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How to Make Ai Setups in Iracing

New to iRacing? Learn how to make AI setups in iRacing the simple way. Step-by-step tips help beginners build stable, confidence-boosting car setups fast.

Quick Answer: how to make ai setups in iracing

“Making AI setups” in iRacing means creating a safe, stable car setup and applying it to your AI races. The easiest way: build a beginner-friendly setup in a Test session, save it, then create an AI event with Fixed Setup and select your file so all AI use it too.

What This Guide Covers

What “how to make ai setups in iracing” means in the iRacing context
Why beginners struggle with setups and AI options
Step-by-step guidance to build and apply a stable setup to AI races
Common mistakes to avoid
A simple practice drill you can run today
When it helps to ask other iRacing drivers for feedback

What “AI setups” Means in iRacing

Plain English: You’re making a car setup (suspension, aero, tire pressures, brake bias) that feels safe and predictable, then running it in AI races. You can also force the AI to use that same setup by running a Fixed Setup AI event.
Analogy: Think of it like choosing “assisted handling” in a driving game, but you’re dialing in the car yourself so it forgives small mistakes while you learn.
Where it is in the UI:
- Build/setup: in-sim Garage during a Test or Practice session.
- Apply to AI: Home > AI Racing > Create AI Race/Season > Rules > Fixed Setup > choose your saved setup.

Note: iRacing doesn’t let you edit each AI driver’s setup individually in the UI. The practical method is to run a Fixed Setup AI event and pick the setup file everyone (you and the AI) will use.

Why This Matters for Rookies

Stability = confidence. A calmer, slightly understeery car helps you learn lines, braking points, and throttle control without constant spins.
Saves Safety Rating headaches. You can practice offline against AI until your muscle memory improves—then hop online cleaner and more consistent.
Faster learning loops. Repeating laps with a predictable setup builds rhythm, which is the fastest way to get better.
Realistic race craft. AI races let you practice starts, traffic, and pit entries with low risk, especially when the car setup isn’t trying to bite you.

Common Problems Beginners Face With AI Setups

Problem 1: “I can’t find where to give AI my setup.”

Why it happens: iRacing doesn’t expose per-AI-driver setups.
How to fix it: Create an AI event with Fixed Setup enabled. Pick your saved setup file. Everyone runs the same setup.

Problem 2: “I saved a setup but it doesn’t show up when I start the AI race.”

Why it happens: Setups are stored by car and track; saving to the wrong folder or track layout hides it.
How to fix it: In the Garage, click Save and choose either the correct track layout folder or the All Tracks folder for that car. Then in AI > Fixed Setup, select it.

Problem 3: “The car is twitchy and I keep spinning.”

Why it happens: Baselines can be edgy, especially on cold tires or high-power RWD cars.
How to fix it: Start with small stability tweaks (see the step-by-step). Focus on brake bias forward, a touch more rear wing (if available), and softer rear anti-roll bar to reduce snap oversteer.

Problem 4: “My AI strength is too easy/hard, so I’m not learning much.”

Why it happens: AI strength isn’t calibrated for your track/series yet.
How to fix it: Use the Calibration option when creating an AI race, or adjust difficulty after a short race until your best lap puts you mid-pack.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Build and Apply a Beginner-Safe AI Setup

Open a Test session: From the UI, pick your car and track, click Test Drive. This gives you a quiet place to tune without pressure.
Load a baseline: In the Garage, load “iRacing Baseline” (or similar). Baselines are a safe starting point.
Do 5 laps on default: Get tire temps up. Note where the car scares you: corner entry (braking), mid-corner (balance), or exit (traction).
Make one change at a time: Keep changes small, then re-test for 3–5 laps.

Stability-first changes most beginners find helpful:

Brake bias: +0.5 to +1.5% forward to reduce rear lockups on entry.
Rear wing (if GT/open-wheel): +1 click for more rear stability.
Anti-roll bars: Soften rear ARB 1 step to reduce oversteer; if the car now pushes too much, go back half a step.
Tire pressures: Keep close to baseline; if exits are slippy, lower rear pressures 0.5–1.0 psi; if the front washes, drop front 0.5 psi. Re-check after tires are hot.
Traction control/engine map (if available): Use a safer TC setting or a conservative engine map while learning.

