They tell the driver what’s coming next, corners, straights, jumps, and dangers.
The trust that a driver needs to have with their co-driver is crucial to succeeding in rally.

Even slight mistakes in rally driving can have massive consequences so it’s important to pay attention to your co-driver.

Corners have a direction (Left/Right) and a number (1–6):
• 1 = very tight, slow
• 6 = very open, fast

Other curve types:
• Kink / Flat: easy bends, full speed.
• 4 or 5: moderate, use some brake.
• 3 or 2: tricky, careful braking needed.
• Square / Hairpin: sharp or 180° turns, may need handbrake.
• Chicane: quick left-right combo.
• Sudden: fast change in direction.



Additionally, a lot of Rally drivers tend to learn how to read pacenotes by adding numbers to their steering wheel to show an approximate amount of steering angle required for each number called.

Tells how far until the next turn.
• “4 Left, 50” = left corner, then 50 m straight.
• “4 Left, 200” = long straight.
• Under 40 m = not mentioned (too short).
• Even numbers for short (40–80 m), odd for long (130–150 m).
• Helps the driver manage rhythm and speed.
• Even long straights can hide danger, bumps, grip loss, or dips.

AND (+):
• Small gap between corners (under 20 m).
• First corner is as hard or harder than the next.
• You can attack the next one.
• Example: “4 Right AND 6 Left 80”
INTO (→):
• Corners follow immediately, no gap.
• Next corner is tougher, slow down smoothly.
• Example: “5 Left INTO Hairpin Right 50”
Mixed with Details:
“6 Right AND Jump INTO 3 Left” = quick jump after a fast corner, then a tighter one.

Used when danger or special attention is needed.
• CAUTION: Big alert! Slow down, stay sharp.
• WARNING INSIDE/OUTSIDE: Danger on one side of the corner.
• DON’T CUT: Stay on the road — hidden hazard inside.
• CUT: Safe to cut — saves time.
• BRAKE: Slow down here.
• HANDBRAKE: Needed for tight corners or hairpins.
• KEEP IN/OUT / LEFT/MIDDLE/RIGHT: Where to position the car.
• BAD CAMBER: Corner tilts the wrong way — tricky for grip.
• BLIND / HIDDEN: You can’t see the exit or entry.
• SLIPPERY: Watch traction!
• MAYBE: Might be a jump or just a bump — depends on speed.

If you would like a more in depth guide to pace notes, please click here