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MissionsupportingSide missionModerate

The Beast in Me: The Big Race

The final race in Claire Russell's racing series, where V must decide whether to pursue victory or follow Sampson after the race takes a personal turn.

RoleFinale of Claire Russell's optional street-racing storyline
StatusReleased
Importancesupporting
RewardPotential access to the Beast and, depending on the outcome, Cthulhu.
  • Mission typeSide mission
  • Primary activityVehicle race
  • Main locationSanto Domingo
  • Combat focusLow
  • Choice focusRace or pursue Sampson
  • MissableYes

This mission does not use a conventional recommended level or fixed combat difficulty.

Key Takeaways

Keep the following points in mind before starting the final event.

  • The mission is a driving test Most of the mission is spent navigating the race route rather than fighting enemies on foot. Brake before sharp turns and avoid unnecessary collisions, because recovering from a spin can cost more time than taking a corner cautiously.
  • The race has a meaningful branch When Sampson leaves the route after his vehicle is damaged, V can either keep racing or follow him. The choice affects Claire's outcome and the vehicle rewards available after the mission.
  • Dialogue can change the result If V follows Sampson, Claire's confrontation provides an opportunity to argue against killing him. Keep the conversation focused on restraint if the goal is to preserve Sampson and receive the additional vehicle reward associated with that outcome.
  • The mission is missable The Big Race is part of an optional side-mission chain. It will not be available if V never completes the earlier races and maintains contact with Claire.

The Beast in Me: The Big Race

The Big Race is the concluding mission in Claire Russell's The in Me series in Cyberpunk 2077.

The mission begins after V has taken part in Claire Russell's earlier races. Claire invites V to the final event and asks V to drive Beast, her heavily modified racing vehicle. The objective appears straightforward at first: complete the course and win the race, while managing the hazards created by traffic, tight turns, barriers, and the other drivers.

The race changes when 's vehicle is damaged and he leaves the main route. V can continue toward the finish line or follow him. Continuing treats the event as a competition, while pursuing Sampson keeps Claire's personal motive at the center of the mission and opens the dialogue that determines whether the confrontation ends in revenge or restraint.

The Big Race is less about a conventional combat encounter than about driving control and a late mission decision. There is no standard loot-room sequence or boss fight to prepare for. The important practical choice is whether to prioritize the race or stay with Claire and Sampson when the route branches.

Where this sits

Earlier racesComplete the preceding events in the series
The Big RaceCurrent mission
  1. 1The Beast in Me: City CentermissionEarlier race in Claire's series.
  2. 2The Beast in Me: BadlandsmissionEarlier race in Claire's series.
  3. 3The Beast in Me: Santo DomingomissionEarlier race in Claire's series.
  4. ●The Beast in Me: The Big RacemissionThe final race and current mission.

The Big Race concludes Claire Russell's optional racing storyline.

Requirements

The mission becomes available through Claire Russell's sequence of street races.

  • RequiredComplete the preceding The Beast in Me racesV must progress through Claire's earlier events before the final race can be arranged.
  • RequiredAccept Claire Russell's invitationThe final event begins after Claire contacts V and confirms the meeting details.
  • RecommendedBring a controllable vehicleThe mission supplies the relevant racing setup, but V still needs to be able to drive to the meeting point and follow the route.

Objectives

  1. Meet Claire Russell for the final raceTravel to the marked meeting point and speak with Claire before the event begins.
  2. Complete the raceFollow the route and pass the checkpoints while keeping Beast under control.
  3. Decide whether to pursue SampsonWhen Sampson leaves the race after his vehicle is damaged, choose between continuing the competition and following him.
  4. Resolve the confrontationIf V follows Sampson, speak with Claire and determine whether the confrontation ends in killing or restraint.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Meet Claire Russell

    Meet Claire Russell at the starting point

    Follow the mission marker to the final race gathering in Santo Domingo and speak with Claire Russell. She explains the situation around Sampson before the race begins, so listen to the conversation if you want the context for the later choice.

