How to Get Ready for an iRacing Special Event

Among sim racing enthusiasts, a significant portion race with GT3 and LMH/LMDH cars. Endurance races are often considered the pinnacle for these categories. Events like the 24 Hours of Spa, 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans (10 hours of Road Atlanta), or the 24 Hours of Daytona represent an extremely appealing challenge for sim racers, from top-level competitors to casual enthusiasts.

In this article, we will delve step-by-step into how to prepare for similar events:

Let’s start with the most obvious aspect: deeply knowing the track provides a solid foundation to build performance but, most importantly, consistency. The best endurance drivers are those who consistently hit the same lap times.

In an endurance race, especially a multiclass one, you are always in traffic (except during the very first stint). Managing lapped traffic effectively or understanding how to be safely overtaken (if you’re driving a lower-category car) is an area where many tenths or even seconds can be gained. To train this skill, it’s essential to participate in many races (on the same track) in preparation for the event.

A special event isn’t raced alone. Refining the chemistry with your teammates is crucial. Some stints will have to be driven at night. It can be useful to assign these hours to the drivers who are less affected by fatigue during nighttime hours.

The race doesn’t last just an hour, and it’s not a solo effort. A setup must be developed that is not only fast but, above all, consistent for the entire stint. It’s not always possible to assemble a team of drivers with identical driving styles. The setup will typically be a compromise between the preferences of the various drivers.

Knowing every aspect that affects performance is fundamental. You need to precisely know the fuel consumption per lap, how many laps can be completed in a stint, how long a stint lasts, and how many stints are required in the race. Creating an Excel runsheet with formulas to calculate consumption can be very helpful. You must also be quick to recalculate the strategy in case of unforeseen events.

To increase confidence on the track and fine-tune the strategy, completing entire stints is very useful. This helps calculate the actual consumption during a stint and understand how the car evolves as fuel burns off and tires wear down.

Take, for example, the ClubSport DD+ base (the latest released by Fanatec, featuring new hardware and software for even more refined force feedback). It’s not necessary to set a particularly high steering load, as this would only cause fatigue. It’s more beneficial to set the force feedback slightly lower to access more detailed feedback.

Sim racing has become a legitimate training tool even for top-tier drivers. To maximize your focus during the race, it’s advisable to eat light, drink as much as possible, and rest when it’s not your turn to drive to recover energy. Working on your breathing can also significantly lower your heart rate, helping you stay clear-headed while tackling the track.