Traction Control and ABS are the two most impactful driving assists in Gran Turismo 7. Millions of players run them at the default settings without understanding what each level actually does — and as a result, they leave lap time on the table or struggle with handling characteristics that feel wrong.
This guide explains exactly what TC and ABS do in GT7, what each setting level means in practice, and which settings work best for different car types and driving styles.
What Traction Control Does in GT7
Traction Control (TC) prevents the driven wheels from spinning when you apply the throttle. In real cars, TC reduces engine torque or applies individual wheel braking to prevent wheelspin. GT7 models this behavior.
When wheelspin occurs and TC intervenes, it does two things simultaneously:
- It reduces wheelspin and recovers traction
- It delays full power delivery while it recovers
This second point is critical. TC interventions always cost time. Every time TC cuts in, you are not receiving full power for a fraction of a second. The goal is not to maximize TC intervention — it is to minimize it while keeping the car controllable.
TC Settings Explained: 1 Through 5 (and Off)
GT7 offers TC settings from 0 (off) to 5.
TC 0 (Off): No traction control. The car delivers full power to the driven wheels regardless of wheel speed difference. Any wheelspin must be managed entirely by the driver's throttle control. For experienced drivers in appropriately matched cars, this is the fastest option — zero intervention means zero power delay. For beginners or powerful RWD cars, it is a significant challenge.
TC 1: Minimal intervention. TC intervenes only when wheelspin becomes significant — roughly 15–20% speed difference between driven and non-driven wheels. The system is slow to react and allows a degree of wheelspin before cutting power. This is the recommended setting for most experienced drivers. The car feels responsive and fast, and TC only activates in genuine traction crisis moments.
TC 2: Light intervention. TC responds faster and at a lower threshold of wheelspin. You will notice TC activating on marginal corner exits where TC 1 would not have triggered. Some time loss compared to TC 1, but more forgiving for cars with large power outputs.
TC 3: Moderate intervention. TC is now significantly active. It will cut in on corner exits in wet or cold tire conditions, on car launches, and in any situation where the driven wheels even begin to exceed the non-driven wheels. Still manageable pace-wise, but the TC cuts become noticeable in the force feedback and sound.
TC 4: Strong intervention. TC is quite aggressive and will intervene frequently at corner exits and even during the later part of corner exit arcs. The car feels noticeably slower on exit. This setting is useful for cars with extreme power outputs (700+ HP) in difficult conditions, or for drivers still learning throttle control fundamentals.
TC 5: Maximum intervention. TC is extremely aggressive and triggers constantly under any significant throttle application. The car feels significantly slower. This setting is appropriate only for learning a new car on a wet track or in extreme beginner situations. No competitive driver should run TC 5 in Sport Mode.
What ABS Does in GT7
ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) prevents the wheels from locking up completely under braking. Without ABS, if you apply too much brake pressure, the wheel stops rotating and the tire slides rather than rolls — a locked tire provides significantly less braking force than a rolling tire, and you cannot steer.
GT7's ABS system reduces brake pressure automatically when it detects wheel lockup, allowing the wheel to continue rolling and maintaining braking efficiency plus steering ability.
ABS Settings Explained: 1 Through 5 (and Off)
ABS 0 (Off): No anti-lock braking. The driver must modulate brake pressure to avoid lockup. This requires significant skill and feel. Without ABS, if you brake too hard, the front wheels lock, the car goes straight regardless of steering input, and braking distances increase. For advanced drivers who have practiced threshold braking, ABS off can actually be faster because there is no system intervention delay. For most drivers, it results in more lockups and longer braking distances.
ABS 1: Minimal ABS intervention. ABS activates only when wheels are very close to locking. The braking feel is almost identical to no ABS in normal conditions. This is the recommended setting for most drivers with a steering wheel — it prevents the worst lockup mistakes while not adding noticeable delay in normal braking. Consider this the "sweet spot" between performance and safety.
ABS 2: Light ABS. The system intervenes earlier, preventing lockups in more situations. You lose a small amount of braking sensitivity but gain consistency. Recommended for drivers who experience occasional lockups at heavy braking zones.
ABS 3: Moderate ABS. Braking is noticeably managed. You can feel the ABS cycling in braking zones. Some maximum braking force is lost because the system backs off before peak deceleration. Still very driveable and consistent.
ABS 4: Strong ABS. The system is quite aggressive. Braking distances may be slightly longer than optimal because the ABS is conservative about allowing peak deceleration. Useful in wet conditions or with very cold tires.
ABS 5: Maximum ABS. Very conservative braking management. Braking distances are the longest at this setting. Only use this if you are completely new to sim racing and struggling to manage brake pressure at all.