    Location: Santo Domingo

    TipMake a manual save before entering the vehicle if you want to compare both branches without replaying the earlier races.

    Checkpoint
  2. 02

    Get into Beast

    Enter Beast and wait for the race to start

    Get into Beast when prompted and remain in the vehicle through the starting sequence. Once the race begins, the mission is driven from the vehicle, so avoid leaving the car or wandering away from the marked route.

    Location: Race starting area

    Watch outAbandoning the event or failing to stay with the race can end the attempt and require a reload or restart.

  3. 03

    Race to the finish

    Follow the checkpoints through the course

    Drive through each marked checkpoint and use the route indicator to anticipate the next turn. The course mixes open stretches with tighter urban corners; brake before turns instead of relying on a last-second handbrake spin.

    Location: Santo Domingo race route

    TipLeave room around barriers and civilian traffic. A clean, slower corner is usually safer than forcing a pass and losing control.

  4. 04

    Stay in the race

    Keep Beast under control during the pack

    The other racers and the course geometry can push Beast into traffic or walls, especially when several vehicles converge at a turn. Recover by straightening the vehicle before accelerating again, rather than trying to regain speed while sliding sideways.

    Location: Santo Domingo race route

    Watch outCrashes are most costly near checkpoint turns because a spin can send V away from the intended route and make the next marker difficult to locate.

  5. 05

    Choose whether to pursue Sampson

    React when Sampson leaves the race

    A late-race incident damages Sampson's vehicle and takes him away from the normal route. At this point, the mission presents its central branch: continue toward the finish line or follow Sampson and Claire.

    Location: Late section of the race route

    Missable
  6. 06

    Finish the race

    Continue to the finish if victory is the priority

    If V stays on the marked course, keep passing checkpoints until the race concludes. This path avoids the direct confrontation and treats the event as a race rather than Claire's pursuit of Sampson.

    Location: Race finish route

    Watch outChoosing the finish-line route closes the opportunity to intervene directly in the confrontation with Sampson during this mission.

  7. 07

    Follow Sampson

    Follow Sampson if you want to intervene

    If V chooses to pursue him, leave the normal race route and follow Sampson's damaged vehicle. Stay close enough for the objective to update, but do not turn the pursuit into a reckless collision that sends Beast into obstacles.

    Location: Off-route section near the race course

    CheckpointMissable
  8. 08

    Confront Sampson

    Reach the confrontation

    The pursuit leads to a stop where Claire confronts Sampson. Exit or remain positioned as the prompt requires, then let the dialogue play out; the mission's decisive outcome is determined by the conversation rather than by a separate boss battle.

    Location: Sampson's crash site

    Watch outDo not drive away after reaching the crash site. Leaving the area can prevent the dialogue branch from completing.

  9. 09

    Resolve the confrontation

    Argue for restraint if you want Sampson to survive

    Choose dialogue that challenges Claire's desire for revenge and asks her to spare Sampson. The exact wording can vary with the conversation, but the relevant approach is to oppose an execution rather than encourage Claire to finish the conflict.

    Location: Sampson's crash site

    Missable
  10. 10

    Complete The Big Race

    Collect the aftermath reward

    After the confrontation or race conclusion, speak with Claire when the mission directs V to do so and allow the follow-up conversation to finish. The available vehicle reward depends on the branch, with the restraint outcome providing the opportunity for an additional reward from Sampson.

    Location: After the race

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The race uses ordinary vehicle handling rather than a special combat system. The useful skills are route reading, controlled braking, and recovering from contact with traffic or barriers. Because the course is marked by checkpoints, the route indicator is more reliable than trying to follow the other racers through every turn.

The mission's most important mechanic is the transition from race to pursuit. 's damaged vehicle changes the objective and moves V away from the normal course. Continuing the race is not a failure; it is a deliberate branch that prioritizes the competition over Claire's personal confrontation.

