As with every new season, it’s time to analyze, review the schedule, and make smart decisions about what to buy in iRacing. This guide isn’t just technical — it’s built from experience, with practical advice, recommendations, and a few warnings to help you avoid wasting money or time.
When you start in Rookie, you don’t need to buy anything extra beyond the subscription. Both cars and tracks are included as base content. For example, the Formula B, Formula Ford, BMW M2, and Mazda MX-5 come with your subscription, as well as tracks like Laguna Seca, Okayama, Summit Point, and Tsukuba.
The key? Take advantage of this phase to learn without spending an extra cent.
Note: In this guide we cannot analyze all the racing series, we will only cover the most famous road series. Therefore, it is vitally important that you analyze well your series and the content to be used to manage your budget.
- The Season 3 2025 calendar is available for download at this link.
Let’s get started!
Class D: Fun Without Breaking the Bank
Now it gets interesting. Class D offers tons of popular series with high participation:
- BMW M Power
- GR86 Fixed
- Simlab (wild but fun multiclass)
- GT4 Fixed
- Ferrari Challenge (with the new 296 Challenge)
- TCR Fixed
- Formula 4 (standard and regional)
Even without buying new cars, you can run many of these series by investing strategically in tracks. The most repeated and therefore most worthwhile ones include: Monza, Red Bull Ring, Road America, Silverstone, Spa, Watkins Glen, and Road Atlanta.
If you want to buy a car, the new Ferrari 296 Challenge is a solid bet.
For GT4s, they’re all viable — but Mercedes, McLaren, and Cayman are most common.
For Formula Fans
Formula 4 reigns in this class. You can race it in four different series. Must-have tracks for this path: Red Bull Ring, Watkins Glen, Suzuka, Spa, Monza, and Road America.
Class C: Where It Gets Serious
Even if you’re not officially Class C, you can race its series once you reach a safety rating of 4.0. Top picks:
- Advanced Mazda (same MX-5 from Rookie)
- Falken Tire (GT4 + LMP3 multiclass)
- LMP3 Fixed
- Porsche Cup (no ABS or traction control)
- Super Formula Lights and Dallara F3
Key tracks: Spa, Silverstone, Red Bull Ring, Imola, Fuji, Portimao, and Nürburgring (both layouts).
Classes B and A: Pro-Level Racing
If you’ve made it here, you already know the stakes (and excitement) are higher. In Class B, standout series include:
- GT3 (Fixed and Open)
- Prototype Challenge (GTP only)
- GTE (no ABS, more aero)
Formula lovers: the Super Formula SF23 is a beast — and now features rain, making for an epic experience.
In Class A, the king is IMSA: GTP + LMP2 + GT3. Top tracks: Watkins Glen, Spa, Silverstone, Interlagos, Daytona, and Road Atlanta.
Which GT3 Should I Buy?
The short answer: whichever one you like the most.The long answer: meta changes weekly. Popular choices include the Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW, and Porsche.
The most fascinating part is that each car now has a distinct identity. I tested them all under the same conditions and new tyre physics (fixed setups), and the differences are clear:
- McLaren: A precision weapon.
- Mercedes: Exquisite balance. Fast through high-speed corners and very satisfying to drive.
- Corvette Z06: A true joy to drive.
- Ford Mustang: Oddly enough, used to be tolerable, but now feels the most uninspiring of the lot.
- Audi: Hard to trust.
- BMW: Probably the safest of the bunch.
Use demo mode during maintenance to test-drive cars you’ve downloaded (but not bought).
Low-Popularity Series With a Loyal Community
These might not top the charts, but they offer amazing racing and committed communities:
- Vintage Series (GTP + Audi GTO)
- V8 Supercars
- Lotus 49/79
- F1 Class C (mirrors real F1 calendar)
These groups often share setups, race tips, and foster a true team spirit.
Oval Racing: A Whole New World
If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing half of iRacing. Top series:
- Class C Fixed (trucks)
- Gen 4 Fixed (mandatory pitstops)
- IndyCar Oval
Recommended tracks: Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Homestead-Miami, Indianapolis, Iowa, and Michigan.
Strategic Circuit Purchases
To maximize your participation and discounts, it’s important to plan your circuit purchases wisely. Here’s a strategy to ensure you get the most value:
Achieving Minimum Participation:
- 8-Week Participation Goal: Aim to participate in at least 8 weeks of racing to qualify for the participation bonuses.
Discount Strategies:
- 10% Bulk Purchase Discount: Purchase three to five pieces of eligible content (cars/tracks) at once and receive 10% off the total
- 15% Bulk Purchase Discount: Purchase six or more pieces of eligible content (cars/tracks) at once and receive 15% off the total
- 20% Loyalty Discount: Purchase 40 pieces of eligible content (cars/tracks) and receive a 20% discount from that point forward. In other words, once you own 40 pieces of eligible content, every content purchase after that is automatically discounted by 20%
- 30% Loyalty Discount: Purchase all available, full-priced content (cars/tracks) and receive 30% off the total price. This discount is calculated at the time of purchase, which means, if new content becomes available in the future, this would need to be purchased in order to receive the discount again. For example, if there are 100 pieces of content available and you already have purchased 97, you need to purchase the remaining 3 pieces in order to receive the discount, even if you had previously received the discount.
Choosing your iRacing Series
Factors such as car type, track variety, race length, and competition level all play a crucial role in determining the suitability of a series for individual drivers.
Whether you’re a rookie looking to climb the ranks or a seasoned veteran seeking new challenges, there’s never been a better time to explore the world of iRacing series selection. So, what are you waiting for?
Is it worth chasing iRacing bonuses?
You may have noticed that the platform offers bonus credits for completing a minimum number of races within a 12-week schedule of any series. While this may seem like a tempting opportunity to earn some extra credits, it’s important to carefully consider whether or not it’s worth the investment.
In some cases, the cost of chasing these bonuses may be higher than the value of the credits themselves.
To make the most of your content purchases on iRacing, it’s a good idea to only buy tracks and cars that you know you will use frequently.
This will help you get the most value and enjoyment out of your purchases. For example, if you plan to race a particular car in multiple series, it may be worth investing in it.
- Remember, you can join iRacing clicking here.
Happy Racing!
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