GT racing has never been bigger, be it in real life or virtually. The number of manufacturers that have built competitive recent GT3 cars is well into the double figures, with the rule-set now the global GT racing platform following the death of GTE at the end of 2023.
iRacing has worked on building up its roster of GT3 machinery over the last year or so, and the recent 2024 Season 3 content update brought along two new challengers. These were the Ford Mustang GT3 and the star of this piece, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT.3.
This guide will explain everything you need to know about Chevy’s latest racing offering, and how you can get the best out of it.
Introduction to the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R
The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is the first car Chevrolet has ever built in-house for the GT3 regulations, with its previous offerings, including the C7.R and C8.R, all being run to the GTE ruleset. This was so the brand could compete at the storied 24 Hours of Le Mans, where GT3 cars were not eligible until 2024.
The axing of the GTE rules meant that Chevy needed to build a GT3 to be able to continue its Le Mans, and IMSA Sportscar Championship, journey. Following an extensive development program, the Z06 GT3.R made its debut in the 2024 Daytona 24 Hours.
Chevy utilized a lot of the learning it gained from running the outgoing C8.R, including bringing over its naturally aspirated 5.5-litre flat-plane V8. The engine, which shares 70% of its components with the road-going engine found in the regular Z06, is mounted in the middle of the car to achieve optimal weight distribution.
Like the other GT3 vehicles available within iRacing, the new Corvette is eligible to run in shorter sprint-style series such as the VRS Sprint Series, as well as special endurance events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Daytona 24 Hours, and Fuji 9 Hours. Here are a few examples of where you can race it:
- Fanatec GT Challenge
- Races run over 20 minutes using fixed setups
- VRS Sprint Series
- Consists of 40-minute races with open setups
- IMSA iRacing Series
- Features an open setup championship with 40-minute races
- Features a fixed setup championship with 30-minute races
- Endurance events run over a variety of distances, normally open setup and multi-driver
The basic car setup
With GT3 cars designed to be raced by amateur drivers in real life as well as professionals, each manufacturer strives to make their product easy to drive as quickly as possible. In contests that have amateur (AM) drivers alongside pro racers, the main influence on the final result tends to be how quick the AM is. Therefore, the car that is easiest to drive and gives the less experienced driver more confidence tends to have a better chance at success.
The base layout of the Z06 GT3.R suggests from the outset that it should be a usable vehicle. The engine being mounted in the middle means the weight distribution is more balanced, making it more agile in the bends, while the lack of any turbocharging means the torque curve is nice and smooth.
- Mid-engined layout ensures Z06 GT3.R rotates more naturally than front-engined GT3 cars
- Lack of a turbo means less chance of losing traction under acceleration, making it more approachable for new drivers
Aerodynamics and bodywork
Like its other GT3 rivals, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R features a complex aerodynamic package to help create the downforce needed for rapid lap times. An advanced front splitter and large rear wing work together to create strong peak downforce, while a carbon diffuser underneath the car helps channel further air to the rear wing, enhancing stability in mid and high-speed corners.
The splitter and rear wing are fully adjustable within iRacing, allowing drivers to tweak the balance in faster bends. Keep an eye on the Aero Balance value within the setup screen while tweaking your car – the closer it is to 50% the more evenly balanced the aero load will be.
- Higher aero balance value produces more high-speed oversteer, lower values causes the car to understeer
- Keep front and rear aero settings as close as possible to ensure the car remains as flat as possible, as drag could be negatively affected otherwise
Need some setups?
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- Race setups
- Qualifying setups
- Onboard laps
- Data packs
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Steering and cornering
In terms of overall cornering balance, the Z06 GT3.R handles most like the Ferrari 296 GT3 and Lamborghini Huracan GT3 vehicles, which are also mid-engined. It enjoys a nice level of rotation mid-corner, though on default setup the rear tends to be a little looser than the Ferrari, for example.
It’s not as stable over kerbs as front-engined machines like the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and BMW M4 GT3, making the most of the rotation on corner entry to carry more mid-corner speed and get on the power earlier is the best way to optimize lap speed with the Corvette.
Its natural rotation makes it satisfying to manoeuvre in slow corners, as there’s less strong-arming the car through the bend like front-engined challengers.
- Softening the rear spring rate or anti-roll bar can help to calm down slow-speed oversteer
- Slightly softer springs can also help when attacking kerbs, though too much will affect aero stability as the car pitches more, giving a less stable platform for the floor to work
Power delivery and braking
The braking and acceleration phases of a track can be the most challenging areas to gain time, so all GT3s come equipped with advanced traction control and anti-lock braking systems to make things more accessible for amateur drivers.
As the Z06 GT3.R can suffer from more oversteer than its rivals in slower speed turns, it’s easier to trigger the TC, which cuts the power and slows you down. Running lower TC settings can help reduce the power cut, though ensuring you’re smooth on the throttle is crucial to ensure you don’t spin up the rears.
The Corvette’s naturally aspirated engine helps in this regard, as its smooth torque curve by virtue of not having a turbo means the wheels aren’t as susceptible to losing traction.
The same principle applies under braking; if you trigger the ABS the braking zone will increase due to the wheels being continually released to prevent a lockup.
- Try to run lower TC and ABS settings the more the track is rubbered in, then higher for slipper conditions, like in the wet
- Straightening up the steering on corner exit will help to reduce possible wheelspin, as will smooth throttle application
- Tweaking brake bias can help change behavior under braking, more rearward bias can induce more rotation on entry while forward bias works vice versa
- Going too far either way can cause too much front or rear locking, so finding a good compromise is key
Final Thoughts
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a worthy addition to the GT3 grid in iRacing. Its flat-plane V8 brings a distinctive engine note to the class, while its mid-engined layout makes it a good alternative option for those who feel most comfortable with the likes of the Ferrari 296 GT3, Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3, and Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.
The mid-engined layout makes it a fun and agile option when tackling GT racing, though its slight looseness in slow-speed corners makes it slightly more difficult to drive for newcomers than the Ferrari. Once you get used to it or can tune it out, the Corvette is a great option to secure supremacy at a wide variety of circuits within iRacing.
If you need any track tips or help with adapting your driving style to vehicles with high levels of downforce, check out the Coach Dave Academy YouTube channel which features tutorials and guides from our skilled drivers.
