Brake before tight corners
Learn the current car’s speed and turning response on an easy route. Brake before a sharp turn rather than holding full throttle throughout it.
Use the camera
Press C to cycle cameras and B to look back. Choose a viewpoint that makes road edges and traffic easy to judge.
Try nitrous deliberately
Alt activates nitrous when the current car and mode provide it. Straight sections are useful places to learn its effect. Space activates the handbrake.
Tune after a baseline drive
Try a few laps before changing parts. Check the game’s tuning descriptions and compare one change at a time.