Tempo

The main subject of **tempo** is how frequently the drivers must focus (at a meaningful level) while driving. This can generally be simplified to "how often drivers are forced to turn", but this simplification can get a bit shaky at times. For instance, long, gentle turns that don't require as much focus may not engage the driver's focus enough to really contribute to the tempo of the track.

The word "tempo" was chosen as a reference to how it is used in the world of music. For music, tempo describes the time between each beat.

## Details and Examples

* A **"high tempo**" track is a track where the driver seems to be constantly turning, going from corner to corner in quick succession. High tempo tracks are tracks that require constant attention and focus.
	+ Examples: Midgar Circuit, LoopLake, MesaMayhem.
* A "**low tempo**" track is a track where it takes a long time to go from one turn to another. Low tempo tracks generally offer a lot of down time between turns.
	+ Examples: FC1 Baku 2022 (as with most other FC1 tracks), BCC, Appleseed, CyberWorld2, CaminoCanyon, Corkscrew Tunnel.

Generally, tempo is inversely proportional to average speed around the track. In other words, if you have a high tempo track, the track will generally be low speed. This is not always the case, however. For instance, slight S turns can still engage a driver's focus while not losing as much speed *(slightly related to the "Perceived Tempo" section below)*. Walltaps can also be used to keep some of the speed through a corner, which can then be used to reach the next corner sooner. Walltaps can also lessen the amount of time it takes to brake during a corner. Simply walltapping on a U-turn after a long blue ice straight will slow the driver down much quicker than if they were to brake normally. This means the corner takes less time to complete, making the tempo higher.

It should be stated that different sections of track may have different tempos. For instance, the first half of Invinciblue can be said to be mid-tempo, while the second half can be said to be high tempo.

## Significance

Tempo is a useful concept to keep in mind for multiple reasons:

* Playstyle
	+ Tempo is defined as the average time it takes to go from corner to corner. This may benefit or hinder different playstyles or drivers.
		- For example, a higher tempo may mean that more focus is required. This means that drivers who are not able to keep intense focus for long periods of time will likely struggle on a high tempo track, while those who *can* deal with high intensity over long periods of time may shine comparatively.
		- Another example is about low tempo tracks and analytical playstyle. Drivers who are better at making plans while driving, as well as ones who look at the sidebar for long periods of time to soak in information, may do better on low tempo tracks due to the longer time they have to think and/or look at the sidebar.
	+ Otherwise, drivers may *enjoy* higher or lower tempo tracks, especially in regards to time trialing.
* Overtaking capability
	+ It should first be stated that overtaking capability is dependent on *speed* (among other things, but we will only be focusing on speed for right now). If a driver is driving at 100 km/h and starts braking 1 second late, they will miss the corner by a *lot*. But if they were going 1 km/h instead, and started braking 1 second late, they would miss the corner by *much less*.
	+ As stated earlier, in the majority of cases, a low tempo means a high average speed (and vice versa). This means that, in the majority of cases, a lower tempo track will lead to *much larger mistakes* than high tempo tracks. Large mistakes are one of the main avenues for overtakes.
	+ It should be noted that tempo/average track speed is not the only factor determining the overtaking viability of a track. Factors like track width, the presence of gimmick/track features, and general track difficulty (just to list a few) are other attributes that can determine a track's overtaking viability.

## "Perceived Tempo"

"Tempo" is not a set-in-stone, core concept. It all has to do with how the brain perceives the race/driving. To explain, imagine a driver in a very stressful race. If the driver is high on adrenaline, or if they are heavily focusing on their competitor in front of them, the straightaways may *feel* much shorter. This will lead to a higher "perceived tempo" for the driver.

Similarly, a track's tempo may vary from person to person. For example, imagine a long and gentle, yet high speed curve. A new driver will need to focus a lot throughout the entire duration of the curve, while a more experienced driver may only need to really focus on the entry and exit.