Save your setup: Garage > Save. Use a clear name like “Rookie_Stable_[Track]”. Save to the car’s All Tracks or the exact track layout.
Create an AI race with Fixed Setup: Home > AI Racing > Create Single Race (or Season) > Rules > toggle Fixed Setup > choose your file. This forces AI to use your stable setup.
Calibrate AI strength: Use the AI calibration tool or set a difficulty where you qualify mid-pack. You want pressure, not panic.
Common pitfall to avoid: Don’t change three things at once. You won’t know what helped or hurt.
Extra tip: Save “A/B” versions after each improvement so you can revert quickly.

Practical Example (Before vs. After)

Before (Typical Rookie)

Loads into an AI race on baseline, no warmup, brake bias too far back.
Locks rears into Turn 1, spins twice, and cranks the wheel harder mid-corner to compensate.
Outcome: Frustration, no rhythm, no idea what actually caused the spins.

After (Correct Approach)

Runs 5 test laps, then +1.0% brake bias forward and +1 rear wing click.
Car feels calmer on entries; exits are cleaner; focuses on consistent braking points.
Outcome: Finishes the AI race with few mistakes and steady lap times. Confidence climbs.

Simple Practice Drill (5–10 Minutes)

Load a Test session at Okayama Full or Charlotte Roval with a stable, low-power car (e.g., MX-5 or GR86).
Do 10 laps focusing only on corner entry: brake in a straight line, release smoothly, and turn once the car is settled.
If you feel rear wiggle under braking, add +0.5% brake bias forward and repeat 5 laps. Ignore lap times; chase smoothness.

Pro Tips for New iRacing Drivers

If the car snaps on throttle exit, soften rear ARB one step or lower rear tire pressure 0.5 psi.
If the car won’t turn mid-corner, try -0.5 psi front tire pressure or a tiny front ARB soften (if available).
Practice in Test and AI races before going online—protect your Safety Rating.
Use replays (chase cam and cockpit) to spot early or late turn-in and brake release timing.
Watch a fast onboard lap and note braking markers and gear choices before changing setups again.
Save setups with clear names and versions. “Stable_v3_Okayama” beats “NewSetup2”.

When to Ask for Help (Gentle Community Push)

If you’re still unsure about setups for AI races, you’re not alone—most new iRacing drivers struggle with this at first. Many beginners join small, relaxed iRacing Discord communities where they can share replays, ask quick questions, and get feedback from more experienced racers. A few friendly comments on your braking or throttle use can speed up your progress.

FAQs About how to make ai setups in iracing in iRacing

Is making AI setups important for beginners?
Yes. A stable setup reduces spins and lets you focus on fundamentals. Using Fixed Setup in AI races also creates a fair, predictable learning environment.
Can the AI use my exact setup?
Yes—run a Fixed Setup AI event and select your saved setup. In open-setup AI races, AI typically uses iRacing-provided setups; per-driver edits aren’t exposed in the UI.
Where are my setup files saved?
In your Documents/iRacing/setups/[Car Name]/[Track Name] folders. Use the All Tracks folder if you want the file to appear at multiple tracks.
Do I need special hardware to make setups?
No. A basic wheel and pedals are enough. The key is small, incremental changes and consistent practice.
Can I practice this completely offline?
Absolutely. Use Test sessions to build the setup, then AI races to practice starts, traffic, and race pace—no impact on Safety Rating.
How long until I feel comfortable?
Most beginners feel a big difference after 2–3 short sessions focused on stability. Within a week of steady practice, your consistency should improve noticeably.

Final Takeaways

Keep it simple: make one change at a time and favor stability over ultimate lap time.
The easiest way to “give AI your setup” is to run a Fixed Setup AI race and select your file.
Practice offline until the car feels predictable, then go online with confidence.

Next session action: Build a “Rookie_Stable” setup for your favorite car, save it to All Tracks, and run a 10-lap AI race with Fixed Setup enabled.

Optional Next Steps

Next: Beginner’s guide to brake bias, tire pressures, and ARB basics
Or read: How iRacing AI strength and calibration work for newcomers