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How to See Lap Times in Iracing

Beginner-friendly guide on how to see lap times in iRacing. Quick steps, common mistakes, and simple iRacing tips for new to iRacing drivers. Fast, clear, useful.

If you’ve ever fired up iRacing and felt lost by the HUD and menus, you’re not alone. Many iRacing beginners freeze at the thought “where are my lap times?” This short guide removes the mystery and gives calm, clear steps so you can check your times and get back to improving.

Quick Answer — how to see lap times in iracing

The fastest way to see your lap times in iRacing is to open the session results or the in-sim timing app: press Esc → Session Info/Results during a session, or enable the Timing Bar/Timing Window from the garage HUD options. Both show current lap, best lap, and sector splits.

Simple Step-by-step Guide

Join a practice, qualifying, or race session. New to iRacing? Start in practice to avoid pressure.
Press Esc while in the session to open the menus and choose “Session Info” or “Results” (shows lap times and best lap).
For live display, open the garage HUD options (click the “HUD” or use the overlay controls) and enable the Timing Bar or Timing Window — this shows lap, delta, and position in real time.
After the session, open the Results screen or the “League/Session” tab to review lap-by-lap times and fastest laps.

These steps work whether you’re testing setups, learning a track, or checking qualifying laps.

Common mistakes (and easy fixes)

Mistake: Expecting lap times on the TV-style leaderboard only. Fix: Use the Timing Window or Session Results for precise lap-by-lap data.
Mistake: Timing window hidden behind HUD elements. Fix: In HUD settings, adjust size/position or toggle on the separate Timing Window.
Mistake: Confusing “Total Time” with “Lap Time” in replays. Fix: Look for lap splits or play a single lap in the replay to isolate the lap time.

Quick iRacing tips for beginners

Enable the Timing Window in practice to watch deltas as you drive — it’s the fastest feedback loop.
Use the “Best Lap” column in Results to compare runs quickly.
Save replays for laps you want to analyze or share — replays show exact lap time and telemetry.
If you’re learning how iRacing works, try a short practice session focused only on clean laps and checking the Timing Bar.
Keep a simple notebook or spreadsheet of best laps per session to track progress.

When to ask for help

If your timing display won’t appear, your HUD is missing items, or replays show no lap data, it’s a good time to ask. iRacing’s support docs are helpful, and iRacing beginners often get quick, friendly answers in community places — try the official forums or an iRacing Discord community for step-by-step screenshots or live help.

FAQs

Q: Where is the timing window on screen?
A: Open HUD options (in the garage or via Esc) and enable the Timing Window; you can move and resize it.

Q: My lap time shows as a total time — how do I see lap splits?
A: Use the Results screen or the replay controls; the Timing Window also shows sector splits and deltas live.

Q: Can I see lap times after the race?
A: Yes — open Session Results after the session or load the replay to review every lap.

Q: Is lap timing accurate in iRacing?
A: Yes — iRacing records lap times precisely; differences usually come from driver input, setup, or track conditions.

Final takeaway: You don’t need to be a sim engineer to read lap times. Start a practice session, enable the Timing Window, and check Session Results after a run. One short practice focused on clean laps and watching deltas will teach you more than an hour of guessing.