Written by What Is the iTested Series?
iRacing opened a new iTested Series this week, running July 21 through July 26, 2026, to give simracers a hands-on look at a revised iRacing multiclass start procedure before any wider rollout. The iTested format is iRacing’s public testing ground: a short-run series built specifically to let the community try out a mechanic or system change and report back, rather than pushing an untested feature straight into the official season schedule.
This time the focus is squarely on how multiclass races get underway. The opening laps are the riskiest stretch of any multiclass event, where big speed differences between GT and Prototype classes create tight, chaotic moments right off the line. iRacing’s engineering team is using this series to trial a start procedure built around more extensive safety car involvement during the formation lap, aiming to smooth out that opening phase before it reaches official events.
The series is set at Watkins Glen International, using the Boot configuration — a layout with enough elevation change and technical variety to properly stress-test how cars of different classes bunch up and separate during a rolling start.
The New iRacing Multiclass Start Procedure Explained
Under the procedure currently used in most multiclass races, the field already forms up on a formation lap behind the pace car before transitioning into a rolling start rather than a standing start. The iTested Series keeps that same rolling-start framework in place, but expands the safety car’s role throughout the formation lap and into the run-up to green flag conditions. Instead of a limited, standard level of involvement, the new approach leans more heavily on safety car control to manage pace and spacing between GT and Prototype classes before releasing the field, with IMSA GTP, LMP2, and GT3 cars all sharing the grid for these test sessions.
Races in the iTested Series are short by design — 30 minutes each — and they run on a tight, predictable schedule, starting every hour on the half hour. That cadence means simracers can jump in repeatedly across the week, experience the new start under different grid conditions, and build a real feel for how the expanded safety car role behaves compared to a single one-off attempt.
How It Differs From the Current Start Procedure
The clearest way to see what’s changing is to line the two approaches up side by side.
| Aspect | Current Start Procedure | iTested Multiclass Procedure |
|---|---|---|
| Start structure | Formation lap into rolling start | Formation lap into rolling start, with expanded safety car control |
| Safety car role | Standard, limited involvement | Expanded, more active management pre-green |
| Classes tested | Standard multiclass grids | IMSA GTP, LMP2, GT3 (GT/Prototype classes) |
| Track | Varies by series | Watkins Glen International – Boot |
| Race length | Series-dependent | 30 minutes |
| Incident points impact | Affect both Safety Rating and iRating | Optional mode: affect Safety Rating only, not iRating |
That last row is arguably the most interesting part of the whole test. iRacing is trialing an option for official-style races where incident points still count toward Safety Rating but no longer touch iRating. It’s a subtle but meaningful shift, one that could change how cautiously — or aggressively — simracers approach the opening laps of a multiclass event without worrying about their competitive rating taking a hit from a start-lap tangle that wasn’t entirely their fault.
Schedule and How to Participate
Getting into the iTested Series doesn’t require any special sign-up beyond the usual iRacing session join process. Here’s the rundown of what participants need to know:
- Dates: July 21–26, 2026
- Track: Watkins Glen International – Boot
- Classes: GT and Prototype classes — IMSA GTP, LMP2, and GT3
- Race length: 30 minutes per session
- Start times: Every hour, on the half hour (:30)
- Reward: Anyone joining at any point during the week earns the iTested Award
- Repeat participants: Simracers who already hold a previous iTested Award can earn another one by joining this series
iRacing is also asking anyone who takes part to save their replays and flag any issues they run into through the dedicated forum thread. That feedback loop is really the point of the whole exercise — much like the community input that shaped recent seasonal patch updates, the series exists to generate data and firsthand reports, not just to give people a new track combo to lap.
Why iRacing Is Testing This Now
Multiclass racing has always been one of the trickier problems in simracing, and starts are where the difficulty is most concentrated. Big performance gaps between GT and Prototype classes — from GTP prototypes to LMP2 cars and GT3 machinery — mean a poorly managed formation lap and rolling start can turn into a first-corner pile-up before anyone’s even settled into their rhythm. By putting a heavier safety car presence into that opening sequence, iRacing is looking to keep classes properly separated and under control right up until the green flag drops.
Running this through a dedicated iTested Series rather than dropping it into an existing official series lets iRacing gather structured feedback in a low-stakes environment first. Nobody’s championship points or season standings are on the line here — just lap after lap of real data on how the new procedure holds up under actual race conditions with three classes sharing the same piece of asphalt.
Community Reaction and What to Expect
With the series only just underway, most of what happens next will be shaped by what simracers report back over these six days. The mix of a technical track like Watkins Glen’s Boot layout, three distinct classes, and a compressed 30-minute race format is designed to surface issues quickly rather than let them hide across a longer event.
For simracers who care about the multiclass side of iRacing, this week is a genuine chance to influence how starts get handled going forward. The forum thread iRacing has set up isn’t just a formality — it’s the mechanism through which this test either gets refined, reworked, or shelved.
FAQ: iTested Series and Multiclass Starts
- When does the iTested Series run? From July 21 through July 26, 2026.
- What track is being used? Watkins Glen International, on the Boot configuration.
- Which classes are involved? GT and Prototype classes — specifically IMSA GTP, LMP2, and GT3.
- How long are the races and when do they start? Each race runs 30 minutes, with sessions starting every hour at the half-hour mark.
- Does the start use a standing start or a rolling start? It’s a rolling start following a formation lap, the same structure as today, but with the safety car playing a much bigger role in managing pace and spacing before the green flag.
- Does joining give any reward? Yes — anyone who participates at any point during the week receives the iTested Award, and even simracers who’ve already earned one previously can get another by joining this series.
- What’s the incident points test about? iRacing is trialing an option where incident points still affect Safety Rating but no longer impact iRating, specifically for this multiclass start format.
- How can I give feedback? Save your replays and post any problems you notice in the dedicated forum thread iRacing has set up for this test.
Key Takeaways
The iTested Series running July 21–26, 2026 gives the iRacing community a direct look at a new iRacing multiclass start procedure built around expanded safety car use during the formation lap and rolling start, not a switch to a standing start. With GT and Prototype classes — IMSA GTP, LMP2, and GT3 — sharing the grid at Watkins Glen’s Boot layout, 30-minute races kicking off every hour on the half hour, and an experimental tweak to how incident points affect ratings, this is a compact but meaningful test. The goal is straightforward: tighten up the most chaotic seconds of any multiclass race before the change ever reaches an official series. Anyone who wants a say in how multiclass starts evolve on iRacing should jump in, save the replay, and head to the forum with feedback while the iTested Series is still live this week.
Source: iracing.com
