How do Rally Mode races work in GTA Online?

Rally Mode is a type of race in GTA Online. Players are teamed up together in pairs, plonked in an extremely fast car, and given the roles of driver and co-driver. The catch here is that the driver can’t see the race checkpoints, so the co-driver has to help them navigate the race. This article explains the roles of driver and co-driver, so you understand what you need to do next time you jump into a race.

What to do in Rally Mode races as the co-driver

The co-driver has arguably the hardest job of the two players working together in any Rally Mode race. They can see the checkpoints ahead, just like in any normal race. Their job is to tell the driver when they need to turn left or right at junctions to continue along the correct stretch of road and hit those checkpoints. If they don’t do this, the driver could continue driving down the wrong path indefinitely.

You can speak to the driver directly in one of two ways. First, you can use a microphone, either a headset or a built-in one, such as the DualShock 4 microphone. Through this, you can shout instructions at the driver and tell them when and where they need to turn.

Alternatively, you can use the direction buttons on any controller or keyboard to tell the driver when they need to turn left or right. It’s better only to do this at junctions because it brings a giant arrow up, pointing in the direction you choose for a few seconds. We find that using it a few seconds before a big turn works best. Otherwise, if you think the driver will keep going down the main road, don’t press anything.

If you do a good enough job and finish first, you could even unlock the Backseat Driver trophy/achievement.

What to do in Rally Mode races as the driver

There’s very little that you need to do differently as the driver in a Rally Mode race. All that’s required of you is to drive fast and listen to the directions given to you. Try to work with your co-driver and get them only to give you instructions when approaching the junction you need to turn off on. Otherwise, you could end up turning too early or too late and let the competition get ahead of you.