What is "time attack"

n. (context video games English) time trial

A time attack is a type of motorsport where the race cars compete against a clock, and not directly against each other. Each car is timed through one circuit of the track, and there are no other cars on the track at that time. The car makes a preliminary circuit, then runs the timed lap, and then finishes with a cool-down lap.

Time attack and time trial events differ by competition format and rules. Time attack has a limited number of laps, time trial has open sessions.

Unlike other timed motorsport disciplines such as sprinting and hillclimbing, the car is required to start off under full rolling start conditions following a warm up lap where they will have to accelerate out as fast as possible to determine how fast they enter their timed lap. Commonly, as cars consist of modified road going cars, cars are required to have tires authorized for road use.

Time attack events began in Japan in the mid-1960s. They have since spread around the world. An international event known as World Time Attack Challenge has been held at Sydney Motorsport Park, Australia since 2010 attracting the fastest time attack teams from around the globe to compete.