A couple of noob questions

[KiwiMan]

Hi,

I just got the game, and it all seems very nice. I started with a couple of laps around the Nordschleife in the Zonda Cinque, and after a bit of fiddling with settings I'm pretty happy with this game. But two things have made me a little bit confused:

I should mention I'm playing on PC with an Xbox One controller, and have all of the assists turned off. My first few laps were in time trial which was a rolling start, so there was no problem, but after that I decided to start career mode in a kart. I just sat at the start line while everyone else took off until I realised I had to change into first gear, or maybe that happened automatically. Anyway, what's the intended way to start a race in this game? I have no clutch on the controller, so am I supposed to just change into first when the lights go green? Or am I supposed to change into first earlier on, then hold down the brakes until the lights go green so that I don't jump start?

My next question is possibly related. I won my second kart race, the main race, but afterwards the standings showed me as only winning the sprint race and instead coming last in the main race. I'm guessing it's because I did a jump start in the main race without realising it, and didn't see the penalty appear. All I saw during the race was a lot of blue flags, but I was in first and coming up behind the guy in last so I assumed it was related to that. Is a jump start the only reason why I could have been sent to last place? If not, is there any way to see penalties after a race? I couldn't find a way to do this, and it's annoying that I don't know why I didn't get the first place. Also, after the two races, the game said I had both fastest laps, but in the standings I was still only on 15 points. So I didn't get any fastest lap points or the points for the second win.

So can anyone answer those questions?

Thanks

[Mad Al]

Gamepad defaults to auto clutch, just put the vehicle into first, and try to time hitting the accelerator to time the green light

FYI, if you press the handbrake button (even in a vehicle with no handbrake) it actuates the clutch, so that way, engage gear, press handbrake, rev engine.. then on green light just release the handbrake..

[KiwiMan]

Thanks, the handbrake idea works well.

I think I figured out today what happened with the last place finish. I didn't jump start because I tried that today and found that it instantly disqualifies you. I think what happened is that in my second race yesterday, when I bumped into another kart and went off the track, I apparently cut too much off of a corner when rejoining and then when I next crossed the finish line it didn't count my lap. Hence why I was seeing blue flags for the rest of the race, I was a lap behind. I found this out today by intentionally cutting a corner to see what would happen.

Is that the best behaviour though? When you cut a corner by that much intentionally, or when you get knocked off and cut the rest of the corner to rejoin, the grass seems to slow you down so much that you still lose places. Is it really necessary to not count the lap as well?

As for the 5 points bonus for a fastest lap, it seems that that isn't being given to anyone including the AI.

[Dam351]

Yes there isn't a difference between you driving full speed through the first chicane at Monza or you brake cautiously to make the correct racing line through the first chicane and somebody who is behind you speeds up and rams you across the chicane, causing you to cut the corner.
This situation also happens in qualifying, cause you to lose the lap you invested your time and efforts into.
Luckily I've noticed that bs behaviors is on the decline, but still happens sometimes even accidentally.

[Mr.Smoke]

Cutting the track like that doesnt, or at least shouldnt put you a lap down. It just doesnt register your lap time as it wasnt a clean lap. You shouldstill retain the position you are in. All i can think of is you ran out of fuel before the race ended & you got a DQ for that. Not too sure if rules are different for the career kart racing though as i only tried a free practice with them once & havent touched a kart since.