Most iRacing teams “practice” by hotlapping in the same server and calling it preparation. To actually move results, practice needs structure, shared goals, and a simple way to divide track time between drivers.
Core team practice types
Think of team practice as four repeatable modules you can mix and match each week. Each module has a clear purpose and a simple success metric.
Pace runs (fuel and tyre)
Goal: Establish realistic stint pace, fuel use, and tyre behavior over time.
- Run full‑fuel or race‑start fuel stints at target race pace, not quali pace.
- Log average lap time, tyre wear by axle, and fuel used per lap or per stint.
- Aim to find a “safe” pace you can hold under race conditions, not a single hero lap.
Pace runs feed directly into strategy decisions: how long you can stay out, whether double‑stinting tyres is viable, and what lap times you should expect late in a run.
Consistency runs
Goal: Reduce mistakes and tighten lap‑time spread.
- Drivers target a pace they can repeat, then run 10–20 laps trying to keep every lap within a small delta (for example, ±0.5s).
- If a mistake happens, the goal is to reset and re‑establish rhythm quickly rather than overdrive to “get time back.”
- Review which corners create most variability and adjust braking, references, or lines there first.
Consistency runs are where many seconds of “free” race time hide, especially for less experienced drivers.
Traffic management drills
Goal: Get comfortable with passing and being passed without chaos.
- Use a hosted or team session where some drivers run faster classes and some slower, or simply agree on different pace targets.
- Practice specific scenarios:
- Fast car passing into and out of slow complexes.
- Slower car holding predictable lines and choosing where to let faster classes through.
- Focus on clear, short comms: “Holding line inside, let him go outside,” “LMP behind, pass after exit.”
These drills pay off massively in multiclass endurance where bad traffic decisions cause more incidents than raw pace limits.
Pit entry/exit rehearsal
Goal: Make pitlane transitions safe, fast, and repeatable.
- Practice pit entries at race pace with the same fuel and tyres you expect in the event.
- Rehearse braking points, pit limiter activation, and line choice to avoid unsafe entries.
- Practice exits into traffic: rejoin lines, mirror checks, and cautious first corners out of the pits.
A small number of committed pit entry/exit reps can save seconds every stop and avoid drive‑throughs or crashes in pit lane.
How to divide limited time across multiple drivers
Most teams struggle with limited overlapping hours, especially across time zones. Use a simple priority model to slice up your session.
For a 2‑hour team practice with 3–4 drivers:
- 15–20 minutes: Group warm‑up
- Everyone joins, does a few laps, and checks hardware, overlays, and comms.
- 40–50 minutes: Focus block (rotate drivers)
- Driver A: 20–25 minutes of pace + consistency runs.
- Driver B: 20–25 minutes of the same while others watch deltas or ride along.
- 30–35 minutes: Team drills
- Traffic management and pit entry/exit, swapping who is “fast” and “slow.”
- 10–15 minutes: Cool‑down and notes
- Quick round‑table plus logging key findings.
If you have more drivers than seats, rotate each block: two in the car, others watching, spotting, or reviewing telemetry and replays live. This keeps everyone engaged without creating chaos on track.
What to record after each session
If nothing gets written down, you will repeat the same mistakes next week. Keep a simple shared document with a few key sections.
Recommended notes:
- Setup notes
- Baseline used, changes made (wing, camber, pressures, ARB), and what effect they had.
- Track conditions (time of day, temperature) so you can compare like with like later.
- Stint notes
- For each driver:
- Average lap time and typical delta spread.
- Fuel used per lap or per stint.
- Tyre wear observations and when fall‑off became noticeable.
- Any “trouble corners” with brief comments (for example, “rear loose on entry T3, brake too late when tyres old”).
- For each driver:
- Comms notes
- What callouts worked well and what caused confusion.
- Any overload moments (too much talking) or silence when critical information was needed.
- Proposed keyword or phrasing changes for next time.
Keep notes lightweight—bullets, not essays—so recording them becomes a habit instead of a chore.
“Good enough” practice for casual teams
Not every team wants or needs a full endurance academy. Casual groups can still improve quickly with a minimal structure.
For a short, 60–90 minute casual practice:
- 10–15 minutes: Warm‑up and quick chat about goals for the session.
- 25–30 minutes: Mixed pace/consistency runs for each active driver, with simple feedback like “aim for within 0.7s of your average.”
- 15–20 minutes: Pit entry/exit rehearsal and a few planned traffic passes.
- 10–15 minutes: Quick debrief:
- One thing that felt better than last time.
- One corner or situation to focus on in the next session.
If you do this once a week, your “casual” team will still build shared references, confidence, and race‑ready habits that show up in results.
Turn this into a repeatable practice model
To make this sustainable, template your practice plan so every session follows the same rough structure:
- Session goal (for example, prep for upcoming 6h, or just build consistency).
- Which modules you’ll run (pace, consistency, traffic, pits).
- Who drives when and what they’re focusing on.
- Where to log findings afterward.
Pair this with your existing endurance planning and teammate‑vetting processes (for example, a simple scorecard or checklist) and your team will feel more like a coordinated program than a random group of drivers sharing a paint.
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