Do you feel like you want to progress from the usual iRacing open lobbies into something more professional? Fancy winning a bundle of cash by beating your rivals? Then the next season of the Turn Racing Grand Prix Series may be just up your street.
Utilising iRacing’s howling three-litre V10 Dallara iR-01 single-seater, the Turn Racing GP Series brings together 26 of the service’s fastest drivers to battle it out across ten rounds, staged at some of the most infamous and thrilling virtual racing venues.
Due to the high skill level needed to be chosen to contest the championship, there are several hoops you’ll need to jump through before you can participate. This guide will outline the steps you need to take to have a chance at winning a slice of the $25,000 prize pool.
The car
The Dallara iR-01 single-seater racer is the car of choice for this series. Powered by a naturally aspirated V10 motor, similar to those used in Formula 1 during the 1990s and 2000s, the iR-01 is meant to simulate what most current F1 fans wish modern-day vehicles that take part in the series would be like.
The V10 provides a significantly more raw and visceral sound relative to F1’s current turbocharged V6 engines, while the specially designed aero package provides even better racing.
Dallara used all its extensive knowledge of aerodynamics to ensure the iR-01 creates nearly as much downforce as a contemporary F1 racer while creating less dirty air. This means that drivers can follow one another much closer, thus increasing the closeness of the racing.
- Do you want to learn more about the Dallara iR-01? Check out our guide to the car here.
Need setups for the series?
Our iRacing Setup Subscription allows you to focus purely on your on-track performance. And, with access to our free Coach Dave Delta app, installing them couldn’t be any easier.
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- Qualifying setups
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Race series format
The Turn Racing GP Series runs for a total of ten weeks, with its last iteration running between September and November 2023. A total of 26 drivers make up the full grid, with the top 12 in points at the end of the season retaining their licence to race for the following year.
Should any drivers not have taken part in the previous season – or finished lower than 12th in the points standings – then there is also a qualifying series before the main one that will decide the final 14 entrants joining the already-seeded 12.
The qualifying series runs over a particular number of laps rather than time, the races running to the same length as the main championship. The qualifier has only seven rounds, running from early July to late August.
- Races across both series run for around 45 minutes
- At least one pit stop must be made during the race, with two different compounds used at some point
- Soft compound the fastest but least durable, medium less grip but more durability, hard has the least grip of the trio but with the best durability
Both the Turn Racing GP and qualifying series feature identical structures in terms of the pre-race format.
- Both have three-minute practice sessions before qualifying
- Both feature an eight-minute qualifying test that grants you two laps to secure the best place possible on the starting grid
The top 15 drivers in each race score points, with the winner adding 25 points to their account as the total reduces to one for 15th. The driver who achieves the fastest race lap will score an extra point.
What license is needed to race?
The Turn Racing GP Series requires each driver to hold an A-Class road racing licence to enter. This also goes for the pre-season qualifying championship.
This can be achieved by working up the iRacing ladder and running in series such as FIA F4, Formula C Dallara as well as the B-level Formula B Super Formula or US Open Wheel B fixtures.
- You can read more about how the iRacing license progression tree works in our guide, here.
Series costing
Both the Turn Racing GP Series as well as the qualifying events are held at tracks that need to be paid for to run on them. Based on the 2023 calendar, if you haven’t attempted the series before you’d need to purchase 12 tracks to complete every round of the qualifiers and the main series.
This adds up to just under $180, with the cost of the Dallara iR-18 pushing the total up to around $192 for the full season.
It is possible to only race in eight of the ten rounds of the main series to remain eligible to keep your licence for the following year. However, securing a top 12-point spot in points after missing two rounds will be tricky given the high level of competition.
- Do you want to cut costs on iRacing? Check out our guide on how to get started in the cheapest way possible.
What’s so special?
The Dallara iR-01 provides incredible racing as a result of its low-drag aero package, which also prevents dirty air from seriously affecting the balance of the following driver.
This means that closer racing is infinitely possible, while it also allows drivers with a slight pace disadvantage to remain in the game and instead use their potentially superior racecraft to make the distance by correctly utilising the slipstream.
The opportunity to win a hefty cash price also makes the Turn Racing GP Series one to strive for. The eventual champion of the series after ten rounds will receive $10,000, with the top ten in the final standings all receiving a payout. There are also specific race winnings to be won, with the total pool for each race being $600.
- If you want to practice your racecraft at the forefront of any race you enter, why not bolt on a setup tirelessly worked on by Coach Dave Academy’s expert engineers?
How to make a difference
Due to the Turn Racing GP Series’ use of pit stops to add another variable to each event, being able to select the correct strategy for every race can be the difference between winning and losing.
Understanding how powerful the slipstream effect is is also important, as while starting on a harder tyre may allow you to enjoy better performance than your rivals in the latter stages, you may lose too much time if you fall out of slipstream range.
They can therefore make the most of their time on the softer, faster rubber early on and use the slipstream to defend even if you catch them later.
- Testing is important per track to ensure you have a handle on the pace difference across a stint between each tyre to nail your strategy
- Tracks with high slipstream effect may change the ideal strategy, as time lost on harder tyres with loss of slipstream could make top result difficult
- Try and find a ‘mate’ to slipstream with, as significant time can be found due to lack of aero wash effect with iR-01
These tips should allow you to challenge at the front of the pack consistently, even if you lack a bit of raw pace at some venues.
In a championship such as the Turn Racing GP where overtaking is relatively straightforward, going off-piste strategically could allow you to make the difference where it counts.
- Remember to download the free Coach Dave Delta app today to access the full range of setups to fight for supremacy whenever you hit the track!
