5 best race events to try in GTA Online in 2025

Races are an important part of the GTA Online experience, and every player must try them at least once. Rockstar Games also offers a handful of race events featuring various missions. You can race using cars, motorcycles, aircraft, boats, RC vehicles, and F1 vehicles.

This article lists five of the best race events in GTA Online that you should try in 2025.

Note: This article contains the personal and subjective opinions of the writer. The listing is not in any order.

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5 best race events worth trying in GTA Online in 2025

1) Drift Races

Use your drifting skills to win races in Grand Theft Auto Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

While drifting has always been a part of the GTA Online driving experience, Rockstar Games made it official by introducing Drift Races in December 2023. You can play the following Drift Races with other players:

• A Hill To Die On
• Beach Slap
• Highway Code
• Let Fly
• Smoke and Mirrors
• Textile City Limits
• Wide Berth
• Go with the Flow
• Gang’s All Here
• Buckle Down

Keep in mind that strong drifting skills are essential to winning these race missions. Rockstar also made it mandatory to use vehicles that are compatible with the Drift Tuning Modification. You can use the Karin Futo GTX to participate in these races.

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2) Drag Races

Drag Races are the newest additions to the GTA Online racing experience. It is the only form of race mission where you get to change vehicle gears manually. Rockstar Games offers the following missions under this category:

• Bluff It
• Drag It Out
• High n Dry
• Kickin' Sand
• Make the Pass
• Natural Highs
• Playing Chicken

While the races are relatively short, you will surely have a great time playing them. Keep in mind that you will have to perfectly balance the speed of the vehicle and the gear it is running. You can also use nitrous in vehicles during these missions.

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3) Hao's Special Works Race Series

As the name implies, these race missions require you to have the Hao’s Special Works upgradable vehicles, which are only available on the GTA Online Expanded and Enhanced version. Rockstar offers the following 20 race missions for eligible players:

• HSW - Cutting Coroners
• HSW - Dock Ring
• HSW - Dorset Drive
• HSW - Downtown Underground
• HSW - Greenwich Meantime
• HSW - In the Grove
• HSW - Lost and Found
• HSW - Over the Hump
• HSW - Pier 2 Pier
• HSW - Scenic Route
• HSW - Senora Freeway
• HSW - Stadium Tour
• HSW - Taking Off
• HSW - The City Commute
• HSW - Crossing Paths
• HSW - Dipping In
• HSW - Dockyard
• HSW - Grapeseed Circuit
• HSW - Learning Curve
• HSW - Panic Stations

You will have a great time playing these missions as they require some of the fastest vehicles in the game.

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4) Pursuit Race Series

While most of the GTA Online races do not trigger the cops, the Pursuit Race Series spawns police cars by default. These are street races where you will have to compete against both other players and the cops. The missions are as follows:

• A Real Education
• Get Trucked
• Good Bet
• Groving
• Industrial Action
• It's Terminal
• Join the Club

Keep in mind that you can only use the Tuner Race Class vehicles in these missions.

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5) Transform Races

Be prepared for surprises in these races in Grand Theft Auto Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

These races in GTA Online change your vehicle after every transform checkpoint. You can get planes, bikes, cars, and even parachutes during the race. While Rockstar offers 39 Transform Races, you can try the following ones in 2025:

• Get Wrecked
• Neon Mountain
• Slam Dunk
• Split Personality
• Dockades of Fun
• Dead Drop

The race track can include land, water, and air routes. These races are fun to play with others as you never know what vehicle you will get next.

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