Following Sampson turns the final section into a dialogue resolution. There is no need to win a gunfight to determine the result. The key is to remain at the crash site and use the conversation to either support Claire's revenge or argue that Sampson should be spared.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The mission gives Claire's racing storyline a clear personal resolution instead of ending with a routine checkpoint race.
  • The branch is easy to understand: V can keep racing or follow Sampson when the situation changes.
  • The event rewards careful driving more than a specialized combat build.

Weaknesses

  • Vehicle collisions can make the narrow sections unpredictable and may force a restart.
  • The most substantial character outcome is tied to a late choice, so players who continue to the finish miss the confrontation branch.
  • The mission provides limited value to players looking for a conventional firefight or exploration-heavy quest.

Best uses

  • Save before the final race to test both outcome paths.
  • Use the race as a low-combat break from Cyberpunk 2077's shooting and stealth missions.
  • Follow Sampson when the goal is to see Claire's storyline through to its personal resolution.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Continue racing after Sampson leaves the route

    V completes the competition and does not take part in the direct confrontation at the crash site. This branch does not provide the opportunity to save Sampson during the mission.

    Spoiler
  • Follow Sampson and support Claire's revenge

    Claire is allowed to resolve the confrontation violently. V can still receive the Beast vehicle through the associated conclusion, but Sampson's additional vehicle reward is not available from the spared outcome.

    Spoiler
  • Follow Sampson and argue that Claire should spare him

    Claire can be persuaded to let Sampson live. This outcome preserves Sampson and can lead to Cthulhu becoming available, while Claire's vehicle reward remains associated with the completed storyline.

    Spoiler

Checklist

  • Complete the earlier races in The Beast in Me storylineThe Big Race is the final event rather than the first mission in the chain.
  • Speak with Claire Russell before entering BeastThe pre-race conversation establishes the personal context for the final choice.
  • Save before starting the raceA save makes it easier to review the alternate outcome without repeating the entire series.
  • Follow every race checkpointThe marker route is safer than copying the other drivers through every corner.
  • Decide whether to continue racing or pursue SampsonThis is the mission's central branch.
  • Remain at the crash site if pursuing SampsonLeaving before the confrontation resolves can interrupt the mission.
  • Use restraint-focused dialogue if Sampson's survival is the goalThe outcome is settled through the conversation with Claire.Optional
  • Speak with Claire after the eventThe final vehicle reward and mission completion are handled through the aftermath.

Failure conditions

  • Abandoning the raceLeaving the event area or failing to remain with the vehicle sequence can end the current attempt.
  • Losing control during the courseA crash or spin can send Beast away from the checkpoint route and may cause the race objective to fail if V cannot recover.
  • Leaving Sampson's crash siteIf V follows Sampson, driving away before Claire's confrontation is complete can prevent the branch from resolving.
  • Choosing the finish-line branchThis is not a mission failure, but it permanently gives up the opportunity to intervene in Sampson's confrontation for that playthrough of the mission.

On failure

The safest restart point is a manual save made before the final race. The mission's branch occurs late, so relying only on an automatic checkpoint may not preserve both choices.

RewardsSpoilers

  • Beast
    Claire's vehicle can become available as the principal vehicle reward for completing the racing storyline, depending on the final outcome.
  • Cthulhu
    Sampson's vehicle can become available when V follows him and persuades Claire to spare him.
  • Mission completion
    Completing the event advances the conclusion of Claire Russell's The Beast in Me storyline.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

The final reward depends on how V handles Sampson

Completing the race alone resolves the competition but bypasses Claire's confrontation. Following Sampson and arguing for his survival produces the most expansive vehicle outcome, because it can make both Beast and Cthulhu available through the characters' separate follow-up rewards.

Trivia

  • The mission is the finale of Claire Russell's multi-race side-mission chain.
  • The title continues the chain's recurring Beast imagery through Claire's racing vehicle.
  • Unlike many late-game missions in Cyberpunk 2077, the climactic decision is made during a vehicle pursuit and dialogue scene rather than a required boss encounter.

Relationships

characters

vehicles

  • BeastRace vehicleClaire Russell's vehicle, used during the race and associated with the mission's reward.