iRacing Season 3 2025 development update revealed a set of improvements to the GT3 class, including a new GT3 tyre model and new balance of performance rules focused on aerodynamics.
What Was The Problem?
One of the most persistent issues with the GT3 class in iRacing has been the tyre model.
GT3s feel excellent under the limit. There’s bite, downforce works, and the handling is responsive.
But push the tyres even slightly beyond the limit, and you’re punished harshly. The surface overheats, grip disappears, and recovery is slow. Braking, steering, and throttle – every input kills grip.
Tyres behave more dynamically in Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2 and Le Mans Ultimate. You can play with the edge of grip, catch slides, manage slip angles and recover.
What Is Changing?
This problem has been a key focus for the iRacing team over the past six months, and the update is a fundamental rework of how tyres behave in iRacing. The iRacing devs announced:
- Reduced temperature sensitivity and more resilience to sliding with better grip recovery
- Improved stiffness (softer vertical, stiffer lateral)
- Tyre wear is more track- and stint-dependent
- Tyres start cooler, taking several laps to peak
- Overhauled chassis behaviour, ride height setups and aero response
Let’s break down the specific changes from the dev update and discuss why they matter.
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More Resilience To Sliding
First and foremost, tyre temperature sensitivity is being addressed. Small slides will no longer cause a dramatic loss of grip, and recovery should now be much quicker. In addition, spins should no longer ruin your tyres for the remainder of a stint. These adjustments enable an aggressive style and mitigate the consequences of minor mistakes.
Colder New Tyres
iRacing is lowering the starting temperature of tyres when leaving the pits. This means outlaps in the GT3s will now demand more patience as tyres come up to optimal temperature and pressure. The developers estimate that peak lap times will now typically occur on the fourth or fifth flying lap.
This change will have significant implications, especially during iRacing’s standard 8-minute qualifying sessions and opening laps of races.
Tyre Life And Strategy
The new tyre model will also allow drivers to push harder across a stint and extract more overall performance from their tyres. However, this comes at the cost of increased wear, which should lead to a more nuanced tyre strategy in longer races, i.e. managing wear versus building an early lead.
Updated Aerodynamics
Aerodynamic changes will be another major part of this update. Revised downforce and drag are expected to be especially noticeable during side-by-side racing. Different chassis within the GT3 class will also feature more distinctive behaviour.
Ride height sensitivity, yaw response, slide handling and wing angle effects will be re-tuned, and each chassis will get its own unique aero “sweet spot”. As a result, you will need new setups across the board.
Something the team at Coach Dave Academy are already working on!
What Does It Mean For You?
The new GT3 tyre model will likely be similar to the GTP tyre model update released a few months ago. Here are a few tips to adapt to the new tyre model quickly.
- On the out lap, take it easy. Burnouts on the pit exit are detrimental. They overheat the rear tyres, do nothing for the fronts and create an imbalance that makes the car more unpredictable.
- Weaving has minimal impact on tyre temperature but increases wear. While you might be tempted to weave to generate heat, you’re more likely to reduce the tyre’s lifespan unnecessarily.
- Be smooth on the brakes, steering and especially on the throttle. Even a slight excess of throttle can cause the car to snap. It’s critical to maintain control and let the tyres come in naturally.
- Over full stints, tyre wear will be higher than in previous seasons. You can expect a noticeable loss of grip towards the end of each stint. Avoid lock-ups, wheelspin and overdriving in any form.
- If the track temperature is high, tyre conservation becomes even more important. On cooler tracks, you have slightly more leeway.
Final Thoughts
If iRacing nails this GT3 tyre model update, we could see a shift to that more nuanced, dynamic tyre behaviour. You would be able to drive the car at or slightly over the limit, use throttle steering, balance the car mid-slide and gain time rather than be punished for exploring the limits. That would be a big change to how people drive GT3 cars in this simulator.
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