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How to Do Fuel Saving in Iracing

Learn how to do fuel saving in iRacing with a calm, step-by-step guide for iRacing beginners. Save laps, avoid running out of fuel, and race smarter. Start now.

If opening a race and watching your fuel numbers drop makes you nervous, you’re not alone. Many new to iRacing misunderstand fuel saving and either slow too much or run out on the last lap. This article explains, calmly and clearly, exactly what to do so you can finish strong.

Quick Answer

Fuel saving in iRacing means using throttle, shifting, and driving lines to reduce fuel burn while keeping lap time acceptable. Simple actions — short-shifting, coasting into corners, and using fuel maps or the fuel mixture button — cut consumption enough to avoid extra pit stops or limp-home runs.

how to do fuel saving in iracing

First, know how iRacing works for fuel: each car has a base consumption (gallons/lap or liters/lap). That number changes with throttle position, RPM, and engine map. To save fuel, you gently reduce throttle usage, lower RPMs by short-shifting, and use any built-in “fuel” or “mixture” settings if your car supports them. For iRacing beginners, this doesn’t mean driving slowly — it’s about smoother inputs and small strategic changes across many laps.

Why this matters for beginners

Fuel strategy can be the difference between a podium and watching the checkered flag with your car rolling on fumes. New racers often panic and either back off too much (losing positions) or ignore fuel (and need an extra stop). Learning basic saving techniques gives confidence, makes races less stressful, and helps you learn how iRacing calculates fuel use in real time.

Simple Step-by-Step Guide

1. Check the fuel per lap in the car setup screen so you know your baseline.
2. Short-shift one gear earlier than usual on every corner exit to keep RPMs lower.
3. Coast lightly (lift) before braking zones instead of riding the throttle—this reduces consumption without big lap time loss.
4. Use a conservative engine map or the in-car fuel/mix button (if available) on long straights or when in clean air.
5. Monitor fuel remaining and adjust: if you’re consistently 0.2–0.5 laps light at the end, be slightly gentler next stint.

Common Mistakes

• Over-saving: backing off too much costs more time than the fuel you saved. Fix: aim for 0.1–0.5s/lap slower, not 1+ second.
• Ignoring traffic: saving while stuck behind slower cars can be pointless. Fix: draft when possible; save in clear air or on long straights.
• Panic mixing: flipping fuel mix on/off frequently causes mistakes. Fix: plan when to save (middle stint, full-course caution windows) and stick to it.

Quick Pro Tips

• Practice in a test session: use the fuel readout to see the impact of one change at a time.
• Learn which corners you can short-shift without losing time (usually long, flat exits).
• Use telemetry or iRacing’s app to compare fuel usage between laps after practice.
• For oval racing, lift earlier on the exit of banking transitions to save without losing momentum.
• Small, consistent gains beat big, erratic changes.

FAQs

Q: Will fuel saving always make me slower?
A: Slightly — but the goal is minimizing time loss per lap while avoiding pit stops. Done right, it’s net gain.

Q: How do I know if I need to save fuel?
A: Check fuel per lap and planned stint length. If required fuel > available, adjust strategy.

Q: Where can I ask for help as an iRacing beginner?
A: Try iRacing’s official forums, rookie leagues, and friendly iRacing Discord communities — they’re great for car-specific tips and setups.

Final take: Try one change per practice run (short-shift or use a fuel map) and watch the readout. That single habit will teach you more about fuel saving than anything else.