By means of hot torsion tests, the static recrystallisation critical temperature (SRCT) has been determined for 18 microalloyed steels classified into two groups. In one group the metallic microalloying element is vanadium, and in the other it is niobium. In both groups the microalloying element, carbon, and nitrogen contents vary from one steel to another. Tests have been carried out at various strains and strain rates, and recrystallisation-precipitationtime-temperature (RPTT) diagrams have been drawn for each steel in each condition. The SRCT is the asymptote of strain induced precipitation start Ps and end Pf curves, and its determination has permitted the construction of a model that quantifies the effects of all the external variables implicit in hot working such as strain and strain rate, and the internal variables such as austenite grain size and chemical composition of the steel. Hence, the influence of each of these variables has been quantified, and the model's prediction, comparing experimental values with calculated values, gives a correlation index of ∼ 0.9. © 2001 IoM Communications Ltd.