Forza Horizon 5 offers players an impressive list of vehicles, but even with slower cars, players can get a rapid start in a drag race with launch control. In this guide, we will discuss how to activate and use Forza Horizon 5 launch control, as well as when it’s most useful.
How to Unlock Forza Horizon 5 Launch Control
Launch control is available for anyone who drives their vehicle with a manual transmission or a manual transmission with a clutch. This feature is within the gameplay settings and is relatively easy to access. Unfortunately, because launch control requires a gear change to activate, automatic transmissions are not an option.
How to use launch control in Forza Horizon 5
- Go to Difficulty & Settings.
- Choose either “manual transmission” or “clutch + manual transmission”.
- Make sure your car is completely stationary.
- Press and hold both the brake and accelerator (PC: [Spacebar] + [W] | Xbox: [RT] + [RB])
- Your car will stay still while the revs build up and lock in place.
- Release the brake to activate launch control.
- If it doesn’t work, try again or check if you missed a step.
- Press both the brake and accelerator again (PC: [Spacebar] + [W] | Xbox: [RT] + [RB])
- Shift into second gear (PC: [E] to Shift Up | Xbox: [X] button to shift up)
- Then bring it back down to first gear. (PC: [Q] to Shift Down | Xbox: [B] to Shift Down)
- Activate the handbrake and fully engage the drive-forward action.
- The launch control will activate, and your rev meter will go up again.
At this point, launch control has been activated, and players can release the handbrake and repeat with every subsequent gear shift. The RPM gauge should sit around 2500 while the handbrake is engaged to confirm that Forza Horizon 5 launch control has been activated.
Forza Horizon 5 launch control can give quite the advantage to players who have mastered it. The system eliminates wheelspin and aids traction, giving the driver a rapid start without wasting any horsepower or time on burnouts.
When to Use Forza Horizon 5 Launch Control
Forza Horizon 5 launch control is most useful in multiplayer matches and for special events and PR Stunts in the game. The 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 off-road races, can’t really take advantage of it. The best time to use Forza Horizon 5 launch control is during any drag race or timed event that takes place on a straight patch of road. Forza Horizon 5 launch control can be the difference between a loss and a win in one of the game’s many drag races.
How to Launch Control with Automatic Gear Transmission in Forza Horizon 5
Players can also activate Forza Horizon 5 launch control with some automatic cars in the game. To do so, they must make sure the car is stationary in automatic gear, hold both brake and accelerator, put in reverse and then back to 1st gear by slightly letting go of the LT button, and finally hold down the accelerator and brake. It may take some practice to get used to, but it’s worth trying out.
Forza Horizon 5 launch control is a powerful feature that can help players gain an advantage in certain types of races. While 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. Players should first head into their settings and change their automatic transmission settings to a manual transmission or a manual transmission with a clutch. With practice, Forza Horizon 5 launch control can become a valuable tool in the game’s drag races and other straightaway events.