How & where to get your first five TrackMania author medals

TrackMania’s Fall 2020 campaign has been out for just a few weeks, but it already feels like every track has a shortcut to learn. Fear not though; you can still get your first few author medals without learning any of them (although this rerouting by Erizel on Track 21 is mesmerising)!

Track 1

For those of you who don’t know, in addition to the bronze, silver, and gold medals you can earn on each track, there is a fourth green medal that can be earned by beating the fastest time of the author of the track, hence the name - the author medal. 

Let's start at the very beginning for the first medal. Track 1 starts with a descent under the arches leading into a sharp right turn. This is followed by a banked left turn, and a jump onto the short dirt section of the track. Make sure to clear the checkpoint, then follow the taller banking round to the right. The grassy section of Track 1 is easily the most treacherous, the car is travelling at its fastest, you have little grip, and the fastest way to the finish is through a narrow gap in the trees.

Course Notes

• Unlike Track 1 on the Summer 2020 campaign which had a very similar start, you can go pretty much straight down the starting hill, take a narrow line on the left side to set yourself up well for the right-hander.
• Aim uphill off the first jump to ensure you don’t fall below the checkpoint upon landing.
• Take a wide line through the banked dirt section; this reduces how much you have to turn and retains your speed heading towards to final stretch.

Track 3

Everyone hates the bobsleigh tracks, but you still have to do them in order to get a high score. The author medal time for Track 3 is incredibly generous and is second on our list. A fast left-right chicane forms the run-up to a large, high banked left hairpin. Upon exiting the corner the track begins to slope uphill, ending with a jump on to an ice-rink-esque platform with some dangerous-looking trees. The finish line is on the left side of the rink.

Course Notes

• Try to hit the banking of the hairpin just a little before it starts to turn to the left, then maintain a position somewhere between the two red lines.
• Turn slightly to the right up the majority of the hill to stay in the middle of the track, then turn left for the last third so you jump in the general direction of the finish.
• Try not to clip the slope on your way down.

Track 8

Let’s return to a more traditional TrackMania setting. Track 8 starts off with an unassuming tarmacked section leading into a sharp right-hand turn then a speed check.

The following tarmacked left turn leads you into the “identity” section of the track - two large grassy half doughnuts with a checkpoint at the halfway point. After the second half doughnut, the road becomes grippy again - follow the track round to the left then make adjustments to stay between the trees on your way to the finish line.

Course Notes

• Start as wide as you can heading into the speed check, landing at the top of the exit ramp will reduce your momentum and prevent you from getting that sweet green medal.
• Don’t underestimate how low you can go around the half doughnuts, like in track 1 it will help to turn your car round.
• Don’t try to take a shortcut deep in the grass on the final straight, clipping the grass is the fastest way.

Track 11

The green-lit night time adventure that is Track 11 is fourth on our list. A long straight opening section is broken up by a grassy central section before the main road itself becomes green and slippery. The first wall ride leads round to a radical upside-down section which is part of a larger right turn.

Drivers get a short reprieve heading into the dirt section but must take on a second wall ride before heading up an icy hill to one of two finish lines.

Course Notes

• Stick like glue to the inside of the first wallride and the right turn in the upside-down section, especially the latter if you want a good run into the second wallride.
• Start high and finish low on the second wall wide, ending up in the wall next to the checkpoint is going to hurt this late in a run.
• Go for the finish line to the right of the track, the jump may take a bit of practice but generally if you are pointing towards that finish line and take off from the centre of the main track you should end up crossing the line for your fourth author medal.
• This is a full-speed track, if you are letting go of W you are taking a bad line. Press the gas and don’t stop until you cross the finish line.

Track 23

If you can nail all the jumps (there’s nine crucial ones), Track 23 is another easy author medal to claim. The first jump is a drop in to a half pipe-esque section which immediately leads into a second jump, taking you to what feels like a normal dirt track. Next comes the biggest jump, which requires the most speed on entry to clear the trees.

Jump number four is a drop onto an adversely banked platform which forms part of a right hand turn.

The fifth jump feels like a repeat of the fourth but at a higher speed but this time the banking is favourable as you turn left towards jump six which is a short hop into a hairpin. Jump seven is straight through the treeline once again, this one allows you to keep your speed high heading into the wallride jump.

After completing the wallride, point your car towards the finish, dive off the platform for jump number nine and try to avoid the trees in the slow-mo section.

Course Notes

• Aim ever so slightly to the left during the first jump, you will avoid losing valuable acceleration time if you are in the air heading into the halfpipe.
• Start turning left before the second jump, this means you will already be drifting round the left turn upon landing.
• Go for the gap in the middle of the two trees nearest the track on the third jump, that line is clear except if you’re going super slowly.

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