Starting in iRacing can feel like paddling against a storm: frustration, unavoidable crashes, and a constant sense of being trapped in a loop of bad luck. This state, humorously and desperately known as “The Suck”, is where many new drivers get stuck with low iRating and Safety Rating.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Here are some personal and practical tips to endure, learn, and move forward.
1. You’re Not Alone, and You’re Not Doomed
It’s easy to think the system is against you, or that everyone around you is a kamikaze on wheels. The truth is, low splits are filled with drivers learning the ropes… just like you.
Accepting this and adjusting expectations is step one: you’re not in F1, you’re in a chaotic driver school.
2. Prioritize Survival Over Speed
In the words of several veteran racers:
Driving at 90% saves you more than trying for 100% on lap one.”
This doesn’t mean you should be slow, just that you should leave a buffer to react to others’ mistakes (and your own). In these splits, just finishing the race is often what gets you out of the bottom.
3. Learn to Read the Chaos
In lower splits, aggression is often poorly managed. If you see someone approaching erratically, let them go.
Ego doesn’t win races—patience does.
Many of those drivers will crash out on their own in a few corners. Learn who’s worth defending against… and who’s not.
4. Starting from the Pits Is Not Cowardice, It’s Strategy
On crash-prone tracks like Monza or the Nordschleife, starting from the pits can save you from the first-turn carnage.
Yes, you’ll lose places early, but you’ll regain them through consistency and clean driving.
5. Are You Sure You’re Not Part of the Problem?
It’s an uncomfortable question, but an honest one. Are you making mistakes that seem like “bad luck” caused by others? Watch replays, look for patterns, analyze your braking.
Self-criticism isn’t punishment—it’s the most powerful tool you have to improve.
And if you do find mistakes, great: that means you can fix them.
6. Shift Your Focus: From Winning to Improving
When your main goal is to improve your Safety Rating, everything changes.
You begin to seek out consistency, clean lines, smart decisions—not just overtakes.
Ironically, by focusing on that, you’ll also begin to rise in iRating.
7. Use the Content to Your Advantage
Change series, drive more stable cars like the MX-5, or jump into ghost mode to watch high-level drivers manage races.
Watch, mimic, practice.
Like in any sport, it’s not just about playing—it’s about training with purpose.
8. Don’t Quit. Finish Every Race, Even Damaged
Every SR point counts.
Even if you’ve been hit or lost half your car, staying in the race shows discipline and mental strength, two qualities essential for moving up the ranks.
9. Laugh at the Chaos (Sometimes Literally)
Yes, there will be moments where it feels like a racing parody: “I must divebomb before I’m divebombed.” Humor, even dark humor, is an emotional lifeline. Accept that there will be absurd races and wild drivers.
It’s not you vs. them… it’s you surviving among them.
10. “The Suck” Isn’t Forever
Many drivers say it: “Over time, you just get better at predicting and avoiding incidents—even those that feel out of your control.”
There’s no shortcut.
But there is steady progress. What seems impossible now will be just another story later.
Race Your Own Race
Your iRacing journey isn’t just about iRating or SR—it’s about your ability to adapt, learn, and endure. The chaos won’t magically disappear, but you’ll learn how to navigate it better. One day, without realizing it, you’ll look back and see you’ve escaped “The Suck” with scars—but also with hard-earned respect.
Keep racing. Keep learning. And above all, don’t lose the joy in the middle of the madness.
- Remember, you can join iRacing clicking here.
See you on the track!
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