Why I-RACING is a big Developmental tool used for Racing

A lot of real race-car drivers use I-racing on their free time to help them get better at racing. I-Racing is a cool simulator for racing. You can change setups and even design your own paint scheme. You see a lot of NASCAR and IndyCar drivers hopping on the sim before and after a race weekend to see what they can do at the next track and what they could have done better. I will go into more detail on why I-Racing is a useful tool.

The #1 reason drivers use I-Racing as a tool is because of the physics of the game. I-Racing has almost every track not only in the US but other countries as well. The tracks are realistic to the real track too, so it helps prepare the driver for their race. They try to add the bumps as well but that might not be as realistic as actually racing. I-Racing has the tire wear and damage the same as how it is in the actual race-car. The car can run out of fuel just like a race-car. You also do pit stops in I-Racing. You can get speeding penalties as well. In the races you can have a spotter as well. You have the choice of racing at night, day, sunny or in the rain. There are a bunch of other conditions you can race in too but those are only a few of them.

The #2 reason drivers use I-Racing as a tool is because of the competitiveness of the game. A lot of famous drivers like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Fernando Alonso use I-Racing daily to help get better in racing. Drivers like William Byron and Rajah Caruth started their racing career in I-Racing. When you join a hosted race, you may end up joining with famous drivers. Some drivers have their own league and race weekly. I-Racing is just as competitive as actually racing because you can get disqualified and receive penalties like in real racing. You can get banned as well for constantly getting penalties. You can move up on your rating which will help you join more professional races. Some races are paid too so you can even earn a lot of money for doing well in a race.

The #3 reason drivers use I-Racing as a tool is because it does not have to cost a lot of money. You can spend tens of thousands of dollars on I-Racing but that that is not required to be competitive. Some drivers have a huge sim setup with the multiple screens and a nice seat with the professional pedals and steering wheel. While some racers just use their tv and a laptop with a steering wheel hooked up to their desk and the pedals underneath. For example, when I used I-Racing I used a PC computer at a table with the steering wheel hooked up to the table and the pedals underneath and sat on a regular table chair. Obviously, you get better graphics if you get a nice monitor, but it is not required. The I-Racing subscription is not too bad on price. For the year its around $150 and that is the most basic tracks and cars. You can buy more cars and tracks for $11-$20 per item. A lot of drivers with the small setup are just as competitive as the ones with the nice setup.

    Those are the top three reasons why I-Racing is such a valuable tool. There are more reasons, but I just wanted to cover the main ones. In my opinion, I-Racing would be a particularly valuable investment for any future racer, current racer, past racer or even just a race fan. You learn so much about handling, setup and driving etiquette by doing an I-Race. If you know nothing about racing, you will learn by doing even one single I-Race.

Written by,
Mary Badgley

Credits

Drive Flat Out – “iRacing Is More Than Just a Car Game”
Go Ahead Take The Wheel – “iRacing and Reality: How Close Are They?”