedals or advanced load cell setups are the gold standard at this level.
Now we’ve made our argument.
There is a reason why a race car has a hard brake pedal – it’s simply more efficient. We hope this guide helped explain the engineering behind brake pedal stiffness and how sim racing hardware can simulate that.
It’s difficult to describe the contrast between 2-stage and 1-stage braking if you haven’t tried both or are used to the long pedal travel of a road car. But real race drivers and dedicated sim racers will tell you: once you’ve tried a proper sim racing brake pedal with more hardness, there’s no going back.
Want to feel the difference yourself?
Take a closer look at our Invicta™ hydraulic sim racing pedals.
Because it improves braking precision, muscle memory, and overall consistency—leading to better lap times.
Yes. A stiff brake pedal mimics the feel of real race cars, especially during the high-pressure braking phase.
Absolutely. The firmness of the pedal helps drivers apply and release pressure more precisely into corners.
Yes, especially if they want to build good braking habits and improve their driving technique early on.
Hard pedals simulate racecar braking; soft pedals mimic road cars. Hard pedals offer more control and faster response.
Typically, yes. Hydraulic systems naturally provide resistance and progression that closely match real-world braking.
