Boost Pads can be found strategically positioned around each course. Drive or drift over one for an instant boost of speed. — Description Team Sonic Racing instruction manual
The Boost Pad[1] is a gimmick that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series and its spin-offs. They are panels that grant the playable characters' vehicles a brief speed boost.
Description
Surmised, the Boost Pad is a line consisting of purple and violet arrow markings. However, its exact appearance has differed over the course of the series. As their primary function, the Boost Pads will automatically send the playable characters forward with a instant burst of speed that exceeds their current driving speed as soon as they drive or drift over the Boost Pad. However, Boost Pads can only launch the playable characters in one direction and their speed boost does not last for long.
Boost Pads are always placed on the main roads and can be found in strategic positions around each course. Generally speaking, they can appear by themselves or alongside others in one location. Also, while usually used to reach high driving speeds, Boost Pads also serve on many courses to guide the playable character down certain pathways by shooting them in the right direction.
The Boost Pad made its first appearance in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. In this game, they are oblong panels on the ground with orange outer frames on the sides and front and a gray frame on their rear side. They also have a sharp point on their front side, and inside them are glowing purple and violet arrow markings. Other than that, nothing special can be said about these Boost Pads.
In Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the Boost Pads are designed like short glowing lines with purple and violet arrow marks. In this game, they appear as panels on the ground along the courses' car mode sections. Along the courses' boat and plane sections on the other hand, the Boost Pads always appear in sets of four. These pads float in midair (and underwater) and are arranged in a circle with their arrows pointing towards their circle's center, forming something akin to a gate. In order to receive these gates' speed boost, the player has to steer their vehicle into their center.
Team Sonic Racing
In Team Sonic Racing, the Boost Pads generally possess the same design they had in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, meaning they resemble glowing lines with purple and violet arrow marks. However, in this game, they are made up of several glowing blocks. Other than that, nothing special can be said about these Boost Pads.
Boost Pads can be found strategically positioned around each course. Drive or drift over one for an instant boost of speed. 