Recommended TC Settings by Car Type
High-Power RWD Cars (600+ HP: McLaren 650S, Lamborghini Huracán, etc.)
Recommended: TC 2–3 High-power RWD cars produce wheelspin easily from slow and medium-speed corners. TC 2 allows the car to rotate and feel alive while preventing the most aggressive oversteer situations. Once you have learned the car's throttle characteristics well, step down to TC 1.
Moderate-Power RWD Cars (300–500 HP: Porsche 911 GT3, BMW M3, etc.)
Recommended: TC 1 These cars can generally be managed at TC 1 with practiced throttle control. The GT3-class cars in GT7 are tuned to work well at TC 1. Experienced drivers should try TC 0 with race tires — the cars are controllable.
Gr.3 and Gr.4 Race Cars
Recommended: TC 1–2 Race cars in GT7 have very aggressive throttle response and high downforce, making TC 1 the right balance. TC 0 is possible for Gr.4 cars at circuits you know well. For Sport Mode racing where consistency matters, TC 1 reduces the risk of race-ending spins.
AWD Cars (Nissan GT-R, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, etc.)
Recommended: TC 0–1 AWD cars have natural anti-spin from their drivetrain. TC is the least necessary for AWD vehicles because the car's mechanical traction control (the AWD system itself) prevents excessive wheelspin. TC 0 is appropriate for experienced drivers in AWD cars.
FWD Cars (Honda Civic Type R, Mazda 3 Gr.4, etc.)
Recommended: TC 1–2 FWD cars rarely have rear traction issues (the rear wheels are not driven), but the front wheels can experience wheelspin on exit in powerful FWD machines. TC 1 prevents this without significant intervention.
Road Cars and Lower-Power Cars (Under 300 HP)
Recommended: TC 0–1 Lower-power cars rarely produce enough torque to exceed tire grip limits except in very slippery conditions. TC 0 is appropriate and reduces intervention overhead. Use TC 1 if you are learning the car or in wet conditions.
Recommended ABS Settings by Driving Style
Steering Wheel Users — Experienced
Recommended: ABS 1 With a wheel, you can feel brake pressure through force feedback and pedal resistance. ABS 1 provides a safety net for the very hardest braking zones while allowing you to feel what the tires are doing. This is the setting used by most competitive GT7 players.
Steering Wheel Users — Intermediate
Recommended: ABS 1–2 If you regularly experience lockups that cause you to go straight at braking zones, move to ABS 2. The consistency improvement is worth the small pace cost. Focus on building your braking feel and step down to ABS 1 as you improve.
Controller Users
Recommended: ABS 3 Brake pressure modulation is harder with a controller's analog trigger than with a load-cell pedal. ABS 3 provides enough system intervention to prevent lockups that occur because of the less precise brake input from a trigger. Experienced controller players can step down to ABS 2 or even ABS 1, but it requires deliberate practice.
Wet Conditions
ABS +1 from your normal setting: Wet conditions reduce braking grip significantly. Bump your ABS up one level from your normal setting for wet races. The added intervention prevents lockups on a surface where lockup distances can be very long.
When to Turn TC and ABS Off Completely
Turning assists off completely is not about being a purist — it is about whether you are faster without them. Here is when removing them makes sense:
TC Off is faster when:
- You have refined throttle control that produces minimal wheelspin naturally
- The car is an AWD or lower-power vehicle where TC almost never activates
- You are doing a time attack on a circuit you know very well
TC should stay on when:
- You are in a multi-lap Sport Mode race where one spin means losing DR points
- Weather conditions are wet or mixed
- You are learning a new car or circuit
ABS Off is faster when:
- You have excellent brake feel and can modulate pressure consistently
- You are using a load-cell brake pedal (far easier to control precisely)
- You have practiced threshold braking extensively
ABS should stay on when:
- You use a standard potentiometer brake pedal (not load-cell)
- You use a controller
- The circuit has very heavy braking zones where lockup risk is high (Monza, Fuji turn 1)
The Driver Rating (DR) Consideration
In GT7 Sport Mode, spins and off-track excursions cost DR points. TC 1 and ABS 1 are worth keeping in online races not just for pace but for race craft — a small TC intervention that prevents a spin saves far more DR than the fraction of a second lost to the intervention.
In time attack or single-player, go as low as your skill allows. In online competition, balance pace against risk management.
The correct TC and ABS settings are the lowest you can run without making mistakes. Start at TC 2 and ABS 2, drive ten laps, and ask yourself: did TC ever prevent a spin that would have lost you time? Did ABS prevent a lockup that would have caused an incident? If the answers are no, step down by one on each. Keep reducing until you find the level where the assists are actually doing useful work — that is your correct setting.