Stage guide · Mars Cup round 1
Stage 1 — The Opener
Stage 1 is where every Mars Cup campaign begins: a 2.5 km sunset run that teaches the rhythm of low-gravity rally driving. The checkpoints trace a forgiving line through open regolith, with enough dune crests to learn how long your rover really hangs in 0.38 g.
How it drives
Fast and flowing. There are no punishing hazards here — the stage exists to make you internalize braking distances that are much longer than they look, and landings that arrive much later than they would on Earth.
Pace notes
Brake before the crest, not after it — in low gravity the car is airborne longer than your instincts expect.
Follow the checkpoint arrow on the HUD; the direct line is rarely the fast line over dunes.
Use this stage to earn your first medals — gold here funds your first supply crate.