Destiny: Sparrow Racing League Tips

Since the debut of the new Sparrow Racing League in Destiny, players who own the Taken King expansion have been hitting the tracks in an attempt to speed their way to the top of the SRL leaderboards. An increased SRL ranking and reputation can improve a player’s chances to earn better loot drops at the end of a race. For this guide, we’ve put together several brief tips for Destiny players looking to achieve a higher placement during the SRL event.

The Sparrow Racing League (SRL) event will conclude near the end of December. This leaves a relatively limited window of time for players looking to improve their racing skills. Follow the tips in this guide to speed past opponents on the racetrack and earn a higher reputation. Visit Amanda Holliday in the Tower hangar to get started with your first SRL quest. For a brief overview of what Sparrow Racing entails, check out our guide on the Destiny Sparrow Racing League Event.

Hit All the Gates

Similarly to other racing games, the SRL race tracks contain objectives that can improve your performance during the race. On SRL courses, there are a series of glowing blue gates that provide speed boosts that can be maintained by hitting consecutive gates. The goal is to pass through these gates during the race to quickly boost past opponents on the track. Note that missing gates will greatly reduce your top speed for each gate missed. Since everyone has equal Sparrow speed at the start of each race, these boost gates are the best way to gain a decent speed advantage over your opponents.

Keep in mind that the size of these speed boost gates will depend on a player’s placement during a race. A player leading in first place will have a more narrow boost gate than a player in last place. This gives players who are lagging behind a chance to catch up and overtake opponents more easily. Focus on boost gates further ahead on the track and nail each one to maintain your speed perk and pull off a victory.

Boost Your SRL Class License & Reputation

Flying through boost gates not only offer a speed boost, but they can also help players unlock higher SRL Class Licenses. Hitting these speed gates consecutively during a race allows players to unlock the Class B and Class A SRL Licenses, improving player reputation. A higher reputation and SRL License Class allows 320 level items to become available. Class items, helmets, and gear that drop with a 320 Light level are capable of being infused, and are a great way to help your character reach max rank. Basically, a high SRL reputation will improve your chances for better post-race loot drops, so do everything you can to increase your reputation to benefit the most from this temporary event.

Try Bumper Sparrows

Keep in mind that while special abilities and weapons are not allowed during races, you can still strafe into opponents to knock them off course. Sparrows are destructible, so use this to your advantage by trying to edge opponents into obstacles or off of cliffs, while still being mindful of those who try to do the same to you. Use the bumper buttons on your controller to strafe from side to side. Strafing is crucial for dodging opponents, and can be used for offensively knocking players off course to allow you to pull ahead.

Players who go down during a race will respawn on the course a bit further behind, and often have trouble making a comeback. Familiarize yourself with the course to anticipate cliffs and other opportunities to bump players off the edge to gain a tactical advantage. Remember, opponents will also try to nudge you off course as well, so be prepared to dodge as players approach your flanks.

Continuously Run Races

Currently, there are only two SRL courses available: Campus Martius on Mars, and Infinite Descent on Venus. As you repeat races, you will gradually become familiar with the courses' terrain and know what to expect during each race. After running a course, think about which section of the course posed the most trouble, and where you stand to improve. Try to brake as you approach a curve, and boost to clear an upcoming jump. Repeating courses will help you anticipate and avoid obstacles. Having prior knowledge of a course can sometimes be an advantage in itself.

The more races you do, the higher your SRL reputation will likely become, especially if you are hitting those speed gates consistently during each race. Completing SRL bounties will also raise your reputation, so be sure to complete your active bounty objectives during races to reap their rewards afterward.

Now that you have some basic SRL racing tips under your belt, it’s time to practice your skills on the course. Happy racing, Guardian!